Flashback Is that an eye in your beak or you just happy to see me?

[Lavira]

Timestamp: Spring 30, 511

The spring winds were still brisk on the bay, but right then it was far more enjoyable than the stifling crowds in the marketplace as well as the docks and shops of the Bay market; especially after the work period she'd just experienced. It had been one of the most exhausting and trying weeks she'd endured since getting her caste assignment. It'd been a few months since the accident and the worst of the injury had been recovered from, though Vira still preferred to wear something over that side to keep it limitedly exposed; its sensitivity to the elements concerned her a little. She hoped it wasn't going to be a problem.

The harassment from the Yasi she encountered in the nesting area was frustrating. She was no longer part of the youth caste and yet she still was taking heat for her soft nature and unusual job assignment. It made her question on occasion the Valintar's decision; however, her gratitude remained. The teen got to work with what she loved most, and that was the eagles. At least they weren't giving her fuss; the mother eagles truly seemed to enjoy her attention to detail and tenderness with their unborn as well as hatchlings. For that, Vira was especially grateful.

It was the taunts of the Yasi, though, that mostly had driven her to the coast where she sat upon one of the big boulders away from the ships and stores, staring out at the waves. The white capped bay was as beautiful as the mountains Wind Reach looked out upon to Vira and so provided a perfect place to, well, mope. She tried to wave it off to herself as reflecting and not moping, but subconsciously, she knew the truth. How do you befriend others who are so much more fierce than you? So much more tough and rugged?

Her legs were drawn up to her chest and her chin rested on her knees as both arms wrapped around her shins to clasp loosely at her wrists. It was in this position that the Chiet noticed something unusual at the waterline, sea-foam half covering the strange shape. With her weakened depth perception, she couldn't make it out that well, but the more she stared the more certain she was of what it was.

But I could be wrong...Still, that looks an awful lot like a body to me. Maybe it's just a carcass washed up from something's meal out further in the bay and outer sea. Can't really tell with the kelp on it like that...is that a vulture? Huh, you don't see them this far north usually. Maybe a condor further in the mountains, but not vultures.

Vira hmm'd, raising her head a little higher and then releasing her legs in order to stand. Better investigate, just to be sure. If it was a body, she'd have to report it for retrieval and identification. The Chiet got to her feet, brushed her palms, and carefully approached the shape resting just at the edge of the tideline.

[Fenris]

This place - it was odd. He couldn't honestly put any other title to the aura of the place. Between the great volcano sputtering and the damnable eagles squawking overhead the man could barely get a moment's peace. And the Inarta, fascinating folk. Couldn't rightly tell if he liked them yet. It was a stretch to say he liked anything associated with eagles, the lecherous thieves, but the Inarta certainly piqued his interest.

Having just settled beyond Wind Reach, Fenris was taking his time getting to know the geography of this strange land. He'd built his nest beyond the Skyinarta, not wishing to overstep anyone's territory. The distance also provided him a safe haven should the folk of the mountain run him out of the city, pitchforks raised. Thus far no one seemed to mind a vulture cruising the thermals and taking a gander at the place - from an acceptable distance of course.

Now far more comfortable with his locale Fenris could finally begin the process of suggesting the need for a grave digger. Though he'd have to amend the title. Seems these people did everything but dig. Tossed their rubbish and their dead into the fiery chasm. Well, it would be a hard sell as far as he could see but it wouldn't hurt to appeal to their sentimental side. He could easily don the mask of undertaker, body prepper or some other such address. The Inarta seemed to have a love for beauty and ritual, both of which the Kelvic had no trouble catering to.

But he'd put off his ascent to Wind Reach another day, the excuse this time perfectly reasonable. A corpse had washed to the edge of Thunder Bay, waterlogged and kelp laden. He'd seen it from the thermals, descending more for an obligatory examination than for a snack. Landing near the body Fenris tilted his great niveous head, observing the deceased carefully. Taking a hesitant step forward the vulture ducked his head to try to identify the individual, guessing it was a male based on size and robust frame. Dark red hair was matted with plant life, but still bright in the natural light. The poor fellow was slimy and well on his way to purification. Blueish skin was swollen from the water, dark bruises flourishing on flesh that'd been claimed by both the falls and the rocks.

Fenris leaned forward near the corpse's face, pecking a lock of hair away so he might better view the dead. Definitely male. Bloated tissue made features indistinguishable but it was fairly obvious. Bulbous eyes protruded from wide sockets, staring lifelessly at the sky, eyeballs developing a milky sheen. It was then that Fenris realized he was not alone. Bobbing his head up he caught sight of a female approaching him. She was a lovely thing by human standards and likely by Inartan as well. Fenris made a note of the shield covering one eye, curious to say the least. But his embarrassment over this predicament halted any interest in the girl.

Tottering backward on unsteady talons the Kelvic ducked his head repeatedly as if apologizing for how she'd found him. Gods, this looked an awful scene. A vulture shadowing a dead Inarta, beak poised above the corpulent dead, ready to strike. Were he human he might explain hurriedly that he was simply examining the corpse. He wasn't hungry!

But he could only jounce a few steps away, cautiously watching the girl to assess her reaction. Hopefully she wouldn't call on some giant air-headed eagle to assault him and run him off the territory. Taking a perfunctory glance skyward Fenris hissed an apology, which probably sounded more like a threat. Well now he was done for. Kiss that job in Wind Reach farewell.

OOCSorry for the long post

[Lavira]

Lavira approached the corpse cautiously, looking between the carrion eater and the bloated body. Vultures could be touchy sometimes, but it was still unusual to see them so far north. Even condors were rare this far north. The wind eagles didn't really give a fuss over native birds, simply because they were considered of lesser mind than themselves (arrogance at its best). Therefore, even if a species wasn't normally found in the region, the bigger birds weren't going to bat an eye.

The young woman stopped a few feet from the dead form and crouched down, resting her forearms on her knees and looking past the body to the bird itself. The bobbing, featherless head; the hiss at her...She couldn't help laughing a little, let alone extending one hand towards that vicious beak. Vultures didn't have the best talons, afterall, their specialty more in biting than carrying or clawing. "No need to make a ruckus, fellow. I certainly don't want to eat that." She grinned beside herself and nodded at the desicated form he perched upon.

"But I don't think the eagles will appreciate you defacing whoever that is anymore than he already is. One of the carriers will need to retrieve it for identification, see, so they can have a proper burial. It'd be bad form to find out he or she's an Avora and has been left, well, to the birds."

The teen shuffled a little closer to the vulture, hand still extended. She talked to the bird as though it were a true sentient, not unlike herself. Vira did this to all birds, great or small, a gentle touch and calming voice inviting to the winged ones Wind Reach welcomed. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just come off so I can take a look. If I can see who it might've been, I'll know who I need to alert." She was already wearing her Sontav, being outdoors and all, so the thick leather bracer offered an ideal perch for the vulture...if she could get him to get off the body.

[Fenris]

He watched her with increased suspicion. Were he in human form an eyebrow might raise over a bemused gaze but no such reaction was possible as a vulture. This girl certainly seem intrigued by the dead body, which perplexed Fenris on many levels. Pitching his head forward he glared at her with beady eyes as she spoke, his brain struggling to connect the words with human meaning. Honestly, it was always a challenge to understand language whilst in animal form. The words were loud enough and the tone clear but it was tricky to coax the bird's mind to label the speech with intention. As it was, the girl was speaking fast and his walnut sized brain didn't exactly lend itself to complex speech.

Fenris could gather the female was assuring him she didn't want to eat the corpse. Well that was good because neither did he. Humans of any sort weren't particularly tasty, especially one so waterlogged. She continued talking and he continued attempting to comprehend her. The human side of him felt a twinge of guilt for the way in which he stared at her, intent on really hearing her. To her he must appear somewhat sullen if not overly territorial. He tried then to soften his gaze, which only made him look even stupider. A whine more akin to a coo emitted from his mouth, an attempt to reassure the girl he wasn't going to eat the dead Inartan.

Finally the bird considered his position. He probably looked a feather more aggressive by standing atop the corpse. Hopping neatly down and scuttling some distance away, Fenris bobbed his head again, hoping this action would please the girl. If he could smile and put her at ease he would but all he had were his wings, which he shuffled in what he assumed was an apologetic manner.

See? I too only wish to help.

[Lavira]

Watching the vulture and the way he tried to communicate back to her only made Vira smile a little. There was nothing more settling to the teen than trying to communicate to the birds.

She hadn't a clue he was a Kelvic, of course, since the race tended to look entirely animalistic in their, well, animal forms. They behaved as much like their animal forms as they looked. So, to her, he was all bird. "You're certainly a handsome thing. I've never had a chance to look at a carrion-eater up close; all I have is my harrier, and he's a funny sort." She said, withdrawing her hand when the bird hopped from the body and away from her. "Maybe you're not used to hominids; or haven't met an Inartan. We're really quite good to birds, you see." Her speech wasn't too fast, just calm and even. It came more natural talking to a bird than it did talking to others in Wind Reach that weren't winged in some way.

"Your head doesn't have feathers, I notice. It must be hard to groom head plumes covered in blood, so I suppose that makes sense." Vira tilted her head a little to study his wings, the broad shape suggesting a creature more accustomed to soaring warm thermals than frigid updrafts like here. "You must be cold, too." The girl settled back on her rump then and stretched her legs out, leaning back on her hands. "But with those wings, I bet you could soar out any which way you please. I'm envious of that, to be able to fly wherever you please. It must be so...redeeming."

Eventually, her eye found its way back to the body. "I need to alert a wing guard before others spot the body. It'd be worse if a sea lion or some sort showed up for a snack, or gods forbid a bear or wolf. That'd be horrid." But that single eye kept coming back to the vulture, entranced. "You're very different from the raptors around home, that's for sure."

[Fenris]

Like any male Fenris enjoyed being complimented immensely and felt a surge of human pride when she called him handsome, unable to smile but still puffing his chest out a few inches. Ego aside he wasn't quite sure what to do. Should he scuttle around and follow the girl like a homeless mutt or make the shift? He had no clothes presently so it would likely result in her alerting the authorities and potentially beating him until they arrived for indecent exposure.

Scrapping the ground with one foot the vulture watched her silently. As a bird he could only look on. It was damn near impossible to get the animal brain to respond to human sentiment. He could neither nod his head in agreement nor encourage her with any manner of body language. The avian in him simply stared at her, still attempting to comprehend her speech. After a chime he inched closer, head lowered, wings prepared to balance him should he have to retreat. When he was near enough to touch her, Fenris stopped and looked at the corpse again.

Then, raising up on his legs he opened his wings, unfurling them for the girl to see. He was rather proud of them, the finely wrought feathers shining mahogany in the light as he ruffled them. He ought to be ashamed of himself. He was acting like a fledgling trying to impress an elder but damn did her adoration feel good. Giving the huge wingspan another shake, he tucked his neck and shook his head gracefully. Handsome, indeed!

[Lavira]

The Inartan burst into laughter when the vulture hopped closer and stood up, spreading his wings, as if for a proper inspection as opposed to the half-gleaned look she'd had while they were folded against his sides. But her hand was quick to cover her mouth and a sheepish squint rose to that one visible eye, as if she were apologizing.

Lowering her hand, but still grinning, the girl let it rest on one leg as she spoke. "Sorry, it just seemed funny that you'd...wait, were you really able to understand me then?" Lavira leaned forward now, pulling her legs back beneath her to settle on her knees with feet tucked under rump. She was looking at the vulture closely, watching his eyes to the best of her ability. It was hard to see if there was any true intelligence beyond those dark orbs. Bird brains weren't that big, afterall. But then, the wind eagles were an exception to that rule. They knew and understood!

It was uncommon for a wild bird, not familiar with the volcano city to be able to comprehend anything the Sky-people said. Even those that lived in the city itself tended to only really understand their handlers, and that was somewhat limitedly; basic commands, tone, that was about it. But here stood a show-off carrion-eater apparently responding to the compliment she'd just given him! Boy, if Duvin could see this! But a thought came to Lavira as she watched the bird. What if she was just anthropomorphizing the avian? Humans tended to do that often, and with her adoration of them...

"Who'm I kidding. You're probably justr trying to intimidate me away."

[Fenris]

What? Why is she laughing? Petch... Fenris instantly froze as the sounds of the girl's chuckles reached him. This was not the reaction he was hoping for. In retrospect his display probably looked absurd but it seemed a natural reaction to her compliments. Dropping his great wings down in a slump the vulture stepped forward, the tips of his feathers dragging against the ground almost despondently. Were he human he might be described as humiliated and defeated. Indeed, in some situations it was fortunate to be without malleable skin.

Sharp eyes watched her as she spoke again. The change in her attitude was difficult for him to discern. Peering at her with gold rimmed pupils the Kelvic could only shuffle his wings in response. Yes, he understood her (sparingly). It wasn't often that he directly interacted with a humanoid while still a bird. Now he dearly wished he'd brought clothes with him. He wanted to show the girl he wasn't just some oddly mannered vulture. Frustration does not register well for an animal so instead he reached forward with his long neck and picked at the dead man's hair again, hoping to bring the focus back to the corpse.

[Lavira]

"Hey, no, no no, don't eat that." She said quickly, pulling her feet back beneath her quickly to stand and shoo him from the corpse. It wasn't hostile, or aggressive even, she just didn't want to be the one to say 'Hey, sorry about the missing eyes; a vulture was eating them.'. That was embarrassing.

"Come on now, you really can't eat that." If the bird hopped away, Vira would actually stand over the putrid form with her hands on her hips. There was something very strange about the vulture, Lavira was certain of it. She couldn't put her finger on precisely WHAT was strange, but she was positive there was more to the avian than meets the eye.

Holding the stance for a moment longer, the teen finally stepped away from the body and towards the vulture, crouching down in front of him once more. "Well, here. I know a spot where you can get some better meat than that putrid thing. Just don't bite me, okay?" She held her bracer-wrapped arm out then, the black sontav made of thick leather to protect the light colored skin beneath from the sharp claws of the birds she worked around and with. "Step up." A simple command she wondered if the vulture understood.

[Fenris]

Immediately discouraged by her response Fenris scuttled back, wings raised to preserve his balance. He eyed her as she came to stand over the body. Were he human he might scoff at her, shaking his head at the thought of a civilized creature such as himself eating a dead Inartan. Why, he ought to be offended! But on second consideration, he was a carrion eater and to this girl likely just another vulture.

Fenris remained wary as she approached him again, this time presenting her arm to him. He stared at the arm and then up at her. Was she daft? He was a good fifteen pounds and not exactly built to sit on a person's arm. Not only would it be difficult for the girl to lift him but he didn't particularly favor narrow perches. His feet had a difficult time finding purchase on thin branches and the arm would be no different. Besides, what was she planning to do? Send him off like some homing pigeon to alert the authorities? No, no. This would not do.

Instead of obeying the girl's command to mount her arm he instead took a sidestep away from her. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to make it clear to her that he wasn't interested in becoming her little pet. He half considered taking off and leaving the one-eyed Inartan to deal with the corpse herself. But his better nature over took him and he selected to stay. But communicating with her as a bird had proved useless. But he had no clothes. Petch.

Scanning the shoreline for something large enough to cover his body, Fenris stopped on a nearby thicket of shrubbery. He'd have to shift into a crouch but it would do alright. Casting another glance to the girl he gave what he hoped to be a squawk of reassurance before hopping away. Raising his wings he trotted down the beach before taking cover amidst the foliage. Popping a head over the top of the leaves he made sure the girl wasn't following him. Satisfied he ducked down again and allowed the shift to occur.

To the girl it likely looked a bit odd, this large bird waddling away and hiding behind the bushes. The thin swirl of lights that occurred signaling a shift were relatively concealed behind the foliage and he returned to his human form without delay. Now to show her. It was a delicate matter for he was stark naked and the plants would likely only cover him to his navel. A heavy sigh released from soft lips as he brushed a hand through his hair and began to stand.

Looking at the girl as he stood, hands raised in innocence and an attempt to calm any panic in her, Fenris quirked a casual smile. His expression was expectant, unsure of how she'd respond. He didn't do this often as one could never truly tell how a person would react. Kelvic were either accepted or chased off with pitchforks. He hoped the girl was of the former inclination as he stood there, modesty preserved by a narrow shrubbery. He dearly hoped no one else was about because this display was probably worthy of some alarm.

"I wasn't going to eat him," he began, voice lilting on the breeze, gentle and calm. "I promise."