Phoenix was a sentient Raven on the planet Nest.[1] He was first introduced in The Last Shadow.
History[]
The Last Shadow[]
When Peter Wiggin II and Si Wang-mu arrived on the surface of Nest for the second time, they had some trouble with the Raven named Dog so they teleported several kilometers away, where they were greeted by Phoenix, who was nameless at the time. Wang-mu tried giving him a variety of names until Phoenix stuck. Wang-mu again stressed that if they were not returned their belongings, they would leave. Phoenix told them to wait a short while until the Council had made their decision. Wang-mu offered to take Phoenix with them through instantaneous travel, and Phoenix accepted. When they returned to where Dog was, Phoenix was disoriented for a bit but adjusted quickly. Dog asked why they risked the life of their messenger. Dog asked if they would take her, but they refused until they had their belongings back. Within moments, the Keas had swarmed all over them, returning everything. Wang-mu asked for the Kea that had origininally spoke in her ear, and she named him Royal Son after explaining her own name. Royal Son asked to return to their planet with Peter and Wang-mu, to which Wang-mu deferred to the Council. Dog said that Royal Son was of little impotance so they agreed. The Humans and Royal Son teleported away.[1]
The next day when the Humans and Royal Son returned, Phoenix flew over, talked to Royal Son briefly, before Royal Son flew away. Peter asked Phoenix if he was able to read writing, and by writing a request to see the humans of the world which Phoenix responded to, he proved that they could. Phoenix said he would check with Dog if she had seen any.[1]
A few days later, the Folk invited the Lusitanians to a banquet underground. However, when they arrived, the Folk used a biological weapon and attempted to kill the Lusitanians. When they escaped, they turned against the other species of Nest with an ultrasound and infrasound riot control weapon that the Yachachi Ruqyaq had created 20 years ago, killing hundreds of Ravens and Keas. The Lusitanians returned with a Box that could take the Ravens, Keas, and Yachachiyruna to Lusitania and they swarmed in. Jane sent the Box full with birds back and forth dozens of times, including Phoenix.[1]
The humans then went to the meadow to sort the birds. Jane told them to divide themselves into their breeding populations, then instructed the Keas to form a group who wanted to be alone and a group that wished to be with the Ravens, as they could not be trusted with humans. One by one the patches of birds disappeared as Jane sent them to the colonies. However, Dog and Phoenix stayed on Lusitania.[1]
A week later, Dog and Phoenix were noticed by Sprout and Delft Delphiki walking in the meadow and they called them over. Sprout asked why they were not on one of the colonies, and they asked to sit down. Dog explained that she could hear the Hive Queen when she first came to Lusitania because the Ravens already used philotic communication. Hence, they stayed on Lusitania to test if they could communicate with the ravens on the colonies lightyears away with philotes, and they could. Dog also explained that she was already 20 years old, and that Ravens could now live to be 40. They also explained that Keas could not philotically communicate, and that the level of proficiency in philotic communication differed among Ravens. The birds encouraged Sprout and Blue to see the colonies, and to also visit them to hear knowledge that even Ruqyaq did not know.[1]