Ranger's Roundhouse

Genealogy

"You-what?" Kaia faltered, and the falcon's heart twisted. They'd been in the hidden valley for months now, his restlessness growing with every passing day. Everywhere he looked, it seemed there was another birds'-nest; he longed to know what had befallen his own family.

"I must find my whānau," he repeated.

"But-Veil, I thought we'd made it!"

"Yes, dear one, but I need to find them," he insisted, bending from the girl's shoulder to catch her gaze. She had to understand. "What if you never found out what happened to... Sir?" The man was Kaia's not-quite father. "I need this. What if they're still alive? Why did they leave me!" He screeched suddenly, overwhelmed by anger and confusion.

"No yelling in my ear, tama."

Kaia worked in silence for a moment, preparing thread for stitching an eagle's badly-gashed talon. Then, "Alright," she murmured, "but-"

"Thank you!" Veil gripped a strand of hair in his beak, tugging it affectionately. Releasing her shoulder, he hopped up onto her head and spread his wings, heart soaring with jubilation.

"Wait-Veil, wait!" Kaia gasped, and the bird grumbled as fingers ensnared his leg.

"I'll be back," he whistled in disgust. "I'll be back before the moon wanes-" that was just over a week away- "whether I find them or not."

Kaia nodded feverishly, releasing him. "I know," she whispered, "I know. It's just...

"Go," she gulped finally. "Go, and may the wind bless your wings."

The falcon dipped his head, gratitude and relief combined beneath his feathers. "And the land your feet," he whistled gently. Then, anxiety and exhilaration warring in his heart, he sprang aloft and winged away over the mountains.

Kaia watched after him, eyes dark with trouble.

~ ~ ~

That night, a vicious, screaming wind ripped Veil from the sky and tossed him away. A boulder rushed out of nowhere to greet the stunned bird.

Forcing himself sideways in a gut-wrenching dive, Veil barely missed the jagged edge and hastily righted himself once more, heart pounding a war-dance in his chest. Rain streaked down from above, trickling through his feathers to race icy-fingered across his skin. Cyclone.

A sudden spear of lightning glared to life only metres in front of his beak, and with a sharp cry of alarm he veered back on himself-and smashed full-speed into a rattling mesh fence.

With a shriek of alarm his wings snapped open, and he landed awkwardly.

Snapping his beak irritably at the delay, Veil stalked into the bushes.

~ ~ ~

A bitter wind howled a doleful song across the countryside. Veil hunkered down in the lee of a fallen tree to preen, eyeing the storm balefully.

A chill crept down his spine, and tucking his head firmly under his wing, he coolly slept the night away.

~ ~ ~

Veil blinked owlishly in the early-morning sunlight. Leaves and branches littered the ground, testament to last night's fury, and he yawned dismissively. He was lord of the sky, uncowed by any storm. But something off-putting hovered in the breeze. Something... sinister.

Warily, he crept from his shelter-and froze. Nearby was an old, old nest-a scrape in the ground-but the scent that hung like a half-forgotten memory told him everything.