AN: I know nothing about birds I made half this shit up lol.
我對鳥兒沒認識這裡有一半都是自己想出來的233。
Pairings include: Arles/Qiaon(main), Yuae/Gwan, Xiling/Bella, Yang/Qiaon(one-sided). Fem!Qiaon fic.
CP包括：洛喬（為主）、夜關、西蕭、陽喬（單向）。女喬小說。
The Magenta Canary is named after the island they reside in, Magenta Island. These small birds, unlike most other canaries, are varying colours of red, pink and gold. Anywhere else, their bright colours would make them a prime target for predators of all kinds, but due to the lush environment of Magenta Island, the vegetation of the island was in a state of ever-blooming. Fruits were produced all year around, and trees were constantly shedding their reddened leaves in favor of new, bright, ones. Magenta Island, cut off from the rest of the world, is autumn all year around.
The first thought that came to Qiaon's mind when Gwan was finally mated was, 'Good riddance, he's finally gone.'
The Magenta Canaries were a strange bunch. They, much like swallows, mated for life. Yet, any children they conceived will not leave the nest upon entering maturity. While male magenta chicks often leave their nest in search of mates, they- similar to female chicks- will not have a nest elsewhere until they have found another bird who they intend to spend the rest of their lives with.
Until then, however, the chicks will continue to share the nest with their parents, and their parents will not have another clutch until their current one have all been mated. Which was why Qiaon was so glad to be finally rid of the gold and purple canary. They nest in which they shared was big enough- it was built into the hollow of a tree, and had several layers- Qiaon could not leave the nest in search of food without having to pass through the section of th nest which was horded by her elder sibling who she did not get along well with at all.
"He was mated to a migrational bird who was just happening to pass by our island as well. Hopefully, the raven, or crow, or whatever he is, will take Gwan far, far away from here."
"Oh, Gwan's not so bad." Qiaon's younger sister, Bella, chimed from the small tunnel at the side of Gwan's part of the nest which led to hers as she watched Qiaon go back and forth from the nest, dumping the leaves that their elder sibling used to nest in and out of the tree from the entrance before gathering a new bunch and throwing that out as well. "You just never made an effort to get along with him."
"Of course I bloody well didn't, ignorant git, he was. And now, he's gone. He won't be missed, not by me." Qiaon droned on, passing by Bella before watching as another pile of bright ruby leaves flutter towards the forest floor.
"Careful, sis." Bella bounced after her. "You'll never find a mate with that attitude." The tone she used was cheerful and light-hearted, but Qiaon could tell there was a hint of seriousness behind her teasing demeanor.
Qiaon knew what she was referring to. It had been several weeks after the siblings' maturity, and with Gwan mated, and Bella recently being courted by some swallow, Qiaon seemed to be the next in line to find herself a life partner. In fact, Qiaon had been courted numerous times before; she was pretty, with soft, white down, bright red feathers coating her body and splendid golden flights that lined up the sides of both her wings- she was rather desirable, appearances wise. Yet, all this was overshadowed by her nature- she was brash, outspoken, never one to sugar coat her words, often one to speak her mind, regardless of others, and ignorant to their offence taken. She happens to be quite the slob, always placing and misplacing her items in an ungodly disordered way. And while Qiaon isn't the dimmest among the canaries, she solemnly realizes that she isn't as bright or as knowledgeable as others would expect one of her age to be. And Qiaon understands that her prettiness does not make up for even half of her flaws which had turned so man of her potential mates off.
Her tail fathers twitched in agitation at the thought. "Well," she huffs, turning to face Bella. "Well! Perhaps I shan't be mated, then! Perhaps I will leave and make my own nest at the top of that old, crooked tree which everyone believes to be jinxed, and live there, on my lonesome, while the other birds can tell their own chicks to 'hush, hush' when they ask, 'Mommy, daddy, isn't that tree jinxed? Why does anyone live there? Is she a witch?' Perhaps I shall stay, mateless, for the remainder of my life-"
She stops abruptly when she notices the sad look on Bella's face. She feels guilty, but Qiaon couldn't help it. She gets so heated and angry whenever this topic was brought up. Maybe she's jealous. Maybe she's lonely. Maybe it's both.
"I know, Qiaon." Bella says," I know you're upset about this, and have been for a long time. Perhaps you believe no one can see you other than your flaws, and perhaps you believe that because of them, you think it's only just that you end up mateless. But dispite all that, you deserve someone who will love you for you." Qiaon was about to argue, but Bella raises her voice. "No, stop. It's nothing less of the truth. Because underneath all that brassness and carelessness, you have a good heart. Despite how much you may dislike Gwan, you and I both know if he was really in need, you would let him share your nest until he could get back onto his two feet. Mother and Father know this, too, and they would agree that you deserve nothing less of happiness."
Bella pauses for a moment, hopping next to Qiaon, letting what she'd said sink in. The slightly smaller canary leaned against her elder sibling, her body radiating warmth. "Ma and Pa aren't having another clutch after us, you know." She continued. When Qiaon's eyes widened questionably, Bella simply shrugged. "Between you and Gwan's bickering, the two of you barely had time left for your parents." She explained. "Our parents are old, Qiaon. They've decided they will soon leave this nest, in search of one on the perimeter of the island to live the rest of their lives in peace and quiet, and they may not be able to wait until you've found your mate, Qiaon." At this, Bella smiled and looked up at her. "Oh, or perhaps I'm worrying for not. Perhaps you'll find someone who complements your crazy; or someone who balances you out. Perhaps, you'll have found your mate by then."
Qiaon had not found her mate 'by then'.
Three weeks later, Bella had moved out of their nest in order to search for a new one with her life partner. Four more weeks after that, her parents had moved out as well, in search for a quieter place.
Qiaon gripped the bark beneath her talons tightly as she watched her parents' departure. 'I won't cry.' She tells herself as she retreats back into the nest, now entirely too big and empty and hollow. She passes Bella's nest, noting that it seemed larger now that she had cleared out everything, the pile of soft leaves and twigs she used as struts for her nest were gone, as well as her collection of seeds. She crawls back into her own nest and falls onto it carelessly, not caring if she'd knocked over a few supporting struts causing the nest to spill out on one side.
'God damn it.' She covers her head with one of her wings. She feels so pathetic. It's not like she hasn't tried her hardest to seem appealing to the other canaries, but she knows she's everything that no one was looking for in a mate. 'Maybe it's not too early to consider nesting on that old, crooked tree, after all.'
She sighs, and is surprised when she suddenly hears the patting of rain against the tree, and feeling a slight sway as the winds rocked the branches to and fro. The nest is usually noisy enough that it drowns out whatever's happening outside, and the thought just sends another pang of loneliness inside her.
'Perhaps this is for the best.' She thinks, then, 'I pity the fool who has to be saddled with me-'
She jumps when a sudden harsh sway nearly knocks her out of her nest. She gasps at the movement and hears the soft pitter of rain instantly turning into a loud, thudding noise. A storm.
'I hope the tree, or any surrounding ones, don't collapse.' Qiaon frowns, 'Mateless and nestless, just what I need-'
She was interrupted as something huge crashed in through the roof of her nest. She shrieked, and lunged herself towards the opposite side of the hollow before the huge thing could crush her. She couldn't say the same for the pile of leaves which were now scattered about in a mess.
Shaking from shock, she slowly inches away, towards the small tunnels connecting the different layers of the nest as she watched the unknown figure heave and fall critically. Already, rain was seeping down in from the large den created, and the writhing form in her nest seemed to be soaked wet with rainwater- whatever it is.
Not that Qiaon wanted to find out. Even from where she was standing, the canary can safely assume that it was easily three times her size- she was lucky that she saw it fall when she did- she would have undoubtedly be crushed to death by such a huge thing. Just as she nears her escape, though, the figure lets out a loud groan, then stands, the leaves previously covering the majority of its form fell in small chunks from its body, and Qiaon was immediately paralyzed with terrible fright-
Because standing there, in the safety of her own nest, was a great blue falcon, its sharp beak seemingly glinting in dim light, its wings that were tipped white evidently wide even while folded, and its claws- oh god, those deadly, hooked claws and its strong talon with a grip hard enough to break her wings-
Then, it turns its head towards her, and Qiaon lets out a small sound of fright. 'Oh god, I am dead.' She thinks, as the falcon observes her small, trembling form. 'I'm food. I'm going to be eaten.' She stumbles backwards, and trips over her two small legs as the bigger avian straightens itself. Then, she watches as the blue falcon opened its beak, and a voice spoke;
"Uh, hi."