Shadows of The Sky
Chapter 2: Lightfoot
Her large, white wingtips brush against the sea cave's walls. She holds yarrow ointment, marigold leaves, and poppy seeds. The growing light at the end of the tunnel soon envelopes her. "NoFoot!" She screeches. "I have your…" Her eyes adjust to the bright light. Hovering, she searches for the light brown eagle.
"Lightfoot, is that you. If not tell her I need poppy seeds."
Lightfoot looks down at the elder Crookedwings. "Yes it's me Crookedwings, I have poppy seeds right here." Lightfoot stretches her wings and glides down to the elders nest. "Here," She pushes the head of poppy seeds towards Crookedwings. He lets it brush against his beak before ripping a few off and eating them, accidentally dropping more than a little on the bottom of the nest.
In the bottom of Crookedwings nest, there are crusty, dried out droppings, fallen pieces of medicines and ointments. Freshkill bones that had not been picked up in the recent hours to be buried still lie there. "I have an untold secret I would like to share with you." He says unexpectedly.
"Anything you say, I will listen." Lightfoot replies respectfully.
Crookedwings nods slightly, showing his approval of the albino healer. "I was once Healer. In the heat of a battle, I was wounded. It was the battle of the Lake Shore boundary between us and WaterTribe. I had been tending to a hunter whom we lost just after the battle ended. I was ripped away from him by an enemy. He had grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me out of the way.
"I was back on my feet in no time, but before I had a chance to deal even one blow, he acted like I was Freshkill and raked my eyes until I could no longer see. Without my sense of sight, I could no longer fight. But my foe was not finished. He grabbed by my wings, I felt him spin me, using his momentum. He let go and I found myself barreling into a tree. It cracked me in the back and I felt a snapping sensation in both shoulder blades. The blow had broken them. I was no longer fit to be a Healer. Without sight is one thing, without wings is another." Crookedwings let out a long rattling sigh after he was finished.
"I did not know this. I have heard of a grey eagle like you being killed in that battle, he was also a Healer from this Tribe. He went by the name of Excalibur." Lightfoot noted.
"That is only rumor!" Crookedwings sudden fury made Lightfoot jump.
"No it is not!" She shot back. "He was my Mentor!"
Without warning, Crookedwings barreled into Lightfoot, sending her tripping over the nest and onto the rocky ground. "Stay out." Was all he said.
Crookedwings opened his wings which were definitely not broken, and flew up to one of the tallest nests in the camp. "Crookedwings?" Lightfoot charged after him as he landed in the nest. Before she could make it, he let himself fall, fifty feet from the ground. There was nothing Lightfoot could do but stare in horror at the turn of events. "Crookedwings!" She screeched as he hit the ground in a plume of feathers.
Crookedwings did not move, twitch, or, from where she could see, breath. "Somebody get JawBreaker!" Lightfoot yowled.
"There are no more Hunter or Huntresses in the camp!" An elder named ShyBeak called out.
"Are you fit enough to find him?" Lightfoot called quickly,
"Yes, but it might be slow. I'm not as young as I used to be." ShyBeak replied.
"Then go! Quickly!" Lightfoot called again more urgently.
The elder unfolded her wings and soared out of camp.
This is bad, this is terrible! Lightfoot thought to herself. But most of all, Crookedwings saw her. He could fly. He was a fake and most importantly, a liar.