Aunty opened the door. "Is that a Gold Feather waiting to get plucked? None deserve their wings."
It turned, seeing an open door and Black and white feathers around an arm. It came sprinting like a maniac. Shele was the first to start laughing, ecstatic.
"Golden Eagles with their buttons that can so easily be pressed. It makes one wonder if every species has a button. Like maybe a Khetshe food that makes the Ilosi shorter."
The creature rushed inside, the door slammed. The Golden Eagle jumped, Babalwa jumped aside, a kick slacked both newcomer's ankles, stealing the ground from her. She hit the wood with a roar, hands grabbed her wings, lifting her to her feet.
"You look like you want to have fun." Aunty Babalwa said, waving around her feathered coat. The Golden Eagle having quickly forgotten the last assault bounced on its heels, rubbing its body, Babalwa extended her arms, inviting.
To Aphiwe's surprise, the Golden Eagle started undressing.
"Oooh, what a twist! There's more to it than simple anger, it's more like aggression. Competition is all about facing off against one who'll give release, one can only imagine what they'd be like in the middle of a wild night." Thato purred.
Aphiwe could physically taste her mother's anticipation. She wished she could roll her eyes. The newcomer wasn't huge, but thick necked, her torso a V shape, getting bigger by the legs which were their own veiny stumps. The Golden Eagle was bouncing on her heels, an insane look in her eyes. None of the women retreated. Liyema had hands on Aphiwe's shoulders.
Aunty Shele had taken the coat. Stepping up she bowed, all four arms spreading.
"Shele Thembeko, a pleasure I'm sure." She sniffed the coat. "Fresh feathers, shall we engage in, 'stuck and pluck'?"
The Golden Eagle by simply extended her arms, Aphiwe was positive there was no other way for the Golden Eagle to look, it was stunning, the stranger was breathing it all in and going with it like she wasn't surrounded by several different races.
"Golden Eagles are generally as large as a Khetshe. But with Black Air Raider feathers thrown in..." Thato whispered for the entire room. Her mother's trail off dripped honey.
Shele danced on the spot before she charged and so did the Golden Eagle. They locked arms, only for an additional two fists to hammer the Golden Eagle in quick succession, slapping the inside of her arms, caving their rigid strength to push in and deliver hot knuckles down on the collar bone. The Golden Eagle let go only to get her wrists grabbed. She retreated, Shele came with, all but sprinting. She grabbed the Golden Eagle's head, pulling and twisting all but her soul, Shele's lingering foot in the middle of her backward steps tangling the Golden Eagle's legs.
The Golden Eagle was flung and slammed on her back, wings spreading before impact and cringing in after.
The Golden Eagle gasped.
"With their hollow bones and unique muscle... texture, though a fraction of a Khetshe's weight they are still as heavy as a Cabucabu, meaning she should have a size advantage."
Aunty Shele took off the coat and picked up a Brown Feather.
"There we go, who's next?" Thato asked.
Shele passed the coat to Chuma's mother who gawked, outside of the six year old, she was the smallest one there.
"You need to engage more." Thato said, crossing her arms when she saw Chuma's mom's silent plea.
"I said no." Sindiswa said only for Aphiwe to pull the coat.
There were cheers all around, Thato raised a brow, arms crossed.
"Don't get excited, it's not what you think." Aphiwe said through Liyema, pulling her by her arm, standing her up.
Liyema helped pass the coat to Aunty Babalwa who was bouncing on her heels. She waved the feathers in front of the Eagle. Sindiswa smiled and winked at Aphiwe.
"I am Babalwa Noma-Pikoli. Would you engage?"
The Golden Eagle was already up and stretching, back on her heels. She was flustered but undeterred, tapping the floor as if clearing her feet of dirt that had slowed her down. One would not have thought a four-armed woman had just stolen a feather from her back.
It was stunning. It made Aphiwe want to blast right in, be a part of it. How could she not? Only Liyema was wide eyed. Perhaps it was a Ndlovu thing. Maybe a Cold Stepper thing, or a part the name giver title. It didn't matter, either way Liyema was the weird one.
YOU ARE READING
The Open Book
FantasyThe Biography of a Biography. Aphiwe is sick and stuck in bed having just fought for her life. All she got out of it was a stupid book. But the book says: "Do not read this if being alive is the most important thing to you. If greatness is the more...
