Bird of a Flock (Bow 2)

Chapter 1

Waking up in a nest was normally a pleasant thing. It was warm and comfortable. Especially when you got used to sleeping in tangled limbs. That morning, it was not pleasant. Mostly because of the loud screech which woke Ryraso up.

Ryraso sat up bleary eyed as his two younglings fought at the bottom of the nest. They were both fully dressed which suggested they had been up for a while. Eyeri and Aw'endo were both snarling at each other as they tried to punch each other. Aw'endo pulling Eyeri's hair and Eyeri kicking a foot out to try to push Aw'endo away from him.

Ryraso groaned and flopped back down, not bothering to listen to whatever they were yelling at each other. This had been expected. Nel'os snorted from next to him as Tai'ray yelled at them to stop. Dyn'ad wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.

"Troublesome boys," Dyn'ad chuckled in his ear.

"Aw'endo, I thought I told you not to attack Eyeri," Ryraso commented, ignoring the smirking Royal hugging him.

"He drugged me!" Aw'endo growled from where he was sitting with his feathers puffed out.

"You're fine," Eyeri snapped back, holding the back of his neck. Ryraso exhaled and sat up, moving over to look at the damage done. "Why the hell do the k'nairi have a thing about biting the back of someone's neck?" Eyeri demanded, letting his foster dad inspect the back of his neck.

"Easier to pin down and dominate someone," Dyn'ad grunted, still laying on the nest, now snuggling with Nel'os and watching with one eye. "Throwback," he shrugged, nuzzling the back of Nel'os neck teasingly and making the man slap his arm.

"You are so not the top of the pecking order," Aw'endo snarled, moving to attack Eyeri again. Tai'ray pinched Aw'endo's ear and tugged him back to the nest, making Aw'endo yell in pain.

"No, but I am," Tai'ray said dryly, letting go. Aw'endo hissed and clutched at his ear. "Behave and no attacking your brother," Tai'ray ordered, ruffling his hair. "And Eyeri, no more drugging people," he added.

"I can't, I lost the supplies," Eyeri said darkly as Ryraso put some paste from his own bag over the bite mark. Ryraso smirked slightly, Eyeri not able to see him.

"Eyeri," Tai'ray said in a warning tone, mentally poking Ryraso for the smirk.

"Fine!" Eyeri scowled. "I won't drug Aw'endo again," he grumbled, folding his arms defensively and leaning back into Ryraso. Ryraso hugged him and kissed his hair, knowing Tai'ray wasn't going to like how Eyeri had just spoken.

"Eyeri," Tai'ray warned again. "You are not so big that I can't put you over my knee." he threatened, letting go of Aw'endo. Nel'os quickly grabbed Aw'endo's wing and pulled him up to him so he wasn't in the way. The youngling still clearly unhappy but curling into Nel'os.

"What do you want from me?" Eyeri demanded. "I said I won't do it again!" he glared challengingly, pulling his arms closer to his chest.

'Tai'ray,' Ryraso murmured, reaching out through the link. Eyeri was trembling and not from anger. He was scared.

'I know, I can smell him,' Tai'ray replied. "I want you to watch your tone. Eyeri, do not forget who I am," he warned moving over them. Dyn'ad and Nel'os taking the moment to roll out of bed and pull Aw'endo out the door, sensing this was something that needed to be between Eyeri and Tai'ray. Without Aw'endo spitting his own fury at the human youngling.

"My kidnapper?" Eyeri snapped, eyes on the floor as Tai'ray approached, refusing to look the man in the eyes. Pressing back as far as he could against Ryraso, who just rubbed his shoulders reassuringly.

"The Winglord," Tai'ray clarified, cupping Eyeri's chin and gently raising it to make Eyeri look in his eyes. Eyeri stubbornly avoiding them, looking basically everywhere else but Tai'ray's eyes. "Look at me Eyeri," he ordered gently.