Wingbeats

7: Sibling Rivalry

Back to Angel

...

As my brother and I walked away from the river, a new sensation washed over my limbs, settling deep into my bones and soaking sweetly into my muscles. It was weird, but somehow it felt right, somehow it felt like something I was supposed to be feeling as it seeped into my core and warmed every bit of me from my feather tips to my ears. What was this?

As if reading my mind Zorro looked back at me with a sideways glance.

"What you're feeling now? It's magic, flowing and ebbing along you and through you. Had you been born where you should've been, you would have never known life without it. But I'm guessing this is the first time it's ever had the chance to come alive inside of both of you, ever had the urging to wake up. Pegasi are filled with it just like any other mythical creature."

Was that what this was- magic flowing through my veins? How could she know? I was about to ask her how she knew what I was going to say when a twig beside me snapped. Nox jumped, and I tensed, flaring my wings out threateningly, protective of Nox, as a huge jet black unicorn with a wickedly sharp horn stepped out of the woods.

Zorro nickered a quiet greeting and I stopped, cocking my head at her semi- friendly tone.

I say semi because it didn't seem like they had the best of relations.

"Whyle? You scared the heck out of these two; if you weren't my brother I'd be tempted to run you through." Zorro's voice held a concealed tone of disgust that Whyle didn't seem to catch.

"Good thing I'm your brother then. Come on, everyone is worried; a princess shouldn't be wandering off alone." His voice was smooth, soothing in an almost unsettling way.

The venom in Zorro's reply surprised me.

"I would rather have my heart ripped out through my mouth than be a coddled moronic princess, Whyle," Zorro glared daggers at him, "Angel, Nox, follow me. I'm so very apologetic you had to meet my sibling."

Our next tense few miles in the dense forest led us through where the trees were very old and seemed to have a will of their own; they towered above us, casting a dense shadow over everything. Little to no underbrush littered our path as we traveled so far away from The Anfang that I ceased to hear its distinctive roar.

"I'm going to advise silence." Zorro's voice was quiet as she stopped; quiet enough that only Nox and I could hear. I tilted my head to see Nox nod his obsidian head gently, cropped mane swaying. Before us was a solid mass of trees.

Zorro shoved me at it and as I braced for impact, I plowed right through. Apparently the wall of wood had been a clever illusion. Nox stumbled in behind me with a clatter of hooves and was soon followed by Zorro and Whyle. We had ended up smack dab in the very heart of the forest, and staring back at us was at hundreds of unicorns and horses in varying colors, shapes and sizes. Nox gasped beside me in an almost laugh, and somewhere I heard a cruel voice say "My we have some work to do."

Well, snap. What could that possibly have meant? - Nothing good for sure.

I gulped and started walking, dreading what was to happen.