Pursuits
Aurora followed Mist-Wings, Moss-Muncher, and Light-Hunter through the thinner portion of the forest. The young Light Fury's parents were being shown the shared-nest and introduced to various ground-kin. Moss-Muncher had already met Kin-liver, and she wanted to play. Fledglings of her age had unlimited energy.
They stopped on a ledge which dropped into a deep and clear pool filled with many-colored reeds and wispy water-plants.
"Is this the one?" Moss-Muncher asked, peering over the ledge.
Mist-Wings crouched, "Last one in the water is a rotten egg!"
Mist-Wings and Moss-Muncher jumped and splashed into the pool at the same time. When they surfaced, Mist-Wings sprayed a mouthful of water at the fledgling who barked in surprise and went on the attack.
Light-Hunter settled beside her, looking down on his sister and Mist-Wings splashing in the pool.
"Is she always this eager to play?" she asked.
"Always. Ever since she was grown enough to understand. She would ask me to play with her every time when I got back from a flight. It did not matter how tired I was."
"Did you sire-father and dam-mother not entertain her?"
"Yes, they did, but she still wanted me to play."
"Younger nestmates are like that. I should know, having four of them."
He chuckled, "Your family is much bigger than most. Two or three young is normal from what I have seen."
"Life was different in the world above. Nests could be bigger. Probably needed to be bigger for survival."
Light-Hunter dove and splashed into the pool while she remained on the ledge. Mist-Wings chased after Moss-Muncher's tail while the young Light Fury wove between columns of water-plants under the surface. Light-Hunter joined in the chase.
Light-Hunter's willingness to play with and entertain his younger sister was another point in his favor as far as she was concerned. Mist-Wings also appeared entirely comfortable around him and his kin. He had made his intentions completely clear in that he wanted to pursue Mist-Wings seriously.
While it was perhaps her own older-sister duty to be protective and keep Mist-Wings's best interests at liver, it was undeniable he was decent, respectful, and came from a warm family. If he and Mist-Wings became a pair, Mist-Wings would surely be happy.
She curled up on the overhang, her tailfins under her chin while she watched the playing below.
With two of her brothers having found their own mates, and with Mist-Wings having a serious option in Light-Hunter, the same realization as before bothered her. While there was no need to have a partner of her own right now, she would not find anyone if she remained within New-Haven-Range. Waiting for someone to show up, like how Flies-With-Sun and Light-Hunter had arrived, was not really a plan. That was to hope in chance alone. Unacceptable!
Nothing was twisted about wanting to be wanted, either by a life-mate or by a young one of her own, preferably by both. Being a dam-mother had brought Luna and her own dam-mother much warmth. Having responsibility for raising a hatchling and teaching them everything was perhaps unsettling but also exciting. To have a young one of her own curl up at her side under a wing would be new and warming and-
She got to her paws and grumbled, "Why am I so twisted?"
These thoughts were not entirely new. Part of her motivation for going with her kin on the adventure beyond over a full season-cycle ago was the chance she might find someone worthy out there. On the other paw, jealousy and discontent had been driving her back then. Those motivations were completely the wrong reasons for wanting someone to want her.
Was-Grounded waited with Shadowwing, their life-mates, and a pawful of their kin on the flat outside the shared-nest. Light-Hunter's kin, his parents and younger sister, were speaking in private with him after having been shown the ranges, introduced to a pawful of ground-kin, and given time to rest. From what Luna had told him and Shadowwing, they quickly got over their initial suspicion of the ground-kin, though the workings of the mixed-nest and purposes of all the dens were confusing.
Crashes-Mushrooms, Singing-Glimmer, and Moss-Muncher left Light-Hunter's side and approached.
Crashes-Mushrooms bent his head, "Thank you again for letting us fly with you and see your ranges."
Luna replied, "We thank you for being open to the ground-kin. Most of our kind are not as considerate."
"We enjoyed having you here, and you will always be welcome with us," he added.
Green-Wings offered, "Do you want any of us to go with you for safety on your flight home?"
"We will be fine. Please tell Mist-Wings she is welcome to visit us any time she wants. All of you are," Crashes-Mushrooms answered.
"Warm flights to all of you," Green-Wings offered.
Crashes-Mushrooms, Singing-Glimmer, and Moss-Muncher took flight and turned for the distant exit to the range. Light-Hunter strolled up beside him to watch his departing kin.
"That was a pleasant visit. I wish they could have stayed longer. What are your plans now that you are back with us?" Shadowwing asked.
Light-Hunter glanced at him and shrugged, "The same as before. Nothing has changed, except I might have or make a ground-kin friend."
Shadowwing perked up, "Really?"
"I hope so. We are not like Aurora and Rain-Eater with their life-bond friends, but maybe we will be in time. I still need someone else to talk to him for me."
Light-Hunter paused and glanced at him, Shadowwing, Luna, and Green-Wings before continuing, "Even if nothing happens between me and Mist-Wings, there is no other pack or anywhere else I would want to live. May I eventually become a true packmate of New-Haven-Pack?"
Green-Wings immediately answered, "Of course you may if that is what you want. I and Was-Grounded do not object. Just tell us when you want to be one of us."
Luna added, "I and Shadowwing agree. We would be glad to welcome you permanently."
Mist-Wings arrived with Hidden-Hope outside the shared-nest where their sire-fathers were available. She and her cousin were going to volunteer to be the watchers above. There was a-
She paused in surprise when she noticed Light-Hunter was present with their sire-fathers and a ground-kin named Kori. She did not know Kori well but had seen him around Light-Hunter before, and she had helped translate for them. Was Light-Hunter getting to know this ground-kin as a possible friend? It appeared so, even though he still needed someone to help speak for him. Light-Hunter had not had enough time to learn writing or ground-kin words. He might be too old to learn well anyway without much work.
Having him back was somehow a relief. He had not actually left because he had enough of being here or had been scared off. Even better, he had asked if he could eventually be a permanent part of her pack even if he and she did not-
She blinked and looked away to not gaze overlong at him. Hopefully no one, especially him, noticed she had been staring.
"Excited about being watchers?" she asked Hidden-Hope.
Hidden-Hope yawned and stretched her wings, "Not really, unless we can soar on the wind or splash in the waves. I miss those most."
"I know. It is not the same down here."
Kori departed, leaving Was-Grounded, Shadowwing, and Light-Hunter free, so she approached.
"Sire-father, Hidden-Hope and I will take the next turn of being watchers unless you or Shadowwing object."
"Okay, warm flights," sire-father answered.
"Fine with me. Could you bring news from Chief Stonefist? He was going to share how many fishing boats they have built," Shadowwing added.
"We will," she agreed.
Light-Hunter spoke up, "Do any of you mind if I come with too?"
Her sire-father faced her and waited, as if letting her decide. Why did such a simple request feel more important than before? Light-Hunter's interest directed at her, for whatever reason, was clear and well-known.
She glanced at Light-Hunter and nodded, "Please do."
Hidden-Hope exclaimed, "We can play faded hide and hunt!"
Light-Hunter chuckled, "Well, you and I can. We would not want to leave out Mist-Wings from the fun."
Up above the island in the middle of a cloudy night, Mist-Wings spun toward the sprawling ground-kin village-nest while Light-Hunter and Hidden-Hope soared toward the clouds. The village-nest, alight with torches, was significantly different from the one below, as this one was only made for ground-kin. There were no perches, dens large enough for sky-kin, or feeding stations for anything except livestock. Nothing gave any indication that sky-kin ever lived here or visited. A pawful of ground-kin were down by the shore, working to make boats or working with a broken boat.
While these ground-kin needed to live above instead of below, for various reasons, it was still chilling how they were apart from sky-kin and had none around at all except for her kin when they were being the watchers. Although, these were the ground-kin whose sky-kin flew off without returning, or perhaps had slightly different priorities.
Finally down over the nest, she dove and touched landed beside the chief-alpha's den on the edge of the nest. She strolled around the den into the light and called out to him.
"Chief! It iss Misst-Winngss!"
The door flew open, and the chief-alpha quickly came outside. Chief-alpha Lucan Stonefist waved his paws at her, put a single digit over his mouth to signal silence, and beckoned her to follow him. This was twisted and different. He led her around his den and to the edge of the thick forest where he stopped and glanced back to the village-nest.
"What iss it?" she asked.
"Sorry, Mist-Wings. Who else followed you up here, and where are they?" he asked.
"Hiddenn-Hope annd Light-Hunnterr arre up inn the cloudss forr funn. Iss therre a prroblem?"
He nodded, "There was a shipwreck a couple days ago. Foreigners. A dozen survivors."
She blinked in surprise. Foreigners? Ground-kin, or two-legs, not from her pack were now on the island.
"Wherre arre they?"
"We're keeping them in the village under guard until we decide what to do. I know we were supposed to chase foreigners away, but we had no chance with these ones since they crashed."
"Arre they danngerrouss?"
"They don't have any weapons, and they say they were fleeing war. We haven't had any problems out of them, but we don't want them seeing any of you or the entrance to the hidden world. Will you tell Shadowwing? We aren't sure what to do about them."
She agreed to tell him as soon as possible, and learned how everything else was going for these ground-kin. With the arrival of spring, the prey-livestock were doing well, and there were more boats for fishing. Even the remains of the crashed boat were being reclaimed. Other than the occasional dispute or fight among packmates, there were no problems. Still, this news was concerning. What if other foreigners started to show up?
"We will sstay away sso the sstrranngerrss do nnot ssee uss."
"Let Light-Hunter and Hidden-Hope know to stay out of the village. We're keeping the refugees away from the plain so they don't see the cave."
Right. Anyone allowed up on the plain near the island's center at the base of the main mountain would see the large cavern which led below. How long could that path be hidden? The strangers would certainly see it eventually, even if season-cycles later.
She nodded, stepped back from him, and took flight away from the village-nest to avoid being seen. At a safe distance, she flew higher and eventually found Light-Hunter and Hidden-Hope playing tag near the clouds, with Hidden-Hope being the pursuer. He was clearly flying slower than he could so her cousin could stay close.
She got their attention and got them to slow to a glide, "We need to talk. Follow me!"
They followed her down to the rocky mountaintop from where the whole island was visible, the shores in all directions, the green forest, and the village-nest with its lights. Hidden-Hope and Light-Hunter settled down and faced her.
"We cannot go down with the ground-kin. There are strange two-legs down there," she explained.
Hidden-Hope shuddered while Light-Hunter only appeared confused.
"What?" he asked.
"Two-legs? What are they doing here?" Hidden-Hope asked.
"Alpha Stonefist said they crashed a boat after fleeing fighting beyond. They do not know about sky-kin being here, so we cannot show ourselves in the nest. I need to tell Shadowwing about them. I can fly on my own if you both do not want to come with."
"Are you flying below right now?" Light-Hunter asked.
"I probably should, but I will come back. He needs to know. Do you want to fly with me?"
Hidden-Hope yawned, "I can fly, no problem!"
"Well, I suppose I have to come with to you keep you both safe!" Light-Hunter added with a chuckle.
Hidden-Hope growled and playfully flamed at his shoulder, "Hey, I can fight too!"
Light-Hunter leaped back from Hidden-Hope and feigned alarm, "So fierce. Mist-Wings clearly can fight. Maybe you can both keep me safe! Hope, want to race back below?"
Hidden-Hope leaped and dove down the mountain toward the cave. Light-Hunter huffed in amusement, glanced over his shoulder at her, and followed Hidden-Hope after a wingbeat. He felt like a liver-warming mix of teasing and playful while keeping distance, much like a big brother. He surely had plenty of experience entertaining a younger nestmate. At the same time, having someone else there with them made it difficult for him and her to bond as friends or possibly more than friends.
Shadowwing, Valka, Gobber, and Thorvald gathered by a table in the Great Hall to discuss the recent news Mist-Wings brought. Gobber and Thorvald drank from and emptied their mugs of ale while he related what his niece shared.
Gobber slammed his empty mug on the table, his mustache and chin covered in ale foam, "Tha's that. We cannae let'em go, ever. Too risky."
Thorvald nodded, "We don't know what they know about us, or the us who are up there. They might not know, but we can't know for sure they don't know. But if they know we don't know that they don't know then we know that, wait-"
Gobber glanced at Thorvald, "Yeah, that. Unless anyone said anythin', all those foreigners oughta' know about is the 'Jormians'. No chance yet for em' to see any dragons."
"Maybe not, but this means none of the Furies can ever show themselves openly above. That's not acceptable either," Valka replied.
"I agrree. We cannnnot avoid ourr ownn people up therre forreverr," Shadowwing agreed.
Gobber shrugged, "Maybe no one has yet said anythin', but what if someone gets drunk or accidentally mentions this world? What then? We have to decide what ta do about em."
"Ssomeonne will ssee the cave," Shadowwing added.
Thorvald shrugged, "Maybe pretend it's a path to Helheim. That ought to keep them away."
"Or maybe that'll scare them enough that they steal a boat and flee the island. It only takes one and the secret can get out," Valka countered.
Gobber frowned, "Fine. I'll say it. We could eliminate them. Sacrifice'em ta the gods, and stick'em up on stakes down by the beach. That might keep others away too."
No one said anything at first to that option. While killing prisoners was a terrible option and not at all what Berk had practiced, protecting the hidden world was bigger and more important than just their own traditions. If a dozen or so deaths would help prevent far more deaths, did that justify the killings?
On the other hand, there was no guarantee that such warnings, corpses hung up by the beach, would even help establish a fearsome reputation. It wouldn't stop shipwrecks or an invasion. Some wilder peoples might even consider that an invitation to attack, just for battle against worthy, fearsome opponents.
"Nno, we arre nnot that vile. But I agrree we cannnnot keep the sstrranngerrss inn the village forreverr. Nnot prractical. If they arre rreally ssimpletonnss fleeinng warr, they will nnot fearr uss onnce they unnderrsstannd uss."
Valka nodded, "Maybe you and yours can show yourselves to the strangers one family at a time. If they aren't thirsty for dragon blood, perhaps we can bring them below. Letting them stay above is too risky long-term. They aren't even sworn to secrecy by blood, family honor, and their place in Valhalla."
Gobber mused, "I suppose that'd work. We've got space ta spare. Maybe we could allow'em back above once they've proven themselves and taken the blood oaths."
After agreeing what was to be done, Thorvald and Gobber went off on their own while Valka followed him outside.
"You sshould learrnn how they founnd ourr isslannd."
"It's on the maps and unclaimed as far as anyone knows. This surely won't be the last time anyone arrives."
A more disturbing possibility came to him after he left her. While refugees arriving was one troublesome matter, an actual invasion would be far worse, and there was no real plan for if that were to happen. The watchers on duty could bring news, hopefully before the attack began, but any response would have to be complete, leaving no survivors among the attackers. An actual invasion would mean someone already knew about the location.
One option would be to try to collapse the cave and permanently seal off the hidden world. That would be a major endeavor, with a lot of planning if it were even possible.
Back above after sharing the important news with Shadowwing, Mist-Wings followed Hidden-Hope and Light-Hunter toward the side of the island opposite the village-nest. The sun-sky-rock began taking flight above the distant, watery horizon.
Down on the beach, Hidden-Hope landed and dove headfirst into the surf. While Hidden-Hope splashed in the waves, she and Light-Hunter rested beside each other atop a sandy, grassy bluff overlooking the beach.
"Not joining her?" he asked.
She yawned, "No. Where she gets all her life-flame from, I do not know. Also, not much feels better than resting as the sun-sky-rock warms your back."
"I can agree about that," he replied.
Calm wingbeats passed as the mild wind carried the roll of the sea and the calls of sea-birds. Being out under the open sky and at his side was pleasant and-
Of all the opportunities to bond with him, this had to be one of the best yet.
"The ground-kin named Kori. What is happening with you and him?" she asked.
Light-Hunter lay his head on his paws, "He and I have the same type of family-kin: sire-father, dam-mother, and younger nestmate-sister. He had a rock-belly sky-kin, but he has not seen that sky-kin in over a season-cycle. He thinks it became prey or left him. I would not say we are friends yet, but I want to give him more of my time."
He paused and huffed, "Ground-kin words are twisted. I wish I could understand them or not need one of you to talk for me."
"They are much easier to learn as a young fledgling, but do not be chilled. Even now, there are ground-kin words which mean the opposite or have no lift at all. It is not your problem."
"You have no special ground-kin friend?" he asked.
"None. I never met any who I felt close to at liver. Alvor, Safiya, Erevan, Kin-liver, they have always been enough for ground-kin in my life-flight."
Quiet wingbeats passed before he broke the silence.
"We should not avoid this cloud anymore. We should talk about about us," he said.
"What about us?" she asked.
"You got to meet all my kin, and you know why I flew to your pack. I want to know how you see me."
"Why do you want me?" she asked.
He replied, "Why? Why are light-rocks bright and warm? Why does warm air fly up? I cannot pin a clear reason, but that does not change that I know the truth. You are special to me like no other female has ever been."
"Special how? Is it that I am a Night Fury?"
"That is not what I meant, but that is also true. Your pack is strong and different from every other pack, you have lived and done far more than others who have only lived below, you are fierce and brave, and your liver is hot for your kin. The more I learn about you, the more I want you. I am not asking you to accept me as your life-mate right now, but I want to know if there can be such a place for me in your life-flight. I need to know."
The little hints ever since she started giving him any time at all were too evident. The warm pleasure at secretly observing him or the satisfaction of watching him play with her younger kin were further signs that there was more than only companionship.
She softly hummed, "I feel safe with you, and I trust you are honest. I never before thought about anyone as a possible life-mate, but you are special to me. No one else has pursued me or made me feel like you do. You are a warm friend, and we can be more in time. I agree that we should start pursuing each other."
He purred, "Good."
He leaned closer and licked her cheek, which he had not done before. No one outside of her kin had shown close bonding, but this was different. Not that his attention was in any way unpleasant.
She whispered, "Before you do anything else, I am not ready to make love or share pleasure. I do want that eventually, but not now."
He hummed, "As you want. I promise on my wings I will not push you or ask you to do what you do not want."
"Thank you, that means much. And I will be clear with you. If I want to do more, I will tell you," she agreed.
"Do the ground-kin have words for those who are pursuing a future-mate?" he asked.
She huffed, "Yes, but those are twisted words which do not mean what they say either."
"Why not?"
"They mix their words for young male and friend, or young female and friend. But the young are not even mature. I do not understand it."
"Ground-kin," he chuckled.
She yawned. Flying up the cave twice combined with the flight back to the shared-nest to warn Shadowwing had left her thoroughly tired. Nothing was more appealing than falling asleep where she lay with the rising sun at her back. Even Hidden-Hope appeared to have tired herself out, as the fledgling had left the water and made her way, tail dragging, up the bluff. At her side, Hidden-Hope widely yawned and dropped down on her belly.
"Tired?" she asked Hidden-Hope.
Hidden-Hope sighed, "No, but if you are going to nap here, I will too."
"Good plan."
She covered her cousin with a wing, and Hidden-Hope fell fast asleep at her side. She lay her head on her paws for rest, when Light-Hunter rested against her.
"May I hold your tail?" he whispered.
She hummed and wove her tail around his. Having admitted she wanted to seriously pursue him, showing him more bonding than before was fair.
Heather rolled over in her bunk, cautiously sat up in the dark, and glanced around the room. Everyone else from the ship appeared fast asleep based on the snoring. She got up and tiptoed to the front door, the wood boards slightly creaking at each step. At the front door, she waited for the guard to pass, slowly opened and closed the door, and darted outside into the night while keeping close to the huts and piles of junk.
The Jormians were keeping all the survivors in the same huts at night. While an understandable precaution for strangers, their behavior implied they had something to hide. None of the Jormians wanted to share much about their past beyond admitting they had not lived on the isle for a full generation.
A guard passed by with a torch while she ducked behind a crate. Once the coast was clear, she continued to the village edge and entered the woods.
Her boss was certain this island was somehow connected to the dragons' disappearance, and his instructions were clear. There was nothing she had yet seen in the village itself to suggest these people were dragonriders though. None of them had any dragonbones, excessively large stables, or anything atypical of a poor, isolated village on a forsaken island in the middle of nowhere important.
She had been allowed to help watch over grazing livestock outside the village. No one would suspect the quiet, skinny young woman of having an ulterior motive. Even out in the fields, there were no strange piles of dung or markings to suggest any large beasts.
The most bizarre command from Chief Stonefist was none of the survivors were allowed to wander on the island. There were even supposedly guards making rounds completely outside the village to prevent wandering.
Why would the Jormians not want anyone exploring the rest of the island? Further, none of the Jormians had longboats, only a handful of small fishing vessels. They could have disassembled larger boats to make their homes, or they had arrived here through the air.
A stick snapped some distance away from her, and she froze with her hand to a hidden shiv. A faint rustling sounded as a small creature, probably a rabbit or fox, retreated. There were supposedly no wolves or other predators to worry about.
She resumed her search, finally leaving the forest once a full rast from the village. Out in the open and under a moonlit sky, there was nothing of significance anywhere in sight. While she had not yet found any proof, these Jormians were likely the Haven dragonriders, less any dragons. She had to find proof for her own sake. Time was of the essence.
Leaving behind the darker portions of the range, Skadi continued deeper into the range until all grew brighter and the two-leg nest came into view in the largest chamber. As usual, the present kin were working in the fields, carrying rocks for the two-legs, or being allowed to rest.
Outside the nest, a pawful of familiar kin were present near the mushroom-trees on a lower level. Was-Grounded got to his paws and faced her as she landed and approached. He had probably been entertaining the youngest dark wings and dark-lights who were now dozing in the moss.
"Skadi, welcome."
"Was-Grounded, warm flights. Who were the other light wings who were here?"
He answered, explaining the four light wings whom he had previously met visited because they were curious about the two-legs, and because one of them was interested in Mist-Wings. She had kept herself hidden while they were here because of the risk they could have recognized her.
"Do you approve of Light-Hunter pursuing her?" she asked.
"He is not foul or cold at liver. I am not sure what she wants, but I was being too suspicious of him soon after he flew here. He is also making a friend of a ground-kin."
She slightly stiffened, though he did not appear to notice. Why would a free, wild kin who only recently found this twisted pack so quickly want to take a two-leg? What was the appeal or the temptation to give up freedom?
"Shadowwing had to fly above. Do you know why? I thought he did not fly up there much."
"This is important enough. Two-legs from outside our pack found the island above. He is helping the ground-kin Alpha up there decide what to do about them."
"Other two-legs found the island and the way into these ranges? Is that not dangerous?" she asked, feigning ignorance.
"Probably not on its own, but he knows better than I do."
Again with Shadowwing supposedly understanding two-legs better than any other kin. Where could that better understanding come from?
"Then I will ask him when he returns. I will wait at my cave."
He hummed in acknowledgment and returned to his dozing kin. She left him and turned for the cave-den they had given her far from the shared-nest. Once back within the cave-den, she flamed the ground, lay down, and stared out the cave-mouth at the dim light-rocks. All was calm and peaceful except for the faint rumble of distant waterfalls.
Peaceful.
Quiet.
Alone.
The isolation closed like encroaching darkness. All alone in a hostile and confusing pack just to learn the truth of the threat no one else could see. Being solitary had been easier in the past, back when she had no real friends or place in a pack, not knowing what she had been missing. Ice-Water-Pack had cast her out, not in words but in their actions. Her false friends back then had merely tolerated her presence, but she was never truly one of them.
She lay her head on her paws and closed her eyes. There was nowhere she would rather be than in her own pack. What had happened there since she left?
The small parts of being Alpha, such as resolving disputes or giving life-flight advice, held appeal she did not appreciate until now that she was not there to do them. The various ranges within her pack's safe territory felt far more like home than Ice-Water-Pack ever had. The leaders like Shatters-Columns had kept warm livers throughout all the past foulness.
Reflection, the void wing like a nestmate from a different dam-mother, was calm and understanding even though she had lived alone much of her life-flight too. The warm and young light wings, Azure-Sparkle, Amber-Fleck, and Storming-Flames, had invited her to be part of their friend-flight, not seeing her only as their Alpha to be feared and obeyed. Her Crushes-Rocks was-
How long had she been away from him? How many waking-cycles had passed since they last spoke, since she told him she would be away exploring this pack? What was he, truly, to her?
Unimportant.
No, this was important.
No objection.
What was Crushes-Rocks doing without her? He probably had nothing beyond his regular duties, being around his friends, and hopefully giving Reflection some time too so she felt more welcome.
Her own sire-father and dam-mother only had an agreement to make an egg, so pleasure had not brought them together. If anything, she and Crushes-Rocks were the opposite, with egg-making not being a goal or reason. Pleasure was all he and she had wanted, with eventual bonding as friends happening after.
Perhaps they could stay as they were: friends who talk, bond, and give each other pleasure. Would that arrangement lack any special warmth, and how was it possible to know without having felt that warmth before?
He was interested in her life-flight, and wanted to share his own as much as she wished for. He was warm and considerate toward his dam-mother and his friends, especially when there was cold in their pasts. While not aware of much beyond his pack, he was curious and not at all slow-thinking. Perhaps he could be too boastful or sure of himself, though hiding his uncertainty with some parts of life.
Was it even necessary for her to take a mate at all? Did other pairs name each other mates for a reason other than letting other packmates also know? By now, most of her pack had to know that she and Crushes-Rocks were together.
How likely was it that the first male she asked to be with her would be the one she could truly be warm with and share life-flights with? Too unlikely. Mere coincidence that their life-flights touched.
On the other paw, maybe the entire question was twisted. Why must there be only one male she could possibly be with, as though shared-warmth was not a choice but instead determined by winds none could control? Someone else could be a better partner than him: stronger, quicker-thinking, or superior in any other way, but that was unimportant. Choice was more important. Was he, with all of his life-flight, deserving of, no, not deserving- was he important enough to always have in her life-flight?
She sighed and covered her head with her tailfins. How could there be a balance between her being his Alpha, one of his friends, and his possible future-mate? Those were life-winds to fly once she returned to her pack. Only once the threat was eliminated, yes, yes- and all the ranges were safe or-
Within the cave-den, she held Crushes-Rocks close and snuggled against him, enjoying his warmth, comfort, and purring.
"Now you must focus. You cannot forget," he whispered.
"What?" she hummed.
"You know what you must do. We need you."
What was he talking about? This did not sound like him at all.
She opened her eyes and faced him, though he was not looking at her.
"What is wrong? Look at me."
He turned to face her.
She recoiled from him, scrambled to her paws, and spun on him, or on the not-him in his place. It was not him at all despite having his shape, but it was familiar. Its eyes were dripping with dark mist, and its entire body was like a living shadow with form.
Impossible. Nameless had no real body, but it did now. It had taken his body! No. That could not be either. What was happening? Nothing about this was real or true. This had to be a lie, a trick dream, a false-vision.
Why did everything feel real?
"You! What are you doing?" she exclaimed.
His false-form stared at her, not even speaking aloud.
"You are becoming distracted again," Nameless said, its voice numerous, slithering off the cave walls, and causing a flare of pain in her head.
"How?"
"Remember what you must do. He is not important."
Nameless gave her a false-vision to satisfy her longing for him, and even found its way into her dream? How was that even possible? A dream or false-vision was not the same as truly being with him. No matter how pleasant, how warming a trick-thought, a lie would remain a lie.
Had Nameless ever tricked her before?
"He is not important to you, but he is to me," she objected.
Nameless remained silent for several wingbeats, its shape flickering.
Nameless stepped back and faded into the shadows, "You were stronger when you did not let pleasure and distractions push your life-flight. You could be far greater than you are. Go out and see."
Nameless was gone from the cave-den.
Wary, she spun toward the cave-mouth. Nothing was visible in it. Curious, she made her way out the cave-mouth, past the dark mist hovering in the air, onto the ledge outside, and-
Chaos.
Total chaos.
Countless swarming wings. Columns of fire reaching up to the ceiling. Roars bouncing off every rock. Blazing inferno, the landscape and forest covered in flames in all directions.
Kin falling on two-legs and battling, flaming, tearing apart, or devouring them. Reclaiming their place and defending themselves. Destroying the false-nest, traps, and dens. Wondrous freedom. Justice.
Kin battling kin and falling dead throughout. Kin obedient to the will. Terrible. Powerful.
Laughter echoing within the roars and covering the entire inferno. A bright kin in the midst of the battle, sky-light flowing around the shape and making the bright kin uncertain; though it controlled all, no it was all, and none would challenge Them-
She woke up, scrambled to her paws, and wildly looked around her cave-den.
Alone. She was alone. All was quiet within the cave-den and without. There was no roaring of battle or flames outside.
Peaceful and calm.
She shuddered and hid in the back of her given cave-den, her back up against the wall even after she lay down. Slowly recovering her breath.
Nameless, the shadow-life which only she could see or speak to, had never shown in a dream before, or if it had, she could not remember. Why had Nameless tried to trick her? Probably out of concern and necessity. Showing a false-vision to sate her desire was- considerate? Unsettling?
Knowing Nameless was always with her in the dark and in the coldest moments of her life-flight had always been comforting in the past.
Not so certain anymore.
