Agamemnon was standing on top of one of the towers of Castle Calaelan, gesticulating madly in the direction of Shades who was a hundred metres away, standing on the far roof in a way which would be precarious for someone without strong talons and a feathery complexion keeping them balanced. The target of his somatic activity was a bundle of white feathers the size of a reasonably proportioned dwarf, ten foot down the slope of the roof, hunkering down against the wind and steadfastly refusing to respond to the signals he and Shades were trying to teach it.
When he'd gotten back from Tarren's Junction with Marle two days ago Agamemnon had been met by Kruin who'd immediately jammed a handful of white hair in his face.
"This is wolf hair!"
"Is it indeed?" Agamemnon said, backing up enough to exam the hair. It was a braid, about thirty centimetres long, pale white hair, delicately woven. He held out his hand and took the braid from Kruin, feeling it. There were little knots in it. He concentrated. It was elven knot writing. He smiled. "It's from Drusilla."
"Is it?" Kruin glared at him.
"Er ... I mean -"
"There is a bird," Kruin interrupted him, pointing at the tower, "up there. It is shitting on everything." And then she stormed off.
Agamemnon had mounted the stairs to the tower to find a young albino roc roosting there. He was beautiful. There was a slight mark on his breast that looked like an injury which had almost healed. Agamemnon knelt down and watched the bird watching him while he read the braid.
The gifts of the forest are available to you ai-uifhua.
Ai-uifhua. White bird.
"Thank you, Drusilla," he'd whispered and stayed with the bird for some time.
Now they were trying to train it, but the bird was obstinate, and Agamemnon was having to acknowledge the fact that neither he nor Shades was particularly skilled at handling animals.
"When taming griffons, dwarven skyguards feed them bread soaked in beer to mellow them out."
Agamemnon spun around to see Snooks had come up into the tower.
"My friend!" he yelled, gripping the dwarf by the shoulders, and then embracing him.
"Steady on Ags," said the paladin gruffly, "I don't remember you being this touchy-feely."
"I don't remember you being this old, greybeard" said the priest, stepping back. "How was the vacation?"
"Productive."
"Hah! Typical. Send a Dwerfatern on holiday and he gets work done."
"One man's rest is another's opportunity for self improvement, lad."
"Words of wisdom from the honoured elder."
"At least I didn't spend six months sitting up an elven tree wanking birds."
Agamemnon laughed. It was good to have Snooks back. He'd missed the dwarf, even before he'd learned of his death. He looked over and waved at Shades who made an attempt to get the bird to come inside then gave up and left it there, clambering off the roof himself. The two friends looked over Castle Calaelan and watched the bird pottering around now that it was no longer being prodded by its erstwhile trainers.
"I heard you were at the ceremony," said Snooks.
Agamemnon nodded. "I left. I figured you'd need a little time to get your shit together."
"Aye, I did at that."
"According to Myr you were with the Thaurisians?"
Snooks nodded. "You're going to want to talk about that, aren't you?"
"Well, you see," said Agamemnon, putting on his most educated voice, "it would help so immensely with my book, you see."
Snooks turned to look at the priest. "It's hell up there, it really is. We're holding our own, but it's a right mess. We're not even sure who we're fighting half the time. And the hosts of heaven aren't as coordinated as you'd expect."
"Thoross mentioned that the anima engine had punched holes through the walls between the planes," said Agamemnon somberly.
Snooks nodded. "It's disorienting at first. You get used to it, but it's only getting worse."
The bird had found a comfortable spot and was trying to peck a hole through the roofing. They watched it for a minute.
"There's a pub, in town," Agamemnon offered. "Why don't we have a drink to welcome each other home?"
"That sounds like a plan," said the dwarf as they made their way down the stairs from the tower. "Is it more reasonably priced than Bristleback's?"
"Much, and this one has a talking parrot."
"I've been waging divine war on the very planes of heaven. I'm not that impressed by a talking bird."
"But this one is intelligent!"
"Compared to that oversized feather duster of yours I bet it is."
