(this story was made via polls on my Patreon Discord. participants choosing what direction the story goes in. You are seeing the results of the polls as the story unfolds)

link to Part 1



you try, but your too weak to go far. the water is close and you crawl to it. its cool, and it takes the weight of your broken body.
at some point, your Demon slowly crawls passed you. sinking back into its lake and vanishing once more.
your so tired..
you want to call out to your chick, to see if its safe. but you cant seem to find your voice now. your head tilts, your eyes close. a rest, that is all you need. you'll find the chick in the morning. surely, it got away and is hiding. waiting for you.

the sun is high in the sky when you wake. your Demon rests nearby, half out the water. in the light of day you can see the damage it took when saving you. deep wounds cross its face, open flesh still red with clotting blood.
how your heart aches to see it.
you chirp weakly. attempting to move, to get your leg under you and leave the water.
you are a struthi. if you can not run, if you can not use your legs, you will die.

pain. white hot unbearable pain shoots through you.
you collapse into the water, barely able to hold your head above it.
despite this, you try again.
a dull crack. you scream and fall again, going under. your good leg kicking reflectively. you try. you try with all that is within you to-
get.
up.