A dangerous cave, Aran knows. He can feel the danger around him. Something about this place is wilting when it should not - fungi spreading across the plants and the ground where it was not before. Not good, but he's not here for this.

He's seen strange birds around the caves lately. He's also learning how to walk with his new legs. New weight on his shoulders, it's different, it isn't as light as it is with the spell. He's not sure how to fly with these yet. Aran will get there. Maybe he should find Arquia - he pushes it away for now.

As he moves, he does not see what he's looking for. Unfortunate, but expected. Birds are fickle creatures, flying away from sounds that get too close. Aran thinks his pendant may be the cause of this. A dead bird on his head? Most creatures wouldn't want to get close.

Aran doesn't think lessers are smart enough to realize it.

Scary, and yet it allows him to do the one thing he cannot without it. See. He will not be getting rid of it. His sight isn't something that can be healed with time - it's been a long time. Even though he's not sure where he got it from, Aran is sure they would not be so happy if he got rid of the bird. Even if it has a terrifying control over his emotions...

Aran feels his magic hit his stone... Only for everything to hit him all at once. He grits the teeth he has, thumping sounds rattle through his skull and send his heart racing. His legs go stiff, vulture talons digging deep in the dirt. He's a deer in headlights. A deer prime for the hunting.

The bird's eyes move with great anxiety, back and forth, back and forth.

The spell wares off after a few moments. Aran is stuck frozen in plain sight like a fool. Breathing heavy, still hearing the thump, thump, thump of the cave's heartbeats.

Another few moments pass. Aran detangles his new nails from the dirt, he wills his legs to begin working again. His heart stops racing. He breathes in a few deep breaths, ignoring the white fungus on some of the plants around him - though still not breathing it in.

It's fine, he's fine - just another magic mishap.

He tries again, after all there is no reason for him to wait to recover any longer. No damage has been done, but this time the spell works properly. Barely, but he can still sense magic nearby. And so Aran makes his way there, trudging through the green forest.

Aran follows, and it leads him to the exact thing he was looking for. A bird so stark-red against the greens it stands out impossibly well. He watches it preen itself on a branch, pulling old feathers out and uncrusting the new ones. Yes, this is the one.

He does not move closer, Aran must stay somewhat of a distance so it does not fly away. This bird is different, it is not like the lesser birds of this place. The lesser birds approach, land on him - they are friendly for no good reason. Until they notice the pendant, but that's another story.

He wills his magic forward, uses a spell specially selected for his needs - and the bird flies away. He can see it go, can see where it's going, so he follows - quickly.

It's some time before the bird chooses to land again. He's scared it so many times during the jog - this time, though, Aran is sure he'll get what he wants. As long as his magic works for him this time.

Ignoring the fact that he's pretty sure the magic has a mind of its own, Aran stays in the bushes and watches the bird get back to its thing. Now. It's time now.

...And nothing. The bird does not leave this time, does not notice - his magic simply just does not activate. For someone so experienced, Aran feels like a failure. All of this training for nothing.

Aran is seriously wondering how he's survived this long if he can't get one spell to work on such a tiny creature. The bird would fit into his mouth, and yet he can't even get one thing to work for him. However, he is not going to leave.

This lesser is unique, and Aran is not going to leave it behind. It is different from the others, and he wants it down here with him. He wants to inspect it. Since it wont let him get close, this is the only way. And he'll have something to show for it. Even with the failures.

It connects, the spell worked. Aran can see the bird quickly turn around on it's little claws.

"Um. Hello?" Aran asks.

The bird looks pissed.

Magicka made its tentative connection: a connection which then locked into place with a shudder of finality.

Linked.

Strange facts and impressions flitted through Aran's mind. Healthy, but waning, feathers beginning to grow ragged, weight diminishing over time. Instead it granted its full attention to another tug along its psyche. It was otherwise... content. Unharmed. Physically male. Aware of its dangerously bright color. Irritated at intrusion--but was that its own thought, or another's..? Beyond this was some faint fear--a small prey-creature's fear--of Aran's presence, but that was rapidly waning in favor of bright curiosity.

Still, there was a... distraction, there. Half its mind was somewhere else. On a task. Urgent. Constant.

When Aran drew close enough to see details through the amulet he carried, something else would be made apparent.

Beyond the splash of crimson feathers, within the striking black mask streaked down the creature's face, its eyes were clouded white. Yet it was not blind--in fact, his senses had now gained a new, possibly disorienting, second pair of eyes.

Eyes that regarded him with a strange sense of multitudes. Was this the wisdom of an animal's instinct, or yet another pair of eyes, looking through its own..?

---

This Northern Cardinal is Exposed, in the first stage of being absorbed into the hive. It may be purged via Fungal Wake by the 13th of January--or via chrysalis for one cycle further. After this, it will be permanently made a part of the Hive, with unknown effects upon Aran's Familiar Forge link and its own well-being.

The personality of the bird itself will be left up to Aran's player.

@Aran