They never believe me…

Why?

I haven’t told a single lie.

What’s so hard to believe that I saw Ratatoskr? The sly messenger?

--I know nobody has ever seen him before, but I did!

My older kicked me out. Saying that I was in the way of his practicing for flying. And I couldn’t help but scoff in his face. It wasn’t my fault! He was distracting himself with his stupid sparrow girlfriend. Gosh, she’s annoying as heck too.

Why are you going to ask about my day when I barely know you? It’s not like you’re family… Stupid bird woman!

Now, I was aimlessly walking around in my crow form, drinking some dewdrops if I ever began to feel tired. You’d think if my brother kicked me out, I would get to stay in my own home with my parents, right? Think again. If I annoy my ‘oh so perfect’ brother, they’ll kick me out too.

And they dare say that they have no favorites.

No favorites my .

My eyes caught onto a healthy tree, branches spread wide. Almost as if it was begging me to sit there. So I did. I opened my wings and quickly flew to the perfect branch I chose. Talons latching onto the thick bark, halting me to an abrupt stop as I enclosed my arms to my side.

Then, just looking at the sky.

It was a nice blue.

But my stare stopped when something flashed out the corner of my eyes. I turned instantly, wanting to find the shiny item and keep it to myself. –Ugh, crow things. Though it was fast, the bling didn’t get too far out of my visual. With a sharp flap, I silently followed after the dull glint as it blinked though the leaves.

Suddenly, the item jumped high, straight out of the tree to where I could finally find out what it was. (And see if it was cool enough to take) But, it wasn’t an item, no it wasn’t at all. What I was able to keep up with, and see for the first time, was a squirrel. Again, not just any little squirrel. He had a name and a reputation.

He was Ratatoskr, the sly messenger who came from the tree, Yggdrasil. Yes, we did live near that tree—the ash tree, but never have we seen someone from it.

The messenger had an acorn with blue engravings, stuffed in his satchel and was actually staring straight at me. Large, innocent looking eyes boring into my own with unwavering judgement. He did a small flip, shooting back into the tree.

What I had seen was his earrings. They were small, but incredibly shiny.

I knew it was impossible to ever set eyes on him, so I chose to believe I dreamt this happening. But damn, I was proven wrong fast.

Ratatoskr was at my side, sitting beside me was jittery limbs. I let out a squawk, nearly falling to my death with him near me out of nowhere. He laughed, pointing at me shamelessly as he nonstop giggled at my struggle. And I couldn’t help but scowl at him, instantly ignoring that he was indeed a God who could very well kill me if he pleased.

“You scared me.” I defended myself, hearing his annoying laughter stop a second later. He smirked, claws digging into the bark as he settled himself down comfortably, “I know I did, little birdie.” Another scowl was making its way up to my face.

“I’m not little! I’m five, dammit!”

He whistled mockingly, moving a single finger side to side, “Shouldn’t be using such evil words if you’re only five, little birdie~” I promptly ignored his remark, grumbling to myself while the squirrel eyed me curiously. “Why aren’tcha home?”

“Why should I answer you?” I muttered, glaring at the long drop to the ground. “You don’t. But, I’d like to know.” He spoke with the same stupid smirk, giggling again when I narrowed my eyes. “Fine. If you want to know so much—I was kicked out.”

Then I waited. I was expecting him to laugh, and mock me in some way. But no—he didn’t do that.

“You, a little birdie who’s only five, was kicked out? What kinda parents do you have?” The God said somewhat angrily, glaring at his own paws. I stared at him for a moment, then sighing through my beak, “Ones who like my older brother better.”

“…So, what didja do?” Ratatoskr questioned with a frown, picking at the bark with his claws boredly. “Apparently, I was distracting my brother when he was learning how to fly. But it was really his ugly sparrow girlfriend.” Again, he didn’t laugh, not even a small ‘ha’.

“When are you going to go back?” There was no answer to that. Even I didn’t know this time. He noticed the silence and provided a weak smile, “Oh. I see.” I merely nodded, understanding that the God knew the situation. “Yeah…” My voice cracked.

“What’s your name, little birdie?” The mocking tone with the nickname was gone, now just replaced with no emotion. I didn’t want to answer, why should I tell him? “Why?” He shrugged, “Gotta slap a name on ya. I can’t keep calling ya ‘little birdie’.” A valid point I suppose.

“…Yoo Youngjae.” Ratatoskr grinned, “Youngjae, eh? Not bad, not bad at all…” He jumped to his hind legs, popping his knuckles and stretching his back. “Sorry, Yoo Youngjae, I still got work to do. I’d bring you along, but I’m sure you wouldn’t know how to get back here.”

“Ha! How far do you have to go?”

His smile turned to a cocky smirk, “The Underworld. I have a message for Hel from that damn wolf Fenrir.”

“…Yeah. I think I’ll stay here.” He laughed at me.

“But hey!” I turned to him, seeing his hands begin to become jittery again. “Maybe if I make my way through this forest again, I’ll stop by. You know? And maybe just get ya out of your house. How does that sound?” I stared at him long and hard.

Then nodded cheerfully, “That’d be nice!” Ratatoskr clicked his tongue, saluting to me playfully before climbing up the tree and jumping to the next. I watched him go until his brown fur and shiny earring couldn’t be seen any longer.

“He was nice.” I whispered to myself, about to fly away but something else that was sparkly caught my eye. Moving slightly in the general direction, I could make out a sharp blade with a metal like hand from the shade. But when it moved to face me, dread filled my veins.

It kind of looks like…

It moved again.

I never ran away so fast in my life.

“Why were you looking at him?”

“Time is near.”

“You don’t mean his—“

"Yes."

“How’d the flight training go?” I asked boredly, walking past my brother’s girlfriend without so much as a glance. She giggled—that annoying laugh that made me want to strangle myself—and hopped over to me. “It went swell! He didn’t actually fly though! But like, he lifted off the ground!” The sparrow sounded so excited, I nearly puked.

“That’s nice.” Was all I ended up saying, catching a glimpse of my older brother sitting near the edge of our home. Mom and Dad were somewhere, which I could care less about. “So hey! I wanted to talk to you, Youngjae-ah.” I shivered, eyes shut in disgust as she used my name that way.

“You already are.”

“Ahaha! You’re so funny!”

She was laughing, her damn giggles sounding like a cat screeching. It made me prefer dogs now. “Yeah, sure I am.” I spat, motioning for her to start talking.

“So like, I heard you already know how to fly? And you’re like, only five or something? How’d that end up happening? As you’re sister-in-law, don’t I have the right to know about you? And maybe suggest that you help your older brother?” I laughed bitterly in her face, shoving past her and settling into the opposite end of the tree.

She was a persistent .

Her little talons gripping the bark as she ran to me, nearly shoving my body off the branch. “Don’t ignore you’re sister-in-law! Come ooon~ Help your brother!” I ignored her, fixing myself and moving closer to the end. She flew up and cut off my path, now lightly glaring at me with ugly eyes. “Listen to your future sister-in-law!”

Sister-in-Law…

“All I’m asking is for you to help! I know what’s best as your sister-in-law…”

Sister-in-Law...

“He is struggling to use all his power is all! So give him so pointers! That way when I become your sister-in-law…”

Sister. In. Law.

You’ll never be her.

“Be quiet…” I whispered, going unheard as she continued to ramble about my ‘oh so helpless brother’.  “Youngjaeee~ Help us~”

Shut up.

“Why?” I asked, trying to calm my inner turmoil. “So we can both help him! As the future wife and all—“ I scoffed in her face, “He doesn’t need help. Leave him alone.” She seemed taken aback, inching close to me with worried eyes, “Are you okay? Why are you so upset?”

“I’m not.”

“No, no, no. You seem really upset.”

“I’m really not.”

Can you shut the hell up?

“Youngjae, don’t lie to your—“

“Future sister-in-law? Yeah, I already know.” I hissed, flying up to the next branch and trying to get away. Again, she followed. “Are you really okay? Want to tell sister what’s wrong?”

Shut. Up.

Get away.

I hate you!

Leave me alone!

“It’s my problem.” I mumbled, nearly ripping out my own feathers as she continued to pester me. “Tell sister~” She sang, pulling me by my tail feathers.

You are not my sister.

You never will be!

“Youngjae! Maybe you should get over yourself!” She snapped. I tilted my head, “What the heck are you talking about—“

“Don’t act all sad and depressed. I don’t care honestly. It’s bugging me since your brother is actually getting infected by it. Then we don’t do anything! You’re ruining my family for s sake!” Her feathers were ruffled in anger, eyes narrowed as she glared at me.

“Your family? YOUR family? Don’t feed me that !” The small sparrow was completely thrown off by my vulgar vocabulary, “D-Don’t say curse words!”

“I’ll say whatever the I want! First off, don’t keep pushing your ‘future in-law’ bull in my face! Do you know how damn annoying you are? Everything about you—I hate. I hate everything about you. Want to know why I’m always depressed and sad? Cause I’m cursed with you for the rest of my god forsaken life, dammit! Ever since you forced your little self in my life, I’ve hated you. So, unless you want to die right ing now—leave me alone!” I screamed, seeing her shaking in fright.

“Scared of a little kid—what a waste. I wish my brother chose someone better than you. Maybe I’d like her—“ She was in my face, talons on my neck as she pinned me to the trunk, clawing at me blindly. “Don’t say crap like that! I’m the only woman your brother is ever going to love!”

I grabbed her feet with one of mine, throwing her off easily and chasing her falling body. Then using my own talons to impale her stomach, slamming her to the ground with a small ‘thump!’

“Leave me alone!” I showed her mercy, letting go and walking back to the tree where I lived. But again, she’s a persistent . She pecked my back, ripping at my feathers and laughing as she did so. I screamed in pain, flying up frantically and pressing her into the tree bark, hearing her wheeze against my body.

“Let me go!” My brother’s girlfriend snarled with trembling legs. I only pushed her further, turning my neck to peck her in the eye. She started bleeding, screeching as the eye had a gash in it. The moment she released me, I moved away and choked her, feeling the small breaths slow.

“STOP IT!” She cried, biting my leg and clawing at my wings, tearing out feathers and my only way to fly. I started sobbing when the sparrow moved them in an inhuman way, hearing a sharp crack after. By the time I somewhat calmed myself, she had already done the other wing.

In a panicked manner, I shoved her off and followed suit, gripping her wings and biting off her flesh under the thin feathers of her stomach. So much that I could clearly see her intestines and other body organs. My wings were burning, aching,--the pain made me want to die. I forced myself to ignore it and tear her insides apart.

At the last minute, she pecked my eye, barely missing and pushed me away. She slowly moved to me, organs pouring out of her like water. I felt ill at the sight—I had done that? Me? I did that?

…I’m a monster.

“At least…. You-you c-can’t fly…a-and run away…” She said weakly, towering over me with a bloody smile. I turned away from the disgusting sight, scoffing at the woman. “That’s the only way you got me.” The sparrow glared at me, “S-Shut up!”

Blood flowed out her beak and nose, dripping on my ebony feathers as she began to falter in her steps. “T-Too close to death to kill me, eh?” I mumbled to myself, watching the little bird groan. “I-I’m not going anywhere—n-not until… you’re dead!” She broke into a hobbling run, now ignoring her insides falling out and let out a war-cry.

Something shiny came to view.

“O-Oi! G-G-Get down!” I shouted, helplessly moving on the floor to get away as well. “Why should I?!” My brother’s girlfriend hissed, not sensing death around us. “T-T-T-Tha—“ Two dark eyes loomed over us, four black wings and a body with no shadow. A scythe in hand as it was raised. She leaped at me, the crazy look in her eyes was enough to know she lost it.

He moved.

“A crow with broken wings waited for its death. . .”

“Your time has come.”

So there’s that.

Thoughts? Comment if you want or are confused. Ask a question and I’ll answer if I don’t spoil anything in the process.

--Thanks for waiting on me. I really appreciate it. ^^

Here is a picute of Ratatoskr