It was a turning point in our lives, there was no doubt about that. When I look back I can only marvel at what MiracleStar went through for those hectic times. She faced the demons of her past and even tried to shelter us from the maelstrom. But in the end we were caught up in it and saw our owner for what she was. And we did not turn away. Through all of our misdeeds, all the evil we have done, that is the one great good I can point to and thus redeem myself. We did not turn away from her.
It was midday and I was sitting on the back porch, watching the wind ruffle the flowers of our back garden. The sun was warming my fur quite pleasantly and I basked in its light. My wings were folded close to my back to allow my starry fur more of the sunlight. My zafara claws were dug into the cool soil and it was a pleasant feeling on my paws. It had been a good week for us, one of sun and calm. Our latest heist had come off quite well and we were still living off the kickback. Such a wonderful week kept my conscience docile and I felt no guilt about our ill-gotten goods. Then again, I rarely did.
Taffin was off somewhere with Jaix. I wasn't sure where. Jaix, the dragon-winged fire acara, had been rather subdued after the Lost Desert incident. He spent more time just being around us, not really talking, just enjoying the presence of his family. I think he had realized just how important it was to simply have a family, after he had come so close to loosing us all. And we to loosing him.
Taffin, well, Taffin remained himself. An incorrigible fire kyrii that flirted with everything alive. I suspected he'd wind up getting himself into trouble over that one of these days but it was none of my business. I could only watch, wait, and laugh when it happened. It seems that nothing ever fazes him. The only time I had seen him truly distressed was after he had fought Angel from the NSPA. After that all pain was buried under his cool demeanor of jokes and ribaldry.
My sister, the desert aisha Skyil, was inside the house. She kept to herself even more these days. Each time she was forced to use her mind-reading talent she retreated even further into herself. I had tried to coax her out of it but to no avail. She sees her blessing as a curse and despises it and what it had made her. Sometimes I wonder why our owner had even adopted her in the first place, knowing what she would be.
The last person in our little family was MiracleStar, our owner. A human girl, in her early adulthood, and the most talented thief I knew. She had taught us everything about our trade; from picking locks to being able to fight with daggers. Sometimes it seemed there was nothing she couldn't do. However, the one thing she kept hidden from us was her past. I knew it was a sad and terrible one, the air faerie Diganis had said as much. She hated the faeries and her real name was Kristen. That was all I knew. Something told me she was shielding us from something, but for the life of me I could not guess what.
I heard MiracleStar come out via the back door. Her footsteps hardly made a noise on the grass. Years of habit I guess. I only concentrated on being silent when actually thieving.
"I'm going out. Hold down the fort," she said from somewhere above my shoulder.
"Alright. Were is everyone?"
"Skyil is inside reading. Taffin and Jaix just got back from wherever they were. Taffin has locked himself in the bathroom with a pack of ice. I think they were out picking fights with the pets a couple blocks down."
"Again? You think they would get tired of taunting them by now."
"Well, Taffin seems to have gotten what he deserved this time. I got a glimpse of his face; one eye is swollen shut. Please refrain from making fun of him."
I choked on my own stifled laughter.
"I'll try."
"Alright. I'll be back in a couple hours."
And she was gone with hardly a whisper. I returned to my contemplation of the flowers. Brilliant hued petals of blue and orange and red. The scent of them was rather heady in the sunlight and I fought off the urge to fall asleep. It was a losing battle. I felt my eyelids slowly slide shut and with a contented sigh I flopped onto my back, my wings spread out on either side, the grass tickling their skin membranes. I drifted off into a pleasant drowse.
I was woken by someone softly calling my name. I muttered something under my breath and rolled onto my side. I did not remember if I had been dreaming or not but I had a vague relocation of being enwrapped in something very pleasant. I drifted off back to sleep. The person didn't get the hint though and the voice intruded in on my sleep once more. My befuddled mind eventually concluded that this person wasn't going to give up so I reluctantly yawned and struggled to a sitting position. Besides, my wing was under my body and it was rather uncomfortable.
"Whatisit?" I muttered in the middle of another yawn.
"Nianso. I need your help."
"Oh. Hi Diganis."
I blearily rubbed my eyes and looked at her. And the edges of my vision went black with shock. Everything seemed to reel around me as my attention narrowed down to a single speck: her wings. They were destroyed. No, not destroyed. Gone. Cropped off to just a tiny little bit at the shoulder-blades.
"What happened?" I gasped in disbelief.
A faerie without wings. Who would do such a horrible thing?
"They were destroyed," she said calmly, "They were such a mess that they thought it best to get rid of them entirely then to let the remains heal."
"Did it hurt?" I whispered.
"Immensely."
There was no emotion to her voice, no clue that betrayed how much she hurt inside. My heart cried for her and beat as if it were to burst.
"Who did this?" I asked, rage boiling to the surface of my emotions.
Silently I swore vengeance for the maimed faerie before me. Diganis was silent for a moment, her face contorted with hatred, pride, and even deeper, pain.
"I'll show you. Gather up your siblings and come with me."
"What about MiracleStar?"
"There's no time. Come."
I raced into the house, hollering for my brothers and sister.
"Come on you guys!" I yelled, "Diganis needs help! Grab your weapons and let's go!"
Taffin came hurtling down the stairs with his glaive in his hand, yelling colorful insults, forgetting about his teleportation in his panic. Jaix followed him out the back door with Sinsis sword in hand, hastily strapping it across his back. Skyil followed, tossing me my dual daggers which I strapped around my waist. We then bounded out the back door.
Diganis was settled on the grass, waiting for us. She didn't look at us, just merely gestured for us to follow her.
"Would it be best if we flew?" I asked softly.
"No. Stay on the ground."
And she led us down the street, walking, for the first time ever. We followed a couple paces behind her, silent, like an honor guard for the wounded faerie. We lived in the outskirts of Neopia Central proper, in a rather crowded neighborhood. The houses were small and close together and the inhabitants had a reputation for villainy and such. Not very nice pets. We fit in fine and no one ever gave us a second glance, not even today as we followed the crippled faerie.
In retrospect I should have suspected something. Diganis suddenly appearing with her wings gone. The fact that she would not reveal who had done this to her. And above all, the small detail that she appeared to us only after MiracleStar was out of the house. But hindsight is 20/20 and we had no reason to not trust Diganis. I do not blame her. She had no other choice and if she did not act someone else would have. Our fates were sealed. We were destined to be caught up in this horrible struggle of ambition, pride, and evil. Diganis was just a casualty of war. As were we all.