The rooster strutted across his flower-filled territory, chest puffed and feathers glinting in the warm light of dawn. The rising sun painted the valley gold, and every bloom seemed to bow beneath his majestic steps or at least, that's what he liked to think.
Patrolling, of course, was an essential duty for an overlord of his stature. A territory this grand could not possibly manage itself. His crimson comb gleamed as he scanned the fields for any sign of disturbance.
No intruders. No challengers. Not even a mischievous rabbit chewing where it shouldn't.
Only the faint shimmer of that place the Novice Village on the far horizon, cloaked in its strange energy seems to be the only anomaly.
The rooster's feathers ruffled involuntarily. That stucture a clear sign of the impending threat; the otherworlders, those unpredictable beings who according to his knowledge brought disaster wherever they went.
"Let's just hope they won't descend for a while," he muttered, his comb twitching. In the best-case scenario, he would already be invincible by the time they did.
He snapped out of his reverie when his stomach gave a loud, tragic rumble, ruining the air of authority he had so carefully built up during his patrol.
"…"
Clucking awkwardly, he glanced left and right, then let out a sigh of relief before puffing his chest again and giving a commanding cluck.
"Little Whites, assemble!"
The command echoed across the meadow. Within seconds, a dozen snowball-like shapes popped up from the tall grass. His rabbit subordinates each small, fluffy, and mildly confused bounced toward him in eager hops, their long ears twitching.
They formed a semi-circle around him, tilting their heads in perfect unison, eyes wide as if asking, "You called, boss?"
The rooster flapped his wings dramatically, eyes gleaming with purpose. "Follow me!" he clucked.
The rabbits, understanding the intent of his cluck, obeyed without hesitation. He led them to a patch of soft, dark soil where dew still sparkled like tiny jewels. His eyes gleamed with hunger.
"It's time," he announced solemnly, wings raised high. "To dig."
The rabbits stared blankly for a heartbeat… then began to dig furiously. Dirt flew everywhere as their little paws worked with impressive speed and efficiency. The rooster paced behind them like a proud commander overseeing a mining operation.
Moments later, the earth wriggled. One fat worm popped out. Then another. And another.
The rooster's eyes gleamed like twin suns. His beak twitched in anticipation.
"Magnificent work, my little subjects!" he declared before swooping down to snatch up the first worm. "Ahh, such a delicacy!" he crowed between bites, savoring every squirm.
To ordinary chickens, worms were rare luxuries, hard to find, rich in nutrients, and bursting with savory warmth. Grass and flower seeds could keep a chicken alive, sure, but worms? Worms made one feel alive.
And thanks to his industrious rabbit crew, he never had to go without such divine cuisine.
As he thanked and dismissed the rabbits, swallowing the last bite, a wave of satisfaction flowed through his feathers. Then a gentle thought surfaced.
"She seemed upset this morning…" he murmured. "Perhaps I should bring her these worms to cheer her up."
His heart gave a flutter at the thought of her, the lovely hen who had finally accepted his courting.
Back when he first wooed her, he'd offered worms every so often, each plucked from the freshest soil. She had accepted them with an elegant nod and a thankful cluck. Watching her eat, eyes glimmering with delight, always made his heart swell with joy.
If anything could cheer her up, it would be worms.
"Yes," he decided, puffing out his chest proudly. "I'll bring her the finest selection today."
Gathering a mouthful of the fattest and juiciest worms, he trotted back toward the hilltop his beak dangling with worms.
Near the top of the hill, sprawled atop a sunlit boulder, lay a familiar black-scaled figure, the lizard.
The creature lay on its back, limbs splayed, chest rising and falling in slow, content snores. A single bubble of snot inflated and deflated rhythmically from its nostrils.
The rooster paused mid-step, eyeing the spectacle.
He'd long since grown used to this sight. Instead of waking it, he merely nodded.
"Rest while you can," he clucked, shaking his head fondly.
He decided to let the creature sleep for today. He had something far more important to do: cheering his hen up!
He continued his climb, worms wiggling in his beak, making him look like some proud little tentacle monster.
At the summit, sunlight poured across the hilltop, illuminating a serene figure seated at its center.
There she was, his beloved hen.
She sat perfectly still, eyes closed, feathers shimmering faintly with golden light. She was perched in that strange position again, her chicken legs folded beneath her, wings resting gently on her chicken thighs, posture utterly alien to any normal chicken.
To others, it might have looked ridiculous. But to him… mesmerizing.
He approached on soft, careful steps. Then, with the utmost care, he dropped the worms before her.
"For you," he clucked softly chest puffed, voice brimming with sincerity, making sure she heard and understood the intent behind the offering.
She opened her eyes slowly, gaze drifting toward him, then to the wriggling pile at her feet.
For a brief, glorious moment, her body trembled. He took it as a sign of excitement. His heart fluttered. 'I was right the worms are the way to cheer her up!' he thought, triumphant.
But then, without a word, she exhaled softly, turned her head, and closed her eyes again.
The rooster froze. His glorious aura dimmed.
He could almost hear the disdainful "Hmph" echoing in the silence.
His crest drooped slightly as he watched her ignore the worms. His little chicken brain scrambled for answers, circling in confusion.
'But… why? Why wouldn't she eat them? She loved these worms! Did I… misunderstand something?' he fretted in his mind.
He began pacing in small, frantic circles, wings flapping in agitation, through of every possible explanation.
'Maybe she's upset about something else? Did I offend her without noticing? No… that can't be. She clearly accepted my courting yesterday and was very satisfied with my performance. She even played with me as a way to say thanks! She… even moved into the same nest as me on the same day and slept in the same spot! So it can't be that she's mad at me, right? That can't be it!'
His head tilted, feathers ruffled trying to find other explanations. He then exhaled a theatrical sigh and came to the only logical conclusion his mind could muster.
'Hens… just can't be understood.'
His chest deflated in tragic defeat. The worms remained neatly beside her, untouched, like unappreciated art, as he walked away dramatically, glancing back pitifully with every step, hoping she might change her mind.
...
Meanwhile, Shivaya sat in silently, her feathers puffed with anger and indignation.
'A worm? Really? He wants me to eat worms?! Is this his way of mocking me?!'
She crossed her wings and huffed. A worm, in her mind, was nothing short of an insult. She was the daughter of the Phoenix Clan's great patriarch! A being that once dined on celestial fruits and flaming nectar. Worms? Worms were beneath her dignity.
As she brooded over this affront, a strange sensation stirred deep in her abdomen.
Then grrrrrowl~
She blinked, confused, glancing around in alarm as if to locate the culprit who dared make such an undignified sound.
Another growl followed.
'Wait… that came from me?!'
Realization struck her like a lightning bolt.
Right now, she was a common creature, and according to her knowledge, such beings required food for sustenance.
'I haven't eaten since my rebirth,' she thought grimly. All her focus had been on awakening her Talent and absorbing life energy, she had completely forgotten such a crucial detail.
She exhaled through her beak and straightened, adopting her most regal posture.
"Very well," she muttered with grave determination. "To survive, I shall eat."
Her gaze drifted toward the pile of worms at her feet, then swiftly turned away in disgust.
"Grass… yes, plain, tasteless grass shall suffice."
Lowering her beak, she nibbled a few brittle blades from the ground. The taste was every bit as awful as she expected: dry, bitter, utterly devoid of flavor. Still, she chewed dutifully, determined to maintain her dignity.
But as she did, her eyes couldn't help but flick toward the worms.
They wiggled innocently, glistening in the light, releasing an aroma that made her head spin. In her imagination, she could see the scent drifting toward her like shimmering waves in a cartoon: rich, warm, inviting.
Her mind froze.
Before she could resist, her body betrayed her. Her beak darted forward, snapping up a worm mid-wriggle.
'No! This cannot be happening!' she screamed inwardly.
But it was too late.
The flavor exploded across her tongue: rich, earthy, and savory. The worm's subtle warmth seemed to merge perfectly with her new chicken senses, sending a shiver down her spine. Her feathers trembled involuntarily.
'Wuwuwuwu… this… this is… why is it so delicious?!'
Her internal pride and instincts of her chicken body clashed violently. Yet, even as her mind protested, her beak refused to stop.
One worm became two. Two became three.
By the time she swallowed the last wriggling worm, her cheeks burned crimson with shame.
She wiped her beak delicately with the back of her wing and sat upright again, wings folded, eyes closed in feigned serenity, as if nothing at all had happened.
But inside, humiliation lingered like a stubborn ember. Her gaze hardened. Her thoughts turned immediately toward the obvious culprit.
'It's all his fault. That stupid rooster!'
She puffed up her feathers once more, resuming her life-energy absorption with renewed fury. The worms might have been delicious, but she would remember this grudge.
...
Meanwhile, the rooster, blissfully unaware of the emotional storm he had caused, strolled down the hill to clear his thoughts. His heart felt heavy with rejection.
As he walked, his gaze fell upon a familiar sight. The black-scaled lizard was sprawled atop the boulder, still fast asleep, mouth agape in sheer peace.
He intended to walk past it. Truly, he did. But the longer he stared at that blissful, snoring expression, the more his chicken legs began to twitch.
Before reason could intervene, his right leg moved on its own.
Hit by a sudden flash of déjà vu and the unmistakable feeling that something bad was about to happen, the lizard shot to its feet, cracking one eye open just in time to see the rooster's foot coming down.
A perfect kick. Direct hit to the rear.
"GYAAH!"
With a startled yelp, the poor creature tumbled down the hill in a flurry of dust and limbs.
"Ahh… that felt surprisingly refreshing," the rooster mused aloud, rolling his shoulders. His earlier irritation lifted instantly, replaced by a pleasant calm.
His noble promise to let the lizard rest was, of course, promptly forgotten.
With his irritation gone and mind clear, he turned back toward the hilltop. Today, he was determined. He would try his best to cheer his hen up and perhaps, if fate allowed, win her warmth once more.
Upon arriving at the summit, the rooster froze.
Nothing seemed to have changed. His hen still sat in the same place, in the same serene posture, eyes closed as though the world itself couldn't disturb her.
But something was missing.
The worms. They were gone.
He blinked, glancing left and right, even peeking beneath a few scattered flower petals. Not a single trace remained.
The rooster's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering as he studied the serene hen. Then, slowly, a triumphant smile spread across his beak.
Shivaya, sensing his gaze, fought to keep her composure. Her feathers ruffled ever so slightly, and a faint flush tinted her cheeks.
'Hehe… so that's how it is,' he thought smugly. 'Seems there's still a way to make up with her after all.'
Settling down beside her, he pretended not to notice a thing, already plotting his next move.
He would win her heart again… one worm at a time.