The baby eagle jerked its head up and hopped back to its siblings, where they immediately began to let out excited screeches of their own.
The mother was returning.
Below, Shazeera let out a low, anxious sound of warning. I didn’t waste any time trying to climb down the rock face; I jumped from the top of the waterfall. I hit the water with a tremendous splash, the water swallowing me greedily. I emerged with a gasp and swam to the edge of the pool, where Shazeera paced and blew powerfully from her nostrils.
We must go now.Her thoughts vibrated with anxiety.Now, now, now.
The screech came again, this time much closer, and Shazeera’s eyes rolled in her fear.
I was out of the pool in an instant, water pouring from my body. With a movement born from years of practice, I pulled myself astride Shazeera. She took off at a gallop, careening perilously close to trees and brush. Leaves and branches stung my cheeks, but it was nothing compared to what talons would feel like if the eagle caught us.
Down, down the mountainside we went, curving around to follow the trail. The mother eagle screeched again, and when I risked a glance back, I saw that she was directly overhead—only the trees kept her from diving and grabbing us both.
She knows we’re here,I thought to Shazeera. Panic closed my throat, making it difficult to speak.
Well, youwereplaying with her babies in the middle of her nest,Shazeera said, her tone only lightly admonishing.
Shame burned through me, thick and hot.I couldn’t kill them.
I could feel the gentle brush of her mind against mine.It would take a truly hardened heart to end a baby’s life, no matter what it will grow up to be in the future.
I wish the mother knew I spared their lives,I said as I checked the sky. The eagle kept trying to find an opening in the tree canopy.
The trail is too slow and winding,Shazeera said, abruptly turning left.
When I saw what she planned, I sat back hard on my hip bones. “No! You can’t do this.”
She galloped unheedingly toward the edge.Lean back as far as you can.
You’ll break your legs,I thought back to her so that she’d have no choice but to hear me.
The ominous beating of wings battered our eardrums as the eagle brought herself closer, the trees themselves swaying beneath the power of the wind she stirred. But even the eagle was momentarily forgotten when Shazeera plunged over the side of the mountain.
With a yelp, I leaned back so far that my head and shoulders were above Shazeera’s hindquarters. Behind us, the eagle dove. Shazeera galloped on, rocks and sticks flying beneath her hooves as we plummeted down the mountainside. A fallen tree lay before us, but she cleared it like it was nothing as I grabbed fistfuls of mane and wrapped my legs tightly around her belly. I didn’t dare look back, but I knew the eagle pursued us—I could feel great torrents of air from her wings, and my neck prickled at the thought of her talons so close.
At last, we reached the bottom of the mountain, landing hardenough to whip me forward. For one terrible moment, Shazeera nearly stumbled, but she was fleet of foot and strong, and she gathered her hind legs under her and powered forward until we were once again flying.
On flat ground again, she lengthened her strides, her nostrils flared wide as she raced along like light dancing on water. I grabbed hold of my bow and turned, only to find the eagle dodging trees, her gaze still trained on us. She was enormous, easily five times as big as Shazeera. She blotted out the sun, bathing us in shadow.
That day, we had outrun the mother eagle. She hadn’t wanted to stray too far beyond her nest, and she had turned back quickly.
But in my dream, the mother eagle transformed into the eagle and its rider that had nearly caught us. I fired arrows ceaselessly, but the eagle dodged them as though I had thrown sticks instead.
The eagle stretched out its talons and caught Shazeera’s haunches. She screamed as she reared, and I was thrown free. When I crashed to the ground, I rolled to my feet, bow and arrows at the ready, but it was too late.
The eagle landed on top of Shazeera and before I could even raise my bow, it tore into her throat. My heart shattered, and I fell to my knees screaming as the blood poured out of Shazeera.
You can choose them over me,she said into my mind.
I felt something press against my leg. It was the little chick from the nest.
5
Talon
I didn’t regain consciousness again until the next day. My entire body ached like I’d been beaten and then trampled. Neo and I had spent the better part of the last five years flying constant missions on behalf of the emperor, joining in battles against the Children of Earth, many of which had left me scarred from arrows or spearheads, but nothing came close to how bad I felt now.
I will carry you on my back, and we will walk until a scout sees us,Neo said, coming shakily to his feet the moment he saw I was awake.
