Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Waking up in a nest was normally a pleasant thing. It was warm and comfortable. Especially when you got used to sleeping in tangled limbs. That morning, it was not pleasant. Mostly because of the loud screech which woke Ryraso up.
Ryraso sat up bleary eyed as his two younglings fought at the bottom of the nest. They were both fully dressed which suggested they had been up for a while. Eyeri and Aw'endo were both snarling at each other as they tried to punch each other. Aw'endo pulling Eyeri's hair and Eyeri kicking a foot out to try to push Aw'endo away from him.
Ryraso groaned and flopped back down, not bothering to listen to whatever they were yelling at each other. This had been expected. Nel'os snorted from next to him as Tai'ray yelled at them to stop. Dyn'ad wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.
"Troublesome boys," Dyn'ad chuckled in his ear.
"Aw'endo, I thought I told you not to attack Eyeri," Ryraso commented, ignoring the smirking Royal hugging him.
"He drugged me!" Aw'endo growled from where he was sitting with his feathers puffed out.
"You're fine," Eyeri snapped back, holding the back of his neck. Ryraso exhaled and sat up, moving over to look at the damage done. "Why the hell do the k'nairi have a thing about biting the back of someone's neck?" Eyeri demanded, letting his foster dad inspect the back of his neck.
"Easier to pin down and dominate someone," Dyn'ad grunted, still laying on the nest, now snuggling with Nel'os and watching with one eye. "Throwback," he shrugged, nuzzling the back of Nel'os neck teasingly and making the man slap his arm.
"You are so not the top of the pecking order," Aw'endo snarled, moving to attack Eyeri again. Tai'ray pinched Aw'endo's ear and tugged him back to the nest, making Aw'endo yell in pain.
"No, but I am," Tai'ray said dryly, letting go. Aw'endo hissed and clutched at his ear. "Behave and no attacking your brother," Tai'ray ordered, ruffling his hair. "And Eyeri, no more drugging people," he added.
"I can't, I lost the supplies," Eyeri said darkly as Ryraso put some paste from his own bag over the bite mark. Ryraso smirked slightly, Eyeri not able to see him.
"Eyeri," Tai'ray said in a warning tone, mentally poking Ryraso for the smirk.
"Fine!" Eyeri scowled. "I won't drug Aw'endo again," he grumbled, folding his arms defensively and leaning back into Ryraso. Ryraso hugged him and kissed his hair, knowing Tai'ray wasn't going to like how Eyeri had just spoken.
"Eyeri," Tai'ray warned again. "You are not so big that I can't put you over my knee." he threatened, letting go of Aw'endo. Nel'os quickly grabbed Aw'endo's wing and pulled him up to him so he wasn't in the way. The youngling still clearly unhappy but curling into Nel'os.
"What do you want from me?" Eyeri demanded. "I said I won't do it again!" he glared challengingly, pulling his arms closer to his chest.
'Tai'ray,' Ryraso murmured, reaching out through the link. Eyeri was trembling and not from anger. He was scared.
'I know, I can smell him,' Tai'ray replied. "I want you to watch your tone. Eyeri, do not forget who I am," he warned moving over them. Dyn'ad and Nel'os taking the moment to roll out of bed and pull Aw'endo out the door, sensing this was something that needed to be between Eyeri and Tai'ray. Without Aw'endo spitting his own fury at the human youngling.
"My kidnapper?" Eyeri snapped, eyes on the floor as Tai'ray approached, refusing to look the man in the eyes. Pressing back as far as he could against Ryraso, who just rubbed his shoulders reassuringly.
"The Winglord," Tai'ray clarified, cupping Eyeri's chin and gently raising it to make Eyeri look in his eyes. Eyeri stubbornly avoiding them, looking basically everywhere else but Tai'ray's eyes. "Look at me Eyeri," he ordered gently.
"I am," Eyeri muttered.
"No, you're not," Tai'ray said bemusedly. "Just a bit higher," he cooed as Eyeri's eyes tried to reach Tai'ray's. "There we go," he smiled slightly before making his expression serious again. "Eyeri, you can not sass me in front of other k'nairi," he warned. "I'm pleased you are willing to talk to me but you won't like the consequences if people think I am being soft on you. In public, you need to behave."
"We're not in public," Eyeri muttered darkly.
Tai'ray nodded. "Which is why we need to make sure you know now. In private you can talk freely but not out there," Tai'ray gestured outside.
"I'm... I won't..." Eyeri sighed but nodded. "I'll behave," he murmured, looking away and letting his crossed arms fall to his sides, fists clenched. Ryraso wanted to hug him tighter but knew that would be little comfort at the moment. Eyeri was trapped in a cage and while Ryraso knew that the cage was different to the one Eyeri had been forced into as a child, Eyeri didn't. Not yet.
"Eyes back to me," Tai'ray ordered. Eyeri's eyes snapped back. Cautious and wary with a hint of fear and sadness. "This is not going to be easy Eyeri. Navat is different to Tayagwe. You are going to need to stay strong and diligent."
"Doesn't sound like much a life," Eyeri said softly, protectedtugging at Ryraso's heart strings.
"Neither is hiding in an underground base for the rest of the war. It will be what you make it," Tai'ray smiled sadly. "You have already proven you are strong and have your own mind. You can do it but you have got to curb that tongue or I will have to do something about it Eyeri."
"I'll behave," Eyeri snapped in a frustrated tone. "I said I will behave so stop going on at me!"
"Hey," Tai'ray murmured. Tugging Eyeri into his arms, Ryraso letting go of him. "Everything is going to be fine," he promised, kissing the top of Eyeri's head and hugging him close. "It will be hard but you'll get through it."
Eyeri sniffed but hugged back. Dimly remembering what Awen'do had said about Tai'ray's protective side coming out when he gave hugs. Even if Tai'ray wasn't out of his mind at the moment, it wouldn't be a bad thing foster the feeling. Eyeri needed to make sure Tai'ray loved him and protected him. Even if Tai'ray protect him from the brand, there were other dangers ahead.
Something in Eyeri clicked. He was going to have to make Tai'ray think that Eyeri loved Tai'ray too. He was going to have to trick the k'nairi and hope the feelings fell into place. It was the only way he was going to survive this.
"Feel better?" Tai'ray asked, pulling away slightly to look at Eyeri in the eye.
"Not really," Eyeri admitted truthfully, rubbing one leg with the other nervously. "I don't want to be branded," he said softly. "I won't be okay until after that has passed." It was painfully honest and stabbed into Ryraso's heart. Tai'ray looked like his heart had just been stabbed and pulled out too.
"That makes sense," Tai'ray murmured, kissing Eyeri's cheek. "Do I need to watch you today?" he asked.
Eyeri sighed, his shoulders slumping. "No," he murmured. "Unless someone's got a bag of supplies to escape lying about," Eyeri commented, meeting Tai'ray's eyes. "I want to escape, but I don't want to die Winglord. With no supplies, I have no chance."
"Thank you for being honest," Tai'ray smiled softly. "Be good. Go makeup with Aw'endo. He's looking after the village hatchlings again this morning. We are leaving after lunch," he commented, rubbing Eyeri's shoulders.
"I'll try but if he attacks me again, I'm going for the wings. Fetmar did teach me a few ways to fight against k'nairi," Eyeri warned, with a spark of something in his eyes again.
Tai'ray grinned and nodded. "Remember to bite his neck," he winked. Eyeri smiled uncertainly up at him but nodded, turning to kiss Ryraso on the cheek. Ryraso gave his son a quick tight hug before heading out the door. Tai'ray watched him go.
"Remind me who Fetmar is?" Tai'ray asked, looking at Ryraso. Something nibbling in the back of his mind. The link flaring up slightly which suggested whoever this Fetmar was, he was important in some way to someone in the link.
"Eyeri's oldest brother. The one who fights against k'nairi regularly," Ryraso smiled softly. "To be honest, the one you have to worry about most because he's extremely protective of Eyeri," Ryraso warned in a teasing tone, poking Tai'ray's ribs.
Tai'ray battered the hand away with a smile. "He can try," he said sweetly, pushing the thought away in favour of tackling Ryraso and pinning him to the bed. If Fetmar fought against k'nairi regularly it was probably the warrior circle which was sending warnings. Which would only be a concern if Tai'ray was fighting him. Ryraso laughed and fought back, the two ending up kissing. Tai'ray pressed their foreheads together. "I love you," he smiled.
"I love you too," Ryraso murmured. "That doesn't mean I'm going to make things easy for you," he warned.
Tai'ray grinned, kissing Ryraso again. "I'll take that challenge."
There was a knock at the hut entrance and Tai'ray groaned as Herymi called into the .hut "Winglord, are you free?"
"No!" Tai'ray growled, frustrated.
"Yes," Ryraso laughed, pushing Tai'ray off him. Herymi walked in nervously, blinking at the sight of Tai'ray scowling and Ryraso grinning. "Morning Herymi. Is everything ok?" Ryraso asked with an innocent look on his face as he pulled some clothes on.
"Mostly," Herymi smiled. "Can I talk to the Winglord alone Ryraso?" he asked.
"Of course," Ryraso nodded, pulling his tunic on and heading outside, patting Herymi on the shoulder as he left. "See you later." he winked at Tai'ray before leaving the hut with a wriggle of his hips.
Tai'ray bit back a dark hungry growl. The rule was no sex before the branding and he had to follow it too but now he knew Ryraso loved him back, it was getting harder to resist trying at least. "Morning Herymi. What would you like?" Tai'ray asked, pulling a top on and looking a bit more regal.
"Er," Hermyi hummed nervously. "I wanted to ask something."
"That so," Tai'ray tilted his head, not about to give Hermyi an easy way out. If the human wanted what Tai'ray suspected he wanted, Herymi was going to have to outright ask for it. "Would you like to sit?" Tai'ray offered, gesturing to a stool, lounging on the nest looking distinctly Royal. Falling back into the mindset easily, having had plenty of practice of switching between family and Royal.
"No thanks," Herymi said running a hand through his hair nervously. "Um. Winglord, you said that all the caw will have to live in Navat for a while. How long were you thinking?" he asked nervously.
"A few years," Tai'ray mused. "Need to make sure people are well adjusted to living back with the k'nairi. Most of you have been fighting us for the past seven years after all," he smiled. "Can't trust you that quickly."
"I suppose there would be no way to shorten that amount of time?" Herymi asked, his eyes looking up and meeting Tai'ray's solidly.
"That depends," Tai'ray tilted his head. "What are you asking Herymi?"
"I don't want to live in Navat. I want to live here again," Herymi admitted. "Navat, I'm sure it is beautiful but my family is here."
"It is," Tai'ray nodded slowly. "What are you hoping for here Herymi? That I will brand you and just let you walk back to Tayagwe straight away?" he said with an unimpressed look on his face.
"I don't suppose that would be possible?" Herymi said hesitantly. "I know I don't have anything to offer in return..."
"No, you don't," Tai'ray exhaled, playing hard to see what Herymi would do. He was surprised as Herymi fell to his knees and bowed low, putting his hands and forehead on the floor.
"Please Winglord, let me live in Tayagwe," Herymi begged.
"Herymi, get up," Tai'ray ordered with a smile on his face. "You don't need to go that far."
"Winglord?" Herymi said hesitantly, looking up with hopeful eyes.
"Half your village has already petitioned to try and get me to let you live here," Tai'ray admitted with a warm smile. "They clearly want you home and if you want to be home too, I won't stand in the way of that for long. You do need to come with us today however and hopefully in a week or two, you can return. I need to do some paperwork to square it before I can say yes."
"But I can come home?" Herymi said his face lighting up.
"Yes, you can come home," Tai'ray nodded with a big smile at the expression of joy on Herymi's face. A few days back with the community who had raised him had done the caw a lot of good.