Avisland: The Keep of Renaissance

The Raben Natives

The Black Garden

"Name's Selik, scout clan native." I introduce myself. My right hand is up at a salute. I wear two sashes of black and silver feathers to make my clan obvious to him, but I announce myself out of habit for my New Marshal. I'm a Native, not a Rabenite. I could implant in, but the survival rate on Raben implants are not very promising. The feather's aren't my own but just symbol for other clans to identify me.

"Selik, welcome to your new squad for the coming weeks." My Marshal says.

"Yes Sir." His body armor gives him away. Most Marshals wear black but scouts wear grey and dull colors if we can. My own attire consists of a black Raben helmet, painted a drab grey, a belt with a revo, a knife, ammo, and binoculars.

"Selik, I have your partner, your sister Sarra. You two are due for your feathering in the coming weeks so don't be out and about. The two of you will need to be at the southern bramble tribe ceremony. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir, should I tell my sister this as well?"

"No, I informed her already. Your father and mother will be waiting for you in two weeks. Raben is public now so try not to shoot anyone, unless you have no choice, no matter the insult or danger. It sends a bad message."

He issues me out and I move to the armory. Grey, drab, and camouflage, perfect. Long messers, I grab two with the metal rods they fire. Sarra is leaning back with a sword in a scabbard and twin talon designs.

We can read each other with glances.

One eye half open, I'm bored.

I pound my hand down like a hammer on my palm. Let's go.

"Twins and your dumb codes. Just get to the southern border." Our Marshal says from annoyance.

"What do you think of finally leaving this tribe of glorified stalkers?" Sarra says in a semi shout to annoy our Marshal further.

"I don't actually know..."

"You killed it Selik-"

"Thank you Selik," says the Marshal.

Double squint, You suck.

__

Natives don't go after targets. We secure escape routes, we observe quiet zones, and we are handed over to Tribe Talon for studies. Mom was a Robin, dad was from Bedded, we're Raben Natives heading on to other areas of life.

Our feet move along the tree paths at a walk. Mom loves to wind her way through the pine walls. Of course without the cloth and the helmets, branches like this can tear you up. Sarra is just behind me fiddling with pieces of pine needles with her claws. While twins, we're not identical obviously. But mom had two, Sarra is a bit more detail oriented than me but I'm better at keeping calm and relaxing. It helps me see the big picture.

Mom says that's just because I'm a guy and dad agrees. We're not biologists and most science isn't covered in our lessons until we enter our new tribe after our ceremony.

After a bland hour we're at the beach. Southern border.

"you here about the snakes?"

"Yeah, first sighting was... Raben civil war, Mazan. Spotted a snake, then later all bodies on the outskirts were stripped of feathers."

"That would have hurt. Mom said she pulled out a feather once and it hurt, to think they had their feathers removed."

"Sarra, no, they were dead first, they didn't feel a thing." I correct.