Wings and flames

Chapter 36

The forest seemed to taking deep calm breaths. Viri felt bad for having erupted a few days ago, the animals hadn't come out for two days. The cave felt warm and cozy despite the cold stone. Maybe that's why open sky felt better today. Viri had a dagger in her hand. Jade carried nothing. He chose to be a mountain lion today, one that was carefully following her. Viri realised he expected her to pick the target. She tried small talk.

"You hunt everyday?"

"Yes, my lord. I try to keep myself occupied."

Viri considered that. "It must be tiring, being kept prisoner."

"Demeaning too, yes."

"So do you want out?"

Jade seemed to be pleased by that question. "Yes, my lord. I do get to take strolls, unlike Aeck but I would like my freedom."

"How many times have you tried?"

"Oh several times. Countless. And then the hope drained out of me. Now I hunt, to remind myself that I'm alive."

"You don't mind if I...take over for today?"

"Certainly not. But perhaps staining your clothes with blood would not be convenient."

Viri tried to not let those words affect her. She blindly led Jade to a herd of wild buffalos. They were resting near Sedra under the bright morning sun. Hoping to be away from predators. Viri already knew which one she'd kill, when it came to animals, Viri tend to serve death. Find the one in pain or the one who was about to die, bring it to plate. The logic was simple.

As soon as the herd came into focus, jade slowly lowered himself until he was camouflaged in the tall yellow grass. He was eyeing his target, the closest one probably, he kept watch until it separated a little from the herd. Viri had already gotten the right animal, willed it unconcious and stabbed it just right to kill it in a second. All without a dirt on her sleeves. Jade seemed a little taken aback by the swiftness of it all. He realised she was looking at him, signaling him to act. He didn't know what was left to do.

"How do we... transport?" Viri asked. As a matter of fact.

Jade laughed. Then he realised that Viri wasn't joking. Perhaps the god didn't like to...well...change? He shook his head and changed into a tiger. One that looked like it was on steroids. Viri nodded at him and let Jade secure the animal between his teeth and drag it along.

They didn't talk much on their way back. Jade was slightly disappointed. He thought they would talk more. He didn't know how long she'd stay or if she'd even care to save his ass. His thoughts were interrupted by Viri's stillness.

They were only a few miles away from the cave. Viri signaled him to stay with her hand and Jade didn't need much else to obey. He slowly dropped the animal on the soft grass and looked ahead. There was no predator in view, then again, what would scare a tiger?

"Jade, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

Jade stilled. His heart beat sped up to a point where he could hear a long note stretched to hurt his ears. He managed, "What...what do you mean?"

"Are you expecting visitors?"

Jade's eyes widened. He didn't need to speak the rest. With the fear quickly spreading through his body, Viri now had access to his mind. The men she'd sensed in the cave were Black's. For whatever reason they'd come to check on Aeck. And Sam's presence did not help the situation. Both Viri and Jade leaped towards the cave.

They walked soundlessly when they were closer. Jade could hear noises. Viri seemed to be concentrating on something. Her eyes had turned and everything around them reacted to it. She could sense Aeck but she couldn't feel Sam. She counted to 10 and then nodded at Jade and left to enter the cave.

Jade hated these little 'visits' from the Black's. The general sent in his 'inner circle' members to keep an eye on Aeck, an under developed god. They tracked his progress constantly, ever since he was a kid. They were back again, to see if he had recovered from the last task.

"Hello, gentlemen." Jade said in his super cocky jaguar voice. These guys hated talking to an animal, which is why Jade insisted on being one.

"Where is the boy?" One of them asked.

"Oh! Right there!" Jade stared behind them confidently which made both the idiots turn around. It was for a short second or two but he was sure it was enough time for Viridian to jump in and dodge.

The two idiots turned back. "Are you getting blind kitty?"

"Oh well, I thought I saw a shadow. It's a small cave, I'm sure he's around. Isn't the fastest, as you know."

The two seemed to smile. Jade was disgusted at these men. They addressed a god as a 'boy'. It was disrespectful.

"Well we need to see him. Go fetch him. There's still use of him"

Jade couldn't wait to swallow them whole. "He hasn't recovered from the last attack. He cannot.." they cut him off. "Nobody cares. Get him."

Well as long as these morons stayed away from the rest of the cave, the water dragon and Viri were safe. Aeck, however, didn't share the same luck. Jade moved slowly in a direction he knew he would never find Aeck.

*

Viri had dropped into the cave, onto a rock and slid down it quite quickly. She hated this situation but she did like the tension. Jade was talking with the two Blacks. They obviously didn't know she was there, she tried to walk as softly as possible.

Viri didn't know the cave too well. But she followed the direction where she felt a tug. It was coming from the room she'd slept in. Odd. The door was open just enough, she entered the visibly empty room. Half her mind was on Jade and the Blacks, any sudden movements and she'd kill everybody to ensure that Sam was safe. 

In the bright afternoon, the sun lit up all corners of the big room. She felt that tug again, somewhere near the shelves, to her right. She took soft steps and then stilled when she found a pair of amber eyes waiting for her. Next thing she knew, Aeck held her hand and pulled her into what looked like a convenient little gap. One behind the shelves, so dark and devoid of sunlight that one would think of it as nothing but a wall. A perfect hiding place for one but an extremely intimate space for two.