The room fell silent. The crane, now exposed, stood with tears in her eyes.
“I am the crane you once saved,” she said softly. “To repay your kindness, I used my own feathers to weave the cloth. But now that you have seen me in my true form, I must leave.”
The old man was heartbroken and begged her to stay, but the crane simply smiled—a mixture of sorrow and gratitude.
She stepped outside, spread her wings, and with a final glance, took to the sky, her white feathers vanishing into the falling snow.
Though she was gone, the memory of her warmth, her kindness, and the beauty she brought into their lives remained forever.