Welcome to Gaia! ::

High above- well, not so high that it couldn't see too well- was another black bird. And man, was it hot out here. Fortunately, the bird didn't mind- it was cooler up here than down there, that was for sure.

This one was a cousin of the magpie- a crow. So many black birds around lately- anyone who was suspicious would probably freak out by now. Of course, this crow was not here to speak to minds. It was here to simply observe and watch.

And... lookie here! People! And another bird... the man with black hair seemed to be looking at it in a stressful manner. As for the woman, she had red hair, and looked aggressive as she stared at the magpie. There was also a woman- one with long (read: very long) black hair who was walking into what looked like a tent.

Interesting, very interesting! The crow swooped down to look, riding a thermal before gracefully coming down for a closer look. No one would notice another black bird, simply enjoying the view- and if they did, they would pay it no mind.

Of course, there were more birds than usual around. And almost four days later, another one appeared. This one was a raven, much like a crow. However, this was no ordinary raven... this one was sentient. Had more of a purpose than simply flying over the area.

It had taken almost a week to get here- perhaps the trail was still fresh- perhaps they had already moved on. In any event, the bird was here, and it was looking for something. As it landed behind a building on the outskirts of the city, the bird began to change.

Yes, change. As in shapeshift, change form, you get the idea. Over the next five minutes, the avian features would become more and more human. Dark skin would replace obsidian feathers, arms would replace wings and legs in place of... well, bird legs. The only thing that had not changed were the purple eyes.

When it- or rather he was done, the bird had turned into a six foot-one man of age twenty-one, lean but well-muscled and wearing mostly black. Short-sleeved, form fitting t-shirt, black cargo pants which were outfitted for special forces members, leather gloves, and the black, steel-toed boots. Even the katana that he normally wore was there- all four feet and three inches of it. The tsuka was of course, as black as the rest of him, the only color change being a silver inlaid japanese dragon running along the length of it. He also carried two tanto, which were sitting comfortably in thigh holsters for quick access.

Fortunately for him, he had brought a change in clothes that included clothing that reflected the sun instead of absorbing it. It was bloody hot out here, after all. He put on the mirrored shades that were his trademark, and put on his business face.

"Now then... where are you?"

He asked around, trying not to seem too eager to find them. The same descriptions- a man with black hair and brown eyes and a petite red head with blue eyes. There were a lot of people with black hair and brown eyes these days, but then he explained that he should have a very... unique weapon with him. No one acted like they had walked through, however. That is, until he walked into the local bar and found that they had indeed headed through town.

"You didn't hear this from me... but the people you were talking about were headed east of here. There's a tent down there with an old man in it- he doesn't come to town much other than to get what he needs. Keeps mostly to himself... if I were you, I'd stay away from the black-haired one."

Evan nodded, paid for the drink (and the information, seeing as the look in his eyes seemed eager for compensation for the otherwise well-kept secret), and headed towards that direction. The situation was as described when he got there- it looked like he was just in time.

Hn... there you all are. But why look funny at a bird? Unless, of course, the bird is a messenger... in which case the message can't be heard by anyone other than who it was intended for. Still, I think it would be wise to listen to your reactions... that'll be enough.

He was behind the building that the magpie was perched on top of. He didn't have to see everything- he could always listen. And listen he did.

Interesting. Whoever's controlling that bird is definitely not a friend of Vahn over there. This could turn sour for Hono if she keeps going... I have to get her back to Durem. And that means alive, by any means necessary.

Hugin smiled briefly, wondering if this could get any more intriguing.

Looks like my intelligence paid off. Finally, something to cure my boredom. I'm sure everything will be fine in Durem... Well, not entirely sure, but I do hope so. In the meantime, I suppose I'll just have to figure out a way to get her out of this mess.

He decided to stay behind his cover for a bit longer, seeing as this was not the time to be seen. However, he would definitely approach her later this evening. For now, his first interview was with Vahn... now, if only Tellus and Hono would step away for a moment. Of course, there was the matter of Tellus being able to sense a particularly strong spirit... he had a handle on that as well.

From the moment he had entered the city, he masked his energy signature- in other words, he lowered his energy to a fraction of what it used to be. It were as if he had no soul at all- were it not for the single, tiny piece of energy that were left. It was the way he got past most with a keen sixth sense.

So then, all he had to do was wait...

She must have been imagining things. Seriously, she must have.

Not even she could have detected him with his energy reduction technique- and besides, his mental shields were at full. He was completely and totally undetectable, and behind cover at that. The thought was neither responded to, nor considered. In his mind, the only one who could possibly teach Munin enough about being mortal was standing right there.

For all intents and purposes, she could take care of herself. True enough. But this... he had a feeling that what was going down here went much deeper than even she realized. Wheels were in motion, and if she didn't move out of the way, she just might get run over by them this time.

No, he would stay here and face whatever gave him this... feeling of unease head on. Stubborn? Yes. Then again, he was her "older brother". Why not be stubborn?