On swift wings and winds, we fly, our mountain looming closer. Mavyx clutches the female close as he flies. She does not respond in any way. "I do not like this, brother," he says, racing faster back to the tribe.
I must agree. What kind of Protectors are we if we allow such a thing to happen? Will this displease the Goddesses? Shame floods my bones. They may not have wanted Zahreenah returned to them this day, but what if a day comes, like so many generations before mine, when the Goddesses cast their judgment on my tribe and find our care of our females lacking?
I will not let such a thing happen. Deep within my heart, I know we can be better than my ancestors. And that belief is not born through fear of judgment, but because now I have met a female, seen one with my very eyes, and know what it is to have one slumbering in my nest beside me. I know, I would do anything -anything- to keep from mistreating her.
When we land in the center of the village, the scene is chaotic. I spot one healer hurrying from the hut used to store dried herbs and other useful items. Opening my mouth to issue the command, I am bested by my Second Spear.
"You! Hurry. This female needs attention!"
Mavyx sounds as desperate as I feel.
"I... I do not know how to treat a female. I've never...noneof us have ever-"
"Youwilltreat this female, healer," I tell the male, my wings rising and my tail flicking in warning. "We will not fail to protect her because we did not try."
The healer's eyes go wide before he bows his head. "Yes, my High Spear."
"I will stay with this one," Mavyx offers, eyes still fixed on the female in his arms.
Grunting in agreement, I spread my wings. "I will find Zahreenah and have her brought to the new female. If this one wakes, she will want to see a face of her own kind."
Flying from the center of the village and around the mountain to the Temple where I left Zahreenah takes but a few beats of my wings. But when I reach my destination I encounter a sight so horrific, I almost fall from the sky.
"Zahreenah!" I yell, hurtling toward her figure, laying limply upon the grass. "Zahreenah!"
I do not know what I am doing as I land directly over her with a clumsy thud, my wings thrust over her as if to shield her fragile body from some outside threat. "What happened to her?!" I growl, gathering my female in my arms. Aloryk and Zynnik were the Protectors I had trusted with my mate's care. Had that been a mistake? Have they failed to protect the most precious thing in this life?
"She asked favor of the Goddesses," Aloryk answers. "I gave my offering in her stead-"
"You gave my mate your seed?!" I demand, tearing my eyes from Zareenah's sleeping form to challenge the audacity of the young male.
"No!" he is quick to correct me. "No! I gave my offering to the Goddesses in return for your female’s requested gift."
"You left her side to fill your pot and this is what happened?"
"No! No, High Spear Rynn. Please, she only fell when she used the... the...trans-late-or."
I do not know of any 'trans-late-tor'. All I know is that my mate lay limply in my arms and my heart aches so keenly I cannot stand it. "If the healers cannot fix this, I'll have your wings," I bark at my Protectors.
"Don't be so hard on them," a croaky, broken-sounding voice whispers up at me. My gaze drops and I'm met with Zahreenah's open eyes - eyes the same shade of gray as skies before rainfall.
"Zahreenah," I say with a breath. "Zahreenah, you wake!" For a moment I hold her tighter before pulling away again. "You are not speaking your nonsense words." Have I lost my senses?
"Nonsense?" she says, smiling up at me. "I'll have you know, Mr. Twinkle-Feathers, that I've never spoken nonsense a day in my life!"
"How can this be?" I ask, helping her to her feet. "You are speaking Trixikka words."
Zahreenah dusts off her behind and smooths her hair. "I asked your spinny-ball-God thing for a translator," she tells me, looking for all the world like a youngling who was proud of their first flight. "And now we can talk. Nifty, huh?"
I cannot stop the spread of the widest smile I have ever worn. "I do not know what this 'nifty' means. But, I am very pleased to understand you better." I am even still grinning when I ask, "Mr. Twinkle-Feathers?"
"I should think that's self-explanatory," Zahreenah responds with a smirk. However, the lightness fades from her face as quickly as the storms come when she sees something over my shoulder. "They're coming back," she gasps. "Have they found anyone?"
Turning, I too, can see a small band of my Protectors returning to the village. Within their midst, two carry something in their arms. One, no doubt one of Zahreenah's kind is fighting her rescuer like a wild zaleeva cat. The other is still. Far too still.
Chapter 10
SERENA
