There we have the young cockatice Zerofox from the time he hatched to his first hibernation during winter.

Zero hatched out of an egg in an abandoned nest deep in the lower-bavarian forest.
From the first day he was upon himself, feeding on seeds, srtuggling with worms to survive.
As a feral cockatrice he was an animal along other animals, driven by instinct to stay alive.
One day some strange things happend, he become more and more selfaware and his whole body began to change.
Secretly watched by his parents the transformation took place.
Only once they showed up to him and told him to hide, because hunters will be on their way.
Understanding nothing about all this, Zero just mentioned the fear and hides.
Time goes by and he was alone, struggling with environment and the changings going on with himself.
But Zero (he was nameless in that time) made it. Stuffing his stomach with food, he searched a safe place to sleep.
Finally the young fledgling found a hollow tree to sleep during winter.
Thanks the benefits of the snake-genes he got there was no need to stay awake and wrestle with the quite hard winter.
Peacefully he curled up in his own new nest, wrapped in his wings, he fell asleep and let the nature do her thing.

Artwork by  YOSHI2332 thanks for doing this great piece <3
Caracter is mine