-Stress' POV, 1st-

My wings were aching as I folded and unfolded them from nervously, like I had been all day. I had gone from trying to figure out potions, to having to worry about a friend without a pulse that hadn't yet responded. When the heck would I finally get a break? I mean, I'm always willing to help people, but it's the weekend for Pete's sake! Whatever, back to the more pressing matters- Grian, dead, not respawning, and the only person who knows other than me is Scar, who's currently gone. Not a lot to work with. I sigh, patting Grian on the shoulder even though I know he won't respond. It's always him getting into these messes, the poor guy needs a break more than I do. His ivory wings glisten, lying tucked in beneath him. He looks peaceful, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think he was sleeping.

I wonder if a potion can help him, but I didn't think so. It isn't likely, either, seeing as he isn't even breathing to give me any hope. It's so odd seeing such a chaotic person in such a peaceful state, honestly. Almost hard to wrap your head around. I wonder how he feels right now. Maybe sad, maybe stressed. Maybe he doesn't even realize what's going on. I feel so curious in such a solemn way. I feel for a pulse again... Nothing. It's bone-chilling every time, no matter how used to it I think I get. I sigh, turning away to get a tool.

Yet, when I turn back, Grian is gone. In his place lays an ivory bird with inquiring eyes and almost a pale complexion adorning it's feathers. It squawks in the most inelegant way I've ever seen, pruning it's feathers. My mind races with ideas. This- This thing- is sitting where Grian was. It can't possibly be him, though. Right? No no no- Maybe it's just a coincidence that there's a large, elegant, feathery bird sitting in the exact spot where Grian was laying. Maybe. But no, I knew, however little I wanted to believe it, that this phoenix was Grian.

It took me a minute to let that sink in, and then I just had to do it again. Grian was a bird- A phoenix, to be exact- and he was alive. That was both good and bad news. I put my hands on the side of my head, pulling my hair a bit. Grian. A phoenix. A literal bird. Alive. It just didn't make sense. The bird- The one I assume is Grian- looked at me. He squawked again. I stared up at it- him, shaking slightly. It didn't make sense. I had said it, and yet a part of me didn't believe it. It believed all of the madness without question.

I saw him move again, and watched as he flew around the inside of the snail shell, cawing and squawking. 'He acts more like a parrot than a phoenix in all honestly...' I thought, watching him fly into the inner shell. He acted so funny, like he couldn't find out what was different with him, but didn't want to act vulnerable and figure it out, and instead decided on being stupid until something worked. Not too different from his normal behavior, truth be told. He flew around a bit more, before tuckering himself out, and flopping over. I snorted, looking away to spare him his dignity- not that he had much in this form- and noticed a shiny object lying in the corner. I went to investigate it curiously, and found that it was a circular, golden ring, with three rods sticking out of it, and a huge, rose gold peony blooming out of it. There wasn't anything stopping the soil holding the plant from spilling out, and yet it still held it's form. I shrugged, moving it to Scar's dresser stand. Weird plants later, Grian now.

Speaking of Grian... Where was he? When I turned around, he wasn't there, and I can't find him anywhere. Did he fly off? How would he do that, though? The windows are closed, and he's out of energy, last I checked. I don't know, but what I do know is that I have to find him. Fast. I donned my elytra, preparing to fly off in search of him, before I remembered two things. One, I was low on hunger, and two, I had forgotten my bag. Walking over to Scar's bed to retrieve it, I heard a scuffling noise as a large bird flew out from under Scar's bed gracelessly, crashing into the dresser. Right behind it was a weird looking bat with orange, leathery wings, squeaking loudly.

The two fought for a bit, before the bird flew down the ladder, the bat close behind. The open door let them escape out into the wild, and as soon as I processed it fully, my eyes widened a bit as I realized the bird was an ivory phoenix, the only ivory phoenix around. Grian. I rushed down the ladder after them, following them. Outside, they were fighting again, the bat visibly losing. The phoenix clawed at it, scratching up it's wing real bad. The bat squeaked again, scratching back, but getting taken down by the phoenix— I mean, Grian—, who wasn't holding back. I tried to pry them apart, not wanting them to hurt each other anymore than they already had. Grian clawed at my arm, but eventually gave up, flying into a tree, and pruning his feathers. I looked at the bat, which was injured and bleeding.

I searched my pockets for a healing potion, and while I was distracted, I didn't notice the large, hairy figure creeping up behind me. Only when it was a few yards away did I notice, turning around, and nearly screaming. It was a large white bear with sharp, pearly teeth, and beetle black eyes filled with aggression. It sliced at me, and I jumped back, not getting hit. But it didn't seem interested with me, and instead with the bat, which it growled at, pawing around. Grian flew down from the tree, scratching at the bear, who brushed it aside with one easy motion, twisting his wing, and causing him to squawk in probable pain. I then watched as the scene unfolded, quaking where I stood in shock and fear. Grian attempted to fly away with his one good wing as the big, and the orange bat lay bleeding on the ground, beginning to transform between animal and human, though I couldn't discern who it was, and was too scared to care.

The huge white bear drew nearer me, and I froze. What was I supposed to do? Certain bears you had to run away from, and others you had to just stay still in front of until they moved, but those were black and grizzly bears. What about white bears? I scattered my brain for ideas, trying to stay calm as the bear stopped directly in front of me, only inches away from my face. I failed, breathing turning heavy, heart skipping a beat with how fast it was beating. The bear sniffed me, and stared right into my eyes with it's big, black ones for the longest time, before turning away, and wandering off. I didn't dare move until it was completely gone, before letting out a sigh of relief. Then I remembered the other two, still there, still injured, and rushed to help them. Hopefully they wouldn't die. Hopefully.