Leoparrot Vanguard

Chapter 4 Lineage

"AH- oh sorry Darkfire I didn't see you there." Aayla said Darkfire put her hands on her hips
"Uh Aayla how in the Leoparrot Vanguard does she know our names?"
"I... uh told her." Aayla said awkwardly, rubbing her arm.
“Why?” they all demanded angrily
“Because she asked?”
“If you are going to hurt Aayla I’m afraid I can't allow you to do that.” Darkfire said dubiously
“Why?”
“Ah, so none of you know your family history, you see if I drink a person’s blood I can tell their family history lines and Aayla has something special, she is the great granddaughter of the original Leoparrot Vanguard General Stalee Offee.” That hit like a bullet through the others. They had all heard of general Offee but never realized that one of their own was an Offee. They were some of the most talented Leoparrot tamers ever. And that made Aayla one of them, her plan had definitely backfired.
"Wha- Aayla how come you never told us?"
"I didn't know!" all of her friends looked betrayed
"Like I said if you want to hurt Aayla you will have to go through me."
"Well I have no intention of hurting her but I just feel played." Thire said
"Same." Ace said, Valerie just nodded and looked down
"Woah guys come on we're all friends here right?" Aayla said uncertanly
"Maybe." Valerie mumbled. Aayla went and pulled Darkfire into a corner of the building.
"Darkfire, did you really have to break it to us like THAT?"
"What did you expect me to do? Not tell them that you were of the actual noble blood?"
"Maybe, look I just don't want to lose my friends' trust it's hard enough to have them mad at me-"
"Well since you feel that way I'm going to knock some common sense into them." Aayla sat down and buried her head into her arms. What am I going to do? She thought. Her neck suddenly stung like a bug bit her.
"Augh!" She said quietly to herself then she felt herself slipping into a deep sleep. Aayla woke to a light shining into her face
"Ah, finally you're awake So you are the one who is orchestrating these attacks, not very impressive." Aayla could not see the person's face but she was wearing a gray uniform that had some markings on the shoulder. Governor. Aayla could tell by the voice it was female.
"Ugh I feel terrible." Aayla said to herself
"Oh, well I ordered my guards not to be too brutal. But oh well." Finally Aayla could see the woman's face. She had grayish blue hair in a tightly wound bun indigo eyes and a blank facial expression. She was frowning deeply.
"Tell me, how did you attack so many nobles without getting caught?"
"Ma'am if you haven't noticed there's a thing called running." Aayla said sarcastically
"Augh! You are absolutely disgusting! Who taught you to be mannerful?!?" She said clearly outraged
"Nobody, but myself of course." Aayla said carefully, trying not to reveal her friends.
"Well you've done a terrible job of it! You will watch those rebels fall, just like the Leoparrot Vanguard." She snarled with a malevolent grin. Aayla's sarcasm fell over and turned into dust replaced by instant fear not just for herself but for her friends. What are they going to do when they can't find me? She thought. Just as she did the woman slapped her across the cheek
"This is just a tiny amount of what will happen to you " She said, still smiling.    

Back to Aayla's friends

"DARKFIRE WHERE IS SHE?!?" Valerie screamed
"I don't know!" She yelled back
"Guys, guys, you need to calm down." Ace said standing up. Thire was pounding his head against his knees and repeating to himself "why her?"  Valerie was standing up facing Darkfire who was reasonably an inch or two smaller than her.
"Calm down!?! Are you actually SERIOUS?!? Come on take a hint Ace, Aayla is captured and Darkfire was the last one to see her!"
"So are you placing the blame on ME?!?" Darkfire snapped
"That's EXACTLY what I'm doing!" Valerie said hotly, her face turning a dark shade of tan.
Then the fist fight started, nobody won and nobody lost but Ace finally got Thire to help stop the fighting since he was about 6' 4'' so he was taller than them all except Aayla she was taller by about an inch. Valerie ended up with some cuts and bruises and Darkfire had her mask ripped off revealing her face which was covered in blood from her nose and a few scratches. It was terrible but there was a lesson learned ‘end the fight quickly'
"So are you two going to kill each other still? Or are you friends?"
"Friends." Valerie replied, at the same time Darkfire said “aqquantances.”

Back to Aayla
Aayla had been thrown in a cell high above ground on a spire of concrete where the wind threatened to throw her off even though her legs were chained down. Why did it have to be me? She thought with boredom, there was nothing to do.
     "Heylo!" A small voice said from a nearby rooftop. It was a little boy about 7 years old
      "Who are you?" Aayla said looking to him
      "I'm Javek Orelios. Who are you?"
      "I'm Aayla Offee. Why are you here?"
      "Oh well I usually come see the prisoners and get to know them."
      "Have you ever gotten someone out?"
      "Yes I have. But if you want out it will be extremely dangerous." He said pointing to the hard concrete with small spikes about 20 feet below, and the nearby guard tower
      "I see… but yes, please tell me what your plan is".
      "Well, I usually get a board and walk across it and then walk back with you."
         "Ah, I like your thinking, but do we have a slightly safer version that involves less of a chance of getting caught?" Javek laughed at the statement and muttered something like 'help will come ma'am'

In the palace of Aurek

     "My lord, we have the prisoner, but she will not give up any information."
     "Have you tried the burn collar?"
     "No my lord, bu-"
     "You will use it. That is a valuable prisoner and her will is going to break unless she is of the leoparrot tamer blood, they were quite resistant to pain…"
     "But my lord, they went extinct 60 years ago!"
     "I know Manila. I myself was only 10. They came to the palace trying to slay the royal family they shrieked with anguish when the valiant royal guard killed them… they declared war on us that day and it was to their doom, my father had the pride of killing general Offee, one of his closest allies but as he did those riders tried so hard to get revenge and they did, but we terminated them so they could never terrorize us again." The king said solemnly lowering his head in remembrance. Queen Sunlily took his hand and gently held it
      "If she is of that disgraceful blood then you will be the first to know. She will be executed publicly, by you if you wish." Manila Kalitica turned and strode out of the hall to do some blood testing.