“Spill,” Corby said and whacked Ravenwood in the back of her head.

“Damn girl I’m not playing.”

Corby swung again and Ravenwood ducked. The slender branch they perched on bounced. Bobbing and swaying, the old friends laughed. Maple whirlybirds rained down on the conspiracy of raven shifters below. Corby landed a few more hard whacks.

“Quit it, quit it! Nothing is going on,” Ravenwood said. “Ouch.”

Ravenwood transformed into a raven. Corby plucked her out of the air and shook her best friend by her feet. Losing feathers, Ravenwood transformed back to human form.

“Okay I’ll play!”

Green magic rumbled up the giant maple tree trunk. The conspiracy cackled. Their joyful cries echoed across the treetops. Between the friends, a branch shaped like a fierce talon sprouted.

“ so you’ve finally meet someone?” Corby asked.

“Kinda.”

The branch wavered then stopped.

“ knew it! What kind of shifter is he?” Corby said.

“Sea related,” Ravenwood mumbled.

The branch whipped her bare back. Black wings flapped and there were a chorus of ooooos. This was why Ravenwood hated family gatherings.

“That’s one, my feathery fibber, two left. Sea-related like a sea gull. Don’t tell me you’re banging a dump duck!”

Kicking up her legs, Corby screeched. Ravenwood rolled her eyes. Up and down the forest, the phrase “dump duck” echoed.

“Are you ashamed to bring him around the fam?” Corby whispered.

“Well the other names for a flock of ravens is a treachery or an unkindness. We are a tough group for outsiders.”

Corby started to protest then thought better of it. She’d remembered as chick having a crush on a young elf. Her parents pretended she didn’t exist. Corby had been a longtime linely. A low-pitched grumbling winded through the treetops as the shifters argued about finding love out of the flock.

“Have you told SableWing or your pops?”

Ravenwood snorted. “Hell, no.”

“So are you in love?”

“No of course—“ Ravenwood said as the branch whacked her bare back.

Ravenwood squealed. Giggling Corby hugged her friend tight. A low murmuring all around them.

“I’m so happy for you. You deserve happiness. First comes love, then come marriage next Rave is pushing a baby carriage. You’ll be an amazing mom. Your kids will be gorgeous. Even if they are gull babies. I don’t care,” Corby said tearfully.

“Stop blubbering you ninny. One question left.”

A smile lit up Corby’s face.

“Last question. Does big, handsome, and mysterious have a sexy ass sister?”

Ravenwood opened her mouth. Thoughts of Cyan, the quiet, serious sea nymph, flooded her senses. They were nothing alike yet fitted together perfectly. The tree branch shivered before twisting into a heart. Ravenwood blushed.