Blackfeather Woods where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

it was perched in the trees overhead, looking down at who might pass beneath it. it bounced from one end of the thick branch to the end of it that had no strength. the winged wraith canted it's head to the side as a single wolf passed beneath the foliage. the raven's dark shape blended well with the darkness overhead.

the wolf passed on and the dark reaper resumed bouncing along the branch where it perched. valac was hungry and it did not wish to wait around for one of the wolves to hunt. spreading it's wings, the dark bird swung down and started toward the ground in a steady spiral. once it had landed, it stuck its dark beak into the earth in search of worms.

She was quite wary over the birds in Blackfeather Woods, especially crows. Ravens though, came to a strong second as they followed in suit of her torment. Shisu often tried to avoid their nests, but on her usual stroll around, she froze at the feathered fiend on the path. She was thankful it was not a crow as they usually gave chase, but Shisu still felt nervous over a raven.

Very carefully, she started to step backwards to avoid being seen. Blue gaze kept locked on, her paws ready to flee at any signs of a 'game' of torment of a chase.

it turned sharply to latch it's beady eyes on the shape of a wolf. familiar, valac recognized the shape of it and the features that defined it. the raven was not afraid of the stranger, and it was not keen on giving chase, no matter what others of it's kind would do. valac canted it's head to the left, and then the right, before the dark-winged creature plunged it's beak into the earth and emerged with a wriggling worm.

in one swallow the pinkish thing was gone.

valac peered back at the wolf and then fluffed it's wings. “wolf,” the raven cawed in a voice that felt as though it had cracked through the air. then, the reaper hopped toward the canine and opted to find a better position for peering. dark eyes focused on the shape of the predator's body, the length of the muzzle, and the raven still did not fear.

They unfeared wolves, and most of all taunted them when they see the chance. She couldn't forget the night of being physically chased out of the dark woods by the flock, and still had nightmares of the event. Shisu was thankful that night someone had saved her, but she feared for the next. She was timid toward the lone bird.

Upon hearing it caw, Shisu  meekly lowered herself in fear, as any words she had frozen and lost. The only thought she had was, 'oh no.'

it found a sense of amusement in the wolf's timidity. the raven had not often seen when a predator would lower itself to the earth with a wary expression. valac imagined that she was fearful of him. this was an intelligent precaution, for there was no accounting for what the winged wraith was capable of. regardless, the dark bird hopped twice more and then canted it's head to the left. a pair of dark beady eyes was fixed on the features of the canine.

“fear,” it cawed.

in the glistening of the wolf's eyes, there was a distinct outline of fearful emotion. valac read it and understood it better than most. the raven was capable of picking emotion from others. it had been gifted with the sight. the dark reaper thought it peculiar that a wild thing like her would be fearful of a single scavenging thing. then again, perhaps she saw things too.

She held fear, especially when it spoke of her emotions. Shisu was horrified on the words the black feathered bird sad, she has only heard their caws of laughter, but not of vocab. If they could speak the same words she can, she could only imagine what fiendish taunts they could give to the silver wolf and her meekness.

"w-what do, you want?" But it didn't attack, nor taunt. She couldn't help but ask out of fright, for perhaps if she gave what it wanted, she could leave in peace. Shisu asked softly, in an almost whisper, she was desperate to flee, but knew what it meant if she tried to run. Her last encounter caused the flock to chase, and attack, and she only managed to get away thanks to a certain wolf, who saved her. But he was not around, and she could only defend for herself.

want

how simple, the winged reaper thought. life was a series of desires, but the bird knew very little about what it wanted. instinct had taught it how to survive and it had flourished under such a regime. as simple as wants were, valac was inspired by nothing more than the burning and innate need to live. the wolf should have felt the same, or so the raven thought.

it cawed – a sound that erupted from it's beak like a dark laugh.

once the cawing had ceased, the raven fixed it's beady eyes on the wolf and hopped once toward it. “valac want to eat,” it answered. though the raven was not quite as old as the elder birds, it had learned some of the tongue from the wolves and it knew how to wield it well. valac was old enough to learn.

She became even more docile once a caw came forward, instant fear that made her grovel closer to the ground. Shisu had felt nightmares cross with the sound of the birds, as they taunted her in reality and fantasy. The very sound of them made her quiver, as it continued on with a laughter that only brought her fright.

"I have.. F-Fruit..." She meekly replied, remembering she had brought back a few apples from her visits from the orchid. If the crow, that seemed to call himself Valac (though she didn't pay too much mind to it, as her mind was clouded with fear), wanted meat, Shisu had none. She was no hunter, and as of late, been relying on the meal of fruit to quench her appetite. It was all she could, rather reluctantly, but anxiously offer. Though they were not with her, she safely stored them in a tree somewhere else.