Before the Close of Day

but now it is a competition of whichever is heavier:
my will, or the pull of gravity into the grave

With summer coming to an end, Hotaru had organized a small cleaning party to prepare for the approach of autumn. As soon as the temperatures drop, what few animals and insects linger in the Citadel's bubble of warmth will scurry immediately for the warmth of the Academy's inner halls, and Hotaru does not want an infestation on her hands.

There's also outdoor training equipment to either bring in or outfit into hardier targets to withstand any increase in winds or snowfall, which she has her students currently working on so they can familiarize themselves with the grounds even further.

Meanwhile, missive having gone out to any interested students and affiliated parties, Hotaru has left her stance as greeter and manager to take to the skies in her falcon form. Not only does it mean a break from the micromanagement, but it allows her to better spot any nesting prey or vermin - and the odd missing item stuck on the roof from overly energetic magic usage, which is what she is currently tugging at with her sharp talons. It's something made of cloth, whatever it is, and therefore clings to the shingles stubbornly until she rips a shred off and the rest comes unceremoniously. Huffing internally, she clutches the fabric in her talons and swans down towards the cleaning crew, letting it flutter down from above to be included in the pile of trash.

When Hotaru sent the word for help, Noah came. Cordelia and her mother were tending to the twins and his companions guarded the home. The Sentinel worked alongside a group of a few others, two students he knew and one he didn’t, to clean up around the grounds. Noah carried around a large cloth bag that he filled with debris and broken pieces of shield and target, having each been demolished by either intentional blasts of magic or wayward, uncontrolled strikes.

The three students kept pleasant enough small talk that Noah did not feel any need to fill in or orchestrate conversation. He gave opinions when asked, and explanations as prompted, but he mostly listened. They were young, all barely adults, and the hunter was interested in what their lives looked like here at the academy full time. Even in the time he had spent here practicing his magic, he still had other responsibilities and priorities. These students, however, were totally under Hotaru’s care and direction.

The bird of prey caught his attention and he opened his bag for Hotaru to drop the cloth within.

Noah

the sentinel of the north

but now it is a competition of whichever is heavier:
my will, or the pull of gravity into the grave

It's merely convenient that Noah happens to be the one in the courtyard when she descends with her quarry, opening his bag with the keen eyes of a hunter and perfectly gauging the distance and speed to capture it in the confines. Content to be temporarily distracted now that she has a moment to spare, Hotaru circles him in a wide, loose circle as the Attuned bond lights up in an array of happy, comfort, hello, hello, hello.

And then, very careful of both claws and wings so she doesn't buffet him, Hotaru aims to land on his shoulder or outstretched arm as intelligent golden eyes regard him. Apologies, I didn't have a spare moment to talk to you yet. Thank you for coming. Like this, in the headspace of her animal form, things are clearer and simpler even with her human consciousness, so the thrum of her emotions are far more open and easy to parse from his end. Beneath the fondness his presence has inspired is the steady beat of duty, work, distraction, perfection like a pulsing pendulum.

The debris dropped from the falcon's grip landed in Noah's bag with just a few scraps falling waywardly. noah reached to pick them up as Hotaru's mind pinged against his. He couldn't help but smile as the woman's thoughts wrapped around his in a familiar way that reminded him of Korbin and the way his mind felt in his raven form. Stuffing the last of the debris in his garbage bag, Noah had just enough time to straighten himself back up and catch her intentions. Cocking his head some and turning it just so, Noah invited the falcon onto his shoulder.

I understand. Noah said, There is a lot to be done here. A good sign of the Academy's growth. He encouraged as he lifted his hand to run it down her sleek, feathered body. It was the closest thing he could manage to a hug while she was in this form -- a tight, small, able huntress with keen eyes and deadly talons.

Noah

the sentinel of the north

but now it is a competition of whichever is heavier:
my will, or the pull of gravity into the grave

There is plenty of room on Noah's shoulder given how broad he is, but once she is settled Hotaru doesn't bother moving around any further. Especially not as he begins to pet and smooth her feathers, making her outwardly preen; neck stretching high, wings half-opening, tail feathers shaking. Through the bond her emotions are tinged with clearly-animal pleasure, only fueled by the pride and happiness she feels at his praise of what her primordial brain considers to be her territory. Thank you. I am very proud of how much it has grown.

Unfortunately catching up has to be kept somewhat minimal. There are crows nesting in the eaves. I will have to run them out - can you stay to help grab the nest remnants? There are no eggs or hatchlings to worry about (though her falcon brain wouldn't have cared if there were) but if they continue to nest they will wear through the thin barrier in those edges and corners and create a future problem.

Noah smiled softly. He was glad that the tiff they experienced while saving the stranded tradesmen hadn't truly dampened their relationship. Of course. Noah agreed without hesitation, a nod following the mental statement. Getting up to that area would be tricky for most, and as far as Noah knew he was the only one with the ability to get there without wings or a ladder.

Once Hotaru was gone from his shoulder, Noah took the bag he had been using to collect debris over to one of the larger cans they would use eventually to burn everything. He emptied it, then tied the bag to a loop of his belt. Then, he watched Hotaru for the precise moment to teleport.

Noah

the sentinel of the north

but now it is a competition of whichever is heavier:
my will, or the pull of gravity into the grave

Hotaru's pride has been wounded by friends too many times for her to let it ruin them entirely. Forgiveness is a trait only the years have managed to impart in her, and she uses it plentifully to keep close the few people she has left. Noah is one of those precious few. The hunt had been awful in many ways, but anything specific she had felt was too well-tangled in traumatic memories and grief to separate out for the sake of holding a grudge.

It takes mere moments to fly up high enough to the nest she'd found in the eaves - though she is disgruntled to realize the gore crow has returned in her brief absence. She descends upon it with a much larger body and wicked talons, engaging it in a feather-ripping tussle that has the crow squawking and screeching as it puts up a pitiful fight. Hotaru does not relent however, and with no eggs to defend the crow clearly seems to realize it's a battle that will only end in tragedy and swiftly flies off to find somewhere else to nest.

Puffed up and triumphant, Hotaru shifts boldly on the roof, boots thickly treaded for the slick surface and confident she can shift back if she starts to fall. Signaling Noah to teleport up, she crunches up the nest in her human hands and gathers up the debris to place into the garbage bag.

Noah couldn't deny that he was ever impressed with Hotaru's ferocity. Even now as she dove in as a falcon, aiming to destroy and dominate. Talons flashed and the crow cawed. Had Noah been a different man, the sound may have made him flinch. There were very few things that did these days, after seeing what he saw in the Draig. Lightning and dragons and demigods and guardians, all locked in battle. Noah blinked as the memory faded with the flapping wings and reverberating caws of the retreating crow.

Once called, Noah blinked. He blipped from his spot near the metal barrel full of garbage and debris and appeared some short distance from the Valkyrie. She shifted into her human skin and began to strip the evidence of the crow and its nest from the Academy. Noah lowered his center of gravity some and slid in next to Hotaru. He kept his balance by lowering himself to sit on the shingles and prop his foot on the side of the gutter for support. Then he took the bag from his belt loop and opened it up for her, making sure it was wide enough that none of the nesting materials would get dropped.

Noah

the sentinel of the north

Noah comes the moment she calls, always sharp and reliable, and Hotaru shoots him a golden grin as they both balance atop the slick roof - surely looking like maniacs to the people below them. This high up the wind pulls at her long hair, whipping it about until it lashes at her cheeks gone plump with her smile. Quickly and efficiently shoving the debris into the bag in Noah's hands, Hotaru pauses to brace her knee against the roof and turns to look out over the Citadel with a far-away, appreciative expression. It looks so different this high but with human eyes instead of avian ones, and she's overcome with love for this land and the people within it. Noah must surely feel it, wide open as the bond still is. Turning back to him she tilts her head back at the grounds where a few people are pointing and staring from far below. "Alright, back to work - you're welcome for the opportunity to show off," she teases with a wink, transforming back into her falcon shift in a tumble of golden feathers, streaking off the side of the roof like a falling drop of sunshine to continue their clean up efforts. - Fin! the valkyrie