A lucky orphan

[ShadowbirdRH]

On my travels, I came across a tallbird with a newborn in her nest. Knowing full well what awaited the tender new life, I grimly continued onward, looking away. Upon my return, to my surprise the baby still lived, though it clearly wouldn't or long. I doubled back to grab some seeds I'd recently seen, and saved the orphan from death by starvation, at least for now. It turns out its mother ran a-fowl of a larger sort, dead at the webbed feet of a larger and more caring mother.

It'd be a shame to waste the little one's luck thus far I figured, and so I ushered it home to my camp, which wasn't too far away. And there it stayed, a small bit of wandering aside. I left it with plenty of food and checked back frequently as the diminutive avian cyclops grew healthy and strong, even remaining home as I left to intercept a pack of ravenous dogs. Eventually, my care, patience, and charity were rewarded(?) as the once helpless beaked little eyeball achieved adulthood.

That achievement would have to be enough in and of itself, as some manner of conflict over dominance or some such had broken out, and I had little choice but to take my new enemy from within out back and shot. ...with a sleep dart of course. Upon waking, she built a nest of her own, whereupon I'm sure she'll live out her days, angrily ever after, as I walk away from this with the knowledge that there's more than one way to raise a pointy-faced f(r?)iend.

[shaurun]

So you can feed small tallbirds not raised by your own to tame them? Amazing!