The Celestial Knight - Battle of Love

Chapter 8: A New Companion

Valeriana was not thrilled. Before, she had thought black was a badass color, cool and awesome. Now, she thought black was plain evil. She was tired of looking at the dark, ominous walls, and this miserable place.

Why had she been captured in the first place? Yeah, totally, curing people and shortening her life is no big deal. Groaning, she banged her head on the bars, an drew back with a hiss of pain.

The guard demon smirked at her, "It's demon stone, you Celestes cannot touch it. Very precious, it is, though I wonder why you had not screamed, it is certainly powerful enough to make you do so." His tone was curious and mocking, but it held a true tone of surprise.

Valeriana smiled to herself, "It must be because I am a half blood, Celestes were stronger, but her human blood can also have some advantages."

"There must be something I can do!" Valeriana glanced around, desperate for something, but it was useless, she had checked a dozen times now, with no success, then she spotted it, a dark hole high above her head.

Curious, she stretched as high as she could and managed to stick her hand in it and touched something warm, and alive. Valeriana drew back with a shriek, but the thing did not come out. Timidly, she put her hand back in and pulled the thing out. It was a tiny hawk.

And it was dying. "It must have flown in," yes, they were above, the unfortunate hawk must have accidentally flown in through a window and got stuck here. Then Valeriana saw the bone pertruding out of the bird's wing.

She winced at the sight of it and unconsciously, touched her mind with the birds. Then she knew, her ability to communicate with animals have not been diminished, gently, she asked the bird.

Hey, are you okay?

The hawk looked at her weakly, its eyes slowly drooping.

Help, need food.

Gently, Valeriana put the bird on her lap and took her barely touched, disgusting gloop to the bird. The bird didn't mind, it opened its beak wide and gulped the broth down with relish, after it had eaten a quarter, it finally relaxed and snuggled in to Valeriana.

"Poor thing," Valeriana crooned to it, her heart burning with the unjustness of it all.

Hurts...

The bird spoke again, this time with more energy, Valeriana stroke its head tenderly.

I know it does, you broke your wing.

Mommy said run, they hit mommy, mommy fell, where is she? I miss her.

Valeriana sighed, "I know," she whispered, "come on, you'll live with me in this prison. The bird seemed to understand, but it wouldn't budge. Valeriana decided it was because of the pain. She tore of a pice of her clothes and bound the broken wing tightly, pushing the bone back to its original place. The bird shrieked, the sound muffled by Valeriana's shirt, and tried to flap its wings, but it was held tight by Valeriana.

Shush, I'm helping you, you're hurt, birdie.

The bird quieted, Valeriana stole a glance nervously at the guard, but thankfully, the demon did not seem to notice her. She sighed a breath of relief, who knows what would have happened when they found the bird.

Now, at least, she had a friend.