Skyfall

Drop Off

"Nossi! Calm down!"

"No!" He screeched, "I will not calm down! We were going to be late as it is, but now, with our late start, we wont see the City for another day, at least!" His crest shivered in worry.

"We're making good time. The City will be in view by nightfall, don't fret."

"Look at me, Ravar! I'm fretting! Now move your feathered load and get moving!"

She only glared at him, flying at the same determined pace she was at before. Nossi screeched in frustration, flying ahead then drifting back on breezes.

I looked up at Ravar. "You know, you could put me down. I can climb faster than we can fly together."

"No, Isra," she replied, steel in her voice. "I cannot chance you getting away from us. We must keep you here, and better to be late getting back to the flock than early and explaining that we lost you in the forest."

I huffed, squirming in her grip. She only tightened her talons in response.

Nossi pulled up above us with a whoosh of wind, and whapped Ravar's back with a wingtip. "Come on, Black Flight. Close your mouth and open your wings. We're losing time."

She growled up at him. "If you want me to move faster, the least you can do is help me. Find some lift for me, and we might actually get somewhere."

He sighed, but pulled away and circled around us, pausing as he found an updraft. "Here!" He called, and as we moved toward it, he dropped and went searching for another one.

"Is he always this way?" I asked as she made a sound of contentment, feathers spreading as she rode the warm wind.

"Most of the time. He's very... time oriented. Schedules are his friend. It's annoying, but if it gets us there and back in time..." She shrugged, jostling me. "I won't complain."

"Up one wing beat, three to the left!"

Ravar followed his instructions, me swinging like a pendulum underneath her. "I just wish he was more understanding. He and I, we're the two Silmak the Lik'ma trusts the least."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed, as if telling an age-old story I should already know. "Kiemo created the Silmak to protect the Avatars. That's how it's always been, from the beginning of time. Now, our current Lik'ma keeps her favorites near her. Sikka, he almost never leaves her side. Neither does Mesko or Blora, but she can send them off with important messages. She seems to think the Silmak are to be her personal bodyguard and messaging service, not our original role of protectors."

"And you?"

"Well, I'm the bloodthirsty fledgling daughter of an exile. Of course she doesn't trust me."

"But she looks to Sikka and the rest as..."

"Her entourage."  She folded her wings and dropped to the treeline, as per Nossi's instructions, catching another draft.  "I won't complain, though.  I like being able to disappear for days on end without her noticing."  Her lips curled in a smile.  "Helpful both in holding off bloodlust and watching humans."

I shook my head.  "But the Lik'ma... she is wrong, isn't she?  Even if everyone benefits from her changing the way of the Silmak..."

"It's not who we are."  She finished.  "And I agree with you.  But there's nothing I can do to change her, is there?  That's the only downside of her new Silmak - if she doesn't like you, she won't listen to a word you say."

"Why didn't she listen to me, then?"  I had always thought she was partial to me.

She looked down.  "You broke one of her laws.  Of course she would not listen to your claims after that."