So, I know it's been a while for chapter 3! I haven't really been satisfied with anything I have come up with for chapter 3 since it introduces someone, which you will see if you continue reading. I really enjoyed writing this despite all of the time it has taken me! Hope you will enjoy it as well!
The feathers on the back of his neck stood up on end at the voice behind him. The leaves underfoot crunched as the perpetrator adjusted its position around Ahykah. He stood there for a few moments, waiting for more unruly commands from the person who probably had him at gunpoint. "Well, get on with it!" He said audibly. When nothing happened he became impatient and turned around. A searing pain coursed through his leg and he looked down to see blood on the leaves below him. The world in front of him turned black and with a dizzying sensation, Ahykah fell to the ground below him.
A small muffled murmur rumbled in his ears as he began to stir, the sound became clearer as his body awoke from a painful slumber, the darkened skies around him became visible as his eyes opened once more. His body was sore, and his leg was burning with pain at every movement. He looked around to his little ability. He was next to the spacecraft again, under a sheet of paneling crudely constructed into a small roof over his head. Then he noticed his leg. It was wrapped in leaves, still dyed red with blood. His brown feathers were also turned a hue of red around the wound. On the ground lay a broken piece of branch, crudely snapped in half, with his blood along the length. "He shot me with a damned arrow!" He cursed under his breath. From the blood, he guessed that the arrow had gone clean into his leg and gotten stuck. No doubt the perpetrator used a sedative to keep him asleep while such a painful removal was undergone. But Ahykah was done thinking about his leg, and was anxious to get moving despite his impediments. He propped himself up with his elbows and shook himself to get the dirt off his feathers. The skies rumbled with thunder, threatening to drench the land around him at any minute. He rolled over carefully, as to not press his leg against anything. As he lay on his chest he pushed himself off the ground, and slung his good leg underneath him. He stood up slowly on one leg and regained his balance. A fire was constructed near the burnt tree line that surrounded the spacecraft. Around it lay some tools, as well as his canteen and knife. He stumbled over to his equipment strewn over the camp. He slowly and tediously picked them up and assorted them in his way. "This spacecraft isn't helping me in any way, and whoever shot me probably knows I'm here." He thought to himself, and aimed to leave.
He stumbled over some charred roots as he started into the forest. "I don't think that's a wise idea buddy." Ahykah froze, the female voice rung in his ears again. This time, he didn't hesitate to turn around. An Avian woman stood in the undergrowth, a bow and arrow strewn over her shoulder haphazardly. She wore a flight jacket of the Avian navy, no doubt it was her spacecraft which was derelict in the clearing. Despite her charm, he still felt obligated to say something. "Well I suppose I have you to thank for the hole in my leg don't I?" "You do, sweetheart. Maybe next time don't be daft and turn around on someone like that!" She retorted. "Or, just don't shoot a random stranger?" she glared at him. Her amber eyes burnt into his feathers. At that moment, the sky opened up, and rain began to patter on the ground around them, and the trees swayed. "Fancy standing in the rain?" He asked. "Let's just go back to the camp, your leg'll get infected if you just stand out here in the rain." she sighed. The two headed back to the camp, Ahykah had no qualms about it, better the company than being alone, and fine company at that. Despite his injuries he made it to the camp uneventfully. Even if he fell, she probably would not stop it. The fire was washed out by the rain, and the ashes were wet and coating the ground around it, and the smell of charcoal was heavy in the air. The shelter she had made still stood strong, and provided a dry place for the two to lay down. The sky was becoming darker and darker as night approached. "You know, this would probably be pretty romantic if I wasn't recovering from an arrow shaft in the leg." He chuckled. "I'm not one for rainy days." she said quietly. Ahykah shut up and rolled onto his back. He rest his head on the dirt around him, which was damp and cool, mostly unpleasant, and for a few moments lay quietly, until his drowsiness from the days events finally dragged him into an uncomfortable sleep.
A ticklish sensation on his feathers early in the morning woke him with a start, an insect like creature with large mandibles was crawling on his wings, at this, he flicked his wing violently and his heart raced. The bug flew off and he gave a sigh of relief. The lady stirred on the ground next to him. "So you're scared of bugs? That's nice." she said. "Whatever." he replied. She remained on the ground resting for a few more minutes as Ahykah hopped around on the damp ground. He walked over to the undergrowth and broke off a few branches from a few long trees. He carried the sticks back to their makeshift camp where she stirred again. "Instead of me guessing, what is your name?" Ahykah asked. "My name is Rose." she replied sleepily."Ahykah." He replied. "You must come from a traditional family if you have a name like that." Rose said. "They even worship Kluex." He said with a chuckle. "Wow, really far back there huh?" She smiled. "Very much so, the shoes stay at the door, morning and evening prayers. Sometimes I miss those, living by myself that is." He said, as he began to fasten the wood together to make a crutch. "What system are you from?" she said as she sat up on the ground. "Tiaeva 1B, it's a little warm there, but not too bad." He finished strapping the crutch together with linens, and stood up, using it to assist him. He was beginning to feel hungry, he mentioned so to Rose with a smirk. "We should hunt." he said shortly. "You won't be doing anything with that leg." she chuckled. Ahykah gave a grunt of annoyance, as he picked up his pack and spear off the ground. Rose picked up her bow and slung it around her shoulder. "Let's go, we're burning daylight." She said quickly. She began to walk off ahead of him, as he caught up slowly. He stumbled into the woods behind her, as they began their trek off.
Rather uneventfully mid-day rolled overhead, the rain was evaporating off the leaves and the moisture in the air was sticking to their feathers, making movement exhausting. Rose managed to pick up some small game along the way, stopping him suddenly to avoid alerting it. They had traveled a couple of kilometers away from the spacecraft, seeing as nothing was salvageable from the wreckage. Conversation was minimal, and to the point relatively tedious. Ahykah's leg continued to pester him, every movement hurt in a pinch, and was starting to get extremely annoying. "Can we stop?" Ahykah said loudly. Rose turned around to look at him. "Are you going to wimp out on me?" She asked with an annoyed expression on her face. Ahykah didn't answer as he lowered himself onto the ground. "So, what division are you from?" Ahykah asked tentatively. "What do you mean?" she asked back. "I can tell by the way you walk. You're in the galactic navy, what division?" "Kilo 87, you?" Ahykah laughed. "I'm a weapon smith, what makes you think I'm in the navy?" "Nothing in particular." she said, looking away into the woods. Ahykah undid the makeshift bandage on his leg and looked underneath to check his wound. It was still red and bloodied, no sign of infection. A good sign at least. "We might as well set up camp here, the sun is going down, and I am starving." he said, wrapping his leg back up. She gave a curt nod and lay down her equipment, sitting down on the ground whilst he got up, "I'll collect some wood." He said, his mood had severely deteriorated due to the damp and harrowing conditions around him. Ahykah wandered around the small undergrowth, searching for what dry wood he could use. He found relatively little under a few bushes and leaves, avoiding the crawling ten legged insects that seemed prominent on this planet. Picking them up wasn't the easiest thing he could do either. His crutch made it difficult, and his leg was beginning to sear with pain. "I probably shouldn't overdo it." He thought to himself. He made his way slowly back to the camp where Rose sat, waiting for her the wood to cook the food she had carved earlier. "About time." she grunted. "You have no right to complain, this leg surely wasn't my fault." he retorted. Clearly none of the two were in a great mood after the day's trek, and desperately needed to eat and rest. Rose pulled out a lighter from her pack, and used it to light the wood, which quickly lit and grew to engulf it. The smoke stung Ahykah's eyes, and he closed them in discomfort. Rose quickly put the meat over the fire to cook it, keeping silent as they watched the flames dance around the log in mesmerizing fashion. The dry warmth was comforting to his damp feathers as he began to scoop out a pit for himself to lay in. After they ate the little bit of food that they had collected, Ahykah and Rose granted each other good night, and settled down to sleep, which came quickly for the exhausted avians.
Sweat coated Ahykah's feathers as he hammered on the hot metal. His garb and heavy apron not helping release any of his accumulated body heat. The sword was taking good shape, it's iron casting growing smoother and smoother with each blunt strike of his hammer. As it's shape continued to form, he dipped the blade into cool water, sending steam shooting up from the bucket. His work area was cluttered with tools, a forge and an anvil were dormant a few feet away. He turned around to close up shop, the two moons outside were shining bright, and he was getting drowsy. He locked the doors with his pass code, and turned around to go up the stairs to his bedroom…
...SNAP! Ahykah woke with a start, and picked up his spear apprehensively, his heart beating out of control, and his feathers standing on end. He stumbled along the ground looking around, the fire almost out, providing little light. Another snap in the woods spooked Ahykah again. "Rose!" he whispered. She didn't stir, and he looked back into the woods once more. Suddenly, he heard a snarl, and backed up on the ground swiftly as a dark figure lashed out at him. He pulled up his spear to stop the animal, who upon coming into the light was clearly visible, it was hideous. It's eyes were black pearls in the night sky, it had four protruding mandibles, snapping at him furiously. He struggled to stop the six-legged mammal from overpowering him, grunting and kicking, struggling furiously. He drove the butt end of the spear into the abdomen of the creature, sending it into a roar as it slid back on the slick earth beneath it. It growled at him, as he crawled around on the earth. This time he was ready. "Rose! GET UP!" he shouted over the growling of the creature, which threw himself over the fire pit, landing near her. He quickly leaped towards the creature, yelling. He narrowly avoided a swipe of it's two fingered claws, and stabbed it in it's side, making it howl in anger and agony. Again the ferocious animal leaped at him, it's blood coating him as he was pinned by it. He struggled again, as the creature pinned him. His movements did little to stop it, as it narrowly missed biting his shoulder. He got a grip on his belt knife and stabbed the beast, getting out from under his heavy weight as it turned towards Rose, who was watching in fear at the events before her. Before the beast could jump at her, Ahykah slid with his spear and at last jabbed it through the animal, causing it to howl in pain, as the spear entered through it's rib cage. The creature went limp under his actions, and it's breathing became labored, as it lost it's life, panting and growling until it's last breath. Ahykah panted uncontrollably as he lay down on the soil, Rose was still frozen in fear at the scene that had unfolded in front of her, taking quivering hitched breaths. As his own breath slowly calmed itself, he spoke up. "A-Are you okay?" he said shakily. She only nodded her head. There was only one things he could do now, so he took her knife and began skinning and removing the meat off of the creature, which was aplenty. He quickly re-lit the fire, not feeling the want to sleep after such a terrible reminder that even here they aren't safe. He cooked the rest of the meat, and allowed Rose to sleep, which was difficult in and of itself. The night carried on as he kept watch, not knowing what other carnivorous creatures could possible assault them in the night…
Phew, finally done! It's been FOREVER since I published another chapter, like I said I was trying to find somewhere to go on from here, it was interesting to try and find a plot for the introduction of Rose, and later on I can hopefully add to the back story I left everyone with in this chapter. Sorry I took so long! Hope you enjoyed and I'll catch you next time!