Bird of a Flock (Bow 2)

Chapter 31

The Sparrows were silent in their cages as Tai'ray flew into the room. None regretted what they had done but none were looking forward to the future. The stories of what the D'mar did as punishment were brutal.  Even the halflings were unsure of what exactly was going to happen next. The leader of the Sparrows, Alesul, was in the same cage as Kinper, the injured man curled to his side miserably. His leg had been tended to and there was a bandage wrapped around the injury. The leader was the only one who looked at Tai'ray as he entered, his eyes a hazelnut brown. The type of shade which made it hard to tell if he was a halfling or not. 

Tai'ray looked over the mostly human captives. The Sparrows looked at him cautiously. They were in cages hanging from the ceiling much like the one Eyeri was in, only smaller. Eyeri could lay down and sleep comfortably. They could only sit crouched. One of the men had his legs dangling over the side of the cage though he had pulled his limbs in when Tai'ray had walked in the room. Fetmar was still loose, Yerir'o apparently chasing him around the entertainment district currently. From the bemusement coming over his bond, he got the feeling it wasn't going well for anyone involved. 

"Alesul," Tai'ray nodded politely at the man. "I trust you are happy with the treatment given to your teammate," he commented. 

There were six Sparrows. Or rather, five and a technician who had been assigned to them. The tech was a young man, likely the same age as Fetmar. The Sparrows were more varied. Alesul looked to be about in his mid-thirties while the one who was curled into Alesul's side looked more around Eyeri's age. Though Tai-ray knew Inai did not allow anyone under eighteen to fight, his subordinates might close their eyes, he mused. The tech was likely there because Fetmar was flying with experimental technology. Something his own scientists were itching to get a look at, giving humans the ability to fly would be handy but more importantly, there were halflings who suffered from sky hunger but couldn't fly.

"Winglord," Alesul said politely. "Your medics were very good with him. You have my thanks for letting me stay with him." As he spoke, Alesul's arm around Kinper tightened slightly. A gesture of protectiveness with the sincere words made Tai'ray pause. He hadn't expected the man to be so open about his care for his teammate.

"It was not a problem," Tai'ray nodded, his eyes drifting from the two to look at the others. His eyes focused on the technician, who shrunk slightly under his gaze. He had met this one before though his name and reputation were not coming to mind. "I have to say I'm impressed," He nodded to himself, "It is rare that humans gain flight. Possible but incredibly rare. Not only that, but you managed to get all the way to the heart of my capital and almost got away with one of mine."

"Eyeri's not yours," growled the only girl. Her teeth were bared and her eyes were bright orange, gripping onto the bars of the cage. She looked distinctly wild and Tai'ray would have been offended but she was a woman in an army and a halfling. The few females he had met in the army had similar personalities. 

"Ryraso is mine. Eyeri is his, admittedly surrogate, son. Ryraso is my chosen consort which in turn makes Eyeri my son as well. Trust me, girl. He is mine," Tai'ray managed to say without growling. Of the six humans, only two of them had been in contact with k'nairi before other than fighting. Even the halflings were not well versed in k'nairi culture. Still, the human who couldn't fly shifted uncomfortably.

"Then why did he run?" taunted the girl.