SCENE 

INT. Nunery - Early Morning

In the living quarters of the nuns PHOENIX; crimson hair and garden green eyes (5). S. NATALIE (19)

PHOENIX

Sister Natalie! You're finally up.

S. Natalie

It’s you again. (she acknowledged her by petting her head) Good morning little one.

PHOENIX

(she smiles brightly) Good morning Sister.

SCENE

INT. Dining Hall

She ate with S. Natille and the other nuns.

SCENE

INT./EXT. Basilica - Later 

PHOENIX helped them with chores around the covenant and the church. While cleaning the window in the church she spots a few children playing outside.

S. Candius (O.S.)

(gasps see Phoenix cleaning the window on a high ladder) What is that Highlander doing in the house of God!

All the sisters direct their attention to S. CANDIUS an older sister of the cathloic church. PHOENIX is still watching the children play.

S. Candius

Hey! (she starts to walk up to the ladder) Get down from there this instant!

Nun

Sister Candius, the child is helping us with the chores around the covent. To work off the meal she ate earlier this morning.

S. Candius

That doesn’t matter. (the nun was shocked) (S. Candius grabbed the legs of the ladder) Down from there Highlander! Right now. (and shook it and PHOENIX’s balance became very unbalanced and wobbly, the novitiate nuns beg S. Candius to stop) 

SCENE

EXT. CHURCH ENTRANCE 

Phoenix is now covered with bruises all over her arms. Sits by herself still watching the village children play. She looks at her scars and bruises and hides them under her sleeves.

PHOENIX

(she makes her way towards the children) Can I play too? (the children look up at her then stand up)

V.kid

Look at it. Her hair is burning.

V. kid

No it’s bleeding. (they look at one another and smirk at her)

EXT. Village Square

The children push Phoenix into the village well. Her clothes are covered in dirt. While CROW shops nearby.

V.Kid

Why is her hair so weird?

she curls into knees.

V.Kid

What are you? Tsk. 

He grabs her by the hair pulling up from the ground.

V.Kid

 What? You can’t speak now?!

she flinches while his other hand goes up.

the kids look up at him to only see one frozen blue eye staring back at them from his cloak.

CROW

What do you think you're doing? You shouldn’t bully pretty little girls. It gives mixed signals. 

the kid tries to take his arm back but CROW squeezed tighter

V.KID

Get off of  me!

the boy hisses in pain while the others run off.

CROW

Why, where I come from. Handzy little mice like yourself are a delicacy. 

A crow nearby squawks before swooping down to fly through the market and grabs a small mouse. It flies off. The boy watches the crow fly off. He screams. The crow rips into the mouse's flesh.

V.Kid

I won’t mess with her never ever again.

CROW

Do you promise?

V. Kid

Yes. 

Crow squeezed tighter. 

V.Kid

Yes! I promise, I promise okay! 

Crow lets go of his arm. He runs off quickly. Crow watches him. Looks down to see Phoenix still curled in a ball. Crow holds his hand out to her.

CROW

Are you ok? Hey there. You mind telling me your name?

she stank her head into her knees.

PHOENIX

I--  

he kneels to her in the crowd of the busy streets of the town.

PHOENIX

I, I don’t have one.

Crow stares into her eyes.

CROW

You have no name. That’s fine. I could just call you, ‘mine’.

She looks up at him holding his hand out to her.

ACT 2

EXT. The Woods - Sunset

Phoenix rides on Crow’s back while they walk through the forest.

CROW

So you don’t live in the town of Phillis. 

PHOENIX

I lived here with my auntie, before.

CROW

Before?

She tucked her head into his back.

PHOENIX

A group of men called the highlanders, came to Phillis a few years after I was born.

CROW

Highlanders?

Phillis - Night

The Highlanders raise their clubs to the sky before charging in.

PHOENIX (O.S.)

They terrorized the people. And many were killed. And raped the women. The only thing they could describe these men were giants. And their leader was called the king. Known for being strong and also having hair that appeared to be burning.

EXT. THE WOODS

They see a run down cabin that looks out to a manmade lake.

INT. CABIN

Opens the door to see the hubble.

CROW

So you live here.

PHOENIX

Yes. 

CROW

You live here by yourself.

PHOENIX

Yes. My aunty died last winter. I tried going into one of the nearby towns but the people were all the same towards me.

CROW

Because of your hair right?

PHOENIX

I’m a monster. 

CROW

You are not a monster.

PHOENIX

All the people hate me or want to see me dead.

he caressed her cheek

CROW

Trust me, a cute girl like you could never make a whole town want to kill you.

she rejects his touch by moving her cheek.

PHOENIX

You're a traveler right? 

she takes the charred wood out the chimney.

CROW

Yes, I’ve been traveling for quite sometime now.

PHOENIX

I don’t understand.(she places the wood in) Why do you travel so much? (she spots the scissors on the edge) 

CROW

I’m looking for the lost continent Gelbelly. 

PHOENIX

Why? (she reaches for them) 

CROW

Well see, well. That’s a good question. I don’t truly remember why? But it has to be

PHOENIX pulled a strain of her hair to cut with the scissors. Crow appears behind her.

Phoenix looks up at him in shock.

PHOENIX

What do you think you're doing?

CROW

A haircut isn’t appropriate for an occasion like now.

the scissors drop to the floor.

PHOENIX

Let go of me! 

she pulls away from him and grabs the scissors off the wooden flooring. She pulls a lock of hair forward and cuts it off. She makes her way to the fireplace and tosses the hair in.

Crow watch the hair become brighter. All of a sudden the hair catches fire burning the wood slowly while the small fire continues to dance and consume the wood.

CROW

Did you just--

PHOENIX cut more of her hair to make fire for cooking over.

PHOENIX

Don’t worry my hair always grows back. In just a minute. I’m guessing you don’t eat.

CROW

Why would you assume such a thing?!

PHOENIX

Because, birds should never eat what’s bigger than them.

CROW

How’d you find out. That I was a bird demon.

PHOENIX

You're a bird demon?

CROW

Uh, UGH! You didn’t know?! Oh satan, please forgive my treachery! 

PHOENIX

You're using a lot of weird words. You won’t be eating my porridge.

CROW

What?!

Int. Cabin

The porridge is at a boil. The room is neat and lived in.

He pouts.

Phoenix (20s) stirs the soup.

CROW

Your heartless pretty girl. All I wish is to be close to you. But if I don't eat your porridge. Who knows what I’ll do.

PHOENIX

Is that a threat?

CROW

I’d never threaten a cutie like you.

PHOENIX

Why do keep saying such gross stuff. I’m a kid now. You have to respect that.

CROW

I hoped and prayed to see you. I waited for you. But you never grew. So how long will you pretend Phoenix!

PHOENIX

You're cruel. You didn’t wait for me, you’ve abandoned me.

CROW

I didn’t-

PHOENIX

You abandoned me! I requested for a life without you Crow. And you lied, in wait. Like I was your prey.

CROW

Again with this. 

PHOENIX

I wouldn’t have to repeat myself if I wasn’t making a point crow. You think of me as just an extinction of yourself. Like a pair of shoes or shirt.

Crow

Is that really a bad thing?

PHOENIX

Yes! Because I don’t want to be that for you! I want to be alone. I can’t stand the thought of even being in the same room as you.

CROW

You're being a child, just come home with me. Gelbelly is waiting for us to rule it.

PHOENIX

You seriously don’t listen. I don’t want to be with you anymore. Ruling over a kingdom is the last thing I want.

Int. cabin

Phoenix(5) hands the bowl of porridge to him.

Phoenix

I don’t have spoons. 

Crow

I’ve noticed. You stirred the kettle with a stick.

Crow sips the porridge.