~Serana⚜

Following the armored escorts I notice a few others from the village flying with us. An older woman in her late thirteenth century came along, another hunter though I couldn't ever remember seeing her go out with any of the parties. A man in his fifth century, also a hunter, and another woman a few decades older than me, she had been apprenticing under the village doctor.

Flying around the same mountain mass the seven guards had appeared from, we follow the soldiers higher into the vast forest covered mountains gliding across the sky.

The higher we go the more I notice that less and less rocks were floating about. Most of the land had turned from the completely shattered terrain I was used to back at home, where a rock over a hundred yards was a rarity. To huge solid pieces with multiple peaks and flat enough stretches of land that herds of tuvey, with their dark brown pelts with dark green spotting, could be seen. I could even spot a couple of males with their bright green manes classing their multi pronged horns together.

Every now and then I'd catch a glimpse of a gryph or two every once in a while, their fur and feathers ranging from gold, brown, green, gray, and black, there was one I could have sworn was a dark red color.

I could easily watch the ground for animals without having to worry about flying strait into a rock. Treale had done this one time and of course I laughed at his absentmindedness which led me to look at him for too long and run smack in to the same rock he had and fall down in a crumpled heap a few feet away.

I learned a very valuable lesson that day: first off rocks hurt, a lot, second that if you're going to laugh at somebody, do not do the same thing they just did and if you're gonna fuck up, don't do the exact same thing they just did.

While I was lost in memory I didn't notice the presence flying beside me until I felt a slight twinge from my primary flight feathers being knocked agains.

Looking to my side I see Treal flying with the tip of his wing just under mine.

He gave me a look full of worry, "You alright?" He asked without even trying to hide the blatant emotion in his voice.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I ask in as neutral a tone as I can manage, turning my gaze back to the passing forest below in an effort to feign disinterest.

"Don't lie to me, Serana." Treal tries to go for a commanding voice but he just didn't command enough authority to pull it off, so it just sounded wrong like a child playing the great leader of an army in a game of war.

Obviously my neutral expression needed a little work. "I'm fine, Treal. Leave it be." I told more than asked him, my eyes never straying from the thick vegetation around us.

Knowing he wouldn't win the argument he let out a dejected sigh and angled his body to drift away from me.

Looking up at the rest of my traveling companions I notice something. We were going upwards. It had been such a minuet and steady incline that I hadn't noticed until I saw the slop of the land compared to our line of flight.

'How long have we been flying?' I ponder as I catch sight of the sun dipping toward the horizon, bathing the sky in brilliant shades of bright reds and oranges to deep purples and blues.

The realization that we had been flying all day without rest hit me a mere moment before the fatigue. I suddenly became aware of the tiered drag in my muscles as the strain of having them locked in a flight position for a whole day finally took its toll.

My legs were slacking from their held back position directly behind me as were my arms drooping from my sides, my bow threatening to slip from my grasp. The muscles just below my breast quivered from the strain of pulling my wings and my back ached with the rigged posture of my body trying to hold a flyable position.

Looking at the others I noticed the ones from my village having the same issues with varying levels of success. The men and women escorting us were also starting to show signs of fatigue but not nearly as much as ones carrying the weight of armor should.

"How much farther?" The previous healer's apprentice asked with the tell-tell signs of a whine carrying through her voice.

"We'll be there shortly." One of the men answered in a stern tone, leaving no room for further questioning.

This was it. If anyone bailed out now, they wouldn't be left alive. Not this close to any part of the rebellion. If they were smart that is. I hoped they were, and that we were going to a small camp and not the main body of the rebellion.

I dispelled my worries and stored them in the back of my mind as we came to another large range of rock that was well kept together if not a bit more rugged. There were a lot more cliff-faces and drop-offs on this platform, as if it had actually been a mountain range when it was still locked with the great waters of the ocean.

Flying through the vines and trees after spending all day in open sky was a bit of a shock but we all quickly adjusted as the old habits and ticks came back like second nature. Though tiered as we were, my former villagers and I quickly caught up and had to slow down for our less experienced escorts.

As the armored leads readjusted to the new landscape we progressed through the ever thickening forest. Unlike at home, these trees were bigger and seemed darker than the ones now far below us.

Their bark was dark with a reddish tint and looked to be permanently soaked with rain. Large fuzzy patches of dark green moss dappled their massive trunks and blanketed their roots. The leaves on these trees were as large as wings, some even twice the size.

Trying not to get caught up in the strange beauty of this place I keep my eyes forward dodging rocky outcrops and half fallen trees.

As we continue through the forest the trees begin to become thick and choking as the room to fly through them becomes tight and tricky to maneuver through without clipping a wing and spiraling in a painful if not fatal fall to the sharp jutting rocks bellow.

I could hear the whoops and howls of the forest and the image of babbos tearing into the flesh of a fallen angelo came unbidden to my mind. Physically shaking my head to disperse the fearful thoughts I barely bring myself into focus enough to dodge between two trees no more then a foot apart.

Reorienting myself I hear a thud and a shriek as the older female hunter snags a wing on the vines hanging from a nearby tree and spins around to smack into the trunk before dislodging and plummeting to the forest floor.

Catching my talons into the bark of a nearby tree I take deep panting breaths as I watch the woman hit the ground with a heavy thud and bounce like pebble. Flinching in sympathy I continue to watch as she stirs a moment later and begins to climb to her feet. I start to release my talons from my perch when a movement off to the side catches my eye.

Something large was moving through the underbrush, hiding in thick shadows as it stalked towards the fallen woman.

Looking back to the woman I try to yell for her to run but my voice refuses to work and I can only stare with a gaping mouth as the woman freezes, her frame going rigged as the unknown shadow draws near.

The woman sweeps her eyes around the surrounding trees looking for the unwelcome presence. As her eyes dart towards the shadow it freezes in place.

When the woman's eyes dart away again the shadow resumes its slow stalk toward her.

I wanted to yell a warning, scream for the others who were flying away but I couldn't. All I could do was watch in horror as the shadow burst from between the trees in a blur of dark green.

I watched as the beast towered over the woman and sank huge black fangs into her body. The garbled sound of a chocked scream reached my ears from my perch above the horror seen.

I couldn't watch as the woman was torn apart and eaten right there where she died, but I also couldn't tear my eyes away from the vibrant green of the beast's pelt.

Deep green, almost black, stripes ran down its sides from its back getting lighter as it neared its bright white belly until it was a light green, lighter than the grassy green of its base pelt with solid dark stripes wrapping around its legs until they turned a dark brown and copper from the back of the joints to the thick paws adorned with long black blades for claws. Its ears were a dark green on the back but the inside was a bright blood red, much like the red of my flight feathers. But the most striking thing about the creature was its long plush tail ringed with stripes that turned black the closer to the end they go and was tipped with a large patch of white on the end, what stood out the most was the four long blade like black spikes jutting out, two sets on either side of the flicking tail, two long and almost rectangular aside from the swooping point and another smaller set that were more like triangular spikes framing them.

I tried to remember where I'd heard of such a creature. Faint memories of my vavi telling stories of his adventures came to the forefront of my mind. I remembered legends he told of great beast he called vyx. Thinking back to the way he described them this creature before me matched the description perfectly.

As I watched the scene before me I suddenly remembered where I was and what was happening below me.

Looking around I notice how close I was to one of the trees large branches. As I went to move, the talons on my foot snag in the trees bark before slipping causing me to lose balance.

Scrambling for a hold I find one and send myself up and dig my talons into the branch before hauling myself up onto it.

Taking deep shaky breaths I peer back down and find golden orange eyes staring up at me.

The long snout with blood dripping from the four black fangs curving down past its jaw certainly made the vyx look like a vicious killer, but its eyes were soft.

There was no malice or glee in its eyes, just caution and curiosity. There was hunger in those eyes as well, but it wasn't directed at me. It had its kill, that's all it wanted. Food.

That was the reason it killed, the reason I killed. But it wouldn't be the reason for much longer. Soon, if all went well, I would be put into the front lines killing people.

Not for hunger but for survival nonetheless. Meeting the creatures gaze I try desperately to even out my breathing.

I had no doubts in my mind that if I were on the ground with it, I would be in the same position as the woman lying dead at the vyx' feet.

After several heart stopping moments the vyx broke our stare and turned back towards its meal.

Picking what remained of the woman's body up in its jaws the vyx turned away and stalked off into the trees. Its green pelt quickly being lost among the leaves and moss.

Taking a few more shaky breaths I leaned my head against the bark of the tree as a wave of nausea passed over me. Closing my eyes I focused on taking deep, full breaths in through my nose and out my mouth until I felt I could open my eyes without the world spinning around me.

At first I kept my gaze locked on the dark bark of the tree. Then feeling a bit braver I slowly turned my head and looked around at the forest. I couldn't see my group, but I knew which way they had gone.

Slowly peeling myself off of the tree, I stood and tried to extend my wings in a flight position but a shooting pain in my lower chest muscles made me think better of the decision.

Keeping my wings folded behind me I started making my way in the direction I remember seeing the others go, using the branches as a bridge to keep me off the ground, and away from that vyx.

Picking my way through the trees, I go to the last place I remember seeing Treale, ducking between a tree and a stone cliff-face.

Leaping onto the tree I dig my talons into the wood and take deep breaths in through my nose. I searched for Treale's sent among the earthy wood. After a few minutes of searching the wood of the tree I come up empty.

Looking over my shoulder I search the stone for a safe place to perch. Finding a sturdy lip in the rock I leapt over and gripped it with the talons of my hands.

Searching the rock with the same slow deep breaths proved to be just as fruitless.

Sighing I looked around trying to discern where the others could have gone. I knew they wouldn't have gone the way we had come, but the cliff ended up ahead and they could have easily turned to go down its other side.

Deciding to climb up the cliff I leap and half scramble up the sheer rock face. Reaching a semi solid path in the rocks I started following it in the direction I thought the others had gone.

Picking my way over rocks and breaks in the path I try to work my lower chest muscles and wings to keep the soreness out and prevent my muscles from becoming stiff and hard to move.

Reaching the end of the cliff I look down the other side and instead of another wall of cliffs the ground gives way to a steep tree covered hill that blends right into the rest of the forest.

'Great, because this wasn't going to be hard in the first place. Skies, I'm in so much trouble' I think to myself bitterly.

I tried to force my body into a flight position again but I only succeeded in making myself lose balance and nearly fall off the cliff.

Catching my talons in the stone at the last second I barely manage to cut off a yelp of pain and suppress it into a low hiss. Pulling myself more firmly to the cliff-face I dislodge my hand from the stones and inspect the damage.

Other than the noticeable throb in my fingertips nothing seemed to be broken. A few pieces of the outer layer of my talons chipped off and were braking to reveal the new layer underneath but that was it.

I needed to sharpen my talons but with the pain still running through my fingers, I wasn't doing that tonight.

Flexing my talons in and out a few times to work out the pain, I turn back to the task at hand. The longer I took to find the group, the smaller the chances of me actually finding them were.

Sighing I gently lowered my hand to the rock, that's when I realized something was missing.

My eyes went wide in fear as I looked below me in a desperate attempt to find it.

'No, no, no! Where is it?' I couldn't find it below me. I must have dropped it somewhere behind me. How could I have been so stupid to drop my bow? Skies I hope it didn't land on the forest floor.

I started backtracking my path searching desperately for my bow in the trees and on the ground but I couldn't see it anywhere.

Finally I come back to the last place I remember having the bow in my hand. Stoping on the same branch just above where I witnessed the vyx tear that woman apart I looked straight down. And of course, as luck would have it, there was my bow, on the ground, at the base of the tree.

Okay, all I have to do is go down there snatch my bow and scurry back up. But what about the arrow? Forget the arrows, I'm about to be on the ground with a giant walking nightmare that already ate one person. I can make more, it's not that hard.

Taking a deep breath I steel my resolve and half shimmy half drop from the tree. Needless to say I wasn't the best climber but at least I didn't fall on my face from fifty feet in the air.

It was really starting to sink in just how much it really sucked not being able to fly was. How did the sapians do it? Of course they were born without wings so they couldn't miss what they never had. But that brought on thoughts of the dewinged, and that line of thought brought bad memories and dark thoughts along with it.

Scowling I shake the thoughts as my feet land on the lowest branch closest to my bow. Still a good fifteen foot off the ground I look around again for danger, tuning my ears into the environment around me.

I didn't see anything and nothing sounded out of the ordinary, but I still hesitated another moment before bracing myself and jumping from the branch.

Landing with a light thud I keep my eyes on the surrounding trees, scanning for any sign of the vyx. With a quick glance I locate my bow a few strides away. Thankfully it was made of a sturdy red wood and was caught by a thicket of vibrant green ferns to break its fall.

Glancing around one last time I take long quick strides in my half crouched stance and snatch my bow from the ferns.

As I do I see a bright flash of green, red and orange. My breath catches in my throat and I'm a second away from screaming when the thing takes off.

I watch the bright green wings of the butterfly as it quickly flutters away. It's wings formed in such a shape and color pattern as to resemble the head of a small vyx. It was still enough to scare the feathers off me.

Taking a deep breath to try and regain my composure I hear something from the trees above me.

It took me a moment of listening before I distinguished the sound as multiple pairs of wings beating the air.

Looking up into the branches I see the people who had been escorting my group back looking around for something.

I was about to call out when I remembered were I was.

Clamping my mouth shut, I moved to the base of the tree I had just climbed down. I got about fifteen feet off the ground when I picked-up on their conversation.

"...is she? She couldn't have gone that far without leaving a clearer trail." One of them said to the others.

"I've got her sent but there's too many crossing paths too fresh to get a positive read on her direction." Another man, thirty-five feet above me in the same tree, informs the others.

"She's got to be around here somewhere." I look around the trunk of the tree to see the man who had first spoke to me snarling at the others a few trees over. "We need to find her, that necklace she was wearing is one of the royal lavallieres."

A scoff from a woman not too far away draws his attention. "How would you know what the royal lavallieres look like? And even more so how would a peasant from Lockren get it? It's one of the farthest villages from Algrie." The woman scoffs again at him, with clear disdain in her voice.

"Trust me, this was one of them." He assures.

"You really think the queen would hide as a peasant?" The woman asks in a more serious tone.

'Queen? What are they talking about?' I wasn't sure what they meant about but I had an inkling it was about me and it wasn't a good thing.

Reaching up I lightly stroked the gold spirals wrapped around the red gem hanging from the chain around my neck.

'This necklace is very special, my little drac.' I could still hear my vavi's voice. The words he said, forever burned into my memory. 'Do not let anyone see this until you are older, and when the time is right. You may not know it, but you are strong and one day you will wear this lavalliere for all to see. To let the world know that you. You will be their leader. You will be their ruler. That is what this necklace means and you will one day, Serana. One day you will take your place as Queen.' That was the last time I ever heard my vavi's voice.