War of the Races

Chapter 45- The Sky Dance

The sun rose in the east brightening the night sky from the vast black void of space sprinkled with stars and slowly transitioning it to dark indigo. As the stars winked out the sky brightened and the clouds and the land turned a dark purple. Purple became red. Red became pink. Pink became orange, and above it all, the sky, low on the horizon, turned green.

I watched it all, as the sun rose and the land was bathed in light, from thirty thousand feet. Light shimmered off of golden wheat-colored feathers that covered my hybrid-eagle face and a mane of feathered hair. My shoulders, wing-arms, and halfway down my back were covered with white feathers. My skin was the same chestnut color. Sprouting from between my buttocks, just below the sacral promontory of my pelvis, was a short bird-like tail covered in long white tail feathers. And lastly, my feet were an eagle's sharp talons.

With eagle's eyes, I soared above the Dragon's Spine Mountains and searched for my mates. I spotted Burza two thousand feet below me and I dived...

——(!)——

In the predawn darkness the camp stirred as Glenna, Huxian, Usagi, and Tsukino marshaled the rest of my wives and me out of sound sleep beneath the roadside trees. Laying across me, small and warm, was Bastet. Her black fur was so soft as I ran my hand down her back and cupped her bottom. I was still inside her, and last night Quebracho had been as vigorous in my dreams as Bastet had been before we fell asleep, and so, now, we were a mess.

I was rewarded though with a satisfied smile from Bastet as she carefully lifted herself off of me.

"Thank you, my love," Was all she purred before she left.

By the time I caught up, even Matron Forelain, Sinaan, Ra'Shaal, Fjallindae, and the housemaid honor guard were present. Bartlett and Maha were there. Gregr and the village council of Moonlight Burrow were present. Tanaya and Chenoa of the Howling Forde Lupus stood together looking nervous. Juno and Koda of Earthmother's Den both stood at relaxed attention. Lastly, Elders Poeal and Yawel both shuffled up looking aged and tired.

Once everyone was gathered, I nodded to Bartlett and raised my voice, "Bartlett. Maha. Warriors of Earthmother's Den. Mayor Gregr. Wolf-mother Tanaya. Elder Poeal. Bartlett and Maha are in command of the march to Sequoia's Grove. They know where to go. Listen to them. Lastly, I wish for all of you to find safety beneath Sequoia's boughs. Safe travels."

I passed the maps from Moonlight Burrow to Bartlett and the group broke up. They all knew what to do, and left to go do it. As they departed to start rousing the refugees Burza approached.

"Husband," Burza said as she caught my elbow with the thumb of her wing.

"Yes, wife?" I replied as she pulled me off to the side of camp and up the road a ways.

Once Burza was satisfied with our distance from the camp she turned to me. She gave me a brief smile. She was thrilled by Glenna's announcement that she no longer needed to refer to herself as my mate. Nor was she to refer to herself as a concubine which she already is. Rather, she was to think and act as my wife. A true wife. But, Burza was also shrewd enough to not be overexcited and understand that, despite Glenna's desire and effort to honor her and my other mates, the claim to wifely rights was simply just not true.

Not yet at least and maybe not ever.

Burza could call herself and think of herself as my wife, but that was all it was, a word. Wife. Concubine. Mate. Slightly different words that hinted at rights and privileges she supposedly didn't have and should want. Mate. That was what she was and all she needed to be. She had all she needed and wanted from me in that one word.

"Husband," Burza began again, "It is time for us to fly our mating flight."

"Okay," I replied as I looked from her to her daughters who were intently watching from a few paces off.