2019.07.25 Drinking With the Corax

Drinking with the Corax
Micah gets drunk and confides in Hrafn near the Frostbite longhouse
IC Date	July 25, 2019
Players	Micah Starnes, Royan, Sten
Location	The Longhouse Yard
Spheres	Garou Gaian Fera

xxxxxYep. A nest. That’s right. Someone has built a nest here. Near the buildsite, up in a tree, there is a large crown of twigs and other assorted woodsy items that forms the bowl of a raven’s nest. Up in that nest sits The One, the large raven known as Hrafn. He is poking at something with his beak, almost idly so.

xxxxxMicah pulls up in his truck, some belt whining in protest as he slowly makes his way up the trail leading up to the build site. When he gets out of the truck, he pulls with him a small red cooler with a white lid and SLAMS the door a little too hard with his boot. In his other hand he is carrying an open container of some kind of cheap beer. He takes a swig and shambles over towards the large tree and rests his back against the tree before sliding into a sitting position on the ground.

xxxxxHearing the truck long before it comes into view is not a troublesome thing even for a creature that relies mostly on sight rather than hearing. Head lifts up to allow for the bird to peer over the edge of the nest, looking at the truck and its owner. Once he has taken a seat upon the ground, the bird picks up a small lose twig. He hops up to the edge of the nest to then slowly begin to take aim. Carefully weighing the distance, any wind etc.. he then drops the twig with the intent of letting it *boop* on the man’s head.

xxxxxMicah reaches up and brushes the twig out of his hair and takes another swig. Usually a very perceptive Fenrir, he doesn't seem to realize he has been booped. He mutters under his breath.

xxxxxHrafn watches in silence for a few moments, realising the man is not going to react. So, he picks up another twig which he aims.. slowly.. carefully. He releases it, allowing for it to fall with unnerving accuracy until it, too, boops off of the man’s head.

xxxxxMicah flinches as the twig hits him 'just so'; the sharp point of it hits him right in a soft spot on his scalp. He curses and reaches for his head and then tilts his head back and looks up into the branches of the tree, squinting to try and see where the twig came from. "Hrafn? Dat youse?" His voice is slightly slurred.

xxxxxTo that query, the head of a large raven pops out over the edge of the newly built nest. The head is tilted os that one of those black little eyes can peer down upon the man sitting on the ground. He just looks down a few moments, not really saying anything. Head pops back over the edge, then comes back again. Once more, he holds a twig in his beak, "Is it?" the bird wonders.

xxxxxMicah harumphs. "I'm not in the mood for riddles. Either you're Hrafn or you're a figment of my imagination, or some really bored twig dropping spirit."

xxxxxThe bird tilts his head a bit to the side, watches the man a few moments before he opens his beak. The twig falls out of his grip, travels the distance from twig to forehead before it boops off him and lands on the ground, "I am Hrafn." he replies, "Your ally and your confidant. The one who shall speak of your deeds to mighty Helios."

xxxxxMicah tilts his head to the side, letting the twig bounce harmlessly off to the side. "Why would you want to bore Helios with my deeds. Doesn't he have more important things to worry about, like global warming?"

xxxxx"The heating of the earth?" The raven wonders, "I have heard of this, on the news of the humans. Many a railing have I sat upon, listening to the broadcasts by the humans, through many an open window." the bird pauses, "The problems of the earth is not the fault of Mighty Helios. He can do nothing but shine in the same manner he always has. What ails the earth that we rely upon, it is the fault of humans folly. Not his. He, like the Ravens in the sky, can but witness. And so we speak to him all that we see, so that he may bear that witness when others might not."

xxxxxMicah takes a swig of beer and then rubs his forehead. Did he understand any of that? He isn't sure himself. "So he just watches, or you watch and then tell him what you see." He considers, "So who tells him what is happening on all the other planets?"

xxxxx"Who says all other planets matter?" The raven wonders, "And perhaps they do, and perhaps Mighty Helios has allies upon those as well, as he does in the ravens here." the bird replies, "But if he does or not, the story does tell. It is unknown and shall remain so until I am honoured with knowing all the secrets."

xxxxxMicah takes a long couple of swallows and finishes off the beer. He makes a face, then a burst of air comes bursting up from his esophagus and out through his mouth. "You wanna hear a secret?"

xxxxxThe raven is quiet a few moments before he finally replies, "You might as well ask me if I want to fly." the bird says, "Yes, if you have a secret to tell me, then I shall listen. I make no secret of the fact that we listen to secrets. They are one of our reasons for existing."

xxxxxMicah says, "Sister's suck."

xxxxxSo difficult to judge the mood of a bird! All that lack of facial expression. Could be why the Corax are so known for being bad at bluffing and weaseling their way out of situations of their own making. So to the statement, the bird simply replies, "That is not a secret. It is more of a personal statement," he suggests, perhaps trying to add a helpful tone to his words, "I would not know, though. I never had a sister, that I know of. I am not aware of any hatchlings my progenitors might have had before they hatched me."

xxxxxMicah doesn't enter into a debate of the semantics of secrets. "You know, we all change when we go through THE change, ya know? But boy did she change. Suddenly she thought she was too good for the Sept of the Silver Snow. So she ran off to the city, just... left. Never looked back."

xxxxxThe bird listens to the man speaking, black eyes watching curiously, "No one ever does anything without a reason. Have you asked her why?" the bird wonders, "Perhaps if she can say why, you will better understand why she left one Sept to join another."

xxxxxMicah throws his arms up in the air, the empty can nearly flying from his hand. "I never got a chance. At first, ya know, the den mother said she was smart and went off to school. And I get that. But she never came and visited. Never called. Nothing. For eight years!" He crushes the can in his fist. Then looks at it for a long time, very confused.

xxxxx"And have you thought of asking your sister now?" The raven wonders, "I am assuming, of course, that your sister is still around?" the bird wonders, "There is no time like the present, no day like today. No secret that is told outright shall be uncovered without asking the right questions."

xxxxxMicah stares at the empty, crushed can in his hand for a moment longer. "You know what? You're right. I should go confront her. I know where she is. I should just drive down to the hospital and tell her how I feel." He flips open the lid of the cooler with a flourish and chucks the empty beer can in. Wouldn't want to litter. He presses his back against the tree and PUSHES up with his legs in an effort to stand. With the tree as a brace, he is successful, that Garou constitution ensuring he's not TOO drunk. Yet.

xxxxxThe raven watches Micah push to his feet, head tilting the other way. He then hops up on the edge of the nest, spreads his wings to then suddenly leap from the edge of it. He does a quick swoop across the area, does a 180 degree turn and comes back.. back.. he's aiming for Micah! And unless stopped, there will be a terrible flapping of wings before he comes to a gripping landing on the man’s shoulder.

xxxxxMicah doesn't stop the raven, although he is definitely startled at the oncoming rush of feathers towards his head. He raises the red cooler to cover his face and gives a started cry of, "Shitfuckballs!"

xxxxxPoke poke goes that hard beak against the side of Micah’s head. It’s not enough to make a mark, but it’s enough to knock a bit on his skull, "Do not think you are in the state to travel among humans. To humans. Talk to humans." The bird speaks, "Perhaps best to drink a bit more. Pass out. Wake up and then go." Yes, because a hungover Garou is better than a slightly unsober one!

xxxxx"Ow! Watch the beak!" Micah turns the cooler to move it between his skull and the raven's beak. He considers the bird's words though. Looks to the beat up and nearly broken down truck he still hasn't been able to afford to fix. "Drink. Sleep. Then fight," he considers. Seems a little out of order than what a Son of Fenris would normally do in this situation but his head is fuzzy and he can't seem to put them in the Fenris-y order. "Seems legit. Good idea. You're a smart bird. Helios should be proud." He puts his back against the tree again and starts the slow descent back to the ground, trying his best to maintain a balance that let's the bird continue to perch on his shoulder.

xxxxxIt is in this moment that the raven shows some proof of what an agile creature he is, even when grounded like this and not in the air. The cooler being presented between him and the head makes space upon the man’s shoulder a bit harder to come by. So, he glides down his arm a bit. Wings spread out a bit and beak grabs on to the cooler’s handle to make sure he does not fall off. Then he suddenly swings himself around to the other shoulder that also makes for quite a bit of chaotic flapping of wings before he's steady once more, "We have been known to impart wisdom from time to time. Many cultures view the Raven as something smart and cunning." he sounds almost prideful in this.

xxxxxMicah burps. "Well, I could use some smarts. Maybe I'll get a raven tattoo to go with my other one." He screws up his face and his voice raises an octave in a mockery of a woman's (Aaryn's?) voice. "When did you get a tattoo?" His voice returns to its normal tone. "As if I'm still 12. I'm a grown-ass man. I can have a tattoo. If she wanted to have a say in it she should have stuck around."

xxxxxThe bird tries to find a comfortable perch on the man’s shoulder, but with his back to the tree it is hard to fit perching normally. He's a big bird, after all. He takes up space! "Get a raven tattoo." the bird encourages, "And a sun tattoo. A raven flying under the sun tattoo," he suggests; the bird seems to be totally behind this idea, ignoring any other family issues in that regard.

xxxxxMicah opens the cooler and takes out another beer. He wipes the excess ice and condensation off the sides, then wipes his hands on his pants. "Good idea. Where do you think I should get it?" He screws his face up in concentration as he pops the tab on the beer. "Arm? Shoulder?"

xxxxxThe bird is quiet a few moments, still trying to adjust to the shoulder. Eventually, he gives up and leaves it, flapping until he's able to perch on the man’s leg, as far down towards a foot as he can come; and he's still not on the ground! "I would not know. Which area is the most important on a human for a tattoo?"

xxxxxMicah has his knees bent and his feet are on the ground, making the knee possibly more suitable for perching, and further from the ground. "I don't know if there is one place more important than another. I just figured, you like perching on shoulders and well, I'm an archer. My arms are important to me, so I guess that would be a place of honor. Or maybe my hand..." He runs a finger in a v-shape, tracing the area between his thumb and forefinger."

xxxxxThe bird lets out a low sounding kra-kra that does not travel very far at all, the sound almost seeming to be contained within the general space of the two individuals, "Your forearm." the bird says, "The one that lets the arrows loose. Perhaps the raven upon that arm will guide your arrows to fly true and to fly far."

xxxxxMicah bobs his head up and down, holding out his arm, the same arm that is holding the beer. He traces the bone that runs from his elbow to his wrist. "Gooood ideaaaa..." He considers for a moment. "So where does the sun go? Back of the hand?"

xxxxxThe bird is quiet a few moments, thoughtful, before he responds, "You can forgo the sun." he suggests, "Helios is, after all, more of a thing for us Raven Kind. For the Sons and Daughters of Fenris, I doubt he would matter as much." he pauses, "Go with the raven. Hrafn is after all a member of Fenris own brood." Someone has been reading up on his spirits! Or.. is he talking about him and the Get Pack?

xxxxx"Sure, okay. Whatever you think." He takes a drink from the beer. "Hey," he considers, "You wanna drink?"

xxxxxThe bird lets his wings flex outwards just a bit from his body, feathers ruffling a bit, "The potent mix of the human brews does not mix well with the body of the raven." the bird replies to this, "Some lessons, one learns the hard way. Some lessons.. one does not repeat." he then lets his mighty wings spread wide, "For now, I have to leave you, Son of Fenris. But I will not go far. I will be .. just above." He then takes off from the man’s knee, flapping his wings hard to ascend up to the nest where he disappears over the edge.

The next day…

xxxxxMorning in Prospect and it is already 80 degrees outside, with over 50 humidity. Micah has recently moved his camping gear out here to be closer to Aldric, the Caern and the build site and his campsite sits an appropriate distance away from Aldric's lean-to. Micah's truck sits outside of the build site of the longhouse, tailgate open, a pair of boots hangs from end of the tailgate. They aren't defying gravity so much as dangling from the feet of their owner.

xxxxxSten heads to where the Longhouse was being build looking around to see if anyone was there. Spotting the truck he heads over "Hello?" spotting the boots he walks over to the truck with a smile

xxxxxThe bird has been here for some time now. Hanging out in the little nest of his that he built that seems awfully provisional. Not the sort of thing that will last, but it is a good place to store shiny things that has been .. found .. at places. As for the weather? Well, whats a little weather to a bird! Evolved to survive and all that. He's not really trying to hide, but he is not moving much either. Well, apart from lifting his head up and poking it out over the edge of the nest, to look down on to the ground.

xxxxxSten receives no answer from the truck. As he approaches, more of Micah's legs come into view. Pants are on, so that's good. One has to peer into the back of the track from the tailgate because there is a truck bed cover on the back, providing a roof. Micah is lying in the back of the truck, somewhat tangled in a blanket, wearing the clothes he had on the afternoon before. A small red cooler is tipped over and leaking water from melting ice. A number of empty aluminum beer cars are strewn about the back of the truck, but aren't littering the ground.

xxxxxSten raises a brow at the sight of Micah and the beers and the cooler. "Alright, Vakna up slöfock" bangs on the side of the car though not denting it just to make noise that goes through the vehicle. Shaking his head somewhat as he waits for the Godi to stir.

xxxxxThe raven gets up on his claws, as it were, stretching his wings out a bit. He hops up on to the edge of the nest before leaping from it fully, gliding down with grace and .. all that jazz, until he comes to a landing on the roof of the truck. Claws *clickety-clacks* against the metal as he folds his wings up.

xxxxxMicah awakens violently, his whole body spasming at the sound of the banging. His arms sling out, instinctively punching at whatever is making the noise and lurches up into a sitting position. He curses loudly, a string of them all attached together as if they were one word. He looks wrecked - unshaven, dark circles under his eyes and his hair... looks like something a bird might nest in, though nothing as large and majestic as a raven.

xxxxxSten looks to the Raven "Hello Hrafn" nodding to him with a smile looking to Micah "You look like fucking shit, what happened here?" looking to the beer and then back to the man.

xxxxxThe raven remains quiet at first, simply taking in the view that is before him. The man on the back of the truck, the one standing up and all those cans, empty. A bit of a kra-kra comes out of his chest, beak clipping in the air somewhat. He moves closer to the edge of the roof, looking down at Micah, then up to Sten. But remains quiet.

xxxxxThe adrenaline rush seems to be enough to get Micah into a sitting position, but the comedown in sudden and harsh. When he speaks, his mouth sounds like it is full of marbles, or as he may describe it, like he is speaking in Stenwegian. "Wshit fookn loolight. Hadda purty." Speaking seems to have been a bad idea however, and his eyes open wide and he ejects himself from the back of the truck and onto his knees on the ground just as the contents of his stomach are ejected onto the ground.

xxxxxSten steps back from Micah and his vomiting. Not wanting that on his dedicated clothing. "Who did you party with?" eyes on the theurge curiously as he watches.

xxxxxCommon Raven clicks his claws on the roof a bit more as he switches positions. When Micah, however, gets on to the ground to vomit, the bird lets out a louder kra-ing sound. Seems Hrafn is not in the mood for talking today! Instead, he spreads his wings and takes off, heading into the sky.

xxxxxMicah hurls until his stomach stops spasming. When the raven kras loudly, he reaches up for his head as if someone punched him in it. He spits a few times to clear his mouth as the bird flies away. Finally recovering his breath he says, "Hrafn, who else? I did most of the drinking though, he was my DD."

xxxxxSten looks to where the bird flew off to "I am certain the bird can not drive..." shaking his head some "Least he kept you from driving drunk I guess" shaking his head "Something troubling you?" looking him over curiously

xxxxxMicah nods. "Yeah... I'm hungover." He rolls to one side so he doesn't have to put his hands down in his own vomit, then starts the slow process of getting back to his feet. He keeps his eyes shut as much as possible, so he's trying to keep to do this mainly through feel. Holding his hand between his face and the sunlight, he rolls his tongue around in his mouth and croaks, "Need some water. Mouth dry."

xxxxxSten looks around for any water bottle or such on the truck. "I meant apart from that" shaking his head somewhat.

xxxxxNo water in the truck, though there may be some in the tent nearby. Micah begins to stumble over towards his tent, avoiding the vomit carefully so it doesn't get on his boots. "Other than that I'm peachy. Never been better." He digs around a bit in the tent and pulls out a canteen, open the lid, take a small sip and then start to down it like it's the best thing he's ever drank in his life.

xxxxxSten looks to him "How many beers did you have?" tilting his head and lets him get the water since he did not know where it was. "Did Hrafn at least have something to drink?" he asks with a grin.

xxxxxMicah finishes off as much of the water as he can and then wipes his mouth with his sleeve. He pants a little and waits... waits... yup, his stomach seems to be holding it down although he looks a little queasy. "All of them I guess. Bird wouldn't drink with me. Says Corax can't hold their alcohol."

xxxxxSten laughs "Mmm some do, but I bet the american Corax don't drink like the Swedish ones" shaking his head with a grin "Though I think Hrafn is Ravenborn so... they tend to not hold it to well." shaking his head "Need to start training you in holding your booze. This was only beer. Need to get some good strong mead in you, or something stronger. But for now we will have to nurse your poor head... or I could sing rather loudly and wake you up fully... rattle some of that illness out of you" grinning wickedly at poor Micah

xxxxxMicah pauses as he was just about to take another drought from the canteen. "No singing... no offense." He takes a careful sip of water, watching Sten out of side of his eye just in case the Swede begins a ballad. "And I can hold my beer all right. Though I won't say no to some training if you want to go out sometimes and live it up."

xxxxxSten chuckles "We will gather the pack and have a proper party. Invite kin and friends. Get some high grade mead and vodka. Show you how Fenrir of the old world party" grinning broadly to him. He motions to the vomit "That does not look like holding it" he states teasingly.

xxxxxMicah shrugs. "I may have forgotten to eat dinner before I started drinking. And those were just the beers I had when I got here. I started in town." He reaches into his pack and starts rummaging around for clothes. "Doesn't matter, I'll shift into my wolf and run it off. Get it out of my system. Does the Caern have a place where you can get a shower, or a bath, ya think?"

xxxxxSten shakes his head "Kinfolk house got showers, my cabin has shower but its cold water only" shrugging lightly "No plumbing out there"

xxxxxMicah says, "Which is closer?"

xxxxxSten ponders and looks to Micah "Kinfolk house and I think warm water is preferable? Unless you really really want a cold shower?" grinning to him with a smile