Wingbeats

10: Unexpected Allies

So... Just curious how you are liking the story so far! But if you yourself don't know, that's okay too. Personally I just really like Angel's smart mouth (though I am the one writing this, so I'm not certain that counts). Any-who, just thought I'd check in!

...

I woke up with leather wrapped around my neck and on each of my legs. The ground was soft, the air sweet and cool, and my head felt like I'd been partying in a hornets' nest. I let out a throaty groan and tried to stand up, and that's when I noticed the blasted metal ring pinning my wings to my sides. Oh lovely, next time I head someplace I've never been before remind me to bring a pair of metal cutters, heck, maybe even the industrial kind... My legs buckled underneath me as I made it halfway up; I tried again but I felt an ivory horn hold me down.

"Stay still Angel; it's me, Zorro." I managed to look up and received quite a shock.

Zorro was still beautiful, don't get me wrong, but she was perfect as she had been before the river. Her mane and tail were long again and she had no scars along her legs and flanks, not to mention the fact that her horn was gleaming brilliant white. I was beginning to think Zorro really looked weird as a pretty white unicorn instead of the deadly silver fighter she truly was under the magic.

"Angel, Nox is in trouble."

That got my attention; I leapt to my feet and managed to stay up this time. I looked down and noticed the leather straps were chained to the floor, or rather, a large rock strategically placed next to a soft-ish looking pile of straw.

Where in hell was my little brother? The thought hit me immediately as my brain processed that Nox was in danger. Oh, these guys were going to get it, get it in the form of eleven hundred pounds of cold mare fury.

"So, good to see you're feeling better," Zorro said quietly, "Any thoughts on the mind?"

"Yes," I growled, "And most of them involve hurling your brother off of a cliff." My wings jerked powerfully against their restraints, longing to be free. I looked at Zorro. "And what the heck happened to you?"

...

Nox's hooves ached and his wings burned.

The metal shoes that had been nailed into his feet were the source of his foot problems, and his wings were in even worse shape due to having most of the flight feathers pulled. Apparently, they hadn't wanted him flying away. To make matters worse, he hadn't seen his sister since that morning when he'd been forced to watch as they carried her away, unconscious.

Later Whyle had taken him to the healer's hut where his short out-of-they-way mane and tail had been grown out using magic; the stupid thing was long and annoying now, getting into his eyes even as he tried to flick it out of his face.

What was he even doing here? What kind of life was this where unicorns abducted pegasi when neither of the two species was supposed to exist in the first place?

"Ahem." Whyle's voice cut through his thoughts and his head snapped up. Nox was supposed to be using his newly shod hooves to practice fighting, but he was really starting to think Whyle would've made a better target than the wooden dummy he was currently using. Nox resumed attacking the wood.

By the time Whyle called a break, Nox was gasping for air and sweating all down his forelegs, still trying to flick his stupid long forelock out of his eyes.

"How the heck am I supposed to see with this thing?" He asked exasperatedly of no one in particular, so this resulted in him jumping a bit when a deep bay stallion next to him answered.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. Find a way to get it stuck under the sharp end of those metal shoes and then pull- that should solve your problem." The stallion's voice was deep and strong, but Nox could tell he was probably only Angel's age. "You got a name?" He asked.

"Uh, Black Stal- Nox. Actually it's Nox." Nox stammered, throwing Stenmark's name out the window, having really not expected someone to answer him. Thankfully, the stallion seemed nice enough.

"Interesting name, not like I can say much different about me though. I'm Coke, and you might as well try out that tip of mine." Coke nodded his head using the full extension of his neck, and Nox bent down, carefully wedging his ridiculously long forelock under his right fore-hoof. Once wedged, he gave a sharp jerk, ripping his head up and feeling the tear through his roots.

His forelock was no longer getting in his eyes; Nox decided that the next time he got the opportunity he was going to cut the rest of his stupid long mane off and make his tail more manageable in the process as well.

"Better?" Coke questioned.

"Better." Nox agreed. He had a feeling that this horse was good- that he could be a potential friend. Looking into Coke's eyes, Nox saw his thoughts reflected perfectly.