Chapter four:
11 am the next day.
No one's P.O.V.
All of the Feather freedoms stand outside their house. They are making a tunnel and at the end of it is Jack.
Jack glances to make sure everyone is here then begins the ceremony. "Nate and Silver River! Come forward."
Nate and his brother Sin walk through the tunnel and come to stand in front of Jack. They both bow respectfully.
"Today is your two's fifth birthday! It is time for you both to get your partners in flight. Now remember this. It is not just any bird, you will know when you meet your partner in flight. Also remember what you have been taught." Jack smiles at the two brothers. "You will be given a knife each and you will be released to go get your partner in flight. Now go! And may the spirit of your partner in flight guide you!"
Sin and Nate raise and run back down the tunnel to get the knives and go to find their partner in flight.
Light's P.O.V.
I had been waiting here for this since sun rise.
I watch and listen in on everything from a hiding spot, waiting.
Suddenly the two brothers Nate and Silver run off, grabbing a knife given to them as they go by then heading out into the forest.
I creep around and follow the one that is only wearing white, whichever one that is.
The two brothers split up and creep through the forest looking around.
Near's P.O.V.
I see a few birds on my little trek through the forest but none of them feel right so I ignore them.
I get close the Barens border, following my feet and letting them take me to my partner in flight.
That's when I see a bird and I feel a connection to it.
Hiding in the bushes I peer at what type of bird it is.
A diamond dove. Interesting choice of a partner in flight I must say.
It is just sitting there on the ground and it looks like its watching me.
I cautiously walk out of the bushes and creep towards it. I expect it to fly away.
However it doesn't. It looks at me and stays where it is.
I am able to get real close to it. I bend over and I lower my hand to allow it to climb onto my hand.
It hops onto my pointer finger and lets me raise it up away from the ground.
I gently pet it with my free hand and keep the knife away from it right now. "My name is Nate River. Since birth our spirits have been in a bond but haven't become one." I remember the words we were taught to say. "Let us become one? You will be my treasure." I show it the knife and wait for it to accept.
It looks at me then at the knife. As if it understood it sticks its neck out.
"Thank you my equal." I gently put the knife to its throat. "I will make this as quick and painless as I can." Quickly I slice its throat open knowing that's the best way to kill your partner in flight. Quick and painless means more respect and it must accept you first before you kill it. Or else you won't be able to fly in the afterlife even though you'll have wings or even have any benefits that have limits that your partner in flight can give you.
It goes limp on my hand and I drop the knife to the ground.
I pick off two of its feathers from its wings making sure they are good length feathers and I put my partner in flight on my shoulder while I put the feathers in my hair making sure the feathers are secure as the strand of hair that is tied to the feathers never falls out, unless pulled out by another person intentionally, to keep our feathers there as it also keeps our feathers from being hidden though it is up to you where exactly your feathers go but almost all keep them on the left side of their heads around the middle like me. When I am done I take my partner in flight back into my hands and kneel on the ground. I hold its body in one hand and use my other to start digging.
Once it is a deep enough hole I place my partner in flights body onto my lap so I can take out a piece of one of my shirts that I took so my partner in flight doesn't have to lie there in the dirt as it's a part of the tradition to do so and I add the object I chose to be seemingly within my partner in flights grasp of its wings as I also add it to around my partner in flights neck since I can so it also has something to keep the connection being both ways as another part of the tradition.
It is how we do things and the object I chose, that we always have on ourselves at all time so it must be something that can become two pieces for both us and our partner in flight to have one piece each to keep the connection being both ways, is the chain of a necklace I always wear while I keep the charm.
I will put the charm on another chain so I can always wear it.
The chain is a small looking silver metal chain but long enough so the charm rests on my chest.
The charm is a special black N inside of a rectangle blue gem that has a silver metal casing that covers the back and sides but it still allows the N to be clearly seen.
I got it when me and my brother were born as our sister also got hers when she was born.
Our parents thought it was a good idea and when they liked it on me and my twin they did the same to Rai who is our little sister but sadly father died with his body not able to be recovered when Rai was so young a day or two maybe shorter after she opened her eyes and me as well as Silver were only three since we are three years older than her.
It is tradition to do all of this and it is up to you on the object to bury with your partner in flight since we are all unique.
Once my partners in flights body is placed on the piece of one of my shirts like a cloth then I place it in in the hole with the piece on the bottom but it comes up the sides a little as if shielding my partners in flights body from the dirt under it and on either side of it.
"Rest in peace in my soul forever." I lower my head for a minuet then I burry my partners in flight body as soon as I felt a warmth in my heart. I then put a stick standing up straight at the head of my partner in flights resting place.
After all that I grab the knife and stand. Time to head back to the house.
Light's P.O.V.
It's amazing. It's as if the bird understood Nate. Not only that but Nate is acting so respectful to it.
He picks up the knife and walks back towards the house.
I follow then see him being congratulated by the others once he returns to the house and them checking out the feathers being careful.
Nate's brother Silver is also back and he has what looks like Raven feathers in his hair.
Looks like the ceremony is over so it's time to leave.
Near's P.O.V.
If you thought this was the end. You are wrong.
Now we must return to where we had buried our partners in flights bodies at sun set and sit there mourning their death till sun rise without sleeping.
All in tradition but now I have my partner in flight!
We also get to keep the knife we killed our partner in flight with so as to not disrespect its death so it's also a cherished item that is only big on not being used again so to not disrespect the death of our partner in flight so other than that it's nothing special like the object or the feathers as it comes in third compared to that; with the shirt that we took a piece from tying in third with it as we keep it for the same reason as well as just in case so to keep the connection if something happens.
"I've never seen these kinds of feathers before what is it?" Our mother looks at my feathers in my hair. Her partner in flight is a chickadee.
"A diamond dove mother." I explain.
Sin comes over with two black feathers in his hair. "Mine is a raven!" He puffs out his chest proudly.
I smile and nudge him gently. "You'll have wings that look like an angel of death."
"Guess I will." Sin smiles. "But I'm sure it will look good."
We don't laugh about it or joke rudely about it because it would be disrespectful to his partner in flight then Sin wouldn't be able to fly in the afterlife if we are disrespectful. We make sure to be respectful to them even when we are pointing things like that he or she will look like an angel of death with the black wings when they die, we make sure to not offend or be disrespectful to the partner in flight.
"Well I think both of you will have beautiful wings in the afterlife." She smiles then coughs. She is very sick as it started not long after Rai turned one which also is that Rai's second birthday will be coming up sometime soon or so here and only was able to come and congratulate us then she has to go back to the doctor section of the house.
"You should be resting mother." Me and Sin speak in unison.
"I will, I just wanted." Cough. "To congratulate my beautiful boys." She smiles weakly. "Both of you." Cough. Cough. "Will be amazing." She ends in a fit of coughing that brings the doctors to her.
Me and Sin share worried looks as she is taken away by the doctors.
The others continue to congratulate us but we are both worried about our mother.
Finally its sun set and I make my way to where I buried my partner in flight.
As I sit down next to its burial place I stay there silent, mourning for its death.
I feel a small peck on my leg and I look over.
There is another diamond dove like my partner in flight but different at the same time. This one is much fatter.
Even though I can't understand its chirping I have a special connection with these kinds of birds so it'll be like we understand each other.
"My partner in flight was a noble bird." I mummer to the other diamond dove. "I wish we didn't have to kill them. He deserved to live free. But I guess it's the best death to get huh?"
The dove moves closer to me and snuggles its head against my leg.
I reach over and pet its head gently. "I know. I'll miss him a lot too but he'll be with me in my soul." I gently smile.
It leans into my touch and chirps.
I look to the mound of earth that shows where I buried him, my partner in flight.
A fox comes close in hopes of getting at him.
"Back off!" I yell at said fox who runs off as soon as it notices me. "I'll keep you both safe for as long as I can." I explain to both my partner in flight and the other diamond dove.
Lights P.O.V.
Me and L meet up at our meeting place.
"That was amazing!" I gasp. "Everyone should have a partner in flight."
L smiles. "I'm glad you liked it. I don't think you would have noticed the end but at sun set we have to stay where we buried our partners in flights body without sleeping. Just so we can mourn for its death."
I hug L and kiss his forehead. "I know the two tribes won't accept us but I was hoping maybe …..Maybe one day we could get married even if we need to run away."
L nods and pecks me on the lips. "Maybe one day possibly. If only we can be together without worry."
I hum in agreement and hold L close to me. "We will be together. No matter what. I promise."
L smiles. "Light…."
"Yes my dear?"
He moves up my body and whispers in my ear.
I listen then look at his face. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
L nods. "I want to be yours and yours alone."
Mello's P.O.V.
I had gone to check out the Feather freedoms territory when I spot this angel just sitting there with a diamond dove curled up next to him on one side and a small mound of earth on the other
He has two diamond dove feathers in his hair and he seems to glow a little in the moonlight just enough to be beautiful. He looks up at the moon and I can't help but think how beautiful he is.
As much as I'd hate to admit it due to the fact that our groups are enemies….. But… I have fallen and fallen hard for this boy just by looking at him.
"Hello?" I call out to him and make my way towards him.
His head snaps around and looks at me with lovely wide eyes. "A Baren!"