Wildwing watched with growing apprehension as Mallory and Nosedive walked away with a couple of the head Council members, leaving him alone with the other members of the Strike Force team.
The trip back had been relatively uneventful. Both Mallory and Nosedive kept their conversation with him to a minimum, only talking about inconsequential topics unless Wildwing asked something of them.
And truth be told, Wildwing didn't have much he wanted to ask them.
Well, that was a lie. He had dozens of questions, but he was simply too afraid to ask them. Each time he brought up something, they'd answer, but at the same time they'd be reminded that Wildwing should've known the answer to that already. They smiled nonetheless, even as the pain was apparent in their eyes, and would ask him if he had any more questions.
It was a vicious circle that Wildwing was too exhausted to travel.
So, after a six hour journey home with easy conversation, the base camp was another experience altogether: between the group of military officers and Council members swarming over them, the other members of the Strike Force came up and introduced themselves, each one with their own expression of sympathy for him.
All of the team was hurried into a building, safe from prying eyes and outside attacks. After the incident with the Old Ways Worshippers infiltrating the camp, security had been on high alert.
Inside the safety of four very solid walls, a few Council members ushered Mallory and Nosedive away to discuss Wildwing's condition. He was slightly offended to not be asked himself, but realized soon after that—aside from his so-called brother and lifemate—no one really knew the extent of his amnesia.
That included the ducks standing in front of him now. All three of them looked rather uncomfortable there, and slightly anxious.
"How was da trip?" Duke asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh, it was good. Pretty uneventful," Wildwing answered. Duke nodded but remained quiet.
Then Tanya spoke up: "How are you feeling? Any, y'know, other side effects from the spell?"
Wildwing shook his head. "Nah, not really. The first day I woke up in De Prue it was pretty tough, but once they got me out of the elements and fed me I was good. Well, other than not remembering anything, anyway."
"Right," Tanya agreed. The silence afterwards was awkward and Wildwing looked over to Mallory and Nosedive, wishing they'd return soon.
"Wing?"
It took Wildwing longer than it should have to remember that was his name and turn his attention to Duke.
"We're glad yer back, even if yer not quite yerself yet."
Wildwing smiled at him. "Thanks. Hopefully I'll be back to myself sooner than later."
Across the room Mallory and Nosedive began heading back to the group. Wildwing let out a small breath of relief and smiled at them.
"So I guess we're staying here?" Nosedive asked upon reaching the team.
"Looks like it. When we returned yes'erday they'd already moved our belongin's over here," Duke answered him. "I guess dey don't like da idea o' us in a house by ourselves, not wit' those Worshippers aroun'."
Mallory sighed. "The one they caught got moved to another facility, too. We'll have to wait for them to transport him back."
"Why'd they move him?" Tanya asked.
"They said they didn't have the capability to hold him here. They have specialized cells in Dupontama that apparently block magic. Something they picked up from the remnants of Saurian Raptors after the war."
"How long is it going to take to bring him back here?"
"Tonight, hopefully."
Grin walked up to Wildwing and laid a hand on his shoulder, startling him slightly. "My friend, are you willing to search for your lost roads?"
Wildwing, along with most of the other teammates, frowned at the large gray duck.
"Say wha?" Nosedive finally spoke up.
"The path to remembrance can sometimes be long and tedious, but with strong thoughts and meditation it can be done."
"You … want me to meditate?" Wildwing asked, slightly unsure.
Grin nodded. "It is worth a try, like many challenges in life."
"That's not a bad idea," Tanya said, causing all eyes to shift to her. "I mean, maybe it'll help dissolve the spell's—you know—control on you."
Wildwing was silent as he thought about it, but one look at Nosedive and Mallory's hopeful faces settled his mind. "Sure, why not."
Mallory and Wildwing walked silently across the 6th floor of the large building. The government had moved the team's belongings from the large house they'd been staying at into the small motel rooms meant usually for visitors of the base camp. Most of the ducks' belongings were still in the Aerowing, so aside from clothes, toiletries, and some keepsakes there wasn't much to move.
However, since Wildwing and Mallory had been sharing a room in the house, all of their belongings had been grouped into one motel room.
Mallory used the pass code she'd been given and punched it into the keypad next to their assigned room. With a green light and beep the door hissed open, giving the two ducks access to enter.
Wildwing was carrying robes Grin had given him from his own room, to wear during his meditation exercise. The robes were similar to what the traditionalists wore back at the village he'd been found, which in some odd way comforted him. As they entered the room he carefully placed the clothes on the foot of the bed.
"I'm just going to grab a few things to shower and change," Mallory said quietly, walking to the dresser and searching the drawers. "Tanya said I can use her shower, so you can use the one here."
Wildwing nodded, standing uncomfortably at the foot of the bed as he watched her rummage through the drawers, trying to find where the government had put her things.
On top of the dresser were various knickknacks that caught Wildwing's attention. When Mallory had gathered what she wanted from the drawers and moved to the closest, Wildwing went over to them and inspected them.
There were a couple pucks with signatures on them, some books, a few figurines that looked expensive, and a photo album. Wildwing glanced at Mallory, whose back was to him as she sifted through the clothes hanging in the closet. He looked back at the album and opened it.
One of the first pictures he saw was of the featherless and beakless creatures he'd seen in his dream. Humans, he reminded himself from his talks with Mallory and Nosedive. It was a small one—probably a child—and he stood next to Mallory, his arm draped around her neck as she kneeled next to him. Both were smiling.
Wildwing turned the page and saw other humans with the Strike Force members. Two colorful ones stood with Nosedive, an older one stood with Tanya, and Wildwing noticed himself standing with a rather short human wearing a badge. As he turned the page again he saw pictures of what must've been Earth, with lots of humans in the background. Clippings from what looked like books had stories about the "Mighty Ducks," along with pictures of them in hockey gear. There were more pictures of all of them together with humans also dressed in hockey gear, and a picture of the team with one rather obese-looking human.
As he continued to turn the pages he noticed that the photographs became more personal. He saw himself and Nosedive together; Nosedive and Grin in suits and sunglasses; Duke and Tanya together in an embrace; and himself and Mallory in similar poses.
Some of the pictures looked like they were from events: a group of photos was done outside where it was dry and sunny; another group of photos looked almost like Puckworld with all the ice and snow, except many of them had humans in the background, suggesting otherwise.
One picture in particular caught his eye. It was him and Mallory, decked out in snow attire, looking at each other. From the appearance of the picture it didn't look like they realized they were being photographed. Wildwing had one hand up, tenderly brushing Mallory's cheek. She was looking up at him, her beak slightly agape, like she was talking. Her head tilted into his hand.
"That was Big Bear Mountain, on Earth," Mallory softly murmured, standing to his side.
Her sudden presence startled him and Wildwing realized he'd spaced out while going through the pictures. He cleared his throat a little, his hand still resting on the photograph through its plastic sleeve.
"Where we were there wasn't a lot of snow, except higher up in the mountains. The team liked to go there every once in a while. Helped with homesickness a lot," Mallory added when Wildwing didn't respond.
"They're … nice pictures," Wildwing finally muttered, his voice gruff with emotion.
"I—I have most of what I need, so I'm going to head over to Tanya and Duke's room," Mallory quickly changed the subject. "I'll meet you downstairs, okay?"
Wildwing, with his eyes still on the photo album, weakly nodded.
Mallory shifted the small duffle bag on her shoulder containing her things and walked to the door.
Wildwing looked up at her retreating form, opened his beak to say something, but stopped. When she opened the door she briefly turned to look at him.
Their eyes locked for a few seconds before she looked down and left the room, the door softly hissing shut behind her.
Wildwing looked back down at the photo album, at the strangers and himself, and sighed.
Mallory and Nosedive watched from a distance in the temple as Grin and Wildwing sat cross-legged and facing each other. They were on a podium in front of a large statue depicting a female duck—a goddess—known as the Birth of Peace.
The temple was on the base, which made it easy to convince the Council to let them come here. Nonetheless, they had two military personnel stationed out front, and Mallory and Nosedive opted to wear their battle gear as a precaution.
The temple itself was beautiful, and not meant for large crowds. The creed was similar to Buddhism on Earth, except it wasn't really a religion, per say.
It was a way of life.
Meditation allowed for the control of an individual's body and wellbeing, and many believed by following the practice they'd hone the ability to strengthen their physical and mental capabilities beyond the common capacity.
If Grin was any indication, it certainly seemed possible.
Mallory kept a hand on her holstered pucklauncher, watching the two across the temple before turning her attention to outside. A snowstorm was making its way through the city tonight, and Mallory wasn't keen on being caught in it as they made their way back to headquarters.
Even if it was only a couple blocks away.
"On edge there, girly?" Nosedive asked, eyeing her twitchy hand.
Mallory sighed. "After getting jumped last week who wouldn't be?"
"Touché," Nosedive replied. He turned his attention to Grin and Wildwing. Both had closed their eyes, their hands on their respective knees. Grin appeared to be speaking softly, but his voice did not travel far enough for them to hear.
"You think it'll work at all?" Mallory asked.
Nosedive took a deep breath and shrugged. "It can't hurt, that's for sure."
"The prisoner is supposed to arrive tonight," Mallory conveyed. "He should be able to reverse the spell, if we can get him to cooperate."
Nosedive frowned a bit. "Mal, how do we know that's what he'll do?" When Mallory tilted her head at him questioningly he added, "I mean, what if he uses a spell to kill him or something? Do we have anyone that even knows Old Ways magic that isn't a psychopath?"
Mallory was quiet, unable to form a response right away. She turned her attention to Grin and Wildwing as she thought. "I … I don't know. I'm sure the Council knows something about it, enough to know whether they were casting the spell they were meant to…." But even as Mallory said it she realized the absurdity of the idea, causing her to growl in frustration. "What are we supposed to do then, Dive?"
"Hey, don't shoot the messenger girly! I want my brother back as bad as you do!" Nosedive held his hands up in mock surrender. Both noticed Grin shooting a glare in their direction and instantly quieted. "I'm not one to be pessimistic, but I don't really want to put Wing in front of some nut that'll vaporize him while we watch on," Nosedive whispered his next statement.
Mallory rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I know, Dive. I just … I just thought we were done with all this."
This time Nosedive gave her a questioning tilt of the head. "Done with what?"
"With all of this. We killed Dragaunas, we completed our mission and risked our necks a dozen times over on Earth. I just thought that if we ever got back to Puckworld—and that the war here had truly ended—we'd be done."
Nosedive smirked at her. "And here I thought the military girl was itching to get back saving the world."
Mallory scoffed slightly and shook her head. "I lost most of my family to this war, and frankly I'm not willing to lose my new one."
Nosedive's smile became more genuine at that statement and he patted her on the shoulder. "Well, we aren't going anywhere—not willingly, anyway."
Mallory returned his smile but it faltered as she looked back to Wildwing. "Not willingly, no."
They watched the two meditating in silence after that, each lost in their own thoughts.