Tags: Valor, Quinn, Anivia, Humor, Action

Little Quinn mumbled gibberish as she slept, holding her old pigeon plushy against her chest. Valor stared at her in the dark, watching over her like a big brother would his sister after she's had a nightmare. A soft noise coming from the roof alerted him to the presence of another. The majestic blue eagle used its beak to drag Quinn's blanket all the way up to her chin and then he hopped on the floor. He exited the cozy home via the doggy door that the girl's father had installed for him after accepting Quinn's request to keep him.

Valor spotted his adversary the moment he landed on the roof. She was as beautiful as ever, her attitude impossibly frigid too. Anivia's cold gaze followed him as he cautiously made his way to her, the red gem on her forehead shone like blood under the moonlight.

"So you've found me..." Valor cawed at his fellow agent.

Anivia glared at him, the coldness in her eyes capable of freezing a river on the spot.

"Of course I did," She replied, "Only an idiot would gobble up the story of you getting caught in the turbine of an airplane. You are too good for that." She croaked.

The Demacian eagle simply nodded, he really should had gone with the hunting accident story.

"Why did you do it?" Anivia spat unable to contain her fury any longer, "You were the best bird, and you threw away everything to become the babysitter of a featherless chicken!"

Valor took offence at that, little Quinn was more like a curious sparrow or even a lemming than a chicken. She run into danger instead of away from it no matter how much Valor tried to keep her safe.

"You wouldn't understand." Valor squawked crouching forward, adopting the 'Iron Beak of the Soaring Eagle' fighting stance while Anivia lifted a foot and spread her wings upwards, preferring her Crane Style, a variation of aggressive Bird Fu techniques developed for assassination purposes.

The next moment the two combatants clashed in a flurry of slapping wings, knee kicks and descending beaks. One moment they were birds, the next one they were roaring dragons and pouncing tigers, coiling snakes and rolling seals.

Feathers rained down the rooftop, eyes flashing with determination. Someone inside the house cursed sleepily and started hitting the roof with a broomstick to shoo away the fighting agents. But mere loud noises wouldn't stop Anivia from completing her mission. Muffled yells wouldn't prevent Valor from protecting what was important to him. He was Bruce Willis but bird, determined to overcome the corrupt organization he defected from to reach a happy conclusion.

A flashing talon almost injured Valor's eye before he managed to redirect the blow at the last second, shoving the appendage outwards with the tip of his wing. The talons scratched the side of his head. Valor parried the following strike and retaliated with a mean peck on the assassin's wing. Anivia cawed like an angry crow, headbutting him. Valor caught two slaps in the face before roundhouse kicking Anivia to the edge of the roof. She backflipped mid-air to land on her feet.

Both birds glared at one another, nursing their wounds, sweat glistering on their feathers. Anivia scowled as she pecked at her wing. Most birds would think that she was preening herself, but the Demacian eagle knew better and recognized the action for what it was. She was arming herself.

Anivia drew her beak back, an almost invisible hair-thin twine emerging from within her plumage. She tossed the garrote on her legs and grasped it tightly in her talons.

Valor clenched a sharp piece of ceramic from the broken roof tiles in his beak, wielding it like a makeshift dagger.

Anivia frowned at him like a moody seagull, using her beak to unsheathe a jagged hunting knife from her leg holster.

Valor maintained eye contact as he started dismantling a Hex-tv antenna with precise karate kicks. He fashioned himself a pair of batons for his talons from the smooth metal rods that were attached to the antenna.

The two bird circled each other on the roof of the house as Quinn's father complained about the reception of their new Hex-tv. Both birds ignored the unintelligent croaking sounds of the human. They were only focused on the shiny and pointy things the other bird held. Primal instincts kicking in as Anivia ruffled her feathers in agitation and Valor bobbed his head repeatedly to survey his opponent closely.

They charged like berserkers thirsting for blood. They collided like football players bumping chests to celebrate a goal.

The moon in the night sky was the only witness to the violent confrontation of wills. The hunting knife was parried by the metal baton, sparks flying everywhere as Valor attempted to stab Anivia and she dodged his attack, wrapping her garrote around his wing, trying to dislocate it. The azure eagle twisting its body in an impossible way to escape the female agent's hold, swinging both batons down, only for Anivia to combat roll away from him. Valor's strike cracking the roof tiles.

The fight continued with each bird scoring glancing hits, until Anivia dropped her garrote in favor of holding her knife two-taloned. Valor dropped his makeshift dagger, picking up another shiny metal cylinder in his beak. He had three batons now, he could unleash all the power of his signature 'Murder of Ouchies' attack. The move that had ended the careers of many crime lords and had put Fiddlesticks' cronies behind bars.

Time seemed to slow down as Valor and Anivia flapped their wings, propelling themselves forward like fluffy missiles. There was a terrible sound of hurt as both opponents stood in the moonlight holding their weapons, their backs facing one another. Feathers drifting lazily to the ground.

Then one bird stumbled and fell from the roof. The victor stood proudly as they looked down at their defeated adversary, puffing their chest out in boast.

Oooo

Little Quinn yawned as her bare feet padded on the cold floor -Momma had sold their carpets for the Hex-tv- She held her plushy loosely as she sleepily searched for her avian friend. Searching under toys and into kitchen cupboards, behind the shower curtain and beneath the mail.

Where could Valor have gone to? She wondered after a few moments of fruitlessly looking inside cooking pots and plastic bags filled with mundane objects. Quinn had searched the entire house for him, yet her eagle refused to show up. Unease seizing her youthful heart, the little girl eyed the front door. Quinn, scared of the dark and the monsters hiding in the shadows only hesitated for a moment, before she stood up on her toes to twist the doorknob.

The door opened without a sound. Valor froze at the sight of his owner, dropping Anivia on the ground next to the swallow hole he had dug in the porch. He started whistling to himself while pecking at the ground, pretending to be looking for worms in the soil. The confused child glanced at the foreign bird that breathed heavily on the ground, Quinn's eyes focusing on the broken wing of the unconscious Anivia.

"Wuat happen to wittle birdie?" Quinn asked innocently, cradling Anivia in her chubby arms. Determination instantly replacing her puzzled expression.

"Come on Vawor we habe to help!" She smiled toothily at the exasperated eagle. Valor spared a forlorn look at the freshly-dug hole and the black garbage bag he had stolen from the kitchen, and then followed his owner inside with a soft sigh.

Qqqq

"Who's a good birdie? Who's a good birdie?" Quinn smiled as she stroked the feathers on her new pet. Anivia, sporting a bandage over her left wing leaned into the little girl's touch cooing in delight. She was only biding her time until her wing healed and she could take on the traitor again, Anivia tried to convince herself as she rubbed her face against the palm of the child. This felt nice though, she could get used to the petting.

Next to her, Valor glared at the two's interaction. He was also a good bird sky-damnit! He also wanted Quinn to stroke his head!