Thanagarian

Chapter 18

He laughed. "Oh, I'm so scared." He looked at Rocket who was sniffing at his feet and dropped a piece of bread for her. "Don't feed my dog." I growled. He smiled, and dropped another piece.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" I balled my fist.

"Maybe I did, but you won't be able to hear when I'm done with you!" I took a step forward and he stuck his tongue at me.

"Abi..." Hawkgirl warned. "Back off, he's just a kid."

"A kid who needs his head shoved up his-"

"He's nine years old." He stuck his tongue out at me and I mimicked him.

"So how long will he be here?"

"However long it takes to train him."

"Great, I'll live on the streets till then."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm not training him."

"What?!" I screeched. The boy covered his ears.

"Shut thou mouth foul witch!" I crossed my arms and glared at him.

 "Shut up." I answered. "Why do I have to train him?" I whined, opening my wings.

"Because I'm retired from being a mentor."

And what makes you think I'm not?!"

"You're thirteen"

"Underage!" I yelled. "Child Labor!"

"Child abuse." Complained the kid, petting Rocket.

"Great." I said, "Just fly away, whatever your name is."

He narrowed his eyes. "Garth. The name's Garth."

"Great, so Barf, can you just fly away and train yourself?"

"He can't fly." Said Hawkgirl, "Just like you couldn't."

"Fantastic."

"Get over it." Hawkgirl said. I crossed my arms and glared at her but she ignored me. "Garth will be your responsibility. I'll stay here but Garth can have my bed, I'll sleep on the couch. Any questions?" I raised my hand. "Abi."

"Does he have to be alive?"

She sighed. "Yes, and if he picks up any swear words I'm blaming you." I groaned and crossed my arms. Hawkgirl opened her wings and flew out the window. "Can we go to the park?" The kid asked. I narrowed my eyes at him and he pursed his lips. "Fine, but I am not playing with you."

"Whatever." He said. "I'll bring my trucks." I turned around, then heard him go, "Look!" I turned my head just in time to see him swing a sword. I ducked and covered my head with my hands. The sword bounced harmlessly off an iron support pillar. I grabbed the blade and pulled him close. "You will use weapons when you're ready and not a second before. You're going to kill someone."

A piece of the sword had chipped off when it had hit the iron and he picked it up. "Nth metal." I said. "It has all kinds of properties." He put it in his pocket.

"Cool." He grabbed a truck, then shrugged on a hoodie to cover his dragging wings.

"You're hopeless."

He grinned crookedly.

We arrived at the park in a half an hour because Garth can't fly and I refused to carry his 'lazy butt.' I glided into a tree and sat on a branch, brooding in silence. This was so unfair, why did I have to train him? Why couldn't Hawkgirl take him in? What did I do to deserve this kid? The tree I was in obscured most of my view but kept me from prying eyes, which was what I really needed. I heard a scream and poked my masked face from the tree to see a man running and Garth clutching his leg. He was screaming and the sand around him as turning red. A huge red stain was spreading in his leg and my blood pounded in my ears. I went shooting out of the tree and threw my axe with all the strength I could muster. I heard a sickening crunch as it connected with the man's skull and he fell to the ground, dead most likely.

I retrieved my axe and turned back toward Garth only to find another girl leaning over him. I adjusted the grip on my axe and went flying straight for her when a blast of water hit my side. I heard a crack as ribs gave way beneath the pressure and was sent spiraling to the ground, wet wings are, after all, useless. I coughed up water and stood back up, preparing another rush at the water woman. She sent another blast of water at me but with trembling arms  held my axe before me, and the water parted. The force of it shoved my back, my boots leaving shallow trenches in the ground in my wake. I began to force myself forward, gasping with pain. When I got nearer the woman suddenly transformed... into a fox... with wings.

What was this creature? Was they such a thing as Thanagarian Foxes? Doubtful, how could it get on earth? I heard a voice in my head, and it certainly wasn't mine. Hawk Kid, or should I say Abigail Miller...

"How do you know my name?!" I all but snarled.

I can read minds. She... said? Anyway, My apprentice is tending to Garth, but if you go near he will die without fail.

"That's just great." I said sarcastically. "You know his name too?"

What did I just say?

So to sum it all up, I thought, some creepy flying fox is a stalker. Great.

Heard that too.

"Get out of my head!" I screamed, swinging my axe so hard it whistled. The fox thing dodged the blow and the axe chipped brick off the wall where it had just been.

Not an it, it chirped in my head. A she...

"I don't care if you're a she-male, get out of my head! I yelled mentally.

Temper temper, it- wait- she said, clicking her tongue. My body was trembling, my ribs burning, and my wings were soaking wet. I fell to my knees, but I could still fight her mentally. Hawkgirl didn't share her sass for nothing!

Now, it said.

Once upon time a nail was lost, for want of the nail the shoe was lost for want of the-

Shut up! She hissed.

It's impolite to interrupt, I thought, clicking my tongue like she had when she told me I had a temper. -shoe the horse was lost, for want of the horse the rider was lost, for want of the rider the battle was lost, for want of the battle the kin-

What did I just say! She screeched in my head.

What did I just say? I challenged. That was when I heard the girl tell the group to call 911. "No!" I yelled. "Don't call 911!" Thanagarians were an alien species and no doubt medics would jump at the chance to 'explore' our anatomy. I clutched my ribs in pain from the yelling and took sharp, shallow breaths. Come with me, She said, offering a... paw. I can heal you.

Why did you hurt me in the first place!?

To keep you away from the boy'

I pushed myself off the ground and stood up, clutching my sides, watching as the fox touched down and opened her maw in a yawn, as if I bored her. Well then! Still clutching my side I bent down and picked up my axe, tucking it in its sheath. "Fine, I'll go. But on one condition."

The fox groaned. "What?"

"You heal Garth completely, not a scar. Not. A. Scar. Do you understand?"

"What do you think I'm deaf?" She spat

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

"Just answer the damn question." She growled.

"Yes, it would not surprise me." I said, tossing my axe from hand to hand as I walked down the alley way.

"If you want me to heal you you're going to have to leave the axe."

"No way." I said. "It's my credit card, don't leave home without it."

"Suit yourself."

"I have armor for a reason."

"Bitch." I heard her hiss under breath.

"Excuse me, who has the axe? Now, where are you taking Garth?"

A/N: The girl and flying fox characters belong to the amazing KittiPitti from her story, Battle Royale of the Empresses. Check it out! (meow)