Chapter 21 - Zyntarr
The ‘flare’ object that the creature gave us is really a wonder that only the Goddesses could understand.
It somehow captured a smaller version of my Bea and created her from light.
My Bea says it is a ‘holo-… holo-something’ and a ‘recording’ - she said that that tiny version of Bea is not truly her, but is like a reflection on the waters or a memory you can see.
It had truly been a strange sight to behold.
I could even cast my hand through the small Bea and feel nothing.
It was as if she were made of smoke. The ‘recording’ of my Bea had her waving for assistance from any of my brothers who might be passing on wing close by.
When my Bea - the real Bea - held the small black object, the tiny Bea floated out of it, slowly spinning around.
But, when she threw the object into the air, it stayed up there, suspended with no wings.
It pushed the not-real Bea higher, through the canopy of the jungle until she breached the evening skies.
The Bea made of light was bigger up there than she had been in Bea’s palm. I could see glimpses of her through the leaves and branches, waving beautifully to any Trixikka who would come to our aid.
It did not take long.
Yix, the strange creature, stayed as long as he dared, but he wisely left us before the jungles grew too dark.
He is not from these lands, and, although he wields lightning, I do not think a lone…
whatever he is would fare well once the night comes to claim the forests.
He left us with some of his belongings, though; the object that had healed me, the object that had captured the not-real Bea, and one of their lightning weapons.
Those gifts were appreciated, as were the small, sweet pebbles that my Bea insisted I ate to ‘keep my energy up’.
Yix crept away into the night after bidding us goodbye.
He had asked many questions about the other human females, too.
Enquiring after their health and such. I was not sure that giving him the answers he sought had been the right thing to do, but he had seemed moved to hear of how Ah-Lanah had performed the life-giving of ‘birth’, and how our High Spearess will do the same now, too.
He had said that the healing object will help her in that regard, and I do hope he is correct.
He left soon after to find his ‘ship’ so he may travel up into the skies without wings of his own.
It was a small group of greenmales who found us.
They had been sent out to bring back frizikki meats for the feast with Zarriko’s tribe.
They had found no frizikki because they are the kind of males with no discipline for the hunt.
But they had found us, so I cannot be vexed with them in the slightest.
It took two of them to carry me - a flight that left my sore body in even more pain, but that had not been my focus.
For the whole flight, I had been furious at the fact that another male was to carry my Bea, and I wished every wingbeat to be the last before I could rip her from the poor male’s arms.
When we descend to the grounds of my village, I do not think I have ever been so happy to land before - except, perhaps when I were a youngling first learning his wings.
The green-male who carries my Bea is wise to land further away from me.
My feet are still unsteady and I do not know what I would have done should they have been in arm’s reach - probably something I would need to apologize for later.
As it happens, all that is needed is a glare and a grunt, and the male drops my female like she were a hotstone from the fire.
Luckily, Bea is quick not to fall, and I continue to eye the male as he chooses to back away, his hands raised as if showing me he is no longer touching what is mine. It is a wise choice of his.
My body aches all over, and there is an odd pain on the skin of my chest. It is like it cannot decide whether it is fire or ice and keeps switching between the two.
Yix had said I would be tender, and that the wound would need to be covered from the twin suns’ light.
He had not told me of how the inside of my head would begin to dip and tilt like an injured Protector on wing.
“Zyn!” Bea calls, and it takes me a moment to realize she is tucked under my arm, propping me up as best her little frame can manage. “You need rest, big guy.”
“What is this?” The voice is that of my Second Spear, Mavyx, but he sounds far away. Which is why I am surprised to glance to my other side to find him propping me up from under my other arm. “What happened? What happened to Zuul?!”
Ahh, Zuul. Yes. I had almost forgotten him and the weakling that he is…. or was. He is with his ancestors now, and I hope that they are plucking his wings bald. To think that he had almost handed over his own son-
Quickly, I glance around, making sure that Tyll is still with us. I am in no state to keep my one good eye on all that matters, it seems.
“It was all my fault.”
What? Those were Bea’s words. But she has it wrong. Nothing is her fault. Ever. I have to let her know that.
I glance to the side where she had been keeping me steady. She is no longer there - another Protector has taken her place.
Before I know it, I am being laid on my nest. “It is not her fault…” I say, but I’m not really sure anyone is even there to listen. I have only one good eye, and the edges of its sight became blurred, the lid too heavy to keep open.
* * *
I wake numerous times in the night, but my Bea is not with me those times. It is not an easy feeling to be without one’s mate. I think at one point, I try to leave my nest and hut to find her, but I am taken back to sleep by Protectors standing guard outside.
Light from the twin-suns is flooding in through my doorway when I finally feel like I am waking up properly. Those other times had felt like dreams, and I thank the Goddesses that in this real awakening, my Bea is here, tucked into my side, her breaths still heavy with sleep.
I ache as though I have not moved a single feather since they laid my head down, but I dare not stretch a single muscle, in case it should wake my sleeping female. I choose to stare at the woven leaves of my roof instead, my fingers idly playing in the lengths of Bea’s soft hair.
I almost lost her this last day.
I… could not do the one thing a male should be able to do for his female. Protect her.
If I were perhaps a whole male for her, with two seeing eyes, I may have stood a better chance at besting those strange creatures. With two seeing eyes, I would have better aim, I could have launched my spear into their lightning weapons, or been more precise with my blade throwing.
What use is a male who cannot protect his female?
“You’re awake!” Bea’s voice is heavy with sleep, but the pleased tone to it goes a long way to knock my sorry thoughts from my head. For now at least.
“I am,” I say, smiling, my purr making itself known in my chest.
She leans up on her arm and grins down at me. “They told me you kept waking up and causing all sorts of hell trying to find me.”
Did I? “Where did you go?”
“I was telling Rynn, Mavyx and the others about what happened.”
I grunt, part in acknowledgement, and part in pain. I really do have to move now. Shifting, Bea gives me space to sit up and stretch out my wings.
“They were very shocked to hear what Zuul had suggested about Tyll.”
I pause, my wing hanging open mid-stretch and my purr dying in my chest. “There was no honor in his choices,” I say, baring my teeth, holding back the snarl behind them.
Bea nods her head, and tucks her hair behind her little, human ears. “Tyll didn’t want to stay with his Carer last night. He wanted to stay with us.”
Folding my wing back in, I give it a little shake to settle the feathers. “He could have stayed here. I would not have minded it. I am fond of the youngling.”
The smile she gives me is small but bright. It is then that she shifts and reveals some supplies that must have been brought to me during my sleep. A large carved bowl of water, some pots of salve, and many cloths. “Let me clean you up so we can cover your wounds.”
We are both quiet while Bea dips a cloth into the water, the droplets running down her hands and wrists as she wrings the thing out.
I look up to her when she turns to me, her eyes roaming my form.
Normally, whenever Bea would inspect me, I might spread my wings a little, or puff up my chest in hopes that she could be impressed by my size.
But I know right now that, as well as the many scars I carry, I am also still covered in sweat and dirt from the jungle.
I am likely not a very impressive sight.
Still, I crave her nearness in a way that stars crave the night, and all it takes is a twitch of a smile on her lips when my tail brushes against her calf, and I find myself tugging her closer.
She lands in my lap with an adorable little yelp, making my purr start again.
She giggles and shifts herself so that her knees are spread to either side of my hips - a position that is a danger to both male and female.
Risky for the female, because she is vulnerable and open.
Devastating to the male, because he will hand over his everything to this little female. At least, I would.
I smile to myself at the thought. My everything ceased to be my own possessions when she came to this place anyway. She is my everything, and I am so blessed that she was not taken from me this last day.