Counting Crows

II; TWO FOR BLISS

May 6th, 109 AS

--

I was giddy with excitement. Today I will get my crow.

On your seventh birthday, your parent takes you to get your crow. It protects you from the curse that comes around when you're eight. Although, Percy wanted to do this much sooner.

"Corby, calm down, alright? We're almost there," Percy says, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm so excited! Kalon will have a friend!"

Percy's crow, Kalon, was looking out the window of the carriage, cooing at the people as we passed by them.

"Why couldn't Father come with us?"

Percy looked out of the window and sighed. "He had to do something for Auntie."

"Do you think he is going to meet us in the forest?"

"I don't think so, Corby."

I looked out of the window. The sky was blue, like the color of Auntie's cookies.

"Will Auntie make her cookies for me?"

He holds a finger to his lips and winks. "I'm not allowed to give away secrets."

I giggle and pull his arm closer to me. Kalon was picking at something in the seat.

"What's Kalon doing, Percy?"

"He's a little nervous right now."

I lay on the seat, so my chin is resting on Percy's leg. I stare at Kalon. "Why?"

"He doesn't like carriage rides, they scare him." Percy runs his fingers through my hair. "Are you going to cut your hair soon?"

I shake my head. "No, I want it long, like yours."

"Then you need to brush it and get all the tangles out." He pulls something from my hair. "And keep all the leaves out."

I giggle and roll over. "I was saving that for later."

"What, are you a little caterpillar?" He picks me up and tickles me. I kick, trying to get him to stop.

"Percy! Stop!" I laugh as he continues to tickle me.

The carriage lurches to a halt and he stops.

"We're here," He says, excited. Percy was excited for me, which made me even more excited for what awaits.

He opens the door to the carriage and leaps out. Kalon follows him and sits on his shoulder, watching the forest. He holds his hand out, waiting for me to grab it and jump down.

I suddenly felt dizzy as a pain was growing in my stomach.

"Percy."

"What, Corb?"

"I don't feel good. My tummy hurts."

He leans into the carriage and takes my hands in his large ones. "It's okay, bud, just nerves." I take small steps towards the edge. It was high off of the ground. "You don't have anything to be afraid of, I'll be here the entire time."

His hands slid underneath my arms and lifted me out of the carriage. He sets me down on the ground.

"Come on, Corby." Percy grabbed my hand and we walked into the forest.

The tall, sturdy trees towered above me as I stared above. Their bright green canopies shrouded the sky, making it seem like it was late evening. An iron wrought gate stood ahead. It was old. Parts were turning reddish- orange as they rusted out. Two crows sat on the bars, staring at us.

I gripped onto his arm as the gate loomed overhead. "Two for bliss." I whisper over and over, pressing my face into Percy's arm.

"This is a safe place, Corby. This is the place of our ancestors. When a Crawford dies a stone is placed here in their honor." The gate creaked open as Percy touched the rusting bars.

A green field lay before us. It was bright and warm, unlike the forest. Stones poked out of the ground, letters and symbols carved into each one. Most of them were covered in moss and lichen.

Percy kneels in front of me and turns my face so I'm looking at him. "You have to go alone, okay, Corbin."

My eyes start to well up. "Percy, I don't want to go alone."

He draws me in closer and I sob into his shoulder. "It's okay, Corbin. I did the same thing ten years ago, you're going to be fine. Nothing will hurt you, I promise." He pushes me away and wipes the tears from my round cheeks. "There is a stone circle, stand in the middle and chant. You know the words. Keep your eyes closed, show your respect. Stop once you feel the wind."

I nod and face the center of the field. Percy presses a hand to my back, urging me to walk toward the center of the large field.

I take a deep breath and start walking to the center of the field.

Crows cawed as they sat in the edges of the forest, waiting for me to step onto the stone circle. The circle was mossy, flowers poking through the cracks in the stone. Nature was trying to take back the materials we stole to make the stone circle.

I take another deep breath and step into the circle.

"De stellis, coeli et lunae," I chant, over and over, squeezing my eyes shut as hard as I can. My feet start to move, almost involuntarily, around the circle.

A huge gust of wind almost knocks me over. I stop chanting, like Percy told me to do.

The wind keeps coming, whipping me like a piece of cloth on a drying line.

Then, it stops.

A little thing starts chirping. I open my eyes. Standing in front of me is a baby crow. It looks like a small void of nothingness sitting on my shoes.

I bend over to pick it up, and it hops in my hand. The crow tilts its head and coos.

Hello, Corbin! I'm Ione!

"Hi, Ione." I scratch her cheeks as I walk back towards Percy and Kalon. "You're stuck with me forever now! We'll be best friends!"

Percy comes running up the hill, towards Ione and I. He looks relieved when he sees the ball of black feathers in my hands.

"Percy, meet Ione, my best friend for life!"