The Phoenix Hunters
Long ago, before electricity was harnessed to improve upon man, when fire and heat ruled technology, when emotion ruled over man: Supposedly mythical creatures resided on Earth. They too were both ruling and ruled over, complexities that would make any mortals head spin were only the bare foundations politics of nature.
One peacefully misleading day, two brothers; phoenixes who had lived with the nearby mortals quite serenely, were resting in their shared nest as the sun was setting.
It was then, the atmosphere became cold, haunting. Cautiously, the elder brother called upon his phoenix heritage and scanned for other life forms, finite or not. Startled, he trilled his findings to his hatchling brother: 'It seems we are not alone, but these creatures they are not from our 'world' as such, and are mere mortals but the things they carry, frighten me.'
Now this was quite a proclamation as the 'head' of his family, he had faced many trials and anything that alarmed him enough to shake him out of his arrogant, but kind persona, was tremendously disconcerting to hear.
On alert, the brothers perused the surrounding bushes and trees, searching for a sign of them. Suddenly there was an overwhelming smell of a wild fowl. Smugly the younger brother said, 'if it's so frightening, why does it give off a scent of dinner?'
Irritated, the elder replied, 'well how was I to know smell just came out of nowhere... ' at the same time, spoke the hatchling, 'speaking of which, I'm off!' And flashed off, leaving his brother in the hollow of their tree to worry.
Fortunately, or unfortunately; depending on your point of view. There was a resounding bang; reminiscent of a gunshot if one knew what a gun was. Regrettably, since in this world there were not many hunters, or gun handlers as the previously mentioned mythical creatures were often found assisting the mortals, man or mer.
Due to this unspoken contract of sorts there were little to no altercations between man and creature, this meaning that very few creatures have needed to build a resistance towards bullets or bows. These phoenix brothers for example weren't at all resistant.
When the elder flashed to his brother, he both relieved and terrified as the guest was found holding up the offending fowl and looking quite shocked at the fact that the flaming bird before him, had just flashed away from a bullet from his gun.
Enraged, the elder lost all common sense and swooped at the hunter. So caught up in his anger failed to see the gun pointed at him and was shot. Observing all of this from the tops of the clouds, the young hatchling released a heartbroken cry of anguish and plunged; intent on rescuing his brother.
On his supposed death bed, the elder trilled a solemn request to his brother to not attempt to avenge him. This plea was lost on deaf ears as the younger brother continued, as time seemingly slowed down for both man and phoenix.
Picking up his dying brother who released a low guttural moan of pain because of the pressure of his brother's claws. Shooting back up to the clouds, hoping to make it when suddenly they dropped as a result of the hatchling being shot. A key part being that the colours of their flaming feathers. The elder well deserving of his arrogance was marked of the colours of a flame; ranging from bright red to a stormy blue at his claws and pupils.
While the hatchling seemed to be modelled after the sky with blues of varying and patches of cloud-like white. This of course was what killed him as instead of blending in with the clear, but darkening sky. He was conflicting with the hues of the unexpected eclipse.
. :The End: .