Feathers of Bravery

Jessica

I love Aihla to death. She's been my best friend since we were hatchlings. I was so honored when her dad the King made me her letahr. Sure it was hard work the training, but it just meant that we could now spend more time together and we could say that I was guarding her without any adults trying to argue with us.

I always knew that she was free spirited and always questioned many things. One of them being the truce and rule we had about the crows. I'm not saying I go along with everything I'm told, my own father can testify to that. It's just that some rules were placed for a reason and we don't need to experience something to be told that it was a bad idea to begin with. So imagine my surprise not just when we got teleported to gods and goddesses knows where, but that there's an actual crow standing right in front of me.

And an even bigger shock, that he's kind and no trying to kill us. He even tried to give us an advantage to escape when we got ambushed by a Kijod. Yeah today has been full of surprises to say the least. Of course all that could be a ploy and he could just be waiting for us to lower our guard and then attack. But I refuse to entertain that theory. Not because I'm being naïve or anything like that, no. It's just something my mother taught me. Especially when I was named a letahr.

"Remember my child, everyone is capable of both good and evil given the right circumstances. Never be quick to assume someone always has the best intentions, nor that they have ill intent. You must find a balance between seeing the good in everyone but always be prepared for their demons to appear."

I think it's one of the greatest lessons she ever taught me. Even if at the time of hearing it, it confused the daylights out of me. Back when I was a hatchling, I just thought if someone was good then they were always good. Same goes if they were bad. But the lesson became clearer when a thief came into their spice shop when I was stocking. I tried stopping him but the older owl had at least two feet on me and twenty more pounds. In our scuffle, we dropped a candle that resulted in the entire shop being set on fire.

I still wasn't of age to have a charm so I can perform an extinguishing spell so that left me trapped in here with the flames. By some miracle, the thief had come back for me. He broke the large window and covered me with his large wing and led us out of the burning inferno. Someone had alerted the guards about the fire and about the thief, so they were there waiting for us when we made it out.

Instantly the guards pulled me from his wing and arrested the owl. A few days had passed and I saw myself walking to his cell where he awaited trial. I asked him why he came back for me. If he had flown away, then he wouldn't have been caught. His answer was simple.

"I may be a thief, but I am no murderer. I couldn't leave you to die."

He was sentenced to not only a year in prison but to rebuild the spice shop. Afterwards, once he was done he showed my father and mother the improvements that he made to it to make it easier for them. Then he was sent to the prison. Last I had heard from him was that he had found a wife and they had four hatchlings together.

So that's how I learned the lesson my mother was trying to teach me. The good and bad that lies within everyone. There were other times that this lesson showed itself to me but the first one was the most important to me. Now, I just have to apply it to Meylo. This prince of Baldir. He's done good and shown that he is good so far. But I won't let any of that blind me if and when his bad comes out.

For a while, to pass the time while we flew we talked amongst each other. We asked questions to get to know one another. One other thing to add to the list of things that have surprised me today was that Meylo, although I think it applies to all crows by the sound of him, doesn't believe in magic. When Aihla and I were speaking that we think someone or something had teleported us here, all the prince did was laugh.

Sure in the beginning we thought he was finally going to go crazy or panic like Aihla's sister does. However his laugh was genuine when he explained to us that he didn't believe in magick and had never seen it before further going into detail that he only believes in things he can see. I could see in Aihla's eyes that I wasn't the only one who wanted to perform a small spell to show him. Likewise, I could also see it in her eyes that we wouldn't have to do anything ourselves.

Sooner or later, Meylo would become a believer in his own right. I just feel sorry for him since it wouldn't be in a controlled environment or something small. Not that teleporting to gods and goddesses knows where is to be considered small. I just meant like if we had to sleep outside, one of us could've shown him a simple little fire spell. That way if he passes out or freaks out we can support him and do whatever we need to so that he can take it all in slowly and process it.

Thankfully though we didn't actually have to sleep outside. I don't mind camping but we have no idea where we are or if there are anymore kijods. We managed to find a small town called Riverira. I never heard of it but it didn't give me any bad feelings of the sort. The only thing that made me maybe a little uneasy was that they asked us to leave our weapons with the guards. But I guess with a town this small it's good to be wary of strangers who come at night.

The inn where we are staying is cute and comfy. The food was different but no less good. Some kind of porridge that was definitely giving me a food coma. Not just me either judging by the yawns coming from Aihla and Meylo. Each of us chose our favored nest and settled in for the night. I only lasted a few seconds before sleep welcomed me into it's arms.

I really hope that tomorrow isn't as crazy as today. I don't mind the adventure but just no more kijods. Please.