"Nixee, is that you?" Called Rannie.
"What now?"
"I want you to, meet someone."
"Why?"
"Come on mate."
"Argh, fine."
"You won't regret this."
"You'd better hope not. So, why are you taking me to this friend of yours?"
"Because, I believe she can help you."
"Help me?" She laughed "Why would that be?"
"She is like you."
"So, she burns everything she touches? Bloody hell Rannie-" She was cut off by a sudden shudder. The tree they were perched apon shook and they looked down and saw a man, holding an axe halfway through the stump. "Crap." She muttered and took off without warning or another word, leaving Rannie stunned and slowly toppling down with the tree. He realised what was happening and flew on after her, following the faint smell of fire.
"Nix?" Rannie called "Nixee I know how awkward this sounds, but, seriously, I can smell you,"
"Eww, why would you say that?" Nixee replied, both disgusted and amused. "Its gross."
"Ha," He laughed, "I'd ask where you were, but, you're, how do I say this? Glowing? Yeah, glowing."
"Right, I'm a flaming thing."
"Wow, you are really getting used to this beautiful country, aren't you. Anyways, are you coming to meet my friend?"
"Okay, fine I'll come," Rannie went to walk away, "But under one condition."
"Depends, what is that condition?"
"LEAVE ME ALONE AFTERWARDS!" Nixee yelled.
"Crikey, settle down. And right-o whatever you want." He didn't sound sure.
"Good, shall we go?"
"Yes, we shall."
They flew off exchanging a quick glance every now and then. He started to laugh.
"What? What's funny?" She asked quickly.
"Oh, uh, don't worry about it."
"I wasn't exactly, worried, but now I am, tell me what you were laughing at."
"Pushy," he sighed, "You, I was laughing about how you always find a way to push me to almost cracking, then release the pressure. I don't know how you do it, but you do."
Before he had a chance to continue she felt a dull burn, and heard a concerned Rannie saying her name, then, heard nothing and saw nothing.
"Nix? Nixee open your eyes." A familiar voice broke the darkness and pulled her out of her heavy slumber. "Nixee, are you alright?" It was Kat.
Nixee's next words were even hard for her to seperate. It sounded something like "Yamfinelemioop.Gah."
"Ah, what was that?"
"Yes I'm fine, let me up!" She cracked open her heavy eyelids and looked around. "Rannie? Argh I thought I told you to leave me alone." Cara was sitting silently, watching, holding onto Kat while she was desperately trying to get over to Nixee with a damp cloth. "Oh, ah, hi?"
"Yes hi! We've been worried sick about you. If Ran hadn't brought you here you'd probably be dead and-ouch! What the heck?" Kat glared at Cara like she was a slimy creature that had crawled out from under a rock and should be hastily returned there. But, of course it was just Cara, her daughter, who had just gracefully kicked her mother's legs out from under her.
"Mum, shut up! You are freaking out the poor girl." Cara said calmly.
It was strange, Nixee thought, that such a small family of such small birds could have such big characters, such big hearts, though, of course, nothing could be quite as small as their brains. Nixee laughed inwardly at how sharp her wit was.
"Yes, I did promise that," Rannie cut in, "And I will leave you alone. But, as my wonderful sister has just said," Kat looked smug at this remark, Rannie rolled his eyes, "you would have probably died. You are quite the fireball I might add."
"Fireball? Are you flirting or being serious because I don't have time for-"
"I believe he is doing both." Cara added quickly, she was rewarded by a smile from Kat and death glares from Rannie and Nixee followed by a smoldering tail, also-with compliments-from Nixee. "Ouch," she screamed, "Mum!"
"Good going," Rannie laughed, "anyway, you haven't met Phoe yet. That was the deal."
"Phoe! You know you can't go near her! She filed a restraining order against you!" Kat half whispered half yelled. This was true, although, Rannie didn't seem to care.
"Yes, I guess that was the deal." She took a deep breath "So, when should we go?"
"Patience grasshopper. We go in the morning." Cara said in her usual, sensible voice. "Now, we sleep. We have a long day tomorrow, Nix."
"Yeah, I'll be outside, I need air." She replied drowsily.
"Okay." Kat gave her a quick hug then dashed off. "I'm inside if you need anything. Don't you go flying off now. We need you to stay here. Have my room, I'll have the couch."
"No, I'll sleep outside. At least there I won't burn anything down." She sighed, "I hope." She whispered once Kat was out of earshot.
"Are you sure?" Kat called.
"Yes, thank you though." With that she walked outside and sat on the supporting branch that carried their birdbox. Before she knew it she was no longer watching the stars move sluggishly along the horizon, but the backs of her eyelids.
In the dream Nixee was a child again, not the centuries old girl she is now. "Nixee?" A shy motherly voice came out from the shadows "Nix, my love, its bedtime. Arkfree's blue hour has arrived." Arkfree? Was she in Arkfree? The woman's voice came back and told her to sleep. Her eyelids felt heavy, like they were being dragged down by cement. She awoke to a bang and noticed the birdbox she was in had been shattered open. She then heard the older woman scream "Leave my baby! Take me!" Her voice was frantic "Leave my Ni-" She was cut off suddenly and replaced by a gurgling scream that sounded like tearing bark. A tall human man stood by her own nest now, lifted his blade, then with a violent crack, turned to ash. The other men looked around in surprise and fled. A single spark of electricity had landed on her chest and sank through her feathers. The spark of lightning embedded itself into her heart. The darkness engulfed her and dragged her into an eternity of fear and running from everything she destroyed.
"Mum!" Nixee yelped. Then looked around. "Oh, crap. You're all here."
"Yeah. We heard you screaming and we got worried." Kat supplied helpfully
Nixee felt like she was standing featherless in font of the whole world's audience. Not a good feeling. She glanced down at her chest, looked over to where her heart is and saw that there was a completely black feather, where there was once only white.
"Woah, why are you changing colour?" Rannie asked with annoying innocence.
"I can't say. The dream. The men. The lightning, it fell on me. I ran. I can't. Hurts to think about." Nixee spluttered then collapsed onto the branch. "I need to breathe."
"Have some water, hun." Cara offered her a small shell of water. Which the took hastily and drank down quickly before giving the empty dish back to the smiling little bee eater. "Better?"
"Much better. Thanks."
"I contacted Phoe." Kat said, "She is eager to see you. Just as long as you are not accompanied by-in her words-my dreadful brother." She offered Rannie an angelic smile. Rannie just scowled and muttered something about Phoe not liking it if he tipped a bucket if ice on her head. "So, I'm coming with you instead."
Rannie looked like he was the one whom had the ice tipped on his head. "What?" He squealed. "She barely knows you! She doesn't trust you!"
"Rannie, stop, you are starting to soung like a dolphin. I'll go with Kat, to be totally honest I don't trust any of you and I sure as hell would rather go with Kat than go with the one guy who has been following me around nonstop since I got here."
"Dude, she's so right." Cara laughed then stopped when she noticed Rannie's glare.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going. It will take us a while to get to Phoe's place. Plus, the sun is nearly up and I need to show you something, Nix. I promise, you won't be disappointed." Kat giggled and took Nixee by the wing, shoving her ahead. "Now tell me, if you can, about that traumatic dream, my dear Nixee, for I am very curious."
