Surrounded By Song

The sound of birdsong was what had really attracted Spirit to this place. It wasn't to far from home either; it was just far enough away that he felt like he was exercising his independence, without fearing he'd get sidetracked and lose his bearings. He'd brought Strawberry with him anyway, who pushed ahead of him, tweeting softly as if to keep him on course. Today he wanted to go out looking for herbs, hoping he might collect some and bring them to Meadow for inspection upon their next visit. He still wanted to connect with his mother and express his interest in healing, but for now he supposed that examining and collecting his own plants was a decent start, so long as he didn't actually use anything before figuring out what it was - or whether it was safe.

Strawberry's song was easily recognizable among the other birdsong that filled his ears. Oh, the sound was just delightful! For a moment he realized he was closing his eyes while he walked, moving through the the utmost care. Needlessly disturbing the foliage seemed like a foolish idea to him, and he wasn't about to cause a ruckus anyway. When he opened his eyes and rounded a little bend in the thicket, he was alarmed to see a ribbon of smoke rising toward the sky. Equal parts curious and fearful, Spirit was slow as he closed the distance between him and the stranger, finally stumbling upon the clearing and trying to assess what was going on from a distance. A quiet little chirp told him Strawberry was still close and looking after him, so he tried to push back his fears. He had to be brave, right? "W-what is that?" He asked softly, hoping she could hear him, given the distance between them. He wasn't sure he was capable of moving any closer yet until he understood what she was doing.