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Ghost was well known. People thought of him as a legend comparing him to the likes of the human incarnation of Death. Rumors ran wild around him with how secretive he was hell people didn't even know his name. He would appear and disappear around the world and through bases. People didn't even know what his home base was.
When the rumors of the crows started coming in everyone laughed it off because there was no way, but it was true.
When arriving on the base the Ghost supposedly inhabited Crow's lined the trees and surrounding area perching from a top of buildings.
And when the ghost himself came out to meet the new batch of soldiers. The handful of crows flew over towards him and placed themselves on his shoulders.
As he reaches them, he tilted his head slightly, “Welcome to the 141’s Base I'm your lieutenant put your shit up and get back on the field you's got 20 minutes Go! The recruits never ran that fast in their lives.
oO0Oo
Simon sat outside as the base was busy doing other things. He was eating a biscuit as he relaxed. Then a crow hopped towards him. Simon raised an eyebrow at the bird, “What?” The bird just cawed at him. Simon sighed before breaking off a piece of the biscuit and throwing it towards the bird. The bird cawed happily as it began to peck at it.
And then another appeared and another and another and Simon soon found himself feeding them. The next day he found himself doing quite the same this time the group of birds had grown. This pattern continued for weeks, but one day Johnny walked out to see the birds and Simon.
Johnny smiled widely at the sight and Simon blushed under his mask. “Who are er friends here Si?” "Shut up Johnny." Simon groused.
Before anyone could speak again a new crow flew down and dropped a shell casing at Simon's feet.
John and Simon looked at one another for a moment before turning back to the shell casing as Simon picked it up.
"Is this mine?" Ghost asked mismatched eyes shining. The bird just cawed at him, so he picked it up and put it in his pocket. “Thank you.” He told the bird. Johnny laughed but didn't comment.
The next day he came out. More birds had gathered and had dropped him more casings and pull tabs. The trend continued as every day they would leave him bones, rocks, and a wide range of other things. He once even got one of their feathers.
He treasures each one putting them on a lanyard that he wore around his neck with his dog tag. When people ask questions about the new accessory, he just tells them to mind their own business. As he continued feeding them, they would even land on his arms, shoulders, and head. They sometimes let him pet them.
As the days went on the crows became more and more comfortable with him hanging with him even when he wasn't feeding them. The first to notice this of course were the 141, Price was next to point it out, “Simon why are there crows following you?” Simon shrugged but Price wasn't having it. “Simon there's a crow on your head, why is it there?”
Simon sighed “I befriended them, and they follow me now.”
Price just sighed.
Gaz was next when he came complaining to Ghost about a ring he lost. “Well describe it.” Ghost gruffed. Gaz blinked in surprise. “Uhh ok, it's silver with a black ring in the middle.” Ghost nodded as he walked away leaving Gaz confused. As Simon went outside he whistled and his murder of crows gathered, not unlike his soldiers.
He pulled out the lanyard of gifts and found a similar ring showing it to the birds. He then gestured around him. He could only hope the corvids understood. As he went outside the next morning the crows met him and handed over the lost ring. Simon fed them well for that before he made his way to the mess. As Ghost walked in he dropped the ring in front of Gaz.
Gaz's head shot up, “How did you find it?!” Ghost chuckled, "I didn't find shit the crows did give them some snacks as thanks.” With that, he walked off to sit with Johnny and eat.
As time went on the crows became more and more attached to Simon following him around everywhere they could. The first example of this was during recruit training. As Ghost shouted out orders a few crows came and landed on his shoulders. A few of the recruits froze, pointing at the birds and whispering to one another. Ghost barked at them for gawking, but the sharp noise however made the birds startle.
Ghost apologized quietly offering them seeds as compensation he'd started carrying them around for them.
One day a recruit walked up to him and asked where Soap was. Usually, Soap was at his side but today he was busy elsewhere it was one of the few times Ghost didn't know where he was. Ghost held out his hand and crooked his finger for a crow to land on. One did and Ghost only spoke one word. “Johnny.”
The bird flew off, leaving the recruit to stare at him wide-eyed. Ghost just chuckled lowly. A few minutes later the bird landed on his finger again and cawed at him before taking off once more. Ghost started walking towards where the bird let him motioning for the recruit to follow.
After walking a while they turned the corner to watch as the crow landed on Johnny's head. Johnny sputtered but remained still with only a scowl on his face, and Ghost chuckled as he walked up.
“Here's Soap.” Ghost grunted as he crooked his finger for the crow who flew to perch there once more before being fed seeds out of Ghost’s hand.
With that Ghost walked off.
oO0Oo
One day another lieutenant landed on base, but Ghost paid her no mind; she was just one in the long line of others who would come and leave just as quickly. The problem was this was a younger lieutenant who still thought she had something to prove. Ghost it and take kindly to those who acted like that.
But it was not his place to step in until one day the lieutenant started to harass his sergeants. The lieutenant Editha Sutton or Inferno had been running Johnny and Gaz ragged. Eventually, Gaz managed to get away and made his way to Ghost.
“Lieutenant there you are.” Gaz huffed relieved. Ghost turned as he raised an eyebrow behind the mask, “You need me, sergeant?”
“Yes, the lieutenant that landed on base Inferno she's harassing me and Soap,” Gaz explained with a scowl.
Ghost’s head snapped towards the man, “She's what ?” Ghost asked lowly.
Gaz nods his head wildly, “She's been running us ragged all day after Soap accidentally bumped into her, Soap apologized of course but she started going off on him. I stepped in to back Soap up, but as soon as I did she started yelling at me too. She's been running us ragged since then. I barely managed to sneak away and when she finds out she's going to kill me, but this isn't fair we need some help.”
Ghost doesn't say a word as he turns and gestures to Gaz to lead the way.
When they reached the location Inferno was screaming at Johnny braiding him for allowing Gaz to escape. Ghost spoke up then, “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU'S DOIN WITH MY SERGEANTS!?”
Silence
Ghost didn't care however as he stepped up to the woman making it to where he towered over her. He was in his Azrael get-up one of his personal favorites because of the reaction it got from everyone. It also made him more intimidating and he had no shame using it to his advantage.
“My sergeant comes to tell me he's being arassed' and I walk over 'ere to see you screaming at Soap so I ope' for your sake you ave' a good reason.
Silence
“Oh come on nothing? Oh, Price will love to ear' this. You're lucky the sergeants allowed you to do this bullshit because I promise they would ave' wiped the floor with you.” Ghost growled as he pushed her in the direction of the main building.
By the next day, Inferno could barely be outside without the crows harassing her, cawing, flogging, pecking, and scratching. Johnny and Gaz had collapsed on the ground from wheezing at one point. The lieutenant couldn't catch a break much to Ghost's amusement.
The other soldiers around the base found it just as amusing as the sergeants soon referring to her as ‘Crow food’. Eventually, she left the base leaving the crows without a victim, but Ghost had fed them well for their actions.
In the end, the opinions on the crows were very split. Half feared the murder while the other half saw them as free entertainment.