Birds of a Feather

Chapter 1

"I can help! Let me show you!"

"No Tommy! For the hundredth time, no! You're not ready!"

The loud slam of the door ended the conversation, leaving tense silence in its wake. A weary sigh broke through the tension, followed by the sound of a chair scraping on the hardwood floor. "He's too naive. Doesn't know the danger that waits in the shadows, looking for just a moment of weakness. How am I supposed to be the one to send him out there?"

The older man spoke with a tired edge in his tone, cupping his head in his hands. He sat at the only table in the room, a well worn dark wood dining table. There was another man in the room, younger than him by only a few years. He stood by the door of the entry door, opposite the door that was slammed. He had a subdued look on his face, looking at the older man with pity.

"You're doing the right thing, he can't go out there. The second one of those winged bastards sets their eyes on him; he's as good as gone. He can't fight, can't kill, not like the others can. It's best he never joins the hunt" the standing man spoke, a steel behind his voice that told of his stance on the matter.

"But you know the boy, he won't stay cooped up in this village. He's got a strong spirit, stronger than most around here. If only it was focused on more useful things. He's sharp as a blade, we've all seen it. But his heart is weak, the second he's got his blade to something's throat; he backs out." The man in the chair spoke louder, frustration seeping into his voice.

The man pushed off the wall, heavy steps reverberated through the floor as he stalked closer. "Then give him a job! Have him train under the blacksmith, or learn the horse masters craft. Give him something else to focus on Rayner, to get his mind away from the hunt"

The man in the chair, Rayner, lifted his head to send a glare at him. "You don't think I've tried that Artus? I've had him apprentice under every trade this village has to offer, nothing sticks! He just brushes them off and demands to join the hunt. I don't kn-!"

The sound of the door slamming open echoed through the room, Rayner standing up to face the unknown source. Not a moment later, a grizzly looking man stomped through the door, kicking it shut behind him. "Damn those pigeon bastards! We almost had one!" he stalked over to the table, slamming his hand down on the table.

Rayner looked down at the table, seeing the bloody mess left behind. A handful of crumpled and bent brown feathers lay on the table, painted red in dark blood. "Radulf, how many times do I have to tell you to keep the blood off the damn table!" his tone rose near the end, sending a frustrated scowl at the man.

Radulf scoffed, dismissing him as he stalked a little ways away. "Another failure of a hunt, one of the new recruits got spooked and threw off my aim. managed to injure the beast, but it got away"

Rayner watched the angry man, thinking about the news given. It's getting harder and harder to make a successful hunt nowadays. The Elytrians had started moving further into the forest, living in the hard to reach areas. The only ones they could get now were the few that ventured to the forest floor.

He was about to speak again when he heard a quiet noise, the slightest creaking of wood. He glanced over to the source, seeing a shadow flicker under the door Tommy left through earlier. He sighed tiredly, looking towards the two angrily debating men. "Let's take this somewhere more private" he said quietly, nodding towards the door he knew Tommy was listening through.

They both looked that way, a look of understanding on their face. Silently the three left through the main door, letting it click shut behind them.

Tommy let out the breath he was holding, slumping against the wall he was braced against. Another denial, every single time he asked to join the hunt he was turned away. All of the boys his age had already been on multiple hunts, learning the ways of the village. It was practically a right of passage for them!