Treno makes a noise that’s somewhere between a snort and grunt of agreement. I turn to him.
“You’re not much better,” I accuse. “You both have issues you need to sit on until we’ve figured out a way to win. Don’t forget you’re in this with us. We don’t have to like each other, but we need to figure out a way to work together, because more lives than just ours are counting on us figuring out a way to end this war. There’s no time for petty bullshit and hurt feelings.”
Treno stares at me like he’s not sure if he’s impressed or offended by what I’m saying.
“What about you?” Zeph challenges. “Can we trust that you won’t betray us or use your abilities against us? Will you run the first chance you get or accept your place in this fight and see it through?”
Anger boils up inside of me, and I can feel my face go red with fury. If he wants to talk about betrayal, we can go there. I’ve got plenty more to say about what he and Ryn did and what they kept from me. Even Pigeon is flashing me images of when he saved Loa and kicked us out of the Eyrie. We got our throats slit because of that, and she’s just as pissed about his tone and the insinuations in it as I am.
I work to calm myself down. I want to punch the giant fucker in his smug face, but I mean what I say about squashing our issues so we can get to the Ouphe and hopefully get help. Decking Zeph right now, however good it may feel, is not the example that needs to be set in this moment. So I swallow my offence and vitriol down.
Tastes worse than those damn grot berries, but I do it.
“Yeah, Zeph. You can count on me to see the freedom of the Gryphons through.”
He studies my face for a beat and then surprisingly backs off.
“We should go,” he orders, walking over to his dark corner and picking up a pack. Light is starting to filter in through the branches of the tree Pigeon and I shoved into the roof of the cave, and I realize that it must be dawn already. Well, there goes my plans to go back to sleep.
Outrage hammers in my chest, and at first I think Pigeon is also pissed that we’re not going to go back to bed, but she flashes me images of her nest and all the work she put into getting that damn tree here.
Shit.
“Pidge, you promised you wouldn’t get mad if they didn’t appreciate your nest gesture,”I argue, but she huffs, clearly not sticking to that agreement. Crap, how the hell can I smooth this over, we just got back on good terms.“We can build a nest when we get to the Ouphe. I’ll help you rip out as many trees as you want.”
“What’s wrong?” Ryn asks me.
I look from his concerned face to the tree sticking down into the cave and back. “Um...Pigeon’s not ready to leave; she’s super into wanting to make a nest or something.”
“Pigeon?” he asks, puzzled.
“Yeah, that’s what my gryphon likes to be called.”
Zeph and Treno both grunt in irritation at the same time. For two people that hate each other, they sure do think alike. I’m about to defend Pigeon’s choice in names when Treno speaks up.
“This isn’t the time for useless female urges. Like you said, lives are counting on us. Save the preening and roosting. This is war, not a mating.”
Zeph grunts again, his back to us, but it’s clear he’s agreeing in his own fucked up way. I personally don’t care, but Pigeon reacts like what they are saying is a direct attack against her. Hurt and anger clash inside of me, and she stomps off to the dark recesses of my consciousness and lies down, burying her face underneath her onyx wing. I study her reaction and the feelings she sends whirling around inside of us. She feels rejected and hurt, and I hate it.
My eyes and face harden as I look at Treno. “I get what you’re saying, but we both know there are ways to get your point across without being a piece of shit about it. You want to be mad at me, have at it, but if you think I’m going to stand by and let you hurther,” I seethe, pressing my palm to my chest, “...then you’re in for a rude awakening. Stay the fuck away from me until you can figure out how to be fucking respectful...both of you,” I growl, catching Zeph’s eyes as well. “She deserves better than that.”
I call on my wings, ready to fly the fuck out of here and find the Ouphe myself. But my feathers brush against bark and pine needles, and I’m reminded that there’s not enough room to fly off thanks to the fucking tree. These dicks don’t appreciate shit.
“It was a good tree, Pidge; they weren’t worthy of it,”I try to reassure her, but she stays quiet.
I turn instead and start climbing the tree to get out. At least the wings will cover my ass as I do.
I high five myself for owning this wholefind the bright sideattitude. Fuck knows I’m going to need it traveling with this group of uncouth numpties. I make my way out of the cave more winded and sweatier than I probably should be from climbing that damn tree. Good thing we’ll be walking for a good portion of this craptastic adventure we’re about to embark on, because I clearly can use the cardio—and a shower. I smell a level of ripe that no one should have to endure for too long.
This should be fun.
7
“Ihate this place,” I mutter as I stare at the pile of grot fruit in front of me. “Why can’t we hunt?” I ask again for the sixth time since Ryn dumpeddinnerin front of me on my blanket.
“We can’t build a fire out here. It’s too dangerous,” Ryn answers.
“We haven’t been making good time, and we’re still too close to possible patrols to risk it,” Zeph adds, giving me a look that says my slowness is to blame.
