Winds of Change

??? August: Prologue

Lila was on a mission.

While her partner was at home, just having given birth to her first child, she was scouring the sky. She had three chicks recently hatched that were all demanding food, food, and more food. At least they would grow into strong birds.

Her mate, Zoro, was down on the Surface doing who-knows-what with his partner – a Skyloft knight of high rank and ironically the husband of her master. He had promised to bring back some fish – a rare treat, due to their presence only down below - for their young, but wouldn't return until nightfall.

She had only recently chewed up half an Octorok to feed them, but she was sure she could bring more back for her children. That was when she saw it – something small, naked and crying on a rocky island far below.

It was probably a sorry Guay that had gotten too big for its boots and had been punished by its flock by plucking. If so, it would be an easy meal; Guays were difficult to catch and their feathers choked up a Loftwing's throat, so it would make a nice change from having to empty the stone sacs of the Octorok.

When she got close enough, she froze in midair. It was no Guay – it was a Loftwing chick sitting in eggshell, abandoned on the cliff, crying for its mother. Crying for food, crying for warmth, crying for anything at all.

Why did you leave me?, she could almost hear amongst its desperate pleas. What did I do wrong?

She heavily debated what she could possibly do with the young bird. She could feed it now, but after that it could starve and die. Birds were bonded to their partner from the day they hatched, whether said partner existed yet or not, and if this one perished then a hopeful child could one day be without a bird of their own.

It was a terrible predicament. She had barely enough room in the nest for three, and she knew no other female Loftwings who would possibly take another.

She would just have to take the responsibility on, and get Zoro to expand her nest. Lila would never have a young bird miss their chance at life. She had always liked to think that her own chicks would grow into really, really special birds who could be an asset to Skyloft, but if she turned down one who otherwise would have no hope left... she could never forgive herself.

She gently took the chick, who had stopped crying by then, into her claws and gently flew him back to her nest. She regretted even thinking of food when she'd first seen him.

As she landed, all three of her tiny hatchlings opened their mouths and begged for food. She slipped the foreigner in between them and choked up the Octorok she'd consumed.

They ignored the newcomer, and the newcomer ignored them. In their infantile minds, there was only food and a mother to love them.

Lila smiled down upon the chicks. When they grew, and could understand the world around them, there would always have been four. When they grew, they would be a proper family without doubt.

But how long would it take for the abandoned one to find out?