Tales from the Striga Realm: Playing with Fire

Chapter 8

Grayson flew like a mad owl-shifter over all of Fogo searching for Coella. Of course, the aerial view did not produce any results, as, with her fire-coloured locks, she would blend in with the flowers below. "Sweet Strig in Strigolis," Grayson thought to himself, "where on earth did these flowers come from?" He was so focused on finding Coella, so intent on it, that he almost crashed into none other than Coella herself.

She, herself, was looking for somewhere where she could paint the scenery below her. "Grayson!" She said in surprise, her feathers ruffling a little. In owl form, this was the closest an owl-shifter would come to blushing. "Coella, hello." Grayson replied, mentally reminding himself to stick to the point. "Um, have you talked to Kent as of recently?"

"You mean since he dropped me in the lake?" She asked, slightly confused. "No, we've barely spoken. Why?" "Well," Grayson started, "I talked to Maris today, and she said that he wasn't very happy that I saved your life."

"Oh." Coella replied. "And you care because...?" "Because I think he will attempt to kill you again, and he'll probably try to kill me as well." Grayson replied. "So, I really think you should-"

"Stay with you at all times?" Coella cooed. "I don't believe I have a choice; I do think Strig had us stuck together from the very beginning." Grayson, for his part, was dumbfounded. "Oh, come on, Gray," Coella chortled, "something tells me that you didn't just come here to warn me about an angry brother."

Gray. Nobody had ever called Grayson "Gray" before, but he decided he rather liked it. "Well, no." He admitted. "I actually had been wanting to see you since the morning. I was wondering if," here he paused for a moment, unsure of whether or not to say it, "if you wanted to go to dinner with me?"

Coella paused for a moment before replying, "I'd love to", before reaching out with her talons and giving his a gentle squeeze. She then flew off to resume her previous task, not realizing that Grayson felt ready to faint, with one thought running through his head:

"So this is what being in love feels like."

*****

"Keep searching, ladies; you heard my mum's orders!" Milana barked to Selene and Dianna behind her. Never in her entire life had there been a case like this; indeed, it was the talk of Northumbry. And Milana was determined to make her mum proud.

"I'll find a way, I know I will." Milana thought to herself. She had been doing this since she first hatched, and yet, most seemed to look upon her as nothing but a burden. Not her mum; not Veri. From the time Milana was a shiftlet, Veri had expressed a strong belief in Milana's ability. And look at what she's accomplished, what she may accomplish now. Steel tomahawks attached to her talons, she flew onwards, one thought pervading her mind and longing to be expressed.

"I'll make you all proud."