Winged

Chapter Nineteen

Annabelle

I had been so surprised and excited when the thin view of an island had come into my view, that I had dropped Rhem, sleeping soundly in the solid encasement of my long, curled talons, spending her small, hairy body tumbling towards the crashing waves below. I wasn't supposed to have found something, let alone an entire island! Even if it had taken up most of the night. Indeed, dawn had arrived, and I had been flying for a full day. I'd feel that when I shifted back into myself.

Yet still, it sits in front of my eyes, a stark contrast to the rising and falling waves, rolling over the water masking the presence of a multitude of creatures. From this far out, it may just be some small rock formation, but at least that means we can eat something and shut Rhem up for a while longer.

Right. Rhem, falling quickly towards those rolling waves under my feet, mid-air, now awakening as she feels the currents of air whistle overhead, and free falls wildly as she slowly realizes what's happening to her.

"Holy 'effing crap!" She yells as she sees the forthcoming water.

What do I do? Crap, crappity crap crap crap.

I'm a bird, so I must be able to catch her, and I'll reach her before she hits the water if I go now, maybe- What am I doing?! Go after her, you idiot!

I dive, folding my wings over my back, into a cross shape that I use to hide them under baggy clothing, so they sit snug against my back as I tilt my head forward, ears against my shoulders. Instead of the graceful, neat dive I had been expecting from practice in my former body, my wings snap back, hurting my muscles, as I try to bend them the wrong way, and they catch the breeze, letting me glide, careening from side to side.

Yet again, crap, crappity crap crap crap.

I tuck my wings into my armpits this time, warming my sides as I again knock my head down and push forward.

Finally. At least Father's training was good for something other than beating my brother and sisters in races.

She nears the water and splashes under with a small shriek of rage and confusion, out of my view. How will I ever find her under this heavy blanket of blue? The worry wedges itself into my mind as I near the ripple where she had just sunk, finding her shadowed figure beneath the waves with my well-seeing eyes.

There, writhing underwater, she slowly drowns, sinking deeper and deeper as she tries and fails to reach the surface. I push myself towards her with my strong wings and brace myself for the shock of cold winter's water.

Sure enough, the shock comes, rushing down my spine with a refreshing zing, but not as badly as expected, my insulated feathers built for diving to snatch up fish coming in handy to prevent the chilled water from freezing my skin.

I let my lids open, a second eyelid dropping down to cover my eyes and provide a better view of the ocean. Sunlight softly drips through the canopy above, and plankton, moss and small fish dart out of my way as I move toward my friend. I snatch a dripping, cold and shaking mouse up with my talons and emerge, holding on tighter than I must, to prevent her from slipping out and back in, wings twice as heavy but drying fast.

The wind bites at me and I once again thank my wonderful feathers. Poor Rhem shivers, recovering from what could have been the death of her and I prepare myself for the onslaught of words.

"Why the hell did you drop me? You dropped me! You fly for flippin' miles, and then out of the blue, whilst I'm asleep, asleep, for Pete's sake, you just drop me! A warning would have been nice! You didn't even get me a fish! You horrible, jerk-faced-"