Gyrfalcon's Keep tell me of progress to strengthen my blood

part 2 of our thread marathon for eternity. are u ready for these portal cakes !?,!?

the brisk skies were clamorous with an orchestra that bespoke, with a strident, grueling racket, of massacre. dumpy clouds scrubbed the sky to a raw, rosy color, a blush mantling the horizon's cheek as afternoon made the transition to evening.

the ebon raven clutched his outpost on a small, raw-cut slab of rock that had long since trundled sidelong the keep, preening his inkjet feathers, picking out grit and bits of meat from therein. scavenging opportunities were fewer but the creek of the keep kept him sated for the time being, and he was content with the small supper he had made out of a vole in the early moments of evening.

a commotion in the distance stole his attention – a cloudburst of distressed gyrfalcons taking over the skies, appearing to be spurred by something imposing on their roosts. curiosity rocked him.

he flitted in the direction of the fuss, letting the crisp wind carry him effortlessly. he made a berth of the furious colony, scanning the landscape for the source of their monumental upset.

it came as mostly no surprise to the raven that the crook behind the furor was none other than the siren queen. a romantic blast to the past consumed him as he recalled the putrid, unhealthy miasma that clung to his feathers, and the rows of teeth that nearly extricated his gullet. he was almost certain he wanted no part of whatever she was up to, but... then again, he was almost certain that with caiaphas skulking about the sound, he would never again behold a dull day.

he gave a guttural wailing cry, taking half-hearted dives at the falcons – cheap shots that flooded his gizzard with infinite glee. he heard a rallying screech and watched with amusement as one particular nester made a threat on caiaphas' present existence in the world, plummeting at her with the fury of a woman scorned and retreating again after connecting her mark. caiaphas let out a frightened yelp and clenched air around her skidaddling attacker.

feeling slightly redeemed for his own coywolf trauma, the raven made a rush at the gyrfalcon responsible for the siren queen's emotional uprooting. he grabbed at her wing with his beak and pulled her into him, tucking his sharp talons into her paunch and vaulting her back off, sending her spiraling and disoriented through the sky.

feeling quite pleased with himself, he puffed his chest-feathers and landed in a tree that approximated the slope where caiaphas stood, surely frenzied from the violation of her person. he clutched the branch tightly and weaved up and down with happiness, shaking the branch. "don't play with dogs. don't play with dogs!" he bombasted with great spirit.