Wings of Honor: Saving Grace

Chapter 17: Unit Dispersal, Planned Rally

I cannot remember much from last night. Maybe for a reason.
Even though Marvin was asleep, I think he somehow was affected by what happened last night as well. He was up with the sun, already facing down the dawn. All I saw was a shadowy silhouette amidst the waving grass, laying prone, looking over the bluff.
"Hey. Grace." Travers rubbed my wing, walking up.
"Hmm?"
He motioned to Marvin. "Was it just me, or did he change overnight?"
I just looked at my friend. Mis mind was open, and he was content. Barely a hint of whatever he was feeling yesterday was present. He was just... okay.
"Marvin." I sighed. "His mood can change like that. Just... almost out of the blue. I don't know how he does it."
Travers looked back at him. "I know." He said. Leaning down and coming back up with his M1 rifle. He started walking over to the shadowy figure.
I just looked on for a moment, but then noticing the two were talking, I went partially camouflage and joined up with them. They both now were laying prone in the high grass, looking over the bluff at the SkyWing Palace.
"You see anything?" Travers asked, peering through his own set of glasses.
Marvin did not respond for a moment. "I can't really make out any details, but I count at least three roving patrols. Two or three man groups." Where the "men" he was referring to were actually dragons. "Hold up. I got something better."
He slid back away, while Travers kept looking. I watched as he headed back to the camp, grabbing his Springfield and scope. Affixing it quickly to his rifle, easing the spring to make sure it was unloaded, before looking through.
Travers scoffed. "That would be nice to have a high powered scope like that." He casually mentioned.
"Well, there are sniper M1s out there, like Wessly's M1C, that use a 2.2 times scope. M73B-1 scope, I think it is." Then he settled in to keep watching.
I wish I could have a scope like that. I would be able to range out better with my M1.
Before any of us could stop him, his mind said the fatal words. Me and Marvin both looked on in terror as a scope materialized onto Travers' rifle. Marvin blinked twice, his mind a total whiteout.
"Travers! What have I told you time and time again!"
"I'm sorry Marvin. I really am."
Marvin took his rifle from him, taking a moment to inspect it. He checked if it was loaded, letting the bolt slam home. But then he looked back at Travers.
"How... much magic did you use when you were on your own."
Travers fell silent.
"Grace?" Marvin turned to me.
I just hung my head, shaking it.
Marvin sighed, walking up to put his arm around Travers' shoulder.
"Well... I'm not going to object having more spotters." He took up his position again, aside Travers. I pulled up just behind and beside Travers.
"So yeah," Travers began. "How was life in the Ice kingdom?" Both me and Marvin lost the wind in our sails. "Really! You all somehow went from right next to me in the Sky Kingdom, then to Possibility, then to the freakin Kingdom of Ice!"
Marvin hung his head. I could already tell he didn't want to talk about it.
"It was... something else, Travers."
Travers looked at me and frowned. Then he traced my eyes and realized Marvin was off in his corner again.
"Oh."
I heard a single sniffle. Marvin adjusted himself and brushed his face with his arm. "No. Travers," he looked over at him. "That... going into the Ice Kingdom... I just broke." Marvin finaly said, I felt the tears welling in his eyes. He sat up. "I was just done with all this shit Travers. Loosing Kinkajou, realizing you were so close... then forced to move away from you, and then Winter saying 'fuck all!' " Marvin flailed his arms wildly into the air. "And going into the Ice Kingdom. Even though Moon asked him not to, and he just yelled at her like she was the enemy. He shunned his friends. He hated them." Marvin stopped, breathing hard and fast. Tears threatening to roll down, some even being caught by his cheek. "It wasn't even his fault even. It was his family, his brother. He wanted to rescue his brother. But that... but his family..."
Travers, in one fell swoop, understood. He crawled up beside him, laying his arm across Marvin's back.
"I... understand Marvin. You... have shown me time and time again how much you value family."
Marvin sniffed.
"But... Winter's family. It's... toxic, it's not okay. Why would you willingly pitch family against family? Just for a higher place on a stupid piece of ice!"
Travers patted him, looking up at me. I walked up, pulling them back with my tail back into cover. There, I could be, enveloping them in an embrace.
I felt Marvin's sorrow, I felt his pain. He was truly empathetic. Even though it did not affect him directly, Winter's family was not his family; but he still felt it. Winter's actions. He was a part of Marvin's family, even if he didn't know it yet. But now, his family affected Marvin's.
He remembered his father's words: "Don't worry about others, worry about yourself first. Let them take care of themselves. Don't offer more than you need to."