On the morning of our departure, I joined my mother, Karl and Andreios, and two other Flight members, I didn't recognize. We were slightly late, for my mother had to argue with the Commander Karashan to make sure that our people did not go t battle with the serpiente in our absence. The old crow had finally agreed that she would do anything in her power to stop them. The representative of the avians, a goshawk named Mikkal, was waiting for us to leave. Pulling our packs on our back, we took off from the keep and into the air, the six of us changing into our varied shapes. My mother's hawk form, similar to mine, flapped her wings against mine for a second or two as we were gaining altitude. I didn't know if it was meant to comfort me, or merely a touch of endearment, but in return I did a somersault in the air.
She laughed a shrill call as I fell back into the line we had made. The guards were being overprotective, and putting my mother and I in the middle of the line we flew in. But I accepted it without protest, the faster we flew, the closer to Mistari Lands we were, and arguing with the guards wouldn't made our flight speedier.
Mikkal was a strong leader, though he set the pace slightly faster than most would think. One we had crossed the water and were over the sweltering Mistari lands, the flight became really unpleasant. Not even the most rigorous training session could make me sweat as much as I was now.
We flew into the city, a place that was surrounded by a natural ring of highstones. It was inside these walls that the tigers would sleep in the midday to escape the intense heat. Despite being relatively new to this area, having only lived here for forty or fifty years, they had already crafted sturdy walls, which had structures built into them, where the Mistari lived and slept. In the center of this circle of stones, was a giant boulder, carved out, and decorated with carvings of each Mistari leader, including the current Disa and Dio. This was most likely where we were going to go to conference with the serpiente.
I looked on the place with affection. Little over a year ago, I had called this place my home, becoming close friends with the current Disa and Dio, and even mixing in with the commoners of the Mistari community. Of course, now I had different priorities now, but the warm memories the tiger's had made were peaceful to think about.
Our group was instantly surrounded when we landed and shifted into our human forms. But at the sight of us, the native's settled down.
"It's Lilka!", a shout came from out of nowhere, and I suddenly was being embraced by a familiar girl with golden yellow hair and bright green eyes. Sasha, a Bengal tiger, had become one of my closest friends here, until my family had found about my stay here, and had tried to get me back.
Now I hugged her back tightly, "It's good to see you again", I told her after we let go of each other. The Flight and my mother had wide eyes at our intimate action. Hugging was a forbidden thing in avian society, and so it probably appalled them to see me taking part in such a thing.
Another person came into the crowd, a familiar person with long white hair and blue eyes. Wynn, a rare Siberian tiger, had come into our midst.
"I see you've taken back your place as a princess", he smirked at me. I scowled at him playfully. He had always been teasing me about my royal heritage.
"Yes, and I see you haven't lost your immaturity", he shook his head, "Nope", then he focused on the other members of my group.
"Are you here to see the Disa and the Dio?", he asked, politely looking to my mother, he must have recognized her as the Tuuli Thea. She nodded at him, looking very disapprovingly between the two of us. Another thing about avian society, you were not supposed to joke with the other sex, unless it was your mate or alistair.
'I'm breaking many rules aren't I?', I thought smartly as Wynn gestured us to follow him. We followed him through the tall grasses that flourished inside of the stone walls, hustling toward the huge stone structure that was the center of the Mistari territories. Sasha was close to me, and she had been whispering all the gossips of the Mistari society to me as we went. I had missed her marriage ceremony to a handsome Malayan tiger, along with the birth of children to another friend of ours who couldn't make it to my arrival.
Unfortunately she had to stay outside of the reception hall. Wynn pushed aside the ornate silk weavings that hung in the doorway and invited us into the hall. He also stayed behind with Sasha as we entered the dimly lit hall.
Carefully cut windows with white silk let in enough lights to show us the brilliance of the palace, but kept the place cool, devoid of the heat from outside. The floor was a black stone, and the smooth granite walls were decorated with an intricate mural of the African Serengeti. Pillows were in the place of seats on the floor, several of which were already taken. On a slightly raised red and black granite dais sat the Mistari Disa and Dio. However it was the other members of the meeting that automatically had my attention.
The royal serpiente were already here. Irene smiled wryly when I glanced at her, I returned it, obviously remembering our silent agreement from the meeting with my mother and her. We wanted nothing more than peace between our races. It was a shame there was a war going on, I probably would have been great friends with the cobra.
The next person I took notice of was a woman dressed in dark burgandy, her dark hair tumbling down to her waist, and when she felt my gaze, she met it with startling sapphire eyes. She was Charis Cobriana, the Naga of the serpiente. They python didn't not have the cobra's power, so I smiled as our gazes locked, and she was slightly surprised at my boldness. With a nod, she looked away and I continued looking down the line of serpiente.
There were two people who I supposed were guards. The man of the two was lightly built with ash-brown hair that was cut short. The woman was slender, with blond hair that was tied back before falling silkily down her back. The man sat next to Irene, while the woman sat next to the last person, and the final male.
Zane Cobriana, the Arami of the serpiente, was lounging on a cushion, his back resting against the wall, one leg bent, while the other was straight in front of him. The slacks that adorned his legs shimmered as he moved, making me wonder if one of his kind had contributed his hide to making the garment. He had broad shoulders, due to the position he sat in, his shirt was pulled taut across his chest. On his left hand was the onyx ring, similar to Irene's, though crafted to fit a man's hand. Thought I hated to admit it, he was handsome, with carefully crafted features, as if someone had been meaning to make a sculpture out of marble. Just as Charis felt my gaze, he abruptly looked up and caught my eyes. However, whereas her gaze was simply beautiful, his was hypnotizing.
Two garnet jewels were probing mine, catching them in their trap and holding on to them fast. They were nothing like Irene's or Gregory's, his was a shade darker and more blood-red than theirs. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he let go of my gaze. I felt suddenly dizzy, and watched as his gaze traveled down my body, a scan that made my cheeks red. If any other boy had done that, I would have been in a rage or noncaring, but he left me feeling embarrassed and light headed. No two years of living outside of avian society had prepared me for feeling like this.
Karl had grabbed my arm subtly, glaring at Zane, and pulling me from my personal thoughts. He escorted me to my seat, making sure to sit down next to me, and on my other side, my mother took the initiative to to do the same.
My hands were clammy and my face still held traces of heat. If he could do that to be from across the room, how was I supposed to talk to him about matters of war?