A/n Here's your first ruff tonight, don't forget to check out the Animus Storm publication contest entry!

Howling Thunder Ch32: Operation Bird Droppings

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The sun is finally creeping it’s way into the horizon. Once Asta happily curled up in her sheets I slipped back out her window to the roof of the Raijin’s tower. The Academy's height stretches a fair amount above any other towers between it and the wall.

Looking west past the webs of aqueducts and spires, beyond the wall and river, light slowly fades from the hundreds of miles of farmlands. I swear I can almost make out the small white herds of sheep as they huddle towards their barns for the night. The small hills cast shadows into the crops as fog slowly drifts from the woods to the north.

A voice behind me, the Raijin’s, “The hours after dusk and before dawn should be the peak of your Barghest abilities…There is something I’m going to ask of you boy.”

I turn around to face the man who is lazily sitting on his roof, still in his white robe, a jug of what smells like Sake in his hand.

He brushes back his blue hair and points across to the other tower, at the floor of the twins, “You dogs age too fast, ten years and you're more than fully grown. Two years ago you already reached the age when many of your race already has their first litter. Of course the average lifespan of lycans is only around fifty years, the stronger ones can live a few hundred your mother is an extreme example of this. The Inari are expected to live a thousand years before passing their mantle, your mother’s predecessor was past 800 when she sacrificed herself to win this city.”

With a grin, “You’ve gone off track there gramps.”

Chuckling he takes another swig, “That I have pup, I want to ask that should your little wife over there have pups, I want one left with me. It's frustrating to have missed the early youth of my own children and grandchildren.”

Hmm, “It’s not that I don’t understand Gramps, but I’m sure you asked the same thing of Grandma Hyndla?”

He nods, “Hildy gave me an immediate no, she can be so mean these years. Haha, put a few drinks in her though and she's right in her prime again!”

Really didn’t need to know that, “My first wife, an Anubi woman, I can only imagine she’d curse me if she had to spend eight years in the den again. I think letting any pups from her be in your care would be best, I’m sure she’d be thrilled at not having to leave her work. As for Asta, you know better than me what that answer will be.”

Sighing he leans back and watches the dim light of stars begin to appear in the fading light, “I’ve heard of your Patra girl, this is fine. Having the Anubi work with the Academy might bring a new dawn of industry to the city, a renaissance to rival the black city in the northeast… It should be time for you to start boy. Your magic is inherently dark in nature, go teach the buzzards the meaning of fear.”

Facing him I back to the edge of the tower, “I’ve heard many times that surely I’m some kind of ill omen.”

A large amount of black fog begins drifting out of my tail. Spreading my arms I fall back from the tower into the center of the spiraled spires. The black cloud bursts out and closes me inside, slowly taking shape. Anyone looking from afar or below would see what looks like a large raven, in an eerily slow dead drop.

Just before crashing through branches of the the open roof in the library hall, I flip over and flap my massive cloud wings. My descent slows, the blackbird form gently lands on a high branch in the center of the grand hall. Haunting, white flame eyes gaze at the students. I’m sure more than a few of them are feeling shivers down their spines.

As soon as it is perched the dark fog loses shape like water pouring down, leaving me standing on the branch. The white ghost flames slowly drift down beside me before snuffing out. Looking around the room I see that I’ve successfully gotten the attention of the room.

Mora flies up to the branch and walks over, “Practicing making an entrance my Lord?”

With a nod and a whisper, “How was it?”

She gives a small smile, “Are you sure you don’t read more storybooks than I?”

Oh come on! The other runts are shaking in their fur down there, whatever, “It’s time to go.”

“Did you have a plan for getting in, what exactly is our objective?”

I point behind her, “I figured we’d wing it!”

Her eyes roll, “At least try not to make the same jokes too often my Lord.”

With that she spreads her wings and takes off up, towards the outside. My black fog envelops me and dashes forward to cling to her. The students watch as an icey grey, dragon girl flies into the night sky while trailing black fog.

Another wisp of black fog rises from the side of the building, Maug’s voice calls out, “Where are you going Fuzzy Toy?”

“I’m headed to the Turul General's manor, have Ulfa stay here to guard the carriage. You’re to catch up soon, I’ll likely need a distraction in the rest of the bird tribe’s estate. Just start a few fires in their guard quarters, armory, and gatehouse, avoid killing anyone.”

The wisp of fog curves back towards the Academy stables, a loud cackling can be heard.

Mora asks, “Are you sure he isn't a hyena?”

“A what?”

“Never mind, so you do have a plan then, and do you plan to cling to me like this often?”

I begin shifting out my clouds, extending past her wings, her tail, arms and legs until she looks like a small black dragon soaring in the encroaching twilight sky.

“I can’t quite fly on my own, and you must admit this looks awesome!”

A small grin barely shows on her fairy like, grey face, she speaks while I admire her slightly blue lips, “Again I think you read more folktales than I do, I’ve heard the den of your family is similar in nature to our Bastion?”

“Ten years was too long to be hidden from such a wide world.”

Even now I can see the last light of the sunset on the distant horizon, the sky is fading from blue to black with every color in between. Small lamp light begin to flicker in the windows of the countless towers and along the cobbled streets below. The sound of laughter reaches us from various inns and taverns as the city nightlife kicks off. The castle up high on the plateau seems wholly illuminated by the bonfires of many guard towers and stations within.

With the full onset of night we circle round the cliffs to the perimeter of the Turul estate. Mora lands on a nearby aqueduct. I separate from her and reform at her side.

The estate seems to be the largest one built into the cliffs, all the structures would make this be the assumed palace if it were in any other city.

Mora looks at me, “So what now? Should we wait for that worg, with what you told him I don’t think you plan on bursting through the front doors?”

I shrug, “Awe but that sounds like so much fun… No, we are headed for the largest building in the center that hugs the cliff wall. I’m worried about that bird girl’s choice of words, surely her brother has some plan that most likely will cause a large amount of destruction.”

She finishes for me, “And with him likely to be in a panic over his sister he may act soon.”

With a sigh, “The only problem is that this sounds more than a bit far fetched considering all of the Turul I’ve met to date aside from Miklos have been rather… feather brained.”

“You think someone else is leading them on?”

Watching the bird men guards make short flights, lighting the remaining torches along the manor walls, “There has to be, but then who would advise such a random public event like earlier today. Any random citizen could have watched where all those men flew away to. Regardless we won't find out anything standing here...should I give you that spear now or…?”

Mora shakes her head, “No I don’t need it yet, these are likely to all be small pawns and I don’t think getting riled up will be conducive to sneaking inside.”

“Right then let's go, hug the cliffs and drop from above to the roof at the top of there.”

I point to the largest building jutting out from the cliff, it’s front entrance extends out like a massive balcony. The tip of which nearly pokes through the space between the statue’s wings that arch up to the sky.

We take off and gently rise up before gliding into the airspace above the manor, my black fog cloaking Mora against the night sky.

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A/n: howdy folks here's the first chap this weekend, ill get another out later tonight hopefully, need to go mow a lawn for my parents right now. Look forward to the comments, surprised there were so few in the last couple chapters considering how much was finally explained out. Also Really, check out Animus Storm publication attempt, spead the word, check it out, I put a lot of work into more proofreading and editing what's been posted there so far. Thanks again to those that vote (give stars) to the story on this site. the more eyes on the story the better I can make it.

Also been working on Greki's intro, so excited. I made my PC in D&D Storm King's Thunder campaign based on him. Triple classed Barb/Druid/Fighter, Lawful Evil. Would be a fun side story to write out one day.

I'll post on the twitters when i start workin on the next chap!