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A spare room within one of the several Watch Crows headquarters sat empty but for a teen sitting in the shadowy corner.
Three cots furnished the room. A bedside table was the only other piece of furniture. All in all, it was rather bare. Bare and dark, although the teen had his suspicions about the reason for the latter adjective.
"Dwelling on anything in particular, Sorren?" a sharp, feminine voice asked as the shadows beside him solidified.
Sorren let out a sigh. Coming from his fourteen-year-old self, it sounded pitifully angsty.
"Hi, mom," he greeted the Ancient of Shadows. "I'm just spending some time alone," he said, not entirely dishonestly. He brushed his messy bangs to the side of his face with the back of his hand-- a gold-tone, fleshy hand that meant he was doing well at keeping calm.
"I hope my company isn't intrusive," she said, thinly veiling the meaning that she didn't intend to leave him be that easily.
"O-of course not," he said, careful to respond with his manners in mind. "Are you doing well?"
Morangwusnasomtaqa waved her hand. "As well as I can be," she said dismissively. "I find," she began, her form shifting into a trio of purple-eyed crows, "that it helps to have another facet of one's self to talk with when introspecting. Where's Muzu at?"
Sorren's heart skipped a beat, knowing that she could see through Muzu's eyes just as clearly as he could through the strange bond the three of them possessed.
The cheerful, blue-eyed crow sat perched upon another young man's shoulder, accepting and requesting plenty of petting.
"What's got you in such a friendly mood, Muzu?" a hearty voice asked, obliging the crow's cuddly wishes and stroking his feathers gently.
Mora sighed, bringing both her own focus and Sorren's back to the dark room. She was, once again, in her human form.
"Your crow seems to have a mind of his own," she complained. "Such a strange choice for Thanatos to pick," she muttered under her breath. "Don't let him be a bad influence on you, you hear?" she said, voice bordering on lecturing.
"Don't worry, mom. Muzu does the same all the time with everyone," Sorren lied. "At the very least, I don't have the same naivety as he does."
Mora pursed her lips. "That's fair enough. I'll leave you be to brood," she said, walking to the door instead of dematerializing. "Stay vigilant."
Sorren nodded.
As soon as Mora shut the door behind her, Sorren let himself crack the faintest hint of a smile. Muzu's actions were an enigma, but... even indirectly, the attention was nice somehow.
Sorren's soft smile hardened into a look of fear as he felt pinfeathers prickling beneath his skin. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind as best as he could.
"Focus," he whispered to himself, willing the avian attributes to retreat far back.
Niles and Willy sparred with replica daggers within a chalk circle. The three apprentices took turns facing off under the supervision of their mentor, and this time around was Sorren's to sit out.
"Master Thanatos?" he asked, his voice low as always. He liked to think that his tone would be hard to eavesdrop on, at the very least.
"Hmm?" the Head of the Talons hummed in question, turning his eye to the avian halfborn.
"I... I have some questions," Sorren admitted, looking to the ground.
"Excellent questions?" Felix asked, grinning almost devilishly while the other two continued to fight in the background.
Sorren groaned. "I hope not," he said, Muzu cawing in agreement from his shoulder. "I could certainly use some excellent answers, though," he grumbled.
Felix looked back over his shoulder, making sure that neither apprentice had killed the other before he turned his attention to Sorren.
"Alright," he said, smiling gently. "Shoot."
Sorren averted his eyes, staring anywhere but directly at Felix... or within the sparring ring.
"I-" he began, trying to find his words and stalling out. "I'm having... trouble with some feelings," he said.
"I think that's what it is, anyway. I've found myself on the verge of transformation because of it," he said, fear creeping into his voice.
Felix's brow creased in concern. "What kind of feelings?" he asked. "You do a remarkable job with staying cool under pressure. What's affecting that?"
Sorren didn't answer. Muzu, on the other hand, was more than glad to betray the answer by turning his head very clearly towards Will-- Will who was dodging Niles' quick attacks expertly, going so far as to literally roll out of the way all while staying within the confines of the circle.
"Ah," Felix said. Sorren couldn't infer the meaning of the tone.
"Are the feelings you're having trouble with-- Are they bad feelings?" he asked. Sorren shook his head.
"They're not bad," he said, confusion mingling with the last word. "They're distracting, though. What do I do with that?"
Felix laughed under his breath. "That's-"
"Please, no."
"-an excellent question," Felix said. Sorren put his hands over his face.
"Listen," Felix said, his voice softening to something... more personal. "These sorts of things, they're different for everyone, but a lot is the same, too. You trust him, don't you?" he asked, though his words might as well have been rhetorical. "That's a good starting point. In fact, you've got quite the headstart for having known him as long as you have." Felix paused pensively. "See if you can work up the courage to let him know. You focus well with him," he said, as though simply stating fact. "If you get emotional, you'll be better off with him by your side than with about anyone else I could think of," he said.
A sudden curse rang through the air, followed by a gasp. Felix whipped his head around to the sparring ring.
"Ribs, Niles," Willy said breathlessly, lying on his side as he caught his breath.
"That was my aim, yes," the tween said sassily. He grinned a smug little grin.
"-can't take my eyes off of you two for a moment," Felix grumbled. Sorren ducked beneath his arm to offer a hand to Willy, who was laughing now that he'd regained his breath.
"Ah, Sorren," Willy said, taking his hand. "If I die of a popped lung, would ye do me a favor and avenge me? That little dhol'kai of a fighter," he said, gesturing to Niles, who looked giddy to talk with Felix, "is the target." He laughed again, falling backwards even with Sorren's support and pulling the halfborn on top of him in the process.
"Will!" Sorren protested, trying to stand.
"Sorry, Sorr," the redhead chuckled. "Y'know, to change the subject, have you noticed how cuddly Muzu's been lately?" he remarked, and Sorren had to bite his tongue to keep from blushing or responding.
Muzu cawed, fluttering back to Sorren's shoulder and nibbling on Willy's hair, which was conveniently within reach.
Sorren averted his eyes as Willy laughed again. What ridiculous emotions. What a ridiculous crow.
Felix tapped Sorren on the shoulder quickly. "If Mora asks, I didn't give you any advice about that, you hear?"
Sorren's face was blank for a moment, but he could only keep Willy's contagious laughter at bay for so long. A laugh escaped his lips, and somehow he didn't have any fear of a transformation.