He was born too early. His mother didn’t want him, something about his father that was unnatural and not good. He came out of the womb with hair and teeth and claws. His tribe had thought him to be a monster, figured he would die and so he was unnamed. When he didn’t die, when he cried and squirm, they had put rocks around him to see if the monster would show itself. It didn’t. So he became apart of the tribe.

Ten years later, a sickness came. Only Rion survived, but his fever was so great he lost his eyesight. That was when he realized that the only ear he had could listen and understand the birds.