Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties

by Kellie Doherty

  Panic made her vision blurry. She couldn’t fight five, with who knew how many were on the way. Something crashed behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder, expecting the worst. A dark flash darted through the grasses, but sharp intakes of breath made her turn back. Two of the suncreatures had vanished, but three remained, taking advantage of her distraction by spewing strands of fire at her. More fire than she could hope to dodge. Rooted to the spot with fear, Misti could do nothing but watch as the flames spiraled toward her.

  Something shoved her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her as well. Misti gasped as streams of fire crackled over her head. An armored arm covered her face, protecting her from the heat and the stray fingers of fire that threatened to lick downward. Just as suddenly as it started, the crackling ceased, the fire burned away, and the arm lifted off her. Misti stared at the woman lying in the dirt next to her. A familiar grin and sparkling dark eyes gazed back.

  “Told you I’d kick your ass,” Dylori said.

  Gratitude rushed through Misti’s body, burning away her fear. “Dylori!” Her voice came out as a squeak.

  But Dylori had already risen from the dirt, lifting her sword. “Three of them, I gather?”

  “Five at least, with more on the way!” Misti replied, getting to her feet, and standing with Dylori, facing the snarling beasts. To her utter amazement, Arias, the dabbler woman from the village, shouldered out of the grasses, arrow already nocked in her bow.

  A neades’ roar thundered over the hilltop, and the ground shook. Dylori gave her a wink. “Probably not anymore.”

  Misti’s spirits rose even higher as Dis crested the hill, running full tilt toward the suncreatures that were menacing his companion. He reached them a heartbeat later, shouldering into their enemies. All three fell and died, burning to ash beneath Dis’ attack. He lumbered around the grass, hunting for more, but it seemed the remaining suncreatures had turned tail and run after seeing Dis. Haunting howls rose from the grass, but they were far away and getting farther.

  Arias lowered her bow, putting her arrow back in its quiver. Dis nudged Dylori, huffing gently against her. She drew leaves from her pouch and handed them to him, giving her companion animal a heavy pat.

  Laughing and shaking, Misti hugged Dis’ neck. “Thank you, Dis. Thank you so, so much,” she said into his soft fur.

  She let him go and turned to Dylori, grasping her arm. Looking stunning even with the smudge of dirt by her nose, a piece of grass hanging off her right horn, and the stains on her silver armor, Dylori beamed, and Misti’s stomach fluttered in response. She forced that all-too-familiar feeling down and tightened her hold on Dylori’s arm, wishing she was brave enough to say how she really felt but assuming Dylori couldn’t possibly feel the same. She had too many partners over the seasons to even look in Misti’s direction.

  “You shouldn’t have followed me out here, but I’m glad you did. What about the Moon Knights? Met’zil Zarious probably won’t take too kindly to his T’zil running off to Amiin.”

  Crinkles formed around Dylori’s eyes as her expression brightened. “I had a talk with Zarious right after you left. Told him I was going with you whether he liked it or not.” She scratched the back of her head, and some of her dark hair slipped out of its bun. “Turns out he didn’t like it at all, but the other Moon Knights also suggested I go with you as a guard. So he finally agreed.”

  Shock raced through Misti, burning away the last of her fear. “The others said you should come?”

  “Stee specifically said you’d need backup.” Dylori’s voice lifted in laughter. “He also mentioned how impressed he’d been with your crafting, calling the animals and such. How two strixis came to you when you only summoned one. They came back, by the way, after you left. They were looking for you, but then recognized me and pointed the knights in the right direction. I told them I’d let you know. I think that’s also why Zarious allowed me to leave.”

  Relief flooded Misti. The strixis were okay. But it was surprising that Stee, of all people, would vouch for her. At Misti’s confused expression, Dylori gave her another wink. “I think that boy has a crush on you, Misti. Let him down easy if he ever asks, okay?”

  Stee likes me? Misti couldn’t see how that was possible, though now that Dylori mentioned it, she did recall some signs. Training with her even after the other Moon Knights had gone to bed. Urging her to do better in his own odd way. The curious expression on his face when he helped her pack up last night. Maybe he did like her, but just had a horrible way of showing it. Her imagination sketched quick images of how Stee might’ve courted her, giving her the usual trinkets and gems standard for Vagari, and she frowned. Admittedly, she had thought of him that way a few seasons ago, but couldn’t see herself being with him now in any stretch of the imagination. He was overly arrogant for her and a large part of her had realized she didn’t want anyone else aside from Dylori. How Dylori had assumed she didn’t want to be with him didn’t skip Misti’s notice.

  She sighed. “I’ll be sure to do that, yes.”

  Arias, who had been petting Dis before, nudged her in the side. “Am I ever going to get a thank-you for joining on this little quest?”

  Heat rushed up Misti’s cheeks. “Arias! Thank you for coming! But…why are you here?”

  “Let’s get up on Dis first. We’ll travel faster, and he won’t mind the extra weight.” Arias clambered up onto Dis’ back, and then motioned them to climb up.

  On Dis? Really? Usually companion animals only allowed their companions to ride them, even the bigger ones like Dis. It was a sign of utmost respect to have others ride on their backs. Misti turned to Dylori. “Dis is being very generous.”

  “He suggested it. Apparently you have a mysterious pull over males,” Dylori teased, lacing her fingers together into a sling.

  If only I could have that pull over you, Misti thought, before quickly looking down at Dylori’s fingers. She stepped into the improvised stirrup and Dylori threw her up onto Dis’ back in front of Arias. Pain spiked up Misti’s side, arm, and wrist at the sudden motion, but she gritted her teeth, clamping down on the yelp that threatened to escape. The wounds weren’t deep, and she’d tend to them during an actual rest, not while they were being hunted by suncreatures. The bite had stopped bleeding and she suspected the other slashes had, too.

  “Thanks,” Misti said to Arias, looking back at her. She noted Arias’ thin tunic had been replaced with thick, scaly hide, light armor perfect for traveling.

  “Certainly,” Arias replied, but the dabbler was already reaching down to help Dylori up onto Dis’ back.

  Dylori waved her hand away. “I’ll be up in a minute.” She went around Dis, scratching him on the nose, before heading up the hill to grab Misti’s packs, and then toward a stray pile of ash. She kicked the ash around. “We didn’t kill this one. Did you, Misti?”

  “I did,” Misti shouted, even though they weren’t far enough apart to warrant it. Excitement bubbled in her chest. “I killed it. All by myself!”

  Dylori chuckled. “Well done.”

  Misti’s heart swelled with pride as she watched Dylori shift the ashes around. Leaning down, Dylori picked something up and then returned, holding her hand out to Misti. A suncreature’s tooth glinted orange against the dark skin of Dylori’s palm. Arias gasped appreciatively. Curling to a point, the pyrewolf’s tooth was as long as Misti’s pointer finger, thick as her thumb, and sharper than anything she’d ever seen.

  “As a remembrance,” Dylori said, giving Misti a playful grin, dropping the tooth into Misti’s hand. She climbed onto Dis’ back. Dylori leaned forward, whispered something in her companion’s ear, and they were off.

  Misti was so engrossed in the gleaming trophy in her hand that she barely noticed her surroundings as Dis loped over the grasslands. Proof, she thought. Proof that she had killed a suncreature by herself. They were living memories of the horrible battle between the goddess sisters Aluriah and Ponuriah. It was said when Ponuriah los
t the battle, her avatar split into white-hot shards, creating suncreatures wherever the shards landed.

  But she didn’t know how that could be possible if more seemed to appear each season and the Great Rift happened many generations ago. Yet those suncreatures were a symbol to some of Ponuriah’s future on this world. Misti didn’t believe in either of the goddesses, and to think the suncreatures were part of some lingering crafting from some mythical sun goddess seemed ridiculous to her. Some other means had to have created them, or they were born into this world like they were, though how or why she didn’t know.

  An eneeraa suncreature lifted itself from the grasses, floating next to them as Dis loped along, but it drifted away, disappearing back into the tall grass. The suncreatures frightened her, but none of them seemed keen on attacking Dis. A cold tendril of jealousy drifted through Misti’s core, coiling through her stomach and around her chest. A familiar feeling if she was honest. Zora would be picked off in an instant if she trotted along like this. Shaking her head with a frown, she tried to ignore the feeling. Just be grateful you have Dis here now. Dis slowed from his loping stride to a lumbering walk, munching on some of the grasses. He turned suddenly to inspect a pick flower patch nearby, and Misti’s side ached from the movement, but she tried her best to ignore that as well.

  “So, you wanted to know why I ventured on this quest?” Arias asked.

  Misti started, preoccupied with her own suncreature kill. She had asked the question before getting on Dis, yet Misti had said nothing else to Arias since then. Dis had been going pretty fast to get away from the suncreatures and it was hard to talk while he ran. They could converse more comfortably now. Misti slipped the suncreature tooth into the pouch on her belt since her pack had been stashed with the others behind Arias. She turned her attention to the woman sitting behind her, swaying slightly with Dis’ steps.

  “Sorry.” Misti gave her an apologetic look. “And yes, Miss Silverstone, I did want to know why you decided to come along.”

  “Miss Silverstone?” Arias snorted, leaning back a little. She raised her voice to be heard over the flox of strixis chittering overhead. “You may call my sister that if you ever meet her, but that name doesn’t suit me. For the love of Aluriah, just call me Arias.”

  “Get used to it, Arias.” Dylori said, twisting in her seat and winking at Misti before turning back around. “She gets formal when she’s embarrassed.”

  “You know me so well,” Misti muttered. Heat burned on her neck, but she rubbed it away and said to Arias, “I apologize again then.”

  “Worry not. It startled me, is all. And I thought I should come because of that.” She gestured to the glowing pendant around Misti’s neck. “I realized after seeing you head off that the folk at Amiin would want to know how we caged it, and I gather you wouldn’t quite know what to tell them.”

  Misti nodded. “You’d be correct.”

  Arias’ tan skin crinkled around her pale green eyes. “Moreover, I’m always good for an adventure. I need to visit the Nemora to get supplies for Alua anyway.”

  “Your village needed supplies?” Dylori asked, twisting around again. “Why didn’t you tell the Moon Knights in your letter requesting aid? We could’ve gotten them for you. Saved you the trip.”

  Arias’ grin grew wider. “Like I said, I like adventure.” She paused and seemed to consider her next words. The crunching of Dis’ hooves in the dirt filled the silence until she spoke again. “And as an Elu it’s my duty anyway, so others don’t have face the dangers of daylight. I suppose it’s like your Vagari need to aid animals, correct?”

  Misti nodded. Elu were powerful warriors and crafters, perhaps the most powerful of all the races in that regard. Protectors. Just like Moon Knights, Misti mused. Elu made terrific knights, though Misti hadn’t had the honor of working side-by-side with them. Met’zil Zarious preferred Vagari in his unit. Elu usually did the dangerous work of transportation, funneling supplies from the seven Nemora Groves to the various cities and villages of Inber so others didn’t have to face the danger of traveling long distances during the day.

  Dylori tilted her head, a slight breeze picking up a stray lock of her dark hair and twirling it around her face. She tucked it back into her bun. “You’ve traveled to the Nemora Groves alone before?”

  “Certainly! I take the Rainy Pass. It’s well-known path for Elu but one a bit more perilous for others. Those without our abilities tend to use other roads.”

  Perilous indeed. Misti had only heard of Rainy Pass, and heard nothing good. The Moon Knights who traversed the pass said terrible things about it. The pass skirted along the edge of the Cinder Forest, a dead patch of woods full of suncreatures. This dabbler really is up for an adventure.

  “And if things go wrong, I have my bow and blade.” In one hand Arias carried her short hunting bow.

  Up close, Misti could see silver spirals inlaid into the metal. The dark bowstring looked freshly waxed. Clearly Arias takes good care of it. Arias patted the sword on her belt. This blade had to be of Elu Guild craftsmanship, as it was paper-thin, with old ruins etched into the blade itself and a pommel that protected the hand with intertwining strands of metal. A blue crystal of some kind, guriasinth, maybe, Misti didn’t know, sat atop the pommel.

  She doesn’t use the blade much to have the etchings still in place. “It’s beautiful,” Misti said. “Made in Shey?”

  Arias nodded. “They both were, actually. In Marion, specifically, my hometown. My father forged the sword for me when I decided to leave home. It looks ceremonial, but it can slice through even the toughest armor. The bow is made of rusron. It can only be found in a little Ingo offshoot nearby my home.”

  Misti eyed the bow again. “The Ingo Grove has an offshoot by Marion?”

  “Indeed, and the Nemora have quite a few rare metals there. We needed to trade many daygems, clothing, and meats for a small amount of rusron. The Nemora are protective of that resource.” Arias ran a thumb down her bow.

  “Elu have excellent taste in weapons,” Dylori whispered, eyes only for the blade. “Could I touch it?”

  “I use it for show more than anything else,” Arias admitted, handing over the sword. Dylori took the weapon and tilted it into the sun, admiring its gleam. “I’ve always preferred my bow. My older sister Orenda gave it to me as a parting gift.” Arias’ smile slipped a little. She seemed to draw into herself for a moment, staring at the bow. “Because of their kindness, I can handle myself if things go into the fires.”

  “Ponuriah’s ass, with this sword you could handle anything!” Dylori hefted the weapon higher, holding it with one hand and thrusting it skyward.

  “Yes, that’s what my father figured as well.” Arias’ smile returned as she watched Dylori.

  “Why did you decide to leave home?” Misti shooed a bright yellow sprigfly from her arm and watched as it fluttered to the grasses below. A few more sprigflies rose up to greet it. “Being from Shey, there must be some talent in your blood for blacksmithing.”

  Arias scratched her chin and frowned. “Blacksmithing is an amazing craft, and one I’m proud that my family has honed, but when you’re around the fires as much as I was in my youth, metalworking tends to lose its luster.” Arias leaned back a little, propping herself up on the packs. Her gaze shifted down to her bow once again and she thumbed over the spirals. “Besides, I still work metal at times, and that’s enough to keep my parents happy.”

  They rode in silence for a while, Dylori admiring the thin blade and Arias keeping her gaze on the bow. Misti stared out at the rolling grasslands, the sun rising above the horizon, the bright blue sky. She knew she should be looking for suncreatures. Listening for the rustling in the grass and keeping an eye on those far-away shapes a bit blurry on the horizon, even for her. But her side ached and her eyelids kept closing on their own. She needed sleep. Her body needed to heal. She tightened her grip on Dis’ fur, a knife-like ache slicing through her wrist and forearm. Her legs shook as she clenched them
around Dis’ sides, trying to keep herself stable, trying to ignore the pain. But the throbbing in her side intensified with every step Dis took and the stabbing ache in her wrist and arm never wavered.

  “Could we stop, please?” Misti said, the words thick on her tongue.

  “Why?” Dylori said, before muttering a few words to Dis and halting their progress. She swiveled to stare at Misti and her eyes went wide. “Never mind.”

  “What’s wrong?” Arias asked, regarding the pair of them with frown.

  Gracefully slipping off Dis’ back, Dylori motioned for Misti to come down as well, holding up her hands to catch her. Misti slid off. Her boots hit the ground hard and caused a twinge in her heels. Am I standing? She was, for a moment. Then her legs folded, and Dylori caught her before she hit the ground.

  “Oh!” came Arias’ shocked voice from above.

  “Don’t worry, I have her,” Dylori said, arms tightening around Misti’s waist. “Lead Dis over to that hill, would you?”

  Misti barely registered Dylori lifting her completely off the ground and carrying her over to the base of a hill nearby. Dylori stomped in a circle a few times before lowering Misti gently to the bed of crushed grass.

  “Thanks,” Misti murmured, curling up on her side in the soft grass and closing her eyes. If I had tails, I’d curl them around my nose, just like Zora. She curled up tighter, the ache in her chest having nothing to do with the suncreature attack. I miss her. A soft breeze fluttered over her and Zora’s feather tickled her cheek. A nagging voice in her mind said she should stay awake to help them fight any suncreatures that attacked. That fighting the suncreatures, protecting others, protecting Arias even, was her duty. I doubt Arias needs protecting. Misti chuckled softly to herself. But sleep called to her, and this time she couldn’t deny it. “I’m just going to go to sleep for a little while. Watch each other’s backs, okay?”