Tolanda was the first to wake the following day to the sound of a bird’s call. She recognised it immediately and her eyes flew open. There she was, the gold-winged dove, she had not seen her in a while, not since she had been on her way to Laseron’Dir to be given as a slave. The bird looked at her with those intelligent eyes this bird that appeared when she needed comfort most. Tolanda watched as she hopped along, this was the closest the bird had ever been to her and she drew closer still. The sky was lightening, and bright colours of warm yellows began to shine, and the bird’s golden flecked wings glistened ever more brightly. Tolanda reached out her hand to the beautiful bird and she soon hopped within touching distance. Tolanda slowly and carefully reached a hand to stroke the dove’s h
