He's got fangs, razor sharp ones / Massive paws, killer claws for the feast (dumb duck trio)

[lifesa_witch]

Perhaps if it was only rain, the bookkeeper would have tried to continue on his path to the nearest village, even though it was still a good two days away. But the harsh wind and the biting chill would all but force the young man to walk towards the last place he wanted to be. After all, the decaying old castle looked like the sort of setting one would use when telling a spooky story to frightened children.

But even with broken windows, old stone bricks falling off ancient walls, and the eerie feeling that something had their eye on him... what choice did he have? Maybe the scuffling he'd hear was merely the scurrying of rats feet. Maybe the shadows that flickered off in the distance was merely a raven settling in for the night.

This place hadn't been on the map. No one warned him about it. Yet here the castle sat, abandoned for who knew how long.

So why were the candles lit...?

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[richestduck]

Scrooge didn't want to stop. However, if he wanted to keep his new inventory from getting destroyed he had to. He hurried into the shelter of the doorway, glad he'd splurged for the oiled leather bag that would protect the books he'd picked up two towns over from getting soaked.

He looked up at the doors, grimacing. Then he pounded on the door, hoping someone might here.

If no one answered, he'd just see if it was possible to get inside.

[lifesa_witch]

No one answered, but the door swung open anyway - despite no one on the other side. There was a bit of chill on the inside, due to the broken windows and some open walls, but it was still much warmer than it would have been outside. There was also a light scent of food that seemed to come from the end of a long hallway.

On that hallway were once various portraits, so the golden frames would have one believe... but the interior paintings were clawed every which way, making it impossible to tell what was once there.

[richestduck]

Scrooge entered into the castle, rubbing at his upper arms. Seeing the claw marks, his hand went to his revolver. He did not want to be caught flat-footed if there was a wild animal about.

The smell was enticing, but he chose to stay in the foyer. Wandering around and getting himself lost wouldn't do him any good. Instead, he sat down on the divan, reaching down to massage his bad leg. It always ached in the cold and wet.

[lifesa_witch]

All of a sudden, the door SLAMMED behind him, and there was a flurry of raven cries in the shadows, the sounds of hundreds of feathers fluttering at once!

Something - somethings - were sitting on what used to be a chandelier, the glass clicking and clacking as it swayed back and forth. At its height, and with what few candles were lit, it was almost impossible to tell what was up there - but whatever they were? Large, impossibly large, with blood-red eyes peering down at him.

"WHO GOES THERE?"

[richestduck]

Scrooge's hand reached for his gun but he didn't draw it. Not yet.

"Scrooge McDuck!" he called towards the eyes. "I'll be on my way once the storm's passed! I'll go no farther into this castle! You have my word!"

[lifesa_witch]

A beat of silence... and then, laughter. Yes, whatever was up there was definitely two of something - male and female - with drawn out, almost snooty laughter at his remark.

"His word? His word! I thought they didn't make people like that anymore!"
"Indeed, I thought they all died out... but even roaches survive."

The chandelier swung back, and one of them jumped, landing with a heavy THUD in front of Scrooge. It had the long, scrawny yellow legs of a raven, and gigantic billowing wings to match - but there were sharp claws underneath those wings, glinting from the candlelit. The head was more of a shadowy void, the long beak misshapen and hideous, feathers every shade of cruel night. It was possibly the female voice, given it was wearing the tattered remains of a purple ballroom gown, hanging onto its owner by the barest of threads.

The monster tilted her head this way and that, silently inspecting him.

[richestduck]

Scrooge carefully studied the creature, cross-referencing it with every myth and legend he'd read up on in his shop. Not a siren. A harpy? No, no, that wasn't right...

He crossed off every bird creature he could think of before finally settling on that this was something he'd either never come across in his reading or it was completely new.

"So may I stay until the rain stops or are you planning to eat me for supper?" Scrooge asked sarcastically.

[lifesa_witch]

"He looks too stringy to eat." The male still above said in a deadpan manner.

The female cocked her head again before straightening up, deciding to "test" him out. "You can stay, so long as you answer me honestly... am I pretty?"

[richestduck]

"That depends: How likely are you to tear me to ribbons if I don't say what you want to hear?" Scrooge asked dryly.

He wasn't a fool.

[lifesa_witch]

"He's dodging the question. Why are you wasting your time with him?"

Suddenly, the female slammed her foot down, and let out a beastly wail - "Because I'm BORED, Poe! I've been bored so many decades! With nothing but you and the rats and ravens to drown out my own mind! AM I NOT ALLOWED SOMETHING TO ERADICATE THE SILENCE?!"

The male - Poe(?) - didn't reply this time, but appeared to be ducking its head in shame. The female clawed the floor with her foot for a moment, before huffing. "...You will stay."

[richestduck]

"Wonderful. And for the record, your beak is a bit dodgy but your feathers are quite nice." Scrooge bent over to massage his leg again. "Once the storm's over, I'll be out of them."

[lifesa_witch]

After another moment, Poe flew down to join the female, only this time landing behind Scrooge. "You fail to hear my sister's meaning." He said, now calm and cruel once more. "You're staying here. You're right, Magica - why let go of the first piece of true entertainment we've had in years?"

[richestduck]

Scrooge narrowed his eyes. "No. Absolutely not."

They were monsters, true, but he wasn't a coward.

[lifesa_witch]

"What makes you think you have a choice?"

The female - Magica - tried to make a curtsy. "Go ahead. Shoot me. See what happens, Scrooge. I promise not to harm a hair on your head."

"Nor will I," Poe added on.

[richestduck]

"I'll save my bullets," Scrooge said bluntly. "But I need to get home. I have a shop and my family to take care of. I'm not staying."

[lifesa_witch]

"And whatever makes you think we give a damn about such things?" asked Poe.

"He's got a lot of sass, but not much brains." Magica answered, moving to take Scrooge by the coat and try to drag him along with a clawed hand. "But can't have our first guest in ages starve. Off to dinner with you."

[richestduck]

"No."

Scrooge's tone was fierce. He was not going to just roll over and do what they ordered. He had a life to get back to.

"Once the storm is through, I'm going home. What part of that don't you understand?"

[lifesa_witch]

"What don't you understand?" Poe approached Scrooge, jabbing him lightly with one sharp claw. "You're stuck here with two immortal monsters."

Magica bristled at the term, but didn't object otherwise, letting Poe continue.

"The strong control the weak. It's as simple as that."

[richestduck]

Scrooge glared up at Poe before getting to his feet. Even though he very obviously put most of his weight on his good leg, he didn't falter. Instead, he snapped his hand up to grab Poe's wrist in an iron grip.

"I am not weak," he snapped.

[nevermore_a_duck]

Poe tilted his head a bit, and his own hideous maw seemed to turn into a smirk. "Feisty little thing, aren't you?"

Magica rolled her eyes, and instead made her way to the kitchen. She at least meant it when she said she didn't want Scrooge to starve.

[richestduck]

Scrooge returned the smirk with one of his own. "You have no idea."

And with that, he released Poe and sat back down. He crossed his arms, mutely reinforcing his decision not to wander farther into the castle and fully intending to leave.

[nevermore_a_duck]

Poe tsked. "Never do I curse this form more than now..."

Not too long after, Magica returned. In one hand was a chipped plate, with a cut loaf of bread and a slab of meat. In the other was a goblet of water. Despite the castle looking as if it had aged a hundred years, the food smelled fresh.

"Don't go answering things he won't question." Magica warned her brother.

[richestduck]

Scrooge looked at the meal, raising an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?" He looked back at Poe. "You said you're immortal, so why even have food?"

[lifesa_witch]

Poe looked at Magica. "He is asking now." He pointed out.

"The short version is magic." Magica briskly cut in. "This entire land is under a magic spell. Trust me, there are things we'd much rather have than immortality and endless food."

[richestduck]

Scrooge didn't take the food, instead studying it warily.

"How do I know there isn't a spell on the food making it so that whoever eats it can't leave?"

[lifesa_witch]

The monsters looked at each other, rather surprised. "That's not a bad idea."

"Too bad we didn't think of it first."

Magica then shrugged one shoulder, setting the plate and goblet down. "True, we have been trying to study magic to undo the spell, but nothing's worked. So we're hardly in any state to enchant anything else."