[He can't help the small, reflexive shiver that runs down his spine when Noh-Varr's fingers trace along the tattoo; it's not often that he leaves more skin bared than usual, and the feeling is one he hasn't been used to lately. Ryan absolutely isn't complaining, though, and after a moment he's managed to relax more thoroughly. On close inspection, the book the white raven's perching on is a collection of Poe's poems- it seemed thematically appropriate.]

With the birds-- ravens, in a lot of myths, are bad omens. Signs of death, though in a couple other myths they're tricksters or creators. They're actually really highly intelligent birds, though, they can solve problems and manipulate other scavengers into helping them feed, that kind of thing.

[His tone's awfully fond, really.]

So I picked them for the intelligence and associations with death. That one's white to go along with one particular myth that they're actually souls.