Wings of Honor: Tales of Pyrrhia

Chapter 23: War Were Declared

I wasn't about to leave Moon's side. I felt along the great, black, mythical beast who saved me. Goldman's grenade only created a humongous blast, but the pieces of rock it dug up and whizzed inside the cave like a gang of hornets. I ran my fingers along her, feeling her smooth scales, but also picking up lubricating, maroon-colored liquid.
She had saved me again, but this time at an even greater cost. Her slow, methodical, heavy breaths stirred my jitters. I wished I could just stay next to her. Keep her warm, keep her safe. She proved her loyalty to me, and I was indebted to her. And yet, here she lie, unconscious. Alive, but knocked out, because of me.
I wanted to stop it, I had the opportunity. But Moon saw further ahead than me. She saw I would not make it in time, maybe she saw in a vision. I think I almost had a few of those, but I forced myself to push through, daisy chaining the cactus away. That action alone probably saved a couple dozen lives, the blast would've wiped us all out. But I wanted to end this, one final push.

I never made it...

Instead, I made my closest friend in this entire world... a casualty.
"Get your head out of the gutter, Marvin," McManis spoke softly to me, walking up behind me.
I didn't even notice I had started crying.
"It's all my fault, McManis. I should've played it safe, I didn't have to go in."
"No. Stop that thinking right now." He pointed at me. "You know you did what you saw right in front of you, you did the right thing." You did good Marvin. It's just... this one just happened to have these consequences.
"Consequences." I echoed his thoughts.
"Consequences." McManis sighed. He just walked up to me, setting a heavy arm and a rough hand around me. He looked her over, noting every shrapnel wound he could see. She's a little cut up, but she'll live. What I want to know, is how Marvin got out unscathed.
I sniffed, rubbing away tears. "She protected me."
"What?" McManis devoted his entire attention to me. His mind was as shocked as his expression.
I shook my head. "She grabbed me... just before the bomb went off. She covered me. She saved me." I looked up at McManus,
Oh.
That was the only word he thought.
Looking back over Moon, who still lay asleep. I continued hugging her, trying to keep my salty mocos and tears away from her wounds that still oozed red liquid. They clotted some, but the wounds were still fresh.
McManis had taken off his helmet, holding it over his chest. His ruffled brown hair indicative of his carefree attitude and experience. He was a mixture of impressed, in awe, and a sliver of sadnesses. He too was genuinely concerned about Moon, maybe as concerned as I was. Actually, more so, his only thoughts were about my friend.
Suddenly, a presence and a voice burst through the door.
"Clay says she'll be okay. He's got food and water going-"
"Be respectful Travers!" "Shut up! Can't you see she's sleeping?"
McManus and I converged on him at once, I saw him shrink a little.
That little idiot. McManus grumbled. He's powerful, I wish he knew enough that he was, and could actually be effective.
McManis let me be, hushedly talking to Travers. I remained close to Moon. Listening to her slow, gentle breathing. I couldn't feel anything through our link, this was the only way I knew she was okay. So I stayed.
Suddenly, hushed footsteps beside me. I looked up just in time to grab Travers' hand before he touched her.
"Step away," I said with a growl. You will not touch her.
"But I could-" He started.
"I don't want your charity."
I let him go. I didn't notice I grabbed it so hard it was turning blue for a second. He stepped back, hurt by a lot of things. But he respected my wishes.
I felt a couple of larger presences enter the room. Qibli appeared in my peripheral, nuzzling her.
"She's alive. Clay said she'll make it through." I said, relaying what I knew.
Suddenly, something snapped in Qibli. I only got a single warning, he looked at me and snarled. The next thing I knew, I was beneath the talons of a SandWing, growling rabidly.
"Qibli!" I shouted, the breath knocked out of me.
"You were the reason she got hurt! You wanted to gain glory and fame! You're just like all the other soldiers. Out for fame and fortune!" Qinli spat.
I couldn't move, I couldn't even hold my cross. I turned and saw McManis trying to gain his attention, Travers stood frozen.
"Qibli! Get off him! He's not your enemy."
"McManis." I squawked.
Qibli was pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. I was being pressed to death, by an uncombattable force. Panic surged through me.
Qibli was going to kill me for hurting Moon. I was going to die at the hands of a friend, or someone I thought of as a friend.
I deserved it.
I closed my eyes, relinquishing my fate to him.
"HANDS OFF THE LIEUTENANT!"
I heard McManis's scruffy voice ring through, clear as day. Judging by how Qibli flinched, I knew he heard it too.
I opened my eyes and saw my cross, dangling from the front grip of the shotgun. The light globe light reflecting off the cross as it swung like a pendulum.
"I have slugs loaded up, enough to pierce through your armor Qibli. Don't make me kill you." He brought the stock closer into his shoulder.
The coldness of his voice, I saw the conviction in his eyes. Qibli was torn as well. Either die as a martyr to bring justice for Moon, or forgive something he couldn't forgive himself. But he knew he had no other choice.
He slowly got up off me, I inhaled deeply. I could breathe! Travers rushed to me, dragging me away to safety. Qibli sat back down, but McManis still had the pin sights trained on him.
"Marvin! You're okay?" He called to me, never letting up.
"Fine as I can be McManis."
I saw McManis motion to Qibli with the shotgun. "Use your words dragon. Why did you attack Marvin?"
Something came over him. He looked ashamed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt him. It's that... he hurt Moon." He said softly, and gently.
"He was trying to save her." McManis quickly said, mimicking his tone and lowering his weapon. "I must admit, it wasn't his finest action."
Qibli chuckled. I rolled my eyes, nodding. It was true.
"So. I'm only going to ask this once." Because you only get one other chance after something like that. It's what Marvin would do. "Are you going to try and kill Marvin again?"
Qibli sat up and shivered. "No. Never again. I don't know what came over me."
McManis smiled at the terrified dragon, clicking his weapon on safe and throwing the barrel and grip over his right shoulder. "I trust you."
We all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Moon! Qibli!"
Kinkajou burst in, nearly knocking McManis off balance. She whimpered something, rushing over to Moon and covering her with brightly colored wings, now painted in rings of a ghostly white.
Turtle and Peril also appeared in the door, even Winter stuck his head in from the opposite side. The cave became so crowded. We all were concerned. Moon was a friend to all.
Something formed in my chest, a warmth I knew. I cared for everyone, I loved everyone as my own family. But that love also carried the weight and responsibility, and... brokenness when someone, anyone, got hurt. And I faced it every single day, Moon witnessed it.
All the men who served under my responsibility.
Joe, who lost his life saving the rest of us.