And when the time is between night, between day, those poor hungry shadows come creeping up from wherever they emerged.

From wherever they were called.

And when the call of a long dead Queen reaches her ears, a fatal swish of a crook lets you know it's her.

And the Shepherdess is coming.

From wherever she was called.

"Gah!" Alikus awoke with a start.

The eerie tune still rang in her ears.

"Alikus, please. We're trying to sleep." Ginkgo yawned.

"I'm sorry." Alikus whispered, standing up and stepping shakily over to the entrance of the cave.

She sat there, eyes wide, staring out at the dark landscape.

What was that awful song? And why could she remember it so very vividly? Every note.

Shing.

There was a bright blue flash. Alikus gasped as there was a rumbling sound and far off, a blue wall rose up from the ground.

"Guys! Come see this." She called to the others, distressed.

They came over, standing next to her.

Please be able to see that.

"That's where the Kingdom is... What is that? Why is it glowing?" Qulow murmured.

There was another flash of orange and an orange ribbon creeped up, sealing the blue wall.

"Alikus. Alikus!" Evereldette whispered into Alikus's ear. "Did you have a dream?"

Alikus nodded.

"What dream? No, don't explain it, just tell me- does this remind you of anything?" Evereldette began to hum softly.

The tune of the song. The song from the dream. She nodded quickly.

Qulow and Ginkgo stood beside them, staring out worriedly.

"Qulow, Ginkgo, I thought I heard Serendipity begging for food." Evereldette chirped to the two larger birds.

"Oh, come on, Qulow. We better check." Ginkgo suggested, and the two went back.

"Alikus. Hold on a second." Evereldette murmured. He lifted his wings, green smoke swirling around between them. The smoke formed into an eyeglass. "Look through this. Far over there."

Alikus nodded, looking through the eyeglass. Everything was brighter, as if day. And far off was a wall of shadows.

"The dream... Mentioned shadows." Alikus whispered.

The ground shook and the eyeglass disappeared.

"Look- let's go back in. We can investigate tomorrow." Evereldette suggested.

Alikus nodded and they stepped back in.

Alikus watched as Ginkgo fed Serendipity.

Serendipity suddenly chirped loudly, a flame bursting from its beak despite being tied up and burning the little nest underneath.

"Whoops- silly Serene." Qulow sighed, re-tying a piece of cloth on its beak.

"I think it knows." Evereldette whispered to Alikus. "Let's get some rest. For tomorrow."

Alikus sat down, tucking her head into her back feathers.

And she dreamt.

There was the quiet rushing of waves.

And distant humming.

She turned.

An albatross was hopping around, waving a shepherd's crook. The silver croak shone in the moonlight, twinkling as she waved it.

"Oh, those two flames know what's going on. But those three flames, sit in the cave. Do they know what's going on?" The albatross sang. "Maybe they're sneaking up. Maybe they think puny ones like them will,"

Alikus- well, dream Alikus gasped as there was a loud whish and the crook was pointed at her neck, the albatross smiling at her.

"Maybe they think," The albatross sang quietly. "Puny ones like them will take me down."

"I know you're there, small one." The albatross smirked, staring at dream Alikus. "Shadows coming, to scorch the home of the Tree. As she wished."

The albatross hummed quietly, and the humming intensified until she swept the crook through Alikus.

And the dream ended.

Artwork by me