Fledging

Chapter 38

AN: Hey fellow Wattpadians and loyal readers!!  So I had finished this three days ago, but I figured I'd just upload it with the rest of the story, so here's a double update for you, to commemorate the final two chapters of the book!  Hope you enjoy it and PLEASE let me know what you think!! Enjoy and don't hesitate to vote if you think it deserves it! Thanks all for all the encouragement in this story!  You all are awesome! Ciao!

Chapter 38

               "Araceli, Wake up."

The voice was muffled but I managed to pick out the words after a few moments. A firm hand was shaking my shoulder as I blinked up blearily at a fuzzy form that soon took shape into Kenneth. My body was heavy from exhaustion and my ears seemed to be stuffed up, causing the commotion that engulfed the room to sound like the roaring of ocean waves in my ears before they popped and I could begin to distinguish individual sounds.

The room was abuzz with commotion, the majority of movement centered around the bed on the far corner of the row that Kenneth and I were in. My mother. I was out of the bed and scrambling towards the crowd before Kenneth could say anything else. I shoved my way through the crowd, not caring how I got there, as long as I did it fast.

"Out of the way, move those wings out of here or so help me, I will pluck them until you're as bald as the head of a vulture."

That got through to the crowd that began to scatter from the gruff voice I had only just recognized as Cielia. The pavox stormed through the crowd, her yellow and black wings twitching behind her with annoyance and worry.

The two of us shared a look and pushed through the thinning crowd to see my mother lying on her back, her wings carefully splayed out on either side, drooping down her body length. Her breaths were shallow and rapid and as I bent down to touch her hand with mine, I had to force myself not to flinch back from the cold, clammy skin that met my long fingers. Her skin was incredibly pale and she seemed to be even weaker than she had last time I saw her.

"How long have I been out?" I demanded, asking no one in particular.

"It's been about an hour I'd say. It looks like she's been losing too much blood. It's not clotting. This is the fourth set of bandages we've used on her, it's been getting worse." Cielia muttered to herself as she flitted to her queen's side and began examining the wounds again.

"Ashaki, have someone grab other bandages and get over here, we need your abilities now."

The white winged pavox approached the bed side carefully and looked down at Thema.

"Pay attention to her head and other vital areas, she's losing blood and her temperature is dropping too much for my liking."

"Wait she's fully fledged?" I asked, looking at Ashaki's white wings pointedly. She was young looking too, possibly a year beneath myself.

"Yes, she's developed her powers about eight months ago, she's a part of the Columbidae line of birds. She's worked hard on developing it to her needs."

I looked on with curiosity as she placed her hands on my mother's head. Her breathing was the same for the first half minute, but soon, her breaths evened out a little, and her body seemed to relax.

"Ashaki's power allows her to warm up any object, living or otherwise, to the desired temperature. It has helped us tremendously for patients with chills and with youngling's who fly too high without proper attire on their first time. Good work Ashaki, stay by her side and continue as usual should her temperature continue to drop."