Bird Set Free | Natasha Romanoff ✓

Prologue

Brown eyes scanned the scene happening in front of her, as she had been taught to do from a very young age. Observing the people and events happening around her had become second nature to the young preteen. Even today which wasn't too much different from any other day had her tribe in a frenzy. It happened every year, the annual animal enhancement ceremony.

She was the only daughter of the Cadman family and she couldn't wait for her name to be finally decided. As was such a custom in the Uzumati tribe. Children, until it was their turn for the ceremony, were simply referred to as the families' name rather than their own individual name which was standard in many cultures. Your actual name was supposed to represent your chosen animal rather than some obscure reference about flowers.

Ten children were scattered around, many of them having reached their twelfth birthdays, a mere few weeks prior. After twelve years of our children from this region going through the same ceremony, it was finally their turn.

The Uzumati tribe was well aware that they had their enemies. There wasn't a person gathered for the ceremony that weren't already hardened warriors, even the children present. It was merely yet another of their customs passed down through generations.

An unusually enlarged brown bear entered onto the platform, in any other society, this would most likely inject fear into the audience causing many to panic, when in reality it was Burnell, their chief, asserting his dominance. Burnell had been elected not too long ago, as, in tradition, someone who in their ceremony summoned a bear was destined to be the next chief and would take over the commandment of the tribe.

In a blink of an eye, a man stood in place of where the bear had been only moments prior. Burnell threw his arms up at the audience that complied of both animal and human that started cheering at the excited atmosphere.

Cadman along with her ten other peers entered onto the platform in their well-rehearsed lines, meeting in the middle, in perfect alphabetical order. She was third.

"Barin." A boy stepped forward, a reflection of lemur appeared beside him, moments later, before they became one. Animal and Man. Man and Animal. Burnell stepped forward and whispered something to the boy.

"Barnett." A girl stepped forward this time, as gasps were heard from the audience as a large bear-like creature appeared, however as the reflection cleared and colors became evident, a large black and white panda joined souls with the girl. Burnell also whispered something in the girl's ear.

"Cadman."

Cadman stepped forward, her head whipping around as she watched to see what animal she would be paired with and she nearly missed it. Blinking rapidly, she looked around as an eagle appeared beside her, large and striking a powerful stance, the feathers a brownish gold with white speckles of color across its head and front. She let out a gasp as she felt her soul being entwined with that of the eagle beside her.

Burnell stepped forward. "Aquila." He whispered in her ear.

"Aquila?" She asked dumbfounded.

"Your name." He whispered again.

"Aquila." She asked herself, testing the new name on her tongue.

It was a special moment, a moment between a girl with a new name and new abilities. She was about to turn to her family members, her grandmother, in particular, to tell them her new name and she could just about see their wide smiles when an arrow pierced the air shattering the moment.

Screams of panic burst through the air, as many arrows followed after raining down on the gathered crowd. Swords burst through the crowd as many animals also stood in place.

Burnell quickly turned to the girl beside him, trying not to let panic erupt onto his face.

"Go, Aquila! This isn't your fight to win." He called urgently.

"How?" She asked panicked.

"If you wish anything hard enough you can achieve it."

"What about the others?" Aquila screamed.

"They are also fleeing," Burnell replied, before a bear appeared in his place, letting out a snarl before bounding into the fighting crowd.

Aquila looked over to where her family had stood minutes before, only to watch her beloved grandmother fall to the ground, red staining her neck.

Instinct took over as Aquila took the skies, feathers replaced flesh, her nose now a sharp beak, her eyes changed from their usual brown to a gold color.

She didn't get very far before Aquila crashed into the ground, tears blurring her vision, she collapsed to the ground, her energy drained. The last thing she saw was the grass tickling the back of her neck before everything faded to a solid black.