Raven's Ending Word

Oh, yeah. There is a little left to my story. 


So, then... I come home. Jay accompanies me, of course. I fly up to my nest, and mom sees me. She comes over and says,
  "Oh, honey!" She puts her wings on my shoulders and hugs me. She lets go and looks me in the eyes. "I am so, so, so, sorry! I should never have banished you. And you are?" She asks Jay.
  "Jay Blue. Nice to meet you Mrs Black."
  "Nice to meet you too. Oh honey," She turns back to me. "And you can fly?"
  "Yeah, mom." There was a tension between us that wasn't broken until I ask the question I am bursting to ask. "While I was traveling, I met someone named Starr Ling."
  "Ling? Oh, I bet it was her mother I was best friends with!"
  "Yeah, about that... Wait, that you were friends with? So... You are my real mom?"
  "Of course, honey!" She looks at me for a moment and then a look of realization dawns on her face. "Oh, Starr must have told you that rumor that Sander and I came up with."
  "Sander? Rumor?"
  "Sander Ling, yes. Rumor, yes." She says as she sits me and Jay down in the nest. "Sander and I always would make up rumors about ourselves and spread them until someone debunks them. But, one day, we went too far. Sand said that I was rude to her, and that she killed me. Three days later, Sander died." She is teary eyed when she looks at me. "No one had debunked it. All my friends were sobbing when I went to see them. I decided that it should stay that way. Starr always made sure she gave the okay before they were debunked. Since she hadn't given the okay, I never told anyone the real truth. People still think I'm dead and gone." She chuckles. She is talking more to herself than to me. 
  "Where is everyone else?" I ask, looking around.
  "They all fledged. You are my last baby left."
  "Mom, I'm not a baby."
  "I know you aren't." She looks at me and wipes a feather from my eye. "But you will always be my little bird."
  "I love you mom."
  "I love you, too, sweetie."




And that is how it was ever since.


Jay comes over to visit, of course. She is over at our nest so much, it is like she lives there! Mom and I get along fine. Starr met my mom and was in complete shock, mom had to nurse her back to health for a while. I think Jay is all right friend-wise. Not sure. Jay? Oh, she doesn't want to tell you. Sorry. Guess not... 


Well, our story has come to an end. We have been through so much together, you and I. I feel like I have lost my companion now that we are finished here. 


But I am never by myself. Not really. I will always have my hope. It is always with me.


Signed, your friend,
Raven Black