(look-at-that-stupid-raven) i donf have a flock to go back to eulie did u know that???

"Oh," she cooed and clucked her tongue sympathetically. "You poor dear." As she stroked the top of his head with one hand, she crumbled up a small butter cookie with the other, making a peckable pile on her saucer. Then she rotated the dish, putting the treat in front of him. "I know it's probably not as good as carrion."

He hopped forward a few steps to reach it, and then eagerly plucked up one of the bigger pieces to swallow down. "There's not much that beats rotting flesh. Corn chips come close."

"I'll take your word for it." She resumed a knitting project she'd put down earlier. "So the other ravens that come by here, they're not your family?"

He put his beak into her teacup, paused, rolled his black eyes up to look at her, and waited to be yelled at. When she didn't scold him, he took it as permission to have a drink. "Nah. Buncha assholes." He flapped his wings and puffed up his feathers. "No one's as cool as Duke. 'Cept Waddle. She's hot." He went back to the crumb pile.

Eulalie didn't comment, but stole a glance at him. It must have been lonely, being an animal that didn't--couldn't--blend in with others of his kind. She had some sense of what it was like to be considered bizarre by your peers. Granted, she liked her self- imposed isolation... Most of the time.

After a bit, she stopped her knitting. "Maybe this will help you woo your Waddle." She held up a tiny royal blue vest. "A handsome vest for a handsome raven."

He dropped his current cookie piece, and timidly hopped over. Tilting his head from side to side, he inspected the garment, felt it with his beak, and gently pecked at the tight knitting. Then he bobbed down and ducked into the vest, wiggling his head through and pushing out with his wings.

She got up and went to her boudoir, and got a hand mirror to show him how he looked.

He took a few moments to gaze at himself, fluffing up his feathers proudly. When he turned back to her, his eyes were shining. "Eulie, I look like a nerd!" He flapped over to her shoulder and nuzzled against her cheek.

"Good. She likes smart boys." She scratched under his throat, prompting a happy little croak. "And if you need some spare string for a nest, you let me know."

He got another cookie chunk before jumping down to the floor. There was an extra swagger to his walk as he went out to the hall.

Have you had a one night stand?

"Uhm, no, no, I'm not... ah, really the sort for that." Clears throat.

Looks at Waddle. "Y’know, I’ve never tried duck before…"

The lights above went out. The air was suddenly stale and dry, and to breathe it felt like suffocating in a tomb.

It wasn't that Waddle transformed or grew or morphed in some discernible, horrific process. She was just suddenly not the Waddle Jai knew. Instead, the being that was beside him had to bend her long neck down to avoid bumping her head against the ceiling. Drool dribbled from her break, gushing out in streams past fangs as long as his arms, and over a pink, pointed tongue that was almost tentacle like.

Enormous eyes that reflected back not the room, not even just darkness, but swirls of galaxies and black holes and crashing meteors, blinked down at him.

"Funny..." The voice echoed in his brain and all around him. "I was just thinking, 'I've never tried Jai...'"

And then, just as suddenly as it happened, she was little Waddle again. Light that had been missing was now glowing pleasantly from the chandelier above. The air was it's usual sorta earthy, musty-dusty that wasn't altogether unpleasant, and hinted of a crack or two in the roof or a window that allowed a fresh breeze to sneak in.

The duck went up to his leg and harmlessly nibbled at his thigh. Her small, round beak barely even tickled. She wagged her tail feathers, looking pleased with herself, and then waddled off, quacking quietly.