#elsewhere

Onward they wander, birdsong is overhead. Well, one song. And it’s not so much bird song as a bird… singing? Does that count?

When they look up, the trio spies a dull, brownish bird, perching awkwardly on a branch. Its feathers have dimmed, it has no sparkle in it's eyes as it sings in a warbling, off-key mess.

"In the glade where... um, the bees hum sweet,
And the... something... uh, beneath your feet..."

"No, that's not right..."

She tries again..

"In the glade where laughter’s free,
Where squirrels climb the tallest tree,
And... and... uh... tea?!"

The bird slumps over, miserable.

"Oooo " Rochalor tuts "I can't sing straight either, I always hit the low notes"

Her voice cracks, and it sounds more like a rusty hinge. "Hellooooo?"

"Hello" Blossom says cautiously

The bird's voice pierces the air raucously...

"In the glade where the streams burble
Where flowers bloom and the squirrels... chirble?"

no, no NO."

Connor holds his ears.

"You're not very good at this," Blossom says bluntly

"I was! Honest I was! But I've forgotten the words!"

The bird sniffles sadly.

"Do YOU know any words?"

"A thesaurusus once roamed these lands but that was LONG ago" Rochalor says

"Alas, alas. I shall never sing again."

It's not a hawk, but even Blossom can't help but feel a little bad for the pathetic thing.

Blossom says "Not with THAT attitude. You want words that rhyme, right?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Will you help me?"

Connor sighs, "If only we had a proper Trouba-hooba."

The bird clears it's throat with a sound like nails on a chalkboard.

"In the glade where the soft winds blow,
Where flowers bloom and the rivers flow,
There’s a secret only few can know,
A place where dreams can..."

She trails off, looking pointedly at Blossom.

"Go? Show? Glow?" She says pacing on her hooves

"Glow?" The bird chirps, and for a moment, she seems to brighten up and glow.

"A place where dreams can... GLOW!"

The bird perks up quite a bit.

"By the glade where moonlight spills,
A fox dances on the hills,
With silver fur and eyes so bright,
He shares his tales throughout the...."

The bird hops up and down,

Connor suggests, "Bite? Fight?" Wagging his tail, but the Bird looks unsure.

"Knight" Rochalor says helpfully

"He shares his tales throughout the knight?"

The bird blinks, then perks up, her eyes sparkling. "NIGHT!"

Her voice is a little clearer now, and she twitters happily.

"In the glade where laughter’s free,
Where squirrels climb the tallest tree,
Songbirds sing with endless glee,
And childlings alone can hold the...

"Free!" Rochalor says "Uhm..." then he sounds less sure

Connor perks up! "it's the thing that you can't sing in!"

The bird puffs up a bit, offended

"This one is harder," Blossom admits and blushing hums ABC song... then "oh, K...key! Like Connor says, the key"

There is a flash of rainbow light, and the bird soars around, sparkling and singing happily, in tune!

"That is SO much better" Blossom says "It's very hard being your best, but I find being incredible is worth it"

"Oh joy! Oh Joy! My voice flies free! Everyone now can listen to me!" She trills happily and then flies away!

Something falls to the ground by Blossom's hooves.

Blossom smiles at the departing bird. Something in her, the not brat , feels... happy?

Then she bends down and picks up the item

A feather has fallen to the path...

Rochalor gapes at Blossom "Blossom, you commited a NICENESS!" A beat "Are you feeling well?"

Blossom gives him a withering look, then looks at the feather "it's another key, kind of. One left?"

"Hooray! Hooray! Blossom wins the day!"

"Did you hear the bit about the fox? Are we having a foxhunt?" Connor looks a bit concerned about that. "I'm not a beagle, and I don't wear fur."

She preens a bit "yes, now, to the last one... a fox you think? Okay, uhm... how do we find a creature so sneaky?"

"I can do a beagle impression, and snuffle them out? But you have to promise you won't toot horns and try to run anyone down."

"Promise on my word as a troll" The other pooka holds his hand up

Connor gives BLossom a glance. "Did you use up your niceity for the day?"

A sigh "I don't have my birds with me, or my bow. So... no I won't hurt the fox"

Connor gives her a hug!

She returns it, "Don't muss my hair, but okay. Now sniff out the Fox"

"My hero!"

Connor dives into a bush, and then wriggles out in puppy form. "Yap!"

He yaps, and starts snuffling around.

And it doesn't take long at all before he sniffs up a snuff! He trots along the trail, nose to the ground!

Rochallor says "We're searching for Clues, sherlock hound!"

And Blossom readies to follow

He heads down a path, hops over a tiny creek, pauses to take a drink, sniffs at a squirrel hole... Oh, right!

Back on track, he searches!

"Argh, FOX, not squirrel" Blossom mmmphs

Before long, they turn around a bend and see a magical creature before them!