StrangeOwl Chapter 7
I cried until I was hoarse from my wailing. I could cry no more. I stared at rubble where the cave entrance had been and truly felt what it was to be alone. I stood up from my knees and climbed back up and after climbing over some of the boulders; I was as close to the mountain as one could be. Placing my hand upon the wall of stone, I willed my hand to talon. My nails became black and curved and the bones in my hand cracked but I could feel no pain. I carved an Eagles head to mark the tomb of my Brother, Eagles Mark. No finer friend or warrior would I ever see again I thought.
I quickly turned and climbed back down the boulders and headed down into the Glen. I could no longer grieve here; I must move on and find a safe place to make camp. All around me there was the beauty of the forest and the song of birds and insects were all around me. I did not think I could find joy in their music, but it soothed my soul. I continued down towards the river I had glimpsed back at the cave and a few hours later, I stood at its banks. I was sore and dirty from my fall and so I put down my bag and took off the robe of feathers. The cool water was a balm to my aching body and wings and I walked deeper into the river. I submerged myself and then came back up with a shudder. The water felt wonderful and I bathed quickly.
Once back on shore, I quickly dressed and place my bag in the lap of a one-legged who had sprouted a twin when it was younger. My bag of meager possessions should be safe there as I scouted around to see where game might be found. Twenty minutes of going through the forest I came into a meadow and everywhere I looked I could see berry bushes. Where berries are, bear is not far behind I thought. Though I carefully scanned the area, all I could see were birds, insects and the occasional rabbit. Game found, I decided to inspect the berries. The bushes carried ripe black raspberries and they were huge. Pulling up the robe, I shifted my wings a bit for balance and I started to pick the berries and put them into the bowl I had created. I walked further and further into the meadow until I was in the middle. Soon I had quite a few berries and so I sat and started to eat.
I heard a sudden ruckus coming from the far side of the meadow and I instantly became alert. I heard crashing and breaking of branches and a snorting squealing and roaring. I had a flash in my head of an animal in my head and it was injured and very, very mad. I saw a human shape too but it was too fleeting. Blinking away the vision, I stood up and realized I had no weapons with me save the knife strapped to my calf. Cursing myself I readied for whatever would come from the forests edge.
Suddenly bursting into the meadow a large boar appeared. I have never seen such a large wild pig as the ones I knew of were of medium size. This one was as large as the white tail deer and it had tusks as big as daggers. I knew I was in BIG trouble. The wild boar had two arrows in hits shoulders and it was in a rage. Unfortunately, it saw me and bellowing, it charged. I was about to turn and run when out of the forest FLEW a man. I think he was as surprised to see me as I was of him but I had the pressing problem of a charging boar and I ran. Swiftly I ran and tried to confuse the boar by running in different directions but I could hear the boar getting closer. I heard the Bird Man yelling but as I didn't understand, I kept running.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared above me and as I looked up, the Bird Man reached down to grab me and those were not hands that reached for me. Startled, I threw out my own wings (having forgotten that I couldn't fly) and I heard a startled cry uttered before I felt the pain of talons grabbing me. Up into the air I was pulled and just in time, for the boar had reached my position just as we pulled up. It missed and with an enraged bellow it crashed head first into forests edge.
The talons that dug into me changed suddenly into hands and tried to secure me into two strong arms. I was having none of it. I closed my wings with a snap and then slammed both my elbows into his ribs. I heard him grunt and then his grip loosened. I tried to pull loose but then his grip tightened and I slammed into his chest. "Are you trying to kill us both? " he yelled into my ear. Startled by his yell and the strange accent, I struggled again and I felt us descend rapidly. "Hold on! We are going to crash!" he yelled again and straight into the forest we went. Suddenly, I felt his wings enfold us both as we bounced through and against the trees of the forest. I heard the Bird Man grunt and felt his body take the brunt of the crash but he did not once let me go. I knew we were in trouble.
Sending out my thought to the Trees, the One-legged, I sent out a mental call for help. A sycamore responded and suddenly we both were cradled by its branches and foliage. The stop was abrupt and it knocked the wind right out of me. The arms that were around me let go and I slid out of his embrace. I stayed where I fell and lay there in a daze. After regaining my breath, I slowly looked over that the Bird Man.
What a sight that laid there among the branches! There laid a man with shoulders and chest that were bigger than the men from the village. The Bird Mans wings were golden brown and were out stretched and the man himself was out cold. His arms were as twice the size of even the strongest of the warriors from the village and each had a strange tattoo that wrapped around his biceps. Wearing only a loin cloth and a sheathed dagger, I could only stare at his appearance. I then moved up to his face and frowned when I noticed blood upon his forehead. In trying to save me, Bird Man was injured and he was not going to be happy when he woke up. Woke up? IF he wakes up I thought and then shook my head to clear out the unworthy thought from my mind. I made this mess, I needed to fix it.
Very slowly I climbed back up to the Bird Man. Good Gods but was he huge! This man would be a Giant among the people I thought. Pushing away his hair from his face, I got a good look. Now normally I don't have womanly feelings when it came to men. Those who I grew up with were just Brothers to me. This Bird Man was something I have never experienced before and as those flirting girls back at the village would say, "He was quite the Warrior you wish would come home to you."
Shaking the thought from my mind, I took a good look at the cut on the man's face. The bleeding was only a trickle but bruising had begun. I knew I need to ask for the energies surrounding me and with the blessing of the Creator. Calling forth to Sycamore I asked permission to draw energy from it and when I felt it consent I started praying to Spirit. Placing my hand just above his brow, I summoned the energies and felt them flow into me and then out my hand. Not touching him physically, I felt the pulses bathe the man before me. I heard him groan and shift but then he was still. I released the energy back to Sycamore and sent my thanks to it and Spirit. And then I waited. And waited....
When Bird Man still did not move, I became concerned. I moved closer to him as the branches would allow without actually sitting on him and moved his hair from his face. A band of metal I had not seen before was at his crown and I leaned over to see it better. Suddenly Bird Mans eyes shot open and I was looking down into two very angry eyes of a bird of prey. Seizing my arms the Bird Man flipped me over and straddled my hips. I cried out in alarm and tried to struggle but his huge size and weight kept me pinned. I was truly caught and in some very big trouble.