COO COO PIGEONS COO

[keep_hallways]

There seem to be an awful lot of pigeons about today. They blanket the courtyards and pathways, cooing and fidgeting and fighting. They’re as flighty as ever, wheeling away in great flocks as soon as anyone approaches. All but the odd one or two, who hop on the spot half-heartedly, or else fly in a circle and quickly land again

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[brynkitten]

Bryn had just been walking by the courtyard when she noticed all the pigeons. There were an awful lot of them. She couldn't remember seeing so many there, and wondered briefly if perhaps someone had put out food to draw them there. She didn't see anything...

...except that some of those birds were acting a bit oddly.

Bryn took a closer look and noticed the small canister on the back of a bird not all that far from her. Curious, she moved closer, already bending her knees to bring herself lower to the ground. Perhaps if she didn't seem so big it wouldn't be scared off...

[keep_hallways]

The pigeon cocks its head to the side, watching Bryn, but it does not fly away. In fact, it hops closer, cooing all the while.

[brynkitten]

That was odd. Usually birds didn't do that. Definitely not the ones in the wild, but then again she smelled more strongly of cougar then.

Bryn crouched down, balancing on the balls of her feet, and scooted closer to the bird, holding out a hand slowly as if to beckon it closer.

Sure, pigeons were called rats with wings but this one looked rather pretty. And clean. She was just going to wash her hand really well after if it let her get close.

[keep_hallways]

The pigeon followed Bryn's beckoning, stopping just past her hand. It looked up to her, then cocked its head to the other side.

There was a small canister on its back, and in the canister, a scroll of paper.

[kptn_sparrow]

The captain could not think of anything better than having a look-see around. In fact it was to his better interests to understand the surroundings of which he has seemingly gotten himself into. In doing so, it would be a rather hard to ignore the seeming large and anxious flock of what he would normally consider to be nothing more than rabbits with feathers. He watches the birds with a wary eye, no one likes to be shat upon, and catches glimpses of things quite unbirdlike upon some of the braver, or stupider, of the flying rodents.

So when a few of the dirty, nervous feathered beasties wheel back around and land near by seemingly unafraid. Jack was able to get a better look at the contraptions the pigeons seem to carry.

Little canisters.

"Well that's clever."

And curious.

He bends over and whistles to the pigeons, "Here. Come here. Come closer you mite ridden feather dusters."

[keep_hallways]

One pigeon in the group looks to Jack and quirks it's head to the side. It hops a few step closer, cooing softly.

[kptn_sparrow]

Oh good. One of the blighters was coming.

"Come here. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a nice Jackie. That's a good birdie now."

He gets lower even and reaches out a hand to entice the pigeon closer.

[keep_hallways]

"Coo coo," says the pigeon.

Wings flapping, the bird flies the last few feet and lands at Jack's feet. Once there, it peers up at him. There's a canister on it's back. Whatever could be inside..?

[iwannabeadragon]

First spiders and now pigeons. This keep really has a pest problem that it needs to deal with. It's really a shame that his mabari isn't here. The dog would have a blast chasing the birds about. Oh well, here's hoping that Vie won't chase him down with a cloth full of the mess these rats with wings leave behind.

He can't help but notice that some of these rats with wings are bolder than the others. Even more curious, each of them wears a harness. Hawke is nothing if not curious and decides to get a closer look.

[keep_hallways]

Many of the pigeons scatter, but one in particular does not. Instead, it coos and approaches Hawke.

The harness this one wears holds a canister. In the canister, there is a scroll of paper.

[iwannabeadragon]

Well isn't this one friendly? Hawke steps towards it slowly. It may be trained but it's still an animal and he rather not chase the thing if he doesn't have to.

Once he's close enough Hawke reaches down to pluck the canister from the bird.

[keep_hallways]

The bird allows Hawke to take the canister, and once he does so, it hops away.

[drinkuntilidie]

Kevas is a tad bit cautious at seeing the sudden appearance of all these birds. Sure some of the others might look at him strange, but the last time a large number of birds suddenly showed up it didn't end well for anyone. Fortunately none of them are trying to claw out anyone's eyes or tear out their throats, at least not yet. In fact they're acting quite birdlike. Maybe he's just being paranoid. That doesn't keep him being careful as he approaches. It's the braver ones that have him worried.

When he gets closer to them and sees what they're carrying he wants to slap himself for being stupid. They're carrier pigeons. How did he not figure this out? But wait a moment...where did they all come from? And just what messages are they carrying? Only one way to find out. Kevas moves closer to see if he can catch one.

[keep_hallways]

There's a pigeon on the edge of the group pecking at the ground. At the approach of Kevas, it lifts it's head and bounces a few steps towards him.

[drinkuntilidie]

In one quick motion Kevas reaches out to grab it before it can hop away from him.

[keep_hallways]

The pigeon wriggles a bit and pecks lightly at his hand, but it's more a hint to loosen his grip a little than an actual attack. It tits it's head to look at him.

[before_wisdom]

Asma has never actually seen a carrier pigeon. They're odd little things, what with how they all bob their heads up and down when they walk, and their numbers are... strange, but not alarming.

She crouches down and looks at one of the nearby birds, "And what are you?"

[keep_hallways]

One of the birds coos in reply, incapable of a better answer. It bounces closer to Asma and blinks its beady bird eyes.

There is a canister on its back. Is this worthy of investigation?

[before_wisdom]

Asma notices the canister, and it's definitely interesting. However, she isn't going to risk frightening the bird by simply grabbing for the canister. She deals with animals, both dangerous and not, and it's best to be gentle with the friendlier ones... when not hunting, at the very least.

So, Asma does her best to imitate the pigeon's own cooing. It's certainly not amazing, what with it being her first time ever seeing and listening to a pigeon, but she's imitated bird calls before.

Care to come closer?

[keep_hallways]

It does indeed come closer. The pigeon hops within Asma's grasp and sits there, tilting its head from side to side.