[Crooked Playhouse] Quoth the Raven [Nowa]

[Ifran]

55th Fall, 511 A.V. There was a break from rehearsal, and Ifran was wending his way through the playhouse to get something to eat when he heard it. There was a rapping, a tapping, that sounded insistent to his trained ears, a coded message, and though it had been many days since he had seen the boy raven, somehow he knew it was Nowa, and so he stopped at the window that let out onto the square (most of the time), and smiled warmly at the black bird with the curious eyes. "Hello, Nowa. Won't you come down to the commons for a snack?" Whether he came as a sloe-feathered bird or a naked child, anyone else in the halls or commons would not be surprised. This place was full of artifice and illusion, and few things were what they seemed.

[Nowa]

Nowa soared about, feeling rather disjointed. It was a hard day today, and he wasn't seeing much food about. Maybe the city itself didn't feel like feeding him today. He had some stored away, but eating from his stored food would only mean he's not trained enough. He was old enough for his own nest, he could find his food. It was then he noticed the Crooked Playhouse... though he didn't remember it's name. Only that it was a place for theater, a magic art involving changing what kind of person you were. More importantly, it was the place where the man who told him that said he could get food. Getting handed food was different then eating from his reserve. He wondered if he could find enough people to simply let him live on handouts... but disbanded the thought. He enjoyed getting his own food, too. He didn't want to be weak like the crows. He soared down, and landed along the window. It was time for a visit, maybe he'd ask more questions as well! He began to tap the window with his beak. It made an odd sound. How long did it take, he wondered? He rapped, tapped, at the window more. As he paused, he thought about giving a different window a try. As he made that decision, a familiar voice rang out from below. "Hello, Nowa. Won't you come down to the commons for a snack?" Nowa would have smiled, but he was a bird. "Cra-woo! Yes, 'ood' is 'ood! Good!" Nowa flew down, and with some effort tried hovering nearby. Though not great at flying in place, he had managed to get close. "How, are, you?" A simple question, but rapidly using his wings made breathing for chat harder. He looked about for somewhere to land, not yet deciding on a place. OOCSlight improvements in his bird-form chat inbound, he's basically a human year older then he was at the start of season. XD He's getting a lot of practice.

[Ifran]

"If you are careful with my skin," he warned, and offered a forearm for the raven to perch. He had six to spare, and the bird wasn't big enough to be much of a burden. That would make the descent into the commons easier, and he could pull up a chair for the raven to perch upon, and lay out a plate for him. "I am well enough," he said. "Thank you for asking. You are speaking more clearly; that is good. Unfortunately, I have not learned to speak your language yet. Perhaps you can teach me someday." While he was certain he could reproduce the voice of a raven, he did not know how else to learn what the sounds meant without the tutelage of a sloe-feathered member of the species.

[Nowa]

Nowa found himself with a new challenge, landing on something without using his claws, or using them 'carefully' in this case. He thought about how he would do so, not an easy feat. Could he even stay balanced on there once he did? He asked more questions as Nowa considered the feat. He flew up a bit, and tried slowly lowing himself onto the arm. It wasn't easy, and even then he still pierced the skin a bit. He removed the claws shortly after, though. If he moved again, he would probably find the claws poking him again, with similar effect. "Sorry. I use your s'eech, jus', s'ill learnin'." It felt odd trying to balance without his talons, learning in his other form was hard enough. As a bird, his weight would shift far more dramatically with even slight movements. He spread his wings for balance, he did the same with his arms before. Thankfully, he wasn't trying to walk anywhere. On that note, (from here,) the moment Ifran went to move the arm, Nowa would fall right off with a "CRAW!" He'd even attempt to fly his way to safety, but only succeed in landing further away. "Hard, very hard." If offered the arm again, he'd keep trying. Though, the number of small holes would increase. OOCThe local weather may hinder my posting speed, certain events cut my internet, and those events are rather frequent at the moment.

[Ifran]

Ifran smiled through the small pain, not wanting to discourage young Nowa. If he was a Kelvic, eventually he would want to bond with a person, and that person would be more likely to accept him if he already knew how to hold on without tearing up that person's arm. It had occurred to Ifran that the young raven might bond with him, the which he would not mind in the least, but he certainly wasn't going to press for such a thing. "Try again," he offered kindly. "Then, just relax. I have several arms. I will hold you steady and you can just pretend you are in a nest. Later I will see if there is some sort of leather shoulder guard that I can wear when you follow me inside." But for now, he offered up his welted arm again in sacrifice. Later he would rub salves and unguents upon it to quickly return his skin to its former unmarked perfection. "You can do it."

[Nowa]

Nowa indeed continued to try. It would take four tries to get it correctly the first time. Each attempt adding to the pain, but adding less each time. Nowa lost any doubt he had for learning it, and accepted it was just something that took time. Learning to fly wasn't all at once, either. Even talking took time, just a lot more time. Nowa had landing down rather well, even by his third try. It was the balance that threw him off. He wasn't holding his wings out nearly as far, however. Even though he had a habit of falling, he was even starting to catch himself in the air and keep himself from getting hurt. A bird with cat-like landing skills would be very odd, but a fraction of such a picture may have started to form. He could flip himself about in the air, somewhat, and land close to properly by his sixth try. Content he had the basics down, he landed on his arm the seventh time, and drew his wings out further then before. He could keep his balance this time, provided Ifran didn't move suddenly. After a pause, he spoke again. "Ready. No' as hard af'er 'raining." Nowa was happy, though he wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe with this new skill, he could get food now? He thought about that, maybe doing things for food was just natural after all. He found himself annoyed and flustered suddenly, but didn't let it distract from his balance. He had to figure out just how to beat nature this time, food had to be easier to get.

[Ifran]

Ifran's arms coiled around Nowa, and once he was secure, not scoring his skin or flapping around like a dying swan, he carried him down into the commons where the rank and file performers were fed and watered. Ifran set Nowa down at a table in the corner with orders to stay put and behave himself, then went to retrieve food and drink enough for the both of them. He returned with the food and sat down. "Just take what you want," he said. "We won't stand on ceremony today."

[Nowa]

Nowa found himself being carried through the strange building with a cage of arms around him. It was a strange thing, not at all like when he normally visits a house. Nowa's normal concern for such an issue had lessened, as he was flustered over his recent thoughts. He was beckoned to a table, and moved onto there. Stay and behave? Behave like what? A crow behaves very differently then a raven. A person always behaves strangely, so it was hard to know just what to do with a command like that. He looked about the various people sitting around. Perhaps he should behave like them? Ifran left, and Nowa decided to answer this question himself. He looked to the man, they had this habit of staring at him. Was he doing something different, or was it simply because he was different? They kept to the chairs, but Nowa wouldn't be seen from the chairs. It would be dangerous to behave just like them, so he had to behave differently. They continued to look his way. Were they expecting something else? Should he sing? He didn't want to, so he kept quiet. Ifran wasn't gone too long, which was a relief to Nowa. He still hadn't found out how to behave. "Wha'? I do no' know that line. You also never said how to behave. I could no' decide." He looked to the food, and picked a couple things out. He ate them while considering the answers.

[Ifran]

"I suppose I did not at that," he allowed, spearing a bit of meat and holding it out to the raven. They were carrion birds sometimes, plucking the eyes out of corpses on the battlefield. Such dainties were not served here, but flesh, at least, was abundant. He had gathered enough food on his plate for two of himself, which he assumed might just be enough for Nowa if he made a lean night of it. "I suppose I meant you should be cautious around people you do not know here, but that would be true of your life outside as well. I will keep you safe while you are with me, but stay close." He smiled. "And eat your fill."

[Nowa]

He held out meat on a stick, was the stick even needed? Nowa hadn't finished what he pulled off yet, but he snagged the meat anyway. Extra food was never a bad thing. He set it aside with his pile and continued to munch things from it. Nowa listened as he spoke, and tried to listen to more. The other people weren't really speaking a lot, but could Nowa hear the auras he could see as well? He was told that he could also taste, touch, and smell them. All the same, Ifran's comment was rather odd. He decided to say something he thought might be reassuring to him? Though, making him worry might get him more food later. "I' have 'een 'raining a lot. I will no' quit now." He considered taking food with him, but if he was standing on the arm on his way out as well... that could be difficult. The other people continued to stare, he could almost feel it. He was trying to 'hear' it though... it was hard to hear things he can't be sure are there... just like that book said.