One is a lonely number

“Oh, you are a loud one!” Aster chirped. The blue jay ruffled her feathers from her perch on a craggy spot on the wall. She was reasonably sure the wolf and two beasties couldn’t attack her from here, but she readied herself to fly away.

“Lucky for you, insects and seeds don’t care about noise too much, so it’s no annoyance to me. Though who knows what other wolves could’ve heard you—oh, wait, that was your goal, right? I’m an idiot.” Aster chirped to herself and shook out her head. “Actually, no, don’t misunderstand me—am I speaking this language right?—my name is Aster! My name is definitely not an idiot, and if it was then I would’ve changed it the day I flew out of my parents’ nest!”

After all that, she huffed the remaining air from her tiny lungs and peered down, as if surprised the stranger was still there. “Hello! What is your name?”