Runaway Bird

I’m unsure about whether there will be a “ward” as well as a Love Interest, or whether I’ll combine them. Initially I thought the “ward” would be someone like a helpless little brother who functions like a puppy in the narrative — audience likes them, character would go to great lengths to protect them. When I introduced the Love Interest[?] though, it occurred to me that that character could also be the ward.

In any case, in this level, the ward has be snatched, probably by a flying creature. A scene plays out in which the character watches helplessly as the ward is snatched, and then gives chase to get the ward back.

Throughout the level, character reaches the creature who has the ward, but the creature keeps getting away, perhaps by flying ever higher into a tall tree. When the dead-end is reached, character is able to confront the creature.

If the creature is a large bird, the nest maybe near the top of the tree. Ward was being brought up as food, and when you arrive at the nest, the bird’s focus is diverted from escaping or feeding her young, to protecting them. Now you’re in a fight.

The bird can swoop down and try to knock you off, dive bomb you, or land and try to peck at you. You have the choice to either eliminate the bird, or just grab Ward and make your way back down the tree. At some predetermined altitude, the bird will leave you alone.

Perhaps later if you kill the bird, you have to fight a different beast. If the bird lives, you simply come up it having already killed the beast?