"They only continue because it is your will. And yet they find nothing." Tryk makes a move to step forward. He is halted by a spear shoved under his chin. "Do you want to hear what I know, or should I leave?" he asks my High Spear, one brow raised in question.
Rynn grunts at the over-eager spear-bearer to stand down. Tryk inclines his head and pushes the spear-tip away with a single finger before continuing to walk forward, his eerie dark skin-stars shifting all over his body like leafy shadows from an unseen tree.
"They continue their search because there are females to be found," Rynn says. "We will not give up. We will not leave them to the will of the jungle."
"Admirable," Tryk nods to himself, stopping too close to where I am ready to defend my female. His eyes skim over my Ah-Lanah, pausing on what I must assume is her swollen belly - now much larger than last he saw her. My warning growl vibrates in my chest and I abruptly extend a wing, shielding my mate from the Shadow-Wing's gaze.
"Hey!" Ah-Lanah huffs, batting at my feathers and getting up from her sitting rock to pointedly walk around my wing. I straighten and grab for her, bringing her close to my side, my tail sliding around my mate.
Tryk watches this all and again assesses Ah-Lanah's rounded belly. He says nothing, though, and instead turns back to Rynn.
"But you do not know that there have been mimyckah attacks," he says, and my feathers prick to hear those words about my males.
"Attacks?" I demand, not letting my High Spear answer, my grip on my mate tightening as though those foul beasts where about to ambush us all here in our own village. "What are these attacks you speak of?"
"In the jungle, you hear many voices."
"Do not give me that frizikki-shit!" I spit. "Speak plainly, Shadow-Wing."
"What attacks?" Rynn urges, and I can feel all his restless energy beside me, matching my own as if we were twin embers waiting for some tinder to catch fire.
Tryk sucks in a long breath through his nose and then releases it before nodding to himself. "Some nights ago, I came across this'Great Eastern Search Party'of yours and Zarriko's. I kept hidden while they talked amongst themselves and their words spoke of a mimyckah attack - one large in number if my understanding of the conversation is correct. There was a discussion about alerting the tribe leaders of the attack, but it sounded as though your males decided against that - saying they wanted to continue the search and not risk being called back to the tribe." Once again, Tryk's gaze finds Chaz-Titi. "They wanted to find their females." He blinks and shakes his head as though shifting a thought inside his mind before concentrating on Rynn and continuing. "I soon left them to go about my days in the jungle but just this two nights ago, I heard the commotion of another attack and smelt blood in the air. I came across a fleeing band of mimyckah before I reached the search party. They were... they were carrying one of your males."
"No," my High Spearess, Serena gasps, putting her hand to her mouth. "Who?! Was he alive?"
"I do not remember him from my time in the tribe," Tryk says, bowing to Serena, "but I believe he is the one named Aloryk."
"Ricky?!" Chaz-Titi exclaims. "No, not Ricky! You're wrong!"
"Oh my God," my Ah-Lanah exhales, her arms winding around my middle as she huddles closer, seeking comfort in me. I had forgotten how close the females had become to Aloryk. How they liked his easy ways, and how sure he was that he would find his mishi-flower-haired female on this search.
"He was alive?" I grunt, my arm pulling Ah-Lanah even closer.
Tryk at least has the good grace to lower his gaze to the ground. "He did not look alive."
"Why didn't youhelp him?!" Chaz-Titi demands, eyes lined with furious tears. "You could have helped him!"
The Shadow-Wing looks at her, assessing the female once more before a glimmer of remorse shadows his eyes. "There were too many mimyckah. It would have meant me following him head-first to the Promised Lands."
"Shadow-Wings are not granted entry to the Promised Lands." It is lame-winged Jaxyn who comments, coming closer to face his brother. "Even you must know that," he spits.
I have been told there is no strong bond between the brothers, and seeing them now, I know it to be true. Regardless, Tryk continues to bring kills and offerings for his lame brother’s use. But Jaxyn looks at Tryk knowing what he had done to deserve banishment all those seasons ago.
Tryk only smiles that sly smile of his like he knows his brother's mind better than even Jaxyn himself.
Inclining his head, Tryk says, "It is so, brother. I, like all the Shadow-Wings before me, will become nothing, remembered by no one, mourned by no one, watched over by no Goddesses." He pauses, searching his brother's face as if waiting for Jaxyn to tell him otherwise. When his brother is not forthcoming, his eyes turn to Chaz-Titi again. "He was dead, and I am not ready to become nothing just yet, honored female.Thatis why I did not intervene."
"A true Protector would have tried to save a brother," Jaxyn accuses, "danger be damned."
Tryk only nods, and I know he is not thinking of poor Aloryk. His mind is of seasons and season ago, when Jaxyn was not yet grown and Tryk anticipating his first season of training. "Yes," he says, eyes intent on Jaxyn. "You speak true, brother."
CHAPTER 22: ALANA
Later that night when it's just me and the big guy in my bed, I can tell his mind is elsewhere. For starters, those little twinkles at his temples sparking and flashing in various neon colors is a pretty big giveaway. Also, Mavyx seems to have completely forgotten about rubbing the blue plant oil into my stretch marks this evening. Not that I expect it in any way, it's just that he kind of started insisting since that very first time - just in case he gets to feel the baby kick - and now it's become part of a nightly ritual of sorts.
That and getting each other off like a pair of horndogs.
He doesn't seem to be in the mood for that, either.
