Abide With Me

Night of the Nightjars

A/N: The characters Wei Ying and Lan Zhan belong to their author MXTX. All other characters are a product of my imagination and bear no resemblance to anyone living or dead.

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HRH Princess Zise de Yanjing sat meditating waist deep in her hidden waterfall. There was a stillness, a calm that had reigned undisturbed since dawn. At first, there were tiny ripples of movement in the water, akin to a small fish flicking its fins. The ripples became stronger, turning into eddies. The eddies swirled around, in seconds, a funnel of swiftly rotating water created a whirlpool. The Princess opened her eyes just as the Shadow DaNi, Shadow Chenqing and the Blackwing Butterfly emerged silently from the whirlpool's centre. The waters suddenly went still again.

The Shadow DaNi was a large and handsome specimen. Leading the trio, he bowed gracefully to the Princess. In a voice that resembled the whisper of a dry wind among reeds, he said, "We the DaNi of the Shadow Realm, greet you, Princess of the Aquatic Realm. We understand we can be of service to you. This is Shadow Chenqing, co-created by your Oriental guest, Master Wei Ying and his spirit instrument, the Chenqing. Shadow Chenqing floated forward and dipped in greeting. A few notes flowed out and the Princess listened carefully.

"Indeed, it is very thoughtful of Brother Chenqing to have thought of this means to carry my plea. My brethren from the Shadow Realm will carry you to Gusu with no effort on your part." She extended a fin and the Blackwing daintily perched on it. "Carry our message to your homeland, my little Friend, and all the flowers of Lanka are yours!" Red antennae waved in acknowledgement and the Blackwing returned to its perch on Shadow Chenqing's tassel.

The hill station of Nuwara Eliya was about 96 Li from Ratnapura as the crow flies, but today the Asian Emerald Cuckoos had reserved airspace and routes for their Annual Convention. Swathes of bright green wings cutting across the azure were eye-catching indeed! Briefed by the Messaging Mynahs, a pair of brown Barn Owls and another of Indian Nightjars had spent all of the previous two days slipping in and out of the Grotto.

The large female Barn Owl flew a couple of feet above Lori's head, gentle and silent. She perched on a ledge innocuously and looking straight at Lori's face, blinked twice. The male Barn Owl tagged behind Linghun Qiezei and as the Gryphon stretched out his massive wings in a dry cave above the Grotto, the Owl blinked twice. The Nightjars painstakingly flew past groups of laborers and blinked rapidly. Sometimes, they even turned annoying, fluttering above sleeping Otters, Beavers, men and women. Once they had glimpsed their faces, they blinked and flew away!

Once outside the Utkarsavat Patal, the Barn Owls and Nightjars parted company. While the Barn Owls silently slipped into a fast-moving air current flowing north, towards Nuwara Eliya; the Nightjars flew south, to the Ratnapura mountainside.

The Chieftain and his troops waited for sunset to resume their journey to Utkarsavat Patal. Flight Lieutenant Parakeet came up to the Chief. He was accompanied by a pair of Indian Nightjars. Though tired and ruffled, their eyes snapped with diamond brilliance.

Flt./Lt. Parakeet saluted and said, "For your eyes only, Chief!" Nodding, the Chief asked, "You are?" The first Nightjar saluted and said "Codename Kodak 1 and my colleague is Codename Nikon 2. We have the hostage dossiers!"

Swiftly and silently the Chief led them to a rocky outcropping. The spot was bare of vegetation save for one tree. The tree was leafless and bare of bark standing starkly white among the lengthening shadows. The Nightjars grew excited: "A Ghost Tree,* this is excellent, let's begin!"

The pair emitted a high-pitched whistle and Flt./Lt. Parakeet with four nondescript Beavers converged on the spot. Though curious, the Chief refrained from asking why these soldiers were here. Though he was the Chief, he did not need to know everything!