"THE BLEEDING CROW'S REVENGE"
R.W. STONE
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IN THE HEART OF ANCIENT RUINS, NESTLED WITHIN THE DECAYING REMNANTS OF A LONG-FORGOTTEN WORLD,
THERE WAS A SMALL CROW'S NEST. A FAMILY OF CROWS CALLED IT HOME – TWO ADULTS AND THEIR SOLE CHICK,
A PROMISE OF THE FUTURE.THE NIGHT WAS CALM UNTIL A SHADOWY PRESENCE DESCENDED UPON THEM. AN
EERIE PHANTOM-LIKE FIGURE WITH FEATHERS AS PALE AS MOONLIGHT AND EYES THAT GLOWED LIKE EERIE
ORBS HAD COME TO HAUNT THEIR ONCE-PEACEFUL ABODE.

CHAOS ERUPTED AS THE MALE CROW TRIED VALIANTLY TO PROTECT HIS LOVED ONES, BUT TRAGEDY WAS
INEVITABLE. THE FEMALE CROW AND THE INNOCENT CHICK MET THEIR DEMISE, THEIR ATTACKER CONCEALED
BY THE SHADOWS.GRIEF-STRICKEN AND FUELED BY A DEEP-SEATED RAGE, THE MALE CROW BORE THE SCARS
OF HIS FAILED DEFENSE, BUT HE WASN'T DEFEATED.

WITH THE FIRST RAYS OF DAWN ON THE HORIZON, HE RESOLVED TO AVENGE HIS FAMILY, KNOWING NOT THE
IDENTITY OF THEIR ASSAILANT.THE BATTLE THAT ENSUED WAS NOTHING SHORT OF EPIC. FEATHERS FLEW, AND
THE NIGHT AIR ECHOED WITH SCREECHES AND CAWS. THE MALE CROW, HIS BODY BATTERED AND BLEEDING,
FOUGHT WITH A RELENTLESS DETERMINATION AGAINST THE UNSEEN ADVERSARY.

AS THE SUN'S FIRST RAYS PIERCED THE DARKNESS, THE FINAL CONFRONTATION UNFOLDED. THE MALE CROW'S
BEAK STRUCK TRUE, AND WITH A HAUNTING CRY, THE FIGURE WAS REVEALED. THE BLEEDING CROW, EMERGING
VICTORIOUS, HAD EXACTED HIS REVENGE AGAINST THE ENIGMATIC PRESENCE THAT HAD HAUNTED HIS FAMILY.

THE NOW-VISIBLE FIGURE LAY DEAD ON THE GROUND, WITH PALE MOONLIT FEATHERS AND EYES THAT HAD LOST
THEIR EERIE GLOW. IT WAS A BARN OWL, THE GHOSTLY PRESENCE THAT HAD HAUNTED THEIR NEST.WITH THE
RISING SUN CASTING A GENTLE LIGHT OVER THE RUINS, THE BLEEDING CROW PERCHED TRIUMPHANT BUT
SCARRED, HIS LEGACY FOREVER ONE OF COURAGE AND RETRIBUTION.