Trust or nah?

Host - Nameless Crow (Age 16)

Bond = 20 (0 trust, 20 control)

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HP = 10

Qi = 5 (unusable)

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Strength - 1

Perception - 7

Endurance - 2

Charisma - 1

Intelligence - 4

Agility -6

Luck - 5 

(5 is the average for an adult human male)

(1 End = 5 hp, also influences stamina)

(Qi is powered by CHA, having high CHR doesn't mean well loved but able to make others very aware of your existence, a rich soul. 1 CHR = 5 Qi. )

(INT adds to the power of Qi, able to do the same task with greater effect. Also affects intelect)

(Stats can be increased through traits or by rolling very high on stats-related tasks. You know how the Crow passed a perception check last chapter? If it rolled a 100 it would have gotten +1 to perception permanently.)

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Skills - 

 Flight - 14/20 

Brawling - 6/20

Stealth - 2/20 

(1 means complete beginner, 10 is decent, 20 means absolute grandmaster. The higher you climb, the harder it gets to climb higher. For reference, the Crow had been at lvl 14 of flight for 2 years so to say. With the ring, she is a single high roll away from a leap in skill. You will be able to buy traits related to the best skills of your host as your bond is strengthened) 

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Ring Traits -

Iron Stomach (lvl 1)

Stealthy Shadows (lvl 1) - new (most voted last chapter)

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Available trait points - 0 

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As the desert heat clung to the air, shimmering in the distance, two oasis dwellers trudged by, their conversation just loud enough to carry up to the tree where the Crow was perched.

"The sand-benders are out of their minds, I tell ye," one of them muttered, his voice raspy from the dry air. A tattered keffiyeh wrapped around his head, shielding his face from the sun, and a heavy pouch swung at his side as he walked.

His companion was shorter, stockier, with a thick, braided beard and a glint of mischief in his dark eyes. He spat on the ground, shaking his head.

"Stealing from that beetle-headed merchant? They're dead men walkin'. Their whole tribe'll be razed before sundown, mark my words."

"Aye," the tall man replied, his eyes scanning the streets warily, "Fools don't know better. The merchant's guards alone could butcher 'em, never mind what else he's got up his sleeve." He shifted the pouch at his side, the faint clink of coins heard as he adjusted it.

Their voices faded as they disappeared into the throng of people bustling around the oasis, but the words stayed with you, stored for later, filed away with a hundred other things you were keeping track of.

But for now, you had more immediate concerns.

The Crow ruffled her feathers, her belly fuller than it had been in what felt like an eternity. Her stomach, swollen and round under her black feathers, seemed to hum with energy now, a stark contrast to the aching hunger that had gnawed at her before. 

She'd spent the last few hours picking through the trash, fending off the occasional rat and scavenger, but none had managed to drive her away before she'd eaten her fill. 

It was almost... strange, this new sensation of having enough. It made her jittery, like a spring wound too tight, ready to release.

She hopped from foot to foot, her instincts urging her to return to her nest, to rest and digest. Crows, after all, weren't creatures of the hunt—they survived by scavenging, waiting, and being cautious. Experienced as she was, she was still bound by the simple instincts of her kind.

But you… you weren't so sure about this idea.

The Crow's survival instincts weren't the best, you'd realized. She was smart for a bird, but this was no falcon. If she managed to get herself killed—and judging by the hazards of this place, that was decently plausible—you would much rather it happen here, than somewhere in the middle of nowhere where you could be buried under sand a lost for a hundred years.

And besides, you'd invested a point into that trait, Stealthy Shadows, for a reason. It was already paying off. The Crow blended seamlessly into the foliage, unnoticed by any passerby, even with her ruffled feathers and less-than-quiet scavenging. No one so much as glanced at her, the leaves and branches providing her a natural cover as if she were a shadow herself. The Oasis had food, opportunities, and perhaps even other potential hosts, should the need arise. There was no point in abandoning all this just yet.

Still, convincing the Crow to stay might prove tricky. She was a creature of habit, after all. And while you could continue nudging her with subtle mental pushes, you suspected the time had come for something a bit more direct. You knew communication was possible—if you could transmit concepts to her mind, you might be able to guide her, to make her understand. It wouldn't matter how much she panicked, not with your ring buried deep in her stomach. She couldn't get rid of you if she wanted. Honestly, you were quite lucky that she ate the ring, however strange it seemed at the time.

Of course, there was always the option to simply force her. Bend her will to yours, make her obey without question. But that would come with risks. The more forceful your control, the more likely she might resist—after all, free will, even in a crow, was a tricky thing to override completely...at least for now.

Or… maybe the cautious part of you was right. Perhaps it was safer to return to her nest, to digest the meal and wait out any dangers in the comfort of her home. The food problem was solved for now, after all. And if nothing else, it would give you time to plan, to think of the next step, whatever it may be.

Decisions, decisions.

Below, the market bustled on. The sun was beginning its slow descent, casting long shadows across the streets. The vendors were packing up, their calls growing quieter as the day wound down. The distant murmur of conversation and the clink of metal on metal echoed up to you, the hum of life in the oasis a stark contrast to the weighty stillness of the desert beyond.

And through all of this, the Crow sat, waiting, her beady black eyes flicking toward the horizon, her instincts urging her to fly—to follow the patterns she knew. But she hesitated, sensing the unspoken push of your will against her own.

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Option 1: Reveal Yourself and Try to Speak to the Crow

(Req roll - 40)

"Please don't peck my face off."

(+5 trust if successful)

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Option 2: Force Her to Obey

(Req 80-20(control) = 60)

"Do as I say, feathery menace."

(+10 control if successful)

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Option 3: Something Else

"How about.....?"

(+? if ?)

(Write in comments, it can be anything from -remain hidden- to -make the crow attack an earthbrnder-)

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