Ravenwings (Imaged + Completed) [1st in Trilogy]

Part II - The Hunter: Chapter 17

Of course of all the times Potatonut had to return, it had to be then, on what was so far the night of my life. I'd thought Raven would've already noticed it, but, though I hesitated to break it up, I pointed it out to him.

"Raven, I think Potatonut's out there, I can see his eyes."

"I see it," he shrugged. "He'll come in when he wants to."

I smiled. He wasn't letting Potatonut interrupt our night; I was too important to him for that. Yesssss...

I was very happy to nearly fall asleep in my trance on Raven's shoulder. Mind you, it was creepy for Potatonut to be staring at us like that. Way to kill the mood. 

I swear that b*tch cat had always wanted to rip my throat out, he'd just never had the motivation...until now, for getting thrown out. Okay, not really, but sometimes it seems like that could happen. He stares into your soul, and gives this evil little growl like he wished he were lion-sized so he could show you who's boss.

Slowly but surely the night began to become noisy. Crickets chirping in the grass, owls hooting in the trees, frogs croaking in the little pond.

I opened my eyes and looked back up at Raven, who smiled at me.

I glanced back out to see if the cat was still watching, and realized the eyes were gone. I peered a bit harder and tried to see if I'd just missed it, but no doubt, Potatonut had either hidden from the beam of the yard light or disappeared altogether.

"You ready to go back out there?" he asked me.

"Definitely," I said immediately. "Don't drop me without a warning though, okay?"

"No promises."

And he real quick grabbed me tight and took off.

.

.

After a minute or so, I was quite dizzy, and had to ask for a break.

"Hey, can we pause for a moment?" I asked.

"Why?"

"I'm dizzy. I'm not even the one flying and I can't keep up with you. What time is it? I can't see my watch."

"Here," he said, turned me around so I had my back to him, and then hoisted me up to his shoulders.

"Thanks," I said, and looked at my watch...which wasn't there. "Raven, do you have my watch?"

"Yeah."

"So that's where it's been disappearing to?"

"Yeah, I use it at night."

Well, that was actually a good idea. "What time is it?" 

He pressed the button that lit it up and held it up for me to see. It was only around ten.

"I bring a knife and radio," he said.

"Really? I didn't think you'd take them out every night... That's good, though." I'd only really expected him to take all that for that one night.

"For just in case," he shrugged. Or tried to shrug...I was sitting on his shoulders, holding on tight as we bobbed up and down with each flap of his gigantic wings.

So...he'd brought the supplies every night since Potatonut disappeared and he went to go look for him. Does that mean Raven has been looking for Potatonut every night since? No, we saw Potatonut earlier, and Raven hadn't gone after him.

So if Raven felt he still had to bring protection, did he think someone was onto him?

But he wouldn't tell me if he was scared. He'd want to protect me. Well, I wasn't sure of that, but it was a sweet thought.

I looked back out to see if the eyes had reappeared. We were at a different angle than we had been in the tree, but I could see them again.

But this time...not just one pair of eyes, but two. There were...two Potatonuts...?

That's...not...Potatonut...

I peered out after the eyes, leaning backwards and twisting around awkwardly to get my view.

"What is it?" Raven asked me.

"W-well, um you know before when I said I saw-"

I was cut off by a scream.

My scream.

Something had barked. A dog, it sounded like. A hungry, angry dog. It had startled me.

I'd leaned too far, and then tensed in fright, and fallen off my friend's shoulders.

And my first thought was, But Raven will catch me, he did before.

Well, back then he'd had a lot of time and space to catch up to me, and a lot of time and space to pull up to flight.

Now I had no more than forty feet.

Raven immediately dove after me, but there was no chance he could catch me and stop my fall.

Everything was in slow motion. Time slowed down to half the speed. It was like something going as fast as a hummingbird's wings had been slowed down to a visible speed, and I didn't like it.

It was terrifying.

Would it hurt when I hit the ground? Or would that just be it? When would I hit the ground? What should I've done with my life before now? What would happen to Grandma? What will happen when she finds out? What will Raven do when I hit the ground?

But I suppose those questions would never be answered. About my death, at least.

Because Raven had just enough time to angle my descent, dangerously straining his wings in the odd movement, and then wrapped those precious wings around me for protection.

My surprise was cut off with a head-knocking, bone-jarring thud.