I'm a bird-kid. Part bird, part 16-year-old sarcastic as hell female human. Don't ask me how. I don't even know ok. It's like my memory's wiped clean. The same goes for my two companions Calum and Aiden, although Aiden is part fox instead. We have been on the run for as long as we can remember because of our… differences from the general population. Hunted, by other wolf-man hybrids. And somewhere along the road of the pursuit to kill us, they developed wings. (Which is strangely convenient if you ask me). We had been doing pretty well for ourselves until today. We got ambushed by a horde of the ever so persistent wolf guys. Now it was a fight for survival, and it was bound to get ugly…
As I soared through the air, my wings working double time to evade the awful battle all around me, I felt free. Even though I was currently fighting for my life, the thrill of flying, of the almost weightless gliding through the expanse around me, was the most wonderful feeling anyone could imagine. To normal people without wings, I guess they couldn't understand it. It's not like being on a plane or even skydiving. I have control. There just aren't words.
Flying is the best, even when battling bulky wolf/human/bird freaks who try to rip you limb from limb. They could never experience the same joy, for their dense bones, and wings could have been stuck to their backs by a 3-year-old, given how clumsy they are. I could tell by the ungraceful moves and their sweating brows that they would soon give up the fight and return to the ground where they belonged. Oh yeah... I forgot about that… I was trying to stay alive here.
My 12-foot wingspan was in itself a force to be reckoned with. Strong and sleek, the crimson feathers dotted with specks of yellow and brown had a sort of glow about them in the beating sunlight of the afternoon. Not to brag or anything, but my wings were truly awesome. They weren't as terrifyingly dark as Calum's though. His wings were a sleek black as a midnight sky, matching the messy mop of hair atop his head. They were larger than mine too, at a span of about 14 feet. It was almost menacing.
The wind whipped my long auburn hair around my face as I soared above my predators. They thought I was trying to escape until I abruptly folded my wings and rocketed downwards, knocking two of them out of the sky. Because I was then below them, they dove down to try grabbing me. But I had been doing this dance practically my whole life, and quick as lightning I shot up right past them with a steady beat of my wings. They shot forward and hopelessly tried to grab hold of me but the clumsy fools were too late. I swiftly flew through the air and effortlessly dodged their attack. They crashed into each other instead. I gave a small laugh and shook my head at their dull incapability.
Their overpowering strength was no good up here. They were like flying elephants, and I, a hummingbird. Buzzing around their faces, gracefully kicking their butts. (If that sounds graceful to you.)
I spun around kicking one of them in the chest, sending him tumbling down to the ground below. The mongrel forgetting about those useless wings he had poorly grafted to his back. As he was falling, he hit some other winged-wolf dudes and knocked them out of the sky. The relentless battle raged on as I punched another one right in the kisser. The impact knocked a few of his pearly whites out of his drooling, dog mouth. Aiming a roundhouse kick at another one's chest, a bout of wind escaped his body with a whoosh. It didn't stop him as he came right back at me, claws outstretched. I sidestepped him - as far as sidestepping goes when you're flying - and planted a cutting kick in his spine. As if it was a lame sound effect from a movie, there came a disgusting, sickening crack, and he fell down to the ground.
Doing a quick 360, I saw there were about a dozen of them left. I turned back around and met a hard, furry hand outstretched with claws coming at my face. I did a quick tuck-and-roll in the air, but the filthy mutt's claw was still fast enough to clip my face, as well as my wing. I felt warm blood seep out of my right brow and run down my face into my eye. Wiping it away with the back of my hand, I looked back at my other injury. Every time I beat my wings, a flash of pain shot through them. It wasn't completely unbearable, but I know I couldn't keep going like this forever if it came to it.
The flying wolf lunged at me again, but like I said, they're elephants in the sky. I dropped a few feet and he stupidly overshot, going tumbling down to the field below. I swear these guys are too stupid for their own good.
I clapped my hands over another's hypersensitive ears, resulting in a great yelp as he fell. I spun around and saw Calum holding his own against about 3 of the mutants. The world around me started to grow distant and fuzzy and I started to feel lightheaded. I must have lost a ton of blood. I was barely keeping myself in the air because of the deep gash along the top of my right wing. It's a good thing I've taught myself to tough these things out, or I would be on the ground in a heap of blood and bird-kid.
I shook my head furiously and tried to steady my vision. Looking to my left, I saw our youngest member, Aiden furiously duking it out with a couple more of the hybrids. All of a sudden, I heard a cry escape his throat. The guy he was just winning against had made an unexpected blow to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Now, the bastard was just laying into him with a sickening fury. He was pounding Aiden's small body like it was a punching bag he wanted vengeance on. With every punch, kick, and claw that hit him, a small cry left the muzzle of the poor fox that was Aiden.
A hot, boiling anger welled up inside me. I launched myself at the brute, punching him in the nose. I felt it break beneath my fist, and he yelped, clutching his face. But the pain only made him fight harder. It's what they're bred for. You can beat him. I mentally prompted myself.
I aimed a kick at my oh-so-persistent enemy, but he grabbed my ankle, swinging me in a circle, then tossing me a good few meters away. Like a pop-up doll, I sprung straight back up, now only even madder at this guy. I painfully spread my wings, even though I could feel the stream of thick blood running another red river through the feathers as they expanded. Flying up a few feet, I came back down slamming him in the stomach with a powerful kick. He keeled over and I finished him off with a punch to his face, knocking him out cold, sending him to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Aiden!" I screamed my younger companion's name, rushing over to his side. He gave a feeble moan.
"Jesus, Aiden, I'm so sorry. Come on, we have to get out of here before more –"
Cutting me off was the sound of about 50 heavy boots hitting the ground, charging for us. That is exactly what we needed. Fantastic.
It was clear that Aiden was in no condition to start running, let alone even raise himself off the ground. He had been beaten to a near pulp by the half-breed mongrel. I picked him up, and clutching his limp, beaten body in my arms I hollered to Calum.
"Get out of here! We can't take this many." I didn't care which way he went, other than away from the oncoming threat. It seemed as if the pack was a never ending infinity of mutant beings, thundering over the ground towards us. I could see their instincts take over, gearing them ready for a hunt.
Calum gave me a curt nod, hearing my cries, and spread his wings, taking off. I ran with Aiden in my arms, hoping I would still be able to outrun the heavy-set cross breeds with my 60 more pounds of boy to pack along. There was no way I would be able to fly for more than an hour carrying his weight. From my experience, these nasty creatures chasing me are relentless, and won't tire easily. I was going to have to fly faster and harder than I ever had before, despite my impaired wing.
All I could hear as I dashed through the air was the wind working against my body and my own blood pumping through my ears. The dead weight of Aiden was noticeably slowing me down. I pushed to keep a steady pace ahead of the oncoming storm of wolf-men chasing hastily after me.
Ahead was a dense forest, littered with foliage to easily hide me from anyone looking down from above. Although I couldn't risk descending yet. My pursuers were hot on my tail and would be close enough to follow me down. Not to mention, taking a nosedive into a dense package of tree branches while carrying a child is surely not destined to go well. I need to get Aden to Calum and lure the wolf guys away from them. Just as quickly as I finished my plan in my head, a figure in the distance caught my attention. Calum.
I propelled myself forward with my steadfast gaze fixed upon my friend and the beat of my wings a little choppy. The injured wing was causing me a lot of pain but I tried to shut that part of my brain off and focus on getting my boys safe.
"I need you to take him." Was the first thing I said to Calum when I caught up with him, hastily handing over the limp body to him. It was a split second too late before the winged mutt shot between us like a bullet, snatching Aiden from our arms. As he barreled through, he knocked me out of the sky, and I plummeted downwards a good six meters before I stopped. The force of snapping open my wings against falling at such a fast pace was an agonizing feat but it didn't matter. They had Aiden, and I had to get him back at all costs. He was my family.
I was in a panicked state. The adrenaline pumping through my veins was the only thing keeping me moving like I'm on steroids. If it weren't for my dead-set focus on getting Aiden back, I'd be a complete mess of bloody, beaten mutant with no stable thoughts in my mind.
After we both steadied ourselves, Calum and I exchanged quick glances, rocketing after the mutt who grabbed Aiden. We weren't far behind, even though he had caught us completely off guard. We're fast and efficient lightweight flyers. Whereas they're clumsy, big brutes trying to precariously navigate their way through the air.
The captor suddenly dropped on a diagonal downwards to the large pack of his allies below. Calum and I had no choice but to follow them and fight for our companion. I touched down hard, stumbling a bit from the not-so-elegant landing. Before I knew it, there were 10 of the mutant dog men on me, quick as lightning. I was helplessly pinned to the ground, stuck underneath the heavy bodies and jeering laughter.
"You think this is a game, you stupid freak?" I spat at the one closest to my face. "You won't be laughing when I'm done tearing you apart!"
He responded with another growling chuckle and pressed into my injured wing. My mouth opened and an agonizing cry escaped my throat at the seething pain the creature was causing. I could feel the oncoming threat of tears start to prick at my eyes but I forced it down, demanding myself to not show that kind of weakness.
I turned my head to the left and saw Calum was in the same position as me; helpless at the mercy of the drooling, dog-faced men.
"Stand them up! I want them to watch." A rough growling voice came from someone who looked to be the leader of the brutal pack. I was harshly yanked up by my forearm to stand at the attention of the alpha male. My eyes widened at what lay ahead of me in the field and I struggled in the grasp of the mutts holding me in place. Aiden had just started to come to. As he quickly took in the surroundings, a panicked look etched across his young features. There was nothing I could do to get to him, arms holding me like steel vices, unwavering and steady.
"I'm so sorry." My eyes met Aiden's wide ones. The alpha male, with a smirk, sauntered over to him. Moving behind him, he placed his hands on his head, gripping one on top and one at his chin. I realized what he was intending to do and all the blood left my face.
"You're gonna lose. You're always gonna lose." He looked directly at me as he moved into a ready stance.
The only thing I saw was the swift flick of wrists, and Aiden's head snap to the side. His body, unmoving by his own muscles, slumped to the ground in a heap. I could hear someone emit a blood curling scream, and it took me a minute before I realized it was me. I didn't even notice the arms restraining me had dissipated, or the wolf-men leaving at the command of their leader. My focus lay solely
on the small body of my 9-year-old Aden crumpled on the ground ahead of me, still, and dead.
This time, I didn't even make an attempt to stop the storm of tears running a river-like stain down my pale face. The entire world seemed to stop, fixed on that moment. I felt the arms of someone wrap around me, and I thrashed and screamed until I realized it was Calum.
My screams turned into strangled sobs that shook my body with every sound. I felt nothing but the raw pain and hurt of watching Aiden die right in front of me, helpless of any means to save his life. I could barely find the air to breathe and my chest felt like it had collapsed in on itself, suffocating me. But it didn't matter what I felt. He was gone. Dead.
They didn't kill us for a reason. They knew this was worse than any physical pain they could have afflicted. Worse than the white hot pain of my mauled wing, which I hadn't even regarded. None of it mattered because he was gone.
"I'm sorry." Calum hummed into my ear, consoling me. "I'm so sorry." That's all we ever seemed to say to each other as of late. I'm sorry.
"So am I." I croaked, my voice raw and raspy from my previous screams and crying.
I swore to myself, and to Aiden, wherever he is now, that I would avenge his death and rid the planet of those sick, awful, killers. I don't care what it takes to do it, or how long it takes.
After what seemed like an eternity of sitting in Calum's steady hold, numb to any feeling, I somehow managed to stand, a little unsteady. Without saying a word, but knowing he would follow, I turned my back to Calum and spread my wings. I took off into the sky, which had turned dark in the black cloak of night.
No. You're gonna lose.