ashthedrabble | Challenge 21: Souvenir (Giles/Ethan) (Reply)

Souvenir

Author: Pythia

Fandom: BTVS

Word count: 300

Rating: FRC

Notes: An interlude in what’s obviously a much longer story (although I haven't written it as yet!), inspired by the wonderful graphic by khaoschilde

The bird came in through the window, flew around the room and landed, perfectly companionably, on Ripper’s proffered hand. Ethan blinked.

“When I said ‘I want you to eat crow,’ I didn’t mean it literally,” he drawled. Ripper threw him a look.

“Idiot,” he muttered, gently stroking the bird’s feathers to reassure it. “It’s not a crow, it’s a young raven. And it’s mine. Souvenir of the spirit quest I took trying to find you. Remember?”

Ethan blinked again. He did remember. Remembered the way the spirit wolf had come to him in his dreams – walking beside him as he prowled the military compound, looking for a way out. Its fur had been tinged with starlight and the magic had whispered the way that he could be free …

“That was you?”

Ripper smiled, getting to his feet and strolling across to join the man sprawled across the bed. The raven hopped from his hand and perched itself on the bedpost. “That was me. The raven followed me home. But I gather that’s – quite common, if you walk the spirit world that way.”

Ethan blinked a third time. Slowly. Taking in what wasn’t being said. “You went pretty deep.”

“Yes.”

“You surrendered yourself to the wolf. Walked in its skin?”

“Yes.”

“There was a chance - you might not have come back …”

“Yes.”

There was a long pause. Then Ethan glanced up at the raven, which cocked its head and stared at him with one black, glittering eye. “And he calls me an idiot,” the sorcerer muttered disconcertedly. “Where’s the wolf now?”

“Watching Buffy.” Ripper grinned with sudden mischief. “She thinks I gave her a puppy for Christmas.”

Ethan echoed the grin, imagining it – the Slayer, guarded by a spirit wolf that she thought she was teaching to fetch …