Author's Note: As most of you should know I've been having some issues with FFN. And I hate to say it, but the issues haven't rectified themselves. It's still a pain in the arse to update stories due to my files getting either lost or corrupted during the transfer process from Microsoft Word. Just to be safe though, I going to have my computer looked at by a technician and see what's up. Maybe it's on my end or something, I don't know. Anyway, know that I'm trying as hard as I can to keep updating my stories and I thank you all for your patience and understanding.

This is a request from: Howling Wolf Pup

Ninjalogy

By: Mad Betrayal

Chapter 14 ~ Fly With Me

As dawn's first showings of pale blues and soft pinks dusted across the woodland landscape, there was one bird within an old maple tree hollow who was already chirping awake. Though his home was still somewhat dark, Kai twittered boisterously to greet the new day and hopped out of his nest. The handsome, crimson cardinal stretched his wings wide in a showy display to pump himself up.

"Alright, Kai, this is it! The official start of mating season! No time to waste! You're gonna fly right up to 'im and ask 'im to be your mate! C'mon, you can do this!"

Kai only took maybe a few short hops towards the exit hole of his hollow when a voice from behind stopped him. "Ugh…do you have any idea how disappointed Ma and Da would be if they knew you were pining for a dove…and a male dove at that?"

Kai sighed with utter exasperation. Nya, his little sister, shared this hollow with him, for it was a family roosting tree from which they had once shared with their now deceased Ma and Da when they were hatchlings. And although he loved his little sister dearly, she really knew how to ruffle his feathers. The older, male cardinal turned his head to look at his sister as she blinked her chocolate eyes at him from a nest adjacent to his. She was a pretty little thing, her plumage a much lighter and rosier shade than his. And because of her loveliness, Kai doubted she would have much trouble finding a mate.

That is until she opens her beak… Kai thought bitterly. "Yeah well, at least I'm not pining for a bird who barely acknowledges my existence and could give two pigeon poops whether or not I lived to see the next dawn!" He shot back, and Nya fluttered madly out her nest and over to her brother.

"You take that back! Cole loves me! We're meant to be together!"

Kai tweeted derisively. "Get real! He's a raven and he's in love with a blue jay…" A triumphant smirk flitted across the crimson male's beak. "A male blue jay."

Nya hopped back in shock, her chocolate orbs wide. "You fly n' lie! Cole isn't like you! He's not defying nature!" She glared at her brother and puffed her chest out. "And I'll prove it!"

Kai lazily ran his beak through his port wing. "Yeah, you do that," he taunted with obvious boredom, but then eyed his sister with pity. "Yanno, to be so smart, you sure are stupid sometimes."

Undeterred, Nya lifted her head and hopped up onto the entrance of the hollow. "Well if I'm stupid, then that means you're disgustingly stupid!" She glared at Kai with a fair amount of ire. "Ma and Da would disown you if they knew what a complete waste of feathers you've become!"

Kai snapped his head around in a flash, his golden-amber gaze set ablaze with anger as he glared right back at his younger sister. But before he could open his beak to fire back a retort, the rosy female flapped her wings and took off out of the hollow and into the sky.

The fiery cardinal stood stock-still for a moment, fuming at the gall of his little sister's tongue. Ma and Da had raised them both to follow the beat of their hearts and the beat of their wings. And that was what he had always done. And now his heart drummed loudly within his breast…for an extremely beautiful and unique male dove named Zane.

"Ma and Da would understand…" Kai murmured to himself. "And I'm sure that they would be proud of me for following my heart and wings…the way they had taught me to."

Shaking the morning dew from his feathers (as well as his sister's negativity), Kai hopped up into the exit hole and took to the skies too. The quaint and expansive forest in which he lived was steadily coming to life as more of the sun's rays shone through the canopies. It was spring after all—the liveliest time of year that everyone cherished and celebrated with relish.

A time of new beginnings… A time to find a mate…

Even now Kai could hear the symphonies of love songs on the morning breeze as multitudes of birds chirped and tweeted in hopes of attracting and impressing a potential mate. Pretty petals broke away from their heads as exotic dances were performed on tree limbs, males and females alike doing their utmost to appear the most bewitching. But the crimson cardinal flew on, ignoring the cacophonies of sights and sounds—even the ones meant for him. He ignored it all, for he already had a destination in mind—a bird in mind, and nothing or no one was going to get in his way.

Okay…Zane usually has his new-day feedings over at the Southeastern Canopies… He likes the seeds there… Kai banked a swift right and headed for the group of trees near one of the forest's many bubbling brooks. …Oh wait! There he is!

Amidst a sprinkle of lavender petals, a large snow-white dove suddenly flew into Kai's line of vision. Having been around his infatuation long enough, Kai knew Zane when he saw him because of his enticing scent, as well as…something else that separated the male dove from the rest…

Smirking slightly, Kai flapped his wings harder to gain a bit more altitude, and before long he was peering down at Zane from right above him. Beaver-dam he's gorgeous… Observing Zane in mid-flight was a hobby of sorts for the cardinal, because this was how he had first discovered that Zane was…very different. Amongst the pure white feathers that stretched across his back and wings…were mysterious patterns of icy blue wreathes. They swirled and shimmered beautifully every time a ray of light touched the dove, as if a wintry frost of luscious pine ensnared his entire being. Even the tips of his flight feathers were tinted in this otherworldly faint brush of blue.

It was indubitably strange yet very enthralling… No other dove in this forest looked this way… And no other bird was quite like Zane… He and the dove had been friends for many lunar cycles now, with their first meeting being during the last summer when Zane and a few other doves had migrated to settle in their forest. Kai had been struck with awe at the newcomers' lovely flurry of white wings, but the cardinal had also noticed how one certain dove had flown isolated from the rest. It was then that Zane's flock had warned the other birds of how their uniquely-patterned kin was odd—not only in appearance but mannerisms too. And although many had heeded this warning and gave Zane a wide berth, Kai had flat-out ignored the gossip and got to know the dove on his own terms. And it had definitely been worth it.

Zane was strange, yes—claiming to have a sixth sense that allowed him to feel radical changes within nature through the use of emotions. For instance, during that same summer of his arrival, Zane had warned Kai of "…raw sky energy in the form of a jovial spirit…" was amongst them and that that sole spirit would herald a terrible thunderstorm that would cause the destruction of a great tree. Kai was skeptical of course, however just two days later did the forest become drenched in a deluge and storm clouds darkened the skies for miles. And sure enough, a bolt of blue lightning had pierced the heavens and struck the old willow tree rooted in the middle of the forest, a tree that had been alive for countless centuries and served as a grand meeting place for the birds inhabiting this forest. It had been split in two by the powerful strike and reduced to nothing but ash; the roots themselves hadn't even been salvageable. The loss of the willow had been a tremendous blow to the forest, and had been speculated as a bad omen.

There were many more occasions of which Zane had displayed his ominous gift (less tragic ones thankfully), but the one that stuck with Kai the most had been just this past winter. The icy dove had been the one to seek out Kai that time, and it was with sad hazel eyes that Zane had informed the cardinal of his departure from the forest.

"It's me, Kai… I will bring forth a horrible blizzard that will claim the lives of many if I don't leave now…"

His friend's words had rendered the cardinal speechless, and even more so when the dove had nuzzled his chest affectionately in a gesture of farewell. And while Zane had been pressed up against Kai, the dove had breathlessly whispered not to follow him, and that he could not guarantee Kai's survival if he did. And so, after that tearful warning, Zane had took off into the white-out, leaving Kai's heart thundering in his chest. However, indecision and hesitation had never been a part of the flaming cardinal's passionate persona, nor did he fear fate. Thus, with his parents' teachings in his mind and courage in his heart, Kai had flown after his friend on rebellious wings of fire.

After hours of flying, Kai had managed to locate Zane out of sheer force of will, and had found the dove huddled by himself on a bare branch of a withered and slanted oak far away from their forest home. Wordlessly, the cardinal had glided down beside his friend and huddled close to the trembling white body to share his warmth. Kai had stayed with Zane throughout that winter, scouring the barren white landscape and bringing back any seeds he could find to sustain his despondent friend in an effort to keep them both alive. And they did. They survived those unforgivably harsh conditions with the help of Kai's "Never Say Die!" attitude. And when they had returned to their forest home with the coming of spring, they were relieved not to hear the Requiem of Passing—the mournful birdsong that signaled death within the community flock. Everyone had survived that winter.

It was then that Zane had apologized to Kai.

"I am very sorry, Kai. I just…didn't want to bring about anymore misfortune…"

But the cardinal had belligerently contradicted the dove.

"Stop making yourself sound like a scourge to all avian or somethin'! Now I know you've had it rough for a long time, but you're not alone anymore, Zane! Do you understand that?! You have me! I'm here, and I'm your friend! And friends stick together no matter what! Thick and thin, good and bad! And know that…know that I hope to be something more to you someday…"

"K-Kai…?"

Kai had then pressed the side of his beak to Zane's—a sign of interest in becoming mates between birds. So yes, that happened just this past winter—so only a few short months ago—and since then, Kai and Zane's relationship has been very strong and developing quite nicely. Kai smirked slightly and swooped down to fly along Zane's starboard wing.

"Mornin', Zane, you hungry?" He greeted with a chirp and the dove cooed back.

"Good morning, Kai. Yes, I am very famished today for some reason… I sense…"anticipation" in the air today…"

"Oh you do, do you…?" Kai had always been straightforward with his feelings for his friend since his confession, yet he had not outright verbally asked the white avian if he wanted to be mates with him or not. Though the ritual gesture had been performed, Zane had yet to give him an answer. The cardinal had to remember though, that this was Zane he was trying to court. This unfortunately meant that obliviousness went talon in talon with the beautiful dove, thus hinting and subtlety would produce minimal results with him. No, with Zane it was best to be as upfront and literal as possible.

Pure hazel orbs flickered to him briefly. "Ah… Would you be so kind as to eat with me this dawn, Kai? There's something I would like to discuss with you."

Trying not to let his excitement show, the cardinal played it cool. "Of course not, Zane. I'd be delighted to."

So together, the two birds flew to the Southeastern Canopies, the trees were the thinnest in these parts of the forest. Brilliant rays of sunlight could easily filter through the evergreen crowns and dapple the undergrowth with their rich beams. Kai flew fast and with practiced finesse, chirping playfully as he bypassed his pure white counterpart. And knowing a challenge when he saw one, Zane called back with a few tweets and hurried after the cardinal. It was all in good fun with maybe…a little something more, as the feathery pair soon became a dance of crimson and white. They swooped and glided through the warm breeze in graceful arcs and turns. Flying through viridian leaves and colorful petals, the cardinal and dove made the most of their time together. Why, Kai even managed to steal a few kisses from Zane, a delicate peck to the cheek and neck mid-somersault, and maybe a little nuzzle here and there amidst their flutter of wings.

But the greatest part, as well as the most gratifying was that Zane seemed delighted by all the cardinal's antics. He gave breathless coos and sharp chirps of glee, until he could stay aloft no longer and fluttered down onto a yellow-flowered branch. Kai soon followed, perching right beside the peerless being of white and pressed his body happily against his potential mate's.

"Oh Zane…" Kai sighed in bliss, his orange beak softly preening through the dove's glossy neck feathers.

"Kai…I do…" The cardinal's heart skipped a beat at the whispered admission. "…You mean so much to me… I never thought I could feel this way… I never thought any one would…reciprocate such feelings…and for me I…I want to be with you forever…"

Kai immediately pulled away, golden eyes wide. "You… You mean…" Pure hazel orbs met his gaze unflinchingly, peering deep into sunny depths.

"Yes…I love you, Kai. I don't care if we are both male, I want to be your mate."

And when Zane's golden beak touched his in a sweet kiss, the crimson cardinal's heart soared heavenward as if it had sprouted wings itself. Strong, ruby wings unfolded themselves and tenderly embraced the soft, snow-white body of the dove. With passion and love spurring him on, Kai opened his beak just as Zane opened his, allowing their tongues to meet and tentatively touch. Delicious heat slowly started to pool in Kai's belly, until it overflowed and engulfed his entire being. But better still was that he could smell Zane's heat—an intoxicating blend of peppermint leaves and maple nectar. Kai kissed the compliant dove everywhere he could reach, becoming lost in a sea of white.

"Mmm…nnngh Kai…I…oh…"

The dove's yearning coos was like flint and ignited the cardinal's passion even further. They could both feel it… It was time to become mates. Amidst his tender preening of the other, Kai spied an empty hollow not far from where they were. Feeling his cloaca moisten, the cardinal moved his beak to Zane's ear slit.

"We should go where we'll have a little more privacy…" A little nudge in the right direction. "…Over there… I don't want any other avian to hear your sweet coos but me…"

Zane turned his head to eye the dark hole embedded in the tree a ways down from the branch they were on. He turned back to Kai with a little grin. "Yes, I agree, but…there's one last thing I need to tell you about myself that I haven't yet…"

Kai purposefully ran his beak through the dove's tender neck plumage, pleased to cause a shiver to wrack the supple, white body. "Yeah…what's that…?" Another gentle nudge was made towards the hollow. Still enveloped in crimson wings, the dove's voice hitched in his throat when the cardinal pressed his beak more firmly into his neck plumage.

Kai's own erotic scent was steadily intoxicating Zane and he was only able to stammer and coo a few words. "K…Kai…I-I am—"

"Um…excuse me? I'd hate to interrupt but—"

Kai immediately puffed himself in irritation. "If you hate it then don't!" He snapped at the unfamiliar voice, but Zane shushed him with a quick peck to the cheek.

"Uh, yes?"

Further discouraged by the dove's now focused attention to whoever it was behind him, Kai reluctantly refolded his wings to his back and whirled on the intruder. "WHAT?!" He chirped harshly, and to his surprise it wasn't just one interloper but two—a male blue-eyed blue jay and a male green-eyed Chihuahuan raven.

Kai blinked upon recognizing the latter. "Cole…?" The large, pitch black bird looked rather grouchy to Kai (though the shaggy neck feathers were a common sight), with his ruffled feathers and a withering viridian glare to boot. But the slightly smaller, azure passerine appeared remorseful for his ill-timed interruption as well as somewhat apprehensive.

Wait…could this be the blue jay Cole has been infatuated with…? Kai pondered internally. However was not allowed the liberty to muse over this thought long, for the beautiful blue bird opened his silver beak.

"Listen, you don't have to yell. Like I said I'm sorry. Trust me, I'd much rather be somewhere else right now."

"That makes two of us," Cole suddenly grumbled, his sharp black talons flexing as he glared somewhere over his shoulder. "First Nya's interruption then those annoying sentries… Jay and I were in the middle of something important, and especially private!"

A slight frown flitted across Kai's beak at the mention of his sister. She must've tried to locate Cole and found him together with this male the cardinal now knew as Jay. Needless to say, the altercation couldn't have been pretty. But…where was Nya now? A look of momentary pain flashed across the blue jay's attractive face, but he recovered swiftly and continued.

"I was asked to—"

"More like ordered," Cole interjected bitterly.

"—to locate a white dove named Zane. He and I both have been summoned by the High Elder," Jay finished without missing a beat. There was no mistaking the octave of fear, however, within the azure passerine's voice as he spoke. Even the flap of his wings as he hovered in front of the pair appeared somewhat unsteady and jittery. And having taken notice of this too, Cole hovered closer towards his cerulean counterpart and nuzzled him assuredly.

"Hey, c'mon now, Jay, every time the High Elder calls an emergency meeting doesn't automatically mean bad news. So calm down, okay? Everything's gonna be fine. Besides it's not like you did anything wrong."

This got Kai's attention. "Emergency meeting?"

Meetings were one thing, "emergency" meetings were an entirely different entity altogether. For when the High Elder called an emergency meeting, it was usually to bring something to immediate attention. And eight times out of ten that "something" was either met with banishment or imprisonment. It was safe to say the cardinal didn't like those odds.

After Jay gave the raven an appreciative peck, he nodded at Kai. "Yeah, if you haven't noticed no one's really around. Everyone's been gathered at the Glossy Rocks before the mouth of the Gaping Hollow in the north."

It was at that moment when the cardinal acknowledged the eerie absence of songs and tweets on the wind. Only the droning white noise of the cicadas and other insects filled his ear slits. The dove at his side, however, inclined his head and spread his wings.

"Yes, I am Zane…" The white dove cooed apologetically to Kai as the crimson avian joined him, and then glanced at Jay. "And although I can't fathom why we've been summoned, we should go. We don't want to keep everyone waiting."

A tiny seed of apprehension took root in Kai's breast. Why would the High Elder call an emergency meeting now of all times? It was Mating Season for Phoenix's sake! The usually courageous cardinal felt a cold chill creep up his spine. Despite what Cole had said earlier, anxiety churned the blood bird's stomach tumultuously. Maybe he should ask Zane if he sensed anything. But then again knowing the dove, he would've said something by now if he had… Wouldn't he? Kai had flown with Zane long enough to get a good read on his character…hadn't he? He knew when to assume and not to assume…didn't he? Just what was his future mate about to say in that breathless coo of his before the other pair's untimely intrusion?

Kai shook his head roughly. No, it didn't matter. Whatever it had been wouldn't have changed what he felt for the snowy dove. He was sure of it.

The arcing limbs of the massive oaks of the north soon gave way to an open, sun-filled glade. Many birds of species and color sat tweeting and chirping about upon shimmering mounds of obsidian until a few songs rose above the rest to announce the group's arrival.

"Look! There they are!"

"They're here! They're here!"

The four smoothly lowered their altitude as they neared the immense community flock, flying in a neat, straight line. It wasn't long though before the sentry kestrels showed up and surrounded the four while belting out their usual "klee klee klee" to formally alert the higher-ups of their incoming. The trepidation seeding in Kai's breast soon began to sprout and upped the tempo of his heart. He chanced a glance at his future mate, but the lovely snow white dove's pure hazel gaze stared straight ahead, preventing the cardinal from getting a decisive feel for Zane's mood. Something definitely felt wrong.

As the four lighted down on the highest of the mounds of obsidian before the Gaping Hollow, the sentry kestrels promptly separated Cole and Kai from the summoned. Outstretching their wings and "kleeing" loudly, they formed a tight barricade and pushed the raven and cardinal back towards the flock behind them. Kai released a cry of indignation at the unnecessarily rough treatment and stabbed viscously at one of the kestrels with his beak. Cole also joined the defensive, "cawing" aggressively and shoving one of the small falcons clear off his talons and onto his back.

"Kai!"

"Cole!"

But Zane and Jay's frantic calls to their future mates was drowned out by the sudden uproar of the flock, mayhem clearly on the rise. In response, more sentry kestrels arose from the gargantuan canopy that housed the Gaping Hollow and swooped down to tighten the barricade and maintain the swarms of avian. The shrill cries of "Order! Order!" and "Penalty! Penalty!" erupted from their sharp beaks, silencing the flock almost instantly. But Kai and Cole stood their ground, refusing to budge another inch further away from their future mates.

"Touch me again, stump, and I'll rip your heart out and eat it!" Cole sneered at a sentry, but the kestrel only stared stonily back at him, wings spread just like his brethren. Kai was unnerved, aggravated, and severely annoyed. The sentries had never acted this way before, so what was the deal now? The cardinal could see the blue jay and white dove, huddled close and staring back at them with obvious worry and fear. Kai wanted to call out to Zane—to reassure him, but wasn't given a chance as a deep, clout voice rang out from the void within the hollow.

"My flock will always maintain order and peace!"

Every last bird within the community looked in awe and reverence as a mighty red-tailed hawk careened from the abyss in a speedy streak. He flew up high, circling the congregation of avian while screaming its authority.

"Do we debase ourselves with mindless squabbles?!"

"NO!" The flock cried.

"Do we fly unguided without principle and beak-first into peril and ruin!?"

"NO!" The flock cried again, and the hawk swooped down in a graceful arc and sunk its talons in the obsidian before Zane and Jay. The formidable bird of prey held his head high and swept his piercing stare over the gathered members of his community.

"That's right! No!" He bellowed. "Because we are a flock of honor and integrity, loyalty and unity! Remember that! We are above the simple! We are below the gods! Everything I do, I do for you! For the safety and well-being of the flock!"

As usual, the community was spellbound by their High Elder. Such powerful and comforting words could only come from the one deem to lead them all. But at the moment, Kai and Cole didn't care about such words. All they cared about was the safety and well-being of the birds before the High Elder.

"Now then…" The High Elder lowered his penetrating gaze to the diminutively smaller white and blue avian. Both Zane and Jay showed stout bravery and stepped closer to the much larger bird and bowed respectively low, their wings and tail feathers spread wide. The hawk inclined his head, permitting the two to rise. "…Let us begin…the trial…"

Author's Note: Frack! This was one of the files that got corrupted and the ending was completely lost. I had to re-write this thing twice and can't remember for the life of me how this one-shot ended, so I decided to cut it off here instead of wracking my brain and ignoring my other works. I'll try to get back to finish this Howling Wolf Pup. I'm really sorry! But I still hope you and everyone else enjoyed what I have so far. Thank you!