The Fickle Winds of Autumn

43. A Doubtful Pair of Wings

Kira shrank back, away from the dizzying exit.

A confusion of puzzling turbulent doubts bubbled within her.

"But there isn't a path here, Harath! There's no way down!" she complained.

Harath drew herself up to her full, majestic height.

"Of course there are no paths," she said, "Skirnam has blessed us with wings - the wind and playful air is our pathway - we do not need the dirt and stone of the goats and the hares."

"But I haven't got wings!" said Kira. "How can me and my friends get down?"

Harath puffed her chest feathers out.

"I will carry you," she said proudly. "I will fly you to safety."

An anguished conspiracy of stubborn doubts and concerns unravelled across Kira's mind.

Harath hadn't mentioned this part of her escape plan.

And hadn't she confessed that her wings were faltering and uncertain now?

Would it even be safe?

But Harath had been kind and very brave to help them escape - she fought fiercely against Fyrttu, and risked her life - it didn't feel right to doubt her friend's kindness now.

And yet...

The perilous danger of the grey, jagged cliffs still reeled in her thoughts.

"You can fly us to safety? You're... you're sure?" she asked. "It's just...I mean... didn't you mention that you had struggled to fly recently?"

"But your words have inspired me - I must believe in myself and trust that the divine favour of Skirnam has not deserted me. I am still a great queen, yes? You have shown a great kindness to me, my friend - now I will return the favour to you, yes?"

It was true - she had instructed Harath to have courage and take control of her own destiny.

Should she now doubt her own advice?

Or the ability and kindness of her new friend?

And besides, what choice did she have?

They couldn't just stay there by the exit - the guards were sure to arrive - and she owed it to Ellis and Aldwyn to get them to safety.

But the deadly, rushing, unforgiving, vertical drop still haunted her.

"And you'll manage to take all three of us?"

Harath shifted her weight and hopped from leg to leg.

"Well...no... I will only have the strength to carry one of you - the safety of the valley below is a long journey - I can glide down with one of you - but the currents press hard against the cliff and make it difficult to climb back up to the aerie - I will not be able to manage this three times. I tried to tell you it would be best to escape with only one of you, yes?"

"But Harath, I can't just leave my friends here - they're relying on me - they have been so kind - you understand how it feels, what it means to trust a friend."

"Yes, now, thanks to you, I do - and that is why I wanted to help you. But it is not too late for you, Kira - I can fly you down and get you safe - but you must leave the others here - the guards will be along soon, they will find them and when the life-giving sun lowers behind Gruneath, the great mountain, the aerie will use them in the Observance."

"No Harath! I won't leave them like that - it's all of us or none. There must be another way - some other exit with a path, or some other way out to safety? I can't just leave my friends here."