Flight School: Prey

Acquainted Strangers

Night—

Flight.

_______________________

Luka was used to the darkness of the night; he feels it all in the heart of flight.

Luka was awake in the darkness of the night; searching for something under—the dead moonlight.

But Luka was curious in the darkness of the night;

For he had seen a strange flame ignite.

The fire danced—its glow weak from afar. A small flame it was. Perhaps produced by a matchstick or a lighter.

Victoria caught the slithering smoke that rose above the trees and warned her Winged of the things that it might bring.

The golden eagle advanced, a mere instinct that followed the draw of the flame. The smell of dead leaves burnt and charred choked his lungs as he neared the light, stepping and putting it—out of sight.

He understood from the scene, a certain scuffle had occurred. Someone on a trail, trapping and cornering. There were prints before the entrance of the tent, his sharp eyes recognizing the marks of an owl's talons and his master, a human's footprints not far away.

Broken branches lay strewn across the forest floor, cracked under the pressure of a fleeing prey; or so he had assumed.

Luka parted the flaps of the tent and a familiar scent hit his heart—sharpening his senses as if he had never felt that thrill of being alive.

The sparrow.

He was here?

Did he run...?

The golden eagle straightened up, keen eyes searching beyond the trees.

Nothing.

There was no sign of movement.

He closed his eyes—mind focused on his hearing.

Luka didn't like to rely on his ears. They weren't his greatest asset, per se.

His eyes had always been the better of the two.

But when it came down to this time of the day, or night—rather, he figured that he might have to rely on both as much as possible. But it wasn't as simple as it sounded.

Humans often get distracted by what they see, which tampers with their perception unconsciously and prevents them from using the rest of their senses to the best of their abilities. Luka thought that it didn't just apply to their five senses; but their sense of judgment as well.

The floating island was quiet;

Or perhaps it was simply the world inside the Box that was.