Echo Fieldana's Arc

Chapter 2 of 4

Echo set up the gothic cage in the alcove at dawn. She filled a small dish with seeds and propped the door open with a twig. The black metal gleamed in the early light. Now came the hard part—waiting and watching. She sat on the ground nearby, notebook ready. Three sparrows landed on the table but flew away. A crow circled overhead but didn't come down. By noon, her legs were stiff and her stomach growled. No birds had entered the trap. She needed a better plan. Echo walked back to the stadium and sat against the hot pink wall. She flipped through her notebook. The problem was clear—she didn't know enough about what birds actually needed. The supplies in her seventeen boxes weren't helping if she couldn't get birds to trust her. She needed to learn the basics first. How did different birds eat? What made them feel safe? She closed the notebook and stood up. Someone in Fenif had to know about bird care. She spent the afternoon searching and finally found it near the edge of town. A massive tree stump, hollowed out and carved into rooms. Soft light glowed from windows cut into the wood. A sign hung above the entrance: "The Stumped Sanctuary." Echo pushed the door open. Inside, shelves lined the curved walls, packed with books about birds. She pulled one down and started reading. After an hour, she learned that birds needed water nearby to feel safe. They wanted to see escape routes. Her setup had neither. The next morning, Echo returned to the alcove with two old water jugs she'd found at a market. They had a retro look, cream-colored with chrome handles. She filled them at a fountain and set them near the cage. Then she moved the whole setup closer to the trees. A rainbow-painted robot rolled past carrying a bowl of mac and cheese, probably heading to the park. Echo watched it go, then turned back to her trap. This time, a small finch hopped close to the water. It drank, then stepped into the cage. Echo held her breath. The bird pecked at the seeds. She had her first visitor. Progress felt real now.