Bird of a Wing - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

"Hey Ryraso," a voice called into the medical bay as Ryraso was cleaning up for the day. "You busy?"
"For you, always," Ryraso growled unhappily, looking at Wiljam who was holding his arm like it was hurting him. "What did you do this time?" Ryraso sighed, forcing Wiljam to sit on a bed.
"The normal," Wiljam shrugged, letting Ryraso take his arm, barely able to feel anything from it anymore he had damaged it so often. Most would be concerned but it barely seemed to slow Wiljam down. "So... How has the week been with the troublesome duo?" he asked with a grin on his face.
Ryraso gave him a glare which would have made most people want to hide but Wiljam only laughed. "It could have been worse," Ryraso grumbled.
The week had been eventful. Aw'endo didn't outright attack Eyeri again, but he seemed to take great pleasure in terrorising the boy. Constantly picking and teasing the younger human every chance he got. Ryraso prayed to the gods that this was simply normal k'nairi sibling rivalry because Aw'endo wasn't used to having a brother. Ryraso had never been in a 'normal' k'nairi family environment for long enough to have first-hand experience. His only real contact with families had been when he was treating them. From the little experience he did have, he knew siblings fought regularly to keep a pecking order in place.
"I'm sure they haven't been that bad," Wiljam reassured, his tone still upbeat and cheerful.
"I'm not sure which one had been worse," Ryraso grumbled. "Aw'endo won't stop bullying Eyeri and Eyeri is being equally as bratty to Aw'endo."
"Neither of them have had to compete for your attention before. Eyeri loves his brothers but he has always been the baby so he's used to getting attention. Some healthy sibling competition is good for them," Wiljam commented out, wincing as Ryraso's fingers pressed on a particularly bad bruise. Ryraso's eyes flashed at the sign of Wiljam's pain.
"Eyeri isn't used to having a rival who can be as aggressive as Aw'endo though. I can't even tell Aw'endo to tone it down because if I coddle Eyeri it will only make it worse for him," Ryraso pointed out. Jealous siblings only got worse when the other got more attention and as a result, Ryraso was limited to what he could do. He didn't think Aw'endo would actually hurt Eyeri but people did stupid things when they got angry.
"Please, as if the crew would let Aw'endo touch Eyeri if he started to get handsy," Wiljam scoffed.
"Yes, I have noticed how Eyeri is acting meeker and looking weak and vulnerable considerably more often. I see the intended effect is working," Ryraso sighed. It was sad that Eyeri had a safety method that involved making people want to protect him because he was weak. Another survival skill learned from being a slave and it worked. The crew was acting more protective over Eyeri which was not helping with Aw'endo. Eyeri was being a brat in his own way when dealing with Aw'endo.
"Eyeri's just scared for the same reason Aw'endo is," Wiljam pointed out gently. "Aw'endo is scared he's been replaced and you don't need him anymore and Eyeri is scared that now Aw'endo is back there is no room for him in your life."
Ryraso groaned, letting his head fall against a metal cabinet and he moved to get some bandages for Wiljam's arm. It was nothing serious but Ryraso wanted to make sure Wiljam took care with his arm for a few days. It was an understandable fear from Eyeri given what Ryraso was risking by keeping Aw'endo but Ryraso had no plans on letting go of his apprentice anytime soon.
"Eyeri still has years of training ahead of him yet. He's not getting away from me that easily," Ryraso said softly.
At the moment, Eyeri's fears weren't so bad with Eyeri's brothers on the ship to give him the extra love and affection he needed to feel safe but they were due to deploy soon. Normally when they were gone Eyeri stayed with Ryraso as the boy was often afraid to be on his own. With Aw'endo now living with Ryraso, that wouldn't be an option which was likely adding to the boy's worries.
"And the add-ons?" Wiljam tilted his head, Ryraso giving another growl but this one angrier.
Eyeri's brothers were acting no better than the two boys. The brothers picked fights with Aw'endo at every turn, in an attempt to get him to back off their youngest brother, forcing everyone else on the ship to break the fights up. Punishments were having no effect on all five young men, much to the frustration of the command team.
"You would think considering they are all older and part of the army they would be more mature than this," Ryraso said darkly, putting the box of supplies down on the bed next to Wiljam. "I think they are actually worse than the boys."
Wiljam laughed. "You deal with one, you get all five," he winked. "Anyway Aw'endo does seem to be getting along with the crew at least," Wiljam pointed out as Ryraso began to bandage his arm.
"Small mercies," Ryraso smiled lightly.
Despite all the constant fights and Aw'endo's attitude, the warship crewmembers had gotten used to him. The more friendly members of the crew smiled and waved at the k'nairi boy when they saw him. A perk of the oddball crew, every personality got accepted into the mix. Aw'endo was rude, aggressive and childish but he was also kind and enjoyed listening to the stories the warriors told. It wasn't unusual for Ryraso to go to the rec room to find Aw'endo listening in on one of the old war tales that Cameia liked to tell. It seemed to be one of the few times Aw'endo could sit next to Eyeri without trying to hurt him. Ryraso liked watching them like that, Aw'endo was trying to be nice to Eyeri, his wings often draping over Eyeri during peaceful moments in a way which was friendly for k'nairi.
"Hey, with how Tai'ray's been fighting this week, it could have gone the other way," Wiljam pointed out seriously. "How are the twins?"
Tai'ray's attacks had been getting heavier, and the k'nairi warriors were leaving a lot more scars on people. Kelenn and Sayskel had ended up facing the royal triad and gotten seriously hurt in one battle. Luckily after four years of fighting basically the same people, the royal triad hadn't actually killed them. Instead, Nel'os had helped them back to the Namya ship with a message from Tai'ray.
The exact wording was not something Ryraso wanted to respect, but the gist was Tai'ray was close to being ready to come after him. He wanted Ryraso by his side. He wanted his adopted son returned to him as well, and he was not above using any method to achieve this. Ryraso was a little scared actually of how true this may be. Tai'ray was not the same as he had been before the war, he was more brutal now.
"They will be fine. Luckily those two are cocky and skilled enough that the Royals like them somewhat and would rather they live through the war," Ryraso said dryly. The twins were basically k'nairi which was why they didn't fit anywhere but the warship.
"Trust those two to gain some respect from the k'nairi," Wiljam shook his head in disbelief, ignoring the fact that he had caused some agreements between the two sides from simply being himself. Loror didn't want the likes of Wiljam on his ship for too long. He had a habit of causing more damage than what it was worth holding him.
"Not impossible," Ryraso chuckled. "All done. Try to stay out of my clinic for a while?" he asked as Wiljam hopped off the bed. "I have enough to worry about with the boys than having to add you to the list."
"We'll see," Wiljam grinned, saluting as he disappeared out of the door. "Hey youngling," Wiljam's voice commented cheerfully, and a moment later Aw'endo was in the room.
"Did you have to tell everyone what the correct term for a k'nairi child is?" Aw'endo whined, collapsing on the first bed he came too as Ryraso cleaned up, his wings relaxed and loose.
"Would you prefer they call you chick?" Ryraso pointed out fondly.
Aw'endo grumbled but didn't say anything, kicking his legs idly. Ryraso had noticed that Aw'endo was starting to grow more territorial as he grew used to the ship. He was already almost possessive over Ryraso's room and it was starting to spread to the medical room. He only let people he trusted in Ryraso's room. Namely, Isst, who had somehow gained the little k'nairi's respect, Inai and grudgingly Eyeri.
Ryraso suspected that given half a chance Aw'endo would do the same to the clinic, only hopefully the k'nairi was smart enough to know people who went there needed help. That and Ryraso had already threatened to clip his wings if the youngling made people too scared to get treatment. That was Ryraso's job.
"Ryraso, I'm bored," Aw'endo complained.
"Go find one of the others. I'm on duty," Ryraso pointed out gently.
Aw'endo scowled but didn't move from the bed, not liking to be away from Ryraso for any great length of time. Ryraso tried to get him to spend as much time with the Zamen brothers as possible but Aw'endo was very clingy to Ryraso, likely thanks to him leaving the boy alone ten years ago. Aw'endo was also desperate to please him, getting overly jealous when Ryraso praised Eyeri for doing a good job. Ryraso was a little concerned but slowly Aw'endo was starting to show signs of warming up to Eyeri.
They were only a week in but already Aw'endo was no longer hissing at the boy and a few people had commented they were fighting less than at the beginning of the week. The torments were getting more brotherly as well. The more time Aw'endo spent with the brothers, the more he seemed to know what to do around Eyeri, which was why Ryraso tried to encourage him to spend time with them. Fetmar approving when Ryraso had explained and Fetmar had begun to notice it too. Aw'endo watched them all closely like a hawk.
"He just doesn't know how to act," Ryraso had explained days before to Fetmar.
Still, Ryraso hoped that Aw'endo would continue to improve, he wasn't sure if he could take another week of jealous bickering between the two.
"Are you okay Aw'en?" Ryraso asked in k'nairi, not liking how Aw'endo was curled on his bed. His wings were relaxed but his body language suggested he wasn't entirely happy. He moved over and looked the boy in the eyes.
"Just itching to fly is all," Aw'endo admitted, eyes lowered. "Are you sure I have to wait another week,"
"Afraid so," Ryraso hummed, running a hand through said wing's feathers. That issue wasn't helping the situation either. Aw'endo sighed defeated before sitting up and hugging Ryraso, Ryraso letting him, resting his chin on Aw'endo's head. The warm feeling in his heart at being able to hug Aw'endo again was worth any trouble Aw'endo had been. Even if he was risking Tai'ray coming after him. For Aw'endo, it was worth it.