He had not meant to find his way to the Fae Village. Winging high into the night, the white raven had sought to clear the sluggish rage from his thoughts, and to pretend for a little while that he could run fly far away from his problems. From his illness, most of all, but also from the shame and guilt that ate at him. It was a temporary fantasy at best; by morning he would be back within the bounds of the Hollowed Grounds, making breakfast for Rory and finding solace in the hunter's worried embrace. But for tonight he indulged himself, flying until the air burned thin and painfully dry in his lungs, winging through the clear night until the world had started to go grey about the edges, and then he had dived, aimless in his descent, focused only on the feel of the wind pushing against his primaries like a solid force until he had pulled up more on instinct than any visual cue.
He was surprised to see structures beneath him, delicate and organic as they flowed into the forest around him. Fresh anxiety coursed through him as he flapped to regain altitude, hoping against hope that he hadn't been seen - or at least, not recognized. He hadn't mean to intrude where he wasn't welcome...
But he doubted Delah or her warriors would appreciate an accidental trespass any more now than they had before.
He flapped higher, searching for a thermal to carry him away from Sidhe when a darkness blotted out the stars above, wings far larger than any normal bird's casting a shadow that struck primal chords of terror in the raven's hindbrain. Jigano choked off a strangled croak of dismay, blue eyes wide in shock as moonlight caught the manticore, silvering upon its mane and wickedly curved tail.
Gods least fortunate, he let slip without quite realizing it, awe and no little fear in his mental tone.
He was surprised to see structures beneath him, delicate and organic as they flowed into the forest around him. Fresh anxiety coursed through him as he flapped to regain altitude, hoping against hope that he hadn't been seen - or at least, not recognized. He hadn't mean to intrude where he wasn't welcome...
But he doubted Delah or her warriors would appreciate an accidental trespass any more now than they had before.
He flapped higher, searching for a thermal to carry him away from Sidhe when a darkness blotted out the stars above, wings far larger than any normal bird's casting a shadow that struck primal chords of terror in the raven's hindbrain. Jigano choked off a strangled croak of dismay, blue eyes wide in shock as moonlight caught the manticore, silvering upon its mane and wickedly curved tail.
Gods least fortunate, he let slip without quite realizing it, awe and no little fear in his mental tone.
