Dedications: This chapter is dedicated to LionRulersRoar and Landshark23498. Thank you very much! You both helped my determination climb through to create the next two chapters!
Before he knew it, Rollan was slapped on the back, and haphazardly tossed into a ship, heading back for Amaya. He would've stayed in his amazing, fancy bedroom, but being jostled against the wall by the rough tides was too much for a guy who was stuck on the dusty streets all his life. Rollan halfheartedly wished that he should've stayed where he was, and declined his recruiting even though it wasn't right, but one could say that he was kidnapped and put into this though.
Essix meanwhile was swooping over the great, blue sea when an unlucky fish decided to hop out and take a breath. She dived, and then tugged out the fish, only to find that a dark bird had the other side of it. Both birds squawked in surprise and anguish. Essix sneered, if a bird could sneer, and knew that this poor, little bird had no chance against battle with her.
Rollan watched both birds claw at each others in midair. He attempted to tell what type of bird it was that Essix was battling, but gave up as the salty wind caused his eyes to scream. At last, Essix won the clash and as the other bird flew off... with the fish tail, she triumphantly did a happy dance, sending Rollan into hysterical laughter. Rollan envied Essix's energized mood and leered her, but Essix glared back playfully and only seemed to enjoy it.
"Jealous of my bird wings?" Essix cackled, and flapped them daintily. She then began pecking at her fresh food for the first time in weeks. Being trapped in that bird cage with a scarf around her beak was one of the worst moments of her life! How little she could do at being at an almost normal size! The memories flashed back to her as she once soared over the sky, blocking the sun like a cloud with her abnormally enormous size, and racing that undignified eagle, Halawir, to pick up the first swordfish without a wound.
"The wounds?" she cackled, "They were like paper cuts to us." She stretched her lengthy muscles from their weary slumber. Essix embraced her freedom... until a sailor disturbed her rather large snacktime.
"Hey, shoo, ya feather ball! I've taken a mighty long time untangling these ropes and thanks to you, I might have to clean up your mess!"
"Is this how you treat The Falcon?" regarded Shane, who prowled up behind the sailor, sending him into agitation as Essix took off into the air furiously.
After Shane lectured the man, Rollan watched Essix squawk angrily several times, and after she managed to finish her enormous lunch, she came back, hunted for the gruff man, and hurled the fish bone at him. Rollan laughed as Essix screeched in delight at the sailor's fury. Essix then returned to Rollan and nudged him, just as Shane came over for their usual training lessons.
Rollan winced at the thought of more training, but also at Essix's sharp talons digging into his flesh like spears. He lied down against the ship, preparing for the demand... until he heard Shane's panic stricken voice yell, "Man overboard!" He looked up at the alarmed faces as Essix fluttered in shock and dove at him with incredible speed. Rollan just stared in confusion... until he tried to get up, but realized he was not on solid ground. He'd been catapulted overboard by the thunderous waves and was going to belly flop! Essix attempted to claw her talons into the hem of his shirt, but unfourtunately, it ripped, and he plunged into the water... belly first.
SPLASH!
"Ooo... That's gotta hurt," commented Shane, "You alright down there?"
"I can't swim, but you got one thing right, Shane," Rollan hollered, "When you said 'Man overboard,' that's right, I'm a man. Not boy."
Essix flapped overhead and cawed teasingly in her bird language, "Okay, boy. Do you need a doctor or a therapist?"