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When Gunther awoke, he found a note taped to the van. It was from Solar, in a perfect calligraphic font that made it look like a formal document. He said they would be back within two hours. It also informed him that breakfast was the most important meal, and the doughnuts and jerky in the backpack are very nutritious.
As he ate breakfast while sitting on the sill of the van's side door, a raven landed about twenty feet away and walked back and forth while looking at Gunther. Or perhaps its attention was surreptitiously on the doughnut Gunther was holding.
"Good morning," Gunther said, happy to be making contact with nature.
The raven cocked its head and made eye contact, then focused on the doughnut as if it were the greatest thing it had ever seen. Gunther could feel the bird silently negotiating a free meal.
"Well, it looks like you want to share my breakfast," Gunther said, and slowly got up. He then placed a piece doughnut about five feet from the van. Next to it, he placed some jerky. Gunther's interest increased as the raven bowed majestically before approaching the food. It took its time, first looking at the doughnut, then the jerky.
Another raven landed a few feet away and watched as the first raven chose what to eat first. Before it could start to eat, the second raven started pecking the first raven, shooing it away from the food. At first Gunther thought the second raven was trying to steal the food, but when the first raven did not fight back, he realized something else was going on. When the first raven looked at Gunther with exasperation, he detected emotion that said, "Look what I have to put up with."
Gunther roared with laughter. He gave a knowing smile to the raven and said, "It's okay my friend, we all have to deal with our mates, and nobody has ever quite figured out how to do it. You sir, are truly henpecked."
The second raven seemed to sense she was dealing with an overabundance of testosterone and backed off. After eating the free food, raven number one walked up to Gunther. He was about to offer the bird more goodies, when he saw close up how extremely large the raven really was. When he envisioned that powerful beak snapping off a digit or two, he became wary. Gunther studied the raven and to his surprise, the raven became offended at Gunther's caution.
"Hey, we're just getting to know each other," he said to the raven, then reached out half a powdered doughnut. Unfortunately, he did not consider the powdered sugar caked on his fingers, giving them the appearance of more doughnut. The raven took the doughnut, then gently scraped the powdered off his fingers with his beak.
Gunther smiled at his new friend and said, "You know something, you are very special to me."
Gunther and the raven shared breakfast, and after a while, raven number two joined in, possibly thinking this crazy human was not such a bad guy after all. When all the food was gone, raven one looked at Gunther, and in a voice clear as a bell said, "Thank you."
Long after they had flown off, he pondered whether the raven actually talked to him, or had he been under the influence of some tainted jerky.
"I see you have made some new friends," Mortus said as he approached.
"Did you see that? It was amazing. I actually bonded with ravens," Gunther said with a look of joy, and some bewilderment.
"I have been watching at a distance for quite a while. When I realized what was happening, I did not want to spoil the moment and frighten the birds away."
Gunther became serious and said, "Did you hear it talk to me?"
Mortus gave a wry smile and paused for a moment, giving Gunther time to question his own experience. "Yes, I did. I heard it say, 'Thank you.'"