The Double-Birds of Warning
Filed under: Mirecourt Fauna | Symbiotic Collectors | Auditory Phantoms
Contributor: FDG Field Archivist No. 6
Last updated: May 2025
Overview
In the mists of Mirecourt, few things are more unnerving than a pair of Fretganders silently watching from a rooftop, a bog-branch, or the lip of an open grave.
They never call.
They never fly when startled.
They simply stand—one still as a statue, the other always in motion.
To the untrained eye, they are just strange birds. But to those who’ve seen too much, they are harbingers, collectors, and perhaps something far older than birds should be.
Appearance
- Size: Roughly that of a domestic goose.
- Feathers: Moss-colored with streaks of dark green and dull ochre. Their plumage seems damp, but never dripping—like living peat.
- Beak: Thin, hooked, and shaped like a crescent moon turned sideways. Pale ivory in colour.
- Tongue: Long, tendril-like, sometimes trailing from the beak like a root or thin worm. Used for retrieving objects.
- Eyes: Ink-black and bulbous, with no visible iris. Always watching. Rarely blink.
Fretganders are always found in pairs, even when nesting or scavenging. One always stands guard, motionless and eerily upright, while the other searches or feeds.
Behaviour and Abilities
- Scavenger Offering-Seeking:
The active Fretgander seeks out “offerings”:- shiny trinkets
- animal bones
- teeth
- fruit that has been bitten, but not finished
- coins left near graves
These are not consumed but are collected and taken away, usually to unseen nesting sites or fae caches. The offerings often disappear permanently, though some are returned changed.
- Whisper Echo Gift:
If a human voluntarily feeds a Fretgander—intentionally or accidentally—they will begin to hear whispered warnings within three nights. These whispers:- always occur at dusk or during storms
- take on the voice of someone the listener has lost (dead, disappeared, or forgotten)
- are cryptic, but often accurate predictions of danger or consequence
Many believe this is a temporary bond between the bird and the soul of the lost individual. Others argue it’s a parasite using memory as bait.
- The Watcher Never Blinks:
While one bird searches, the other watches—always in the direction of the human observer. Operatives report a strong sense of being “read” or “recorded”. One agent compared it to being studied by a mirror wearing feathers. - Shared Will:
The two birds act in perfect unison even when far apart. They share alertness, intention, and perception.
If one is harmed, the other lets out a single sound—a deep, keening whistle—and then vanishes with the wind.
Folklore and Signs
- Funeral Perches:
In some Mirecourt-adjacent villages, two Fretganders perched on a roof or graveyard tree are believed to indicate that someone will soon confess a hidden truth. - Grave Collectors:
There are tales of grave robbers who vanished after mocking the birds. It’s said Fretganders gather the bones of those who die with debts unpaid. - Witch-Familiars:
One tale names the Fretganders as the unseen spies of Lady Wyr, sent to recover forgotten pacts. They are said to whisper their findings into the mud. - Warning Rule:
Local saying: “If you feed a fretgander, lock your doors thrice. One for the wind, one for the dark, one for the warning you asked for.”
Effect on Earth and Human Minds
- Mild auditory hallucinations (warnings, names, weather omens).
- Sudden insight into past regrets or unspoken fears.
- Unusual dreams involving birds flying backward or rooting through personal belongings.
- Rare cases of prophetic clarity or dangerous obsession with interpreting the birds’ behaviour.
Feeding both birds at once has reportedly resulted in complete silence for several days—no birdsong, no footsteps, no spoken words heard by the affected person.
Summary for Field Operatives
| Trait | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threat Level | Low. Not hostile unless provoked. |
| Signs of Presence | Twin moss-coloured birds, reflective eyes, missing trinkets, moon-shaped beak tracks |
| Containment Risk | Very Low. Vanish when interfered with. Often follow known offenders. |
| Engagement Advice | Do not feed. Do not interrupt offering rituals. If whispers begin, write them down and report immediately. They are not always meant for you. |
Quote from Field Report #173:
“I left a fig on the bench and turned away. When I turned back, it was gone, and the bird had moved three feet closer. That night, I heard my late husband’s voice say: ‘Don’t go down the cellar steps. Not yet.’
The next day the steps collapsed.”
—Unaffiliated Witness Statement, Lymme Reach, 1996
Faylinn Defence Group 