[div style="max-width: 360px; font-family: palatino; color: #2a4971; text-align: left; padding-top: 8px; padding-left: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px;"]Idir brí is idir muir, Tá mé i dtiúin

It was the rain.  A particularly rough spring shower.  The petite wolf had been passing the window when she heard a soft caw and talons tapping at the glass.  Her ears perked in confusion.  For a moment, she thought it may be Fiachra.  Come back for a visit only to find himself stuck in the rain.

Yet the dealer knew Fiachra's presence.  She knew the sound of his calls.  This was not quite the same.  Still on instinct, she pushed the window open before it truly clicked that the bird wasn't Fiachra.  Letting in not a raven, but a young hooded crow.  Lost.  Feathers soaking wet.

Well.  She figured that was the end of it.  When the rain passed, she pushed the window back open and let the crow out.  Twitching her ears as the fluttering wings took off.  A rather polite and quiet houseguest.  Didn't overstay her welcome.

Only she came back.

The dealer had begun her rounds the next day.  Resting by Tofu the turtle for a moment as she planned her route.  Still re-learning the best ways around now that she wasn't so small.  There, her ears perked once again at the sound of feathers.  Fluttering nearby.  Landing on top of the turtle.  The same crow.

Since she wasn't cawing for attention, or getting too close, Keona let her be.  Paid little mind.  Went about her work.  Stopping by the docks.  The Tempest.  The entire time shadowed by a young crow who would perch somewhere nearby.  Never too close.  Back to Tofu.  Where she finally sighed, tilting her head upwards.  Just perched upon the statue's back.  Staring back at the blind wolf.

© MADI

[table][tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][/td][td][/td][/tr][/table]

Throughout his 19 month long life so far, Roan had really only acquired one companion that could be considered a pet. Galaga was still a rather small and young crocodile, although most could see that he was growing more and more as the days went on. And unlike Keona's new raven follower, Galaga very much wasn't a silent presence. He could often be heard from his usual place in the temple, his strange beeping sounds quite similar to the game for which he was named. Roan had grown used to that quite a while ago, however, the soothsayer having tuned the noise out for the majority of his time with Galaga. His patients, however? They often weren't so lucky, complaining about the crocodile's loud presence until their doctor would fix them with an icy glare. That often got them to shut up rather quickly, and not bring the subject up again unless they were particularly stubborn.

Today had been one of the rare days where Roan brought Galaga out of the temple with him, allowing his small pet to follow as he went searching for herbs. The siamese might not even have noticed Keona's new companion if it wasn't for Galaga, as the croc's beeping grew urgent and curious, the reptile moving quickly over towards the statue of Tofu. Glancing over at where the other was heading, Roan was surprised to see Keona was there, with a crow that... wasn't Fiachra. He had seen Fiachra before, and this bird didn't have that same distinct sense of familiarity. Curiosity somewhat piqued, the male made his way over to where Keona was, his tail lightly flicking against his sister's – much larger – back in greeting, before he questioned, "Hello, Keona. Who have you got with you? It doesn't look like Fiachra... and I didn't think you were in the market for a pet." At the same time, Roan was keeping an eye on Galaga, who was still beeping urgently as he scrabbled at the base of Tofu. The soothsayer couldn't quite tell if Galaga wanted to make friends with the new crow or eat it, and he was unwilling to take chances.

[div style="max-width: 360px; font-family: palatino; color: #2a4971; text-align: left; padding-top: 8px; padding-left: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px;"]Idir brí is idir muir, Tá mé i dtiúin

Pets were not something the dealer had any remote interest in.  A sigh escaping her maw as her half-brother spoke.  Ear twitching.  She liked her independence.  Shared her time and space selectively.

Besides.  She never liked the concept... Didn't feel right to her.  Claiming ownership.  She shook her head, pale hues thoughtful.  "I'm not." A market?  Were they that popular?  Keona frowned.  "I let her in the other night.  It was raining."  Simple admission.

Crows were awful smart.  She knew that of course.  Even if the hooded crow on Tofu didn't speak... She knew the bird was smart.  So she didn't know why she didn't just... Fly away.  Much less as a crocodile beeped at it.  "She's been following me around all day," she pointed out after a moment, shoulders rolling back in a loose shrug.  Uncertain what bothered her more... Hearing Roxanne's voice from below or having a young crow attaching to her.

© MADI

[table][tr][td][/td][td][/td][td][/td][td][/td][/tr][/table]

A soft snort left Roan as he heard Keona's response, his tail twitching from side to side as he watched the crow sitting up above them. He muttered softly in response, one paw hooking around Galaga to pull the young crocodile back a little, "Doesn't seem like you're getting much of a choice in the matter, honestly. I didn't think that crows imprinted, but if she hasn't stopped following you..." He shrugged his shoulders vaguely, holding Galaga close as the other refused to stop beeping. The soothsayer couldn't give a definite answer to Keona as to why her new companion had chosen her, but that certainly seemed to be the case. With a vaguely amused hum, the siamese then questioned, "You gonna give her a name? Or do you think she already has one?" While it might've seemed like a silly question, it didn't seem like too far of a stretch to think that the crow could have some level of sentience. He didn't think it would be all that hard for one to simply fake being feral.

[div style="max-width: 360px; font-family: palatino; color: #2a4971; text-align: left; padding-top: 8px; padding-left: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px;"]Idir brí is idir muir, Tá mé i dtiúin

Imprinted.  Seas.  Keona sighed, still thinking. "She's young, I think." But it was only a guess.  She could not see the youthful plumage.  The slight lack of grace to her flight.  It was just a feeling.  "... I thought she might have a flock to get back to."

The crow in question seemed somewhat perturbed, making a show of rustling her feathers and wings.  Lost but stubborn.  Keona didn't want to give her a name.  What right did she have to do so?  "..."

"Fala."  Crow.  Call her what she was.  Strange sense of... Accuracy to the weight of it on her tongue.  Either Fala agreed or already called herself that... The wolf found it difficult to pinpoint or care.  Exasperated.  She hadn't really been thinking the other night, it'd simply been raining.

© MADI