Her small round face burst with excitement. She gave a big, toothy grin and tugged on her mother's shirt.
"Look, Ma," she pointed. "Look at the bird!" 
"What? Honey, there's nothing there," her mother responded irritably. 

The girl let go of the shirt and wandered over to the old wooden fence. The bird sitting on it cocked its head to the side and then chirped loudly. The girl tried to whistle back at it, puffing out her cheeks and pursing her lips, but only the noise of rushing air came out. The bird chirped again, as if mocking her. She furrowed her brow and put her stubby arms on her hips.

"Bird?" she asked cautiously. 

The bird chirped again and rearranged its wings impatiently. She stretched out her small arm and it fluttered briefly forward and before settling on her palm.

The second they touched, it was as if a veil had lifted. Nothing else mattered, and nothing else ever would.

"Phaedre," she said, this time with confidence and awe.
"Anna," came the reply in her mind.

She couldn't remember if she ever had a name before that moment.

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This is just a very small glimpse into a story and a few different characters. They may or may not show up in later stories, but feel free to fill in the missing details for yourself (either in your mind or by collaborating).

I hope you enjoy it!

Pan

updated Jul 21 '10 by Pantalaimon