H.V: Credit to Lunara the ara for the name Kinara.

~Chapter 11~

Kirby, Fumu, Meta Knight neared the civilization on the mountain, and yet sensed fear rippling through their flying escorts. Kinara's expression was troubled, then frightened, then suddenly horrified. Kirby then realized he saw no more of these hybrids roaming around the moutain civilization. It was dead silent.

Kinara flew ahead, and Kirby felt his escort pick up speed as she too, caught sight of whatever was troubling the bird-wolves.

When they landed, Kirby saw it too. Feathers, bloodied, burnt, and broken lay strewn all around. Kinara was rushing from den to den, mournful cries sounding from her. Fumu walked up to him, "What's going on?" she asked softly. Kirby saw an azure feather by his foot, and stooped down to pick it up. It was partly singed, and darkened with blood,

"Looks like a massacre, but I don't see any bodies." he said. Meta Knight joined them,

"It appears the village has been attacked, and brutally." he said, and the two teens looked at him in concern. His amber eyes were dimming, and his voice was weakening again.

Kinara was rushing across the stone, surprisingly fast on her talons, her emerald green feathers bristling on her body. Some were flying loose. One of the younger hybrids who had flown with them was crying out, "Why did they do this?"

"Do what?" Fumu asked them softly, but they gave no sign they heard. The six hybrids were grouped around, crying, and seemed to have forgotten completely about the newcomers. Kinara emerged from a den, her feathers ruffled and her pace sluggish. She let out an eerie caterwaul, and sunk to the ground, burying her face in her paws. Quickly, the trio approached her,

"What happened?" Fumu asked her gently. Kinara stared at her with eyes full of misery,

"They've come...they've stolen everything...everyone...they've..." she covered her fave again, as tears began to soak her cheeks. Fumu tried to comfort her by stroking the distressed young hyrbid between the wings, but nothing seemed to lighten her.

"Who?" Kirby asked in a soft voice,

"It...was Texico." Kiana murmured, "They've...been hunting for...so long...And now they've..." She sniffed, and wiped away a tear.

Texico. Why did that name seem so familiar? Kirby felt like he should know, yet the memory was reluctant to yield information to him.

Kirby felt Meta Knight shiver behind him, and turned to see the masked puffball struggling to stay upright. He was at his side in a blink. Fumu at his other side, "Kiana, Meta Knight needs help!" she said, hoping that the hybrid would be jolted into action by this.

She was, a little. She stood up slowly and sighed, "The Texico soldiers have raided our store of medicine..." she murmured sadly, "But I have found a few left. This way." she said, and led them into a large den woven out of brambles and twigs.

It was roomy and cool inside, and fresh water pooled in the corner of the room. There were a few mossy pads on the floor, made for laying on, and medical plants stacked along the walls. Fumu and Kirby led Meta Knight, who was barely moving on his own at this point, and carefully took him to one of the beds on the floor. The knight collapsed as soon as his friends let go, but his fall was softened by the moss and down. Kinara looked at him, looking concerned,

"It is getting bad." she said, "But I could take some of the discomfort away." she reached for a few spiky-edged leaves, with dark viens, and approached the knight. Carefully, she removed the mask and convinced him to eat the leaves. Meanwhile, Kirby found himself wandering outside.

One of the smaller hybrids, a young fledgling spotted him and hopped over, "Hi." she said, a bit dully, "You...don't happen to know who Texico is?" she asked. Kirby shook his head, unable to remember much more than the name,

"So, who are you?" he asked casually, and the red-feathered female replied, a bit lighter,

"Mica. Is it true you have wings?" she asked. Kirby shrugged, a bit embarressed at admitting he could not fly them so easily,

"Yeah, but I can't fly."

Mica suddenly grew very excited. She grabbed Kirby by the paw and led him onto a tapering spire that jutted out from the mountain face, pointing outward toward the horizon. Below, the ground seemed hundreds of feet down, and the mere sight of the long fall made Kirby dizzy, "So...why'd you bring me here?" he asked hesitantly. Mica smiled,

"I want to teach you to fly!" she insisted, "My dad showed me, and said that one day, I could teach someone myself." she said in her sweet little-girl voice. Kirby smiled,

"Okay, I guess. Soo...what do we start with?" he asked.

Mica smiled even wider this time, "We start by falling." she said, and gave a ferocious shove to Kirby, sending him tumbling off the spire.

Hailfire Vulpes: Eh, short chapter, but I'm tired. It's 3:00AM here. I'll write more later. Night!