Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 13

"Ryraso! Open up!" Isst continued to bellow loudly when Ryraso didn't respond straight away.

"Shut up! Give me a moment," Ryraso yelled right back, exhaling furiously at his friend's impatience. Ryraso patted Eyeri on the head fondly, giving the boy a warm smile. "Don't worry Eyeri, I won't let anything happen to you," he murmured.

"Ryraso," Eyeri smiled up at him still visibly nervous but also a little happier.

"Come on, put your shirt back on so we can deal with the rest of the circus," Ryraso added, his tone a touch darker at the mention of dealing with the rest of their makeshift family. Dealing with Eyeri's brothers and Aw'endo was not going to be fun, Ryraso mused darkly. He could only hope that Aw'endo settled down fast.

Eyeri quickly put his shirt back on so Ryraso could open the door, thankful to Ryraso for waiting. He didn't like people to see his scars, not even his brothers. People acted strangely when they saw them and it made Eyeri very uncomfortable. Eyeri didn't like the reminders of his past either but it was frustrating to deal with the fallout.

Ryraso sighed annoyed as he opened the door to find five sulking teenagers, all lined up facing the opposite wall of the corridor. Isst standing there, channelling his drill sergeant mode, glaring at them just in case they tried to turn back around.

"Good, you dealt with them," Ryraso nodded firmly. Of the five, only two were actually teenagers, though Kanan was 21 so arguably still young enough to be pulling this stuff off. Still, it was annoying to deal with as a father figure though, thank goodness he had Isst to help with the more testosterone-driven ones.

"So the kid attacked Eyeri?" Isst growled gruffly, walking over to check Eyeri over, dusting off his uniform as he did so. Eyeri blushed slightly as Isst manhandled him to check he was unharmed from the k'nairi. Isst may be intimating but he was also a big softy at heart. As Ryraso's closest friend that had meant Eyeri had quickly grown used to the seasoned warrior treating him like a nephew. Isst was as protective of Eyeri as Ryraso or his brothers. Eyeri wasn't sure how much his brothers appreciated having Isst as an adoptive uncle however, it tended to mean the man expected more from them.

"Yes, I'll deal with it," Ryraso waved his hand like it was nothing. "Call it a love bite," he added calmly as his eyes looked all the boys up and down one by one. To people who didn't know Ryraso very well, it would appear that he was not bothered by this event. However, everyone in earshot did know him well. They could hear the underlying tone of anger in his voice. He was furious at the k'nairi youngling for harming his apprentice.

Fetmar and Kanan barely flinched under his look, Makio and Aw'endo both tried and failed to retain a look of not caring and Oria, the scientist brother who was only a little older than Eyeri, looked a bit embarrassed. The order of brothers went Fetmar, Makio, Kanan, Oria and finally Eyeri. Oria shouldn't have been involved in the fighting either but as a scientist, not a warrior, he had been allowed to join the army a little younger than most.

Aw'endo whimpered, his wings shivering, threatening to fall from their high defiant position. He knew what would be coming to him. Fetmar's lips twitched into a smirk but Ryraso's glare landed on him making him stiff back up into soldier's rest.

"I don't know why you are laughing Fetmar," Ryraso said darkly. "To my knowledge, one of your regular rivals is a general of the royal army. Do you think he will be impressed to hear that you were brawling with his prince?"

"Yerir'o..." Fetmar bit his lip, clearly not having considered that angle. "The chick shouldn't have attacked Eyeri," Fetmar settled on firmly with a stubborn look in his eyes.

"I'm not a chick!" Aw'endo hissed, teeth snarling.

"Aw'endo!" Ryraso barked, shutting the youngling up who looked away unhappily. "Fetmar, the term is youngling. Not chick, I hear you call him that again I will make you go through the diversity lectures again. Is that clear?"