Chapter 1: Crow
Finally the wait was over. Jarring as it was, the magically charmed crow was very clear. F'rl (pronounced 'furl', like a sail or long piece of parchment) was flooded with emotions that he'd been supressing for years. Ickekoof, the man F'rl has loved for centuries has been seen for the first time since his death. F'rl tried to remind himself that there are many volsuni with dark crimson skin and his 'eyes' have made mistakes before. He struggled to control his eager hope.
Oddly, the crow he'd named 'Crow' didn't fly off after delivering the message. This particular crow was much larger than most other birds that lived inside the city and had served F'rl as an 'animal messenger' for several years, possibly even a longer. But he didn't initially pick Crow for any specific reason. When F'rl was setting up his search network he had needed a view from above the city. Initially he wanted to use animals native to the urban sprawl, the kinkaju, but he quickly learned that kinkaju do not serve any master, under any circumstance. It was a valuable lesson.
F'rl had already stood and begun dressing before he noticed the bird was still watching him. Closely. Intently. He let the arcane cleaning spell that he'd been humming trail off and the thick blue and white fluid he'd been cleaning from the formal vest in his hand spattered to the floor in lumpy gobs instead of discorporating. Confused but curious, F'rl took a tentative step toward the bird watching him.
"Crow?" speaking quietly, F'rl considered the modified spell he'd been using to network with the birds and knew the bird shouldn't have the ability to speak unless asked a direct question pertaining to things it has seen, in this case Ickekoof. The large bird continued to stare at him, blinking in the stacotto manner entirely unique to birds. It didn't seem any different that ususual. "Are you confused because I'm happy? I suppose you've known me for a while now and this is the first time I've been this excited by your visit. I hope you haven't taken it personally!"
Somehow, talking to Crow diffused his concerns over the birds behaviour and F'rl resumed his magical humming. Thanks to his spell the clothes were pristine as he sat on his bed and leaned back to slide his feet into the coarse, tan trousers before again firmly planting his feet on the ancient floorboards of his bedroom and hauling them to his waist. While he fumbled with the heavily worn laces at the front of his pants he again glanced over at Crow, who was still clearly a bird doing bird-like things.
"Okay." Frowning for a moment, F'rl cleared his throat to use what Ickekoof would call his 'spellcaster voice'. Some spells work best, or only, with spoken commands that require precision. Unbeknownst to F'rl when he was upset with his partner speak in his 'spellcaster voice' during arguments! F'rl longed for Ickekoof so much that he was even missing their fights! Snapping from his rose-coloured memory, F'rl rolled his eyes at himself and turned his attention on Crow.
"Do you have a reason to stay here?" Again, the spell shouldn't allow Crow to respond to this kind of question. Yet it did. Not with words but by gesturing with his body, he tapped his right foot twice then bobbed his head twice, then tapped his beak in the windowsill twice. Astonished, F'rl grinned at the bird.
"You're waiting for me?" F'rl spoke and Crow responded immediately, squared tiny crow posture toward F'rl and did two little hops in place, followed by spreading his wings wide and gesturing as if to say 'hurry' or 'come on!'
Baffled but amused by his new companion he adjusted his jacket and swung his satchel over his shoulder. A quick series of pats and squeezed confirmed that he had all the things he'd prepared for this day. F'rl could feel his cheeks radiating heat in excitement, heat that was matched by his 'other' growing excitement in anticipation of seeing his love again. Not that F'rl had been abstinent during his absence but he was beyond eager to be in his husbands arms again.
"Lead the way, Crow. Take me to my husband."
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