Title: Snake Singer
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, but the plot belongs to me.
I held my breath as the torches that the intruders were carrying shown outsized shadows up the walls, making their forms look like monsters. Rei held me down at the side tightly with one hand, but I could feel him pull his blade closer as he moved it across my back. He held it tightly, ready to use it at the slightest hint of danger.
"Commander Rei, where are you!" Hissed a familiar voice from the group coming toward us. I knew it was Zane. I immediately lifted myself up and ran to him, and even though it was dark I found his arms perfectly. He accented my motion by curling his arms around me at my waist, pulling me in for a deep and passionate kiss. I leaned into his touch, unaware of the fleet of guards and attendants who looked on. "Are you all right?" Zane whispered, his hot breath bringing warmth to my skin. I didn't need to answer, I tightened my hold on him, and kissed the nape of his neck slowly; I could feel a smile curl across the skin on his face.
"Commander's," Zane interjected, turning away from me, but in no doubt releasing his hold over me. "Please stand guard here, and inform me if their is a problem immediately, I would like to take my leave now." The ten or so guards and fighters bowed their heads in compliance, and Zane quickly lead me away from them. With his hand on my hip he walked with me over to the back of the cave, far enough away from everyone else where we could have privacy, but close enough to not cause a panic among the guards.
Our little corner was dark, but I could map out Zane's features perfectly: "tell me" I whispered, stroking my fingers gently down his pale skin.
"Haente was taken over; I tried to stop them, Danica, but there were too many. Some were avian and others were serpiente, I tried, but I couldn't save it." I watched as a tear rolled from his red eye and caught it with the tip of my finger.
I smiled a loving smile at him as I said: "it's not important; what matters is that you're safe, and here with me." I lied, I didn't want him to know how important Haente really was to me; it was a symbol of everything that Zane and my union stood for. It was our city of peace that was now destroyed by hatred. I wrapped my arms around him, held him tightly, before I pulled his head down to my lap. I stroked his hair lightly, letting its black strands curl underneath my fingers. "Sleep now" I whispered gently, bowing my head down to his and kissing his cheek tenderly.
By the time I lifted my head again he was already asleep. His deep breathing calmed me more then anything else could have this night, and with him at least in my arms, I relaxed and slept.
I awoke some time latter; everyone else, including Zane were still sleeping. I was restless, and knew that I would not find or enjoy anymore than the few hours of sleep that I had already experienced this night. Carefully I lifted myself up; in his sleep Zane had curled away from me, so he wasn't completely resting on my lap as he was before.
Once I was standing I made sure that he was still fast asleep-at least one of us would have rest-and made my way across the cave of sleeping people.
At the entrance one of the guards stopped me; he placed a protective hand on the back of my shoulder. I turned, but wasn't surprised to see that it was Rei's hand that had touched me so. I mouthed to him silently to be quiet; I could tell on the look on his face that he wasn't willing to listen to my orders on this. "Please," I whispered forcing my voice into a royal and formal tone that he had no choice but to listen to. "I want to go outside, and see what is left of my kingdom. You may accompany me if you wish." I could tell that he wasn't happy with the first part, but the second part satisfied his protective nature slightly.
I turned and began to walk away, my head as high as I could carry it. Rei stepped in front of me quickly, his hand grabbing hold of one of the torches that hung at the entrance to our hideaway. With the long torch of blazing flame held high he led me through the maze of caverns and corridors; like before I tried to memorize my way but I soon became lost in the labyrinth of natural rock.
Finally, with a sharp turn, we made it to the exit. My eyes felt tight and dry in the brightness of the day, but I forced them to stay open. Rei only allowed me to take a few steps out of the hole that acted as a doorway but that was enough to see what I wanted to see. Off in the distance, beyond a tall blanket of lush treetops and miles of sky I could see smoke stacks rising high into the sky. My Haente, my city of peace, a place that Zane and I had always wished for even in the years before it could have ever been possible to achieve was on fire.
My heart sank, and then rose until it was caught in my throat, and I had to force myself to keep the rivers of tears behind my eyes at bay. I gripped tightly to the rocky wall behind me, and let myself lean up against it for support. "How could they do it, Rei?" I choked; my gaze still fixed on the red horizon of flames and smoke. "Why would they? Haente was supposed to be a city of peace, a city for avian and serpiente alike, where we could live without fear. Zane and I named it Haente, so that it would incorporate both the sounds of the hawks and the serpents."
Rei said nothing, but listened to every word that I spoke with sympathy and understanding. I turned to him, but from the look on his face I knew that he would not speak. He could not pass judgment on me anymore then he could on the people who had started this rebellion and destroyed Haente. I turned away from him, and let my gaze travel over the treetops again to the smoke stacks and flames. I wondered how long it would go on burning. Would the rebels take the city or just let it burn to its foundations?
My thoughts were interrupted by Rei who grabbed a hold of my arm tightly and pulled me back inside the hole-like doorway without a word. I opened my mouth to protest but I quickly silenced myself when I heard the familiar disturbance in the wind. Rei and I both looked to the sky, feeling the cold draft whip through the corridor where we stood with ease.
Within a matter of seconds the light blue sky was filled with several thousand flying birds; they were our kind, they were avian. Black, white, and golden feathers filled the sky as though it were some unique patch work quilt, and left no patch of sky exposed. Were they loyal to Zane and I, or were they the rebels? It was impossible to tell, so for now we had to assume that they were the rebels, and remain hidden or they wouldn't hesitate in destroying us.
I could feel Rei reach for his blade and tighten his thick fingers around its holster; no doubt he thought the worse of my two theories.
It took what seemed like hours for the flock to fully get out of sight enough so that it was safe for Rei and I to emerged from our hiding place. As soon as we did Rei and I instantaneously looked in both directions of the sky, behind us to see if there were more flocks coming this way; but we saw none. Then, in the opposite direction, we watched the flock that we had just seen approach our destroyed and captured city with speed. "Do you think it was our army or the rebels?" I asked promptly and waited for a response.
"If they were still loyal to you, Danica, then they would not be going to the city" Rei answered truthfully. I was scared, but glad that he was truthful to me.
"But maybe-" I stopped myself, and like Rei stood alert when I heard the crackle of rocks being smashed underneath boots. I turned at once, knowing that the noise had come from behind me, but was only pulled behind Rei, who forcefully, yet protectively gave me no choice in the move. Rei and I both waited, listening as the crushing rock sound came closer and as it became more direct.
The noise stopped abruptly, and I clung to Rei's shoulder for reassurance that it was nothing. He gave me no such hope, and stayed high on alert like he once was. Finally with a gust of wind an avian man turned the corner fiercely. His drawn sword and bloodthirsty expression suggested only that he was not on our side and that he wanted a fight.
Rei quickly pushed me back into the cave and in a stern tough voice ordered: "Get help from the others." I choked back a denied cry, but I soon saw another avian man appear behind the one who had just appeared. I obeyed Rei's orders and turned toward the inner part of the caves. When my back was turned I could hear the cling of metal hitting metal and I knew that the fight had begun. I only allowed myself to take a few steps into the caves where I would call for help, I wouldn't leave Rei alone to fight. True, I had no weapons, but I could at least watch his back.
With a forced cry I called for the other guards, knowing my voice would carry and echo through the caverns and corridors as easily as if I were in the same room with them. I never should have come out here! I said to myself before turning back to Rei, who now was completely invisible from the hole where I had left him, but I could still hear the hitting metal, which was a relief, in strange ways.
I peeked my head out of the hole, and could see that they had moved away from the doorway. I imagined that Rei wanted to give me some time to get to the guards incase he was taken down; he was fighting against two armed avian's with only one blade. I turned back into the caves and could hear the desperate footsteps of the guards coming toward us. When I turned my head back out again I felt a forceful blow against my cheek and without knowing what had happened, my body fell back against the rock wall and then slipped down to the ground. I quickly composed myself and looked up, surprised to see another avian standing before me.
Without delay I stood and stepped away from the doorway and the avian. I knew I could fight his man, I had enough skills for that, but I was unarmed, and he, like the others, was wielding a long blade. My choices were limited, the cave and outcropping rock was several feet above the ground so I could not run, and the avian now blocked the doorway. My only hope was for the guards to get here, and fast, but I waited, and they were no where in sight. The avian who had knocked me down came closer to me, and in fear I backed away more, heading toward the ledge and not daring to look down. Rei called out my name, seeing my distress but still too occupied with the other two that he could not come to my aid.
Out of the corner of my eye I watched as one of the two avian's fighting Rei moved behind him and struck him hard on the back of his neck with the handle of his blade. I watched helplessly, only feet away as blood sprayed the ground and Rei fell. I screamed in terror, seeing that the other two avian's were also after me now.
I was at the ledge of the rocks, and knew that my only chance now that Rei was down and the guards had not come, was to change. At least in my hawk form I would have an advantage over the three avian's, who at best could only shape into crows or ravens and as a hawk I would overpower them in that respect.
Without another thought I let my body fall over the side. The wind striking me with the force of a thousand knifes upon my flesh as my delicate human skin fell through it like butter. Before I had completely fallen I heard Zane's terror filled voice as he screamed my name. He and the guards had finally come. I wasted no time, and even as I fell I allowed my body to morph and change. The power and body of my hawk second nature taking over quickly and with the flap of my powerful golden wings I forced myself back up against the wind. I flew high above the cliff, making sure that Zane could see that I was not hurt.
From the high altitude I watched as two of the shape shifters who were after me morphed into ravens. Their jet black feathers soaring against the wind to get to me. I was watchful of the two who were approaching me but I also watched the other who hadn't changed. The guards were quickly running toward him, yet he was not changing to escape them. Suddenly a shift over took him, but it was different from mine, or the others. Tall and thick wings that grew at either sides of his back sprouted high over his head, and glimmered in a crystal clear white that was brilliant even to me. He was obviously much older then his companions and myself. He had to be to be able to grow demi-form wings as was a privilege to avians who had managed to survive long enough to grow them.
I flapped my wings to get higher as I watched his wings slap against the guards who were approaching him. The sting of there sharp touch enough to send both of them slamming into the rock wall from where they came.
The winged avian flapped his wings up after he had gotten red of the guards and flew eloquently to the treetops and out of danger.
I had no more time to watch what the older shape shifter was doing I had to turn my attention to the ravens who were still coming at me. I opened my delicate gold beak and hissed out a cry that said only "get away from me or else" but the ravens did not listen. I heard Zane call out my name again as one of the ravens threw its body against me. The jolt was painful, but nothing worse then a slap in the face in human terms, but in my small form another blow like that would bring me down. I opened my wings and clawed at them both, the sharp nails on my legs scratching at their feathers, and even tearing a few.
The ravens separated, one on each side of me, I knew that I had to keep my eyes on both of them but I couldn't. I slashed my claws and body against the larger one, hoping to bring it down with my strength. I tore a gaping hole across the back of its black wing but was unprepared in the one second as the other raven came at me. My body was thrust against the raven that I had just attacked, and he in return for the scratch that I had given him let his own claw scrape down my face and upper body, the cut so deep that it drew blood.
The painful jolt was too much for me and though I tried to flap my wings but I could not stay in flight. Zane called another terror filled echo of my name as I fell, to weak and hurt to use the wind to my advantage and flap my wings. I fell, thinking that this was my final moment until I felt hands around me. I tilted my small head up and could see that the demi-formed avian was grabbing a hold of me and he held my thin body in between his forceful hands.
He flew upward, taking me with him, and away from the caves of rocks where Zane and the guards stood. I let out a small cry toward Zane, hoping that my call would reach him. When he called my name and ran to the edge of the ledge, only the guards forceful hands holding him back from following me, and killing himself over the process.
I watched through half open eyes as the scene became a blur and Zane became less clear to me. Where would these traitors take me? I was wounded, would I survive? Would I ever see Zane, or the peace that meant so much to us again?