Pen and ink
Elisenda ignored her mother and ran out of the back room and into the front of the bakery to meet whoever had just walked in. She ended up greeting not a customer, but a winged messenger bearing a letter. The bird sat atop the door, tapping at the bell with its foot, demanding to be let in. Elisenda opened the door, and the messenger flew gracefully into the small space, landing atop the counter, and opening its beak to unceremoniously drop the letter.
The bird tilted its head expectantly.
“Oh! Yes of course, I’m so sorry.” They didn’t get many messengers. Elisenda had almost forgotten to feed the poor bird. She gave the bird a bit of bread, and watched as it pecked its crumbs. It was a beautiful bird, large and colorful. It was dark grey with blues and greens peeking through its feathers. Its sharp pointed beak was a light purple-gray and made a clacking sound as it pecked against the counter.