ORIGIN

There shouldn't have been anything else to it.

All she had to do was break free from the hellish confinement that she was trapped in, and yet no matter how hard she thrashed around inside the amber chrysalis, no matter how many times she wanted to scream for help as she violently bashed her head against the darkened walls, nothing happened.

From the outside, the chrysalis would be shaking - barely managing to move in the cave floor it was rooted into. It was clear that the creature inside was trying desperately to get out - but to quite clearly no avail.

And suddenly - as quickly as it started, it stopped.

There was no concept of time in these caves. Animals and their hybrid offspring don't exactly have watches around their wrists. Minute could have passed, perhaps hours - days, even - when the cluster of amber began moving again.

The creature inside was frantic. They felt claustrophobia crawling up their spine, twisting around their lungs and strangling them by the throat. A soundless scream broke out from it's beak, unheard to the outside world. It began thrashing all at once again, talons hitting off the walls, wings desperately trying to extend, head bashing against the walls.

CRACK.

The walls simply just broke away and the bird was overwhelmed with the feeling of cold air sinking through their feathers, pricking like needles into their skin. She gasped for breath and opened her eyes - briefly blinded by the light that surrounded her.

She was free.