The Fray of Werebirds [Discontinued]

Chapter 24 - Millicent

We took off half an hour after eating, keeping low just in case Fernando's buddies spotted us in the sky. Leigh and Ethan lead the way, since they knew the island better than we did, and the rest of us were right behind them. Never have I thought that I would someday end up flying with a bunch of werebirds.

Where are we headed to? I asked no one in particular.

To our side of the island! Leigh answered.

Their side of the island wasn't very different than Fernando's, except that, fortunately, there weren't any hostile jailbirds waiting to ambush us. A few convicts milled about, but they didn't seem to be interested in us.

"I'll go tell Millicent that you're here," Jay said when we landed, jogging into a cave.

"Man, she'll be thrilled to see you!" Leigh told Gregory enthusiastically.

"Who's Millicent?" I asked.

"She's our friend."

It took me a moment to realize that it was Ethan who had spoken. He was a relatively quiet guy and he rarely talked since we've met. Right then, a young woman, who I assumed was Millicent, stepped out of the cave. As she walked towards us, I realized that I hadn't seen any female inmates on the island so far. If it weren't for her confident gait and boyish outfit, she would have seemed completely out of place.

"Where were you last night?" she asked Jay with concern.

"Lady Sirena came to the island seeking our help."

They halted in front of us. Millicent first acknowledged Sirena with a respectful bow, her wavy light brown hair obscuring her face as she did. She then scanned Brock and I with some interest until her hazel eyes settled upon Gregory. At first there was some confusion in the look she regarded him with, then there was a flash of recognition, which was quickly replaced with rage.

"Hello," said Gregory.

Millicent replied by slapping him on the cheek.

We gaped with shock at the incident. Jay's jaw fell open. Ethan's eyes bulged out of his head. Leigh struggled to stifle a laugh. Sirena seemed to be at loss for words. Gregory, though, had no reaction whatsoever. He gazed at Millicent calmly, despite the redness of his cheek.

"Hello? How dare you!" she spat, "How dare you waltz in here like nothing happened? Did you expect me to hold a reunion party? What were you doing all those years? After you abandoned us for so long? Did you even think about us?"

"Millicent, please–" Jay started.

But Millicent wasn't listening. In fact, she was already in her bird form, ready for battle.

"Don't try to stop us," was the last thing Gregory said before he too turned into a bird.

Millicent sent harsh and speedy blows, as if she couldn't wait to witness Gregory's corpse. The latter, on the other hand, dodged and sometimes countered her attacks with nonlethal strikes. Soon, an audience of jailbirds gathered around to watch the quarrel.

Brock finally voiced the question I had in mind. "What was that all about?"

"Gregory didn't tell you?" Jay glanced at Sirena.

She shook her head.

Jay began the story with a sigh. "Seven years ago, a friend of ours, Sean, was accused of attempting to assassinate Queen Olivia. We knew he didn't do it. Sean was a gentle boy, and he was the weakest werebird in our group. No one believed us, though.

"The jury insisted on the death penalty, but we couldn't stand by and watch them end the life of an innocent werebird. We had no choice but to interfere with their so-called justice. We saved Sean from the execution scaffold, only to have them capture us before we could fully complete our escape.

"We failed. They chopped Sean's head off anyway and we were all sent to Yardbird Island. That is, all of us except for Gregory. He's the Queen's brother after all. I didn't think Millicent would still be furious about it, though."

Jay finished telling the tale just in time for us to witness the end of the battle. Millicent was pinned to the ground with Gregory's fists planted on either side of her shoulders. They were both back in their human forms, panting and messy haired. The cheers died down and the crowd remained hushed as they spoke.

"You fight just like your brother," Gregory smirked.

Millicent's eyes widened. "You fought Malachi?"

Malachi? I racked my brain in search of why the name sounded so familiar.

"Don't worry, the worst thing I did to him was leave him tangled up in a net, squirming like a fish. He ought to be honored. He's the first opponent I've ever left alive."

I recalled the werebird who attacked us at Gregory's apartment. He had been dressed as a policeman, when he was in fact working for our enemy. From what I understood, Malachi had believed Tamara's fallacy about Sirena being a traitor to the flock.

"You've always been an arrogant werebird," Millicent scowled, "Now get off, you're hurting me."

Once he did, she transformed and flew away, with Jay right behind her. The crowd dispersed, grumbling with dissatisfaction at the harmless outcome of the fight. Gregory approached us, adjusting his suit.

"Jay told us about what happened seven years ago," Sirena deadpanned, "I heard of that incident as a growing fledgling, but I had no idea you were part of it. Did you..." she hesitated slightly, but continued nevertheless, "Did you use your position as a noble to excuse yourself from serving your prison sentence?"

Gregory didn't seem to be in the mood to discuss anything, but he explained anyway, "No, I assure you that I insisted on being imprisoned like the rest, but your mother wouldn't hear of it. Apparently, it would be a shame for the royal family if the public found out that I was related to the incident.

"My punishment was to stay away from my 'accomplices in crime' and keep quiet about it. I couldn't handle remaining in the flock any longer, so I left, though I was still required to return on special occasions, in order to avoid suspicions from the other werebirds."

Sirena nodded, clearly relieved.

"We were all angry at first, but we learned to accept it," Ethan said, patting Gregory on the back, "I'm sure Millicent will forgive you eventually."

"Yeah, man, it's not your fault," Leigh added.

"You," Gregory shook his fist at Leigh, "Didn't you say she'll be thrilled to see me? Is that your idea of thrilled?"

Leigh yelped and jumped to hide behind Ethan while Gregory resumed threatening him comically. Brock and I glanced at each other and laughed.

Despite what they went through in the past, they were a pleasant group of friends.