Nilah's new bird friend

Nilah first heard it after breakfast — loud and urgent. Caw! Caw! Caw! She peered out the kitchen door. A crow sat on the clothesline pole, chest puffed, shouting into the sky like it had important news but no one to tell. It paced a little, flapped its wings, and shouted again. Nilah sat on the back step with a piece of toast and watched. “What’s the matter with you?” she whispered. “Big feelings today?”
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She started making guesses. “One caw for danger. Two for missing breakfast. Three if someone sat on your favourite wire.” The crow gave another long caw. Nilah nodded, “Yup, definitely a breakfast issue.” She crumbled up the edge of her toast and placed the bits on the wall. The crow didn’t come down right away. It waited. Then, when she turned her back, it swooped down, grabbed a piece, and flew to the roof. Quiet.
An hour later, it was back — but this time, silent. It sat on the garden wall and looked straight at her. Nilah stared back. She tilted her head. So did the crow. She grinned. “You’re funny.” They stayed like that for a while. No words, no crumbs. Just two creatures trying to understand each other in the soft afternoon light.
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That evening, Amma asked, “What did you do today?” Nilah replied, “I talked to a crow.” Amma raised an eyebrow. “Did it talk back?” Nilah shrugged. “Not exactly. But I think we understood each other.” She didn’t say more, but before bed, she tucked a small corner of chapati into a jar lid and left it on the wall. Just in case the crow had more to say tomorrow.