The Hybrid

China Bound

As predicted, by dawn, they were able to get a cargo ship heading to the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean. From there, they would hike all the way to the border of France. The two were resting in the haul of the ship by themselves. Raven looked through the porthole of the ship and stared at the resting sun from a comfortable spot on the floor of the room. Her back perked against one of the beams. "HURK!" While Ed was trying to keep his lunch down. Raven rolled her eyes.

"I told you not to eat that much," Raven reminded him.

"Hehe, I guess I have a bigger stomach than a brain," Ed chuckled embarrassedly. Raven simply smiled at him and looked at him. The sun's light illuminated the inside through the porthole, but the lanterns inside the ship were doing a good job as well. "What?" Ed asked, wondering why she was staring at him.

"Edgar," She started, "What made you want to become a messenger for the Animalists?" Raven asked. Ed was greatly shocked. He jumped from his perch on the porthole and walked closer to Raven.

"Why do you ask?"

"A bird like you doesn't do this kind of work willingly, without some kind of reason," Raven explained. Ed quietly walked over to Raven and sat on his bum as he sighed.

"I guess it's because I don't have anywhere else to go. I lost my family one time we were migrating. I wandered around trying to find them but..." Ed sighed again, "It doesn't matter now. Even if I did find them, they would either be dead or kick me out. Ravens have to leave the group after a certain while."

"Where did you stay?"

"I tried staying with my own kind, but it just... never worked," Ed cryptically said. Raven gently brought her hand around the bird's body and drew him in her arms, cradling him like a baby as he laid down like a bird in a nest. "Wha... what are you doing?"

"It seemed natural. You were saying," Raven said with surprising tenderness.

"Well, I tried going to other flocks and they were nice and all, but I didn't feel like I was a part of them. I wanted to feel like I belonged. So, I saw a poster for the new messenger for the Animalist. At first, I thought just being in the training could at least get me close. Man, that didn't work out the way I thought."

"What happened?"

"Well, I didn't really apply for the job, but... I snuck in," Ed chuckled embarrassedly. Raven smiled warmly.

"How did you get the job in the end?"

"Well, some macho displays later I managed to turn the judges around," Ed smirked cockily. Raven smirked back.

"Seems like something that you wouldn't do."

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" Raven lightly chuckled.

"Nothing, just tell me what you really did," Raven asked softly and kindly. The bird couldn't lie to that face.

"I uh... accidentally tumbled my way through the entire obstacle course," He said shyly. Raven smiled wider. "But it was very cool, though."

"I imagine so," Raven replied, sighing as she rested her back against the pillar of the boat.

"Mrs. Raven?"

"Just... Raven."

"Why are you being so nice?" Raven's head perked up and looked down at the bird.

"Hmm?"

"Well, how you talk and act with the Animalists before is different than how you're with me now," Ed said bluntly but shyly. Raven would have shrunk into her corner before, but... she felt compelled to tell the truth.