House Of Fire

Chapter 7

The interior of the cave was pitch black. Although there was a lack of light there was certainly no lack of sound.

From outside the cave the continuous shrieks pierced the otherwise silent morning. Noticing the absence of warmth at her back, Raven deduced Fury's presence to be outside of the cave.

Jumping to her feet, her legs got tangled in the blankets. A minute later after stumbling through the dark she emerged onto the white slope. Deep prints were left in the whiteness that lead higher up from the opening.

Following the trail with her eyes she saw the dark silhouette against the slightly fairer sky. Above the shadow millions of stars twinkled away their last few moments before being outshone by Sol, the earth's sun.

The shadow climbed onto it's hindquarters again and bellowed her wail into the receding night.

It was a call Raven realised. A request for help.

Not long after three smaller shadows approached on the horizon over the canopies.

By now, Raven had joined Fury on the peak. To the east, the indigo sky was growing grey and then rose-pink.

Coming closer, the new arrivals turned out to be none other than miniature Fury's. The question of whether they were related was solved when they touched noses with Fury. Soft snorts and excited huffs filled the peace around her alongside quieter shrieks.

Fury had collected the rest of her herd. Although she was a stranger to them they advanced on Raven rather quickly. The elegant creatures danced around her, turning the crisp snow into a fluffy mush around them. The shaken snowflakes silently performing their aerial ballet.

With the rise of the sun, whose rays now changed the landscape into a beautiful rainbow, Raven could distinguish the differences.

Where Fury was completely black, the others had varying colours mixed into their coats. The first which seemed the oldest had a reddish glow.

The second, currently sniffing her hand and enjoying a scratch behind the ear was more brown than black in general. And lastly, the smallest but quickest had a blueish tint to it's midnight black appearance. All their eyes were the same deep brown as Fury's holding an intelligence that equaled hers.

Raven patted each of the newcomer's nose and laughed as a jealous Fury butted in to state her claim on her.

Looking at Raven expectantly Fury nodded her head towards the cave and then towards the west away from the rising disk.

Understanding the silent communication, Raven descended back into the cave to collect her saddlebag. Climbing back up next to Fury she stroked the narrow face that extended towards her hand.

Then the large animal opened her wings to only move the left around Raven. Moving to tuck it back in she successfully pushed Raven up against her side.

It was her invitation for the girl to hop on.

Taking her own wings out of their pressed state she flared them out a bit before placing them back. Then, without further ado, she leaped up onto the soft back of the winged horse.

Her legs were tucked loosely against the heated sides of the strong torso. Leaning forwards she grabbed a fistful of mane and grinned as the animal leaped forwards.

In big bounds down the slope, Fury gained momentum. Before a big drop she spread her massive wings and moved the feathers wide apart. The updraft caught and pushed them up immediately.

Unaccustomed to the extra weight Fury wobbled midair before balancing out.

Once the foursome had gained enough height they entered the crisp air of the lower atmosphere. By now they were high above the ground, the white wonderland spread before them for hundreds of miles.

Raven sat up straighter. She couldn't help to admire the feeling of flying on her first journey with Fury. As she herself had never engaged her wings in any straining exercise, she now realised on how much she was missing out.

Spreading her wings slightly, they began to flutter in the wind. The outer feathers were having their first taste of the intoxication of freedom.

Fury's head was focused forwards, yet her ears were fixed on Raven.

Her saddlebags were fastened tightly around Fury's narrow stomach. This was, in Raven's opinion the perfect moment to explore the movability of her wings.

In between the beats of Fury's massive appendages, Raven snapped her own wide open. The were horizontal so not yet catching any drafts as the winds high up were horizontal as well.

Watching the smaller winged horses before them fly she took notice of their movements. Up and down.

Taking a last deep breath she forced her wings to catch the wind.

Far away she could hear a hawks piercing shrieks, but the sound was drowned by the whipping winds as she fell back to earth.

Fury had quickly rushed out of her sight as she plummeted down.

Her wing twisted and caused her to spiral round and round and round.

She was still far off the ground when fast beating wings neared.

Relief washed through her and she tucked her wings in to avoid difficulties when Fury would catch her.

Only it wasn't a black winged horse that entered her line of vision from below, but two pairs of mint green feathered wings, and two angry Angels attached to them.