Author: Caligo, Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 9:56 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Caligo surrendered to the angel's touch for the time being. She felt something happening, some power greater than both herself and the young god. Suddenly the inner light of the god shown bright, increasing in brightness so much that she had to turn away. When she looked back again, the young god was gone and she sensed his power vanish like a vacuum in space. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt or seen before. Her ears perked forward as she looked at the empty space where he had once stood. It was just that, empty. It reminded her of death, how she could sense the soul leaving the body. But a god couldn't die….could they?

She turned her attention back to the angel next to her. She was rather surprised that the girl was upset. She watched her cry, her eyes wet with tears that ran quickly down her face. She lifted her head and looked into her face, breathing softly through her large nostrils. Even without eyes, she was able to see the girl clearly in the moonlight. I did not know the angels spoke of us. We looked to them in an equal light. It was an honor to serve with them. If I would give my soul for them again if I could bring them back to earth. Alas, there are powers greater than us that control those things. There will be a time when the dead will rise to walk again, but until then, we can only wait.

She was quiet as she watched the angel. So young, though likely her appearance was much younger than she actually was. Angels aged slower than mortal men and women.  Don't be sad for me little one. Her projected voice was calm and quiet. This curse is difficult and uncomfortable and will plague me for the rest of my days. But it always me to do the very thing I desired in my other life. I wanted to seek revenge against men for using us as only beasts, and in this form, as disgusting and vile as it may be, it allows me to do just that. It is everything I ever wanted in that sense. Nothing is every accomplished without sacrifice. I sacrificed my soul for this life, and though painful, I am satisfied with it. I don't pity myself, I pity people like you, those that were left behind. You suffer more in your heart every day than my body ever will in a lifetime.

Author: Ash Faith, Posted: Wed Jan 9, 2019 7:37 AM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Ash had tears streaming down her face and soon she stumbled to caligo sobbing and wrapped her arms around her once slender and beautiful neck "father and mother spoke fondly of you Caligo. I hoped to meet you but not like this." She told the once pretty horse. She turned to Naota "could you mend this please" she indicated her broken wing. "You can put your sword away. I don't think caligo will hurt me. And please can you do something about her curse?"

Author: Caligo, Posted: Tue Jan 8, 2019 12:31 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Caligo heard the young god speak to her but she paid him no mind. She cocked an ear at him in response but that was all. She didn't have an interest in him, she couldn't touch or consume his brilliant light, so he would have no use for her. She was focused entirely on the girl with broken wings. She seemed equally surprised as she was.  This time when the young god spoke, she turned slightly to look at him, both her ears forward. Like she had before, she spoke to both of them at once. I'll show you. She stepped towards them, ducking her head and focusing as she projected a memory through the telepathic link.

They were looking through her eyes at what appeared to be a battlefield, immense in size, and incredibly bright. The sun showed brightly overhead, larger than normal, illuminating everything in an almost painful brightness, like snow in wintertime. Around her were people, angels, and beasts alike. Behind them was a dark foreboding fog that followed them forward, threatening to shut out the painful light. In front of them were more angels, hundreds, if not thousands. All wrapped in cloaks of white and gold, with glistening swords, shields and armor. The angels around her wore black and grey, and their equipment wasn't in nearly as good condition, but she sensed their strong fighting spirit. They would rather die than serve the golden angels, just as she would rather die than serve the men beneath her. How she hated men. Her hatred blinded her to all reason.

In an instant, they were rushing forward, her shadow along the ground following next to her. Her luxurious mane and tail were banners of her pride as she led the charge. Next to her on either side were more angels on horses, who like her, despised their servitude towards men. The angels near her she remembered in stark clarity, for they were the ones who had given her and her brethren the opportunity to escape and rebel. Azael was one of them, mounted on a beautiful grey mare a few horses down. Their forces collided with the golden angels in a crash of thunder. There were shouts all around her and she heard the screams of the other war mares as they started the attack. 

She attacked a golden angel about to stab a man, her shiny hooves tearing through his armor with ease, feeling him falter beneath her. She felt the angel on her back direct her towards another group, feeling him shift in weight as he reached down with his sword. She felt him come in contact with them, and then straighten, turning to see the golden robes fall to the ground stained red. Her angel called to the other mounted angels, and they pushed forward again, the dark fog following them. They regrouped, though slightly smaller than before and again attacked the golden angels. 

The battle went like this for a long time, both sides suffering losses. At first, they had gained the advantage, simply by their surprise attack on the golden angels. They quickly gained ground, the losses to the golden angels quickly outnumbering their own. In no time, they were nearing the gate surrounding their main objective. Victory looked to be in sight, the fog starting to surround and cloud out the sun, casting the world in a strange twilight. There were dead angels and men behind her, they would gather them afterward. For now, they had to continue onward stronger than ever, with their end goal now in sight. Azael and a few others rode with them. Several of her companions had already fallen at the hands of the golden angels and she sought to see that the golden angels paid for their loss. 

She had killed several already, as well as aiding in the demise of dozens more. She had survived so far with much more than a few scratches and the occasional cut. The adrenaline rushing through her kept the pain at bay. Likewise, her angel was still fighting as strongly now as they had in the first charge. Together they and the other horsemen gathered their remaining troops for the last push of their campaign. To victory. She and the remaining horses let out fierce roars in unison with the battle cries from the rest of the angels as they made their way to the gate. They had reached the gate, it was only a short way to the temple, and then they would conquer the golden angels for once and for all. They stopped at the gate, the riders dismounting and pushed to open the massive metal doors. And then the tables turned.

Golden angels, who had mostly disappeared, appeared out of nowhere, launching arrows with painful accuracy. Men, horses, beasts, and angels around her dropped like flies, their screams of agony forever haunting. The sun became brighter, dissolving their fog-like dust in the wind as it grew larger. The light clouded out everything and she reared in terror, for the first time in this assault, she was genuinely terrified. The sun consumed her and her troops, its heat and light unbearable and she closed her eyes. In the next moment, she was wrapped in cold air. She opened her eyes to see the white ground beneath her had disappeared and she was falling toward darkness. The angels and creatures that had survived the ambush were there with her, falling into darkness. All around her were screams of horror.

She felt the strength and muscle fade from her limbs, her very bones suddenly feeling very heavy. She watched in horror as she saw her legs shrivel and shrink in size, her firm flesh now thin and taunt like a raisin. She felt her beautiful mane and tail fall out in chunks while the rest of her shriveled. She felt an unrelenting pain in her stomach like she hadn't eaten in days. A piercing pain seared her eyes and she closed them and was horrified when she couldn't do so. They had been taken from her, along with her mane, her tail, her beautiful fur, and her elegant body. She was a monster, an ugly thing, the very thing she had feared to become as her internal wickedness consumed her. The gods had blessed her with beauty and just like that, they took it away. She couldn't close her eyes as the ground raced up to her and met her halfway.

Caligo pulled the memory from the pair and stood there silently looking at them as they regained their bearings. She gave out a quiet sigh, remembering everything as it happened. Waking up in the shell of a body she'd had before, desiring to taste the sweet grass and grain in her mouth, and finding herself unable to eat it. The shock as she found herself suddenly drawn to meat instead of grass. The pain in her stomach the same as it was now, even after her first kill, it hadn't wavered. While the rest of the pain she became accustomed too and hardly noticed after a while, the gnawing pain remained and could never be sated. As was part of her curse. 

She turned her attention back to the young angel, seeing her sadness etched in her face. Her face that very well had saved her life. Had she not had the likeness of Azael, she would likely already be dead where she stood. She pinned her ears slightly, also saddened by the memory. Not everyone survived the fall. She dipped her head to look at her. He fought well. He was one of the very last to die and he did so with dignity. Be proud. Though our cause failed, he did not die in vain. She felt tempted to comfort her but didn't move from where she stood. 

Author: Naota, Posted: Mon Jan 7, 2019 2:00 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

So, his suspicions had been correct and she was in fact an angel. Usually when one fell it wasn’t for anything pleasant, but that could all be sorted out later. Right now, there was another threat, one that he kept his focus on even as the girl stepped out from behind the tree. The scrape of her wing sent a shiver down his spine, and he made a mental note to help and heal it later.

“I can help with your wing soon, Ash,” he spoke gently but there was still a firmness to his tone that couldn’t be erased. All of that was due to the dark form steadily drawing closer to the pair. The white markings on his skin glowed brighter when the image of the creature came into focus. What were they? Upon first glance he might have guessed at a horse, but this thing hardly resembled the usual equine.

There was a sensation at the back of his skull, alerting him that whatever this being was, they were trying to communicate solely through telepathy. His mind blocked such invasions, but he allowed that door to open just a sliver so that he could hear them. The laugh reached him first, followed by words that were hard to decipher as true or mocking. Then their fangs showed in the moonlight, and his eyes glowed brighter.

When she stopped just in front of them, he was able to take in her full form. She was large and appeared to be made completely of darkness and shadow. The largeness was only in height, for she was so thin that her ribs showed easily through her dark skin. What in the world was she? An arching bubble of protection slowly wrapped around himself and Ash, spreading from within himself to keep them encased while this dark horse was so close.

With her in such tight proximity, it would have taken little effort to swing his blade towards her, but he somehow knew that it wouldn’t be as simple as a quick slash. Thankfully she was only talking, and Naota listened quietly as she did so. She was able to sense him out well, and a younger him would have smirked, but instead he kept his expression calm and impassive. There was no reason to reveal that he was in fact an immortal, a fully realized deity, if necessary then he’d teach her that lesson through experience and not words.

Ash spoke back to the horse and Naota’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t engage her, Ash,” he warned. “She means to kill you, feast on you even, it sounds like,” his tone became more grave. The emerald of his eyes bled into threatening ruby just as bright as ever. “If it’s death you mean to bring to her then I’m sorry to say it won’t be happening. Not today at least,” he spoke the words simply as if regarding the weather or relaying the time to some passerby that had asked.

But this went beyond a simple feeding. No, there was something personal here, but he highly doubted it would lead to anything good. “How do you know something so specific to her?” While he wanted to move his gaze from this horse to Ash, he was careful to keep an ever watchful eye on her just in case she should spring. The protection he had put on himself and Ash was strong, but it wasn’t permanent.

Author: Ash Faith, Posted: Fri Jan 4, 2019 5:31 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Ash stepped slowly from behind the tree suddenly forgetting her fear. "H..how do you know that name?" Her purple eyes wide with surprise she holds a gold chain that dangled around her neck with a heart locket attached to it. Inside was the last feather of both her parents. Her wing slump as she remembers watching the war from the window of her babysitters home. Watching them die. Her eyes darken and she turns away saddly lost in the memories.

Author: Caligo, Posted: Thu Jan 3, 2019 11:00 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

The moonlight was bright, casting shadows across the landscape, causing the world to appear distorted underneath it's pale light. Though it was a natural world, the night turned it into a foreign land; colors were dimmed and muted out, common shapes became unrecognizable, and the will of the civilized man or beast became weak, causing them to be more inclined to crime, lust, drink, or any other sinful activity. The darkness caused change inside people as well as outside, and it was this corruption that Caligo took advantage of during her nightly hunts. She watched from her vantage point as the man became more nervous and tense. He must have felt her presence nearby, and likewise, she sensed his anxiety and possibly fear.

 He called out to her, calling for her to reveal herself. She couldn't help it, but she let out a low laugh, amused. Not physically, but telepathically and loud enough for both to hear at once. She slipped out from under the shadow of the great oak tree; her bony dark form appearing even more distorted under the faint light. She walked slowly toward the pair. Her large nostrils flared as she drew near, the smoke tendrils swirling around her lower legs. I admire your bravery, she said as she came closer. She watched him grip his sword and smiled, her large fangs sparkling in the night sky briefly before they were again covered by her thin dark lips.

She stopped walking and stood still, towering over them slightly. She arched her neck, turning her head to the side to look at the man with her eyeless socket. You have promise. I sense in you great power, far above a normal mortal. Even above the angels even. She gave a soft exhale of breath on his face before speaking to him privately. The power of a god. A deity. Disguised in flesh. She paused a moment, looking him up and down. And yet, power still radiates from you as strong and blinding as the sun. I haven't seen a being similar to you in what has felt like an eternity. She tilted her skull to see his face. Yes, I will remember you. Even without eyes, you are blinding to me, for a cursed creature, such as I, can never look upon such goodness and purity and see it for what it is.

 She switched her speech to speak to both of them again. However, young man, it is not you that I seek. She stepped toward the young girl behind him, her smoke reaching towards her ankles. I have searched for you for a long time, your scent has made me ravenous. I haven't seen an angel in ages. I remember them though. Every. Single. One. Her smoke changed, going from her legs to her back, forming a pair of black feathered wings raised high. I remember their faces, their names, their titles. I remember their power and strength. I remember how they fought well, with pride and honor. Even after they were stripped of their wings, they were still magnificent to witness. I remember plummetting down with them as punishment. Above all creatures of this land, above elf, and dwarf and man, the flesh of the angels was the sweetest of all.

She stopped just in front of her, the sweet smell driving her to near madness. She breathed deeply, taking in as much of the smell as she could, the memories vividly returning back to her. The angel was young and beautiful, still reaching for her prime, not yet an adult and at her peak of power and prowess. She didn't appear to have the aura of a higher angel, but she still had power and strength, though compared to the deity next to her, she was but a small flame. She stared intently at the young girl with broken wings, almost as if trying to see through her. Don't cry young one, I will make it as painless as I can. Her smoke drifted up and framed the young girls face. Suddenly at that instant, her desire for meat faded and her smoke wings disappeared. She raised her head slowly, her ears perked in shock and she took a step back. Azael? 

Author: Ash Faith, Posted: Thu Jan 3, 2019 9:45 AM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

"My..my name is Ash Faith. I am an angel. Why I was cast down I do not know." Ash very slowly stepped from behind the tree. Cocking her head to the side she watched as he tightened his grip on his blade. Then turned towards whatever he was talking to. "I could fly away from harm if my wing was broken. I guess I'll trust You. For now." She mumbled coming to stand just in front of the tree. Her wing still dragged but at the possibility of mending the broken bones she forgot her pain. Forgetting it even more as she too felt the darkness and she backed up again. Trying to stay far away from it but also staying close to the man who wanted to protect and help her.

Author: Naota, Posted: Thu Jan 3, 2019 12:38 AM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

While keeping one hand on the hilt of his blade, he cautiously held his other up with his palm facing her so that she could see he meant her no harm. She was afraid, but he wasn’t sure of what. The damage on her could very well have come from some struggle against someone. Could that same person be the dangerous presence he was sensing? There were too many possibilities, but one thing was for sure: whether this young girl was good or not she was most certainly in danger.

“I don’t mean you any harm,” he soothed, hoping that if nothing else she would believe him in that. “I’m just someone that wants to help, someone that can tell there’s a large threat to you and possibly others out here tonight,” he said. His eyes moved out in search of the unseen foe before returning his gaze to her.

“My name is Naota,” he said, quietly introducing himself as he took a few slow steps towards her, all the while keeping one hand held up. Though he’d given his name, he didn’t quite want to reveal who he was just yet. That in itself could be intimidating to some, and if she truly was an angel then it had the possibility of causing a plethora of reactions. Not all of them were necessarily positive reactions either.

“May I know yours? You look hurt, would you be willing to trust me enough to help and mend you?” he asked hopefully. Maybe they could start there. The comforting smile that had started to form on his lips quickly faded when the presence got stronger. Whoever they were, they were getting closer. He gripped the hilt of his blade tighter before untying it and pulling it from its sheath. Holding it in both hands, he turned in the direction he felt this thing coming from.

Torinasu hungrily tried to absorb the brimming amount of negativity coming off of them. That power transmuted into positivity which rushed through his veins and only built his own strength more. His eyes narrowed, unable to focus on what he was looking for, but able to see the faintest outline of something. Yes, someone was trying to hide from them, something unlike anything he’d encountered before.

“You have a chance to reveal yourself,” he warned. “Things might go easier for you if you went ahead and did that now.” It would be the only warning he’d give. The last thing he wanted to do right now was start a fight so close to someone that was already hurt. If it came down to it then he’d do all he could to protect, but at the end of the day if it was possible to stop a fight from happening then that’s the route he’d want to take.

Author: Caligo, Posted: Wed Jan 2, 2019 10:46 AM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

The flash of light caught her attention. It was bright and in several different colors, just a short distance away. It came in the direction of the angel's scent, and for a moment she was curious if the prey had vanished on her. She stood quietly for a moment, breathing in deeply so that her frame rattled. No, she was still there, she hadn't moved. A second scent had actually joined her on the hillside. A different one. Stronger than the angel she was seeking, almost feeling his power radiant outward like light from the sun. She continued onward towards the source of this power. It was like the angels she had fought, only this was much stronger.

When she was closer, she stopped again. This time to listen instead of smell. She knew where they were, the combination of power and scent told her of their position. For now, she was curious about what they had to say. Her ragged ears lifted eagerly to hear the sounds of their voices. If things went according to her design, it would be the last time their voice would be heard by anyone. She would give them sufficient time to speak. She couldn't help but smile, her tight black skin pulled tight across her bones. The night air was cool against her long pointed tongue. She could almost taste them, the temptation was strong, but she would wait.

She felt herself dissipate slightly into a dark smoke, like a living shadow as she drifted silently closer. She stopped under the cover of a large tree, the shadow of the oak easily concealing her from the rest of the world. In the shadows, she existed best, unheard, unseen, almost invisible. Unsuspecting to anyone else, like a specter, she could wait for an eternity for the right moment to strike. She was in no rush. She had to feed constantly, but even then, her appetite was never sated. It was part of her curse to remain starving as long as she existed, no matter what or how much she devoured. 

She could see the angel and the young man that had appeared in the brilliant light. The man was attempting to take her away from this place. So peaceful and quiet, she could understand its ability to draw people to this land. After the angel, she wouldn't be against lingering longer in this place. More people would come here, long after they were gone. She caught the scent of blood from the pair, seeing that the angel had a broken wing and likely other injuries she couldn't see. She took a step forward, focusing in on the smell. She wasn't nearly as powerful as the man, her power a mere spark in contrast to his. 

The man was strong, and she decided that he wouldn't be worth the fight. His small body wasn't worth the damage his power could inflict. The angel, however, was still a  very real possibility.  If only the man would leave her alone. She didn't need to lose her because of him. She closed her mouth, the smile gone from her face as she gave a quiet deep hiss. She would be very angry if he stole her away with him, especially after she had tracked her down all this way. She was so close, too close for him to mess up her plan. She felt the tendrils of smoke rise around her legs. 

She turned her head to the side as she saw the angel stand up, her broken wing dragging on the ground. If she had eyes, one could have seen them sparkle in delight as she heard her gasp in pain and back away from the man. Pain was a feeling she understood very well. She stood silently, observing the pair from her vantage point on this hill. She casually licked her mouth in anticipation. They hadn't even noticed they were being watched. She could see without seeing. She saw no light, so she needed no eyes. She gave them another moment before creeping out from under the tree. 

Author: Ash Faith, Posted: Tue Jan 1, 2019 5:49 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Ash darted to her feet startled by the man "who are you?" She asked backing away till she stood hidden behind a tree. As she moved her broken wing dragged over the small pebbles and roots and she winced in pain every time. "Why should I go with you"she asked through a gasp of pain.

Author: Naota, Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 9:32 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Something was wrong that night. Despite how breathtaking the spectrum of islands looked in the glow of starlight, there was a pit in The Northern Light’s stomach. With all of the peaceful rumors he’d heard surrounding one of Onnen’s more gorgeous locations, the last thing he expected was the chill of death down his spine. Yet he knew Dalanesca was nowhere nearby, so what was causing this? Some unseen specter that haunted the lands? Onnen was an old place, surely death clung to every nook and cranny, but this, this was something deeper, something darker than the mere idea of death.

When he first sensed this presence he had been seated among the sea of flowers. Luckily such a spot was quiet and gentle enough that when he closed his eyes he was able to meditate properly. Death was not his realm, neither was darkness, but light was and sometimes knowing the opposite of something could give you a leg up. That’s what he was going for at least. After all that had changed for him in the last year he was on shakier standing than he’d been before. Death was no stranger to him, but it wasn’t the negative force he was seeking out: it was their prey.

While Torinasu buzzed at his hip, searching for the source of all of this to drink in, Naota instead locked in on the small dot of light on the other side of the island. “There,” he whispered to no one. When his eyes opened, they glowed brilliantly: crystalline, emerald. The white markings on his skin steadily glowed brighter until he himself was lighting the immediate area around him; chasing shadows away. The pull was weak, but it was there, and he followed it like a magnet as he disappeared in a silent flash of rainbow light.

He reappeared a few yards away from the small body, but his eyes were out in search for the hunter. Whoever they were, they weren’t far. Maybe he’d be able to get this person to safety before anything could happen. His footsteps were silent through the flowers as he moved one hand to the hilt of his blade. It was a girl. No, not a girl, her wings suggested otherwise. Could they really be an angel? It would certainly explain why he’d been able to hone in on them so quickly since holiness was his forte. But if they were defeated like this with a broken wing, then things definitely weren’t as they seemed.

Either way, he approached her with a gentle voice, “Miss? I’m not entirely sure what you’re doing here or what’s happened, but I think you need to come with me.” He looked past her in search for the threat, but kept himself fully aware of her all the same. For all he knew, she wasn’t as innocent as her appearance suggested her to be.

Author: Caligo, Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:38 PM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

Though she walked on hard packed earth, her hooves made no sound. Instead of shining in the light like normal horses, her hooves seemed almost to absorb the light, without reflecting any back. Black smoke swirled around her lower legs, long tendrils drifting outward like spectral arms. Her long body devoid of any flesh or heavy muscling wrapped only in a thin covering of dark translucent skin over her skeletal frame. The whiteness of her bones could be seen where her skin was pulled taut, like over her joints, her skull, and her vertebrae. The vertical columns of the vertebrae of her back and neck almost appeared to rip through the skin, giving her the appearance of spines.

She took a deep breath, her narrow ribcage crackled slightly at the change in pressure. Her large nostrils flared as she exhaled and breathed in again. Her long pointed ears were tipped back against her head, their edges ragged. Her eyeless sockets looked at the ground, looking for any sign or trace of the prey she was tracking. She arched her neck, her spines poking out and separating her sparse mane into uneven sections. Her appearance had caused several people to call her a dragon in times past, even a nightmare on one occasion. They weren't wrong in some aspects of their claims.

She was like a dragon. She was a hunter of both men and beast. She was designed to be a killer of such, her long fangs and advanced senses showed that much. Also similar to a dragon, she was also adept in certain aspects of magic, being able to conjure shadows and dissipate in smoke, even render herself partially invisible. Though she lacked scales and the ability to breath fire or manipulate it, she was a feared beast, in her own right, just as dragons were. She was also like the nightmares of people. Haunting their dreams and living in the back of their minds. She was the bogeyman that parents taught their children to fear. The reasons why they weren't allowed to play outside at night, or in deep water where they couldn't see or feel the bottom. 

She dwelled in the closets and bedrooms of children with overactive imaginations. The dark places of the city where people feared to go alone. She stalked the lonely traveler across the fields at night, just as she was doing now, in order to determine whether they got home safe or not.  She did not hesitate to take a child or pet out from under the eye of an unwatching parent. Nor did she hesitate to escort the heavily intoxicated to their place of residence, only for them to never reach it at all. However, she did pity the homeless and respected those who did not fear her approach. These few folks she granted mercy to and sought another soul to take. There were many people in this world, the few she respected, she permitted to walk away alive, there would always be more. 

The prey Caligo was hunting tonight, however, was not a man, nor woman, nor beast, nor child. The young body she was hunting was unlike any she had found in a very long time. The scent of this creature brought back memories and pain from a long time ago. Screams and the clatter of metal on metal and metal on flesh drifted through her mind from a portion of memories she wished to forget. And because of these painful recollections that this scent and creature brought forth, she would make sure that they were given the most painful demise. For tonight, she was hunting an angel. 

Author: Ash Faith, Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:41 AM, Post Subject: Ash to Ashes

A young Angel sits silently watching the stars wondering why she was cast down. Her heart longs to fly again but her broken wing prevents her. Her green eyes glitter with tears that slide down her smooth beautiful face. Her white hair lays a in snarls that are quite new to the girl. Her white dress stained with dirt and grass. Her white wings dusted and matted. Her feathers fall out due to malnutrition. Her one wing bent at an odd angle swollen and infected.