Harden felt a tremendous pounding behind his eyes as they creaked open. The light blinded him momentarily before his vision cleared. He was staring up at an arched ceiling draped in long vines. There was a large hatched skylight above him, staring up into the stars.
"Good, you're awake," a soft, shrill voice sounded beside him. His glance shot over, and he jolted in his bed. He winced and grasped his ribs in his hand as the small boy beside him adjusted him back in a more comfortable position.
"Well, don't go breaking yourself again," the boy instructed.
"W-where am I?" Harden asked, closing one eye tightly.
"The wren's nest," the boy said quickly.
"The wrens?"
"Yes. I'm Peyter, it's nice to meet you," the boy said, extending his narrow hand for a shake. Harden scanned the boy's face. His blonde hair fluttered across his forehead, and his green eyes held a look of concern and fascination.
"Harden," He replied, offering a limp handshake.
"Well, you sure caught yourself a ripe beatin' back there, but I figure you'll heal up alright," Peyter said, inspecting the bruised skin on Harden's face and arms.
"Yeah, seems I've angered my flock," Harden said, his eyes widening dramatically.
"Yes, it sounded quite intense from the corridor. After you nearly fell on the stairs, I figured I'd oughta make sure you made it where you were heading safely. Needless to say, my presence was necessary and beneficial," he smiled.
"What were you doing in the Raven's corridor?" Harden asked, his face a bit puzzled by the boy's sophisticated gibberish.
"You live inside of a magic moving tower that holds more secrets and lessons than anyone could explore in one lifetime, and you haven't ventured beyond your own corridor?" Peyter asked, his eyebrow bouncing softly.
"I-well…I guess not," Harden said thoughtfully.
"Then, after some much-needed rest and recovery, you should venture out. You'd be surprised what you'd find in this place," the boy insisted. Harden nodded in agreement and rested his head back on his pillow.
The smell of eucalyptus and mint surrounded him. The room felt moist around him, and a distant, whimsical chirping sang through the room. The bed he found himself in was soft, like a cloud, and warm to the touch. His blanket felt like it was filled with warm water, and it hugged him tighter than he's ever been hugged.
"Why'd you bring me here?" Harden asked, his eyes still closed.
"Would you rather if I'da left you, collapsed on the floor?"
"No…I just mean, we aren't flock mates. So why waste the energy?" He reiterated.
"Flockmates or no, you were in trouble, so I helped. It was the right thing to do," Peyter said, shaking his head at the notion. Harden peeked up at him again before closing his eyes.
"Thank you," Harden said. Peyter smiled softly and adjusted the bed before covering Harden and leaving his bedside.
"Your raven alive then?" A gentle but sharp voice asked from beside the fireplace.
"Yes, Magnus, Harden will survive his injuries," Peyter said, throwing trash into the furnace.
"Which mixture did you use?" Another wren asked, pushing his square frames up onto his nose.
"Just a basic bruising balm and a swelling reducer," Peyter said, counting the items on his fingers.
"That's not too terrible. Good to know it wasn't as bad as it looked," The boy said, smiling happily.
"Did the bruising balm work better after you added licorice root?" Magnus asked, gazing up past his book.
"Yes, it seemed to reduce the discoloration faster than without it. Thank you for the tip, Magnus."
"Yes! That means my theory was correct, I can't wait to prove this in class tomorrow!" Magnus celebrated, scribbling something in his journal.
"Thank you for helping with my controlled experiment, Peyter, genuinely," he added, bowing softly to the boy.
"Happy to help. I suspect he'll need to rest through the night, but should be right as rain before breakfast," Peyter said, sitting beside Magnus and the others. Though the large room was filled with busy bodies, the room was near silent.
Each wren studied, practiced, and theorized in silence. The sounds of shuffling pages had broken the silence every few seconds, as well as the scratching of quills on paper. The room was well-lit with flame lanterns and thousands of fireflies that flickered along the ceiling.
"He can stay the night and rest. Once he's stable, he'll have to leave. We aren't in any place to take on another student. Plus, he wouldn't be on track with our studies. He's better off exiled than behind," Magnus instructed sternly.
"I don't believe this individual would have any interest in joining our flock, Magnus. I suspect he's much more than a wren," Peyter said, pushing his cuticle back.
"I'm just making sure we are on the same page when it comes to the raven's healing journey," Magnus said.
"We agree," Peyter said, nodding gently. Magnus returned to his book and sank into his seat comfortably. Peyter poured himself a cup of tea and enjoyed the sounds of rustling pages and scribbling pens.
Then, cutting through the silence and interrupting all activity, a loud metal knock clanked four times. All of the wrens peered up at the door and then at Magnus. With a sigh, Magnus snapped his book closed, brushed his black hair back, and stood from his seat.
He was tall and slim with clothes that didn't fit quite right. He wasn't ugly, but his features were oddly sharp. He took large paces to the door where three more bangs sounded out. He gripped the handle in his hand and peeled the door open. Standing outside, Aldric was barefoot and concerned.
"Can I help you?" Magnus asked, scanning the boy up and down.
"It's possible. Why do you have blood leading to your door?" He asked, gesturing to the droplets on the stone.
"One of your pals needed some help, one of my buddies took care of it," he said.
"What happened?" Aldric asked, his expression more concerned than ever.
"Nothing serious, but he needs some rest. Come pick him up in the morning for breakfast," Magnus instructed, going to close the door.
"W-wait, who is it?" Aldric asked, pushing the door to keep it from sealing.
"Harden,"