With Wings of Night

With some moments to himself after a sunrise trip around Abaven's borders Rhyme found himself walking. His pale paws carried him away from Abaven and into territories he wasn't as familiar with. He'd scouted these areas briefly but he couldn't say he knew them well. He followed the rapids as they changed from swift moving white waters to more of a lazy river. 

He avoided getting his paws wet as best he could, and felt himself slightly confused when the sound of rushing water greeted him again. With dark ears perked forward and his sapphire and amethyst eyes on the lookout for dangerous waters he finally found the falls. He appeared at the top of them, looking down over the impressive drop. Glad he hadn't decided to take a swim a little further up he backed away from the precipice. Shaking his head he found his way down the cliff with care. 

He came up to the shore of the lake beneath the falls, letting his haunches fold and settle beneath him in the damp gravel. He would sit and enjoy the gentle spray of the roaring falls for a long moment lost in his own thoughts. He thought himself alone until an odd voice sounded behind him. 

"Lone wolf? Crack. Lone wolf. Crack. 

Rhyme turned around in surprise, ready to see another standing behind him. However when he looked there was no one there. He almost thought the voice was in his imagination but he heard it again. 

"Looking for me? Crack. Looking for me."

This time Rhyme saw where the voice had come from, and his eyes were drawn to the boughs of the tree above him. He tilted his head as he studied the large bird. She was an iridescent black, with sharp eyes and a sharper beak. He'd never seen such a magnificent creature before. He stood up and drew more near to her perch. 

"Are you talking to me?" he asked her with a curious tilt of his head. She copied his gesture, gripping the branch tightly with sharp talons as her thick neck was thrown sideways.

"Talking to you? Crack. Talking to you." She answered in her odd way. Rhyme found himself even more perplexed. "Wolf is alone. Crack." She tilted her head to the other side then. 

"Well, I'm not really alone. My pack is just up the river." He told her, but he wasn't even sure she would understand him. "What's your name?" he found himself asking as she stared at him, still wondering why she had even spoke to him in the first place. 

The raven uttered a few indecipherable cracks and whistles in answer, leaving Rhyme as clueless as he'd been before her answer. "I don't think I'll remember that, how does Imperia sound?" She have him a hard eye as she righted herself and then nodded emphatically. 

"Imperia? Crack. Imperia. Crack." She seemed to approve of his decision. "Stay with wolf? Crack. Stay with Wolf. Crack." Rhyme's eyes widened a bit at her next words, did she mean to accompany him back to Abaven? Having a bird as a companion was somewhat common, both Shaye and Vail had their little birds. However Imperia was much more impressive than either of them. 

"If that's what you really want, I'd be honored to have your company." Rhyme smiled up at her in acceptance, though it really seemed like she had been the one to make the decision. "You'll certainly be useful, and I'll make sure you're fed if you help me." At the word 'fed' Imperia had fully made up her mind. Stretching out her impressive wings she expertly landed on Rhyme's broad shoulders. He winced as her claws dug into his flesh, though she weighed less than he expected. How did Vail deal with such sharp talons in her shoulders all the time? 

"I guess it's a deal then." He said through gritted teeth. "I suppose I should introduce you to Shaye and the pack." She cracked again in agreement as Rhyme found his way back up the steep side of the falls. Her talons would definitely need some getting used to.