Joseph sat next to the bubbling stream that was shimmering with magic. His toe touched a snowflake flower which sent out a small puff of white fragrance magic, that made the plant smell different to each person. The magic dispersed into a fine mist, making the cool, crisp air around him smell like candyfloss. Joseph stared at the plant. His father could have told him exactly what species of snowflake plant it was, but to him, it was just another flower. A very pretty flower he’d allow, almost exactly the shape of a perfect snowflake.
Birds chirped in the background. If he focused, Joseph could have identified each and every song, and what sort of bird it belonged to, but for now he was too nervous to concentrate. With his stomach fluttering, with a mixture of excitement and panic, he put his hand into the river. It was pleasantly warm despite the winter weather. He edged forward. All who drank from the stream, gained magic from that moment forward. On today, his twenty first birthday, it was his turn to drink from it, as was tradition among his people.
“Please,” he begged the stream. “Let it be something useful for the farm.” If it wasn’t, he would have to leave. He loved the farm, and the community around it, but he was useless with plants, which was a big problem for a crop farmer’s son. His parents had let him stay until he turned twenty one, but they all agreed if his magic wasn’t something useful, then he’d better go and make his own way in the world.
He cupped his hands together, and scooped up some of the water. The instant it touched his lips the warmth of magic flowed through him.
A winter-forest bird began to chirp. Joseph closed his eyes to listen to the rare sound, a winter-forest bird was usually only heard once in a lifetime, it was such a shy creature. As it sang, its happy song, magic welled up inside Joseph.
When he opened his eyes, he instinctively knew which tree the bird was nesting in. Being careful not to move more than he had to, he gazed up at the hole in one of the trees. A winter-forest bird peered out of the tree at him.
He sucked in a breath. No one ever got to see them, unless…they had animal magic.
The magic in his veins began to pulse through him. A slow smile spread across his face. His father had always talked about branching out into livestock, someday. Maybe he could be persuaded that today was that day. “I wonder how powerful my magic will be.”
The white winter-forest bird flew down and landed in front of him. “Pretty darn powerful, it would seem,” he whispered. His magic throbbed through him, so powerfully he thought he would burst. He smiled and a laugh escaped his lips.
The bird took flight, and began to dance around him. He threw his arms up and yelled. “Yes!” A cloud of magic erupted from the snowflake flowers around him, carrying the sweet smell of candyfloss.
He jumped up, and began to run through the forest. The bird followed closely behind him. As Joseph leapt over rocks and sprang over fallen branches, more and more animals came out to see him. “Thank you, stream of magic!” he cried.