The night was gone, replaced with a early morning had come and gone since the confrontation between Boudicea and I at the cave.
Yet the air retained its crisp sharpness, the coolness of dawn not yet replaced by the beams of warm sunlight that softly crept between gaps of tree branches.
It didn’t take long to strip the possum knight of his armor. Boudicea had helped, albeit with great reluctance. She only offered one paw to help move things. That paw, she now tearily continued to wipe on a patch of grass.
Luckily there’d been clasps in the armor under the arms which helped expedite the process.
Most of the work was left to me, holding my breath as I poked around the armor.
Any chance you might be willing to carry the armor back?
Absolutely not.
Harrrgh- hrk!
The thought of using my new skill, Dominance, did cross my mind. That, I immediately vetoed. Dominance. The word alone sounded terrifying. Boudicea had her free will. I couldn’t force her to do something she didn’t want to.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t ask nicely. Cocking my head to the side, I peer up towards her with my best puppy-dog impression.
No.
She says again. The silver wolf’s eyes shine at me, growing round in desperation. The odor must be too intense for her sensitive nose to bear. I had it better. If the scent got too terrible, I flew up and out over the trees for a bit to clear my head. Other than that it was a matter of holding my breath for as long as possible.
Well, it was worth a shot.
Another soft poke at his mottled grey and brown furred fur only released another whiff of the terrible odor.
Harghhh!
Poor Boudicea, she was dry heaving again.
Please, we have the metal. Don’t disturb the dead prey.
I-. Well I wanted to make sure he was dead.
My throat ruffles raised as I squinted hard at the dead creature.
There was something I was missing, I just knew it. P was for Possum, was something I’d learned early on in school, and that was it. My country didn’t have possums naturally, only a few kept in zoos here and there.
But there was something about possums that I was forgetting, I was sure of it!
Boudicea, have you ever seen a creature like this before?
This?
She growls, as if the very thought of looking at the possum upset her.
Scented? Yes. But I’m sure I and my pack included would have never seen it. This scent alone is enough to make any pup turn on its heel no matter how hungry.
Hmm. Ok. What was I missing?!
Maybe it was the fact that possums were smelly?
Silly Raven, there’s no guarantee that possums are same here in this world as in your old one. My inner-conscious finally chooses to speak up.
Oh well.
Pulling the tension tight on the last knot, I snip of the end of the vine with my Razor Bite.
I felt bad, but hey, the armor wasn’t going to do him any good now.
The prey smells absolutely rancid. Must we do this?
Boudicea interrupts my thoughts, the distaste clear in her tone.
Absolutely! This would be perfect for Greenie, don’t you think? And it's shiny too!
For the goblin? I see, you’re bestowing this foul-smelling armor to the foul-smelling goblin. Quite fitting!
Wrinkling her snout, Boudicea yanks the vines that I’d tied around a high branch, stepping backwards.
With a creak, the bundle of bronzed armor lifts up in the air. Though the leaves attached to the vines I’d roughly braided together snap off at the friction of being pulled over the thick tree branch, the basic pulley worked.
Ok Boudicea! You can let go now. Now, run forward and throw your vine in the air towards me!
Swoosh!
The rock I’d tied at Boudiea’s end of the rope flies in the air, swinging around the high branch I sat on.
All that was left was to snip off the vine with the weighted rock and- Voila!
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That should do it.
A jumble of bronze armor now hung in the air, clattering in the wind like an oversized wind chime.
Wings spread wide, a flap takes me straight towards Boudicea. I land beside her and we both stare up at the armor.
Do you think anything will try to take it?
No. It’s much too strange, and loud. The lesser creatures would be frightened of the sounds.
That made me feel a lot better. I didn’t want to lose this second chance at shinies after the last time. My poor gems. The pretty shiny gems from Crixus, Andvari, and Caïssa’s collars that had been blown up still made my heart hurt to even think about.
A day or two in the open air should have the armor smelling a lot better when we come back for it.
Thank you for the armor.
I think in my head, bowing in the direction of the dead possum.
Off in the distance, a long wolf howl echoes out.
The silver wold tilts her head up, her pitch rising with her answering howl.
My mate calls for us.
Oh- uh.. us?
Us.
Boudicea sniffs, finding the thick branch she’d carried me on and gesturing her head back towards the cave.
I shake my head.
No branch?
No. I’ll fly back.
Fwhip!
Boudicea rears back, surprised. She must have forgotten that I could fly. Heck, I’d almost forgotten I could fly after being unable to use them for so long.
My wings smartly whip open. Absolutely beautiful, if I do say so myself. The full span of the wings on either side of me gave me more confidence than a beautiful dress ever did in my past life.
Now if I could only remember what it was about possums that kept niggling at me.
----------------------------------------
Master!
We were met with a warm welcome with Greenie, the Wolf King, and the rest of the wolves all patiently waiting for us outside of the Siphon Bush wall.
Troubled the Alpha, mate?
The Wolf King asks when we return. He looked happy to see his mate, ambling straight towards Boudica the moment she steps out of the thicket.
Uhh…
Master! Fly Greenie!
I land on Greenie’s outstretched arm shaking more dirt off of me. Greenie’s look was different again. On his arms were furred grey arm guards, made out of strips of rat fur tightly braided together.
Between the braids were small pockets, filled with small stones for what I presumed were ammo for his slingshot.
You see, Master?
I noticed. I’m so proud of you Greenie! Did you come up with this yourself?
Greenie and Andvari together!
The shoulder guards too?
Grinning, Greenie thumps his shoulder, at the layers of snakeskin banded together that shimmered and changed slightly to reflect the color of his own green skin.
That’s amazing!
I do my best to focus on the goblin, giving him two wings up.
It was hard to sincerely congratulate Greenie on his achievement. My focus was distracted by the conversation the two wolves were having.
I preen the chunks off with my beak, giving the two mates the side-eye. Humming, Greenie help me pick out the bigger chunks sifting through my feathers.
Was Boudicea going to tell?
We went for a trip.
I can hear her telling her mate.
A trip? When the moon was up?
Large body pressed tight to his mate, the Wolf King continued to question her between licks.
There were matters to discuss. Between females.
Boudicea turns towards me, grimly nodding.
Uh-. Yes. A girl’s talk.. Right.
I nod back, bobbing profusely.
But anything you can tell my mate, you can tell me too, Alpha.
Right, Alpha?
The Wolf King looks at me with hopeful eyes.
One thing I forgot to discuss with the Alpha was the matter of a name. For you.
I send a grateful look towards the silver wolf for her timely interruption. Boudicea saves me yet again!
Oh yes! A name! I keep calling you Wolf King, but that’s not a name, is it?
Do you have any suggestions?
He excitedly perks up, jumping up with tail wagging hard behind him.
Yes! For a suggestion, I was thinking- Agheeeee!!!
All of a sudden mid-sentence, the Wolf King shrieks out a short, high pitched howl.
What?
My head tilting in confusion, I stare at the Wolf King open-mouthed.
I said- Agheeeeeee!
He howls again.
Are you all right?
Yes I’m fine. What do you think of the name?
You mean…
Agheeeeeee! ?
He nods when I imitate his short howl back to him.
What...?
Sighing, Boudica steps in to explain.
It’s what the humans cry when they see him.
Yes. Agheeeeeee! Is my favorite, but there's also-
Kyaaaaaak! Aaaaaaargh!!
The Wolf King continues his howls in different pitches.
I- I don’t think that works as a name. Those are only meaningless sounds.
Oh. But they were so short and direct. I liked them… The Wolf King visibly wilts, his ears and tail lowering at my words.
See, I said the same thing. You were the only one that thought they were calling you by name. Boudicea interjects.
I was at loss for ideas. This was going to be hard.
Hmm.
What are you most proud of? I ask, trying to come up with something, anything that would satisfy the Wolf King.
My mate. She nudges him in the side, whining softly. Aww, how sweet. Nudging her back, he continues.
My battles. Oh! And my scars. I won and never lost a limb.
The Wolf King tells me proudly.
The scar across his eye sure did leave an impression. It stretched across his eye, starting from his brow bone and down to the corner above his lip.
I could work with that.
Scarface? No, that was too direct.
Would you prefer Al or Capone? I ask, somewhat half-heartedly.
The Wolf King furrows his brows, debating over the two longer than I thought he would.
Al is too short, Capone too long.
Al. Capone.
Capo?
His ears flick up.
I like that!
Then Capo it is!
Pack! I am Capo now! The Wolf King announces, tail wagging hard enough I can feel the breeze against my feathers.
The Pack celebrate around him. Some turn in circles while others yip and prance about.
Watching the wolves happy helps some with the guilt I felt in my heart.
I'd contributed to that. A glance at Boudicea shows me a wolf looking softly at her celebrating mate. She doesn't meet my gaze when I look at her, though.
Let's have some extra meat tonight too!
I add, which makes the wolves celebrate even harder.
Alpha, you're the best!
Capo grins, tongue hanging out of his mouth.
Squek!
The celebratory mood is shattered by a strange chattering noise.
What?
A chorus of squeaking noises make all of us turn. It wasn’t coming from the sides, but at an angle, from the sky?
Squee!
Squeek!
This was taking me right back to the fight with the rats.
Everyone get behind the Siphon wall!
The wolves quickly slip under the hole at the bottom of the wall that Greenie creates for them.
Master!
Before Greenie can cradle me to his chest like he usually does, I flap out of his hold.
No Greenie, you too.
Dodging his hands that try to catch me, I wave at him, doing my best to give a raven's version of a smile.
I can fly again! I’ll see what’s coming from above.
Wind ruffles through Greenie’s sparse hair while I take flight off Greenie’s arm and up.
We had guests!