Cabin Feverish Preparations

For many days, it seems to Gus that everyone is reading books and writing onto parchment and saying to themselves “Hmmm” and “Oh, interesting”. He finds it more and more annoying and spends time each day traveling to the nearby forest looking for materials to make arrows and backup bow strings. Every once in a while Ethelred or Ezrin ask for help in gathering materials from the forest which Gus enjoys quite a bit and it raises his spirits. When he goes to the forest each day, he first asks if anyone needs anything.

The crow seems glued to Gus’s shoulder while in the fort and tent. When in the forest the crow leaves the shoulder and attaches to random nearby tree branches moving to be within 50 feet of Gus. Gus seems to never acknowledge the “bird” except to give it random found nuts or mushrooms from the forest. When the crow caws randomly and annoyingly Gus looks dead eyed at the ground like the mother of an unwanted child.

While in the tent Gus keeps himself busy with the creation of arrows and making backup bow strings. He whittles, cuts, guts, straightens, embeds, washes, curls and knocks. He seems to take longer than normal when going to the bathroom. When not busy he gets annoyed by the smarties sounding like they discovered the Westlands in their books and thoughts. Gus makes fun of them sometimes by repeating the strange words mockingly he hears them say. They usually look up and glare at him which makes Gus look away with a little shame..

After another forest retreat though, Gus seems to be refreshed and less biting towards his team temporarily.

Alternate take: Spilled desires in the veiled world

After asking Telosh about his theories on the forced bird connection, Gustav privately goes to Alexis for his opinion:

“What happened there. Why do you think Telosh forced a connection between me and the bird against my will? I didn’t want that troublemaking bird to follow me or rely on me for anything. Telosh already knew my feelings of the crow, Do you think he was possessed by a demon who cast spells against his will? Or did he let in the demon?”

Gustav seems to be seething thinking about it again.

“It seems like it might not have been his choice, but he wanted a connection between me and the bird before the possession. Maybe the demon stole his desires and spilled them all over the veiled world.”

Gustav looks at the crow which is cawing nearby and kicks a rock near it.

Spilled desires in the veiled world

After Telosh’s Possession, Gustav furrows his brow and asks:

“What happened there. Why did you force a connection between me and the bird against my will? I didn’t want that troublemaking bird to follow me or rely on me for anything. You already knew my feelings of the crow, were you possessed by a demon who cast spells against your will?”

Gustav tries to calm down and his shoulders crumple a bit.

“It seems like it might not have been your choice, but you wanted a connection between me and the bird before the possession. Maybe the demon stole your desires and spilled them all over the veiled world.”

Gustav looks at the crow which is cawing nearby and hisses at it.

The Black (Feather) Speech

Telosh helps Gustav forage, trap and hunt, and spends a bit of time talking with him about trap craft. He aids Ethelred with the ballista, tumbles and spars with all of his companions. He is clumsy with his off hand, and while is eyes are little empty, his feints are not less convincing.

He feeds the crow whenever it comes around camp, but doesn’t talk to it in front of Gus, or at least when he knows Gus is nearby.

One afternoon, when Telosh thinks he is alone with the crow, he tosses it a morsel, closer than when they are near the others. As it eats, Telosh speaks slowly,

“You only ever tried to help and protect me.

“Gus says your feathers were protected by an agent of M- the Corrupter of Animals, and he thinks you are an agent of Theirs…

“I’ve never understood why he didn’t like you…

“If you are in the beast lords thrall, I hope I can free you, crow friend.”

Hunger Unites Them

More than just a few steps after the walking conversation about Ath, Telosh slides up next to Alexis again.

“Hunger. When I connected with the Dark Third, I felt a deep, bottomless hunger. That could be Undeath, it could be Crows, and it could be the ArruNoroth. The undead hunger for the living. Crows are always hungry for food. Dragons are always hungry for gold and power.”

Telosh pauses.

“What is Ath hungry for? I am hungry for recognition, praise… trust.”

Telosh grows very quite, even his steps are softer.