Thunderbird Sanctuary.
Lucien followed Newt and Stanley as they Apparated to the foot of a towering mountain.
Rumble~~!
A dull clap of thunder rolled across the sky as heavy black clouds pressed down over the mountaintop.
Newt looked up at the thunderclouds, his nose twitching slightly as he carefully distinguished the scents in the air.
"The frequency of thunder and lightning has dropped to once every five seconds, and there's more moisture in the air. The timing is about right. The Thunderbirds should have finished mating."
Stanley, standing beside him, nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. The period after mating and before egg-laying is when Thunderbirds are relatively easiest to approach."
Lucien listened quietly from behind, committing everything to memory. This was a rare learning opportunity.
Reading and Travelling. Two things that recharge the soul.
Meeting more people while travelling was also a way to gain knowledge.
"Caw!"
Just as the three were about to move, a sharp, piercing cry suddenly cut through the thunder, rapidly descending from the mountaintop.
Newt and Stanley reacted at once, drawing their wands. It was a Thunderbird's cry, a sign that one was approaching at high speed.
Lucien also drew his wand, but he showed no sign of panic. Instead, he waited with keen interest.
Because the unicorn's blessing allowed him to understand the meaning of that cry:
"Old friend, you've come!"
Almost immediately, a second cry rang out. It was softer, but much closer.
At this, Newt showed a look of sudden realisation and put away his wand.
A shadow swept past, and in the flash of lightning, a massive figure descended a dozen metres away from the three of them.
Even from that distance, it stirred up a violent gust that nearly knocked them off their feet.
It was a gigantic bird with three pairs of wings and an immense wingspan. Golden feathers covered its back, while its belly was clad in pure white plumage, and its tail feathers shimmered with a metallic sheen.
Its most striking feature was a crown of golden feathers encircling its head, like a solar corona.
Its eyes were sharp and piercing, seeming to flicker with lightning.
"Frank, long time no see."
Newt stepped forward with a chuckle and greeted the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird, named Frank, shuffled forward as well. When Newt came closer, it even lowered its proud head, touching Newt's outstretched hand.
Lucien suddenly remembered—this was the Thunderbird that had once brought a rain of Oblivion down upon New York City.
Thunderbirds indeed had very long lifespans, often one to two hundred years. At this age, it should still be in its prime.
And judging by the crown-like feathers on its head, it was clearly extremely powerful.
The king of Thunderbirds in this region?
"Caw~"
Frank the Thunderbird let out a softer cry, rubbing his head against Newt's chest.
Newt listened to Frank's call, thought for a moment, then asked gently,
"Alright, alright. Where do you want to take me?"
The Thunderbird continued to chirp. Newt was about to keep interpreting when he suddenly remembered that Lucien was standing right beside him.
So Newt turned to look at Lucien, and Lucien, understanding his meaning, spoke up,
"Mr Newt, Frank says he wants you to help check on his mate. She's on this mountain peak."
"Oh, I see. Thank you, Lucien."
"You're welcome."
Hearing their exchange, Stanley's eyebrows shot up, surprise clearly written in his eyes.
Wait—Newt just asked Lucien? About magical creatures?
And this boy, who looked only twelve or thirteen, had actually interpreted a Thunderbird's meaning?
Stanley's own research into Thunderbirds allowed him to grasp part of Frank's actions and calls just now.
It roughly matched what Lucien had said, but it shouldn't have been so precise.
At that moment, Stanley truly began to take Lucien seriously, recalling Newt's evaluation of him before they had set out: incredibly talented with magical creatures.
Lucien's performance even made Stanley wonder whether this child might be one of Newt's grandsons. But he had seen Newt's grandson before, and it wasn't this boy, nor did he resemble him at all…
"Caw!"
Frank the Thunderbird let out a loud cry, clearly tinged with surprise.
"Kid, you can understand me?"
Lucien didn't mind the Thunderbird's form of address. After all, it was an old bird, several decades old at the very least.
He nodded and replied softly, "Yes. Is there anything else you want to say, or anything you need us to help you with?"
The Thunderbird flapped its wings excitedly, carefully stepping past Newt before stopping in front of Lucien.
"My mate is laying eggs, but compared to previous times, it's taking much longer. Since you and Newt are here, could you help me check on her?"
"No problem. Just a moment."
Lucien relayed the Thunderbird's request to Newt and Stanley.
Newt was unfazed. He had already witnessed Lucien receiving the unicorn's blessing in the Forbidden Forest and knew of his ability to communicate with magical creatures.
Stanley, however, had no such context. All he saw was the Thunderbird chattering away while Lucien translated with ease.
Could it really be that straightforward?
"Stanley, let's go."
Hearing Newt's call, Stanley snapped back to attention.
"Oh, oh, let's go straight to the mountaintop. I brought plenty of medicinal herbs—more than enough."
To save time, Frank the Thunderbird did not object and allowed Lucien and the other two to sit on his back.
The next moment, he spread his wings and took to the sky.
The wind howled, and in just a few breaths, the three wizards and the Thunderbird arrived at the nest on the mountaintop.
Thunderbirds were enormous creatures, so they could only build their nests inside caves high in the mountains.
"Caw...!!"
A soft cry, tinged with pain, drifted out from within the cave.
Frank the Thunderbird responded anxiously with a call of his own, then landed at the cave entrance.
Lucien and the others leapt down at the same time.
Deep inside the cave, a wide area was covered with soft, dry branches and grass leaves.
A Thunderbird lay there. It was two sizes smaller than Frank, but its feathers were even purer white.
"Don't be afraid. We're here to help."
Lucien spoke gently, calming the female Thunderbird's emotions.
At the same time, Frank the Thunderbird cooperated, chirping softly in reassurance…
A group of poachers, led by a brown-haired man, were packing up their equipment while discussing their final plan.
"Shirley, aim for a one-shot kill."
The brown-haired man spoke to a beautiful woman with black hair and red lips, his tone grave.
Shirley stretched lazily, her movements outlining her alluring figure.
"Got it, Alistair. Aren't you confident in my abilities?"
She reached out and poked the brown-haired man in the chest, letting out a light chuckle.
Seeing Shirley remain so relaxed, Alistair's gaze turned cold.
"Your result determines our success or failure, and I don't like the consequences of failure."
Shirley seemed completely unfazed by the warning. She merely twisted her waist and walked toward the jungle.
"Got it, got it. The hunt begins!"
With that, her figure vanished from sight.
A black widow spider silently crawled through the fallen leaves.
________
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