Lark: Book 1 of The WaterBird Series

Chapter 1: Lark

Lark draped the freshly skinned and preserved bison meat on the wooden spit. Children watched hungrily. Their gaping eyes and whispering made Lark's mouth curve into a smile. "No!!! I want it! You don't deserve it!! Let go you idiot!" Someone screamed from within the royal hut. Lark sighed. It was her stepsisters of course. Lark was 16 now. She thought about how her father had died 6 years ago. Lark's father had been poisoned by The FoxValley tribe. After that, her mother had decided to remarry to Pythone, her stepfather. He had brought along his 3 kids, Ibis and Cara(which was short for CaraCara) who were bratty twins, and, his 5 year old, LioNelt, who was a young hunter. Then, her stepfather had died of desease when she and the twins were 14. Now, she had to deal with the day-to-day squabbles of her sisters. Her mother, Queen Reed of Tribe WaterBird, had grown tired from their stupid fights. Lark looked down at her sore feet. She was the only member in her family that actually did the assigned duties. Lark lifted her head high and straightened out her feather headdress that her father had given her before he had died. Lark was already different enough. She had pale skin instead of tan, and light chestnut brown hair instead of straight of black hair. She looked just like a Falcon actually. Falcons had pale faces and sometimes chestnut brown feathers. She could also turn into a Falcon. Her mother had given her flight training when she was younger, but, now that other siblings were around, she couldn't be taught anymore. "Hey! Lark!" Kestrel ran and jumped onto Lark with a burst of energy. "Kestrel! We are the same age! You could've given me a concussion!" Lark told her as she brushed the dust off her dress and once again straightened her headdress. Kestrel was the only friend that Lark had. She was a little bit feisty and outspoken, but, she was a friend at least. "Just wanted to check on the future Queen of WaterBird tribe!!" Kestrel joked. "Ha." Lark told her. "Seriously. You should go and stab one of those twins right now. They're the only things standing in your way." Kestrel said looking at the royal hut with disgust as the twins screeching carried on. "Yes, well, the only reason I'm not going to be queen is, the twins are 3 months older than me." She said. Kestrel rolled her eyes. "If I could be queen, I would. You should take the chance! You could be queen!!! Do you know how honorable that is?! It's what your dad would've wanted!" Kestrel said. "Well, I will go plan the murder right now." Lark told her sarcastically. All of the sudden, Cara, the first born of the twins, who would be queen stepped out of the hut. She took one look at Lark and charged forward. Her nostrils were flaring. "How dare you wear that headdress. I am going to be queen, not you. So, hand over the headdress or, I will get it myself. Kestrel growled. "Don't be like that towards the future queen, Kestrel, I can have you killed." Cara said arrogantly. Fire had formed within Lark. This was her headdress. Cara wasn't even of WaterBird royal bloodline. How dare she. Lark thought with anger. "No. You cannot have my headdress. I have even more of a right to wear it than you do. I am the real royal descendant." Lark said calmly. Cara ripped the headdress off Lark's head. This would not end well.