Superstition
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 5:34 pm
The pounding rain slowed to a soothing drizzle as the first rays of dawn fought through the clouds over head. A raven perched high in towering pine ruffled her feathers sending out a spray of droplets glistening in the growing light. After smoothing its jet feathers, the bird cocked its head surveying the land. Scattered farms and ruins lay ahead, extending as far as her avian eye could see, all magically transformed as the gray shroud of night was lifted away, replaced by the golden glow only a new dawn can bring. Cormyr.
On a shrill cry the raven swooped from the tree. Hours passed as she rode along the wind, reveling in the freedom of flight, the joy of the sun heating her ebony wings, slowing only when hunger began to intrude. Circling a settlement the bird dropped gracefully to a tree branch to study the movement below. Spotting an odd creature, tall but stoop shouldered with a unruly mess of grayish fur atop its head she cawed fluttering her feathers. The old man glanced up, a look of annoyance flashing across his face at the sight of the bird. Stooping slowing he scooped up a stone, drawing it back. "Begone crow! Bad omens, the lot of ya." The raven twisted her head to study the funny creature as he squints, drawing the stone back to throw. Spreading her wings, the bird ruffles her feathers as the rock flies past missing her. She lets out a disgruntled caw, swooping from the tree to buzz over the creature, letting her annoyance be known. "Damn bird!" the man gumbles out as she narrowly misses his head. "Ahh...had I been 30 years younger...."
His voice trails off as the raven flies on spotting a farm in the distance with rows and rows of golden corn. Alighting amid the rows, the bird scuttles along until spotting a prize, a nearly full corn cob that had fallen to the ground. Pouncing on the husk, she begins to tear kernels free, crunching them ravenously in her beak. A slamming door startles the raven from its feast. "Bugger it mom! You and your gnoll husband!" A creature somewhat like the one in the settlement, but smaller with a coat of thick golden fur on its head, was running toward the field. Crouching to hide in the tall grass, the boy starts to sob quietly..."I hate them." Cautiously the raven hunkers low over her meal eyeing the thing suspiciously before beginning to eat once more.
The boy jumps up to stomp through the field, crushing the tender blooms of wildflowers. The raven's head shoots up as she caws in irritation still huddling territorily over her food. The boy looks over startled at the bird before his face wrinkles in angry lines. "I hope you bring them bad luck." The raven flutters her wings as menacingly as possible while digging her talons into the husk. A chuckle erupts from the boy. "You will, won't you?" The bird caws in aggitation still wary of this creature but he does no more than grin at her.
After a moment, the raven goes back to her meal yet again while keeping an eye trained on the child. The boy, his interest peaked edges closer. The bird raises her head, a kernel wedged within her beak, letting him know the movement has not gone unnoticed. "Smart one..." still grinning he inches closer still. The raven shifts her attention from the creature to her meal, obviously decided the corn husk was the more interesting of the two. The child reaches slowly into his pocket searching....coming up finally with a shiny piece of glass. "Here you go." The raven's head perks up, a fat kernel dropping from her beak, as the glint of sunlight on the glass catches her eye. Curiosity overridig caution she moves from her perch atop the husk and edges toward the boy. "Come here...", the child croons coaxing her forward by twisting the glass ball to make light flash along its surface. Slowly the bird skuttles forward, stopping just beyond his outstretched hand. She turns her head leaning close to the bauble, gazing at its shiny surface greedily. "Will you give them bad luck?"
The raven looks up at the child consideringly before snatching the bauble away in her beak. Skuttling back a step the bird drops her prize on the ground, rolling it about with her talon, watching the lights dance within. She pecks at the glass gently before looking back to the boy, cawing with all the self-importance she can muster. A smile spreads along the boy's face. "Thank you birdie. Keep it...as long as my mother and her man get bad luck."
Snatching the bauble up with her beak, the raven flies away with her treasure, over the fields until the farm fades from sight. Finally she begins to descend, transforming slowly as she falls gracefully to the ground in a crouch, cloak fluttering silently around her. Raising her hand, she drops the bauble from her teeth. A grin spreads as she rolls the glass ball in her palm. Rising, a low laugh emerges as she tucks the marble into the pouch at her waist. Lighter of heart, Ahleera walks on...to see where this road will take her.
On a shrill cry the raven swooped from the tree. Hours passed as she rode along the wind, reveling in the freedom of flight, the joy of the sun heating her ebony wings, slowing only when hunger began to intrude. Circling a settlement the bird dropped gracefully to a tree branch to study the movement below. Spotting an odd creature, tall but stoop shouldered with a unruly mess of grayish fur atop its head she cawed fluttering her feathers. The old man glanced up, a look of annoyance flashing across his face at the sight of the bird. Stooping slowing he scooped up a stone, drawing it back. "Begone crow! Bad omens, the lot of ya." The raven twisted her head to study the funny creature as he squints, drawing the stone back to throw. Spreading her wings, the bird ruffles her feathers as the rock flies past missing her. She lets out a disgruntled caw, swooping from the tree to buzz over the creature, letting her annoyance be known. "Damn bird!" the man gumbles out as she narrowly misses his head. "Ahh...had I been 30 years younger...."
His voice trails off as the raven flies on spotting a farm in the distance with rows and rows of golden corn. Alighting amid the rows, the bird scuttles along until spotting a prize, a nearly full corn cob that had fallen to the ground. Pouncing on the husk, she begins to tear kernels free, crunching them ravenously in her beak. A slamming door startles the raven from its feast. "Bugger it mom! You and your gnoll husband!" A creature somewhat like the one in the settlement, but smaller with a coat of thick golden fur on its head, was running toward the field. Crouching to hide in the tall grass, the boy starts to sob quietly..."I hate them." Cautiously the raven hunkers low over her meal eyeing the thing suspiciously before beginning to eat once more.
The boy jumps up to stomp through the field, crushing the tender blooms of wildflowers. The raven's head shoots up as she caws in irritation still huddling territorily over her food. The boy looks over startled at the bird before his face wrinkles in angry lines. "I hope you bring them bad luck." The raven flutters her wings as menacingly as possible while digging her talons into the husk. A chuckle erupts from the boy. "You will, won't you?" The bird caws in aggitation still wary of this creature but he does no more than grin at her.
After a moment, the raven goes back to her meal yet again while keeping an eye trained on the child. The boy, his interest peaked edges closer. The bird raises her head, a kernel wedged within her beak, letting him know the movement has not gone unnoticed. "Smart one..." still grinning he inches closer still. The raven shifts her attention from the creature to her meal, obviously decided the corn husk was the more interesting of the two. The child reaches slowly into his pocket searching....coming up finally with a shiny piece of glass. "Here you go." The raven's head perks up, a fat kernel dropping from her beak, as the glint of sunlight on the glass catches her eye. Curiosity overridig caution she moves from her perch atop the husk and edges toward the boy. "Come here...", the child croons coaxing her forward by twisting the glass ball to make light flash along its surface. Slowly the bird skuttles forward, stopping just beyond his outstretched hand. She turns her head leaning close to the bauble, gazing at its shiny surface greedily. "Will you give them bad luck?"
The raven looks up at the child consideringly before snatching the bauble away in her beak. Skuttling back a step the bird drops her prize on the ground, rolling it about with her talon, watching the lights dance within. She pecks at the glass gently before looking back to the boy, cawing with all the self-importance she can muster. A smile spreads along the boy's face. "Thank you birdie. Keep it...as long as my mother and her man get bad luck."
Snatching the bauble up with her beak, the raven flies away with her treasure, over the fields until the farm fades from sight. Finally she begins to descend, transforming slowly as she falls gracefully to the ground in a crouch, cloak fluttering silently around her. Raising her hand, she drops the bauble from her teeth. A grin spreads as she rolls the glass ball in her palm. Rising, a low laugh emerges as she tucks the marble into the pouch at her waist. Lighter of heart, Ahleera walks on...to see where this road will take her.