Birds Of A Feather

Cowardly Lion

Texas woke up that morning, alone.

"Huh...," Texas said, recalling that he fell asleep in Californias arms. He left the wagon to see his accomplices making breakfast and getting ready for more traveling.

"Good morning," León said sweetly. Texas smiled at him.

"G'mornin, where's Cali?" Texas asked.

"Hunting," León said, before handing Texas some freshly picked berries. Texas ate happily, Virginia curling up by his side. Soon Coahuila, California, Kansas, and Alabama walked over holding bundles of non-Aerillian birds. Texas used to get a bit perturbed eating birds after finding out he was an Eagle, but he loved chicken, so he pushed past it.

"How's your arm?" Texas asked Coahuila, who wrapped her arm stub with gauze.

"Good, it should fully grow back in a few weeks... just gotta keep replacing the gauze while it heals," Coahuila said.

"What do you think ate your arm?" Tennessee asked.

"Probably a baby axolotl, they tend to eat each other's limbs," Coahuila said. California chuckled.

"Wow... how many limbs have you lost before?" California asked.

"I lost my left leg twice, and my tail once... it's not that bad, I just have to be careful. If I lose the same limb five times, chances are it's gone forever," Coahuila said.

"That's so weird... no offense," Virginia said. Coahuila shrugged.

"It's normal for me, but yeah, it is a bit weird sounding," Coahuila said.

Soon, they packed up and kept moving forward, Texas and the mockingbirds flying ahead to look for trouble. Meanwhile, California was resting in the wagon with Coahuila.

"So... you and Tex finally an item?" Coahuila asked. California smiled and nodded.

"Mhm, I'm glad we finally talked it out... he's sweet, just a bit oblivious sometimes," California said. Coahuila shrugged.

"The word 'stupid' works just as well...," Coahuila said. Suddenly, they heard Texas cawing as the mockingbirds let out loud scream-like chirps. Coahuila and California jumped out of the wagon to see an Aerillian pack of wolves. The Aerillian predators of the group- except for León- shifted, while the prey Aerillians brandished their weapons. Half of the wolf pack shifted to their human forms to make it an even fight. León, knowing he wasn't a skilled fighter, tried to flee into the wagon, but the wolves noticed him.

"A lion! Take out the king!" The apparent alpha demanded. León was suddenly surrounded by the wolves. He knew, as a lion, the wolves believed he was the biggest threat. However, he was frozen with fear.

"LEÓN, NO!" Texas exclaimed, having shifted out of his Eagle form. He landed in front of his little brother, shielding him with his wings. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Texas exclaimed. The wolves weren't intimidated, and one tackled Texas to the ground as the others began ripping out his feathers. Texas screamed in pain, and California, in his bear form, picked the wolves up and threw them against nearby trees and rocks. Meanwhile Alabama tackled the alpha wolf and bit his throat. The pack, seeing their leader was defeated, grabbed him and ran away.

"Where's León?!" Coahuila exclaimed. They looked around, but couldn't see him anywhere.

Meanwhile, the wolf pack was trying to save their leader, when two of the pack ran over, holding León.

"We got the lion!" One exclaimed.

"What are we going to do with him?" One wolf asked.

"Do you realize how much money we could snag from selling his head?! Humans fear lions! There's no greater reward to them than a lions head above their mantle!" The wolf holding tightly onto León exclaimed.

"Hmm... sounds good... get the lion to shift already!" Another wolf said.

"NO! Please, don't kill me! Please!" León cried. The wolves laughed.

"Some king... show him a fate worse than death if he won't shift," Another wolf said. The wolves started grabbing weapons and sticks to beat León with, as the two wolves holding him tied him to a nearby tree. León was crying out for help...

And suddenly, a new wolf ran through the pack, knocking the other wolves down. He bit into the alphas neck, reopening his necks wound. The wolf quickly shifted to its human form, and with a small dagger, freed León from the ropes that bound him to the tree. He grabbed León's arm, and they ran away fast, before the wolf shoved León in a cave and pressed him against the wall.

"Wha-,"

"Shhhh," The wolf said, peeking out of the caves entrance and watching the wolf pack run past it. Once he was sure they were gone, he let León go.

"Phew... that was close," The wolf said. León sunk to the floor, shaking.

"Y-you're not gonna hurt me... right?" León asked. The wolf stared at him blankly.

"Wow, aren't you a lion? Where's your courage?" The wolf said. León pursed his lips.

"Aren't you a wolf? Where's your pack?" León challenged. The wolf shrugged.

"Touché...," The wolf said.

"Who are you anyway?" León asked.

"Alberta," Alberta said.

"Alberta... I like that name," León said. Alberta smiled.

"Thanks... how about you? What's your name?" Alberta asked.

"Nuevo León,"

"Hah, doesn't that just mean New Lion? That's adorable," Alberta teased. León crossed his arms.

"Yeah, yeah... I know...," León said.

"Don't pout, you look even cuter," Alberta said. León huffed, exiting the cave. He looked around, and was dismayed to realize he didn't know where he was.

"Um... Alberto?" León said.

"Alberta," Alberta corrected.

"Yes, sorry... do you happen to know how to get to the Aerillian empire from here?" León asked, figuring it was probably safest to go home at this point. Alberta shook his head.

"The Aerillian empire is pretty far... it'd take far less time to go to the reptile kingdom," Alberta said. León hummed in thought, knowing that's where his siblings were headed.

"Ok... if you can lead me there, that'd be helpful...," León said.

"Me? Lead you? You're literally a lion, the most respected of all therian, why do you need my help?" Alberta asked.

"Because I'm lost, and you know the way," León growled. Alberta shrugged.

"Fine, fine... follow me, oh cowardly one," Alberta teased. León just groaned, blushing in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Coahuila was losing her sh*t.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" She screamed at Texas.

"Huilita, please, I know he can't be too far!" Texas exclaimed desperately.

"HES A LION, TEXAS!! Those wolves can sell his body parts for millions! Don't you get it?! He could be dead by now! This is your fault! We shouldn't have let him come with us!!" Coahuila screamed.

"Huilita-,"

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Coahuila cried, going into the wagon. Texas sighed in defeat and sat down on a nearby rock, putting his head in his hands and gently crying. California sat next to him and cuddled close.

"I'm so sorry Texas...,"

"It's not your fault... Coahuila was right... León could be dead right now because of me... I-I....," Texas said, before sobbing. California held him close.

"We need to keep moving," France said, looking out at the horizon.

"But France... we just lost a child...," Alabama said softly. France sighed deeply.

"And we'll lose more if we stay put," France said. Everyone silently exchanged glances, and hesitantly pressed on. Texas's heart was still heavy with guilt.