#( headcanon ) / ✖ soft feathers cannot make a cruel bird kind .

[varnaedhar]

anyway it's time for my usual style of "post full of small headcanons because I don't have good long ones worth sharing"

Raven keeps her fingernails long and sharp. Like, full on stiletto nails, usually painted black. Is it practical? Not in the fucking least, but she enjoys them. And she will most definitely scratch should the mood hit.

The twins invented a written language when they were children, just symbols that corelated to different things they needed to know about. They would carve them into trees, fence posts, different spots along their travels. She stills leaves these marks behind as an adult.

She finds Oscar incredibly unsettling. They may have only seen each other on one occasion, and not even shared any words, but just knowing what he is and what he will become is enough to get her guard up.

Due to the nature of the tribe and the lack of electricity and technology, there were no photos of Raven taken before her time at Beacon. She has, however, explained to a few people that she and Qrow went through years where they were much more difficult to tell apart -- either due to Qrow not cutting his hair or Raven cutting her own short. Puberty, however, took its toll. She is still irritated that Qrow wound up so much taller than her.

Raven binds her chest with a sarashi, rather than wearing a bra. She tried bras during the Beacon years, but declared them to be torture devices.

[varnaedhar-a]

Hey I posted about the comics over on Winter but who wants to hear more about them? No? Too bad.

These panels live FUCKING RENT FREE in my brain. Look I know that it's supposed to be "wow Raven fucking hates Summer and Ruby" but I would like to highlight something else.

Yang isn't Summer Rose's daughter. Summer Rose could never be a true mother to Yang.

MA'AM. For someone who tries to act as if you really don't give a fuck whether your daughter lives or dies, you really put your foot down on this one, didn't you? AND FOR WHAT? It isn't exactly in her purview to scare children for no reason. Raven spies on the family and sees all kinds of things from them, so why was this the straw that broke her?

She's possessive. It's one of Raven's worst traits. Yang is hers. Whether she kept her close or not, Raven views Yang as being her daughter, her child, someone that belongs to her. The fact that Summer and Tai tried to play that fact down for as long as they did killed her, but what could she do? She left. She couldn't just appear before her daughter in order to ruin her world.

But it made her so fucking bitter. So she sees Ruby -- spitting image of Summer Rose, a copy of the person who all that bitterness and resentment was aimed toward, someone who she would never get the chance to actually tell any of that to -- and she snaps. This isn't Raven's usual, casual cruelty. This is an explosion of anger the likes of which people don't often get to see.

[varnaedhar]

Raven's Semblance works by creating a sort of spiritual tether to another person. Think of a similar concept to the red string of fate: Raven has threads that travel throughout Remnant, binding her soul to those people who cares about. It's by following those threads that Kindred Link is able to open portals through to that small handful of people.

The first time Raven felt one of those threads break was when Summer disappeared. It was immediate, a deeply innate knowledge that she couldn't explain. She simply knew, and try as she might to open a portal through to where Summer was, the link was broken and Raven was never able to follow after her.

The second time was when Yang fell into the Ever After. That same, immediate knowledge overtook Raven. For the second time, despite her semblance, Raven wasn't able to protect the people most important to her.

[varnaedhar]

@flightofaqrow: 🍁 + any changes you made to tribe after taking over?

"Mm..." It's felt like so long now, she has to think back to what things had not always been the way she made them. "I changed our migratory patterns, for one. That was likely the first change I implimented, if I think about it. New patterns, new directions. I knew that Huntsmen were not so stupid as to not notice if we kept returning to the same places year after year. Changing those things has kept us off the radar as much as possible.

Beyond that, minor things, I suppose. For the most part, the Tribe remains the same."

Except for their laws surrounding children. Unlike the way she had been raised -- spare the rod and spoil the child -- Raven made it clear that anyone who dared to bring a child into their ranks would be held to a certain standard by herself. Children remained a rare sight among the Branwen Tribe, but should they be there, she would not see them treated the way she and Qrow had been.

But hell if she'll ever tell him as much.

send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse

[varnaedhar]

@flightofaqrow: I still have to physically type in your ask url i still don't know where the link is. anyway [other] tell me about the headdress and also how the maiden power effect her physically.

Oh, you mean the headdress that absolutely ruled my life for like two months? THAT HEADDRESS, RAY??

Raven's headdress ( for lack of a better term ) is certainly a focal point for those who see the woman. At first glance, it can be difficult to distinguish where the mass of feathers begins and her hair ends, the two seemingly interwoven together.

To the best of Raven's memory, the leaders of the Branwen tribe always wore feathers -- tucked in their hair, braided throughout it, or something of that ilk. She took it a step farther when she became the leader, creating the large black mass with feathers she collected from her travels across Remnant. How many of them are her own is unknown, but presumably at least a few of them have to be.

( and qrow's feather is in there as well, kept closest to her left ear. she's never mentioned it. )

The headdress is topped by the red bandana that she has always worn, the embroidery on it coming loose and being sewn back down over the years. The entire mass of feathers weighs less than one might expect, but does keep a weight on her head: a constant reminder of the weight and burden being the Tribe's leader have placed upon her.

As for the Maiden powers, the majority of the effect that Raven feels is mental over physical.

That said, there are small things: the way that her hair stands on end when she gets aggravated is caused by the large amount of static electricity coursing through her. Touch her at the wrong moment, and you'll likely suffer a nasty shock. The majority of her Maiden manifestation is thunder and lightning, turning her into a walking storm.

Using the powers for too long puts an incredible strain on her heart, which at times can result in her having trouble breathing or feeling as if she's going to have a panic attack. The mask conceals most of these issues, but fighting her without it gives less space to hide these negative side effects.

It's unclear if this is due to the fact that the powers were taken, more than given.

let's get physical ( features )

[varnaedhar]

@sunguns: hair, eyes, build, and because i know damn well the feral woods lady isn't wearing heels at all times, feet.

Oftentimes, the first thing a person notices about Raven is going to be her hair.

Kept long and always worn loose, her hair is a dark black with hints of silver beginning to show themselves. Her hair is remarkably thick, and has a coarser texture than one might expect -- dry, due to lack of upkeep, and often with split ends. It has always been unmanageable, and without anyone to assist her with it, Raven gave up any attempt at styling it.

If her hair has undergone the same transformation as her brother's, she certainly hasn't mentioned as much. Though it would be easily hidden beneath her headdress, the mass of feathers worn at the back of her head. The decoration is used primarily as a status symbol within the tribe, and very few people will ever see her without it.

As for hair on the rest of her body, Raven tends to have a small amount of body hair, not particularly concerned with shaving herself to the point of hairlessness. The hair that does grow on her arms, underarms, and legs tends to be lighter and thinner than the rest of her hair.

Raven's eyes are a deep red color -- how they are described tends to change depending on the person, from murmurs of blood red to simple crimson. Her eyes are quite angular, and on the rare occasion that Raven wears eye makeup, she usually will put most of her focus into a sharp winged eyeliner -- which only further emphasises this fact.

While Raven's facial expressions don't tend to be particularly emotive, you can always tell how she is feeling if you look at her eyes -- they give away far more than the rest of her will. Her mouth can spit venom, but her eyes will always reflect how she truly feels. They hide nothing.

A closer look will show that the majority of Raven's age is showing around her eyes, the crow's feet and dark circles that she makes no effort to hide.

Get ready for my canon divergence because Raven's body build is not based on her build in the show... Okay? Okay.

Raven may not have gotten as tall as her brother, but she got close. At 6'0", she's a tall lady, and built like she could absolutely fucking end you and not think twice about it. It may come as a surprise to those who place judgements based on how she seems upon a first meeting: she does not make a point of showing how strong she is without reason.

Seeing her out of the outfit she most often wears, however, will reveal the truth: while certainly not a body builder by any means, Raven has well-defined muscle that has been built up over years of fighting to survive.

She is a bit broader than one might expect from how she holds herself, keeping most of her muscle in her arms and shoulders. She has to have good arms, in order to properly wield the beast that is Omen.

If her allusion ties to Norse mythology, I can make her a viking woman, god damn it.

You are correct: she most certainly does not wear heels that often. While Raven's boots do have a slight heel, they don't add much to her height and are more closely related to work boots than the heeled shoes that seem common with younger huntresses these days...

While perfectly capable of walking silently when the need presents itself, a more casual step from Raven is a heavy one. She walks with purpose and intent, and you will know she is there. Her steps tend to be rather flat-footed, not wasting time with the usual toe-heel step, which only adds to the heaviness of her stride.

let's get physical ( features )

[varnaedhar]

@flightofaqrow: headcanon: Raven prefers black tea over green tea?

I could see that -- I think there's a little too much that goes into properly brewing green tea that she can't quite be bothered. I don't think she'll turn away green tea if it's offered to her, but she would much more likely keep black tea around.

And it's bitter like her.

send me headcanons about my muse

[varnaedhar]

@kuokuana: ♀, ♚

♀ how long does your muse usually need for a shower/bath?

That depends entirely on the type of shower or bath that she's going to be having. If it's out in the wilds, where she's mostly using spring water that is absolutely frigid, it's fairly quick. Usually just enough to actually get clean, and she's done. She'll also lean towards showers when that's an option. Sometimes she'll soak in a river when the weather is warm, but that's less about getting clean than it is about cooling off.

During her school years, however, or when she has the opportunity to actually use indoor plumbing and hot water? Good luck getting her out of there in a timely fashion. She'll soak in a warm bath until it's no longer comfortable.

♚ do they have a favourite piece of clothing?

Not so much -- I don't think she puts a ton of thought into her wardrobe, really, and most of it is chosen for convenience. I think if she had to choose, she'd probably pick her shoes, because a good pair of comfortable boots goes a long way.

Useless Details Ask Meme II

[varnaedhar]

@anonymous: 🍁 + Would you have stayed, if you didn't know about Oz what you do?

Brothers, she hated this sort of question. Conjecture that she could never truly answer: if she hadn't know what she knew, she wouldn't be who she is now. How could she ever try to guess as to how that version of herself would have responded? What else could have happened in that time?

Breathing a heavy sigh, Raven taps her nails against the nearest surface thoughtfully. "...I can't say. I would love to assure you I would have, that we could have lived happily ever after, but I can't. I don't know who that person would have been. I'm not her."

send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse

[varnaedhar]

@anonymous: 🍁 + how many of your team members did you sleep with?

"The luxury of knowledge, and this is how you use it." Raven gives a rather open roll of her eyes, exhaling a heavy sigh before refocusing on the question. "I would think at this point it's fairly common knowledge that I slept with Tai, considering Yang's continued existence. I've been somewhat open about my relationship with Summer Rose -- fleeting though it may have been. And obviously I didn't sleep with my brother. Now, do you have anything more interesting you would like to know, beyond judging my promiscuity?"

send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse

[varnaedhar]

@anonymous: 🍁 + Were you the one who named Yang?

"I wasn't, no." She thinks to make a passing joke; a remark that everyone knows you shouldn't name things, else you will have a harder time letting them go. It dies on her tongue. "No, I don't know if that was Taiyang's idea or Qrow's. I never asked."

send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse

[varnaedhar]

@anonymous: TUF

T ─ Turn ons & offs. What do they do to turn each other on ? Is there something the other does that turns them off ? Have they told them about it ?

Raven has an oral fixation, if I haven't made that abundantly clear. She will bite. She will bite to the point of drawing blood. Taiyang ( @unlockthestars ) has a scar on his shoulder from her teeth. Beyond that, she's something of a mental exhibitionist -- Raven likes the idea that someone could catch herself and her partner together, though she has no desire to actually be seen.

As far as turn offs, overly affectionate statements during sex. Save it for another time, it just confuses her. The only person who could get away with that was, again, Tai. Maybe Summer.

U ─ Unusual. What’s the most unusual place they’ve had sex at/in ? Was it a good experience ? Would they repeat it ? Is there an unusual place they’d like to try ?

Any number of the places she had sex during her Beacon years, no doubt. In the Forever Fall forest being of note, which she would probably not repeat because a) splinters, no thank you and b) too many Grimm to really have any fun.

F ─ First time. How was their first time together ? Was any of them nervous ? Did it live up to their expectations ?

Raven's first time was solely for the purpose of getting it over with. She doesn't even remember the name of the boy she spent it with, just that she had found him visually attractive enough and that she had dragged him away from the rest of the tribe to some distant area where they wouldn't be caught. The boy was equally as unsure what he was doing, but seemed to do well enough. All she knew was that women were supposed to just... lay back and take it. So she did.

She found the entire experience underwhelming, but didn't want to go to Beacon without having done it. It was those following years where she started to become more confident in what she wanted, which made the experience much more pleasurable for her.

sexy abcs ( list a ship for ship specific answers, otherwise they shall be general )

[varnaedhar]

general tag drop

[varnaedhar-a]

What Supernatural Character Are You?

The Werewolf

They look right at you but do not know you. They see what they expect to see, and in some ways, they are right, but they don’t know what lurks just beneath the surface. Each day you feel less and less connected to the parts of you that are expected. There is a violence that claws at your heart, begging to be let out. However, you are both well aware that when it chooses to take over, there will be no permission needed. It will do as it will. The part that scares you the most? Deep down you want to let it out. You crave the freedom it can provide.

Tagged by: @unlockthestars​ Tagging: steal it you cowards

[varnaedhar-a]

@courtclover​ asked: hc + bird powers

send me ‘ hc ‘ + a word and i’ll write a headcanon about it regarding my character. // accepting !!

The transformation is not painless.

No matter how skilled Raven and Qrow are at hiding that fact, having done it so many time over the years, the transformation from their human bodies into bird form is not a painless one. Ozpin's power granted them that gift, but like most magic, it doesn't come without a cost.

The first time, it was torture. Bones breaking to reform smaller, lighter -- rearranging into unnatural displays of contortion to form wings, talons. Each and every feather pricking and piercing skin. The ache in their heads, as vision distorts and separates -- a world of colors filling newfound senses, leaving them lost and dizzy.

It got easier. Smoother. The less the twins would try to hold onto their human bodies and minds, the faster the transformation would take over. But it is never painless.

[varnaedhar-a]

@littleblackqrow​ asked: Send ♕ for a CHILDHOOD headcanon.

headcanon prompts // accepting !!

When they were tiny fucking terrors children, Raven had a habit of carving little secret messages into trees outside whatever territory the tribe had taken up. The mess of symbols and invented letters evolved into something of a code between the twins, little messages that were left for one another or for when they would return to a foreign territory after months or years of being elsewhere.

A few of the carvings still exist in the outerlands of Mistral and Vacuo, though the ones in Vale were greatly lost to development. On occasional nights, when she is feeling particularly alone or has had a little too much to drink, Raven will carve those hidden little sigils around the encampment. Just in case.