Come out, come out wherever you are!

 He was stewing and steaming, wanting nothing more than to go back home after his fruitless search for Windmere. If only Ragnar hadn’t specified “and healers” then he could have just gone back after his previous trip. But nooooo…. He had to search further. These Elysium wolves better have what he needed!

 He wondered if Sylvie was up?

 He flew around Elysium, croaking and cawing and causing a general ruckus before settling in a tree on a low branch. He glowered around at everything, waiting to be acknowledged.

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^^It was not an uncommon sighting to see ravens and other birbs flying around, especially when her sister in law was housing her very own hatchling, or whatever little baby ravens were called. A baby birb needed a social circle, Harper mused to herself, recalling that her sister and wife went to meet with the Murder Pack.

And now it seemed that there was a rabid raven flying around causing all sorts of commotion. Lord, where was that little hatchling? Harper was trying to take a nap, and this guy just wouldn’t shut up. Rolling over with a defeated sigh, Harper threw her mouth to the sky and decided that she would sing with him, since he was clearly trying to sing (and failing at it). Harper had always wanted a singing partner.

^^
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 What what WHAT? What on earth was that horrible racket?! Why was that dumb wolf howling! She was polluting the air with her weird noises! Bah! He hated wolf howling! It was loud and obnoxious! Pot meet kettle.

 ”YOU STOP HOWLING! KRAKAKAW!” He flapped his wings and hopped to a closer tree to caw indignantly at her. Annoyed immensely by her interruption. Who gave her the right?. UGH! ”Krakarak here for important things and you DISTRACT HIM!” Maybe this one would know about a healer since she seemed to be in the pack. ”You know of healer? Krak Krak! Ragnar of Northfall need healer for red-wolf!” Dumb wolves. Wasting time. He hoped this one wouldn’t waste his time too. He could be at home having a Ragnar-caught meal…

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^^It took all of two seconds for Harper to realize that the birb was not calling for an audition of singing partners, and really, it broke her heart. Her ears lowered dramatically, and she whimpered, paw to chest, as if he’d truly broken her heart.

No, instead, he was here for Ragnar? Oh wait, she knew that name. A raven, working for a wolf? Was Northfall and the Murder Pack one in the same? Wat? No. No way. That was not possible, was it? Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Apologies, me kind sir.” She would say, as there was no way she could pronounce his name without fucking it up two ways to sunday.

“You's speakin' to Elysium Healer, frand.”

^^
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She would have recognized that sound from anywhere. Five feet, five miles, five light-years; Krakarak's loud crowing was unmistakable. Obnoxious. Horrible.

Enrapturing.

His initial string of half-truths regarding Northfall's status as a raven-crowned pack of warrior wolves notwithstanding, she had found it in her heart to move past the incident and still regarded him with the starry-eyed wonder of a little kid gawking at their idol.

“Krakarak!” she called gleefully, flapping with awkward strokes across the lake to meet him. Ah, shit, she forgot the childish appeal. “I mean, Kwakawak!”

Harper was present, having heard her attempt at engaging in a duet with the offending raven, but he seemed to have something more urgent to take care of. Coming in for a landing, Sylvie let out a small screech as she flew right toward the pair and accidentally nailed Harper's left shoulder - where she then clung, upside-down, swinging by her talons like a confused bat.

“Is Kwakawak taking you away?”

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 Harper's display of "hurt", completely had the raven fooled. He nodded his head once in a "serve's you right" sort of gesture, as he huffed and puffed. So? This was a healer, huh? That was exactly what Ragnar had called for. Now he could end this silly mission and lead her back to--

 "Kwakawak!" The sound was like music to his ears. He knew that sweet call of the little raven cherub and his mood instantly became better. All had been forgiven for his previous dishonesty and he thanked his lucky stars. He couldn't bear to disappoint the sweet child. His sweet child, as he liked to think of her.

 The sweet little hatchling flew into the wolf and hung down by her feet in the most adorable way possible. With a cawing laugh, he flapped his wings and fluttered down to the raven. He looked up at her with a bird-smile on his face. Now, for her, he had all the time in the world!

 "Sylvie! How you doing? Krakaw!" He still hated the dumb wolf name that they had given her but, eh, what could you do? "Krakarak is here on the most important mission! He fetching healer for Ragnar!" He said proudly, as if he wasn't just complaining and being a jerk to everyone because of said mission. Now, he spoke it with pride, as he wanted nothing more than to impress the little chick.

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^^Red Lady? Ragnar? Northfall? Harper’s eyes narrowed as she became deep in thought - would Sindri be considered a red lady? Or did they house another red lady that was so injured that Ragnar had needed to send his birb out searching for all of the healers of Canis?

There was other birb calling and suddenly, Harper had acquired a new addition to her shoulder, that hung upside down like a cool new accessory. Harper paused a moment to lean down to sniff at her, licking her little feets in greeting.

“I think so?” Harper would say, as the birb himself confirmed that he was searching for a healer for Northfall. “Does Sylvie wish to come with, so Harper isn’t so alone? Your friend would like that, yes?”

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The little fledgling swung merrily from Harper's ruff, seemingly finding nothing unusual about the action. Krakarak's thrilled greeting made her feathers fluff - she was no stranger to flattery, like all ravens - and beamed like the radiant little shadow she was.

“Oh! That sounds dangewous!” she breathed excitedly, eyes sparkling with anticipation. The most urgent thing that had happened to her thus far was dinnertime, and even then, that still came with some regularity; but she knew herself to be a warrior, and the battle summons had come. “Momma might not want me to go...” Trailing off, the little bird looked forlornly off toward the dens. Yet she knew Harper to be a force of nature, strong and ferocious - no harm could possibly come to her beneath the war-maiden's careful eye and healing touch. Her resolve strengthened, she flapped her wings and righted herself so that she stood upon the she-wolf's nape.

“Yes!” she proclaimed valiantly. “I will come and help!”

With what, no one knew; she was useless.

“Tonight, WE WIDE!”

Ride.

Tonight, we ride, she said.

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 Dangerous? He wiggled his tail feathers, quite pleased with the little raven's awe. "Is most dangerous! Krakaw! But Krakarak is not afraid! He brave terrible storms and vicious wolves to search out those here!" Oh yes... so very dangerous. He was totally not overexaggerating and lying... again.

 If it was so dangerous, he might have discouraged Sylvie from coming but he certainly was not going to do that. "You will be most helpful! Krak! And! You be safe with Krakarak and," He eyed the she-wolf. Something similar to disdain there as he gestured at her with a wing. "Loud healer wolf." He didn't know her name and didn't really care to ask. She was a healer and that was good enough for him.

 Without further ado he flapped into the air and deftly circled the wolf. The fading sunlight glinted off of his feathers, illuminating the purple in what he hoped was an impressive display. "Come! You follow Krakarak! He lead you back!" And then, he lead the way for the she-wolf to follow.

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^^Momma might not want me to go, the little one had said, though before Harper could protest, she had already changed her mind. To this, Harper would smile and nod her head; how else was she going to keep Valeska informed, if not by messenger birb? Perhaps it would be beneficial to have an official messenger birb - you know, in case Sylvie was busy or simply did not want to carry messages.

A thought to be considered, but alas, they were on the move. “Be sure to let your mother know that we’re leaving, yes? Otherwise she will worry lots and we do not want her to worry.” Harper cooed softly, pausing as Krak called her loud healer wolf. Standing, and very lightly shaking out her coat - as she didn’t want to drop the babe - Harper would follow the birb to Northfall, or wherever this red lady was.

“Amvenchur awaits!”

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Krakarak did the foolish thing and riled her up further with all his talk of danger and terrible storms and vicious wolves; Sylvie's breath quickened, eyes wide at the vision of impending bloodshed as she felt her true purpose unfold.

A warrior.

Interestingly enough, she felt the urge to be protected and sheltered from the world's cruelty only when Mama was around. There was a phrase for that - 'learned helplessness', if you would - but in the absence of her precious, warm, all-knowing mother, a Viking stirred within.

The urge to raid - to pillage.

She shivered.

But first -

“Yes Hawper,” she replied, admonished. “Kwakawak, wait up! I gotta tell mama first.”

And THEN - they would ride.
 

{Exit Sylvie to tell Mamaranth she's going on a terrifying adventure}

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