Supremacy

There was a great upwelling of delight within the meagre confines of his chest as his mother pressed close, sharing her own warmth and affirming his bonds with the ravens. His thin, scraggly little tail wagged lightly as she agreed that he was on the right track with his belief that the ravens were his friends, more than just inhabitants of the woods. She explained that friends were often included within the boundaries of allyship, and that the ravens were not simple pets that followed their commands. As he'd been slowly piecing together over the past days and weeks, the ravens served as eyes in the sky and guardians of one type or another as a direct result of their shared bonds.

His mother was even closer to him now, locking eyes with him and forcing his attention to fixate on this singular moment, this brief span within the grand forwards march of time. A reminder of his last lesson, on the importance of strength as a conduit to his continued existence. She told him, quite forcefully, that the truest form of strength relied not only on himself and his own abilities, but on the bonds that he forged over the months and years to come. That the ravens were not bound by any physical force or threat, but by the affection and rewards that came with maintaining their relationship. Coexistence and mutual success.

The darkling followed her gaze upwards to the silhouette of a raven crossing overhead, and he wriggled with delight at the sight of it. His mother continued to speak, to impart the importance and value of their relationship with the immense flock- the vast unkindness that followed them about the landscape. The ravens were their own entities, just as the wolves were. With families and friends and stories and love, just like he had. He nodded sagely as his mother lowered her gaze back to him, fathomless pools of emerald that enthralled him as readily as any lesson.

As she stooped to gently nuzzle him, he graciously accepted the affection. Teeth flashing with an unabashed grin, eyes gleaming with excitement. She assured him that he was still learning, and he knew it meant more than just learning about the ravens. Indica was still learning about the world at large, about his place in it, and the way he would find himself navigating its complexities. Then she asked the fateful question, doomed herself to a potential torrent of enquiry. He hummed thoughtfully, the sound droning for a moment or two before he could find a way to vocalize his many thoughts.

"Do.. do you have any ravens that are your most special friends? That like to spend more time with you than some of the others?" he questioned softly, eyes adrift and tracing the motions and exchanges of the corvids overhead. "How do you recognize all of the different ones? Some of them have little bits of white, or strange eyes, and I've seen some who've got scars like you or papa. But what about the ones that don't?" the font of curiosity overflowed, the young boy was in his element- interrogation.