The Bird and The Fish

The Bird and The Fish, Part 1: The War

Eevangoria and Westburrow have been at war for a few years at this point, and nothing is getting easier. The lands I once called home are now a barren waste land. It's a sad sight, seeing all the fallen soldiers from both sides litter the once clean fields.

Vultures and other scavengers feast upon the fallen. At least they aren't going completely to waste, I think as I soar over the battlefield, my wings casting a shadow over the already dark scene.

I sigh and dive back down to the camp nearby, my wings settling themselves neatly on my back. I walk through the camp, trying to find my captain in order to report what I saw.

I knock on a wooden pillar as I enter his tent, standing at attention once I'm inside. "Captain," I greet, my tone as baritone as usual. "I've come to report the field." He give me a nod, so I continue.

"There are upward of a hundred bodies from both sides, all of them being eaten by the local scavengers," I pause for a moment, giving him time to think before continuing, "I wasn't able to spot any survivors amongst the carnage, unfortunately, so it's unlikely there is anything salvageable."

Kriace sighs and runs a hand through his greying hair, clearly stressed about the situation. "Thank you, Zahra," he says, leaning back in his seat. "I'll send out a troop to see what might be salvaged. You're dismissed."

"Yes sir," I say, giving him a quick bow before turning around and exiting his tent. I let out a sigh of my own once I'm outside, clearly tired from flying for two and a half hours straight. I need food, I think, making my way toward the rations station.

I grab a tray of food and walk over to an empty bench, my mind occupied by a variety of thoughts as I start eating. But those thoughts are interrupted by a familiar figure sitting across from me.

"Mind if I join you?" Casper asks, his usual kind smile playing on his lips. "Not like I have a choice," I reply once I swallow the dry food in my mouth. "Oh, come on, I'm not that mean," he says with a teasing glint in his eye.

Casper is the only male nurse in the camp, his kind and gentle demeanor giving him an advantage with both men and women. He's been my friend since I got here; and the only one really willing to talk to me. He's a Snow Owl, having white hair, dark eyes, pale skin, and white wings.

"I heard that you got hit on by a drunk guy earlier," I say, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "How'd that go?" He looks confused for a moment before laughing. "Oh my, I forgot how fast word spreads here," he chuckles, taking a sip of his water. "It was a bit weird, honestly. The guy was at least twice my age. Not to mention he totally wasn't my type."

But his storytelling gets interrupted by the frighteningly familiar sound of the warning bells, signalling an attack on our camp by the Westborrow soldiers. "Get to the infirmary and don't set foot outside unless absolutely necessary."

Now? I thought they weren't supposed to attack until next week? At least that's what the intel said... Right? A multitude of thoughts flood through my mind as I dash out of the rations tent and toward the sighting of the enemy soldiers.

I stop dead in my tracks when I hear the retreat horn go off.

I quickly follow the retreat order despite my reservations, taking off into the sky to head to back to the Capitol. I soar over the rising chaos, worry creeping into my stomach as I search for Casper's white wings. And when I do, I breath a sigh of relief.

But my relief is quickly replaced by a sharp pain going through my calf. Fuck! You're fine, you can remove it later once you're safe. But soon enough, that one arrow turns into a downpour of them. The arrows embed themselves in my amber feathers, causing me to get thrown off course.

And just as I thought the situation couldn't get any worse, the wind picks up and sends me flying into the dense woods surrounding the camp; somewhere we haven't gotten the chance to map.

The branches snag at my clothes, hair, and skin, leaving cuts and bruises littering my body. One branch manages to leave a large gash on my side, which just makes my life more difficult.

Eventually, I crash land on a hard, damp surface, hitting my head on the way down.