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"I cant eat them tho... but are there a lot of the dead things on roads? I walk down um and I don't see too much. You should eat more." There was a firm nod from the woodpecker, one hand sliding up to rub at the smooth, shiny baldness that was his best friends head.

"Diacyn eats bunnies!"

After that squeaking announcement, Shanuhs voice rang through the room. The woodpecker gave one hop - no, two - and meandered over to a desk. He plopped down next to Xaxis and craned his head back to peer at Diacyn. Waving more, the woodpecker patted the seat next to him as well - surrounded by the fun ones! biggrin

Well. Not Savius. But he wasn't so fun today.

Shanuh spoke, in words about death and hurt, hurting things and killing things and - souls? What was a soul? Didn't he have that on his shoe? Whatever it was, he'd ask later.

His hand moved to the air at Shanuhs question and it stayed there. Red eyes blinked, peeking up at his fingers, and then back at Shanuh. "'Zat bad?"

"Tell me, class - who wants to kill things today? Is there anyone here who doesn't want to suck the soul out of a living being? Is there anyone here who doesn't want to savor the sweetness of personally inflicting death?"

Rascir pondered the question. It didn't sound like something he liked. Something deep within didn't like the sound of "inflicting death". Death wasn't something you did, it was something that happened. He went quiet and thoughtful, like the hushed sound of a forest of birds listening as the predator lurked in the woods all compressed into the form of this little boy.

He raised his hand, "I don't want to kill."

Shanuh watched with baited breath as the children contemplated his words. It was ironic to notice that the two "fighters" of the group (the owl and kestrel) had yet to experiment with their gifts. Yet their two smaller groupies (the raven and woodpecker) had meddeled with their gifts. Perhaps it went along with necessesity? Too small and sick to do much good physically, magically was the only way they'd get far. . . Then again, it could just be coincidence too.

Whatever the case, Shanuh shook his head at Iamel's question, when the boy kept his hand raised. "It isn't bad, Iamel. In fact, it's very good."

Of course, when Rascir made mention that he had no inclination at all to kill. . . well . . . Shanuh couldn't help but do a double take. His expression never wavered, his violet lips ever carved in his gentle smile.

Oh dear.

There would be some who might not have an inclination to destroy. Was Rascir one of them . . .? Perhaps, perhaps. But that didn't he have an interest in the dead and dying.

"Well then, Rascir," Shanuh asked, fixing his attention solely on the bunting. "If that didn't sound appealing to you, what does?" Did he want to be in the class? Shanuh could only assume he did, considering the child had come to the class. Hmmm - perhaps the kinks would have to be worked out with this one.

He may very well have to discuss it with his supervisors.

Shanuh didn't want to keep the bunting here if the child had no desire to stick around.

Xaxis was shocked, and couldn't help but turn two magenta eyes on the bunting. He didn't want to kill!? How in the world did that happen? Was he crazy?

To Xaxis, killing and causing one to suffer was a natural born instinct. Inflicting death, stealing souls (whatever those were) just seemed like the ultimate rush, the ultimate high, and so very, very fun! Beyond fun, there was something that stirred deep in the little raven's heart. Something that told him this was indeed what he desired and craved.

The raven didn't have to say anything. But he did stare, and the confusion was written clearly on his face.

Rascir was nice and everything, but if singing and making up songs weren't weird enough, this new announcement made him an absolute freak.

Xaxis just didn't know how to take to Rascir's words. He didn't want to kill? That just couldn't be!

"....what?" The woodpecker asked curiously, eyebrows arch up with a little snarky noise, black and white wings giving a little flutter. This kid was crazy. What the hell?

he leaned a little closer to Diacyn, one arm looping around the bald head as two curious eyes bore into the songbird. Savius, as awesme as he was, was neglected in favor for STARING at this annoying little singer that obviously didn't want to kill things.

"Why DON'T you want to kill?" He snarked out, head cocking to the side, drumming his fingers on Diacyns swirly head. "Things suffer unless they die. The place gets overrun unless things die. And the power kicks a**. What the hell is WRONG with killing things? It's a service, nothing to feel bad for."

With Diacyn glaring at him, and Iamel's voice thick with shock and disbelief, Savius was all ready and willing to jump to Rascir's defense. The kid was weird. Weird was good. They couldn't all be bloodthirsty, right?

Should any of them be bloodthirsty? Shanuh seemed to think so. He was supposed to know the things they didn't. That's why he was teaching them, right?

And the thought hit him. Shanuh was teaching them what they didn't know. He was there for them to learn from. That was what Lithle had meant.

Damn. She was right. Why did she have to be right? That was his job.

Some of the tension left his body, and he visibly relaxed, his shoulders falling into their usual lazy slouch, his hard glare fading in favor of half lidded observation.

"I think he's right." He drawled, smiling at the shocked and suspicious, "I mean, hell, I wanna kill things. But I'm a raptor."

A very small raptor, but none the less.

"It's not really about that. We're what we are. It doesn't have to be a hunger."

"It's the only way life continues. It's to die." Iamel responded stubbornly. That was his belief - to live, SOMETHING must die. But... the kids proclaim of wanting to just end suffering relaxed him. Soothed some ruffled feathers.. And the woodpecker leaned back, arms still wrapped around Diacyns bald head.

"Ending suffering I can see. But not at ALL.. That's just. Weird." Blinking and nodding still, peeking over at Shanuh, nose wrinkling. "What ARE we gonna learn here? I mean... I know you said, we WILL learn how to control what we do. Are. But.. How?"

"Yeah, things gotta die and all," he shrugged and looked down as he spoke out his thoughts. "But I don't wanna be the one to make it die when it doesn't have to yet. It's like... altering stuff when it wasn't meant to just yet. Wouldn't that mess stuff up?"

Xaxis glanced back and forth between his friends, opting to (big surprise) keep quiet. He'd let his friends do the chatting and mulling and brainstorming - for now, he'd just listen and pick up whatever information seemed relevant.

Besides, they all seemed to be having such a debate, that there wasn't really any room for him TO pipe up. Heaving a little sigh, the raven rested his head on his hands, elbows on his knees as he slouched forward to focus further on Shanuh.

Savius' cheeky question was one Xaxis felt they all were probably feeling - when would they actually get to DO something? Or was today's class all talk and lecture?



Shanuh was inwardly pleased at the mornings discussion. The boys seemed to be grasping basic concepts of death and dying. At least these five had an interest in killing, if not a cultivated desire.

That was fine - the latter would come with time.

"Death is something innate in all of you. You are Guardians of Death and each have been given a role, given the potential to become something more than what you are now.

"Yes, the magic you possess is death magic. But you don't have to kill." Shanuh paused, eyeing Diacyn first, than allowing his gaze to rest on each of the Birds. "None of you have to kill - none of you have to practice your magic, none of you have to grow in power.

"It is something I hope all of you will do, it is something I hope each of you has an interest in - but never feel like it's required. If you don't want to partake in an activity and kill, than don't. If, as you grow older, you don't WANT to associate yourself with death, than feel free to pretend your power isn't there. The power of death lies in each of your hands - but the only way to manipulate that power is through choice. No, Diacyn, none of you have to kill. But it is why you're standing here today."

Shanuh didn't necessarily want to go into a history lesson. The children needn't know that story at this age. That could come later, with further lessons.

"You're all right, when it comes to the purpose of death. Iamel is right to say it's the only way life continues. For every life, there must be death. For every beginning, there must be an end - nothing, and I do mean nothing lasts forever. Not your companions, not me, not you - not even death itself.

"It may be hard to understand now, but you'll learn more about the history of Life and Death, and even your own histories later on. For now, just try to accept the fact that, right or wrong - be death taken from a person unwillingly, be death natural, be death on a small or large scale - it is something that will happen. Just know, that if you aren't the ones to inflict death and dying upon the world, that someone or something else will do it for you."

Xaxis' wings twitched as the raven mulled over yet another lecture. Yes, yes - he understood all of that. Death was something that happened, was something that they did. They all had the potential to kill, but none of them were forced to do it. With life, came death, and that was that.

Who started this debate anyway? Why weren't they learning MAGIC? Why all this chit-chat and conversation and group discussion? Was this a magic lesson or school?

Well. . . maybe it was both.



Shanuh let his last bit of lecture sink in while he moved behind the front table. A small glass cage was filled with small, black and white mice. Most of them were asleep, but a few were scurrying around the bottom of the cage. Reaching his hand in, Shanuh retrieved a small, squeaking mouse. It struggled in the firm grasp, but beteween forefinger and thumb, there was no where for the mouse to go.

"I'll teach you how to kill, Savius - I'll teach you all how to kill," Shanuh purred, eyes bright with a new sort of fire. "And since you're anxious to begin, why don't you come up front and get this show on the road?"

Right now, Shanuh wanted the children to learn what death felt like. They'd start with mice, but Shanuh had a few surprises up his sleeve...

Xaxis threw a quick glance from Shanuh to Savius. Would the kestrel actually go or would he put up a defensive fight? He knew his friend never liked to be pushed around . . . but . . . . Shanuh wasn't really pushing, was he?

The raven's wings shimmied in wistfulness - so they were going to kill mice? They were kind of . . .small, weren't they? Oh well. Xaxis knew firsthand how hard it was to get results with magic and abilities. He couldn't make a hamster sneeze, so how was he going to even kill a little mouse?

What did Shanuh have planned for today? Oh, the raven dearly wanted to find out!