The Rook and the Raven (Jacob Frye x Male OC)

Part 7

Dorian was stood in a dim alley, there was blood everywhere, and a familiar man with his hood pulled up, standing at the other end. Dorian was rooted to the spot, trying to move but he could not, his heart pounding. The man turned round to face him, and his heart felt like it could break his chest.
"Why did you turn against me, Dorian?" Spoke the man softly, in a saddened voice. "I thought you loved me, don't you love me anymore?"
Dorians throat felt sore as he held back a sob. No, he wouldn't cry. Not in front of him.
"Dorian! I thought you loved me!" The man yelled, suddenly breaking into a sprint, a hidden blade springing free as he came close, Dorian was only able to watch as the blade slashed across his face.

Dorian jerked awake in a pool of sweat, with Jacob sat over him.
"Dorian? Dorian are you okay?" He asked, leaning on one elbow and shaking his shoulder with a free hand. Dorian shook his head and shuffled off the bed, keeping his head down to hide his face. His scar felt like it was burning, like it had the day he got it, and several tears ran down his face. He had to get out of here, now. Without thinking he stumbled towards the door.
"Dorian? What happened?" Jacob asked again, jumping off the bed and following the other man as he hurried down the stairs and out the door, panting hard. Jacob grabbed his coat and shuffled his boots quickly onto his feet and chased after him, his last sight being the pale figure disappearing into the forest. Jacob scanned around the forest, using his gift to pick out the figure. Looking up, he saw the outline of the man up in a tall tree, sat on a wide branch, and he climbed up meet him. Dorian was curled into a ball, trying to steady his breathing, and focusing on what was around him; the bark of the tree under his feet, the night air against his skin and the sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind. He heard shuffling next to him, and without turning, knew it was Jacob.
"Dorian?" Was he ever going to give up? Unlikely. "Dorian please talk to me."
Dorian stayed quiet, and a moment later, Jacob was sat next to him, leaning his head on his shoulder.
"If you don't talk I'm going to throw you over my shoulder and dump you in that lake down there" he teased in a sing song voice, making Dorian laugh slightly, a small smile creeping onto his face. Jacob smiled softly, lifting his head off him and wrapping an arm round his shoulder. "Come on, tell me what happened. Bad dream?"
Dorian nodded slowly, finally speaking. "It was. It was about my partner. Well, ex partner now." It took him a few tries for him to get the words out, but Jacob waited and listened patiently. "It was the night I learned of his betrayal, the night I got these scars, the night I killed him." He finally got the words out, and felt Jacobs arm tightened around him in comfort. Dorian sighed, leaning into Jacob. Now was a better time than ever to tell him about his past, the past that haunted him in his dreams.

Tom and Dorian had known each other for most of their lives, starting as childhood friends, training together at 14, and choosing their familiars together just before they turned 16. It had been a tradition for a long time with this particular bureau, for an assassin to train with a bird. No one remembers who the first assassin settled in Kent was, but they do remember he settled with a golden eagle, and using the gift, could see through the eagles eyes, like the founder of the assassin brotherhood. Every assassin he taught, was taught with a bird. It had originally been eagles, but as time wore on it spread to falcons, owls, kestrels, ravens, and any other predatory bird. The boys excitedly made their way to the tower, to choose who they would bond with.
"I've been looking into a raven, they can learn to mimic you know, like talk with a human voice!" Said Tom enthusiastically.
"That would get on my nerves if I'm honest." Laughed Dorian. "I think I'll just take a falcon like everyone else does, peregrines are pretty."
The tower came into view and there stood their mentor, Albert, with his familiar, a rare golden eagle, named Hugo, resting on a dead tree.
"So, you boys here to choose your familiars?" He asked and they both nodded. "Now remember, it has to feel right, you don't just choose the prettiest one you see first." and with that, he unlocked the door to the tower, waving a hand for them to go first. "Be quiet though, there's a mother raven with chicks, she might be a bit snappy." He warned as he followed them in. Tom and Dorian separated as they walked around, meeting every bird in the tower, whilst Albert climbed the stairs to where the mother Raven was. Dorian walked over to a young peregrine, who flew out a window as soon as she saw him. Tom seemed to have the same luck, with every bird avoiding him.
"None of these want anything to do with us." Sighed Tom meeting Dorian in the middle of the room. "And that kestrel tried to bite me." He looked over his shoulder, glaring at the kestrel. Dorian chuckled and pointed to the stairs.
"Well, let's go see Albert and see what he thinks."
The boys climbed the stairs where Albert was stood by a nest, high pitched croaking noises coming from inside. He didn't look up, but waved a hand for the boys to come over.
"Their mothers out at the moment, but look at these two." He whispered, fascinated. Dorian and Tom looked down into the nest, where two baby ravens lay. And fuck were they ugly.
"They sure are uhh..." Dorian trailed off, and Tom had a similar reaction. Albert chuckled and leant away from the nest.
"So how are you getting on? Any luck?" He asked.
"Not so well, they all seem to be avoiding us." Tom sighed and Dorian hummed in agreement. Albert frowned for a moment, rubbing his chin with his right hand, before spinning round and looking at the nest, then back at Dorian and Tom.
"How about these two? They'll be fledglings in about a month, and it's best to work with them from a young age. I think they will be perfect." Tom looked excited about owning a raven, and Dorian didn't mind having a raven, he was just excited to have a familiar he could bond with from a young age. The best friends had a sibling pair of birds.