Unfoster Child I v - Overhearing the Bird and the Weapon.

A few moments later, Raven appeared next to me.  I jumped, and he gave a hissing sort of laugh.  I managed a weak smile, but he'd become his usual solemn self again.  I asked him what his problem was with me, and he smiled a sad half-smile that didn't reach his icy eyes, telling me it wasn't me that he had a problem with, it was the way he acted.  I nodded.  He asked about my family, and after a lot of persuading, I told him about Mom.  He twitched his nose in a way which reminded me more of a rabbit, and I asked him why he didn't go around quoting Poe, 'Quoth the raven: Nevermore!' or 'Ne'ermore', however it went.  He rolled his eyes and rhetorically questioned why everyone seemed to have to tell him about his name and Poe.  I touched his arm lightly, and he growled at me, wrenching from my grasp.  I grabbed his shirt sleeve, the shock of the deep black turning my skin paler than normal.1

Before I knew what was going on, he pulled me to face him, wrenched my chin up and kissed me.  My eyes got wider, but I was frozen from shock.  Only a few moments later - hours though they felt - he shoved me back, not gently but not brutally, his eyes dancing with triumph.  Perhaps that would teach me about manners and not grabbing someone.  I blinked and he was gone.  I rolled my eyes, wiped of my mouth like a child who was afraid of cooties, made a face, and started to go out the door.  I stopped short when I realized there were people talking.  I recognized Raven's voice, but not the other.  Raven kept saying something about how I was asking for it, but the unfamiliar one was saying that Raven needed to learn about how I was not in a position to be pestered, because of my soon-to-be-status!2

I took a breath and pushed on the door.  Talen and Raven looked at me guiltily.3

"Jasmine!"4

Unison, and so guilty sounding!  I loved it.  I needed to pop up in the wrong places more often.  I smiled and said something about how I was tired, so tired from all this new stuff that I could barely remember anything, could one of them be bothered to show me back to my room?  Raven shifted his glance and Talen took my hand.  I yanked it away, and smiled, telling him that I didn't feel comfortable holding hands with anyone just yet, I needed to adjust, et cetera, et cetera.  He nodded, trying to seem compassionate but his eyes betrayed him and blazed angrily.  I was afraid of what he'd do, but allowed him to show me up to my room.5

Happily, he tried nothing and left me alone so I could change and sleep.  I smiled, now used to the colors, but frowned the moment I thought about the conversation I heard.  What status-to-be?  Talen was rather frightening to me.6

I climbed under the covers, my mind still racing until it hit the pillow, where it went blank.  I fell asleep to the last thought of, 'What is UP with this house??'7