Kalamir

Many years ago, on the small island of Cophos, there thrived a village of Kenku. Being an abundant source of exotic feathers and fresh produce, they made their living off of the pillows and fine mattresses crafted of the feathers. Among them, there lived quite the humble beak of a Kenku that goes by the name of ***Karasu***. He was a quiet bird, never wanting to get into any danger. Settling down at a considerably early age, for a Kenku at least, he married the love of his life - ***Kalia***. It didn't take long for them to have their firstborn son, ***Kalamir***.

Mere months had passed before theyarrived. The vile pirate known as ***Dread Captain Aangmar*** and his tyrannical crew. Sweeping through the village streets, they cut down any that stood in their way. Looting anything they saw had value, be it feathers and fresh food alike. ***Kalia*** was frightened for the life of her newborn child as the merciless raid ensued. ***Karasu*** was still in the fields, harvesting fresh crops for the village. Carrying her baby, she frantically ran to the back bedroom of their home. Baby ***Kalamir*** was placed carefully on the bed before she slid it over on the floor a few feet. She threw the side of the floor rug over and revealed a small finger-sized hole in the floorboard. She quickly threw open the latch-door to reveal a small storage space that already had a few small satchels in them and some blankets next to it. ***Kalia*** took her baby into her arms, tears running down her feathered face. She nuzzled her beak against her sons face one last time before placing him in the secret space on top of the blankets. "Stay quiet, my love" she said, slowly closing the latch-door. "I will always be watching over you." She quickly covered the secret door and moved the bed back into place. Running out of the room, down the hall, and around the corner... she comes face first with a pirate's pistol.

\**click*\*

## Life After Heartbreak

***Karasu*** returned to the village after having heard the commotion. Bodies and blood were strewn across the village streets. Many small children crying out for their parents. Elderly birds crying over the lifeless bodies of their loved ones trying to protect the village. He quickly snapped back into his own head and realized he had his own family to keep safe. Breaking out into a sprint, he was headed towards his small home on the outskirts of the village.

But he was *too late*. Crossing the threshold of his home, there she was. Laying in a pool of her own blood, his lovely ***Kalia*** was on the floor. He frantically picked her up into his arms, only to reveal a single gunshot wound to the center of her forehead. Letting out a cry of anguish and sobbing, he quickly heard a smaller cry from the far room. He carefully let his wife's head down to the floor and then rushed to the bedroom. He pushed the bed over and revealed the latch-door, pulling it open with a sigh of relief. Their son was still alive and ***Karasu*** knew immediately that she had made sure of that. He took his son into his arms and started to sob, "I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry." He sat their the rest of the night, his son in his arms and tears running down his face, before properly tending to his wife.

*A Few Days Pass...* he's buried his wife and packed all of his necessary belongings. ***Karasu*** has deemed this village an unfit place to raise a child. Not if he wants his son and himself to live, at least. He had heard many tales of the ancient Kyorehn City, where great warriors trained day and night in ways of the sword, fist, and bow. If he was going to protect what little of a family he had left, he would need training from these warriors in order to do so.