[open] if you're the bird, whenever we pretend it's summer

[deathfindsaway]

Who: Kravitz and you!
What: Ren has so graciously gifted Kravitz a new pet, and he is very, very excited about it.
When: Backdated to January 15th
Where: Starting at Elf Camp and then around Enso's shoreline
Warnings: Should be good!

i. [closed to ren, elf camp] you and i left our troubles far behind

[The thing about this plan is that Kravitz was not informed it was even a plan.

When Ren so innocently asked him about birds he liked over a month ago at the petting zoo, Kravitz had truly thought nothing of it. He's spoken about ravens before, and Ren ends up intent on the strangest things- it would be a lot to keep track of if he tried to record everything she's ever done. So the morning it Happens, he's peacefully sleeping away in the main tent of elf camp, none the wiser for what's about to go down.

Good luck, Ren. Or really, good luck Kravitz, in holding his own shit together.]

ii. [open, enso's shores] but i still have just one more question on my mind

[He had no idea this was even going to work, but now that it has, Kravitz is intent on testing the new bird out. He can be found along the shoreline of Enso, a large black bird on his shoulder that Kravitz seems to be talking to. It, on the other hand, is looking very intently at his closed fist at his chest.]

Okay, Lieutenant Pepper, we're going to go over this again. I'm going to throw this, and you're going to bring it back, and if you do-- without swallowing it-- you can have a treat. Okay? Good.

[The arm that has the bird on it produces a rock, which he tosses underhand away from him.]

Go on! Get it, bring it back--

[Yes. He's teaching a bird to play fetch. This is exactly what's happening here.]

Comments

[want_to_belong]

Seriously? Must be a smart bird.

[Of course they varied in intelligence back home, too, but any of them that could be trained had to be high up on the intelligence scale.

Prompto squatted down by the bird, watching it curiously.]

Hey there. I'm Prompto. You should learn my face first.

[deathfindsaway]

[Pepper's busy at first picking out the bits of food Kravitz had dropped, but when Prompto gets close she hops back a few steps, tilting her head back and forth as she seems to survey him. Kravitz takes the time to lean over and do a stage whisper, as if Pepper could possibly understand them.]

I find it helps if you have a little something to give her. She's very food-motivated. Or occasionally something she likes to hold.

[As if to add onto this, Pepper lets out a little expectant chirp.]

[want_to_belong]

Hmm. Stuff I give to Coco is probably a bit big for her.

[But he glanced back, and did dig out a small cabbage-like leafy green. Which was about the size of the bird, so he tore off a small piece and toss it on the ground in front of himself.]

You like greens, buddy?

[deathfindsaway]

[The raven seems to be interested in anything that'll be handed to it, but looks a little wary of Prompto's fingers. After a few seconds, she'll approach and peck it off the ground.]

They're scavengers so, ah, they'll eat just about anything. Their favorites are meats and grains, but I don't think she'll complain about a gift.

[Just to punctuate that, she finishes off the bit of leaf and then caws right at Prompto. Subtle.]

[want_to_belong]

Even meat? Seriously?

[But he just laughed, tearing off another piece. One good thing about the size difference was that he had enough food for Coco. Which was about as big as the little raven, so he wouldn't run out anytime soon.]

Plenty more where that came from, buddy.

[deathfindsaway]

Oh yes, they're technically carrion birds.

[Leave it to the grim reaper to have a bird that eats dead bodies. It's only appropriate. How else would ravens have gotten that reputation?

Pepper will not stop eating anything that gets put down, shaking off the sand as she retrieves the next bit. Kravitz looks like he adores her as she does.]

See, look how smart. What a good girl.

[want_to_belong]

Heh. Birds can be pretty smart, can't they?

[No bias there. But honestly, he liked animals in general.

After he laid down the next leaf, he cautiously tried to see if he could stroke her on the head.]

[deathfindsaway]

[Thankfully for Prompto's petting desires, Ren has already acclimated her to touch in the first 24 hours or so. While she's distracted he can feel free to gently stoke her head, though if her wings are touched she'll still get a bit fluttery.]

Absolutely. They've been used for centuries, just as much as horses or dogs. Yet they get very little credit for their accomplishments.

[Kravitz, don't take this personally now.]