I'm sorry if you didn't see that coming. If you did, that doesn't necessarily make things better either way. *dries your tears* *runs away before you squish me* ;-;
My first character death! (Will it be the last? Well, you certainly hope so! Just kidding, I hope so too because that was painful to write but y'know, sometimes my characters act on their own and I don't seem to have any authority over them, even as the author) It's meant to be built up rather slowly.
Everything about Jiro and Slayne was made to fit this very moment of the latter's end: the song (the beauty of his voice), their personalities, the order and disorder...even Jiro being Japanese was deliberate because I had to bring in myth and magic, primarily his belief in wish-making in relation to Origami. The tragedy was planned and executed, all according to the story that they had created, together. The Window and the Wind; When the Night Sings.
I was thrilled to craft a death that was personal to a character, unlike the "flashing of his life before his eyes", or the "breathed his last". I opted for the closing of the window, one that he'd opened to welcome adversity just to hear Love.
I suppose the utmost tragedy is that he never came to realize what it was he felt for Jiro, and was never really able to tell him. It speaks of unfulfilled realities, in which we experience daily. Of regrets we have at death; the many things that we have yet to do. This was the tragedy that I had always been so obsessed with.
Not the death of a pair (at the same time) after having declared their love for each other, but the complete overturning of such a trope to fulfill none of these features and yet go further to be even more tragic than the trope itself.
In my mind, it was the most beautiful tragedy. I was afraid that I didn't have the skill to portray it in writing, though I've always desired to write it and tell a story that was different. I am still unsure if I do. Have the skill, I mean.
Are Jiro and Slayne loved? Perhaps they are secondary to Io and Luka, or other characters in general. Perhaps I have failed to draw your attention or affection to these characters and the many flaws in their relationship, and in their characters as well. How does one successfully pull off character death? I've not read many books to know. I haven't finished a book since I first started writing on Wattpad 4 years ago, when I was 15.
I rationalized that good writing of character death must first come in disbelief. He can't be dead. The author wouldn't write this. Surely, he's going to come back, resurrect, or something. Then, anger? Grief. Acceptance. I've just described the process of our emotions when we experience death of a close one. Perhaps that was what character death was meant to do; feel as though someone close has breathed his or her last.
I resisted the urge to write an entire series of memories, "flashes" of one's life, during Slayne's death, because he wasn't dying slowly and I didn't think that was feasible or realistic. A slit at the throat, below the trachea, would silence his screams and severe the jugular vein, and many other arteries which I do not know. He would be unconscious within 10 seconds at least, and dead in 30. I'm also afraid to write character reactions to his death, which will be in the next chapter...along with Reux and his ideals; who he really is.
Dwelling on this will take long. Now that I've written a death, I feel as though I've killed Slayne myself. Which I did, really. I'm reflecting on it, don't you worry ;v; I anticipated this brooding. The weight is heavy.
Thank you for reading this. I've promised a book that explores life in general, and I sure hope I can deliver it. It must have been so hard for you to read up till here, and also to continue reading. I'll make it quick, the next update. It will come soon.
Meanwhile, I have received some questions from a user named: PanVirginis. Here are my answers.
1. Do adult prey get married? Yes. They marry other prey, or non-Winged. If they marry the latter, it is usually looked down upon.
2. Do predators get married to their prey? No. They marry within their classes: Predators. That is why prey will get married to prey as well :)
4. Are predators and prey biologically capable of having children? Predators/prey are capable of having a children. If they are of the same sex however, they are not. However, it is not necessary to have children. Even if they do, the child might not be a Winged. Winged are chosen, actually, by Falrir: first, their Avians, then their Avians act as messengers to tell them that they are chosen.
If your question was referring to if predators have sex with prey and prey conceive their children as a result, the prey will have the predator's child, but the predator may/may not treat the offspring as their own.
5. Do predators allow their prey to marry/have children with other prey? It depends on the predator. If bluntly put, most predators treat their prey as slaves. Or toys. Some people allow their slaves to marry. Others don't.
6. Do predators do some sort of arrangement with other predators to pair their prey like dog breeders do with their dogs? Rarely. Unless they are Exotic--like fairywrens or peacocks. They are considered Exotics. Their resultant offspring will also be Exotic. (But not necessarily a combination of fairywren/peacock that is weird)
7. Are 'normal' humans allowed to know of the world of winged and avian? They do not know of Winged. However, some do. This group of people will be introduced very soon :) Cuppie doesn't want to spoil the fun for you guys. Although, good on you to notice hahaha. I meant for it as a surprise.
8. How do prey manage to be the majority at flight school if there are so many factors to limit their reproduction? Because the population of Flight School mirrors that of the Food Pyramid. Otherwise known as the 'Pyramid of Order' in the series :) that is what I'm referring to when I use the word Pyramid in the book. Because there are a whole lot of doves in nature, the probability of a Winged being a dove is higher than that of an eagle.
9. Am I being a bother? You are definitely not a bother my dear.
10. Can I make my self a 'wingedsona'? Sounds good :) Hehe. I'm honored that you love the concept of Avians. Sometimes, I hope to create a genre (just like the Werewolf genre), something called Avian.
11. Do you know what are Kingbirds? Are they prey or predators? They are high-tiered prey. Which means they are on the same level as bluejays and other aggressive prey, but because their main diet is berries and fruit, they are prey. Most importantly, they cannot fly very high. Tiers are determined by: How high one can fly (which is often compared amongst Winged by their wingspan), how aggressive they are towards other species, what they eat, how they hunt. The relative scale will aid in deciding whether one is prey or predator, and also how high they are up on the Pyramid. :)
-Cuppie.
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Flight School: Predator
Fantasy[Second book of the Flight Series] "More than anything, the sky was red. It wasn't dark, no. Just red." Iolani Tori learns about the part of him that isn't human; and sees the line between animal and himself thin to something less than a thread. If...
