Bird of a Wing - Chapter 50: Chapter 50
You are reading Bird of a Wing, Chapter 50: Chapter 50. Read more chapters of Bird of a Wing.
The rain was heavy, making everything wet and slippery as Ryraso and Eyeri scaled the tree to get to the ground level. Most of the ladders had been raised up to try and protect the rope and wood from rotting. Thunder sounded in the background and despite it being early afternoon it was dark.
The rain was heavy, making everything wet and slippery as Ryraso and Eyeri scaled the tree to get to the ground level. Most of the ladders had been raised up to try and protect the rope and wood from rotting. Thunder sounded in the background and despite it being early afternoon it was dark.
"I hate storms," Eyeri growled as he jumped to the ground with a loud squelch of mud. He grimaced but followed Ryraso as Ryraso led the way.
Ryraso had never been to Tawaye but the night before he had paid close attention to where they were staying, and thanks to storming off, he also knew what direction the river was in. He just had to hope that in the rain and dark conditions he would still be able to get there.
"Come on," he called, reaching back to grab Eyeri's hand as the boy stumbled. "We need to head south to the river."
The mud made it hard to walk and impossible to run. Their boots were designed for travelling but the mud was thick. The ground paths poorly maintained. Still, Ryraso was determined to get out of the village, following the ropeway which linked the high tree houses, trying to shield them from some of the rain. most of the treehouses were dark, most of the community out helping with the storm defences. There was a flash of lightning in the distance and thunder boomed around the sky. This was no minor storm.
Still, this was going to be their only chance to escape. Even if they turned back now, there would be no guarantee of a second chance. Plus Tai'ray would find the seal and destroy it.
The rain soon soaked both humans to the bone, their outer clothes not quite enough to protect them from the downpour. Mud covered their legs and hands from where they had to use trees as support around muddy pits. Still, they sloshed onwards. The loud rushing of the river able to be heard as they left the mild protection of the village.
"Probably best not to get any closer to the river," Ryraso said, pulling Eyeri under a tree to talk over the loud storm. "We should head south here and avoid the banks. I'm sure the river is likely to burst with this much rain!"
"Understood!" Eyeri nodded mud on his cheek from where he must have rubbed his face with his muddy hands. His hair wet and plastered to his forehead. Still, there was a look in his eyes. A look of determination. This was a young man who was going to do what he set out to do.
The sounds of the river to the right of them, Ryraso began cutting his way through the undergrowth. The path meant to go to the river, not around it. Eyeri followed, his eyes watching the forest for any danger. His eyes fast adjusting the darkness, occasionally lit by the flashes of lightning which seemed to the dance in the sky. The rain grew heavier and the light grew dimmer, making it hard to see. Yet Ryraso knew they were far from out of danger of being recaptured yet.
"I'm so glad we left Aw'endo behind," Eyeri called with a touch of laughter in his voice. "He would hate this!"
Ryraso laughed, agreeing fully with that statement. "Your brother is a pampered prince!" he called, wincing as he gripped onto a partially rough piece of bark, almost losing his footing. "Still amazes me he ended up on the front line!"
Inai, well more Isst and Tiew, had forced the people of the warship to do regular drills off the ship of how to survive in bad situations. Admittedly they were ignoring the advice for what to do in a storm but still. In a storm, you were supposed to find cover and wait it out. Most enemies wouldn't pursue in such bad weather conditions and yet Ryraso knew they needed to get some distance.
This was k'nairi territory and Guardian Flex would know his land like the back of his hand. The Guardians usually knew everything which was happening on their turf. A kind of magic, Ryraso suspected, that let them feel the earth. There was a reason Flex had taken the human who had lived and respected his land under his wing after all. The only reason the k'nairi likely wasn't on their ass was because he was busy. Much like the reason Tai'ray was busy.
There was another loud snap of lightning and a loud boom echoed throughout the forest as a tree fell somewhere. Ryraso felt his heart skip a beat and exhaled. "Eyeri?" he called, glancing back.
"I'm good!" the boy called. Slipping down a slope as he tried to reach Ryraso again. Mud spreading up his back. Eyeri laughed, covered in mud and soaked. "I'm good," he grinned up at his father. Ryraso found laughter bubbling up his chest and he bent in half laughing. Eyeri reached up to try to pull himself up. Ryraso offering his arm and somehow slipping over himself and landing next to Eyeri. Eyeri laughed and for a few moments, the two just laughed at the situation.
"Well, we better get moving again," Ryraso grinned, flicking mud at his child.
Eyeri threw some back and tried to sit up. "Maybe we should find somewhere to shelter for a bit." he chuckled, wiping some of the mud off his face, the rain still coming down.
"Probably a good idea," Ryraso nodded, struggling up to his feet and helping Eyeri. "If we keep going, hopefully, we'll find a hut of some kind," he commented. "Should be some near the river, after all, right?"
"Logically," Eyeri nodded, the two men struggling through the mud again. The wet squelching sounds almost as loud as the river rushing nearby as they trudged through the mud. The thick mud sticking to their shoes and making it extremely hard to walk because of how heavy their boots were.
It wasn't long until they spotted something and they quickly slid towards it. The hut was ground level but was up on stilts. Ryraso stumbled and kneeled on the wet wood, forcing the sliding door open. Eyeri stumbled in and Ryraso followed. The hut small but dry. It was a fisherman storage hut. The first room clear, with a fire in the centre of the room making it very warm. The rain pitter-pattering against the roof of the hut and walls.
"Is someone here?" Eyeri asked, shivering as he warmed up by the fire.
Ryraso shook his head, pulling his outer clothes off and wiping his face with the wet material before letting it splotch on the ground. "Most of the fires here are lit by dragon stones. As long as it stays in the stone circle, the fire won't burn the wood. So they are left to burn and keep huts warm," he explained. "I'd take your clothes off if I were you before the mud we are caked in dries."
"But what if we have to leave fast?" Eyeri asked, but willingly tugging his clothes off, the clothes already starting to dry and become stiff from the thick layers of mud. Unlike with Tai'ray, he wasn't as conscious of being naked with Ryraso.
"Honey, if we try to run in that mud, they will just pluck us off the ground," Ryraso pointed out drying, moving over to a ledge. He lifted a wooden lid to reveal a deep stone sink. It was meant to be used to wash down fish to prepare to ferment but they could use it for other uses. He studied the mechanism before playing with a lever. Water poured into the large stone trough and he grinned. "We might as well wash up and let them dry. We will have to try to get further in the morning when the storm is gone."
"Okay," Eyeri said reluctantly, but understanding the logic. With the weather outside, if they were found before the storm passed they did have no chance in getting far. "Do you think the storm will last until morning?" he commented softly.
"Even if it doesn't, we won't get far with the ground so muddy," Ryraso sighed. "But at least in the morning, we will be able to see clearly," he said, chucking his clothes into the sink with a loud plop. "Throw me your things," he said, his hand open.
Eyeri stumbled over and dumped them in himself, scrubbing them clean as he could himself silently. The water soon turning a dark brown. Ryraso emptied the sink and repeated the process a few times.
"I am sorry, you know," Ryraso murmured, as he watched the dirty water swirl down the drain. "I never meant for any of this to happen to you."
"I know," Eyeri nodded, not really looking at Ryraso. He hung his clothes on a bar which was near the fire. They would stink of fish from the residue on the bar, but he would be able to wear them in the morning. "It..." Eyeri paused. "It isn't your fault really," he said softly, moving back over to the sink and using the fresh water to clear off some of the now dried and cracked mud which had smeared onto his skin.
"It is though," Ryraso murmured, not sure how to comfort Eyeri.
"Yes, it is," Eyeri agreed. "But you can't help this Ryraso. They fell in love with you and k'nairi..." Eyeri trailed off. "You are not to blame for the doings of an entire culture," Eyeri said softly, his hand rubbing Ryraso's forearm. "If the k'nairi people have decided this is to be the fate of the caw and those associated with the caw, we can only be thankful that it is not worse. Because it could be so much worse." Eyeri's voice broke slightly but he quickly steeled himself up again.
Ryraso looked at his youngling, unsure what to say. Eyeri had an unusual look on life because of his past, but he wasn't quite expecting that. "If this fails," Ryraso murmured.
"Don't jinx it," Eyeri said firmly, looking up at his mentor with a steely look in his eyes. "It won't fail." Still, despite the steely look, Ryraso could see the doubt behind them. Too much was stacked against them here.
They both flinched as the wooden walls creaked as a hard gust of wind hit them. A clap of lightning booming outside. Eyeri shivered and smiled up at Ryraso. "Just the weather," he chuckled nervously.
"Eyeri..." Ryraso went to say something but Eyeri gave him a look that clearly said he didn't want to talk about this. Ryraso was conflicted. On one hand, this wasn't an easy topic, but on the other Eyeri was his charge. Ryraso let his shoulders slump and turned the sink off, he hung his own clothes as Eyeri moved to the fire. The room smelt of warm damp.
Eyeri went to use his bag as a pillow but sighed as he realised that was covered in mud too. He laid down, watching the fire burn. He folded his arm around his legs, drawing his knees to his chest. Eyeri put his head on his other arm and closed his eyes. There was nothing to do now but try to wait out the storm.
The rain was heavy, making everything wet and slippery as Ryraso and Eyeri scaled the tree to get to the ground level. Most of the ladders had been raised up to try and protect the rope and wood from rotting. Thunder sounded in the background and despite it being early afternoon it was dark.
"I hate storms," Eyeri growled as he jumped to the ground with a loud squelch of mud. He grimaced but followed Ryraso as Ryraso led the way.
Ryraso had never been to Tawaye but the night before he had paid close attention to where they were staying, and thanks to storming off, he also knew what direction the river was in. He just had to hope that in the rain and dark conditions he would still be able to get there.
"Come on," he called, reaching back to grab Eyeri's hand as the boy stumbled. "We need to head south to the river."
The mud made it hard to walk and impossible to run. Their boots were designed for travelling but the mud was thick. The ground paths poorly maintained. Still, Ryraso was determined to get out of the village, following the ropeway which linked the high tree houses, trying to shield them from some of the rain. most of the treehouses were dark, most of the community out helping with the storm defences. There was a flash of lightning in the distance and thunder boomed around the sky. This was no minor storm.
Still, this was going to be their only chance to escape. Even if they turned back now, there would be no guarantee of a second chance. Plus Tai'ray would find the seal and destroy it.
The rain soon soaked both humans to the bone, their outer clothes not quite enough to protect them from the downpour. Mud covered their legs and hands from where they had to use trees as support around muddy pits. Still, they sloshed onwards. The loud rushing of the river able to be heard as they left the mild protection of the village.
"Probably best not to get any closer to the river," Ryraso said, pulling Eyeri under a tree to talk over the loud storm. "We should head south here and avoid the banks. I'm sure the river is likely to burst with this much rain!"
"Understood!" Eyeri nodded mud on his cheek from where he must have rubbed his face with his muddy hands. His hair wet and plastered to his forehead. Still, there was a look in his eyes. A look of determination. This was a young man who was going to do what he set out to do.
The sounds of the river to the right of them, Ryraso began cutting his way through the undergrowth. The path meant to go to the river, not around it. Eyeri followed, his eyes watching the forest for any danger. His eyes fast adjusting the darkness, occasionally lit by the flashes of lightning which seemed to the dance in the sky. The rain grew heavier and the light grew dimmer, making it hard to see. Yet Ryraso knew they were far from out of danger of being recaptured yet.
"I'm so glad we left Aw'endo behind," Eyeri called with a touch of laughter in his voice. "He would hate this!"
Ryraso laughed, agreeing fully with that statement. "Your brother is a pampered prince!" he called, wincing as he gripped onto a partially rough piece of bark, almost losing his footing. "Still amazes me he ended up on the front line!"
Inai, well more Isst and Tiew, had forced the people of the warship to do regular drills off the ship of how to survive in bad situations. Admittedly they were ignoring the advice for what to do in a storm but still. In a storm, you were supposed to find cover and wait it out. Most enemies wouldn't pursue in such bad weather conditions and yet Ryraso knew they needed to get some distance.
This was k'nairi territory and Guardian Flex would know his land like the back of his hand. The Guardians usually knew everything which was happening on their turf. A kind of magic, Ryraso suspected, that let them feel the earth. There was a reason Flex had taken the human who had lived and respected his land under his wing after all. The only reason the k'nairi likely wasn't on their ass was because he was busy. Much like the reason Tai'ray was busy.
There was another loud snap of lightning and a loud boom echoed throughout the forest as a tree fell somewhere. Ryraso felt his heart skip a beat and exhaled. "Eyeri?" he called, glancing back.
"I'm good!" the boy called. Slipping down a slope as he tried to reach Ryraso again. Mud spreading up his back. Eyeri laughed, covered in mud and soaked. "I'm good," he grinned up at his father. Ryraso found laughter bubbling up his chest and he bent in half laughing. Eyeri reached up to try to pull himself up. Ryraso offering his arm and somehow slipping over himself and landing next to Eyeri. Eyeri laughed and for a few moments, the two just laughed at the situation.
"Well, we better get moving again," Ryraso grinned, flicking mud at his child.
Eyeri threw some back and tried to sit up. "Maybe we should find somewhere to shelter for a bit." he chuckled, wiping some of the mud off his face, the rain still coming down.
"Probably a good idea," Ryraso nodded, struggling up to his feet and helping Eyeri. "If we keep going, hopefully, we'll find a hut of some kind," he commented. "Should be some near the river, after all, right?"
"Logically," Eyeri nodded, the two men struggling through the mud again. The wet squelching sounds almost as loud as the river rushing nearby as they trudged through the mud. The thick mud sticking to their shoes and making it extremely hard to walk because of how heavy their boots were.
It wasn't long until they spotted something and they quickly slid towards it. The hut was ground level but was up on stilts. Ryraso stumbled and kneeled on the wet wood, forcing the sliding door open. Eyeri stumbled in and Ryraso followed. The hut small but dry. It was a fisherman storage hut. The first room clear, with a fire in the centre of the room making it very warm. The rain pitter-pattering against the roof of the hut and walls.
"Is someone here?" Eyeri asked, shivering as he warmed up by the fire.
Ryraso shook his head, pulling his outer clothes off and wiping his face with the wet material before letting it splotch on the ground. "Most of the fires here are lit by dragon stones. As long as it stays in the stone circle, the fire won't burn the wood. So they are left to burn and keep huts warm," he explained. "I'd take your clothes off if I were you before the mud we are caked in dries."
"But what if we have to leave fast?" Eyeri asked, but willingly tugging his clothes off, the clothes already starting to dry and become stiff from the thick layers of mud. Unlike with Tai'ray, he wasn't as conscious of being naked with Ryraso.
"Honey, if we try to run in that mud, they will just pluck us off the ground," Ryraso pointed out drying, moving over to a ledge. He lifted a wooden lid to reveal a deep stone sink. It was meant to be used to wash down fish to prepare to ferment but they could use it for other uses. He studied the mechanism before playing with a lever. Water poured into the large stone trough and he grinned. "We might as well wash up and let them dry. We will have to try to get further in the morning when the storm is gone."
"Okay," Eyeri said reluctantly, but understanding the logic. With the weather outside, if they were found before the storm passed they did have no chance in getting far. "Do you think the storm will last until morning?" he commented softly.
"Even if it doesn't, we won't get far with the ground so muddy," Ryraso sighed. "But at least in the morning, we will be able to see clearly," he said, chucking his clothes into the sink with a loud plop. "Throw me your things," he said, his hand open.
Eyeri stumbled over and dumped them in himself, scrubbing them clean as he could himself silently. The water soon turning a dark brown. Ryraso emptied the sink and repeated the process a few times.
"I am sorry, you know," Ryraso murmured, as he watched the dirty water swirl down the drain. "I never meant for any of this to happen to you."
"I know," Eyeri nodded, not really looking at Ryraso. He hung his clothes on a bar which was near the fire. They would stink of fish from the residue on the bar, but he would be able to wear them in the morning. "It..." Eyeri paused. "It isn't your fault really," he said softly, moving back over to the sink and using the fresh water to clear off some of the now dried and cracked mud which had smeared onto his skin.
"It is though," Ryraso murmured, not sure how to comfort Eyeri.
"Yes, it is," Eyeri agreed. "But you can't help this Ryraso. They fell in love with you and k'nairi..." Eyeri trailed off. "You are not to blame for the doings of an entire culture," Eyeri said softly, his hand rubbing Ryraso's forearm. "If the k'nairi people have decided this is to be the fate of the caw and those associated with the caw, we can only be thankful that it is not worse. Because it could be so much worse." Eyeri's voice broke slightly but he quickly steeled himself up again.
Ryraso looked at his youngling, unsure what to say. Eyeri had an unusual look on life because of his past, but he wasn't quite expecting that. "If this fails," Ryraso murmured.
"Don't jinx it," Eyeri said firmly, looking up at his mentor with a steely look in his eyes. "It won't fail." Still, despite the steely look, Ryraso could see the doubt behind them. Too much was stacked against them here.
They both flinched as the wooden walls creaked as a hard gust of wind hit them. A clap of lightning booming outside. Eyeri shivered and smiled up at Ryraso. "Just the weather," he chuckled nervously.
"Eyeri..." Ryraso went to say something but Eyeri gave him a look that clearly said he didn't want to talk about this. Ryraso was conflicted. On one hand, this wasn't an easy topic, but on the other Eyeri was his charge. Ryraso let his shoulders slump and turned the sink off, he hung his own clothes as Eyeri moved to the fire. The room smelt of warm damp.
Eyeri went to use his bag as a pillow but sighed as he realised that was covered in mud too. He laid down, watching the fire burn. He folded his arm around his legs, drawing his knees to his chest. Eyeri put his head on his other arm and closed his eyes. There was nothing to do now but try to wait out the storm.
End of Bird of a Wing Chapter 50. Continue reading Chapter 51 or return to Bird of a Wing book page.