The Flock and Those like Us
The Next day I was feeling my normal self again, us mutants bounce back fast. I could tell Chuck and Newt were surprised as I glided down after a morning patrol. Not that we needed one, morning was just the best time for flying. Floating through the crisp morning air just as the sun starts rising. It's a pretty magical time of day let me tell you.
"That was a pretty quick recovery," Newt commented.
I shrugged and massaged the base of my wings, they were still a little sore in some places. Suddenly I remembered what I'd been too sick to care about the other day. "Fang!" I exclaimed.
"Is that his name?" asked Chuck point his toe in Fang's direction.
I was at his side in an instant checking him over. He was covered in blood, his hair was matted and dirty, he had at least a bazillion bruises, and he looked like he hadn't eaten for weeks.
"Oh my goodness, Fang!" I whispered brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. "Fang. Can you hear me? Please say something." I begged grabbing his hand. Fang didn't respond. Just great.
"Is that a friend of yours?" Newt asked.
"We're all pretty close, like a family or something. He was-he was-we were pretty close," I said.
What was Fang? My best friend? My brother? My lieutenant? We'll stick with one of those for now. I rubbed Fang's hand between mine trying to make him wake up.
"Fangster, wake up, I'll only beg for a while and then I'll get mean," I threatened. It was an empty threat a conscious Fang would have recognized it, I'm sure even an unconscious Fang could. "I need your help to save the Flock." I was sure admitting I needed his help would shock Fang awake, unfortunately Fang must have been expecting this because it didn't work.
"He's been out since we found him," Newt said gently, well for Newt, which didn't happen to be very gentle.
I pretended to brush hair out of my face to cover up wiping the excess moisture out of my eyes. Not tears, excess moisture.
Max, you're a really brave warrior and a leader of a flock you can't break down. You'll last, you can do this.
Yeah Max, my inner voice taunted, great warrior, great leader, you can do without him.
"I'm not going to do without him! I need him!" I yelled, then covered my mouth.
Chuck and Newt stared at me. Yep that's Max the slightly crazed leader type that yells out loud to the voice in her head. I felt a blush coming on.
"You need me? I wish I knew what else you say to me when you think I'm out. It sounds like it might be a bright sight nicer then what you usually say to me," Fang said weakly barely lifting his head off of the ground.
"Fang!" I couldn't tell if I wanted to hug him or punch him more, but as long as he was awake I was glad he wasn't dead.
Chuck was hovering behind my shoulder anxiously trying to look over my shoulder. I wanted to flip him with my wing, but resisted.
"How are you feeling? Anything hurt?" I asked.
Fang gave me a well-gee-I've-been-out-for-who-knows-how-long-what-do-you-think glare and tried to sit up. Blood was caked in dry chunks all over him and sand was mixed with the blood and the sweat.
"You're a mess," I said at the same time Chuck said, "He sure is a mess!"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Fang said dryly. "I sure feel like a mess."
"I wouldn't worry too much about appearances Max sure came in as a mess," Newt said with a flicker of a smile. Fang glanced at me half-smirking and I glared at him.
"I can get food," I volunteered, I was glad Fang was awake, but I could sense the turn this was taking and I didn't want to be a part of it.
"That's okay, we have food." Newt said shortly and evenly and a little smirky at my discomfort.
"Wellll Fang needs some band-aids and a bath. I'll get that," I snapped. I walked away and no one argued. I could feel Fang's piercing gaze follow me and I wished he'd just be sick and lay on the ground like a dead person.