Silver and Animals

Silver says that animals are drawn to him for some reason, and we see this happen often: he is joined by birds and butterflies during his Fairy Gala performance and when Leona asks how they managed such a thing Sebek explains that Silver has “a deep affinity for woodland creatures.”

Animals attracted to Silver that have been referenced specifically are birds (including pigeons, sparrows, owls, woodpeckers), bears, bunnies, squirrels and horses.

In a vignette we see “a herd of animals” bring him an ingredient he needs for a school assignment, without even being asked.

Silver says “Ever since I was a kid, any time I got lost or just felt discouraged when training went poorly, animals would come up and help me.”

We see an example of this during a flashback where squirrels help him find acorns that a woodpecker helps him turn into a bracelet for Lilia.

During Port Fest Silver says that he got the idea of garnishing his class’ churros with nuts when he was thinking about toppings, and animals starting bringing him nuts.

Jamil calls him odd for his combination of falling asleep all the time and his popularity with animals and Silver agrees, saying, “I think so as well. What in the world am I…?” 

Silver shares a story from when he was ten years old and, during one of these trips when Lilia left him alone for two weeks, he accidentally fell asleep while drying meat and attracted a bear. For days he lived in fear as the bear came to the cabin in search of food, first only at night, but then becoming bolder and breaking their fence and wrecking their shed, until, one day, he found claw marks on the cabin door.

Silver says he was frightened back then, but after they finally came face to face, they became friends. He took the bear out foraging, to areas with fruit trees and rivers with larger fish populations. She was so grateful she introduced him to her cubs who became his training partners. 

Silver says that “forest critters” would help him pick wild strawberries back when he “lived in the woods” and Kalim calls in a favor with Silver, getting him to “call some of his bird friends” in a vignette.

Silver says that woodland bird and squirrels always give him wreaths they weave from flowers and twigs on his birthday. He says, “It’s tiny, but incredible charming”.

Silver is joined by birds in his bloom vignette, and his tsum finally wakes up during tsumsted in order to save a drowning bird. Silver also helps to rescue it, drying its wings off with magic.

Much like during his lab wear vignette, when Silver interacts with birds during Glorious Masquerade he speaks to them as he speaks to everyone rather than adopting a form of animal linguistics that we have seen done by Rook, Ace, Azul and Ruggie, so it seems as though the animals understand him without him needing to speak their language, but his “affinity” for animals might only allow for translation in one direction:

In Ortho’s rabbit gear vignette he goes to the woods and immediately attracts multiple rabbits. Silver is able to interpret their movements for Ortho (“I believe that means it wants to play”) but he never translates any spoken communication.

Epel says, “Silver is just like a real rabbit with how nimble and quiet he is. In fact, he reminds me of a pet rabbit I had as a kid.”

There is a white horse at the school that no one besides Silver has ever had any luck riding (until Epel figures out how to do so), and another (or the same?) horse that “got a bit rowdy” in another vignette, resulting in Silver twisting his ankle while trying to calm it.

Ruggie says there is “something real majestic about the way Silver gallops around on horseback”, and Silver’s horseback riding skills impress Vil in another vignette where Vil drafts him into a project for the film club.

When complimented Silver responds, “That’s because I was doing something that I do on a regular basis.”

When Silver insists on removing the bits from abandoned horses in Lilia’s dream so that they will be able to graze Baur is impressed by how quickly he is able to calm them.

Sebek explains, “We’re well versed in soothing horses. And Silver gets along especially well with them.”

Silver’s concern for the abandoned horses rewards the group with the first-aid supplies that they had been carrying, and it is not the only time in Lilia’s dream that his compassion for animals aided them: while searching for brooms to help them escape the besieged citadel, Silver happens upon a room of locked away pigeons and owls used for sending messages.

Silver insists on sharing some of their food with the birds (“They seem extremely hungry”) despite Sebek protesting that they do not have the time.

Sebek then has the idea to use Silver’s “odd affinity with small woodland creatures” to their advantage: in exchange for feeding them, the birds agree to “bring their friends” to help the group of injured fae escape the citadel.

Pigeons, sparrows and owls appear at Silver’s beckoning whistle to harass the silver owls, followed by “hordes of animals coming from the woods.”

Lilia says, “Honestly-birds and squirrels for reinforcements? What a haphazard approach… We’re creatures of the night, you know.”

Squirrels eat through the silver owls’ catapult ropes while birds drop rocks on the soldiers from above, allowing Silver’s group to survive a situation where their group of less than ten injured fae had been surrounded by over 100 violent enemies.

Jamil comments on Silver catching a bug that he releases outside, and he also rescues a baby bat (once again despite Sebek’s protests, much like the birds in Lilia’s dream).

It is possible that Silver’s affinity does not extend to direbeasts: when the group wanders into a dire beast lair in Book 7 Silver says that he has nothing personal against them, “but we have to get through here!,” and the scene turns into a battle, possibly implying that he fought them rather than reasoned with them.