IRON GOD | 1: Peripeteia

[25] Channei: A Few Steps Ahead

Channei loved being a magpie. Those damn birds could get away with murder and no one would think twice about it. Once Ami swatted her off the rail, she flew back up to Master Qila, giddy as the real bird, and landed at the old woman's feet. She tugged at Qila's bootlaces to get her attention, then spouted a few words. "Ami's on the lift."

"Well done, Channei." Qila stared dead ahead and showed no real sign of being pleased. "Let Yayaba know what's happening. I doubt we'll need her, but just in case."

Channei nodded her head and took off. The wind swept her up like she weighed nothing. She listened for the lightningfisher's calls amidst the howling gusts and eventually spotted Yayaba taking off from the cliffs and diving down into the valley below.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to keep up as a magpie, Channei became a falcon. Easy enough to remember, given how many nested on the mountainside. She folded her wings inward and dived after Yayaba. Together, they plummeted down into the valley. Yayaba threw her wings back out just before hitting water. Her clawed foot skimmed the river and splashed Channei's feathers. Channei grabbed onto Yayaba's neck spines with her talons and tried to yell over the wind. "Yaya, sis! Listen up!"

Yayaba snapped her jaw open and cracked a whip of lightning across the water's surface. Then she grabbed a mouthful of stunned fish in her needle-like teeth and bolted them down.

"Master Qila said to let you know she doubts she'll need your help." She omitted everything about Ami. "But I could use a favor."

Yayaba's streamlined head twisted around like a snake's.

"Point me toward Howl Hollow, would you?" Channei asked. "Or a bluehole that'll take me there."

The lightningfisher hollered. Her wingtips splashed against the water.

"I'm not insane, I'm a few steps ahead," Channei snapped back. "Kolo was first spotted there, right?"

Yaya bellowed.

"What, you think the ghosts are gonna get me?" Channei was nearly out of breath trying to keep up with the lightningfisher. Her wings hurt like hell. "Yaya the coward who stayed quiet. Doesn't sound great."

Yayaba took a hard right and landed on the riverbank, scaring away a gaggle of snow geese. She snapped a straggler out of the air and smashed its fragile body against the stones, killing it instantly. Channei landed with her, then returned to the human form she thought most beautiful. Yaya growled at her.

"I'm hungry. Let's share." Channei beckoned with fingers that still looked a little like talons.

Yaya refused to make eye contact.

"Please?" the shapeshifter tried. When that didn't work, she added an apology. "Sorry I called you a coward. But you've gotta prove to me that you're on my side."

Yayaba nipped one of the goose's legs off, then tossed it to Channei. The shapeshifter bit right into it, not caring that it wasn't cooked or even plucked. "Thanks," she said through a bloody mouthful. "So, are you going to help?"

Yaya sighed and folded her neck spines down. Then she lifted her head and pointed it toward the horizon.

"Northeast. Thank you. See? Wasn't that hard." Channei ripped off another strip of raw meat, then patted the lightningfisher's serpentine head. "Enjoy your food. Come get me if if I'm not back soon."

Yayaba grunted.

"Yeah," Channei sighed. "I owe you one." She shifted back into the falcon but found it more difficult that time. Her feathers came in ragged and patchy. That frustrated her. She always wanted to look her best, but eventually she supposed it didn't matter and took off anyway.