Dr. Tessa's Arc

Chapter 4 of 6

Tessa crouched beside a concrete birdbath outside the center's eastern research pod, watching two magpies splash in the shallow water. Nigel bobbed on her shoulder, his crest rising and falling with each splash the wild birds made. She pulled out her phone and snapped three photos of the bath's simple design—rounded edges, textured bottom for grip, just deep enough for safety. Her research center would need dozens of these, maybe a hundred, scattered across the grounds where birds could drink and bathe while she observed their behavior. One magpie shook itself dry and flew to a nearby branch. The other lingered, tilting its head at Tessa before following its companion. She stood and brushed dirt from her knees, already sketching birdbath placements in her mind. She walked toward the forest edge where a gnarled larch tree stood, its sparse needles catching afternoon light. The branches twisted at different heights, each one a possible nesting spot for different species. Smaller birds could take the thin upper branches. Larger ones could claim the thick middle sections. She circled the trunk twice, photographing the bark texture and branch angles. Her center needed trees like this—natural, varied, offering options. Nigel tapped three times on her collarbone. No, don't overthink it. She laughed and kept walking. A stone tower rose ahead through the trees, its base covered in vines and moss. The wooden railings at the top had broken away years ago, leaving gaps in the structure. She stepped closer and spotted movement near the summit—a bald eagle shifted on a massive nest built across the old observation platform. Another eagle landed beside it, talons gripping the weathered stone. This place had been built for watching birds decades ago, maybe longer. Now the birds had claimed it completely. She raised her phone but stopped. The eagles didn't need documenting. They just needed to be left alone. The path back curved through shade where creeping thyme spread between the trees, tiny purple flowers dotting the ground cover. The scent hit her—sharp and green. She knelt and touched the leaves, soft and dense beneath her fingers. This was the kind of detail that mattered. Not just the big structures or the dramatic features, but the quiet growth in forgotten corners. Her research center would have spaces like this too, places where things grew without anyone directing them. Places where she could walk and think and remember why the work mattered. Nigel preened her hair gently. Yes, exactly this.