I didn’t realize how worried I was about the crow until I saw him perched on the statue of my father. The relief almost made me dizzy and I rushed to the base of the statue to sit down. 

“You’re here,” I said as it flew down to land next to me. It twitched its head before stepping closer and pecking at the bag over my shoulder. “Right, I brought your food of course. And something you left behind.” 

I smiled as I pulled out nuts and fruit wrapped in cloth and the gold bracelet it liked so much. I laid out the cloth and held up the bracelet, watching the sun make it sparkle. I noticed the crow staring at it instead of eating. 

I gently put the bracelet in my palm and held it out for the crow. “Do you want it now?” 

The crow pecked at it before flying up and snatching it in its feet. I watched it fly up and up and circle around until it landed back down next to me. It happily ate on the cloth with the bracelet wrapped around its leg. 

I watched it for a moment before getting my own snack from my bag. We enjoyed a blissful moment as we ate and listened to bird song in the crisp air of the forest. 

After our meal, the crow began to peck at my hand. 

“Ow! Stop that!” I pulled my hand away but it kept stepping closer to do it again. “I don’t have any more food! How big is your stomach?!” 

It suddenly flew up and circled around. It soared to the left before turning back and circling overhead again. When I only watched it, it eventually landed next to me. It stepped closer to peck at me again. 

“Ow! What do you want?!” 

It flew up and circled, soared, and circled again. It slowly dawned on me. 

“Do you…want me to follow you?” I asked. 

It landed on my thigh and tilted its head. I decided to take that as a yes. I stood up and it flew up above me. I watched it carefully as it circled then moved forward to the left. I got up to follow, trying to watch it between the leaves of the trees. 

I stepped through rocks, mud, and broken branches. My clothes began to get spattered with filth but all I cared about was following the crow. I held onto the rough bark of trees when I accidentally stumbled and pushed off of them to hurry after the crow. My hands began to get scratched up and dirty as well. 

When the crow suddenly swooped down, I paused to see where it would go next. It landed in a nearby tree. I stepped over a fallen tree and met it at the top of the trunk where thin branches spread out. In the middle was a nest that was shining in the sunlight. The crow hopped around the nest as if it was showing off its treasures. 

I stood on my tiptoes and leaned in to get a better look. The nest was full of shiny rocks, pieces of twine, and gems. I carefully reached in to pull something unusual out. It was a teardrop-shaped earring, probably a woman’s. I gave the crow a skeptical look, wondering where it had stolen that from. 

“Did you want to show me your collection of treasures?” I asked as I dropped the earring back in the nest. 

The crow cawed in response. Then it began pecking and pulling at the gold bracelet around its leg. I reached up to help take it off. It left it in the nest and flew up, circling above me. Then it soared one way before circling back above me. It wanted me to keep following it. 

I began to head in the direction it seemed to be telling me to go. After a few steps, it swooped down and landed on my shoulder. I blinked at it and it blinked at me. Then I kept walking. We enjoyed a leisurely walk through the forest. Nothing looked familiar and I figured I was lost, but I had a feeling the crow would help me find my way home. 

I wasn’t scared of the serene forest and I didn’t think I’d find anything that was scary, but maybe I should have been more careful. I first saw drops of blood. Then I saw what it was leading to. A brown rabbit was lying on the ground, its body heaving as it breathed quickly.