The Princess's Feathers

Snow changed to sleet, and then sleet changed to rain. A spine-chilling rain, the very worst kind for a creature covered in feathers. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this cold in my life.

SKREAAK?! SKREEEEEEK!!!

I call out for Kuro through the pelting rain, desperately hoping she’ll respond. I’m such an idiot. I’m such a fweghing idiot! Who cares about my family in Varecia if Kuro is dead? She’s a part of my family just as much as they are! If only I had controlled my temper, then none of this would have happened. If Kuro dies today, then it will be squarely my fault!

About a talons mark from the Grandfather Tree, I came across another Kin flying north. They told me Kuro was flying in the opposite direction towards Vito’s Forest, the place where Relmoon was supposed to be waiting. Snow changed to rain as I arrived there, enabling me to quickly find a clearing with Kuro’s scents. When I flew down to investigate, it quickly became apparent that a fight had occurred there.

Blue blood stained heavy snow, covered in patches of brown and soot feathers. I strained to identify the other Kin’s scent but could only detect it on their blood. A young drakon, not of the flock. Definitely not Relmoon. The air in the clearing was perfectly still, not so much as the call of prey-bird interrupted it. It seemed Kuro attacked her opponent, and he took to the skies, trying to flee the huntress. But why? Where was Relmoon? As I put the pieces together, I came to a startling revelation: What if this was all a part of Relmoon’s plan?

It made perfect sense. He knew Kuro would go nuts and chase after him. So, if any reinforcements from the flock arrived later, all they would find was this: an empty clearing and no trace of Kuro. The Kin waiting for her was just a decoy to lead her to Relmoon’s true location.

Armed with this revelation, I began to panic.

It was clear Relmoon wouldn’t be anywhere close to Vito’s Forest. So, if not there, then where? There’s an entire continent full of places Relmoon could be hiding! How was I supposed to know where to look?

But then I remembered the other Kin’s scent. I could only detect him by his blood. He was using Raven’s Thistle to mask his scent! And there’s only one location in the flock’s territory where Raven’s Thistle grows. I was convinced: Relmoon’s flock was hiding in the forest where I fought the False-Kin.

But now that I’m flying above it, there’s no sign of Kuro or Relmoon’s Flock. At least, I don’t think there’s any sign of them. Within the last few moments, heavy rain reverted into a blinding snowstorm. I can barely see the trees, much less the clearings where Kuro could have landed. I’m convinced she’s here, but how can I find her?

SKREAAAAK!!!

I listen, but nothing returns on the winds.

I continue flying for a time. Calling, hoping, then pleading for Kuro to respond. I’ll never forgive myself if I find her body today. Why did I have to get upset at her? I should’ve tried to reason with her like I always do! I could have prevented this whole sordid affair!

Eventually, my wings grow tired. It’s not easy to fight the gales in storms like these. Ice has encumbered my wings, weighing them down significantly. Faced with little other choice, I lower myself from the sky and land in an empty clearing free of scents. I’m not done searching, not by a long shot. But I need to warm myself up.

I trod through the snow drifts, the wind blasting my face with snowflakes. All I can think about is Kuro. Everything that’s happened between us since the moment she saved my life flows back to me. My introduction to the flock. The White Mountain Gathering. Our training together with Tomcat. Couple’s Night, and the search to uncover my family’s past in Felra. She was there with me every flap of the way. Always loyal, always warm, always by my side. I know why I lashed out against her; I couldn’t stand the thought of her dying a senseless death.

But… why am I like this? How come I respond to stress with violence? My fight with Kuro is hardly the first time something like this has occurred. Back in Varecia, Mom’s endearing memory of me could be the time I nearly erupted on her at the breakfast table. Now, I may have lost the one most dear to me because of that very same temper. If Kuro survives this ordeal, then… I need to understand this aspect of me. I need to tame it before it causes even more horrible mistakes.

Eventually, I arrive at the base of a stunted elderus and hobble beneath its branches. I lay against the roots and draw my cold wings open. Sheets of pearly opaque ice have formed across them, though not as thick as I initially anticipated. Rearing my head, I draw on my meager reserves of flame to blast heat past my wings, making extra sure not to scorch my feathers. The oil my body produces for preening is fire-resistant but not fire-proof.

With my reserves running low, I extinguish the blowtorch and examine my wings. I wasn’t as thorough as I would have liked, but my wings have become broadly ice-free. Most ice patches are gone, and the remaining parts aren’t big enough to slow me down. I step away from the roots and unfurl my wings, testing them for flight. They feel light and limber, ready to take on another round of gliding through the storm. I fold them to my sides and release an unsteady breath. I hope I haven’t wasted valuable time.

Standing beneath the elderus, I close my eyes and attempt to gather my emotions. The air is still — the only sound is the gentle accumulation of snowflakes across the serene forest.

…

RARR!

My eyes go wide in attention. That sounded like…!

ROAARR…!

The languid cry of a Dragon in agony echoes softly between the snowflakes. It’s so subtle that had I not focused my senses and stilled my anguished heart, I never would have noticed it.

I take off like lighting, sprinting into the clearing to unleash a fierce cry.

SKKKREEEEEAK!!!

I rip open my wings and leap skyward, pounding hard to gain altitude and fly as fast as possible. There were two distinct cries. The fight could still be ongoing! Oh, please last just a little bit longer, Kuro!! I rise above the treetops, and the storm greets me with a blast of snow to the face. I growl, fighting against the gales to soar in the direction of the fight.

It’s not long before I find myself overhead. What I see through the curtains of snow leaves me breathless.

Four Lithans lie dead, their blood staining the snow around their bodies a bitter shade of cerulean blue. The fight has been intense, causing damage to the small trees peppered around the clearing and the larger ones in the forest beyond. Like claw marks upon the moon itself, long stretches of snow-free ground are visible, the telltale signs of Lithans ignoring the Dragon deity’s edict never to use their fire in battle. At the center of this chaos are Kuro and Relmoon, locked together in an intense back-and-forth battle. Torn and bloodied, caked in a layer of snow and ice, both Kin are seemingly a feather’s edge away from defeat. But between the two, Kuro seems to be doing worse. She’s fighting with a considerable gait, no doubt incurred from the battle with the previous four Lithans. To kill them and still have the strength to fight Relmoon is extraordinary. But she’s close to her limit, and she won’t last much longer.

My anger boils over. I allow the seething emotions that have caused me so much pain to take control once more. Relmoon is the singular reason my life in the flock has gone so wrong. For hurting the one I hold most dear, I won’t forgive him!

I tent my wings, dropping like a stone toward the clearing. I descend faster than I’ve gone before, ignoring the warning bells in my head screaming at me to slow down. The two Kin hurtle towards me, and at the very last second, I flip open my wings to cause a great cloud of snow to be thrown outward.

SKREAAK!!

I land on top of Relmoon — more accurately, I crash into him. As we tumble to the ground, I flail with all my might, attacking him with my claws and fangs like I would any other prey. I smell his blood and then his fear-scent. He wasn’t expecting me. He knows he’s close to defeat.

But he’s not dead yet. His hindlegs extend, pushing me outward into a snow drift. I bounce off it and meet him as he’s struggling to regain his composure. He attempts to swing his claws at me, but I see it coming. He’s slow, encumbered by exhaustion and ice. I pivot off my talons and reach in to slash his hind legs, causing them to buckle. He tumbles to the ground, snarling in pain from my attack. This is my chance! I won’t allow him to escape! I rear up to pounce, only to see Relmoon rear his neck and open his jaws. He’s using his fire!

A streak of gray blocks my vision, followed by a savage snarl. Kuro lands on top of Relmoon just as I sail harmlessly into a snow drift to avoid Relmoon’s flame. Kuro latches onto Relmoon’s shoulders, picks him by her claws and flips him sideways across the ground. He lands with an inglorious thud and skids across the snow a short distance. When he stops moving, I find myself pouncing on top of him with my claws dug into his neck and his life firmly in my talons. I open my jaws and lunge for his neck.

‘Relmoon is irreplaceable to me.’

My head seizes. In my mind, I see Sardi and the anguish on her face as she spoke about Relmoon’s exile. I see their fledges gliding across the White Mountain aerie to greet their father. I remember — if I hadn’t decided to lay with Sardi, I would have remained apathetic to Kuro. At this moment, fate would be reversed. Relmoon would be putting the finishing touches on Kuro’s life, an act that would plunge mine into abject misery.

Is this what Relmoon’s family deserves?

“What…” Relmoon coughs, his face twisted in pain and confusion. “What are you waiting for, Princess? Now’s your chance. You better take it.”

Gasping for breath, I raise my head and stare straight into his golden eyes. “It was never about me, was it? You didn’t even care about starting a new flock. All that mattered was your family.”

Relmoon’s fear-scent is overwhelming. “My… family?”

I scoff lightly. It’s exactly as I thought. “You don’t deserve to die. A fool like you deserves—“

Cut off mid-sentence, my whole world tumbles sideways as something crashes into me. I fall into the snow just as a languid wail splits the air. A terrific shattering sound follows, and the clearing falls silent. Rising from a snowdrift, I see Kuro standing over Relmoon with his neck in her jaws, blood flowing down the crimson drakon’s neck. His body is limp.

Since the day I landed in Felra, I’ve witnessed death countless times, most often with prey locked in my jaws and the taste of flesh on my tongue. Perhaps it’s because Relmoon is Kin, or I know his family loves him. Whatever the reason, I wince and avert my gaze. Moments later, his body collapses into the snow.

Intense emotions well up inside me, my hatred of Relmoon gnawing on the sympathy for Relmoon’s family. But the most profound feeling is that of relief. I saved Kuro’s life. Kuro is alive!!

“Kuro!!!”

I leap over the snow drifts and attach myself to her flank, rubbing my face against her feathers and filling my nose with her wonderful, spiced scent. She tries to step away from me, but I follow, refusing to leave her side. I’ll never leave her again!

“Asha…” she trails off, her voice lethargic.

At that moment, I feel a trickle of blood flow across my forehead. A long wound against her back is still raw.

“You’re hurt!!” I wail. “Why did you…!!”

I reach up and begin licking the wound, desperately trying to heal her. I very quickly realize the futility of such an act as her entire body is covered in scars. She needs medical attention. She has to return to the Grandfather Tree! Slowly, the elation of seeing Kuro alive changes into a different type of emotion. My head returns to her feathers, and I growl in anguish, smacking my wings against her side and nipping her skin with my fangs. The pain of watching her abandon me at the Grandfather Tree flows fresh inside my head.

“Kuro, you fweghing idiot! Don’t ever put yourself in danger again!!”

With my head against her chest, I feel Kuro’s heart racing. She draws a breath and asks, “…Why?”

“Because I love you!”

I collapse to the ground and weep against Kuro’s wing. It wasn’t until I almost lost her that I realized I couldn’t imagine my life without Kuro. I want to wake up every morning to the smell of her scent. I want to see her through the underbrush with prey locked in our jaws. I want to be on the wing with her at my side until the day we soar the skies of Maki.

“I love you!! I love you, Kuro!!!”

As my brain stews in a thousand intense emotions, Kuro makes a low and affectionate growl resemblant of a purr. She lays beside me in the snow and nuzzles her head gently against my own. Feeling her warmth, my emotions relent for only a heartbeat before I realize she’s forgiving me. Despite everything I did to her, she forgives me!!

My heart swells until I’m incapable of holding back. I cry as hard as I ever have before with my head in her embrace and our tails entwined.

We lay together for a time, allowing the snow to build against our feathers. Lying still with Kuro, I ignored the cold creeping in from around me. All that mattered was being in her presence and knowing she was safe. At some point, she covered me with her wing, blocking more snow from accumulating against me. I could tell she was waiting for my emotions to subside.

But now, something unusual is occurring. Still beside her, I clear my nose and ask, “Kuro? Are you…?“

I focus on the feathers under the cleft of her wing. They’re dancing back and forth, but the wind is still.

“You’re shivering!”

I drag myself from beneath her wing and ruffle myself of snow. Despite her soot-colored plumage, Kuro looks nearly invisible with a blanket of white draped across her.

“Ahh! Um, I’ll dig up an ember root! We need to—“

“I’m fine,” Kuro rumbles, rising to her talons. The wind catches a cloud of snow as she flaps her wings clean. “Asha…”

We stare at each other, unable to locate words. I can see it on her face — she wants to talk about everything as much as I do. But this is hardly the location for such a rosy conversation. Five Dragons lie dead around us. The falling snow has done little to mask the overwhelming stench of death.

My tail sways slowly across the ground as I gaze around the clearing. “We have to clean this up, don’t we?”

“Then return to the Grandfather Tree so I can heal,” Kuro frowns.

“I can check if there’s any dourwart nearby,” I offer. “Something to ease the pain until then.”

Kuro growls softly, and her gaze shifts to Relmoon. “I’ll be fine… just as soon as I prey on him.”

My eyes go wide but quickly subside. I admit, the thought crossed my mind. I can sense how exhausted Kuro is after fighting so many Dragons. To make matters worse, we haven’t had a decent meal since we departed Flat Rock for the territory north of White Mountain. It would be a waste of prey just to leave him here.

“Yeah…” my voice dissipates as strange thoughts stew inside my head. A part of me can’t believe I’m drawn to preying on one of my own, while another part finds it perfectly sensible. How terribly poetic. Two halves of me, Lemur and Lithan, the sensibilities of both vying for presence.

“Asha,” Kuro says, turning to face me with the faintest hint of a smile. “After Nakino takes a look at me, we can talk. Just like we said we would.”

At hearing those words, I feel spirits lifted as high as Maki. “Okay. Thank you, Kuro!”

Kuro smiles, then chitters to herself in happiness. I haven’t heard her chitter in so long! Oh, how I missed her little chitters! it really feels like everything is going to be alright!

Kuro trods through the snowdrifts and stands over Relmoon’s body. She unfurls her wings and flaps them to clear the snow building across Relmoon. Though it hasn’t been long since he passed, his crimson feathers are turning pale as his body begins to freeze. Kuro braces a talon across his neck, then reaches down to clamp her jaws around Relmoon’s horn. A wrenching crack echoes across the clearing, and Kuro rises with the proof of Relmoon’s life grasped firmly in her muzzle. She gingerly lays it to the side, then beckons me with her wings to join her.

A frigid wind ruffles Relmoon’s feathers as I join Kuro at her side. Sardi will be devastated when she learns what happened here, but I won’t be shedding any tears. Relmoon brought this upon himself. As I contemplate all the pain he’s caused me, my Lithan instincts take hold. I’m cold, tired and hungry. I want to be with Kuro. I need his flesh.

What I’m about to do would be unconscionable if I were still a Lemur, but I don’t care. I’m too hungry, too upset at Relmoon to consider the sanctity of my actions. Perhaps most importantly, I’m no longer the idealized little girl who would find this behavior abhorrent. I never will be because I’m no longer afraid of myself.

I am Kin.

Felra is where creatures like me belong.

I brace my foretalon against Relmoon’s flank and use my jaws to rip him apart like a can opener. Warm viscera flows freely over my claws, exciting my predator senses. I can’t hold myself back any longer. I snarl in visceral delight and begin gorging myself, tearing Relmoon apart piece by bloody piece. A heartbeat later, Kuro joins me in the feast.