Darkwing

Chapter 8 - Teryx

"ICARON, I NEED to speak with you."

It was Nova, gliding down to land on their roost as twilight deepened. Dusk looked up from his grooming, then over at Sylph and his mother. Nova certainly sounded grave.

"If this concerns the colony, let's speak in private," said Icaron.

"It concerns your son," said Nova. "He should be present."

Dusk glanced worriedly at his father. What had he done? He could only assume it had something to do with his flying, but he'd been so careful to hunt away from the others so he wouldn't annoy them. And he'd never flown above the Upper Spar into bird territory.

"All right," said Icaron calmly. "Tell me what this is about."

"Many of us are disturbed by your son's flying. It must stop."

"Must?" said Icaron, bristling. "That is a word only I can use."

"It is causing unrest and unhappiness. The other families see it as unwholesome. He is making a mockery of our kind. We have never flapped. It is not in our nature. He tries to be something he is not."

"He is my son," said Icaron. "He is what he is."

Dusk felt an overwhelming gratitude to his father.

"The birds will not like it, Icaron."

"Will they not? I don't see it as any concern of theirs."

"They will not like to see a beast in the air, around their nests, around their roosts."

"Dusk will stay away from their nests; I trust him to use his good judgment."

"Some are saying he is cursed."

"What?" Dusk exclaimed in surprise.

His father glanced at him, cautioning silence with his eyes.

"They think he was tainted by the winged saurian that died in our clearing," Nova went on. "They say it has infected him somehow. It has changed him, and now he flies."

Once more Dusk felt the reek of the saurian's last breath on him. A hot flash of panic bloomed in his chest. It was like something from his dream. He'd never quite been able to banish the idea that the saurian was somehow the cause of his new abilities.

"That," said Icaron contemptuously, "is the worst sort of superstitious nonsense. There is no taint, no infection. I expect you, as an elder, to do your best to put an end to such rumors—not to nourish them."

"There will be resentment," muttered Nova.

"Ah! Now we get to the truth of the matter," said Icaron. "Many seemed eager enough to try flying on their own. The clearing has been filled with flapping. It's only their failure that brings these cries of freakishness."

"I can see you are not willing to bend on this matter."

"Not at all. My son has a special gift. Why should he be ashamed of it? Why should he not use it to his advantage?"

"It may be to his advantage, but not to ours as a whole," said Nova. "That should be your chief concern."

Dusk was amazed she had the strength to speak to his father that way. He almost admired her, for he couldn't imagine himself uttering more than a squeak when confronted with a face so stern. He saw his father's muscles tense.

"This colony has always been my first and dearest concern," Icaron said. "And when I see its well-being truly threatened, I will act. Was there anything else you wanted to say?"