Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 51

The rain came down heavily as Herymi helped his family. Livestock had to be moved and trees had to be supported. Sandbags stored for this very reason were lined along the more vulnerable areas of the river to stop it overflowing and flooding the village. Most huts were in the trees but crops were on the ground. Hands slapped shoulders and old friends picked him up to help move faster when the mud was almost impassable. Everyone was caked in the thick muck.

"I think the flood channels are full," Adar'y chuckled next to him as they sat on a tree house balcony having a quick dinner.

"No kidding," Herymi chuckled, strangely in good spirits despite the conditions and the rain. "You guys have been maintaining them properly, haven't you?" he commented, looking down at the mud bath which was the ground. It was worse than he remembered being. Herymi had been the only one responsible for keeping them cleaned out. Jak didn't have time with the devices in the village. At the moment, Jak was making sure the pumps were working to keep the main croplands from flooding and ruining the crops. The mud was clogging the mechanics, however, making it harder even with magic trying to clean the machine.

"I'm going to say no," Adar'y said dryly, looking at his boots with disgust. "I have no idea who was given the job."

"No wonder it's this bad then," Herymi sighed. "Chances are they are clogged with leaves and only the gods know what," he shuddered. "So glad that won't be my job to fix." he teased with a beam on his cheeks.

Adar'y shot him a dark look and punched his shoulder. "Not mine," he muttered darkly.

"I don't know," Fl'ex commented, appearing next to them and sitting with them. The elderly k'nairi having shown no signs of his age as he helped carry the sandbags and various animals. "I think we are going to have to raffle the job out until Herymi is allowed to return here."

"Hey! I could get a job in Navat which is slightly better than handy man," Herymi commented with a dry look. He was worth more than just being the guy to clean out the flood channels.

"You're technically a hunter, not a handyman. You know everyone has to help out where they can," Fl'ex pointed out, ruffling Herymi's wet hair. "You are going to try to come home aren't you?" he said seriously. "You're not going to let those idiots scare you off? he said nodding at Adar'y who was suddenly blushing.

Herymi shrugged. "Not sure," Herymi admitted. "I don't really know what to do at the moment," he said gently.

Before either k'nairi could react, lightning crashed down with an almost blinding flash of light. There was a loud groan and they watched as the tree in front of them split in two and burst to fire. The hut which was in it, tumbling to the ground with a loud bang. It had been empty but the hut had been storing oil. The barrels broke and the oil spread wide, catching fire as it passed the burning tree. The oil making the fire spread.

"Damn," Herymi cursed, getting up and fastening his cloak back on. Everyone got back to work straight away. They had to stop the fire before it damaged the village.

The fire was bad. The oil spreading fast with the water and letting the fire burn despite the moisture in the air. "Guardian Fl'ex," Tai'ray called, finding the man supporting a slightly singed k'nairi. "Should we get Ryraso?" he asked, hooking his arm around the injured man and helping Fl'ex move him to somewhere safe.

It had been a few hours since the first lightning bolt and they finally had the fire controlled. The oil finally burning out and leaving injured and destroyed trees. Only two other fires had burned down but the damage to the ground level structures were more extensive. The smell of burning wood was still strong in the air and the rain was still falling.

Fl'ex's eyes lit up as he remembered Ryraso was a healer. "Please! Our healer is in Navat at the moment," Fl'ex pleaded seriously, his eyes looking over the injured in the city hall with concerned. "We have a few first aiders but Hiu'an needs an actual healer. His wings got caught in the fire." Fl'ex swallowed, as they helped the injured k'nairi onto a sleeping mat. "We put him under to stop him screaming," Fl'ex admitted, his hand rubbing his man's shoulder in reassurance as he gritted his teeth.

Wincing, Tai'ray murmured a prayer under his breath for the poor man. Hiu'an was too young to lose his wings over something like this. He was older than Herymi's nest but he wasn't out of his first century yet. Fl'ex shot him a look of thanks for the prayer but at the same time was begging him to get his mate. Tai'ray closed his eyes and reached out with the link for his love. Only for nothing to hook. Tai'ray opened his eyes as horror filled him and tried again, his chest tightening as he realised he couldn't find Ryraso in the link.

"We have a problem," Tai'ray admitted with a pained tone, his chest screaming. Ryraso had run. Flashes of Ryraso's conversation with Nel'os and Dyn'ad passing through his mind. Ryraso wanted to escape to get Eyeri out of there. Alone without one of them watching him, Ryraso had taken the first chance. Tai'ray could still feel Aw'endo, the youngling asleep so it was just Ryraso and Eyeri making the dash.

Anger filled him. Anger held back by the seriousness of the situation. He was needed as the Winglord at this moment. Dyn'ad and Nel'os answered the anger with anger and frustration of their own. They were in a different hut helping there. They both had their hands full and couldn't go look for Ryraso.

"Is your healer an idiot?" Fl'ex demanded, "He's trying to escape in this weather?" The hut groaned as there was another strong gust of wind.

"When else will he get the chance?" Herymi commented appearing next to them with bandages for the man they had helped. The k'nairi was by now lying on a mat and trying not to scream, his hand burnt lightly. Herymi started wiping down the wound with a paste.

Tai'ray was silent, gritting his teeth trying not to burst out in anger. Ryraso was trying to escape. For Eyeri, but he was trying to escape. "I'm going to have to add another ten lashes," he muttered darkly with regret. He looked back out into the storm, almost hoping the man would suddenly appear. "Fl'ex can you spare any men to search for him?" he asked, his hands clenching. He needed to stay here. He could heal a bit. Not as well as Ryraso but he would be able to help.

"If it means getting a healer for Hiu'an, yes Winglord," Fl'ex nodded, eyes bright as he looked over the uninjured villagers. Most had joined in the village hall to help care for the injured. Several eyes looked up and stood at the call which went through the link. "One good thing is that he won't be able to get far in this and we know where he will be heading," Fl'ex commented strongly, his eyes turning an unnatural green as he drew power from the link.

"If you can't find him, let me know over the link. There is something I can do to break the seal he has found but it will drain my powers and I will be little use here," Tai'ray commented as he knelt and placed his hand on the man Herymi was treating. Gently he placed a bit of magic into the injured body. The man sighed with relief as the pain faded. Herymi's paste was to help the burn, not to numb the pain.

"Understood, Winglord," Fl'ex nodded, and he jumped out into the storm.

It took everything Tai'ray had not to dive after him. He was needed here. Also, there was no guarantee he would be able to control himself if he found Ryraso. "Please Ryraso," Tai'ray murmured the hot anger cooling in his stomach to an ice cold ball of worry. "Come back to me."

Herymi bit his lip from where he was kneeling and patted Tai'ray's arm. Tai'ray nodded at him before moving away to where someone was yelling in pain.

"Herymi," the man murmured, gripping Herymi's arm. The man was one of Oche'tur's friends, someone Herymi had known well. His eyes were slightly hazed over from the pain and now the Winglords' magic numbing him. "You won't try to run if you get the chance, will you?" he murmured. Despite being silent throughout the conversation, he had been vaguely listening. Enough to know that the Winglord's human mate had escaped.

"No," Herymi promised the man, gripping his arm back "I won't."

"Good. We all missed you," the man smiled softly.