The bird behind him is called an Avis. They're like a mix of a condor and an harpy eagle about the size of a very tall man. Their feathers and claws are very good at holding and keeping spells (like a cantrip). They're inspired by the extinct Argentavis magnificens. Varilon gets "adopted" by one such bird, much to his displeasure but he very fast appreciates the advantages of having a flying mount. The feather he's holding as an Avis-feather (not from "his" Avis) which holds a spell with which he starts his journey of growth. Fun fact: At first he was just a side-character but during writing he became quite dear to me 😅 On a side note, I did enjoy rendering the fabrics more than usual.