There was something magical about the crisp morning air in Kumo. Refreshing and exhilarating, it almost made being sent to run errands seem less mundane. The sun had just peeked through the mountains and cut a warming glow through the thin morning fog. The large browned paper back rustled as Sōma adjusted his grip and braced against a chilling breeze that nipped at his unprotected ears. There weren't too many other people out on the streets right now, most people would be just finishing up getting ready for the day. It was a peaceful ambiance, where one could easily switch to autopilot and get lost in their thoughts as they walked.
CAAWW!!
Sōma's body tightened, his pace quickened... He heard a fluttering behind him that he tried his hardest to ignore.
CAAAWWW!!
The boy sighed deeply. 'Not again...' He thought as he looked down to his feet, not wanting to accept what was likely to happen next.
CAAWW-CAAWW!!!!!
His head slowly turned towards the sound from a nearby tree. His eyes locked with his worst nemesis for an instant. Before he knew it he was on his back, the flurry of feathers knocking him down and launching the contents of the bag high into the air. The boy winced, grabbing at the elbow that had taken the brunt of the impact against the hard stone path. As his eyes opened back up he saw his assailants. Three black birds hurriedly picked through the debris, squabbling loudly over the higher value items. One more, much larger bird stepped forward and began pushing the others aside, claiming whatever it wanted without much resistance. Their eyes met once again. Sōma gritted his teeth as he felt frustration boil to the surface.
"What is your problem?!" He shouted, reaching for a nearby stone and slinging it towards the flock. The smaller birds quickly scattered and took up positions perched nearby. The larger bird however, did not fly away. Instead it hopped closer, and again, and again, until it was barely within an arms length from the boy. Sōma felt that familiar feeling of dread flood into him, he edged back slightly. As he did this he noticed something that had fallen out of his pocket in the scuffle. He glanced up at the bird, which had picked up on his interest in the small wooden pendant. He hurried to grab it, but it was too late. The bird lunged forward and snatched it away, before flying up to a nearby rooftop, as if to taunt the boy.
"Hey!! Give that back you stupid bird!"
Sōma jumped to his feet, the fear from facing off with his natural enemy taking a backseat as anger took over. Another rock skipped off the roof next to the bird, he really needed to work on his aim. The boy stepped through the scattered contents of the grocery bag, looking up for some way to get up to the bird. He grabbed onto a nearby drainpipe and started to climb. Straining as he tried to pull himself up onto the roof, Sōma saw the bird watching him closely until suddenly all he saw was sky. He hit the ground hard, alongside the loose roof tile that had given way. He lay there for a moment, trying to catch his breath as the bird looked down, almost mocking him. He wasn't going to give up, he needed to get that pendant back, it wasn't valuable but it was very important to him. Important enough for him to face his fears.
[MFT WC:590]
CAAWW!!
Sōma's body tightened, his pace quickened... He heard a fluttering behind him that he tried his hardest to ignore.
CAAAWWW!!
The boy sighed deeply. 'Not again...' He thought as he looked down to his feet, not wanting to accept what was likely to happen next.
CAAWW-CAAWW!!!!!
His head slowly turned towards the sound from a nearby tree. His eyes locked with his worst nemesis for an instant. Before he knew it he was on his back, the flurry of feathers knocking him down and launching the contents of the bag high into the air. The boy winced, grabbing at the elbow that had taken the brunt of the impact against the hard stone path. As his eyes opened back up he saw his assailants. Three black birds hurriedly picked through the debris, squabbling loudly over the higher value items. One more, much larger bird stepped forward and began pushing the others aside, claiming whatever it wanted without much resistance. Their eyes met once again. Sōma gritted his teeth as he felt frustration boil to the surface.
"What is your problem?!" He shouted, reaching for a nearby stone and slinging it towards the flock. The smaller birds quickly scattered and took up positions perched nearby. The larger bird however, did not fly away. Instead it hopped closer, and again, and again, until it was barely within an arms length from the boy. Sōma felt that familiar feeling of dread flood into him, he edged back slightly. As he did this he noticed something that had fallen out of his pocket in the scuffle. He glanced up at the bird, which had picked up on his interest in the small wooden pendant. He hurried to grab it, but it was too late. The bird lunged forward and snatched it away, before flying up to a nearby rooftop, as if to taunt the boy.
"Hey!! Give that back you stupid bird!"
Sōma jumped to his feet, the fear from facing off with his natural enemy taking a backseat as anger took over. Another rock skipped off the roof next to the bird, he really needed to work on his aim. The boy stepped through the scattered contents of the grocery bag, looking up for some way to get up to the bird. He grabbed onto a nearby drainpipe and started to climb. Straining as he tried to pull himself up onto the roof, Sōma saw the bird watching him closely until suddenly all he saw was sky. He hit the ground hard, alongside the loose roof tile that had given way. He lay there for a moment, trying to catch his breath as the bird looked down, almost mocking him. He wasn't going to give up, he needed to get that pendant back, it wasn't valuable but it was very important to him. Important enough for him to face his fears.
[MFT WC:590]