The Mates of Dragons

consequences of actions

"Oh wow." Was all Kendra could say as they wheeled the huge cage in. There was a bird sitting in it with a regal pose and feathers the color of red blood. It had to be near four feet sitting and had solid black eyes shaped like tear drops. Its tail was nearly as long as the body draping on the bottom of the cage. It had several long royal blue feathers that sprouted from the back of its head and seemed to rise slightly every now and then.

The tips of its wings were marked with black and its six inch talons were a sight to behold. "You got that right. Damn thing was crazy to catch, should have been in the field." Derrick commented and had soot on him.

"It lit a huge portion of land on fire when it came down with the netting. Nearly dropped right on Riley. He has some good sunburn." Kendra smiled because that was amusing.

"How'd you catch it then?"

"It knocked itself out with the impact to the ground and then we doused it with a shit ton of water." Kendel said behind her and moved off.

"What if it decides to go supernova in here?" Kendra asked and Derrick pointed around.

"The whole building is cement, not much to burn."

"Oh." She said and looked at him. "We can burn." That sobered him a little.

"Well it hasn't done it since the field and there appears to be something wrong with him. Looking at him I would say that he is upset." Derrick stated and was taking some notes.

"How do you know, it's a male?"

"The brightness of his plumage. There were descriptions before of phoenix and it varies from this deep red color to a more russet red." Kendra said with a smile.

"Aren't you just phoenix 101." He gave a laugh, and lowered his voice.

"I don't think that captivity suits these birds." He sighed shaking his head.

"Would it suit you?" She asked and moved to where they placed the large bird. She instantly felt the unease coming from it, and what she would have guessed to have been worry. Very odd, but in this line of work she'd learn that intelligence and awareness came in many shapes and forms.

Conroy came over and had a pack that he was going to take samples from the bird, but the second that he got close the bird let out a loud piercing screech and the temperature in the room shot up fast. Kendra reached in and touched the bird.

It jumped from her scared of her at first. Then it moved back toward her hand and was making odd sounds its head up toward the ceiling and scooted around the caged area staying out of Conroy's reach.

"Kendra get it to cooperate." He snapped.

"I simply calm them, I do not control." She said annoyed and moved around the enclosure that the phoenix was now in. This whole level was made up of cells, four along each wall and then three in the center with space to move in between. Kendra moved to where it had taken a perch on a bed, it was making a very sorrowful sound and wouldn't stop.

"What is wrong with it?" Riley asked, the sound was almost painful to hear. It seemed to reach into a person. This was a mythical creature they were dealing with.

"I don't know." Derrick said but seemed concerned. Kendra reached in slowly not wanting to startle it and cause a fire to start. She touched his back and the song grew softer but just as tearful and after a moment Kendra gasped and her eyes went blank for a moment.

It was a flash of vision, there was a remote forested area. She felt the rush of air under her wings, and the joy as she swooped down and caught the prey it was aiming for. Nothing seemed off, nothing seemed wrong, and the world was peaceful, but then something hit her right out of the sky. It felt like a wall spinning around her and she panicked setting aflame.