Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 7

"Ryraso!" Aw'endo exclaimed his voice and expression full of childlike glee as he twisted in Ryraso's hold. Ryraso suddenly finding himself with a faceful of feathers as the young k'nairi clutched onto him tightly, like if he let go the man would disappear. Aw'endo whispering his name several more times as he buried his face in Ryraso's neck.

For a moment Ryraso didn't know how to respond but quickly gave into his instincts to wrap his arms around the boy. Squeezing him tight, he hugged Aw'endo back, his heart aching in a way it hadn't in a long time. This was different to how he felt when he had come face to face with the Royals again, or how he had felt when he had seen Isst and Wiljam again. A warm feeling grew inside of him and Ryraso quickly kissed him on the top of his head, feeling almost about to cry he was so full of emotion.

"I missed you," Aw'endo whimpered.

"I...I missed you too sweetheart..." Ryraso murmured into the teenager's hair, letting him cling to him. Closing his eyes, Ryraso could feel the boy shaking in his arms and wetness on his chest from tears. For a moment he let himself enjoy having Aw'endo in his arms again, even if Aw'endo was considerably bigger than the last time he had been in Ryraso's arms. He still smelt the same though, and for a moment Ryraso could almost imagine being back in Navat, surrounded by the scents of the trees and herbs which grew there.

The moment was shattered as Kelenn coughed. "Ryraso? You know this k'nairi then?" Kelenn asked, both brothers looking at them oddly. It was one thing for Ryraso to know a k'nairi, they knew after all that he had spent time with them, but for him to embrace one so tenderly? That was not something they had seen him do to anyone.

Ryraso pulled away from Aw'endo slowly and did a quick stock of the twins injuries. Fighting a k'nairi, even a young one could be dangerous after all. He was pleased when he noticed that, ignoring a few scratches, the twins were fine. They were looking at him more confused than anything else. Aw'endo was obviously a good fighter to have kept them busy, but his talons hadn't come through fully yet, unlike an adult.

Aw'endo was still a child really.

That thought made something click in the back of his head. Aw'endo was a child.

"Yes. Yes, I do," Ryraso nodded slowly as he tried to contain the feelings building up inside of him like a storm. "This is Aw'endo," he said through gritted teeth.

At the tone of Ryraso's voice changing from surprise to a mixture of disapproval and anger, the k'nairi in his arms stiffened. Aw'endo knew full well he was in big trouble now. Aw'endo gently tried to pull away but Ryraso kept him against him, not about to let the boy out of his sight now.

"You found him on sweep duty?" Ryraso asked, trying to confirm what he had already expected.

"Yes. He was knocked out about half a click away," Sayskel revealed, his green eyes on the now slightly struggling k'nairi who had been so happy to see Ryraso.

"So he was involved in the fighting," Ryraso's voice turned into an ominously neutral tone. The twins, as troublesome now as they had been when Ryraso had first met them almost six years prior knew that tone well and if there was any doubt they just had to look at Ryraso's expression. Ryraso was furious.

"Yes..." Kelenn trailed off as he saw the look on Ryraso's face, making him refrain from demanding how he knew the k'nairi. That was a look which made most people want to run and hide. A look, no-one wanted to be aimed at them, and by the way the young man in Ryraso's arms was trying to get away, he was no different.

"What the fucking hell were you bloody doing on a god-forsaken battlefield?" Ryraso roared, making both twins flinch. Aw'endo managed to break free and actually moved behind Kelenn and Sayskel, using them as human body shields in between him and Ryraso. Kelenn could understand the desire.