Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 12

Ryraso wasn't sure how long it took him to get to sleep after the rather rude invasion of his mind. He only knew it was long after the young k'nairi in his arms had drifted to sleep. The thoughts of what Tai'ray had threatened and promised were flying around his head keeping him awake. The fear of what was to come burned bright inside of him, making his stomach ache. Luckily when he finally did fall asleep, he didn't dream; if he had, he was sure they would have been nightmares.

His mind was still in a sleepy haze when he dimly heard his door slide open. Ryraso stirred slightly as he heard the mutterings of people from outside fill the small room. People who were looking at the sight of him curled around a k'nairi with verbally different views.

"That's..." one voice sounding disgusted.

"Adorable!" another squeaked.

"Weird," another muttered.

"Who is that?" another voice, which was considerably more mature than the first three, asked.

"Must be his guest," the second voice chuckled.

"Shut up! You know Ryraso doesn't like it when people gossip about him," a final voice commented, trying to quiet the other voices desperately.

The final voice made something click within Ryraso and wake him up, anger flooding his veins as he realised who it was. It was Eyeri waking him up, which meant the other voices were Eyeri's older brothers.

"What the fuck have I told you about letting your brothers come when you are waking me up?" roared Ryraso as leapt out of bed much to the surprise of the five men. The brothers quickly scrambled for safety, hightailing it out of the room, the door shutting behind them. "Get your asses back here. Now!" he opened the door and yelled after them, knowing they would come back. Eyeri certainly would know he had to come back or the boy would be punished by Ryraso.

While Ryraso trusted Eyeri to wake him up, his brothers weren't as trustworthy. They had a habit of using it as a chance to try to get blackmail. Something they now may have considering they had found him cuddling with a k'nairi. It was innocent blackmail admittedly, not blackmail to gain power over him but to embarrass him. They all knew Isst would personally rip them apart if they tried to blackmail him for anything serious. Isst was extremely protective of Ryraso and had proven it several times when people tried to accuse Ryraso of things.

The former mentioned k'nairi was now awake but feigning sleep to remain where he was. Nice and comfortable wrapped up in Ryraso's blankets. Ryraso got dressed as Eyeri and his brothers slowly filtered back into the room, moving in one by one and lining up in the small space slightly shame faced.

Ryraso pulled Aw'endo off the bed by the scruff of his neck. The k'nairi landed with a loud and painful sounding bang, still half tangled in the sheets..

"Ryraso!" whined Aw'endo, "No fair!" he huffed, the feathers on his wings puffing out. The five young men watched as Ryraso only yawned unconcerned, before sitting on the bed to glare at them. There was only just enough room for the five brothers in a line and A'wendo on the floor, there wasn't room enough for Ryraso to scold them standing up as well.

"You really are still just a kid," Ryraso growled at Aw'endo, stretching as he tried to wake up a little more. Aw'endo only blushed as his wings flapped indignantly. He pouted as he heard some of the strangers laugh, before glaring at them all darkly, getting to his feet as he eyed up the young men who had been allowed into Ryraso's room while the healer had been still asleep.

"Who are they?" he demanded, shaking the blankets and sheets off so he could move better, stance ready to attack.

Ryraso sighed as he watched the k'nairi child study the human boys in front of him for weaknesses. He had not missed how Aw'endo was standing with his wings practically blocking Ryraso from view protective, or how he had completely disregarded Eyeri as a threat. Not that it was a surprise, Eyeri was the youngest on the ship and the meekest to boot. Truthfully he was too young to be even in the army even in a noncombat position, but his unique circumstances had made it, so he was safest on the ship.