The Paths of Sin and Redemption

Chapter 42

A/N: So sorry for such a long leave of absence, but here's the next chapter! Enjoy!!

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"Come now, Silver, you'll have to flap harder than that."

"But Suno, I'm gonna fall!!"

"Not if you flap harder, you won't," Suno directed, patiently watching his brother from where he himself stood perched upon the branch of an ancient sakura tree in the palace gardens. Ever since Silver's full recovery a few days ago, the duo could be found at the beginning of every day going over flight techniques which Mephiles and the pups viewed from afar, with a few bored palace guards curiously watching as well. Suno was teaching the younger a 3-step process in the art of flying. And so far, Silver was still stuck on the very first step: branching. Branching referred to hopping about and jumping from branch to branch in a tall tree, all the while as the winged cherub--or in this case, winged hanyou--flapped their wings as hard as they could to help build up their muscle strength. If Silver were much younger--about his pups' age-- and trying this for the first time, he would be considered a fledgling as he had yet to take flight. But seeing as he was more than a few hundred years old....he was kindly considered as a work in progress instead.

"Upon take-off, you have to leap and get all your weight off the branch simultaneously, otherwise your balance will be thrown off. Remember like I showed you, relax your muscles and thrust your wings down. Let them naturally roll upwards before thrusting down again..."

Silver huffed in frustration. He had been trying, thank you very much, but this was impossible! Yet, he jumped again and flapped his wings- as hard as he could, of course- only to come straight back down, the branch swaying with the force of his ungraceful landing.

"Woah..." he said nervously, quickly holding out both arms for balance as the swaying continued, but he was forced to grab ahold of the branch beneath him, crouching down and wings wide behind him till the rocking stopped. And he could only wince as he had to hold on tighter, the rough bark leaving tiny nicks and splinters in his hands from where he'd gripped it repeatedly as pink blossoms rained down around him.

Once he was still and after taking a deep breath Silver beat his wings again, stirring up even more leaves and flowers all around. He closed his eyes, able to pick up his pups' enthusiastic cheers of motivation from below as he flapped harder and harder and- - still nothing. This time he hadn't even left the tree. Throwing his arms up, the hanyou plopped down on his branch in a huff, glaring at his wings and feathers in contempt.

Hearing a deep chuckle, Silver frowned as Suno gracefully leapt from his branch and flew down to him, natural as can be, with his enormous wings in complete control. The Cherub King then hovered before him, holding out his hand in offering, "Come on, Silv. All you need is a little help."

"No!" taking a swipe at his brother's hand who quickly snatched it away, the uke pouted stubbornly, "I want to fly on my own!"

"I'm not going to help you help you," Suno said, rolling his eyes in amusement. "I'm just going to hold your hands, that way, once you're out of the tree, you won't hit the ground if you just so happen to fall. Can't have you plummeting to the ground with your husband watching, right? Sounds fair?"

Blinking at the strange word, Silver tilted his head curiously and asked, "What's a husband?"

Before a very confused cherub could reply, the hanyou said, "Never mind, I'll find out later. Right now I've got these wings and I want to fly, so no more distractions. And you can hold my hands to catch me if I fall, Suno, but don't help me!"

"Fair enough," he smiled with the patience of a monk, holding out his hands once more. A nervous but determined Silver grabbed ahold and stood up once more, shaking leaves and flower petals off his wings as he did so.