I WALK WITH SHADOWS

He was a bird with a purpose that he deemed to be restricted to unnerving others and devouring marrow, and though ambitions haunted his mind often, it never crossed his mind to pursue them. Instead, he enjoyed allowing others to do his dirty work, taking pleasure in the quarrel of the petty lupine beasts that were so easily manipulated, angered, and freaked out. So when the white fae began to actually flirt back, it was safe to say that Ezekiel's mind nearly shut down with surprise.



He froze, eyes blinking rapidly at her, features as concerned as a creature with a beak could display, only large movements being the turn of his head to watch her, taking in the sway of the lady's hips and their plop upon the earth near him, bloodied sight seeking out her silver optics, brow furrowed. After a few more moments, he seemed to recover, tearing his eyes away and straightening suddenly, ruffling his feathers with more vigor and sharp movements than would ever be needed.



"Oh, dear, oh, dear,

the shivers down my spine!

Perhaps if you hadn't said that,

they'd be a little more... sublime."


His tone was a mixture of puzzlement, bewilderment, and even a little awkward. For the sharp-tongued bird capable of almost any rhyme, the state and presence of discomfort seeded upon himself was an abnormal phenomenon that was nearly press-worthy. The vulture quickly began at an attempt to repair his verbal and emotional mistakes, trying to return to his smooth lyrics as quickly as possible.



"I can soar where I wish

at any place and time

with this wingspan and undying wit

and my lovely knack for rhyme.



"But what matters most

is what you seek

in this world,

beautiful freak!



"Who else will you kill?

Whose blood will be shed?

Who will next oppose you

and will you take their head?



"Is there a pack you want--

a realm to rule?

A merry little land?

If so, I'll fool

whoever I must

to let fate deliver that hand!"


Ezekiel had returned to his usual mannerisms of swaying slightly with his self-constructed rhythm, weight shifting from side to side in time with his words, making his rhymes work at any cost despite some inconsistencies they contained.

"speech"