A Changed World - Book I | The Howling Winds

Chapter 10: The Avians

Pain, and cold was all that John could feel as he slowly awakened in a very dark little cell, with a stone floor, stone walls and an iron barred cage to keep him locked inside.

He winced with pain and held a hand to his head, quickly realizing he now had a bandage on the side of his skull... it didn't take him too long to notice that... he was also nude, save for his underwear.

"Where the fuck am I.." John mumbled to himself as he looked around, being immediately reminded of his treatment when he first arrived at Perseverance...

Then he remembered.. Perseverance... that man who he fought... the massive group who were trying to get in.

He quickly stood up and dashed towards the iron bars, desperately trying to get out so he could get back and help his new home.

"Hey, let me out of here!" John yelled, his voice echoing throughout the darkness as he continued shaking the bars desperately.

After causing some noise, light suddenly spilled into the room, blinding him for a moment. He looked to his upper left and saw the light coming from a cellar door, which was now open. The sound of slow footsteps coming down the stairs caught his attention and he stared... waiting eagerly to see whoever was coming to him.

Eventually, the culprit revealed themselves, it was another one of those Avian furs, not the same one who saved him. This one had black feathers, a black beak and black bird like feet/talons, a crow. She stared into John's cell, her violet eyes looking into his own with... curiosity.

"I-I was just walking around and... I heard your yelling." Said the crow girl, her voice sounding rather nervous and... innocent.

John was silent for a moment, thinking about what she just said. "Please, I... I need to get out of here, my people are in trouble." He pleaded.

The crow girl listened to what John said, or... at least she tried to. Her attention was slightly conflicted by the sight of his bare, muscular body.

"... um... Skye said no one was aloud down here... I just wanted to make sure nobody was getting hurt." The crow girl said, looking away from him and rubbing the back of her head. "I'm sorry I... I really can't let you out." She said innocently.

John sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, keeping one hand on one of the bars. "Who's Skye?" He asked curiously.

The crow girl looked down... almost as if she was afraid to say anything else. "Skye is who we all follow here." She answered simply. "She also doesn't like it when I do things I'm not supposed to..." she said nervously.

John took a note of this 'Skye' person, but he quickly brushed it off. "Look, please... can you at least tell me about the people I was with... a fox kid, wolf girl and another big wolf..?" He asked pleadingly.

The crow girl's eyes lit up and a small smile formed on her beak as she nodded her head. "Oh, them? Yeah I saw Skye bringing them in... along with you. They seemed kinda roughed up but they're being checked on now." She explained, much to John's relief. "As for that wolf, I was told to keep an eye on her, she's in my room now and... she's really cute." She said with a giggle.

John raised an eyebrow, "Huh, so you've got my wolf right now?" He asked with amusement. "Her name's Aura by the way."

The crow girl's eyes widened. "She's your wolf?" She asked with surprise, "I didn't know that... I thought they just found her or something.. I was gonna keep her." She said, her head lowering to the ground.

"Um..." John mumbled, rubbing the back of his head nervously... he was rather amused by this crow girl's childish behaviour. "Anyway... back on topic, do you think I could talk to Skye?" He asked.