The Angel of Death

Interlude- Moulting Season

idk if i mentioned this before, but Nico can switch his feathers between being razour-sharp, or just being regular feathers (which are very big and fluffy). 

"Why the fuck are there giant-ass bird feathers all over the kitchen?" Jason mumbled as he walked into the aforementioned room, blinking blearily as he tried to decide whether or not he was still dreaming. Or hallucinating? 

Fluffy black feathers, ranging from small down feathers to large ones almost the entire length of his forearm littered the floor of the kitchen. There were even a few on the counter tops.  Jason looked around, suddenly paranoid- Damian hadn't let another vulture in, had he? 

Upon seeing no big, blood-thirsty bird of prey looming anywhere, Jason backtracked out of the kitchen, encountering a few more feathers scattered down the hallway that he'd missed on his way down earlier, even a couple on the stairs. "What the hell?" 

He knocked on Damian's door, knowing the youngest would be awake already, and, as predicted, the door opened a moment later to a fully-dressed Damian, looking grumpy at having been disturbed. "What is it, Todd." 

"Did you bring another injured bird in?" Jason asked, narrowing his eyes as he leaned around Damian to peer into his room. 

"What?" Damian looked genuinely confused. "No. Where on earth did you get that idea?" 

"You didn't see them?" Jason raised an eyebrow sceptically. Damian always got up early to do his workout (what twelve-year-old got up at five am to work out?) and eat breakfast, there's no way he would have missed the mess in the kitchen. 

"What are you talking about?" 

At that moment, Tim had emerged from his room and made his way to the kitchen. There was a 'thud' followed by Tim's yelp of "what in the ever-loving chicken coop!" 

Jason rolled his eyes and gestured for Damian to follow him, and they both headed back down the stairs and down the hall to the kitchen, Damian finally noticing the black feathers littering the way. When they arrived, Tim was sitting, thoroughly confused, on the ground, having slipped on a feather. He looked up when his brothers walked in. "Damian, I swear to God-" 

"I had nothing to do with this, Drake. I have just as little idea what's happening as you do." 

"What's happening?" Dick asked, shuffling into the kitchen in sweatpants and an oversized shirt, his hair a mess. He blinked, looking around the kitchen before muttering an 'oh' under his breath. Then he turned to look at Damian. 

The youngest threw his hands up. "The vulture was a one-time thing! And it wasn't even that bad, anyways, if I ever did decide to bring another bird in." 

"It tried to eat me and Jason!" Tim yelped, standing and brushing himself off. 

Damian just glared. "My point still stands." 

"Look," Dick said tiredly, holding his hands out. "Let's check for broken windows or open doors. Something must have got in here somehow, and we need to find it before Bruce or Alfred come home." Bruce was gone all day with League business, and Alfred was visiting friends in Fawcett City. The three other boys nodded before splitting up to check. Damian took the Batcave, Jason the ground floor, Dick the second floor, and Tim went to check outside. 

They all met back in the kitchen in twenty minutes. "Nothing." Tim said. His brothers agreed. "There's no broken or open windows, doors, or anything that something with feathers that big could have gotten in through." 

"Well, where didn't we check?" Dick asked. A moment of silence elapsed before Dick groaned suddenly. "Nico's room! I didn't want to go in there because he's still sleeping!"