Bird stared despondently while she watched Adwin cry over Yena’s body. Hours had passed since she had fallen and the air around them had grown chill.

The demon and been called back to whatever hell it served and the tigers that had not fled were all dead but one, Dia.

Adwin continued to rock on his heels holding Yena’s limp body. The glow of life had faded and all her wounds and scars stood out like purplish marks of horror. There was a peaceful look on her face, one that Bird found hard to see as she tried to think of anything but the woman before her.

It took her a moment to register the soft touch on her shoulder. Her glaze eyes focused on Lore and the sound of his voice. Why should they move? The tigers were all dead and so was Yena. They may have succeeded in destroying the enemy’s camp, but they had failed to save Yena.

Suddenly angry she pushed him away. “NO!” she shouted. “No… no…no…!” Her words turned into moans and she turned away from the sorrowful sight before her. Lore caught her hands and immediately warmth filled her body. She gasped in surprise as she realized how cold she had become.

“Bird, can you hear me?” Lore said.

New tears burst from Bird’s eyes and she fell against him suddenly feeling weak. “Why’d she do it? She’s going to be a mother!”

“Shh…,” Lore choked out as his throat thickened with emotion. He had known Yena all of his life. He had been the newest addition to Apple’s team nearly twenty years ago after Brigid’s kidnapping. She had become almost an aunt to him. Seeing her dead left a hollow ache in his heart.

He clung tightly to Bird needing her touch to calm him. Apple found them in the lee of the crumpled wall of Errolt. He stopped in his tracks as he spotted Yena’s lifeless body. “Yena, no!” he whispered. He knelt next to Adwin. “Adwin, what happened?”

“S-she was fighting to protect them. The t-tigers overwhelmed her,” Adwin stammered.

“Adwin, you’re cold, let’s go back to camp.”

Adwin nodded solemnly and lifted his wife’s body from the ground. Apple turned to Lore and Bird then jumped back when he noticed Dia sitting a few feet away partially hidden by shadows. He growled and pulled his out sword.

“Wait Avalon, she’s with us!” Lore cried out holding up his arm. He moved to block Apple’s view.

“What is a tiger doing here and why are you protecting her?” Apple growled.

“She was protecting Bird after I got separated from her. She knew Bird’s mother.”

“Don’t you think that could be a ruse? She could be a spy using Bird’s emotions to manipulate her.”

Bird stirred and looked up at Apple with blank eyes. “She called me Bird. The other tigers called me Lavender.”

Apple knelt in front of Bird and her right hand in his. “What do you mean the other tigers called you Lavender?” he asked.

Panic filled Bird’s eyes and she shied away from him. “They knew my name, they said they had orders to capture me. She killed them, the ones that tried to kidnap me,” Bird said pointing to Dia. “Please don’t kill her, I need to know why she saved me!” Her hand shook in Apple’s and he swallowed down his anger and frustration. Why did Yena have to die?

He turned to Dia. “You, Tiger, why did you save Bird?”

“My name is Dia Blanc. I saved Bird because of a promise I made to her mother, Eloise, years ago.”

Apple felt the hairs on his neck rise. “You’re the General Dia Blanc? What are you doing out here?”

Dia sneered. “This is what happens when a female gets married and gives up her rank to her husband. I’m only a captain now.”

“What promise did you make to Bird’s mother?”

Dia smiled. “That I would protect her in exchange for her soul." Apple and Lore shrunk away from Dia . “I’m sure you know what that means.”

“Yes, I do,” Apple said. He stood up and grabbed Dia by the arm. The tiger winced as the wound on her back was stretched. “You’re coming back to camp with us.”

The camp was abuzz in celebration though several groups sat around their fires mourning their losses. The merriment began to die down as the dragons smelled Dia walking among them. They watched her with cautious eyes as Apple led her to Basalt.

The dragon leader was sitting on a thick blanket while a healer tended her wounds. She looked up with irritation when she saw Dia standing in front of her.

“What’s this cat doing alive and in our camp?” she drawled.

“She claims to be my charge’s protector and to have taken her mother’s soul,” Apple said.

Basalt raised an eyebrow then looked deeply into Dia’s eyes making her uncomfortable. “Alright, she’ll come with us as a prisoner. Do you have a name Cat?”

“It’s Dia Blanc.”

Basalt smirked. “Well, well, the mighty general brought low. The council will be very pleased.” Basalt snapped her fingers and two female dragons rose up from their positions beside her. “Shackle her in my wagon and stand guard. I don’t want any fools killing her before we get information from her.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the women said and lead Dia away.

“Good job, Avalon. I heard that your group experienced a loss today. My condolences. Please see to their health.” Basalt bowed her head and Apple bowed back.

When Apple returned to the campsite he found Bird wrapped in a thick blanket and sitting on Lore’s lap. Her skin, where it was not peeled away, had a sickly pallor to it and a bruise had formed under one eye. Her teeth were chattering despite being bundled and sharing Lore’s warmth. He knelt in front of her and felt her forehead. It felt clammy beneath his palm. “Lore, she needs to see a healer. She’s in shock.”

Bird shook her head. “If you send one for me, send one for Dia. She was cut up pretty badly,” she said. Apple sighed.

“Done,” he said. He kissed her forehead and went looking for a healer.

Bird settled into Lore’s warmth and sighed. “Am I really that important that I’m worth dying for?” she murmured.

Lore squeezed her tight and nuzzled her ear. “You are to me and Apple. Yena obviously thought so as well. This is not about whether you’re important, but how much you are loved. She saved you knowing what would happen and still did it out of love.”

“I feel like she should have loved me less. What’s to become of Star? What about Adwin? I took his wife from him,” Bird sobbed.

“I’m glad she didn’t love you less because then I would be without you.”

Bird froze in Lore’s arms. She had been so focused her and Adwin’s pain that she had forgot Lore’s. He had known Yena far longer than she. She turned in his lap and straddled him. Cupping his face in her hands she leaned in close. “You’re hurting and I’m making it worse.” She kissed him twice. “I’m glad that we didn’t lose each other. We all lost Yena… I wish she was here.”

“We all do Bird.”

They kissed again.

***

The following day the bodies of the fallen were burned and stored in special stone urns. Adwin kept a hold of Yena’s ashes, never letting them leave his sight. His face was gaunt and looked like he had lost weight.

Conversations with him were brief and he began to sleep more in the wagon. Concerned Bird cornered him in the wagon. “Come with me,” she said nervously. She was not sure how Adwin would react to her after Yena’s death and feared the worst.

“To where?” he asked softly.

Bird opened a gate and took his hand. They walked together through the portal and arrived in a small plain room with a single dresser. Pulling back the blanket from the dresser Bird revealed the egg beneath.

Adwin’s eyes widened and fresh tears formed. He reached out and touched the egg then hugged it. “Hello baby,” he murmured. “Mother won’t get to meet you; it will only be you and Father from now on.” He bit back a sob and kissed the eggshell. “I can’t wait to meet you.”

Bird smiled as tears formed in her eyes. She left the room quietly and sat on one of the couches. What seemed like moments later she was awakened by Adwin shaking her shoulder. “You fell asleep,” he said.

“You look better,” she said. He smiled.

“Yes, thank you. We need to go back.”

Bird nodded and opened a new gate in the wagon. Lore sat waiting for them with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. He shook his head when Bird walked through the gate first. “You can get in trouble for that,” Lore said. “Everyone may know you can open gates, but seeing you do it will only bring more troubles.”

“Lore, I was born with this power. I’m a witch. Why should I not use my gift?”

“Because others before you abused it. I’m not saying that I don’t trust you, Dear Lady, I’m saying I want you to be careful.” Lore sighed when Bird rolled her eyes at him. “Stubborn,” he muttered under his breath.

By midafternoon they reached Bresbur. After unloading all the wagons, the dragons flew the witches and tiger back to Uler. They were greeted with decorations and flowers when they landed in the courtyard of the council hall.

“Today is a joyous day, but it is also a day of sorrow,” The Oracle began. “We have won the victory in Errolt, but at the cost of our friends, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, uncles, aunts. Their lives were not given in vain. One day we will free our exalted one and reclaim heaven from the usurpers. For now let us pray and give thanks.”

The congregation bowed their heads and began to pray.

When the prayer was over Dia was escorted into the Council’s Hall, her arms and legs shackled with heavy iron. The tiger caught sight of Bird and smiled kindly. Bird could only stare as she was led away.