PRINCESS ANARCHY | DSMP

23. Crows and Bad Omens

   ANOTHER DAY, MORE TRAINING.

   That's how the last week has been going for the inhabitants of Pogtopia as they slowly prepare for a war that will definitely not end without someone dying.

   Nia has been trying her best, helping Sara and Wilbur as they spar. Sara is actually a quite formidable fighter, she just doesn't show it much — especially when put against Wilbur, who can now do more than merely hold the sword in his hand.

   Stela has been helping by training Fundy and Quackity, showcasing her ability to battle, whilst taking advantage of her best power — teleportation.

   Technoblade helps Niki — who is doing exceptionally well; she's once defeated Technoblade in a sparring session — and Tubbo with Tommy grunting in the background, still moaning about the events of the festival.

   Currently, the Pogtopians are taking a break. They sit by the riverbank, sprawled across several blankets and eating sandwiches for lunch. Niki and Sara were kind enough to make the effort of getting everyone fed and keeping them hydrated.

   They've pointed out that Technoblade forgets to eat and drink at times, when he gets too engrossed in training, oftentimes disregarding even basic human needs.

   Nia watches the people she has come to consider friends of sorts as they eat and laugh together, as if there wasn't the constant threat of death looming above their heads. They allow themselves to forget briefly.

   Technoblade sits nearby, eating in silence. His mask is off, and Nia can see the scar on his cheek that she has caused years ago. She doesn't speak to him, however, certain that he's not interested in holding conversations with her anymore.

   The only times Technoblade has spoken to Nia these days were thanks to the fact that he needs an equal opponent to spar with himself

   Sighing, Nia eyes her surroundings. The meadow filled with flowers that rests right on the other side of the river along with Tommy's tower, a few oak trees scattered across the vast plain.

   Nia sets her gaze to a nearby oak tree, looking at a branch where a crow seemingly stood. It cocked its head to the side as it noticed Nia gazing at it.

   She's noticed the crow has been there for a while, watching intently as Pogtopia trained and prepared for war. She wonders what this means.

   For all she knows, crows don't usually mean good things. Or at least a single crow. Those usually tend to be bad omens, and that is not something Pogtopia needs.

   "What are you looking at?" asks Wilbur, noticing Nia staring off into the distance.

   She startles, averting her eyes from the crow to Wilbur. Now that he drew attention to Nia, everybody slowly turns around to look at her with raised brows and curiosity in their eyes.

   "I— the crow, have you not noticed it?" she asks, pointing to the faraway tree with a single crow sitting in it, staring at all of them.

   It caws, bringing smiles upon the faces of Tommy, Tubbo, Wilbur and Technoblade. The four of them exchange glances, seemingly knowing what it means. Or at least what it symbolizes.

   "What is it?" asks Sara, her eyebrow quirked up. "What's it mean?"

   "A single crow usually symbolizes bad luck . . ." Stela shares, earning worried looks from Niki, Quackity and Fundy.

   Wilbur, Technoblade, Tommy and Tubbo aren't concerned, however. They seem pleased, even. For them, the single crow symbolizes something else — something positive. But they refuse to share it, only making sure the four of them are thinking of the exact same thing through eye contact.

   "Not this one," Wilbur finally speaks up after a while.

   "This one's a good one," Technoblade concurs, nodding.

   "But— it— it's a crow—" Fundy speaks his mind, only to be dismissed by Wilbur, who waves his hand at him as if to tell him to keep quiet.

   "Crows don't always mean bad things, you know?" Tubbo says to Fundy, noticing the frown that settles on his lips after being so rudely disregarded by his own father.

   "Yeah, I know, it's just— a crow."

   "Believe me, this one means something good."