The Enchanted Aviary: A Priest And A Priestess Read The Residue Of An Incense Cone

Later that night, unable to sleep, the house-lizard-head-waiter took a stroll to the Temple of The Bird Goddess and dropped in to pray, as well, for the female Dreamer Bird. It knew that the bird visited the temple before dusk. Since lizards are natural apprentices of sorcerers, not to mention temple priests and priestesses, it sat in on the reading of the ash residue of the incense cone that the Dreamer Bird lit during her visit. The ashes formed the outline of a heart and the image of two birds within it. The temple priest and priestess and the lizard were totally pleased, except that the head of one of the bird images was partially obliterated, and the lizard wondered what that could mean.

Much later the priest and priestess took off in the dark to conduct their nocturnal aviangelization, preaching the Word of The Bird to the fruit bats in the neighborhood and ministering to the poor, the sick, and the hungry. One of their regular stops was The Eavian, a charity ward under the west rooftop of the hermitage. The space under the tin roofing accommodated as much as 200 nests for abused birds, the homeless, and orphaned sky fledglings. Many house lizards volunteered to work there and were efficient as medical assistants and as ears to the life stories the lonely patients were eager to tell them.

Tonight the priest and priestess paid special attention to two speckled shrikes, a little-girl shrike and a little-boy shrike recently rescued by the Department of Social Wingfare from their mother, who had gone mad and began maltreating her children after her husband abandoned her. The mother was placed in a birds' mental institution and the little shrikes in the custody of The Eavian. The priest and priestess were delighted to see that they were recuperating well. They had wanted the old hermit to adopt the little shrikes, although that implied augmenting the enchanted aviary with an additional cage. The Department of Wingfare negotiated with the hermit, and it was agreed that the little-boy shrike could stay in the aviary until it was old enough to fend for itself.

The little-boy shrike was but a baby bird and could hardly chirp its needs and wants. Its sister was much older and extremely devoted to him. She was willing to make the sacrifice of their being separated if it meant his having a good home, good food, a good education, and a long, happy life. She kissed her baby brother on the cheek and whispered lovingly to it, I shall visit you someday, and I hope you remember who I am when that day comes.

The little-girl shrike was due to be sent to a bird hospice after the little-boy shrike was transferred to the small loggia, where the enchanted aviary was located. The priest and priestess gave her a warm, parting hug. After six months, they promised, we shall ask the hermit to take you in as well, and we pray to The Bird Goddess that he agrees. The little-girl shrike wept profusely, but they were tears of gratitude.