Once they had rolled the tree out of the path, they climbed into the back of the carriage. There were four people there to greet them, a set of identical twins, a bearded lady, and a witch. 

The twins were a boy and girl, adorned in blue and pink jester outfits. The cloth horns extending out from their hats had tiny golden bells at the ends that jingled as they walked. The girl had three blue rings, each growing bigger than the last, painted below her left eye. The boy, on the other hand, had a pink arrow painted beneath the right. 

“You don’t look like performers,” the girl teased. 

“We aren’t,” Collin said curtly. 

“Well, some of us simply lack showmanship.” Animus added, transforming into a magnificent crane with a rainbow of color. 

The twins clapped and cheered in unison. 

“Your boss simply offered us a ride, we’re just travelers trying to take the load off our legs for a while,” Kace explained. 

“We're doing a show in town, and I insist that you all come and see it,” the bearded lady said. “And you, with a talent like yours you are welcome to perform with us,” she added, gesturing to Animus. 

“Really?” Animus said, transforming back to themself. 

“We can’t waste any time-” Collin began, hushed behind his hand. 

“Oh, pish-posh. It’s a once-in-the-lifetime opportunity. We simply can't refuse.” Animus said. 

“They’re right. After this, we only have to travel a short distance back to the port. Why don’t we enjoy ourselves?” Kace suggested, leaning over Collin’s shoulder. 

The carriage teetered along the dirt path, passing a barren countryside scattered with farmhouses. Collin sat between Kace and the mysterious witch who had refused to speak since their arrival. She had dark beautiful skin and braided hair. She wore a yellow and gold dress with a matching witch’s hat. A black belt was strapped across the waist as well as the base of the hat. She held a wand made of birch with a whittled bee at the tip. 

“Is that your familiar?” Collin asked quietly, pointing to the bee. 

The witch nodded, brushing back her hair to reveal a plump, fuzzy honeybee asleep on her shoulder. 

“He’s rather cute,” Collin said. “Does he sting?”

“Only when I want him to,” the witch sighed loudly.

Collin gulped. 

“What’s your name?” he asked. 

“Polly. Polly Nation,” she answered. “Do you always ask so many questions?” she said, deadpan. 

“Sorry,” Collin said hurriedly, darting his eyes to the floor.

“Polly,” the bearded woman said sternly, glaring at her. 

“...You don’t need to apologize. I’ve been told that I can be rather cold.” Polly pouted. 

“Which is ironic given her flowery clothes and Spring-like magic.” the bearded woman sighed, collapsing her head into her palm. 

“We’re all rather tired from traveling as well. We were on tour but today is our last performance back in our hometown.” Polly explained. “So I have less energy to entertain than usual.” 

The bee on her shoulder buzzed awake, rolling clumsily down her shoulder and onto the carriage seat. Collin gently extended his finger, letting the bee climb up onto it. 

“He really is adorable.” Collin hummed. "You know, I've always had trouble talking to the others as well. I often come off as ruder than I mean to," he added, looking at Polly.

She met their fingers together, allowing the bee to crawl back toward her.

"You're a strange boy," she said, slumping back in her seat.

. . .

They arrived at a humble little city of stone and clay. On the city outskirts, in a grassy field was an enormous striped tent decorated with balloons. Fibaro parked the carriage beside the tent and hopped down from his seat. 

“Home sweet home,” he sighed loudly, taking in a deep breath. 

The others all crawled out of the carriage’s back, taking in the view. 

“I’m going to make sure everyone’s eyes are on me tonight,” Animus said, staring up at the tent. 

“That sounds like my worst nightmare.” Collin shivered. “You did performances like this with your parents, right? But I thought you hated it.”

“Hmm?” Animus hummed, tilting their head at him. 

“You told me about your parents, how they made you perform in front of other people as a child?” Collin said with an air of confusion. 

“Oh, yes.” Animus said, clapping their hands together. “Well, this is my stage now, not theirs.” 

“Come on in! Let me introduce you to the rest of my team!” Fibaro yelled, holding open the tent flap. The inside was lined with wooden bleachers and lit with bright spotlights. Acrobats, clowns, and lion-tamers all practiced in different parts of the tent. 

“Ah, Marques,” Fibaro said, walking up to an older gentleman in a striped suit. He had a sunken face engraved with wrinkles. A pair of small wire-rimmed glasses sat upon his long nose. “Come, come meet my new friends,” he added, walking the man up to the others. “These will be our special guests. One's even going to perform some magic.”

The man stared at Animus, his eyes wide and mouth ajar. He nervously combed through his salt-pepper hair.

“Animus…is that you?” the man asked. 

Panic grew across Animus’s face until they suddenly shifted into a songbird, fluttering hurriedly out the tent flap. 

“Animus!” Collin cried, but they had already disappeared. “Are you…their father?” he asked, turning back to the man. 

“What? No. Animus was an orphan.” the man explained. “I used to be a part of a different circus. Animus was abandoned and we, the carnies, adopted them in a sense. They traveled with us until they grew old enough to venture out on their own.”

“But did you…did you make them do tricks?” Collin asked, confused. 

“What? Never! That kid never stepped into the ring even once.” the man said defensively. 

Collin’s breath grew heavy and uneven. He darted out the tent flap and ran toward the city, following the faint shadow of a songbird in the sky.