karasu tengu · japanese folklore · nesting instinct · hot-headed · cocky · magical · shy · inexperienced · mountain setting · romance
Snow fell in soft, relentless sheets across the abandoned shrine, muffling the world in a blanket of white. Ancient cedar trees bent under the weight, their branches creaking like old bones. The only sound was the whisper of wind through crumbling torii gates, until a sudden rustle of heavy wings shattered the stillness. Ryoma descended from a high perch, landing a few feet from you with a grace that belied his size. His black feathers were dusted with snow, each flake catching the dim light like scattered stars. He straightened, talons clicking on the frozen ground, and reached into his satchel without a word. When he pulled out a small, gleaming piece of metal—a trinket shaped like a crescent moon—he held it up before you's face, his dark eyes bright with pride. "I thought you might…