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Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#1
Old 08-20-2010, 11:36 AM

Ok guys here's a little back story for this tale that I'm about to weave for you. It's the first of 5 or possibly 6 stories that I have planned.. the only problem is that I have had them planned for years now. I can never seem to finish them, never find the right place to stop writing and transition to the next one. Also a problem lies with the time lines, because each story is on a different one, they kinda work backwards instead of forward in time, until the last one, which sums them all up and brings it to a close. Ah well... I'll let you guys see what I have so far and hopefully, maybe, possibly, someone can give me an idea or two or a suggestion that can help me get out of this nearly 10 year rut! It's quite annoying! But without further ado, here is my story, written by me ^^

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Chapter One

The moisture in the air lingered and formed a mist that hung 12 feet above the ground. The first night of summer and it was already warm. The mist clung to Zephyr’s skin and cooled her down as she floated just above the young trees in the forest. Every once in a while a taller tree would spring up in front of her so the would playfully cling to it’s side, climb to the top and then push herself away from it spreading her wings wide and diving back towards the ground.
She weaved through the trees, nearly grazing their trunks at every turn. Each second brought her closer to a collision, a very painful one, but she still flew faster. It wouldn’t be fun otherwise, she smiled to herself.
Nearing a small clearing the trees grew larger and farther apart. Seeing a large branch she reached out for it with both claws and swung herself up and over, like an acrobat would, landing softly in a squatting position so she could gage the distance to the next large branch. About 20 feet she guessed, give or take a foot.
Closing her eyes she inhaled deeply, the smells of the forest filled her lungs. The green leaves, the moist earth far beneath her and the soft scent of a deer not too far away. It was a perfect night for a flight and the quarter moon gave just the right amount of illumination. Zephyr opened her eyes and leapt for the large branch, coming to a stand and climbing quickly up the side of the tree.
When she reached the top she stopped and listened intently for any sounds that would let her know that she was being followed.
Nothing seemed to be out there. It was silent apart from the slight breeze that rustled the leaves in the trees. After a few more moments she was satisfied that no one was following her. She smiled to herself thinking how much trouble she would be in if she were caught on the earth. It wouldn’t be the first time but things were different now. She jumped out of the tree and floated down, low to to ground coming up to the clearing and walking as she passed the last tree.
A Peace Talker could never be on the ground, especially without an escort, but the land called to her as much as the sky did. Both places felt like home to her; especially here at her favorite spot. Walking out farther she could see the edge of the pond through the tall grasses that surrounded it. On the far side of the pond was an ancient willow tree whose branches hung low grazing the top of the water when the wind blew hard enough.
The wet ground squished under her claws as she wriggled her right foot, three claws scratching into the earth. It felt good to have something soft under her feet. Looking down a young but slightly tired face peered back up at her, the lines under her eyes told tales of restless nights that she had been experiencing recently. You would expect to see a face with that much stress on someone three times her age, but being only fifty-seven she had a lot of responsibility lately. And it wasn’t going to get better any time soon.

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She moved her ears up then down and grinned into the pond. If there has been any creature hiding just under the surface of the water it would have shrank back in fear of the rows of sharp teeth that glimmered white in the night. The shirt she wore was a tanned piece of hide that tied behind her neck and under her wings in the back. She relaxed her wings and they fell to the backs of her bare calves as she pulled them towards her shoulders. The black cotton pants she wore had been cut just below the knee and fit tight to her thighs. Her tail protruded out the back and moved slowly from side to side behind her. A small pouch made of leather was tied to the side of her pants and hung at her left hip.
Zephyr sighed deeply. The water looked welcoming to a wary stranger, but she knew better than to try her luck twice. The only time she had been in the water would have been her last if it wasn’t for her friend, Oscoro. Most winglies couldn’t swim, unless they had been trained to rescue, or if they were part water dragon. Zephyr was all fire dragon, to her knowledge anyway. She hadn’t known her father long enough to learn his heritage considering he was killed near the beginning of the Dragon Revolution by a pack of rogue wild dragons. He was the very first Peace Talker.
The job of the Peace Talker was to find a way to calm both sides of an argument with their words, working on a solution that would help both parties. The goal was to end the fighting, but some people are not easily appeased and would kill to have their way unchallenged and compromised. She hoped that one day she could be half as brave and skilled as her father had been.
Hypnotized by the way the wind made the water lap at the shore she sat on her haunches, crossing her arms over her knees, and rested her chin on her wrists. Her mind was miles away from all the responsibilities of her new mission. She was the newly appointed Peace Talker of the Triad and it was her job to find a way to end the power struggle between the Winglies and the barbarians known as the Hirsuits. There had been a silent power struggle since the end of the Dragon Revolution thirty-four years ago and to make matters worse, there was still no word from the last winglie that took the job. He was supposed to host a talk for a bilateral stand down last month and never showed up. The Hirsuits had been upset and called it an insult to their nation threatening to blow the whole truce off and declare war right then and there. The Winglie diplomats that had been present in the Hirsuit capital city, Dromm, became worried that they might be taken hostage or become casualties of the hushed war that was growing louder with every growl from the Hirsuits.
Possibly the only way they had managed to get out of Dromm alive was by the way that Senator Kinison had handled the situation. Calmly and very smoothly. The way he worked his words made the Hirsuits think that it was their idea to let the diplomats go. Kinison had assured the Hirsuits that they would get a new, more adept Peace Talker and reschedule the meeting for the coming month. The Hirsuit Peace Talker had agreed to this idea and the Winglies were released, unharmed.
As soon as the diplomats returned to Pacifios they dove into the matter of who was to be appointed the next Peace Talker and arranged a military search party to be sent into Moirai and the neighboring cities to look for the missing Peace Talker. They still haven’t found any clues as to where he might be.

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A few names came up for the new Peace Talker, including Zephyrs. Her name had been mentioned a few times in the past but quickly dismissed with the reason that she might not be up to the challenge at such a young age. This last time though, it came down to her and one other winglie. She had never heard who the other one was considering all of the meetings were very secretive and the general public was never allowed to enter the building when there was a meeting in progress. There was a vote and Zephyr was appointed the newest Peace Talker and told to begin working on her speech at the break of dawn the next morning. Despite the early hour, she eagerly accepted the job.
Zephyr stood and spread her wings. In one swift movement she was off the ground and sitting on a branch that hung precariously over the water. The branch bowed slightly from her weight but made no sound of objection. For more than two weeks she had been wracking her brain on how to word the speech correctly. She tried to think of how her father would have said it and wished that she had been able to spend more time with him. He was known as a charismatic winglie that could have sold salt to a thirsty man in the desert.
She took a quill and a folded piece of parchment out of her pouch and poised to write down her ideas. This would be the most important thing that she had yet to write for the Triad, maybe the most important thing ever. This speech would determine the mood of the treaty that was yet to be written. There was to be a meeting in Pacifios tomorrow morning where she would inform the senators of her progress. She didn’t think they’d get the joke if she told them that she was planning to just “wing it.”
The scratching of her quill to paper accompanied the sounds of the night. Zephyr read as she wrote. “My fellow-,” she paused, “fellow what? We aren’t Hirsuits and they aren’t Winglies.”
Hirsuits were dominantly earth walkers and the Winglies ruled the skies. There used to be peace all over the land until the humans began to die out from disease and their own petty wars. Some think that a few might still be located somewhere at the far end of the earth, but none have been seen since Zephyr was a hatchling. After they disappeared smaller races began to quarrel for the freed territory and grow in size along the way. The great human cities became ruins and nature began to take back what it had lost. The forests grew thicker and stronger with each passing year.
The Hirsuits and the wild dragons wanted to take all the land that the humans had claimed but the Winglies had the same idea. They would use the land to nest on the ground where there was plenty of room to raise a family unlike the floating cities in the sky that had become over populated in the last century. The wild dragons had been the first to fall being the less developed of the three races. After the Dragon Revolution the few survivors made for the farthest point of the Yahto Mountains and never made so much as a growl in objection. That left only the Hirsuits.
The period of time right after the Dragon Revolution is known as the War of the Sun. Both sides would fight from the moment the sun touched the sky until it retreated for the night as if the daily bloodshed was an offering to the sun to rise again the next day. Without it the world would remain in darkness. Some had hoped that it would have so that the soldiers might come home and stop their fighting. It was a terrible time to live in the sky, there were countless losses for everyone. Fathers and brothers would go to battle and return a fraction of what they used to be or maybe not at all. The battle grounds were strewn with the corpses of Winglies and Hirsuits alike. The ones too wounded to fight or flee could only cry out in pain until someone came by, hopefully ally, possibly enemy.

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Then one day the sunrise turned blood red and the worst skirmish of all began. Both sides fought with all the remaining strength they had, until there was no one left moving on the field spare two bodies; One Winglie and one Hirsuit. They looked around when they noticed that it had grown quiet and stared in shock at the destruction they had caused. It was then that the war was put to end with one simple act, they met and exchanged a few words followed by a strong handshake. With that they both turned to their fallen comrades to look for any survivors and to begin working on the plans for a peace treaty. It was the shortest war in Winglie history lasting only three years, but taking the lives of over one million.
The gears of peace were quickly set in motion and a rough treaty was made the next day. The clean up of the battle was long and painful. Although the treaty was agreed on both sides the deaths of their family members haunted the ones that were still living, seeing their bodies only made the pain a fraction less. The fallen cried out to them in their sleep for revenge, and the only way to do that was with more bloodshed. So with the night came the fear of the Raids. Mostly the younger Hirsuits and winglies would partake in these horrible deeds, the ones that were too young to be in the war.
Parents guarded their children more than ever; they were the main targets in the Raids. They would come with the cover of darkness and snatch young children out of their beds as they slept. What they did to them after that could only be considered torture. There was no pity even for them. Many were killed quickly and only once a child escaped the Hirsuits. If he was purposely freed as a message or managed to get away on his own is still unsure. Zephyr was glad that she was no longer a hatchling and did a good job fending for herself but her mother still worried about her. It wasn’t until an official meeting between the Head Senator and the High Wolf was arranged to stop the Raids that Zephyr was even permitted to go to school by herself even though the sun was high in the sky during the hours of her studies. Her mother sighed deeply once the Raids came to a stop but they have been working on a more effective peace treaty ever since; one that could divide the lands equally and satisfy both sides.
Fifty years later they are still trying the find the perfect solution. Things have been much quieter but there are still spats from time to time.
Zephyr put the feathered end of her quill to her chin as she shook her head and groaned. “Why exactly did I take this job?” she sighed.
She put the quill and the paper back in her pouch and sat on the branch, only her tail moved, barely touching the water. She had thought that if she were the Peace Talker she could help put an end to the stupid politics going on between the land and the sky.
No, she thought, that wasn’t the reason.
The real reason was that she wanted to try to follow in the footsteps that had been lain out for her. By doing this she might be able to live up to her father’s name and clear it at the same time. She didn’t like to think about it but, he had become a fugitive from the military only hours before he had been killed by the rogue dragons. They said that he was working with them to intentionally destroy the triad, but she knew better than to believe that. If he was working with them, why would they kill him. She had hoped to stumble over some kind of truth being able to work so close with the military and the Triad.

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With one last look at the water she climbed up the tree, grabbing the next branch above her head and pulling herself up easily within reach of the next. Within seconds she had reached the top of the tree and burst into the sky opening her wings wide to the rushing air. With a few powerful beats, she was moving upward in a wide spiraling motion. She was above the trees and soon the distant mountains came into view. Continuing her upward climb she surpassed the highest mountain peak easily and disappeared into the white clouds that dotted the sky.
Inside the cloud her visibility was near zero. The vapors stuck to her scales and slid off them like dew as she came through the top. She floated above the cloud for a minute and shook off what she could before continuing upward. That night, the sky was as if it never ended, like it could go on until the end of time. She felt like a small grain of sand in a huge desert with the stars greatly outnumbering her. Up here, between the ground and the sky, there was no war or difference of appearance. Up here, everyone looked like a grain of sand.
She pushed all her thoughts of the meeting to the back of her mind and closing her eyes, took a deep breath. When she let it out she dropped all her troubles and slowly opened her eyes. She felt instantly lighter as if problems had a real physical weight. She pulled her wings close to her body and felt gravity take hold of her.
Falling towards the clouds she smiled and let out a yell as she dove through them. Up and down, in and out of the clouds she flew as if she were swimming in them. The sky was her playground once again. There was no one else out tonight, not from her part of the world anyway. Far to the ground she saw a Hirsuit moving towards a little camp in the woods. She wondered what it would be like to be stuck on the ground forever, though some Hirsuits could fly, they were only half-lings.
Half-lings used to be frowned upon and shunned from all societies. Since the war though, they had been welcomed and become an important part of the Hirsuit community. Their entire air force relied on these half-lings for mobility. One of her best friends happened to be a half-ling. Oainix was his name, his mother was a wild one in her younger days but being a winglie she took control of their children and raised them as winglies. He never really knew his father either but his mother said he was like a lion if he had to be described.
Up ahead there was a faint glow in the sky, but brighter and larger than a far off star. A small grin spread across her face. Home, she thought. Moirai, one of the three cities in the sky. The city had been named after the founding dragon almost 3000 years ago, not that long since most dragons could easily live to be eight-hundred years-old.
As she came in closer she saw the Winglie standing on guard was Grio, this made her smile. He always made her smile when he was working on his inventions. He would try to sell any one of them for a few extra Talons too. Not to say that many of them worked, but sometimes he could come up with something useful. Talons had been the only form of money that Winglies had used since dragons had taken to the sky. They were small rectangular pieces of silver with a golden talon branded onto it. This brand was not able to be copied by anyone unless they had access to high powered magic. The only Winglie that knew the secret to magic was the senator for the city and the only way he would tell anyone else would be on his death bed, before he passed his title.

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( So I'll type it up and post chapter 2 tomorrow. Hope it's not too wordy so far @_@ )

Last edited by Zephi; 08-31-2010 at 04:55 AM..

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#2
Old 08-21-2010, 08:17 AM

Chapter Two

Zephyr touched down lightly, claws making a soft rapping noise on the stones. Grio hadn’t noticed her, he had his back to her and appeared to be tinkering with something. She walked up and tapped him on the shoulder gently. He was taller than she was when he stood up straight but not when he was hunched over. He turned quickly and tried to conceal what he had been working on. Zephyr crossed her arms over her chest. There was a glint of light when he turned but she couldn’t make out what it was.
“Oh. Hi, Zeph! Um, what are you, uh, doing here.” He tried to look normal with both claws behind his back. “Out kinda late?”
Zephyr raised a brow at him. “Where is it that I am supposed to be?” She asked casually.
She moved to his right side but he countered and twisted away from her. She thought about dashing around the large dragon but for his size, he was incredibly agile.
“Well, you know Oainix has been looking for you all day.” Zephyr leaned to the left and he leaned along with her. “He came by here twice today and it seemed really important that he find you.”
Zephyr blinked. Gregorio was his real name but all of his friends called him Grio. He was a very pale green color with amazing emerald eyes that seemed to glow when he smiled. His muscular build didn’t seem to suit his shy personality but the dark blue security uniform made him look the part.
“Oh, and,” he continued as he stepped back and straightened to his full height, “I don’t know what he wanted so there’s no need asking me. ‘Cause I don’t know anything.”
“Are you sure you don’t know anything?” she pried. She tilted her head a little and uncrossed her arms to put them on her hips. “Oainix didn’t tell you anything? You, his best friend?”
“I’m pretty sure he didn’t say anything to me. Nothing about wanting to give you anything.”
“What?” Her ears perked up.

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“I said he didn’t tell me anything.” He pursed his lips and mumbled, “I think.”
Zephyr chuckled. He was always such a bad liar, but she decided not to mess with him and just find out for herself whatever it was Oainix wanted to give her. She waved a hand as she walked away. “Ok, thanks for telling me G.”
Grio shook his head, “No, no. I didn’t tell you anything!” He saw that she was really leaving and he sighed. Watching her for a minute longer as if to make sure that she didn’t sneak up behind him he decided to turn back around and work on what he had been hiding.
Zephyr shrugged as she looked back over her shoulder. He invented lots of things. Something new almost every day but no one was permitted to see whatever it was he worked on until the finished product. She wasn’t sure if it was a superstition that he had or just from him being shy. Either way she wasn’t going to break his heart to sneak a peek at the newest addition to his inventive collections.
The road she walked along resembled a cobblestone path. It looked old and gave the whole city a medieval look. Flying on town had long been banned after a few dozen in-flight collisions. It was decided that it would be best, and safest, for the population to have designated areas where is was ok and not ok to fly. Zephyr looked up at the lamps as she walked past. They cast long shadows into the small clumps of trees lining the street into town. You would never guess that it was over populated the way the city was designed. So much space was given to parks and fountains, space that might be better used for housing but no one really complained about it much. They just hoped that a treaty would be written up soon that would permit them to legally live on the ground if they choose.
As she came into the city the houses lining the street were small and cozy looking, made of brick because it didn’t burn. When Winglies first began living in houses they had been made of wood, this had caused problems with them being burned down in their sleep. Even now, not many Winglies breathe fire, it’s considered barbaric but you won’t catch anyone turning away when performers come through breathing fire and swallowing swords.
A little way down the street to her left was a building with a bright blue sign of a dragon’s head that was drinking a “Red Lightning.” That was the most famous ale in all of the Winglie cities and you could only get it at Tiny Tina’s or a place owned by one of her business partners. This was Oainix’s and Oscoro’s favorite place to hang out after the sun went down, and it was the only place that stayed open that long. Most of the stores and the few actual bars in Moirai were only open during the day and they closed promptly at sundown. Tiny Tina’s was only open after dark.
As Zephyr got closer she could hear the muffled thump, thump, thump from the music inside the building. It sounded like they had a live band there tonight, which meant she would have to pay to get in. She walked up to the door and banged on it. After a few seconds a small hole opened in the door and Zephyr found herself looking into a yellow eye.
“I need to see some ID bef-- Zephyr!” The Winglie behind the door laughed as he pulled open the door for her. A blast of music hit her hard and her ears folded back against her skull. The Winglie that had opened the door was standing on a crate which he promptly hopped off rising just above Zephyr’s waist. He raised his voice over the music as he shut the door behind her, “Why didn’t you just say it was you?”

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She shrugged and looked around.
He jumped back on his crate and nudged her. “You act like you still need to show your ID you old bird. Ha!”
“Old bird! You little imp!” She hit him over the head lightly. She had been coming to Tiny Tina’s since before she should have even been allowed in the building so the long term workers knew her well. “Besides, I wouldn’t want you to lose your job Bruce. You’ve been doing this since the dawn of time and I don’t think that you know how to do anything else.” She grinned.
He nudged her again. “Well I could always come to your house. I’m sure I could find some work to do around there. I’m pretty handy you know.” Zephyr laughed aloud with the tiny Winglie and silently shook her head.
Changing the subject she asked, “So how much is it for me to get into this rockin’ place?”
The dance floor was alive tonight and lights flashed red, blue and yellow along with the music. People were lined up at the bar and everyone looked like they were having a great time. A banner hung from the ceiling with the words ‘The Fire Gods’ in large bold text and a location of their next performance. It almost made her wish that she could be normal and not have to worry about peace between nations.
Almost.
“Well,” he looked over his shoulder at the dancing crowd, “it’s supposed to be 20 Talons but for you I think I could let that slide.”
“Thanks Bruce. I owe you one.” She nodded to the band on stage, “They’re not half bad for a rock band, huh?” Then turning her attention back to the little black dragon that was eyeing her she asked, “I’m looking for Oainix, have you seen him?”
“Yeah, I saw him a while ago. I think he said something about lookin for you too. I think…” His voice trailed off under the music and Zephyr raised a brow.
“Is he still here by any chance?”
The small Winglie shrugged. “Maybe. I never saw him leave but he could have left while I was on break.”
“Alright,” she sighed. No one was going to make this easy on her tonight. “I’ll go ask Tina.”
Bruce nodded and plopped down on his crate as Zephyr made her way towards the bar. She stepped around the dance floor, she didn’t feel like getting hit by any crazy dance moves tonight. Just as she reached the corner of the bar the band hit a high note and then fell silent. All the winglies that had been dancing stopped and applauded. The lights turned off and a spot light lit shining down on the lead singer, he was tall and slender and had a huge pair of wings. The band started off again, slowly and the dance floor was suddenly filled with couples dancing closely together. All the stools that had been empty were quickly taken by everyone that didn’t want to dance.

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Zephyr sighed and tried to find a space to squeeze up to the bar. Then she smiled, someone was ordering a Red Lightning. The unsuspecting winglie toasted to no one in particular and then downed the drink in one gulp. His claw wavered as he lifted the mug, no empty, and slammed it back on the bar. Everyone around him cheered and hooted. In the background the band grew louder. Anyone who knew anything about drinking RL’s knew that it was impossible to drink one the way that guy just did, unless you want to get up close and personal with the ground in a few seconds.
They used to have a contest to see who could last the longest on their feet after a RL, but since no one could last more than a few seconds it was always hard to determine a winner. Zephyr moved closer and counted off her claws as she stepped.
One. He started to say something to the bartender.
Two. He paused.
Three. Zephyr could see his facial expression turning from happiness to surprise.
Four. His eyes widened as he put both claws on the bar.
Five. The poor guy tried to stand and fell as if someone stole his legs from beneath him in a lump on the floor. Zephyr casually stepped over him and sat on the stool. The bartender looked at her and grinned.
“That wasn’t too bad, Tina,” Zephyr said over the ever loudening music. “Five seconds. Was that a new record?” she asked sarcastically.
The bar tender chuckled. “I tried to warn him but, you know Oscoro, he never listens.”
Zephyr’s eyes widened as she looked down at the winglie who’s stool she just acquired. He seemed to have passed out for the moment with one wing flopping over his face. No one around him acted like it was anything new. “Oscoro?” She nudged him with a clawed toe, “Geez, he’ll never learn.” Shaking her head she turned her attention back to Tina. “I came here looking for Oainix, have you seen him tonight?”
“I saw him,” she shook her head, “but he left before the band even got set up.” She paused for a second and added, “Girl, he seemed really nervous too, like he’d been chewing on coffee beans all day. Then he just left without saying anything to anyone.”
“Hmm.”
A winglie down the bar was waving a shot glass in the air trying desperately to get Tina’s attention. “I’m coming!” she yelled. Then she leaned in and whispered to Zephyr, “A bar tender’s job is never done.”
“Not as long as you have dragons like him and Oscoro around.” They both laughed as Tina walked down to the thirst customer. “Don’t work too hard!” she yelled and stepped over her friend who was still passed out on the ground.
“You’re not gonna have a drink? I’ll make my special Celestial Waters for ya!” Tina waved to Zephyr.

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She waved back, “No thanks. I better get to finding that Oainix.” She turned away from the bar and thought about what Tina had said. Oainix isn’t one to be easily rattled, something had to be up.
There was a low grunt from the ground and Zephyr felt a claw on her foot. “Okie, I’m ruddy fer another un of da tings.” Oscoro grabbed on to Zephyr’s with his leg and pulled himself up to a sitting position.
“Hey!” Zephyr reached down and grabbed his arm in two claws. Pulling him to his feet she braced him and sat him back on the stool.
He looked at her squinting and puckering his lips like a monkey. “Haaaaaaaaay Zeph!” He lunged forward and hugged her, throwing all his weight into the hug and almost knocking her off balance. Zephyr turned away from him and his hot breath on her face. He looked at her, his eyes adjusting and readjusting, “I luf you.”
“Ugh! Nice to see you too!” She pushed him back into the stool again but he didn’t leg go of her. She had to pry his arms off before she could stand up straight again.
“Ya safed my seat.” he sighed loudly and made what was probably supposed to be a cute gesture. The cuteness got lost in his drunkenness and ended up as almost being obscene. “I tink I needa nuffer dr-” He hiccupped and paused. Raising a claw he said as clearly as he could, “Drinky.”
Zephyr shook her head at him. “How many Red Lightning’s have you had tonight Oscoro?”
“Onlee tew.” He looked at his claws and held up four as if to reassure her. He put on a stern face and banged his claw against his chest a few times. “Imma big draygin. I know why at say no.”
“You might know why but you sure don’t know when.” She slipped her arm under his and pulled him to his feet. “Put your arm around my neck,” she said in a stern voice.
Oscoro flashed a crooked smile and said, “Yesh Ma’am. Wheyre we goin at night babe?” He leaned into her neck and smiled.
“I’m taking you home and don’t call me ‘babe.’” She wrapped her right arm around his body and helped him towards the door. They made it half way around the dance floor when Oscoro pulled back as if he had just realized that they were leaving. Maybe he had just realized they were leaving. Zephyr began to lose her patience and had half a mind to leave him at the bar. “Stop acting like a hatchling. I’m taking you home before you hurt yourself or someone else."

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They made it to the door, slowly. Bruce threw her a sympathetic look and opened the door. “Do you want some help carting him home?” he offered.
Zephyr adjusted his weight on her shoulders and shook her head. “He lives just around the corner, I think I can make it. If he stops fighting me that is.” Zephyr walked out the door supporting Oscoro. “Thanks again and good night Bruce.”
Bruce shut the door behind her closing out most of the music and sounds from the crowd. The band had started back up with a wild song and everyone went crazy on the inside. Zephyr unfolded her ears and sighed. Time to take this goof ball home, she thought.
Zephyr walked and Oscoro stumbled supported by her. They made it slowly down the street and Oscoro didn’t fight again until they had almost reached his house. Then he pulled his arm from around her and struggled to stand on his own.
He looked at her angrily and said, “I know whas good fer me an whas no good. Imma goin back at tha bar.”
“What makes you think Bruce will let you in? We’re almost to your house. Let’s go.”
Zephyr reached for his arm as he turned to go but he quickly grabbed her claw and pulled her towards him instead. He seemed to have regained most of his strength because without any effort he pushed her out of his way. She caught herself and snorted. She wasn’t going to let him push her aside like an empty shot glass! She jumped out in front of the lumbering fool and crossed her arms. Oscoro made a gesture as if to say that he would toss her out of the way. She locked eyes with him and shook her head defiantly.
He ran at her but she dodged quickly letting him grab for air as he fell to the ground with a hard thud. Moaning Oscoro brought himself up to his knees. Zephyr walked to him and offered him a claw but he pushed it away and let out a low growl. Zephyr jumped back and caught the movement of a shadow out of the corner of her eye. Something was in the alley near them and there was no telling what kind of low lives were on the prowl tonight looking for some easy prey.
Zephyr have been watching the alley as Oscoro came from below and wrapped his arms around her pinning her wings to her back. She squirmed and tried to break out of his grasp but he was holding her too tight. Instead she started kicking her legs and landed one right in his groin. Oscoro went stiff and let out a howl in pain before letting her go and dropping to his knees. He clutched himself and then fell over to his side whimpering before he passed out.
She hadn’t meant to kick him but it had done the trick. He was totally still apart from the occasional twitch in his tail. She angrily rubbed her wings and looked at him having half a mind to leave him where he lay but then she remembered the shadow in the alley. Whoever that was probably wouldn’t mind if their prey was already unconscious.
She bent over and groaned lifting his dead weight. She crossed his arms in front of her and held on to his biceps. With his feet and tail dragging on the ground she made her way towards his house. Then his wings fell limply over hers.
There was a sharp laugh from the darkened alley and Zephyr turned to face whoever decided to mess with her. She had already lost her patience on Oscoro so she would pity the fool that tried to pull anything after she left them on pain on the ground.
“So now you’re going to carry this poor defenseless guy to your home and have your way with him, huh?”
She knew that voice. “Maybe I am.” She turned and started walking again calling back over her shoulder, “Would you care?”
A brown and tan well-built Graffon stepped out of the darkness. His eyes were a steel grey as he watched them. His wings extended almost four feet above his head and grazed the ground just behind his clawed feet. He was covered in tiny scale like feathers, more feather-like than scales but not totally.
“Maybe,” he said. “Because this poor fellow happens to be a friend of mine, or maybe just because I don’t like the idea of my girlfriend hanging all over him.” Behind him, his long tail swept back and fourth but never touched the ground.

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“If you haven’t noticed, he’s the one hanging all over me. And I’ll have to remember that for next time he ends up like this, it’ll be your turn to carry him home.” She paused for a second to catch her breath. Carrying him was ok, or talking, not both.
Oainix ran to her left side and easily lifted his unconscious friend off her shoulders. “Here, let me help you then. No need for you to get worn out, yet.” He joked. His muscles flexed as he carried him up the road without a sound.
Zephyr smiled. “Thank you. I found him at Tina’s,” she explained. “He’s been knocking back a few too many RL’s again. I don’t know why he does this to himself every night. I thought I’d help him out and maybe save him the embarrassment of waking up in the alley curled around a bag of trash.”
“Oh, so you thought it’d be better if he woke up curled around you?” He grinned. “I could just see you after a little more of this. Squashed in the road under his weight just waiting for him to come to.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny.” She walked a little faster down the street leaving Oainix behind.
“Wait. I was only kidding. I’ve had my eye on you since you landed.”
Zephyr turned, “You were watching me the whole time and you didn’t say anything? You’re acting weird.”
“I-I am not acting weird,” he stammered. “I was going to surprise you.” He caught up to her and quickly changed the subject. “I’ve been looking for you all day. Where have you been hiding out?”
They stopped in front of a brick house painted yellow. The door never locks and the paint was chipping off from everywhere. Oscoro said it made it look like art. Zephyr said he was just too lazy to paint it.
“This is it.” She walked up the steps and pushed the door open. “He should be investing in home improvement instead of RL’s. Just put him on the couch or something.” Oainix slid past her and laid Oscoro on the couch. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and tossed it over him.
“Big baby.” Oainix left the house behind Zephyr and they walked back down to the street in silence.
Being so high in the sky the stars blazed more magnificently than on the ground or even just above cloud level. From here it was almost if you could reach out and grab one. Hold it in your hand or put it in your pocket for whenever you need a smile. Oainix broke the silence and asked her again what she had been up to all day. Zephyr sighed. She knew that Oainix didn’t like it when she went to the ground alone.
“What?” Oainix yelled and Zephyr shushed him. “It’s dangerous down there! I could have gone with you. All you had to do was ask me!”
“Be quiet. There are people trying to sleep around here. And besides, I’m fine. Nothing happened, I didn’t even see anyone except from far away, and that was when I was on my way back up here. I just had to get away for a while, you know? This meeting tomorrow,” she sighed, “I don’t feel ready.”
Oainix stopped and put his claws on her shoulders. “You’ll do fine tomorrow. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound like that I just don’t know what Id do if I ever lost you.” He stopped and looked into her eyes like he was searching for something. “Zephyr, I love you.”
A smile spread across her face. “I love you , too.”
Her smile faded from her face and her eyes got wide as he dropped to one knee taking her claw in his hand. She looked around wondering if this was really happening of is she was dreaming and then looked back at him. He pulled a golden tail ring out of his pocket and it shone brightly in the moonlight.
“Zephyr.”
She was finding that it was getting hard to breathe. Her breath coming in gasps. Her mouth became unbearably dry but her eyes were filled with tears threatening to overflow. “Yes?” she managed to get out and bit her lip.
“Will you marry me?” He looked at her as she stood in silence. A single bead of sweat broke on his forehead. The clouds seemed to move faster in a circle and the stars twinkled at them as she caught her breath and nodded with the tears streaming from her eyes.
“Yes, Oainix, yes!” She fell down to her knees and hugged him. He hugged her back and stood up, pulling her to her feet he picked her up and swung her around in the air. He set her back on her feet and held out his claw. She shyly placed her tail in his claw. Oainix unhinged it and clasped it around her tail. It slid to the end and stopped at the tuft. It fit, perfectly.
“How did you know my size?”
He smiled at her, “Well I had some help. It was too big at first, woulda just flew off the second you took off, but Grio owed me a favor and he knows about these kind of things.”
Zephyr raised her eyebrows. “So that’s what he was working on when I saw him. It must have cost you a fortune.”
“Well, you’re worth a lot more to me than that is. That’s just a representation of my love and I only want the best for you. Anyway,” he picked her up off her feet and carried her towards her house, “I’m glad you didn’t insist on finding out what he was working on. That would have ruined the surprise. He came close enough to letting it slip out by himself.”
Zephyr wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck lightly.
“Hey.” He smiled at her, “You better watch out. We might not make it home if you keep doing that.”
A sly look crossed her face as she said, “That might not be so bad.” She grinned as she nipped at his neck knowing that it drove him crazy. All the feathers on his neck stood on end as he lowered her to her feet. She touched down on her own porch. With one hand he lifted her chin and kissed her lips. A soft sigh escaped her lips as he pulled her close to his body. She could feel his heart beating against hers and she wanted to feel him even closer.
Oainix smoothly opened the door behind her, never breaking their bond. They both slipped silently backwards through the door and closed it behind them, locking it and closing out the rest of the world for the night.

I'll type up and post chapter three tomorrow guys :)

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#3
Old 08-22-2010, 05:34 AM

Chapter Three

The sun peeked through the blinds warming Zephyr’s cheek and waking her up. She stretched rubbing her eyes with her claw. She turned to her side to say good morning to her fiancé only to find that he had already gone. There was a note on the pillow where he had been only a few hours ago. It read:

My love, Zephyr Lyart

Zephyr I love you so much. Last night was the first time I felt I could tell you just how much you mean to me. I never had the right words but now I don’t have to worry because I know you feel the same way I do. I am truly a blessed Winglie. I don’t know what I did to deserve someone as special as you. I can’t wait to see you tonight. Sorry I have to leave like this but, work calls.

All my love,
Oainix

Zephyr smiled contently and starred at the letter for a moment longer thinking of last night. Although Oainix had to work early in the mornings, he had pampered her all night until she drifted off to sleep. Her eyes trailed off to the clock beside her bed and she jumped as the clock blazed the time at her. 8:47. The day was wasting away and she had to be at a meeting with the Triad in thirteen minutes.
She leapt out of bed and grabbed her clothes. She stumbled to the door and just managed to get her shirt tied at the top before there was a knock at the door.
“Just a minute!” she yelled and struggled to tie it under her wings. The door pushed open slowly and Zephyr screamed as she turned her back to the door.
“Zephyr?” Oscoro stuck his head through the doorway. “Look, I just wanted to apologize for last night. I think I might have had too many RL’s and I just wanted to make sure that no one got-- IS THAT A TAIL RING?” Oscoro pushed the door wide open and pointed blankly at the golden ring.
Zephyr finally got the knot tied and turned to face him. “It’s ok, I’m fine.” She pushed him out the door and went out after him. “Nothing happened, maybe you should just lay off the RL’s.” She locked the door behind her and said quickly, “Thanks for asking. Now I have to go before I’m late for a really important meeting so we can talk later, ok? Ok!” She leapt off the porch and started to sprint down the cobblestone road.
“Hey! You didn’t answer my question!” Zephyr paused mid step and turned to face him. “Is that a tail ring?”

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She grinned, “Yeah it is. I’ll tell you all about it, well not all about it but I’ll tell you when I get back!” She waved and took off running again rounding the corner in a few quick strides and didn‘t see Oscoro grit his teeth and turn in the other direction.
Making it to the landing pad in less than a minute she leapt off and pulled her body into a tight ball falling rapidly towards the clouds. In seconds she had gained speed and opened her wings to catch herself before falling into them. She narrowed her wings and elongated her body becoming more streamlined. Picking up speed she put all her force behind each beat of her wings. The wind gathered behind her and pushed her along even faster like she had summoned it from across the land.
The scenery below her was a blur as she flew along the ridgeline of the Yahto mountains. A cool stiff breeze from the snow covered tops made her shudder and focus in flying faster. She passed one other Winglie on her way to Pacifios but they were going in the opposite direction. Before she knew it the mountains fell away below her and the ocean spread out as far as the eye could see. Only a short distance ahead was where the meeting was already taking place, in the city that always floated above the sea.
She touched down heavily on the landing pad and the guard saluted her with his spear. She nodded back and asked, “Sir, do you know if the meeting has begun yet?”
The guard looked at her but didn’t drop his salute. “It has been in session for only a moment, Peace Talker.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled taking off down the main road, making her way towards the Council Building. It still made her feel odd to be saluted and not called by her name. When she was appointed Peace Talker, there wasn’t much change in her own city but in the others she was looked upon with more respect. Winglies fell over themselves to get out of her way and gawked at her in awe. Though they respected her she’s heard their voices behind her back numerous times. Most think she’s too young and she won’t be able to complete her mission. She hoped to prove them wrong.
The streets were full that morning but the crowds broke as she came near them. Making it to the Council Building faster than anyone else would have been able to, she hopped up the steps four at a time. The whole building echoed her steps back at her and the entrance door loomed closer in front of her. She knew that she was about to be scolded for being late so she gritted her teeth and put on a solemn face before placing a claw on the door handle. She tried to think of a good reason for being late.
Inside the meeting room there was an uproar when she walked through the door. Everyone who was seated rose to their feet as one.
“Miss Zephyr! Where have you been?” The oldest looking Winglie seated at the head of the table rose last and put both his claws on the table. Leaning over he knit his brows and said, “We have been waiting for you.”

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“Ok Miss Zephyr, that might be true but could you take a look at this?” The Senator dropped something into the claws of a Winglie that stood to his right side. As he got closer she could see that it was a small box. “Tell me if it looks familiar to you.”
The Winglie opened the box. Inside was a small blood stained pendant that had a tiny red flame engraved into a stone made of onyx. The chain was silver laced with gold and there was blood on it too. Zephyr blinked and looked confused. She had a pendant specially made for him and had given it to him for his birthday last year. Slowly she reached for the pendant and gripped the chain in her claws.
Raising it out of the box it spun from front to back and then to the front again. Her eyes fixed on it as she turned it in her other claw. On the back was a small engraving barely visible that said “Never alone again.”
She gasped and dropped the pendant back into the box. Her hands were shaking as she placed one over her mouth and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to look at it anymore. It definitely belonged to Oainix. But who’s blood was on it? Was it his or was it from someone else?
“Miss Zephyr? Have you identified the object?” The Senator looked at her from the other end of the table.
She could feel the room pressing in on her as she searched for the strength to speak. All the diplomats in the room leaned in closer to her, waiting for the final word, wanting to know if it could possibly be a lie.
“I-I do know this pendant Senator.” She stopped and lowered the claw from her mouth. She put both claws on her lap and curled them into a tight fist looking down at the polished oak table in front of her. “I gave that pendant to Mr. Lyart last year as a gift.”
“Ah-ha!” The Winglie to the left of the Senator leapt to his feet and pointed at Zephyr. “I knew it! I knew that Lyart was no good! I bet he has been working against our plans for peace since the beginning! I say we hunt him down and turn him over to the Hirsuits so they can do what they want with him. He deserves nothing less, the dirty scoundrel.”
The Winglie grinned evilly at Zephyr. The grin did nothing for his sickly complexion, he looked like the type of Winglie that could waste his whole life inside without ever seeing the light of the sun, and not care. His scrawny wings were tiny and ill formed. They didn’t even look strong enough to hold his own weight in the air. He wore a black suit that loosely fit hit wire-thin frame with jagged hook-like claws starting at the shoulders and running the length of the sleeves. Zephyr shuddered thinking he had a look that not even his own mother could love.
“Sit down Mr. Santur, that’s enough.” Senator Kinison motioned for him to take his seat. And said calmly, “We can’t do that, not yet anyway.”
“Sir! If they have control of Lyart, they might be willing to have talks of a treaty again.” Santur gave Kinison a longing look. “I could lead the search party myself.”

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He was much too eager to go flying around for his own good and everyone there noticed it. It was well known that there were many in politics that didn’t trust half-lings. Santur seemed to be one of them.
All the more reason for me not to like him, Zephyr thought.
Oainix had never been known as a trouble maker, quite the opposite actually. He was the Winglie to go to if you ever needed a favor. Always willing to help out a friend in need without asking a question. It was true that he did work for the Winglie Army but he wasn’t a fighter, he worked in the armory. He took great pride in cleaning and maintaining the many weapons that were stored there and hoped that they would never have to be used again.
Senator Kinison asked the question that was on everyone’s mind, “You? You would go flying around to look for him?”
“Well, not exactly.” He stood again as if to plead his case. “I was thinking that I could lead it from here. Play the role more as the Head Supervisor of the search.” One of the Winglies groaned and tapped the name plate sitting in front of him. It said “Algaf - Head Supervisor.” Santur continued without looking at him. “First I would send a party of ten or maybe twenty to each of the three cities. From there, they would talk to friends and family, put up wanted posters with his picture on it and search every building from top to bottom. If he wasn’t there, they would move on to searching the ground.”
“You’ve already thought about this I see, but you fail to realize what a wide scale project that would be. You would need far more than twenty to form a search party to perform all of those tasks.” The Senator shook his head.
“I’ve only thought of it just this moment Senator. If I were placed in charge though, I could do it correctly. And besides, you have to be ready for anything, I always say.” Santur made a ball with his claw and put it over his heart.
How winglies like him ever get into places of power would always elude Zephyr, but she knew that there had to be a lot of underhanded plots going on to keep him there. Lots of mouths being hushed with talons. She grinded her teeth together. Dirty politics always made her sick.
“Yeah, you just wait for anyone to do something wrong,” she hissed from between her teeth.
“What?” Santur’s half closed eyes fell on her with a look of disgust. “You would be just the type to side with a criminal, especially him.”
“Oainix is not a criminal! This has to be a misunderstanding.” Her face grew red under her scales. First they strip her father of his title and make him a common criminal, and now her fiancé. She had to find out what was really going on. It just had to be a mistake.
“Well no matter what you say, his records don’t exactly agree with your image of him.”

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“What are you talking about? How would you know anything about his personal records?” Her face hardened as Santur beamed like a spot light had been turned on over his head.
Senator Kinison raised a claw bringing and end to their discussion. He turned his head to look at Santur and said, “Miss Zephyr is right. Mr. Santur, how exactly did you obtain these records?” Zephyr couldn’t help but grin when his face lost its glow.
“Sir, as soon as I’d heard I made it my duty to do some research on this Winglie. I have also done my homework on the laws of the Hirsuits in the past. Based on that, I think we should hand him over when he is found for the safety of the cities. Down there we could be cleared of all relation to him and it would also be very beneficial to the Peace Talkers’ mission.”
“That’s enough Mr. Santur. You had only heard of this mornings news when we did so your excuse of researching then doesn’t fit with the story but that will be taken care of later. For the time being you should focus on your own meager responsibilities and leave others to theirs. We do have to find Mr. Lyart but he will be tried here, and if he is found guilty he will also be punished here. It would be wrong of us to put his life in the hands of the Hirsuits without a fair trial. Right now they are smelling blood and will take out their anger on anyone that is placed in their path and no doubt crave more after that.”
The winglie across from Santur was wearing a military uniform decorated with many ribbons and medals. A large scar ran from the bottom of his right ear to his chin, it looked old and ragged like it had never healed properly. He looked around the table of Winglies as he said, “Would that be so bad? We could end this easily. There would be no need for the loss of lives like the last time. My soldiers have been training day and night for the past fifty years, some of my higher ranking officers have been with me since the end of the War of the Sun.”
He folded his claws in front of him as a shudder ran through the room. Talking of the War of the Sun like it was nothing but a small mistake made everyone waiver for a second.
The military Winglie continued, “One of my men could destroy at leas 1,000 Hirsuits without breaking a sweat. Their feeble forces are no match for our power. With the recent advancements in battle tactics and weapons the ground could easily be ours. Why should we try so had to appease them? They should be trying to please us.” He paused to let his words sink in and gain effect. “We could crush those who oppose us and then force the rest to obey.”
“You are saying we should enslave our ground-brothers? Get them before they get us? General Mace, have you gone mad?” Senator Kinison shook his head as the general opened his mouth to reply. “Another war is not what the people need right now. All we should be worrying about at this point is finding Mr. Lyart and setting up defenses around the cities incase the Hirsuits are enraged enough to try and launch an attack on us. That is all.”

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“A war might not be what they need, but it’s what they want. The wounds of the Winglies have been tended over these years but the pain is still there. Everyone lost someone dear to us.” He pointed to a Winglie close to Zephyr and asked, “What about you? Did the Hirsuits take someone from you?”
The Winglie nodded sharply and said, “I lost my father. He was taken in one of the last days of the war.” His voice trailed off and he looked away from the general’s gaze.
General Mace nodded and stood. He made his way around the table as he talked. “I lost my younger brother. Somehow, he was placed in a scout platoon who’s mission was to find the enemy and prevent them from sneaking into the ground camp that was set up. It had to be the darkest night I can remember. His platoon was about to come back to camp when my brother heard a cry from the bushes nearby. Upon investigation he discovered a small Hirsuit that began to cry at the top of his lungs upon being found. My brother always had a soft heart for the young so he tried to calm it’s crying. Then before anyone had any idea what was going on they were ambushed and surrounded by a pack of wild Hirsuits.”
“His comrades tried to fly away and run but my brother stayed and bravely fought them all to give them a chance to escape, one by one they were beaten back into the darkness that they had appeared from. After a while one of his cowardly comrades came back to look for him. He was where they had left him but the tortured marks that covered his body, the deep wounds that tore to the bone were too great. They carried him back to the camp solemnly, he was barely alive when I made it to his bedside”
“He spoke to me like he was already on the other side. His eyes never looked at me, always at the ceiling, and though his body was bandaged the blood had not stopped flowing. He croaked out a few words before passing. ‘Don’t let my death be in vain.’ I promised him right then and there to make every last Hirsuit pay for thinking of lifting a paw against a Winglie. His soul left his body shortly after, but he’s still in my heart, and I’ve not forgotten my promise.”
The room sat in thoughtful silence. The general stopped by his chair and sat down quietly. Zephyr looked around at the faces of the Winglies around her. The general had struck a chord with them and some were choking back tears. Others looked around in silent anger. No one had anything to say about his moving story except for Santur.
“We have all had our share of suffering in the past. There is no need to suffer now. If we capture Lyart and hand him over the Hirsuits would never see an attack coming. General Mace,” he looked across at the general and extended a claw in his direction, “you soldiers have been well trained.”
I trained them myself. I would trust each and every one of them with my life,” he nodded and shook the claw that was extended to him.
“Senator Kinison, this plan is perfect. There would be no way that the Hirsuits would be able to mount any resistance on such a short notice.” Santur looked at the senator with wide eyes.

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“General Mace, Mr. Santur, give me a few days to think about this. First we will find Lyart and then, once we have him in custody we will take a vote to determine what will be done next. This is a democracy and nothing will be decided by a single Winglie.”
Zephyr sat in silence listening to the arguments at hand as her mind drifted back to Oainix. How could Oainix do something like that? He had been with her all night, she was sure of it. On the other hand, she hadn’t taken notice of when he did leave. Even with all the proof against him, with the entire Triad rising against him, she knew in her heart that Oainix would never do anything like that.
“Miss Zephyr.” She looked up slowly into the eyes of the Senator. They were very kind eyes, full of understanding and knowledge of a long life in the sky. The times were changing and the room was filled with Winglies that were only half his age at the oldest. Most of the old ways and ideas were gone but they still lived on with him. “Miss Zephyr,” he began again, “we are going to need any information you might have as to the whereabouts of Mr. Lyart. We are going to need to question him ourselves.”
Zephyr nodded her head, she loved Oainix with all of her heart so she couldn’t just hand him over, but she really didn’t know where he was so she was glad that she didn’t have to lie about that but, she would have to find him before they could get their claws on him. Any kind of delay to their plan would help her out.
“He let for work this morning. I saw him out the door with my own eyes. We weren’t apart for a moment all night until he departed. From there I can only assume that he went to work. He works for the armory, you should know that yourself General. He takes great pride in his work and hates to show up late. That was the only place that he could have gone.”
“Then how do you explain the amulet?” Santur yelled in anger.
Zephyr shook her head calmly. “I can’t explain it. I don’t know how it would have been in the possession of the Hirsuits either. You have already made your point with me Mr. Santur, and I’ve told the council all that I know.”
“Alright, Zephyr.” The old senator smiled warmly at her. “I know this must be hard for you, I believe that you and Mr. Lyart are pretty close, are you not?” Zephyr didn’t reply. “Well, you are free to go home for now. We’ll send word for you when you are needed again. For now maybe it’s best if you just relax and let us do what we need to do.” Senator Kinison nodded at the Winglie near the door and zephyr stood shakily to leave. “We will need to keep the amulet though, I hope that you understand..”
Zephyr nodded and turned to look out into the huge lobby. “I understand, Senator. Thank you.” She strode out the door with her head held high. Voices from the room followed her out as the door shut behind her. They were all talking about how to find Oainix but none spoke louder than Santur.
She continued walking until she heard the door close and latch shut far behind her. Once she was sure that she was not being watched she sprinted to the opening of the Council Building. She rushed through the doors and jumped into the air when she reached the steps. She didn’t care if it was a fly-zone or not. Some Winglies on the ground stopped to watch her overhead. Flying in a public place was forbidden by all except law enforcement Winglies.

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She soared over the buildings and zoomed to the edge of the city heading westward. There were two shadows low near the ocean behind her. The slow movement from below had caught her eye as soon as they had started to tail her. The senator was a trusting Winglie but he wasn’t senile in his old age. He knew that she would want to get in contact with Oainix and the best way to find him would be to follow her. She flew as fast as she could praying for a good tail wind to help her get in and out of her house before anyone that might be following her got there. Her heart raced and pounded in her chest as she retraced the path back to Moirai arriving there in less time than it took to get to the meeting this morning. When she wanted to, she could fly faster than anyone before.

And the plot thickens, I suppose. Chapter 4, coming to you tomorrow. :)

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#4
Old 08-24-2010, 11:24 AM

Wow! I definitely forgot to upload the next chapter *d'oh* But I will do it asaptual! So, later on today, you should be able to find out what happens next. Sorry for the delay... if there was anyone who was actually following this :sweat:

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Chapter Four

The landing pad was in sight and she flew past it, she was going to her house to see if Oainix had left a clue in the letter that morning. Maybe something that she hadn’t noticed before like a small detail that could tell her where she could find him. The streets of Moirai were far less crowded than the ones in Pacifios. Landing just in front of her porch she fumbled with the lock to the front door and considered bursting through it. She ran inside and went straight for her room to snatch the letter off the pillow where she had left it.
She read over it again quickly, her eyes darting back and forth on the page. There was nothing unusual about the note, it was a normal love note that you would write to someone. One thing stood out to her though, he had said that he would see her tonight. Obviously he hadn’t planned on doing anything that would go against this.
Zephyr folded the letter and stuffed it into the pouch on her hip. The two Winglies that were following her might be catching up any time now so she had to get away from this place. They wanted anything that had to do with Oainix but she wasn’t going to be offering any information. She clenched her claws as she ran to the doorway preparing to fly as soon as she stepped across the threshold.
Zephyr reached the entrance and froze.
There were two large Winglies wearing suits with small black eyes coming up the path towards her house.
Zephyr swallowed hard and flushed as one of them spoke to her. “Miss Zephyr?” She nodded in response but inwardly was getting tired of hearing her name being spoken in that manner today. “May we come in?” She hardly moved before they had pushed past her and stepped into her house. “We’ve been sent here to watch you and make sure that you stay,” he paused, “safe.”
The emphasis he put on the last word made her think that they had exactly the opposite in mind. It sent a chill down her spine. She caught herself starring into the dark eyes of one of the Winglies. They showed absolutely no emotion on their faces at all. One stood by the door with her and the other walked around her living room slowly eyeing all her possessions that were on display; photos of her, interesting rocks she had found on the ground and other various knickknacks.

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“Yeah come on in. Why don’t you make yourself at home,” she said through her teeth.
“I think we will,” the one standing near her replied with what might have been a smile.
The Winglie that had been inspecting her possessions was a little smaller than the Winglie beside her. He nodded and said, “Thank you Miss.” Rounding the couch he sat down and put his arm up over the back of the couch. She half expected him to prop his feet up on the table in front of him but thankfully, for his sake, he didn’t. The other winglie wasn’t ready to sit down yet and he followed the same path the other had just taken looking at her pictures. He stopped in front of one with Zephyr and Oainix. They were both smiling from ear to ear with their arms around each other.
“What a happy couple. It’s a tragedy that he turned to a life of crime.” He turned to look at her with those cold dark eyes and frowned. “While we’re here, why don’t you give us a tour of the house?”
Zephyr held back a growl. They had some nerve barging in here and then asking for a tour as if they really were her guests. What’s next, she thought, tea and cakes?
“Sure,” she said coolly, “Through the door on your right is the kitchen, the one beside it is the bathroom and the last one, the one on the far left leads to my bedroom. That’s all there is to my house.” She crossed her arms and squinted back at him. “Feel free to show yourself around.”
The winglie that was on his feet still nodded and walked into the kitchen disappearing from sight. The smaller winglie looked out the front window and surveyed the street. The seconds ticked by like a hot summer day at noon without a cloud in the sky. Zephyr watched the seated winglie closely as she walked around behind the couch. She’d have to think of a way to give them the slip if she wanted to find Oainix before they did.
From behind the couch she wondered if she could quietly take out the small guy while the bigger one was gone and make it out of the house before he noticed. There was a large silver candle stick on a table beside an old family photo. She wrapped her claws around it tightly and turned back to the couch. Quietly making her way closer to him she lifted the candle stick high over her head but a loud groan from the kitchen made her jump and hide it behind her back.
“What was that?” The small winglie jumped up and dashed to the kitchen doorway. He stopped there for a second and then was knocked backwards from something or someone around the corner. He stumbled and held his eye shaking his head. “You--”
Clonk.

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Zephyr hit him over the head with the candle stick and he fell in a heap onto the floor. She gasped as a cloaked winglie stepped into the kitchen doorway.
“Stay back, who ever you are. I know how to defend myself!” Zephyr clutched the candle stick in front of her like a sword and brandished it in the direction of the stranger.
“I think I already know that.” The hood of the cloak fell back.
“Oainix!” Zephyr flung herself towards him and held him tightly dropping the candle stick as she did. He caught her by her waist and pulled her into a loving embrace. “Oainix, what happened? You left this morning and I didn’t see you, then at the meeting they tried to tell me that you had killed--”
Oainis put a claw to her lips. “Not now. I’ll tell you everything tonight. For now, hide. I need you to just find a safe place on the ground and hide.” He spoke quickly. “Meet me at your place, your favorite place. Do you understand?” Zephyr nodded with her eyes wide. She searched his for some hint as to what was going on. He just smiled at her. “Good. I love you, Zephyr. Hide.”
With that he turned and folding his wings close to him, he dove out the window he had used to enter. In her back yard he smiled at her once more and flew up over the house where she couldn’t see him. Zephyr ran from the kitchen through her living room and out the front door looking up, trying to catch a glimpse of Oainix but he was already gone.
“I love you, too.”
Hide was what he had said to do. Hide. She looked back in her house and saw the winglie she had hit over the head begin to move.
Uh-oh. Time to go, she thought.
Turning away from the house she ran not looking back. She was leaving everything she owned in the world back in the house. Knowing that there had to be an explaination for all of this she wanted to find out what it was and was willing to let go of her worldly possessions to do so. Especially if it meant finding out what had really happened to her father.
Zephyr pushed away from the ground and flew above the city taking it all in. Then she zoomed out over the side and down, through the clouds, straight towards the trees under the city. She found an opening between the trees and landed softly on the ground looking around her. These trees didn’t get as much light as if they had grown anywhere else so they were dense but not good enough to hide in. She would need a location far from the city that offered enough cover to conceal a winglie and possibly some protection from the elements.
One place came to mind. There was an old human town that was about a twenty minute fly south from Moirai. Movement on the ground would be much slower but it was the safest way.
After half an hour of walking the sky called to her. It temptingly blew the old leaves around her feet and lifted them into the air. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to fly there, not even for a few minutes. It was far too risky to chance being seen.

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She leaned against an old tree and hunched over putting her hands on her knees. She hadn’t walked this much since she was a hatchling. Rubbing her legs she thought of the good old days in Moirai with her two best friends, Oscoro and Oainix. She smiled. Things were so much simpler back then. They had everything they could ever want, all three of them being the only children in their families.
Zephyr stretched her arms upward and spread her wings. Sighing deeply she continued walking south and thought of her first flying lesson.
It had been early in the morning and the sun had just started to make it’s journey into the sky. They had waited, impatiently for their lesson to begin. In truth Zephyr and Oainix had been excited about the lesson but Oscoro didn’t seem to care much. Though he had supposedly hatched two months before Zephyr he secretly confided in her the fact that her really didn’t want to fly.
Usually hatchlings were taught to fly within their five years but it had been too dangerous with the war going on and then the Raids. No one wanted to risk their safety so they were to remain grounded until the time was right.
Sitting on the guard rail that surrounded the perimiter of the city they passed the time talking about what they had for breakfast, what they thought of the homework they were given and what they thought it was really like to fly.
Oscoro leaned forward a bit and looked down at the passing clouds. “I don’t think there’s anything great about it. It’s just flying.”
Oainix had been sitting beside him and promptly shoved him back. “You dummy! What happens if you fall off the city and don’t know how to fly? What are you going to do then?”
“And I think flying is going to be amazing, Oscoro!” little Zephyr had beamed. “I can’t wait to feel what the wind is like without having something beneath my feet!”
“I bet it’s the same.” Oscoro sighed and looked over at her. “I’d rather still be living on the ground.”
Oscoro had originally been born on the ground. He spent his first three years down there and had only recently started living with his adoptive mother. He always seemed happy but kept to himself apart from his friends.
“So,” Oainix craned his neck towards him, “what did you do down there?”
Oscoro looked up and shrugged.

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Before he ever got a chance to answer they were all tumbling and falling towards the clouds. The instructor had come up behind them while they were chatting and with one sweep of his tail he had knocked all three of them off the guard rail. He was known as Mr. Pleasant because of his “pleasant surprise” he gave to his students whenever he had a chance.
Zephyr remembered wondering who had screamed when they fell, later she found out that it had been Oscoro. She had quick reflexes and had opened her wings without thinking twice about it. Oainix had opened his wings and floated shortly after her but Oscoro just fell.
And fell.
And fell some more.
He tumbled in circles, head over heels and then around and around on his side. It wasn’t long before he had reached the clouds and vanished in them like a fish diving into the water. He hadn’t even tried to open his wings and catch himself.
Zephyr brushed a low hanging branch out of her way and chuckled at the thought. That day she and Oainix had been scared to death, especially when the instructor had to dive down after Oscoro. They had flown back up to the city and huddled together, not saying a word. She had started crying with her face in her claws, Oainix had wrapped his wings around her trying to comfort her.
It seemed like forever since Oscoro fell through the clouds. They were sure that Mr. Pleasant hadn’t managed to catch him in time and he had made it back to the ground that he loved so much, just not in the way that he would have wanted.
A few more minutes passed and Mr. Pleasant finally returned with Oscoro in his arms. As soon as he landed both the small winglies ran to their instructor and began to pummel him with questions about what had happened.
“Is he ok?”
“How far did he fall?”
“Is he going to die?”
“Is he dead already?”
The instructor had laughed and assured them both that he was going to be fine. He had only passed out from the shock of falling and he just needed to get some rest. They both walked along side him looking up at their friend all the while. They watched as his mom took him into her arms and back to his bed. She had returned and thanked Mr. Pleasant and told them that Oscoro would come to get them as soon as he woke up.
Oainix said that he had to go anyway and he hoped that Oscoro would wake up soon but Zephyr had refused to leave her friend. She got permission to stay and took up a post beside his bed. She had watched him with great curiosity. He was definitely breathing and once she was sure that she saw him open his eyes and quickly close them again. After waiting for hours for him to wake up her mom came looking for her and told her that she needed to come eat dinner.

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Reluctantly she left but asked Oscoro’s mother if she could please keep her informed on how he was doing.
“That’s very kind of you to be worried about him like that,” she had smiled. Zephyr replied that he was her friend and she didn’t want anything to happen to him.
The next day Oscoro came by Zephyr’s house to ask her what had happened. He had said that he didn’t remember anything after they started falling and just came to in his room. These days they can all laugh about it but back then she had really worried about him.

As promised! Ill try not to forget again!! I'll need some suggestions kinda soon... if anyone is following :sweat:

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#5
Old 08-25-2010, 04:43 AM

Chapter Five

The trees suddenly grew thicker and it was getting harder to move without leaving a trail of broken vines and branches. These type of trees had thick branches from top to bottom and were good if you wanted privacy, not if you wanted to get through them,
Well if I have to get through, then this is the only way, she thought. She looked at her claws and hoped that no one would come across the trail she was about to make. Cutting through the vines was a tough job and after an hour of it her claws began to throb dully. In front of her was a large mass of vines that had grown tangled around some large object behind them she could just make out the crumbling walls of what used to be a city. She had finally made it to the city she was looking for.
The overgrown thing in her way got her curiosity up. Not able to pass it without finding out what it was she grabbed a clawful of the vines and tugged them down.
It was a statue made out of marble.
She pulled down more of the vines until the statue was uncovered. Again she hoped that no one would pass by this way. It would have been obvious to a child that someone had been there recently and disturbed the vegetation. Taking a step back she placed her hands on her hips and looked at the nicely sized statue in front of her.
It was of a young adult human and a small dragon standing on all fours at his side. Both were looking up towards the sky with wide, brave eyes. The human had his hand resting on the head of the dragon lovingly. Upon closer inspection Zephyr found a small plaque near the base, the words were hard to read and worn in many places but she could make out some of it.
She read it aloud. “Heros of… saved… remember their names… Corbin and…” Her voice trailed off. She leaned closer and rubbed her eyes. She knew she had to be seeing things but it looked like it said “Oscoro.” Zephyr snorted. Even if it did say Oscoro, it couldn’t be the Oscoro I know. Then again, Oscoro was the only Oscoro she had ever met.

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She made her way into the crumbling town. The forest had been steadily reclaiming what the humans had taken from it so long ago. Nature could be ruthless when it wanted something. She stopped at one house where the door had fallen inward. She stepped inside and thought about her friend. A long time ago she had heard that Oscoro wasn’t born to the mother that he has now. She wasn’t sure where he had come from but he wasn’t from The City in the Sky.
Zephyr picked up a glass that was sitting on a table and turned it in her claws. It was a solid round object. Not so good if you have claws, she thought. She went to put it back on the table and it slipped out of her hand and fell to the ground breaking into hundreds of jagged pieces. Humans. She almost felt like she should clean up the mess but looking around at all the broken objects around the room, she decided against it.
Oscoro had been living with humans. Who had told her that? She couldn’t remember but thinking back her first memories of Oscoro. He was nearly 3 years old before she had even met him. She never asked him where he had been before, she had just assumed that he was orphaned because his family had been killed in the war. It was pretty common back then. Being adopted wasn’t that common though. A young winglie would have been lucky to find a family after the war. The economy was so bad that most families couldn’t support their own kids, let alone an orphan.
The wind shifted and alerted Zephyr that someone or something was coming closer. The crumbling buildings all round here weren’t’ much more than rubble and wouldn’t offer much protection, but the house she was in was better than nothing. She dove quickly to an outside wall that was mostly standing and pressed her back to it, trying to become one with the stones and hopefully not be seen. She would fight if need be but she hoped that she wouldn’t have to.
Something large dropped from the sky and landed near the wall she was hiding behind. She caught her breath and listened, trying to make out if the thing could be friendly. Branches and leaves crunched heavily under the things feet as it stepped away and then back again, sniffing loudly.
What is it!? she thought and inhaled slowly.
The sniffing stopped.
Whatever had just fallen from the sky quickly leapt into the air and began beating it’s wings. The small roof that covered Zephyr’s head saved her from sight, but she couldn’t see what it was either. They were looking for her.
She hoped that they didn’t find her.

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Zephyr slid down the wall until she was sitting. The dust that she had stirred up danced in the light that shone through a window near her. Watching the dust particles she hoped that nothing else noticed the trail that she had left. It would be dark in a few hours.
Suddenly a wave of exhaustion washed over her and made her eyelids heavy. She didn’t fight much and drifted off into a light sleep filled with suited winglies chasing her as she searched for Oainix.
She didn’t find him.
Snatched out of her dreams into reality. Something was out there. It was getting closer.
Standing quietly Zephyr inched her way towards a crack in the wall. The sun was setting through the trees and Zephyr squinted her eyes trying to make out the shadows. Her nostrils flared as she picked up the same scent from earlier that day. She crawled towards the open door and stood with her back to the wall, waiting for whoever that was to cross the doorway in front of her. It wasn’t long before they made their way to the house she was hiding in and paused.
Zephyr hissed and leapt through the doorway at the dark figure who let out a grunt and easily flipped Zephyr onto her wings, falling to the ground himself. The intruder scrambled to his feet hunched low to the ground as Zephyr rolled to her stomach and flew forward at him again. This time her claws landed soundly on his shoulders and with all her force she pushed him to his back and pinned him to the ground. A low growl came from her throat as she leaned forward in the semi-darkness.
“Zephyr!”
She stopped and looked confused at the winglie pinned to the ground. “Oscoro? Is that really you?”
He grinned sheepishly and said, “Who else would let you beat them like that?”
Zephyr ignored his last comment and leaned forward wrapping her arms around her old friend whispering his name. She lost the last bit of her control and the tears streamed down her face like water.
Oscoro gently put his arms around her and whispered, “Shhh, it’s ok now. It’s gonna be alright. You are safe now, you’re with me. Shhh…” She clung to him as he sat up and wiped her tears away with one claw. “Hey, what are you doing way out here?”
“Oscoro, it’s terrible. They think that he killed the High Wolf’s son. They think he did it and now they want to find him and kill him. You can’t let them do it!” Her shoulders were shaking and she covered her face. She listened to herself and felt a little hysterical. With all that had happened she felt a lot better just having Oscoro with her. “I thought that you were one of them. I thought that they had found me. You don’t smell like yourself. I didn’t even know you.”
“Wait, wait… What? Who? Who killed the High Wolf’s son?” Oscoro put his claws on her shoulders and pulled her away from him so that he could look into her eyes.

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“They think Oainix did it. He didn’t do it! You can’t let them get him Oscoro. I know that he’s innocent. I know it.” She looked up into his eyes, pleading.
Oscoro shook his head apologetically. “I don’t mean to sound like an idiot but I still don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, Zeph. Take a deep breath and then try to tell me what happened.”
Zephyr explained to him the events of the day through her tears. Oscoro sat quietly, listening to everything she said and occasionally wiping a tear from her face. She told how she went to the meeting and how she was followed by the two dragons all the way to her house, then she told him about Oainix and how he had instructed her to hide. Therefore, hiding is what she was doing.
“Oscoro, I have to wait until the sun goes down before I can meet Oainix, so that’s why I came to this old human village, to hide. I thought it would be safe here.
Oscoro nodded, his claws still on her shoulders. “Yeah, it is pretty safe here. I don’t think they will be able to find you here.”
Zephyr moved so that she was sitting beside him and asked, “How did you find me anyway?”
Oscoro shrugged and looked towards the darkening sky, “Just luck I guess. I usually come down here once or twice a month to just be on my own and think about things. It’s calming being here.”
“So it is you.”
“What ‘is’ me?”
“When I reached the entrance to this town I saw a statue of a little human and a dragon. That dragon is you, isn’t it?” Her eyes shined as the last light of the day reflected in them.
He looked back towards the entrance of the city and said, “Will you show me this statue?” Zephyr quickly got to her feet and helped pull Oscoro to his. They walked towards the statue in silence and Oscoro stopped a little short of it. Zephyr walked back up to the plaque and read off what she could make out.
“Corbin.” As he said the boy’s name he looked as if he had just remembered something. The look on his face softened and his eyes shine with an unseen light. The last time he had looked like that was the day that he became old enough to legally drink at the bars.
“Yeah, Denim and Oscoro. At least,” she paused, “I think that it says Oscoro.” Zephyr looked back at her friend, he seemed like he was about to cry. She reached out to him but then drew her claw back, unsure what she should do. “Oscoro, are you alright?”
Oscoro walked past Zephyr with his eyes fixed on the boy. He lightly touched the small dragon and then jumped up to stand next to the boy. He looked down at the pair as they gazed forever upward. He lovingly reached towards the boy and put his claw on his shoulder.

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Zephyr looked around and then back towards Oscoro. “Um, I really don’t know what’s going on here but I--.”
“It’s ok Zephyr. Even though we have been friends for a long time, there are still some things that you don’t know about me. You remember all the rumors about how I was living with a human for a while before I came to the City in the Sky?” He looked down at her as she nodded. “Well then I’d like for you to meet the human that I stayed with; Corbin. Corbin Rivers was his name. We had quite a time together. Ha!” He pointed to the west, “The sun’s down! I didn’t even notice.” Zephyr looked away to where he was pointing as he wiped a tear away.
Zephyr looked back at Oscoro. “So, do I get to hear about your ‘times’ together? Or why it is that you two have a statue at least.” She chuckled.
Oscoro jumped down and hugged Zephyr from behind. She wasn’t expecting this and it made her blush slightly. He turned her to face him and under the stars she thought she saw something in his eyes that she never saw before.
“I’ll have to tell you about it sometime, definitely. But for now, don’t you have to meet Oainix?”
She paused and her mouth opened. Then she closed it again before blurting out, “Come with me.”
“What?”
“Come with me to meet Oainix. He’s your friend right? I’m sure that he wouldn’t mind.” For some reason, she felt that she needed to keep Oscoro close to her.
Oscoro shook his head and started to say that he didn’t think it was really a good idea, but before he could get it out Zephyr grabbed his arms and pulled him closer to her, so that their faces were only inches apart. “Come with me, please.”
He looked into her eyes and sighed. “Okay. Alright, I’ll come with you.” Grinning he added, “I knew you needed a big, handsome, muscular, smart, funny-”
“OKAY!”
“You didn’t let me finish! What was I saying? Oh yeah, a cool, interesting winglie around to ‘protect’ you.”
She pushed him away and rolled her eyes. Back to the same old Oscoro.
He licked his lips and smiled, “You know it’s true. You can’t resist. You want some of this and want me to be there when you drop the bomb on ol’ Oainix.”
“Oh pa-lease! Don’t make me hurt you again!” They both laughed and walked out of the city arm in arm. Even though he could be brash, she felt more at ease when he was around.

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They made good time to the lake because the weather was so calm. There was a slight breeze coming up from the south, it held the promise of a warm rain, but not for some time. Soon though. As they came up to Zephyr’s “spot”, Oscoro’s jaw fell. As if it was timed, the moon illuminated the trees and every waxy leaf glistened like a star. There was a gentle breeze that seemed ever present over the water, making tiny little waves. Oscoro landed near the water and walked to the shore, his mouth hanging wide open still.
“You never told me about this place!”
Zephyr shrugged, “You never told me about your ‘place’, so I think we are pretty much even on that. And you might want to close your mouth unless you are trying to catch flies.” She laughed.
“Hey, want to go swimming?” Zephyr answered him by crossing her arms and turning her back to him. He ran up to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “I was just kidding.”
Oainix jumped out of the tree he was hiding in with his nostrils flared. “What is he doing here?” he asked with a growl as he walked up to Zephyr and pulled her away from him.
“Well if that isn’t a nice way to say ‘hello’.” Oscoro said as Zephyr quickly composed herself, she hadn’t been expecting him to jump out of a tree. He cautiously eyed the Graffon standing in front of him.
“I, well, we sort of ran into each other in the--”
Oscoro stepped forward and said, “I followed her when she left The City in the Sky to make sure that she was safe and wanted to come with her to make sure that she made it to you okay.”
Oainix stepped towards Oscoro and stood up to his full height. “You didn’t have to do that. I can take care of her just fine.”
Oscoro too k his challenge and stepped up to him, their chest were almost touching and if they had held their breaths in any more they would have. “Well how are you supposed to do that when you are off somewhere, hiding from the Triad?”
“You little--” he caught himself and looked at Zephyr out of the corner of his eye, “I’ve been doing just fine so far.”
Zephyr sighed and pushed her way between her friend and her fiance, shoving them apart she held them at arms length. “What has gotten into you two?” She looked from one to the other, their expressions locked in a scowl. She said to Oainix, “I asked him to come here with me. I thought that since you two have both been friends for as long as you can remember, you‘d like to explain what happened to him also.”
Oainix stepped back and shrugged. “Okay, you’re right Zeph. I’m just,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “a little edgy right now. Sorry.”

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Oscoro grinned. “No problemo, pal. I know that I could have taken you anyway.”
Oainix didn’t laugh. Zephyr looked nervously at Oscoro, if these two were going to keep acting so stupidly, they were all going to end up getting caught. Oscoro seemed to understand her look and grinned sheepishly to say that he was sorry and mimed locking his lips with a magical key that stopped all the smart-ass comments. If only it were a real key.
“Oainix, it’s safe now. They shouldn’t be able to find us here.” She moved to his side and he put his arm around her shoulders. Oscoro gritted his teeth but didn’t say anything. “Now can you tell us what’s going on?”
Only the light from the moon was shining on them but Zephyr could tell that it was hard for him to say what he wanted. She kissed his cheek lightly and he took her claws in his.
“Babe, you might want to sit down for this one.” She shot him a questioning look and he answered by explaining that it might turn out to be a long story and they might want to get comfortable.
Zephyr sat down on the soft grass and Oscoro leaned on the nearby tree where Oainix had just been hiding. Oainix put his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath. He turned his back to them and stood in silence for a moment to gather his thoughts and make sure that he had all the events in order then he turned back to face them. He looked at Zephyr and gave a slight smile. He looked at Oscoro and tried not to growl.
“Part of this story you already know, but I have to get all of it out. Keeping these things inside is just killing me. I have to tell someone and who better to share it with. The people who should know the whole story in the first place.” He looked at Zephyr when he said, “Just promise me that you won’t think differently of me when I tell you.”
Zephyr nodded to answer but Oainix spoke to her with a little more force this time. “I don’t think that I could do this if you didn’t love me. You have to promise me.”
Zephyr said without hesitation, “I’ll always love you. You shouldn’t ever have to worry about that.” She swung her tail in front of her and the ring caught his eye,
He smiled, “Yes. I hope you’re right.”

Woohoo! I'm on a roll ^^ Chapter six will be coming to you very soon :D

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#6
Old 08-26-2010, 06:15 AM

Chapter Six

“This all started years ago. Many years ago, back when the law stated that every male winglie of a certain age was legally obliged to serve at least five years in the Winged Forces. At this time, Zephyr’s father Ardor, was filling the position of peace talker, the first one. The last humans on the planet had just gone into hiding, or maybe they went extinct, no one is really sure about that still. Back then, the war between Winglies and Furrs had just ended but everyone was still on edge because there were a few disputes and small skirmishes. They were few and far between and only people who were really looking for trouble ever found it, but it was enough. The Raids were coming to an end for the most part, we were trying to put our differences aside and get back to living in peace.
“Those days, the Peace Talker was more than just a title, it was power. The Peace Talker had the power of words that could bend and shape what people thought, how they felt and how they reacted to certain news. He had the power to shape our future good and peaceful, or bad and full of more fighting. He could have easily started the war again just by saying the wrong thing, or the right thing, depending on how you looked at it.
“Luckily for us, your father was a great Winglie, who truly just wanted a peaceful world for the children and grandchildren to grow up in. He said that everyone deserved to be happy, regardless of race or where you lived or what you ate or if you had wings and scales, or fur and claws. Ardor always said that no one could determine where they were to be born or when, but that no matter the circumstances, everyone deserved respect. I looked up to him and often times wished that I had a father like him.”
Zephyr smiled. It was nice to hear her father spoken of so highly.
“But there were a few back then who didn’t want peace, mostly winglies that had served in the WF during the war and the older winglies. But peace was inevitable at that time, your father had made such huge leaps and bounds on both sides, the war mongers were highly outnumbered. And it was at this time that your father was killed, assassinated actually. In his works to bring peace, he stumbled across some classified information, things that the WF were trying to keep swept under the rug. They couldn’t let him live because he would have put a complete stop to all war talks, forever.
“The truth that he discovered was that the had started the Raids, and forced the Furrs to retaliate after the war was over. It was a desperate attempt to start it up again. The famous general of the war didn’t want peace, he wanted control of everything in the sky and on the ground. The only way for him to do that was to get rid of the Furrs completely. Of course he could have gone in at night and wiped them out, but he would never get any respect, he would never get his power if he did it like that. He had to make it look like he was only defending his people, and the Furrs were savage beasts that were blood hungry. In reality, the Furrs wanted peace more than anyone.”
He looked at Zephyr as he continued, “The winglie that followed your father home, later confessed what he had done. He would have gotten away clean, that was the plan anyway, and then to put the blame on the Furrs, but his conscience wouldn’t let him. So he was quickly sentenced to death by the very winglies that he had been working for. His story never got out to the public. It was all kept inside the WF with the high ranking officers who swore never to tell unless they wanted to suffer the same fate as the assassin. The assassin was denied the right to his last request and to make sure that he didn’t talk to anyone, his tongue was cut from his head and hung around his neck on a bloody cord.

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“If they had let him just let him speak, the real assassins would have been the ones to be punished, but not even the public wanted to listen to him, no one wanted to hear his meek voice trying to explain why he had killed the idol of the winglies. They just wanted him gone. With their plan laying in pieces at their feet, the WF decided to attack the Furrs from another angle.
“After your father was killed the WF made a secret branch of highly trained soldiers that could track anyone in the darkest night through a hurricane if need be, lethal and swift, their only job was to stop any Peace Talker that was doing their job too well. If the Peace Talker wouldn’t listen to the whisperings from the WF then they just disappeared without a trace. With all the trouble they had been having after Ardor’s death, everyone just figured that they had run away from all the stress. The ones that stuck around worked to break apart treaties from the inside.
“Don’t get me wrong here, not everyone in the WF hated the thought of peace, there were really only a few of them. And the ones that started the organization had eyes and ears everywhere, always searching out new loyal members that shared their despise for any earth-walking creature that dared to stand in their way. If by any chance a peace-loving soldier happened upon one of their secret meetings, he was bound and had to swear loyalty to the secret organization or be killed on the spot.
Oscoro looked at Zephyr and then back at Oainix. He started to say something but Oainix waved him silent. “This is the hard part. Just know, that I never intended for it to be like this. You see, about two years ago, my term in the WF was finally coming to an end. I was so happy to be done with all this stupid war business, and then on my very last day serving in the WF I was leaving the bar, the celebration had been going on all day and in my drunken stupor I entered what I thought was my house. It was actually my neighbors who was also in the WF, he was a dark character though. Always seemed to be hiding something, and that night I learned what it was when I crashed the organizations secret meeting. I was beaten, bound and gagged as I had my situation explained to me. Join or die, right there on the floor, in a pool of my own blood and vomit.
“So I chose to live. Back then I thought, ‘Why die for nothing, when I could join and live?’ If I had to make that same choice today, I don’t think that I would have made the same decision. But at that time, the Peace Talker was an obvious idiot who had no idea how to bring two cultures together, I figured that I’d have it easy. I don’t think that I could have been more wrong.
“That winglie was a very old dragon, with a weak heart. He died while flying to a meeting only two days after I was honorably discharged from the WF, even thought I wasn’t actively serving, my deal with the organization was still in effect. It seems like a terrible coincidence when I look back at it now but again, at that time I didn’t think anything of it. Oh well, I had said, they have plenty of members, they won’t ever bother me. Until a member of the secret organization showed up at my door one rainy night when no one should have been out.
“He was wearing a hooded cloak and as if he was waiting for the lightning to flash, he pulled it back and stepped inside my house. I looked at him without a sign of emotion, even as he lifted his head and I could see that there was just a huge scar where his right eye should have been, his ears were shredded and the bones running from his nose to his tail had been sharpened into points. He looked like death.

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“He said that he had come to tell me that it was time for my training, because there was a mission for me, already. I had already decided no to take it and just accept my punishment instead of being the attack dog for the organization, until I heard what my mission was going to be.”
Oscoro shifted in the darkness waiting for Oainix to continue with his story.
After he didn’t say anything for a while Zephyr cleared her throat and said quietly, “What was the mission that this winglie was bringing to you?”
Oainix fell to his knees and took up Zephyr’s claws. “Please forgive me, Zephyr. I only took the mission because I thought that I could stop it somehow. I thought that I’d be able to protect you and take you away from here, away from all this. Where there were no other winglies and on one would ever be able to hurt you.”
“W-What are you talking about? I don’t understand Oainix.” Zephyr looked into his eyes searching for the answer and then it hit her. “Me. The mission was about me, wasn’t it?”
He nodded and said, “Your name had come up in a Triad meeting along with a few others as prospects for the new Peace Talker. For the time being, I only had to watch the people who had been mentioned, and report back whatever you did that might be of importance to the WF secret organization. I didn’t want anything to happen to you. I knew that if you became the Peace Talker that one of the other members would have killed you without a second thought. I couldn’t let that happen. You had been my friend through thick and thin, day in and day out, without question. I could always count on my Zephyr to give me a reason to smile.”
Oscoro cringed but didn’t say anything.
“So you see, I couldn’t let anything happen to you. Over time, I got closer and closer to you. We had been friends since childhood but you were becoming more than a friend to me. I fell in love with you Zephyr, and then it happened.”
“I became a Peace Talker.” Zephyr said.


I know this is a short chapter but there's a lot of information in it! Chapter seven is coming up fast O_O

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#7
Old 08-27-2010, 11:43 AM

Chapter Seven

“Then I got my orders.” Oainix spoke solemnly. “Death came back to see me to deliver the organizations’ message, I had to do it, and do it now. I tried to reason with him, searching for another way, trying to buy some time but he wasn’t going for it. I told him that it didn’t make sense. They had been trying to start a war by taking out the Peace Talkers for years and nothing had happened, because there would always be another winglie after that one, someone else to step up and fill their shoes. His eyes flashed when I said that. I should have just taken the mission and instead flown away with you that very day.
“With the evil look still lingering in his one eye, he told me that I wouldn’t have to kill you if I did something else. The idea was that as soon as I completed this alternate mission I would be freed from my verbal contract with the organization as long as I kept quiet about it, and I’d be free to go away with you if I wanted.”
Oscoro’s voice was calm and low floating back into the conversation from the base of the tree, “So you did kill the High Wolf’s heir.”
“Yes. I did, but that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Zephyr blinked and shook her head. Slowly she asked, “You killed him? You really did it?”
“It wasn’t supposed to be like that. When I left you this morning Zephyr it was still very dark. The sun wasn’t even thinking about rising yet. I got to my location, the time was right, the guards were doing their shift changes but the information had been bad. I was supposed to slip into the High Wolf’s bedroom and… kill him. But my information was all wrong. I was in the heir’s room instead, and he was awake. When he saw me, he went to call for help so I was left with only one option. I couldn’t get caught, so I had to silence him.
“The struggle was over as quickly as it had begun. He fell back on his bed taking his last breaths, looking up at me with those huge wolf eyes, piercing to my soul, filled with anger. With the last of his energy he reached out to me and grabbed my arm pulling my ear towards his muzzle. He said, ‘I don’t have the strength to call the guards but you will not make it out alive. I hope that it was worth your life.’ He growled and snatched at my throat pulling the pendant off and holding it in his death grip. As he closed his eyes forever I told him that it was worth it, even if it cost me my life.
“The young prince grimaced once and then was gone. I turned to the door as I heard armored footsteps coming down the hall. Taking him down had been swift but it wasn’t without sound. The guards had heard and were on me in an instant. They fought me back to the wall, I was outnumbered at least fifteen to one. I tossed off my cloak onto the nearest of my attackers and leapt over them through the doorway and into the hall.
“I could hear them running up from my left and the ones in the room filed out after me as I took off to the right. I came to a wall and was forced to go left or right again, I chose left and ran to a tiny window with the guards close behind me. I squeezed out of it and climbed up to the top of the tower above me. Arrows began to fly through the night, hitting the stones all around me as I leapt and flew across the courtyard. The archers lined every wall and rained a storm of arrows my way. Dodging and weaving I got out without much damage, I had only been nicked once or twice but nothing life threatening. As I got out of arrow range and flew a round about way back to the City in the Sky it hit me that I had been set up.

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“I was given bad information and there were too many archers at the ready when I left the building, for it being so early in the morning and with the guard shift change that had just happened, more than half of them should have been sleeping. Someone told them that I was coming. I realized that when the WF wants to cover something up, they just take the pawns out of the equation, point fingers at random people and cause general chaos.
“Thinking about you I knew that I had to get back to warn you, Zephyr. If I was in fact supposed to die today, then they would more than likely tie up all the loose ends in their plan, taking you out would be too easy now. And now that I think about it, it would have been perfect for them.” He stood up and started to pace back and forth. “The assassin kills the High Wolf’s heir, the Peace Talker sabotages talks of peace, they could have easily blamed this on the two of us. And then sentenced both of us to death. But that wouldn’t give them their war, no. It would be better for them if we were never found, that way there would be no talks of peace, the Furrs could say that the Winglies were protecting us, putting us into hiding and not wanting to punish us…”
Oainix stopped pacing and shook his head. “I don’t know if any of that is true though. But I’ve been around them enough to get an understanding of how they think and plan. Before I could warn you this morning I saw someone burst out of the clouds heading towards Pacifios. I feared that I was already too late, the sun was high in the sky and the meeting would have already started. Their set up was almost complete now, all they needed was the pendant that got left behind. Now I’m a wanted criminal and no one will listen to me. So when I went to the City in the Sky I had to sneak in, but you had already left. So I took a cloak from your house and hid nearby.
“I knew that I couldn’t catch you, I’ve never been able to catch you. I could only hope that they didn’t try to hurt you right after the meeting. After about an hour or so I saw you fly back to your house with two suits from the WF close behind you. They weren’t part of the organization so they were probably sent to detain you and see if you made contact with me. By now they would have known that I was still alive when all that they got was a pendant. So I snuck into your house again and, well, you know the rest.”
Zephyr stood up with her claws clenched tightly. “I knew my father wasn’t working for the Furrs. It had been the WF the whole time.”
Oscoro jumped to his feet and blurted out, “You said that you came across this ‘secret organization’ one night, right? I was in the Winged Forces, too. I’ve never heard anything that crazy. Who was supposed to be the head honcho behind all this anyway? You never told us but maybe I know him.”
“I don’t think I should tell you. It might put your lives in even greater danger.”
“You’ve already told us enough to get us killed. Dead is dead, man. You might as well tell us everything like you said you wanted to in the beginning.” Oscoro looked at Zephyr who nodded. He had a point.

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“I guess you’re right.”
The sun had begun to rise in the eastern sky and the light made it’s way through the tree branches and leaves in little rays and danced on the far side of the lake. Oainix turned to face the dawn across the water. Zephyr stood and dusted herself off and Oscoro moved in behind her. When Oainix finally turned back to face them she could see that he was tired, his wings folded behind him and he stood up straight but his eyes gave away his secrets. He clenched and unclenched his right fist quickly as if he were still deliberating if he should tell them or not.
“Oainix, if you don’t want to tell us, you don’t have to. We will understand.” Zephyr said calmly.
“Yeah buddy, we’ll understand if you can’t trust us enough to tell us,” Oscoro tried to sound light and joke but there was something in his voice that said he wasn’t joking. Zephyr was sure that Oainix could hear it also.
“That’s not it. I’d trust both of you with my life but I don’t want to put your lives in danger. This has been a secret for a long time, if I tell you then you could become wanted like me. They would do anything to stop you from telling anyone else this. You will be wanted for treason, punishable by death.” He looked at Zephyr and then at the ground. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. I’ve been doing a terrible job of protecting you so far and I don’t want to do any worse. I love you.”
“I know you love me. I love you too, Oainix.” Zephyr smiled, “But if what you were saying before has any truth in it, about how they could try to frame me also, then I could already be wanted. Even Oscoro could be wanted! He’s been our friend since we were hatchlings, and everyone knows that…”
Zephyr looked around. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought she heard the sounds of wings moving closer to their location.
Oainix furrowed his brow. “Zephyr? What’s wrong?”
“Hide!”
All three dove for cover under the trees trying to hide as best as they could when they could all distinctly make out the sounds of winglies drawing near. Several shadows passed over the clearing and a loud voice boomed out from above, “Oainix Lonestar, we know that you’re in there. If you come out peacefully we will give you good representation in court and you will be promised a fair trial.”
Oainix growled and stood up yelling back, “I don’t need a fair trial! You already know that I did it!”
Zephyr hissed and tried to pull him back down. “Shhh! What’s wrong with you! What are you trying to do?”
Oainix turned and spoke quietly, “They already know that I’m here but there is no reason for all of us to get caught and tangled up in this mess. If I give up, you and Oscoro can wait until they are gone and then get away from here. Far, far away.”

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“No,” Zephyr protested, “What am I supposed to do without you?” Tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheek at the thought of losing him. “Why can’t we just tell everyone the truth, like how you told us?”
“Who is going to believe us? Don’t worry about me, Zeph, and you’ll be fine. Just don’t forget about me, and don’t forget what I told you. One day the time will be right and you’ll be able to tell everyone what was really going on.” He lovingly embraced her as the tears streamed down her face.
“Hey, Oainix.” Oscoro whispered from the tree next to them, “I have a better idea. Why don’t I go out there and distract them while you two get away?”
Oainix shook his head, “I can’t let you do that.”
“Then let’s see you try to stop me.” Oscoro climbed up the tree he was hiding under and burst through the branches into the sky.
“You there!” the voice boomed overhead, “Where do you think you’re going? Stop!”
Oainix stirred and grumbled under his breath, “That hard-headed fool. Why did he do that?”
Zephyr glimpsed Oscoro flying higher and being pursued by three winglies. He fought them off, kicking and whipping his tail until they disappeared into the clouds.
Oainix grabbed Zephyr’s wrist and whispered, “Lets go.”
“Wait. We can’t just let him go like that. Who knows what will happen to him.”
“Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain!” Oainix hissed back. “He did this for us, we have to take our chance to escape and do it now. I think there might be one more winglie up there but if we move through the trees we can avoid being seen.”
All of a sudden glowing eyes appeared in the remaining shadows all around them. A large white wolf stepped forward away from the rest and growled, “Looks like you missed your chance.” He motioned for the rest of the furrs to move in closer with a swift motion from his paw.
“Back off!” Oainix growled and pulled Zephyr closer to him. He whispered to her, “Go. Go now. I’ll hold them back so you can escape.”

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That's it for chapter seven. Eight is... ready... but then after that. That's where it gets really fuzzy @_@ *writer's block*

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#8
Old 08-28-2010, 05:43 AM

Chapter Eight

All of the furrs paused for a second and looked towards their leader. The white wolf flashed a toothy grin and raised his paw. “Hold on, boys. It looks like this winglie hasn’t had enough fighting. I’ll show him what a real furr can do.”
There were cheers and howls and whistles from the furrs around them as the big wolf motioned for Oainix to come towards him. The wolf tore off his vest and flexed a mass of muscles in his chest and arms, turning his head to the sides there was an audible pop each time. He growled through his teeth and bared his claws in a strange fighting stance with his paws lowered and in front of him. He looked ready to kill.
“Oainix, no! Don’t do it!” Zephyr pulled back on his arm to try to stop him but he shook her off and looked back at her, whispering that he would be fine turning back just in time to see the wolf in midair about to pounce on him.
Zephyr leapt upward and pulled her way through the branches, looking back when she heard a loud uproar from the furrs. The wolf had landed hit that ended up slashing Oainix’s forearm and part of his shoulder. She turned back from her spot on top of the tree, to help him when the same two winglies that had followed her home descended in front of her.
They grabbed her arms and the bigger one said mockingly, “Miss Zephyr, glad that you could join us.”
“Let me go!” Zephyr bent down and pulled her arms into her then flung them away from her with all her strength. She flew diagonally up, going over the pond than then straight into the sky with the two suited winglies on her heels. They grabbed for her feet and tail as she kicked downwards hitting the larger winglie squarely in the chest only to be grabbed from behind as the small winglie grabbed her and pinned her wings to her back..
She twisted and folded her wings to her side pulling the dragon down with her, they fell towards the trees and the dragon loosened his grip enough for her to get an arm free. She flew hard towards the water and came to a halt, hovering over it as the small dragon splashed into the deep water. Zephyr looked over at Oainix and poised to fly to him as the wolf raised Oainix over his head. The large dragon that was still in the air dove on top of her before she could move, pushing her farther and farther under the water.
She held her breath in a panic and grabbed for the small dragon that was already making his way to the surface. With one claw, she reached for his ankle and he kicked with all his might, but she still held on. The dragon bent over and pried her claws from around his ankle as the large dragon wrapped his arms around her body and slowly began to float upwards. Zephyr found herself becoming weak thinking that she couldn’t hold her breath much longer. The large dragon was only a few feet from the surface as her vision began to blur. The air she was trying desperately to hold escaped her muzzle just as she was tossed out of the water onto the shore around the lake.
Zephyr coughed and rolled onto her wings. General Mace leaned over her and smiled as two Furrs lifted her onto her feet. “Like father, like daughter. Too bad, you might have been a great Peace Talker.” He leaned in closer to her and whispered, “You see what happens when you know too much?”
Zephyr’s eyes widened and she lunged at him, “You murderer! You had my father killed!”

Mace put a claw to his muzzle and said, “Did I do that? You know there have been so many. I just don’t remember.”
“How dare you.”
“Oh, the question is how dare you. Betraying the Senator like that. That is a crime punishable by death.” The Furrs tightened their grip on her as she tried to get free. “Although I would love to see them carry it out, I have a meeting to get to.”

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“How do you plan on explaining my disappearance to the Senator then?”
Mace paced back and forth in front of her and said, “I already had this planned, in case of emergencies such as this. You see, you and Mr. Lonestar had been working with the Furrs and they finally figure that you were working both sides and want none of it. I happen to be flying over as I see that they have the both of you cornered, and since I have no idea what is going on, I swoop down to help. Alas, I am to late. They leave you for dead and go to plan their attack on the cities in the sky. You see, with this new information, the Senator will have no choice but to strike before they do. It’s fool proof.”
Zephyr shook her head, “Too late again. Just like your brother, eh General. You know, I’m starting to wonder about your timing.”
Mace balled a claw and hit Zephyr hard across the face. “Watch your mouth, missy. You shouldn’t talk about things you don’t understand.”
“Oh, I understand. I understand perfectly.” Zephyr raised her head and looked him in the eyes. “Your brother was only getting in the way, as most Winglies tend to do around you. The Senator will see right through your plan. How could he not see that wherever you go, you leave a trail of death and destruction behind you-“
Mace hit her again and said, “That’s twice now, missy. Three strikes and your out, and I might not mind taking you out myself.” Zephyr spat out the blood in her mouth to the ground and gritted her teeth. She strained to raise her head again then Mace reached out and lifted her eyes to his. “My way won’t be quick either, so be glad I’m letting them take care of it.”
“Zephyr!” Zephyr looked to the voice and saw Oainix restrained by several Furrs. “I’m sorry, Zephyr!” The white wolf he was fighting looked winded and tired but he raised his paw and knocked Oainix over the head with what he was holding. Oainix fell limp in their paws as they carried him into the trees and vanished.
“Well, at least you won’t die alone, missy.” Zephyr turned her eyes back to the General to see his balled claw coming towards her face. She flinched as he struck her and fought back unconsciousness to look defiantly up at him. She curled her lip back and spat towards his face. The General laughed and grabbed her throat lifting her up slightly. “You know, it really is too bad that you had to go against me. I like a girl with spirit.”

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“Go jump off a cliff you old buzzard,” Zephyr managed to cough out. Though she was being held back she could feel her body getting hot. It felt like she was on fire. If looks could kill, the General would have fallen dead on the spot.
The Furrs holding her back exchanged looks and tightened their grip. Zephyr’s nostrils flared and everything around her seemed to gain a reddish hue to it. The General furrowed his brow and then released his grip on Zephyr taking a step back in surprise. He looked like he was going to say something but closed his mouth again and made a quick motion to the Furrs standing behind him. One Furr stalked forward and grinned down at Zephyr. She was so enraged that she didn’t even see the knee that knocked her out.

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Ok, another short chapter but I'm working on chapter nine as we speak. Hopefully, things will clear up in my mind and it'll come out alright.

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#9
Old 08-29-2010, 05:07 AM

Chapter Nine

Zephyr groaned and whimpered to herself quietly.
She didn’t want to open her eyes and she didn’t want to see where she was. She wished that she could pretend she was still in her bed and everything that had happened had just been a bad dream. She wished but she knew that it wasn’t true. The pain she felt in her head was too real to be a dream, no matter how bad the dream was. She moved to put her claw on the side of her head where the pain was the worst and stopped.
The sounds of chains clanking together made her open her eyes. The room she found herself in was cold and dark, the stone floor was damp and somewhere in the darkness rats were scurrying through small holes in the wall. One hole near the ceiling let in a little light that streamed through like water and pooled near her feet. Other than that, the room was concealed in darkness. She didn’t know how big or how small her prison was, where the door was, or if she was alone.
How long had she been unconscious? The room gave no indication of time, no hint of a clue as to where she was either.
She looked around quickly and strained vainly to make out anything in the darkness. There was a boulder looking thing to her right but she couldn’t tell what it was. The rats squeaked and ran around the boulder like it was something interesting, their eyes catching what little light there was and reflecting it. Zephyr painfully stretched out her leg and poked at the boulder-like thing, curious to know what it was. She strained and then made contact with the closest part to her. It was something hard. She nudged it with her claw and the whole boulder shuddered making something fall off rolling her way and coming to a stop right in the pool of light.
It was a skull.
Zephyr snorted and shook her head. Of course it was a skull. She should have expected that. She looked down at it again as it stared with it’s empty eye sockets back up at her. Then she noticed something about the skull. It wasn’t a Winglie’s skull, or even that of a Furr. It looked different, very different. The back of the skull was round like a ball and the face didn’t have a muzzle. The bottom jaw was missing but the few teeth that were in the skull were dull and flat. Zephyr picked it up with one claw and tuned it over slowly.
Taking a closer look at it she was sure that it was a human skull and she wondered how long it had been here. How many years had the human spent chained to the wall, being eaten by rats and decaying in the darkness. Alone. She dropped the skull and it rolled away from her into the dark for the rats to play on again.

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She wondered how long she would be left in the cell and how long until the rats turned to her? How long until everyone forgot about her and stopped looking for her?
Zephyr shook her head hard trying to get the dismal thoughts out of it and causing her temple to throb in pain. She winced and closed her eyes leaning her head back against the cool stones behind her. She turned and put the side of her head against the stones and let the coolness soothe her bruises.
She wondered what happened to Oscoro and Oainix. Wondered if Oscoro had managed to get away from the winglies that had chased him into the clouds. Wondered where they took Oainix when they walked into the woods. Wondered if she would ever see them again or if the bones of the human next to her would be her cell mate until she turned to a pile of bones herself. If she wasn’t in such a dismal place she would be more curious about the human but considering her circumstances, she really wasn’t that interested in human history.
She felt tired. Exhausted. The past few days had quickly caught up with her and she felt herself drifting off into dream land. She didn’t fight the sleep, she welcomed it.
Time passed quickly or slowly, Zephyr wasn’t sure but it seemed like she had only just closed her eyes when she was awake for some reason. She kept her eyes closed and listened. She was sure that she had heard something, something out there in the darkness. Something that wasn’t a rat.
She held her breath and strained her ears to hear whatever it was that had roused her from her sleep.
Silence.
Erie silence. The rats weren’t even making a noise. They weren’t running around. She opened her eyes and didn’t even see any beady little eyeballs starring at her and waiting for her to become vulnerable enough to make a meal out of her.
Her head jerked to the right. She had heard it again. That sound. Something was coming closer to her. Something was already deathly close to her.

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Goosebumps ran up and down her body as she heard the hiss and saw the viper slither into the light near her feet, flicking it’s tongue and flaring it’s nostrils. It’s opal black eyes were looking at her and she swore that she heard it laugh.
Zephyr went to swipe it away and found that her chains had grown shorter. The shackles around her wrists were nailed into the wall over her head. When had that happened she wondered as her heart began to beat faster. The viper weaved it’s triangular head around her foot and slowly up her leg. Zephyr drew back on the inside but resisted the urge to move on the outside. She didn’t want to make any sudden movements or she was sure that it would be one of her last movements.
“You should have stayed out of the whole thing,” the snake hissed and it slid up her leg and up her side.
“I couldn’t do that.” She answered without moving.
“You are more like your father than you will even know.” The snake moved across her body and around to her left shoulder. “It’s a shame that you didn’t know him in life.” The viper flicked it’s tongue and wrapped itself around Zephyr’s neck loosely. It moved back to her ear and whispered. “You should have plenty of time to catch up with him in the after life though. It’s a pity to kill someone as special as you my dear.”
As it’s grip around her neck tightened the snake changed to a claw and grew an arm. Zephyr shook her head. This had to be a dream. The arm grew a body and a head sprouted out of it, the General’s head.
No. This had to be a dream. Zephyr screamed in silence as the grip continued to tighten. She squirmed against the wall and kicked her feet but that only made his grip tighter. She looked up at the General, confused and then closed her eyes tight. This has got to be a dream she thought and forced her eyes open.
“Zephyr.”
The images of the General vanished in front of her eyes. Zephyr jumped and pushed herself back against the wall breathing hard. Her heart raced in her chest and she gasped for air. She was still in the dark room, still chained to the wall and the rats still scurried all over. It had been a dream. A nightmare.
Zephyr rubbed her throat and was a little relieved that it had all been in her head. She looked at the bones of the human and shook her head. She didn’t know how, but she was going to get out of this cell, she wasn’t going to die in this room.
She refused to give up that easily.
“Zephyr.”

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What the hell, she wondered. Was she hearing things? Or was she dreaming again?
“Hello?” she whispered and waited. She didn’t hear anything so she pushed herself to her feet and said a little louder, “Hello?”
“Zephyr, it’s me. Oscoro.”


(Ok so I wrote all this yesteday. Kinda proud of myself. Which means that I'll have to write more today. I'm really not sure about the end of this chapter or what I'm going to do with the next one T___T I will accept any suggestions.. if anyone is out there reading this right now... hello? T__T )

Zephi
Summer love
22295.09
Zephi is offline
 
#10
Old 08-31-2010, 04:54 AM

Chapter Ten

“Oscoro? You’re alive? Where are you?” Zephyr could feel her spirits lifting just hearing his voice.
“I’m just outside.” Oscoro paused and then said, “I’m so glad that you’re still alive Zephyr. I thought that they had already killed you when I saw them carrying you away. If I break this wall down, will you be able to leave?”
“I’m chained to the wall right now.” Zephyr pulled against her chains and felt the bolts in the wall give a little, just enough to give her a little hope. “I might be able to pull them out of the wall though, and then I’d be ok.”
“Alright Zeph, you work on that. I’ll be right back now that I know where you are.” Oscoro stopped and asked, “See, aren’t you glad to see me now?”
Zephyr smiled to herself but then thought how Oscoro seemed to be acting a little strangely. He seemed like he was hiding something from her. And she wondered how he had managed to shake off the three winglies that were following him. As she worked on freeing herself from the wall she made a mental note to ask him about it later, once he got her out of here and they were in a safe place. She paused and frowned wondering if there actually was anywhere that would be safe still.
After ten minutes had passed Oscoro still hadn’t returned. Zephyr had managed to yank the chains out of the wall after pulling and wiggling and straining to get the bolts out. It hadn’t been as tough as she had thought it was going to be but after the bolts had been put in who knows how many years ago, she was sure that they had started to weaken and rust, thankfully


(This is by no means the end of chapter ten but I've reached a block again. I'm thinking that Oscoro might not get back in time and they come to get Zephyr to interrogate her... and then he can save her at a later time, OR... he comes back and they both escape and start the journey. But.. I think I'll go with the first one but as always, I'm willing to take suggestions!! :lol)

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#11
Old 09-01-2010, 03:30 AM

The clang of a key turning in a lock made Zephyr spin around and press her back against the wall. The heavy door swung open and light streamed through stunning Zephyr as she covered her eyes.
“Trying to escape?” Zephyr squinted into the light trying to make out who was talking. The voice sounded familiar to her but she couldn’t quite place it. “Bring her to the interrogation room.”
The winglie that had been talking turned and walked out of the doorway as two winglies entered the room and grabbed Zephyr by the arms. She squirmed but they only tightened their grip on her and lifted her slightly off the ground. She kicked her feet and whipped her tail as they removed her easily from the cell.
“What the heck is going on here?” Zephyr yelled as they entered a well lit hallway. “Put me down!”
Screams of pain and agony echoed down the hallway and made Zephyr quiet. As they passed room after room she imagined that they were all like the cell they had just taken her out of. She could hear muffled sounds of people crying, some people beating on the doors to their cells and others just screaming from going insane being left in the dark cells.
A chill went down her spine as they left the hallway and turned down another. There was a strong odor here, the stench of death. Pools of blood were on the floor and the walls were lined with tools used to torture information out of people.
They carried her past one room where the door was left ajar. She glanced in and instantly wished that she hadn’t as a scream tore out of the room and down the hallway. She had only looked for half a second but had seen a winglie tied to a post screaming as a masked furr hacked away at his wings. She felt sick to her stomach and puked, wishing that she hadn’t looked.
When she looked up she was standing in a room like the one she had just seen. There was a post in the middle of the room that had a small trench dug out around it full of blood. On one side of the room was a cross looking contraption with shackles where the hands and feet would go. Chains hung from the ceiling and dripped with blood. Her escorts took her to the cross and fastened the restraints so that she faced the opposite side of the room and got a good look at the table covered in bloody knives and swords, whips and more chains.
The two winglies that brought her in left the room and shut the door behind them. They hadn’t bothered to take off the chains that she had pulled out of the wall only minutes ago.
Zephyr shook her head slowly. It all seemed so surreal to her. This place could only be ____. It used to be used as an asylum after the war, mostly for the survivors with the worst PTSD but after a while it began to change. Years after the veterans either recovered or were forgotten the military acquired the rights to use the asylum people stopped talking about it, like it didn’t even exist because it was being used for criminals and for interrogation purposes. No civilian would be anywhere near the area, especially with the armed guards that patrolled every entrance into the asylum.
If someone was taken into ____ they were not heard from again.

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#12
Old 09-03-2010, 07:20 AM

All of a sudden she felt very helpless again, even knowing that Oscoro was somewhere out there and trying his best to rescue her.
The door opened and a dark scaled winglie stepped through the doorway. “Have you been enjoying your stay with us, Miss Zephyr?”
When she looked up at him she recognized him instantly as the Generals’ son, Axel. Axel had joined the WF as soon as he had come of age and had tried his hardest to impress his father, but everyone knew that he still felt like his accomplishments were looked over. This only made him try harder to do something, anything that would draw the attention of his father.
“Lovely place, Axel.” Zephyr kept her face calm though she wanted to scream inside. Axel and Zephyr had dated for a short time before he had joined the WF and things didn’t ever go very well. She always felt like he only dated her to somehow impress his father. This guy has a serious complex, she thought to herself. And she knew that he’d do anything to get daddy’s respect. Not a good thing to know when you’re being held prisoner.
Axel stood with his hands on his hips and surveyed the room. “This is one of my favorite rooms, too. I put some of the finishing touches on it myself.” He motioned to the floor around the post in the middle of the room. “The blood drainage system was my idea, much more hygienic this way.”
“Anything to get daddy’s attention, huh?”
Axel’s nostrils flared and he clenched his claws at his side. “You shut your mouth. You are in no position to speak to me like you know me.”

----------

“I do know you Axel, remember?”
“You only think you know me. I’ve changed.” A menacing smile slid across his face like a cloud over an open field.
Zephyr knew that she was only digging a deeper hole for herself but she was never the type to bite her tongue so she asked, “How exactly have you changed?”
Axel walked over to the table and picked up a whip with spurs on it and sauntered over to Zephyr. “Well for one thing, I can do my own dirty work now.” With that he cracked the whip in front of Zephyr’s face and grinned. “I like it a lot better this way. More fun for me.”
Zephyr stared at Axel. If this place was still used as an asylum she was sure that he would have been in here a long time ago.
“Axel, what do you want from me?” Zephyr asked trying to sound uninterested.
“I’m so glad that you asked, Zephyr dear!” Axel walked closer to Zephyr and put the end of the whip under her chin pushing her head up so that they were eye to eye. “I only want one thing from you, I want you to join me. Join the WF. We could use someone like you on our side.”
Zephyr frowned. “Are you freaking kidding me? All this crap just because you want me to join the WF?” Zephyr shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense. If you wanted me to join you then why couldn’t you just ask me in the first place. Why did I have to be brought here?”
“Because, Zephyr, I don’t take chances anymore and I refuse to take no for an answer.”
Zephyr snorted, “So my options are to join you or I get to stay here until I die?” Axel’s eyes widened and his grin spread from ear to ear as he nodded. “You are right, Axel. You have changed.” Zephyr paused and then said, “You’re even crazier than before.”

----------

Axel stopped smiling and took a step back. “You know, I was almost hoping that you’d say something like that. It really wouldn’t e much fun if you gave in so easily. Besides, that wouldn’t be the Zephyr that I remember at all.”
Axel raised the hand with the whip and brought it down hard across her face. Zephyr inhaled deeply and muffled a yelp of pain as blood dripped down her face from the large laceration on her left cheek.
“That’s just a taste, Zephyr, so don’t tell me that you are giving in already.”


Yay! End of chapter 10... going on to Chapter 11... soon :sweat: No promises but I'll try to work on it... really!!

Last edited by Zephi; 09-21-2010 at 09:26 AM..

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#13
Old 09-21-2010, 09:25 AM

(Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted in so long. I changed FOB's in Afghanisstan and where I was had no internet.... or showers or washers or PX or food or coffee or... anything pretty much. But I'm heading out on R&R right now, should be able to post sometime soon! Sorry for the delay ^^

-Zephi)

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#14
Old 11-19-2010, 10:49 AM

(( I only wrote a little bit more than what I have posted here... if anyone has a suggestion of a name for this "place" I think it might help me out a lot and get me out of this rutt that I'm stuck in. I think that's what stole away my get-up-and-write gas to begin with... any suggestion... pleeeeease? :) ))

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#15
Old 10-26-2012, 09:51 AM

Zephyr pulled herself together. She should have seen that coming with the way that Axel was acting. He wasn't lying when he said that he changed, but maybe, he didn't actually change that much. When they were dating Zephyr got the feeling that there was a very violent Winglie not far under his shy and sweet exterior and she had a feeling that it was only a matter of time until that violence began to leak out of the cracks in his fake, sweet, mask that he wore for everyone else. She couldn't place exactly where it was coming from with him, but it had to be something to do with his father. A fleeting thought ran through her mind, Where was his mother anyway?
Axel looked a little taken aback. He could see the change come over Zephyr's demeanor in a flash.
"I won't ever join you and you can't make me. So, do whatever you want, I won't change my mind." Zephyrs features hardened and her eyes glazed over as she starred up into his eyes. This only proved to infuriate Axel even more. He raised his whip high and let it fall over and over again, but this time Zephyr didn't make a sound.
After about 20 minutes of beating Zephyr senseless Axel wiped his brow from his sweat and the blood that had splattered fromt the gashes all over Zephyr's body and spit towards her. He turned around and rapped on the solid wooden door and peep hole slid open. A winglie on the other side slid the hole shut again and Zephyr could hear him fumble for the keys to open the door. As Axel waited to be let out he turned back to Zephyr, now nearly unrecognizeable under all the gashes and blood.
"Don't think that I liked this, Zephyr. Because I didn't." He slowly smiled, "I loved it actually. I finally got to put you in your place. And now, as you can see, you're nothing and you won't ever be anything without me. So why don't you think that over and the next time that I come in here, I hope that you'll have a different answer for me."
The door swung open And Axel stepped out. He threw the bloody whip on the ground outside the door and told the guard to send for the medic to bandage her up. "We can't have her dying in here. Not yet."
Axel disappeared down the hall and the big wooden door closed behind him. And then it locked. It was only at that time that Zephyr let herself relax at all and the tears flowed down her cheeks, stinging the gashes and mixing with her blood.
"Oscoro," she mumbled, "Where are you?"

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#16
Old 10-26-2012, 06:31 PM

you wrote more of this? nice, I thought you might have forgotten about it. (I did) I never read all you posted.

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#17
Old 10-26-2012, 06:33 PM

((No I didn't forget about it. I thought that I might add a little more. Maybe just a little a day instead of a huge amount. It is kind of a lot to read....))

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#18
Old 10-26-2012, 06:35 PM

I understand. I'll definitely put it on my list to read, so I can give ya some feedback.

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#19
Old 10-26-2012, 06:39 PM

((That'd be nice. Hopefully I can take it farther than what I had before. My mom gave me an idea that I might be able to re-write the stories, or at least one of them, so that they are more for kids or for young teens or something like that. But they'd be long stories for kids so maybe young teens))

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#20
Old 10-26-2012, 06:56 PM

so you think this is something that would work well as a young adult novel/series basically.

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#21
Old 10-27-2012, 08:33 AM

((Well it could. But I think that some things would have to be changed, to be honest, I was gearing for more of an older teen to adult group, but adults read young adult stuff all the time))

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#22
Old 10-09-2014, 08:12 PM

Oscoro watched the hole in the side of the mountain that served as the main entrance. He didn't see much activity apart from every once in a while a guard would poke it's head out very quickly and then vanish back to the interior. He never saw more than one guard at a time but there had to be quite a few in there. The old mine that was now being used as a torture dungeon had been open for a long time before it was abandoned. Many years ago humans dug and toiled on the side of that mountain and bore through it like termites in a tree. There were countless tunnels that could lead to dead ends or pits or anything.
Urgh, Oscoro put his face in his claws. "Think, darnit!" For all he knew Zephyr was getting tortured to death in there and all he could do was sit and look at that hole. That stupid entrance. It was so far from where he had spoken to Zephyr through the crack where she was being held.
If only he had a pick or a piece of metal or some explosives. His stomach growled reminding him that he hadn't eaten in a while. Inwardly he kicked himself for being hungry when Zephyr's life was in danger.
"That's it!" Oscoro looked up quickly and began looking around the other parts of the mountain. His logic told him that if there was one entrance to a mine that huge, there had to be at least one more. It would have only made sense in the even of a cave in to have more than one exit. The only thing was, IF there was one, he'd have to search the entire mountain top to bottom.
Oscoro jumped down from the large tree he was hiding in and stalked closer to the mountain. The entrance that he had been watching was a good 200 feet up a narrow trail on the side of the mountain. There would have been no way for humans to move large amounts of supplies, like what would be needed to feed hundreds of miners, up that perilous and tiny trail. The other entrance had to be closer to the foot of the mountain.
It HAD to be.

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#23
Old 03-31-2015, 05:49 PM

(So I forgot everything at home today... everything being my tablet, my phone and my DS. I was like o.o what am I going to do between classes because I have like 2 hours between some of them... then it hit me. Duh! Work on the story! So I have written 3 more pages to the story woot, woot. Go me. Now I just gotta type it up >.>)

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#24
Old 04-01-2015, 02:07 AM

Chapter Eleven

Zephyr was awoken from her position on the floor when she felt something touch her shoulder. Acting on reflex she turned away from the touch and pressed herself into the corner. Her bones and muscles screamed and rubbed together in ways that were never meant to happen and she nearly passed out from the pain of moving so fast.
"Easy. It's okay." The voice that spoke to her was calm and strangely soothing. She tried to raise her head from the position she was in to see who it was that had spoken. "Don't try to move around so much. You're in pretty bad shape."
Zephyr opened her swollen eyes and saw a pair of armored feet. It was a guard. "Stay away from me," she growled out.
"I'm not here to hurt you." The guard reached out and touched again, lightly. Zephyr tried to press herself tighter into the corner. Her wings scraped against the rough stone and reopened wounds that had only just closed.
"I don't care. You are not a friend of mine. That makes you an enemy. You are working here, keeping me hostage. I will take nothing from my enemies except their lives."
The guard took off his helmet and raised an eyebrow. "With talk like that, you wouldn't think that you had just been beat within an inch of your life." He placed his helmet down and Zephyr realized that even though he was covered in armor she had not heard him enter the cell. He lowered himself down so that Zephyr could see his face. They studied each other for a moment, she was young and physically broken but her eyes argued otherwise. He was old and his eyes told a different tale; they were dry but he looked like he wanted to cry.
"I can't stand this place any more than you, child."
"I don't see you wearing any chains," she snorted.
The old Winglie shook his head. "I heard. I heard about that beating that Axel gave you. I heard you didn't make a sound. I'm sorry that this happened."
Zephyr spit bright red saliva on the cell floor and then tried to push herself up into a sitting position. The guard tried to reach his arms under her to help but she waved him away. "I'd never give him the satisfaction." She sat and felt all the gashes on her body. There was sprays of blood all over the floors and walls. "Just because you think that you feel bad for me doesn't mean that I want your help or your pity. I don't know you." She wiped her mouth lightly. "Like I said, you are my enemy. If I had the strength to fight right now, I would."
She looked at him with burning eyes and he slid back a little, not out of fear, but out of respect. The guard pulled a small pouch from his armor that had been tied around his neck and tucked where no one would have seen it. He opened it and dropped a small slice of bread and some dried meat into his gloved claws. Zephyr didn't even blink. She felt much too tired and beaten to think of something as trivial as hunger.
"You're probably not hungry right now, but there isn't much time and I saved this from my rations. It's for you." The guard held the food towards the prisoner.
"Even if I were hungry, how would I know that it isn't just poisoned?"
The guard shrugged and took a small bite of the bread and a bite of the meat. "Is this enough proof for you?" Zephyr blinked slowly but didn't reply. "My name is Roch. I've been here most of my life. I was drafted into the Defenders when I was a little younger than you are now."
"That's nice. You must really love your job."
Roch reached quickly for Zephyr's claws and pressed the food into them. "I hate it. I hate this place. I hate the missions. I never have liked it. That's why I was sent here and held under the threat that if I didn't follow the orders and do as I was told, my family would be the ones that paid the price. This place is as much a prison for me as it is for you, just because you can't see my chains doesn't mean that they aren't there."
"So then, why are you helping me. Why after all these years? Why now?" Zephyr closed her claws around the scraps of food.
Roch narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Because they broke their promise."
With that he stood quickly and grabbed his helmet from the floor. He wiped off some blood with a gloved claw and placed it over his head. "Stay alive, child. I will be back as soon as I can."
Roch moved silently across the room, unlocked the door and slipped out. Covered in armor, he hadn't made a sound. He moved like a ghost. No wonder Zephyr hadn't heard him when he came in, she didn't even hear him go out.
There was something about Roch that made her feel like she could trust him, even though her head was telling her that she shouldn't. She raised the piece of meat and sniffed it. It sure didn't smell like there was anything wrong with it, so she put it inside her cheek and let it sit there. The dryness made it too tough to chew with her jaw as beat up as it was, but by leaving it in her mouth it would soften up. It wasn't great but it was better than nothing and she knew that she would need the nutrients if she wanted to keep living.
As she tried to get comfortable on the ground again she drifted off to sleep wondering how old Roch actually was. How long had he really been here? Why was he trying to help her? There hadn't been a draft for ages. Nothing made sense. Maybe it was all really just a dream anyway.

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#25
Old 04-03-2015, 03:20 PM

When her cell door flung open and slammed against the wall Zephyr didn't give her torturers the pleasure of seeing her jump. Her chains were shortened by two guards so that she was standing spread eagle against the wall. A third guard stood on the end of her tail to make sure she didn't try to move it.
"Were you having a good sleep, Zephyr, dear?"
Zephyr did her best fake laugh and said, "Oh yes. I was dreaming of the day that I get to kill you."
"Ha!" Axel balked. "Don't you know that dreams don't come true? Well, not for you anyway. My dreams come true every day." Axel snapped his claws and a medical team of three Winglies walked into the cell holding bandages and a bucket with water. "Make sure that she get's cleaned up. I really enjoyed the last time I used my whip, so I wouldn't want her to die before the next time."
Axel walked out of the room saying, "Don't worry, I'll come back and see you again soon." He stopped and turned his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye, "Very soon."
The medical team quickly went work work cleaning and then bandaging their patient. They worked effectively but did not say a word to Zephyr. They wouldn't even look her in the eyes when she asked them for help. When the medical team had left the cell her chains were returned to their normal length and then the guards left as well. None of them had so much acknowledged that she was there apart from what they had to do to get their job done.
Zephyr inspected the bandages covering her wounds. In all honesty she was more bandage than Winglie, but she felt a little better. A little cleaner. For now.
Water had begun dripping down from the crack in the wall where she had last heard from Oscoro. A puddle had begun to form on the floor of her cell. Was Oscoro still out there, trying to find a way in? Had he been captured? How long had it actually been since she last heard him? She knew that after Axel's beating she was unconscious and they brought her back to the cell but she had no way of knowing how long she had been out. She couldn't even guess how long she had been in the asylum.
So many questions. Each interaction that she has in here only seems to leave her with more of them. Zephyr thought about Roch and decided that if he ever did come back to see her, she could ask him how long she had been in here and hopefully get at least one answer... if she survived that long.
Days and nights passed before the next time that the cell door opened. It had stopped raining a long time ago, long enough for the large puddle on the ground to dry up completely. Roch entered the cell at night. The moon's light shone brightly through the crack in the cell.
It must be a full moon, Zephyr thought. How she wished that she could see it. Instead she imagined being able to see the stars and the moon while she flew through the night air.

---------- Post added 04-04-2015 at 01:44 AM ----------

Roch entered the cell as quietly as he had the first time. If Zephyr had not been awake and daydreaming of flying through the sky, she wouldn't have known that he was there. He moved close to Zephyr and took off his helmet setting it on the floor next to him like he had the first time. Everything that he did, every move that he made seemed to be calculated in his mind and weighed to choose the most silent option.
"Your woulds look like they are healing," he noted. Zephyr had peeled back a few of the bandages to inspect her wounds and see how they were healing. She didn't replace the ones that were okay to be uncovered.
"Slowly, but yes." Zephyr agreed. She didn't want to waste time with small talk but she also didn't want to come on too strong and possibly scare Roch off. He wanted to help her before but considering how she had reacted, he might not be so willing to help now, but he did come back. Whatever his reasons were for returning and making this visit, if he chose to leave and not help, she would have no way of knowing if he would ever come back. She would have effectively severed the only tie she has outside this cell, within the asylum.
"Roch, when you left last time, I didn't know if you'd be back."
"When I left last time, I didn't know if you would want me to come back," he tilted his head at her change in demeanor.
"I had some time to think about a few things."
"Such as?"
"Such as I don't have too many options, and I don't have too many friends right now. It would be silly of me to refuse an offer of help. Otherwise I can only give in to Axel if I want to live, and join his little group or refuse and continue to be beat until he's satisfied with the beatings and decides to kill me and stop wasting time. My friend," she paused, "I have a friend who knows that I'm here but... I haven't heard from him. And then there's you."
"Your friend, what is the name of this friend?"
Zephyr bit her lip. "It's Oscoro. I had spoken to him before I was taken to be interrogated but I haven't heard anything from him since. I don't even know how long ago that was."
I've heard a similar name but I haven't heard it mentioned here. Names aren't used much for prisoners, but I can ask around."
"Thank you." Zephyr sighed slowly. In this case, it seems that no news might really be good news. That means that he could still be out there. Zephyr bit her lip again before she said, "I'd be willing to accept any help that you would offer." She looked down at the floor at Roch's helmet.
Roch raised his brow and asked, "Does that mean that you accept me as a friend?"
"If that's what you want, sure."
"Actually I have something else in mind for you, child."
Zephyr shook her head and furrowed her brow, what else could I possibly have to give you?"
Roch grinned a lot more than you think. You are going to set me free." He stood up and picked his helmet up with him. "We seem to be out of time again, child. I will return again as soon as I can."
"Wait. How am I supposed to free you?" Her heart leaped in her chest. He was leaving already? "How long have I been here?" Her chains rattled across the stones on the floor as she moved.
"For your first question, I will have to explain the next time I come. For your second question, you've been here about 16 or 17 days I'd say. Give or take one or two."
Zephyr stopped moving to stand and sank back down to the ground. "Seventeen days," she mouthed. How many of those days had she been completely unconscious. After hearing that, she was a little bit more worried about Oscoro. He should have found a way inside if he was going to. Or maybe he went to get help somewhere? Something had to have gone wrong.
"I will be back in two days, if not sooner." He paused and pulled out the same pouch that he had food in the last time he came. He opened it and dropped two large pieces of meat into his glove and tossed them to Zephyr. "I nearly forgot. Sorry that the food isn't that great here."
Zephyr caught the food in her claws and held it tightly, "Thank you, Roch."
"Who knows when they will be back to feed you." Roch went out the door and locked it behind him.
Zephyr was alone again but at least she knew how long she had been here, even though the answer was not what she had been expecting at all. 16 or 17 days. Had no one at home noticed that she was gone? Roch said he would be back in two days and that would give her a better way to keep track of the days that pass. With any luck, she wouldn't see Axel's face until after she saw Roch again and learn what kind of plan he has.

 


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