Moon and Star

A gentle wind blew down the white valley, shaking the bare branches of the trees and scattering a few chips of ice. Amidst the expanse of snow were a few patches of hardy evergreen trees next to an icy river which snaked a 'S' curve up the valley rimmed with dragon's teeth.

The breeze rousted a weary scout from his resting place, and he groaned as he re-adjusted his blanket in a futile effort to make his stony bed more comfortable. Blearily he peered at the dark sky and saw the clouds wafting overhead. Strangely, it seemed as if-

A stronger gust of wind knocked off his cap, blew his blanket off the precipice-nearly along with him. His eyes watering, he looked up again only to have the blackness engulf him. The last sensation he experienced was a sharp pain in his temple.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Cold night." Malik remarked, startling Rahim who was standing guard at the gate. He took a moment to reshuffle his cloak and adjust his shalwar before facing Malik, hoping that his knees weren't knocking together.

"Y-yeah. They're also late. The-the guys our boss's s-supposed to meet with." Rahim said through chattering teeth. Malik snorted, his breath condensing into thin white trails which were blown away by a little chilly draft.

"Shit weather, that's what's keeping them."

"Yeah-yes, but the roads couldn't have been blocked up. It hasn't snowed that hard." Despite this statement, Rahim continued to adjust his blanket. Wordlessly Malik stepped forward and offered a cigarette, which Rahim gratefully took. A little burst of air nearly made his hands shake and drop it.

"Snow or not, they've got people who can deal with that sort of issue. They shouldn't be late, and you know how much Khan Sahib hates waiting." Malik brought out a dull silver cigarette lighter and flicked it several times. Despite continued tries, he couldn't get it to work, and his brow furrowed in annoyance. Meanwhile Rahim adjusted his blanket more tightly, but little ends kept flying off, till he desperately clutched at the fabric. Each gale of wind was stronger than the last, and to his great surprise saw Malik on all fours trying not to get blown away. Rahim's eyes watered, and he felt himself get blown back by the force, as his feet dragged against the snow.

"What the fu- "A dark figure landed upon Malik, but Rahim could not shout in alarm as the gust from its landing knocked him onto his back. Breathless, he lay there, staring at the pale white thing obscuring his view.

"Feathers?" He thought, as a black boot descended upon his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What news from our lookout? Has he returned yet?" Akram, Chief Security Officer asked. The servant before him trembled, and quivered as he spoke.

"No, sir. And Rahim has not returned from the front gate, though we sent Malik to relieve him."

"Something's wrong." The Chief Security Officer murmured, stroking his chin. "If the scout did not return in time, I would have understood, but the front gate? Wake the guards, tell them to check- "

Everything was drowned in pitch darkness, cutting Akram off as simultaneous shouts of terror and pain rang out across the room. Bodies thudding in front, to his left, his right-

"Behind me!" He dove forward and flipped onto his back before scrabbling away from his assailant. In the darkness he could only see a figure standing amidst the bodies with strange white curved shapes around its head.

"Impressive reflexes." It said in a low, husky voice and came closer so even in the darkness he could see its face-

"A woman? Of which tribe?" Akram wondered aloud, curiosity briefly overriding his pain. She paused and walked forward slowly, still shrouded in darkness.

"No tribe. Only ashes." She was before him, clad in a loose dark green shalwar. A white shawl obscured her face and head, and behind her-

"Wha-what are those- "A boot sharply pressed against his throat, cutting off his breath.

"I'm asking the questions here." She said, her voice cold and harsh. "Where is your boss? Where is Balach Khan?"

He took a deep breath of air as she lifted her boot slightly, his mind feverish.

"You won't get anything out of me. I'll not snitch on him-I'd rather go to jail." He responded, puffing up his chest defiantly. An eerie glint appeared in the woman's eye, and she smiled disgustingly.

"Who said anything about going to jail?" She reached into the folds of her robes and drew out a steel blade six or seven inches long. Its serrated edge gleamed in the darkness.

Akram sucked in his tummy as his chest fell flat, his heart pounding louder. His eyes darted about the place, looking for some way to escape, but the boot pressed deeper against his windpipe and cut off all thoughts of being saved. She leaned closer, bringing the blade close to his nose.

"Your boss must answer for a lot of stolen childhoods, and so are his associates." The knife dug into the flesh of his forehead, digging a single drop of blood. "Where is he?"

"Ah!" He cried in pain as the knife dug in more. "He's not here! We were waiting for some backup to arrive before heading out!"

"Heading out where?"

"The exact coordinates are in my phone on the desk. Please, just please let me live!" He blubbered in terror and then in relief as she drew back the knife. Snot running down his cheeks, he cast a glance to his side. In the darkness the metal of his AK glinted; so tantalizingly close. The woman had stepped away to get his phone-the time was now!

Her boot came down on his fingers, sending an explosion of pain through his entire body. A fresh deluge of tears poured from his ducts as he cradled his right hand, the fingers of which were bent in all the wrong ways. His piteous screams rang out through the dark room.

The door behind them swung open, revealing a hunched over form. The strange woman stepped away and Akram slowly looked up only to see an equally strange man. He was hunched over and naked save for a pair of trousers and yellow boots, with brown fur to match. Spines ran along his forehead and spread outwards as they reached his head. Slowly the new arrival reached for his earpiece.

"Team One, I've located the target." He spoke slowly before stepping forward, fists raised. "You've caused much trouble- "

"Spare me your empty words, Kharpusht." The strange woman spat. "I will administer justice in my own way." She said, settling into a combat stance, and with her back turned to Rahim he got a good look at…...whatever that was on her back.

"I don't want to fight you." The spiked man, Kharpusht said as his spines prickled.

"Too bad." Said the woman, her wings spreading outwards.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Team One, I've located the target." Mirza Changezi looked to his men and ordered them to their positions. They had taken up several firing positions within the courtyard, all equipped with tranquilizer darts. As for himself, he patted the pistol holster within his jacket and bared his claws, ready for anything. Or so he hoped. The convoy heading to Balach's haveli was well armed, with twenty men as guards, and they all had perished or were beaten within an inch of their lives.

"It's coming." He thought to himself, unnerved by the ruckus within the house. Agent Kharpusht's communication link had fallen silent, and his fingers itched as he reached for his earpiece.

A large glass window on the second floor shattered, showering the courtyard in little crystal shards. Some of the men cried in alarm and took cover from the projectiles, while Changezi raised his arms to protect his face from the shower. His pale fur prickled, then stood up in alarm.

Kharpusht hung from their target's leg by a fraying length of capture tape, the extra weight barely weighing her down. Her white wings spread upwards, forming a crescent. She kicked Kharphust in the face, spines sticking from her snow boots.

"Fire!" Changezi yelled, drawing his pistol. The report of weapons nearly deafened him, but he kept his aim. She swirled about, Kharpusht hanging on for dear life, before dive bombing the central square and pulling out at the last moment. The poor Agent smashed into the floor, leaving behind cracks and a few red smears as he was dragged along before she went zooming into the sky once more, her dark silhouette bathed in the moon's light.

Kharpusht looked below, his vision blurry and his face hurting. Everything looked so small, and he felt bile run to his throat.

"Your defense is tough to crack, Agent. But you know what birds of prey do to soften up tough creatures?" His face grew hot with rage as blood dripped from his smashed nose and he raised his right fist which was not clutching the chain. His sweaty left palm loosened his grip on his lifeline-it was do or die. Clenching his core muscles, he prepared himself to roll upwards so that his back would be facing her.

She twirled and danced about in the moonlight, dodging gunfire, trying to reach greater heights all while attempting to loosen the capture tape about her leg and waist. She had been disarmed of her knife while scuffling with Kharpusht and was hoping that her aerial maneuvers would break the weakened tape. With alarm she noticed that he had balled himself up, his spines bristling.

"That won't save you from the fall, you know!" She called out, her voice wavering. Deep within the spiky ball emanated a chuckle.

"Who said we would survive?" Kharpusht flexed his back and a few spines came flying, scraping the woman's cheek and penetrating her upper right wing.

Crying out in pain she spiraled back towards the ground but managed to narrowly miss the spiked lower wall and instead crashed through the concrete wall. Shedding blood and feathers, she wearily got up and found herself in a small bedroom. She looked down to see Kharpusht puking, his blood and bile mingling with the green carpet. The door burst open, and Changezi flanked by several of his men entered the room, weapons ready.

"Please stop." Changezi said, his hands wavering. "You're injured, and Kharpusht is hurt."

"You know I can't stop, Agent Changezi." She said, her four wide wings spread outwards. The injured wing twitched as blood dripped from several wounds along it-the spines had gone clean through.

"Did you become a hero to bring justice, or to hurt those like us? Please, come with us-we can help you." He said, the grip on his weapon tightening.

"You cannot fathom the reasons why I walk this path, Agent. Your agency is merely the sword of this nation's establishment-" She spread her hands outwards as to indicate the area "- who are the reason for this nation's decay. I would rather die."

"We'll take you in either way, Chaand-o-Sitara." Changezi's voice grew harsh. "Through peace and love, or through fire and war."

"So be it." She declared.

"Open fire!"

In those few precious seconds, as the tranquilizer rounds left the weapon's barrels, all four of her wings flapped and exerted a massive gale-force which knocked the rounds back and brought the men to their knees. Even the sniper's round, fired from nine hundred meters away was knocked into the woods.

Only Changezi remained standing, and he rushed forward, capture tape in one hand and pistol in the other. But she was too fast for him-she deftly sidestepped his mad rush and looped her arms about his throat, tightening her vice like grip. Holding him as a human shield against Kharpusht, she left through the door the men had barged into and flung the hapless agent away.

Gritting her teeth, she made her way out of the compound, ignoring the burning pain in her upper right wing, for the pain was nothing compared to the lingering regret that her mission had failed. Not only did she fail to apprehend her target, but the ISI was now after her.

"Wait!" It was Changezi again. Gritting her teeth, she did not turn around to look at the battered agent.

"Give me one reason to listen to you."

"I can help you."

"Why? What do you seek to gain? And why can I trust you?"

"Chaand-o-Sitara- "He reached for his earpiece and crushed it in his hand "-I can finally speak freely."

"Then speak. My patience is growing thin."

"I have always admired you, Chaand-o-Sitara. Your exploits, and your drive for reform-they are what made me join the agency. I want this nation to become a Quirk superpower, and I know you do too-it is just that our methods vary." His silver fur prickled in the cold air. "We may be part of the establishment you despise, but please believe me. We only wanted you to join us to strengthen our cause."

"Reform the nation?" She laughed. "What, grown tired of playing with landowner politicians all day long?"

"By the power within me- "He raised his fist "-please give us a chance. Hear us out. You will find that we have more common ground than you thought."

Silence. Then Chaan-O-Sitara turned to face him, and he trembled before her terrible beauty. Her wings were spread upwards, almost forming a crescent, and the stars shone above her head like gems on a silver thread.

"I will contact you, Agent. Until then- "Her lips twitched into a genuine smile "-Go beyond."

She took off, leaving only swirling snow and feathers.

"Plus Ultra." Changezi murmured, staring at the dark figure spiraling towards the moon.