A week past in a blur of mostly inactivity for Bella. Charlie took her around and reacquainted her with the small town that would be her home for the next two years. She counted herself lucky that they never ran into anyone she'd have to share classes with. I suppose teenagers have better things to do than stay in Forks for the holidays.
Unlike his daughter, Charlie didn't have holidays so Bella was left to fend for herself and find her own entertainment most weekdays. Her first Monday home Charlie took a long service day to show her around which Bella silently appreciated. The place may be small but that doesn't mean I'll remember where everything is.
The first chance she got alone to herself, Bella decided a short exploration of the woods surrounding her home would be in order. She wanted to see what animals called it home and if they would be receptive of her. Although at times trying, and at others unsettling, Bella truly did love her little talent, as she called it. While some animals could be downright rude, others were insightful delights to speak to. The latter she was referring to were mainly the bird population, but at times domestic cats and dogs, and once even a ferret had surprised her by reciting a small amount of Shakespeare he'd picked up from his owner. The squeaky little Romeo was the cutest thing she'd ever seen.
"Hello." Bella called out in English, deciding to see if any of the animals had picked some up.
"Well hello handsome." A lightly chirped response met Bella's ears, and she turned a slight shade of pink. Some birds pick up the weirdest phrases.
"Could you come out so I can see you?" Bella continued, she thought perhaps she was speaking to a corvid but sometimes she couldn't be sure. Though sure enough a scrawny little raven flew out from behind a copse of bushes to land cheekily on her shoulder. The teen let out a noise of indignation as the bird had scared her, but she tried to hide it.
"So you can understand me then little bird?" I don't think I've ever seen a bird roll it's eyes before.
"No." It was said so blandly it surprised Bella. Did it just... I didn't think birds could understand humor or sarcasm... Forks is really strange.
"No need to get sassy with me, it was a legitimate question corvid." There Bella thought with some smugness lets see it understand me now.
"Doesn't matter if it was a legitimate question, homosapien, it was still a stupid question seeing as how I already responded to English prior to it." It was the raven's turn to look smug, its feathers all puffed up in it's chest, as Bella's jaw dropped open with an audible click. There's no way.
"How have you learned to speak in full sentences. I've never before met any wild animal that speaks in more than monosyllabic ways." She didn't pose it as such but the raven had the sense to know the first part of her words was meant as a question.
"Look at me, I'm unnaturally small for a raven. I don't have a mate, I was abandoned as a chick and learned to live the only way I could; I made a small home in the rafters of the school's food house and pick up the left overs the humans leave scattered on the floor. No one cleans in there until school is finished for the day." The chirping from the raven sounded agitated, matching the talons Bella could feel tightening into her shoulder. It was in no way painful yet, just firmly flexing in anger. Letting out a small huff of air the bird once again relaxed against her shoulder, seeming to become chipper once more.
"I get it. You've just spent an awful amount of time around kids then. You've picked things up from them."
"Exactly."
A sudden thought occurred to Bella. "Wait if you made a home in the school, why are you here?"
"Holidays." One word, but Bella got the implications.
"Ah."
The last week she had off from school Bella had a scrawny little shadow. Having never had a wild animal take so well to her before Bella thoroughly enjoyed the company of the small raven she'd come to learn was female. Bella felt that if the bird was going to stick around it needed a name, she couldn't simply just keep calling it 'bird' or 'raven' just as it couldn't keep calling her 'human'.
Smiling as the tiny bird perched itself in a branch facing her window she decided to voice her thoughts. "So, I can't keep calling you bird. Also, you can't keep calling me human."
"Why not, it's what we are." The poor bird sounded so genuinely confused she felt a little sorry for her.
"Well, surely you've noticed how most humans call each other by different names, or how we call other animals by different names than their species."
The bird nodded, another mannerism it had learned over time from school kids. "Yes, I have noticed."
"Well, that's what I think we should do. You should call me by my name, and we'll come up with one for you." The bird nodded vigorously at that, she seemed really pleased to have a name that would be all for her.
"So what is your name, human?" Oh, I guess I never told her my name... Bit rude there Swan.
"Bella Swan. But just call me Bella or Bells."
"Fine, Bells it is. Now what about me?" If a raven could ever look thoughtful, this one was now.
"Well, how about I just start saying out names and you stop me if you hear one you like." A nod to continue. "Okay, Sadie; Ruth; Ellen; Lizzie-" Her head cocked quizzically. "Lizzie then, you like that?" The bird in question shook her head. Bella rolled her eyes. "Okay, continuing: Nora; Nancy; Mandy; Olive; Clara; Charlotte-" Bella was cut off abruptly.
"No, go back, the one before."
"Which was that, Clara, Olive, Mandy?" Bella questioned.
"The first one. Clara." The bird seemed to smile at her before extending a foot in Bella's direction. "Pleased to meet you Bells, I'm Clara." Her chest puffed up in pride and had Bella not been sitting down she'd have likely fallen over at the sheer incredulous situation she was in. Shaking herself out of her disbelief though she took the offered foot in her hand and gave it a small shake.
"Nice to meet you too Clara." Her tone had something of a disbelieving air that the newly named Clara seemed unaware of. This is one seriously weird bird.
Another thought had been bothering Bella slightly over this last week in the tiny ravens company. Bella decided to be blunt. "Are you only here for the free food, Clara?" She tacked on the name at the end as an after thought, the bird seemed to enjoy hearing and saying her new name.
"Yes, at first." Bella motioned for Clara to continue. "Humans can't normally understand us, but you can. Most other animals ignore me or try to eat me. You've done neither and I feel like you might actually enjoy having me around as much as I like to be around you. Besides, can you understand other birds? They're idiots." Bella murmured in agreement at that statement. Other wild animals were quite stupid. The human teen smiled at her companion.
"I really do like having you around. You're good company and fairly intelligent. I can get a birdhouse and a bird feeder for the tree and you can stay here if you'd like." Clara seemed excited by that and nodded eagerly.
Before Bella could say anything else on the matter of bird feeders a very masculine and aroused call reverberated through the silent air. "Oh yes! Get in me you saucy bastards!" A very satisfied moan followed the words and blushing, Bella could just make out the figure of a buck in her neighbors garden over the road, munching blissfully on their daisy patch. It had been years since Bella had really been near any sort of wilderness so she had forgotten how they could get at times. Spring is going to be torture if this deer dry humping a garden is any indication. Bella groaned piteously at that thought.
Clara turned back from where she had been eyeing the buck. "Can you understand him too?" It was clear from her tone she was undecided whether she should be impressed or slightly disappointed that it wasn't just herself Bella could understand.
"Everything." The response was slightly muffled from where it had been spoken through her fingers but Clara understood it. "I can understand what everything is saying."
"Oooh! What'd he say, what'd he say?" Clara was excited, she'd always found the vocal timbres of deer to be majestic and pleasant, she really wanted to know what things they spoke of.
Bella flushed more at the prospect of having to act as translator between the black little bird and other wildlife. "He's just really enjoying those flowers." Please don't ask.
"Really?" Clara deflated a little at Bella's evasiveness.
Groaning again Bella gave into the unspoken plea and repeated what the deer had groaned, so fast and lowly she wasn't sure she even understood what she had said but the bird clearly had heard her. The high pitched exuberant trilling was evidence enough of that. "Jeez, he said-" and off again with the trilling laughter that she couldn't seem to control.
When the two later went on a short walk through the spare patch of forest Bella felt safe in, Clara pleaded to know what every little squeak and squawk was saying. This was how Bella found herself an hour later, wandering around in circles with a scrawny bird on her shoulder randomly spouting things like "I found a peanut" and "I wonder what that stick tastes like." When night started to fall and the animals around her started getting slightly more vulgar Bella decided it was time to call it an early night. She cited to Clara that the reason was she needed the rest before tomorrow's first day of classes.
Thank you for everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it absolutely made my day and inspired me to get this up right quick. Hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter: Bella goes to school and meets the Cullens. Also, a very libidinous rock dove.
A thanks goes out to Jemjo storys for an idea they proposed. It hasn't come into play yet but it will. Lucky for Bella Clara is a very intelligent bird. They should know what I mean by that.
Till next time.
