Airborne Wings

Prologue: Kyra

Eve looked around, hoping to see her brother, only to find that he'd died. She couldn't save him; she couldn't do anything. Let alone be a princess. Princess Shadow of Wergo, Queen Daffodil's (Eve's mother)sister, had ordered her mother to keep quiet about Mint (Eve's father); probably to keep it hidden that Queen Daffodil's mate wasn't even in the royal ranks. Everyone thought half royals were disgraces... But what was even worse was that her father wasn't even a phoenix, like everyone else. That made Eve a Half Phipogrix Half Phoenix. Did it even really matter that Phipogrixes exist...? Eve often asked herself, wondering why phoenixes hated them. They hadn't even done anything wrong, the Phipogrixes.

A Phipogrix was part Phoenix, Part Hippogriff, part wild animal. But that made Eve mostly phoenix, some Hippogriff, and the rest a wild animal. Which, to be exact, would make her a Morpheen. Morpheens are half Phipogrix half Phoenix with the power to morph between a Phipogrix, a Phoenix, a Hippogriff, and whatever animal was in her genes. She never told anyone what her genes were, because it failed to save her sickly brother, Talinum. Eve overheard Princess Shadow talking with Queen Daffodil. She put her ear to the door and listened\ hoping to make out what they were talking about.

"We need to get rid of that accursed thing! You saw her kill her brother! It isn't fair that she gets off scot-free!" Princess Shadow whined.

"...Look, you can believe what you like, but I'm telling you, I won't put up with this anymore... I saw her crying... How can someone try to kill someone and then cry about it afterwards?! I don't think you understand this, so I want you to listen carefully: if you want my daughter, then ask straight at me, don't take the roundabout way... As long as Eve lives her life the way she wants, you may take her... As long as you follow this one rule: you hurt her, make her life miserable, anything of the sort, I will show you what it's like to be on the verge of death. I don't care if you lie to me, I will know." Eve heard her mother say.

"All right. Your rules are harsh, but as long as I have the girl, I will become queen, and she will be mine..." Princess Shadow giggled a greedy laugh. I can't listen to this anymore... What is this? My mother saying YES to a greedy stupid head? She lied about me! This isn't fair! I may be only a year old, but still! This isn't fair! My mother wouldn't do this! Eve was done listening to her mother and Princess Shadow. There was no way she could even remotely enjoy living with Princess Shadow... Remembering how her mother gladly gave her away. She didn't deserve living with someone as rotten as her.

All right, then. If I have to, then I'll escape... Somehow.

Later that night, Eve put everything she needed on. Her leg ribbons for putting her throwing knives in, her jug of water on her back (her element was water, so if she ran out, she'd just use Water Mana to fill it back up), her favorite stone she found in the lake behind the castle, and a map. Eve slowly opened her bedroom door and creeped down the hall to the back door. She slowly opened it, closed it, and jumped off the ledge of the castle. She spread her wings and slowly morphed into her Eastern Screech Owl form. She was now smaller than her Phoenix form, but she blended into her surroundings and nobody could tell that she was really a Phoenix. She flapped her orange and white wings and soared over the town called Heriagon. Too many phoenixes who might have been in the Fire Den Castle Army... I won't settle here then... The best part of morphing to Eve was the fact that everything was still with her, but not quite. Eve could talk in any form, talk to animals in any form, and everything she had in her Phoenix form, like her map, would be in her head. Literally.

Eve was Leda in this form, which, in Owl, is Screeeeeeeena. All words in Owl can be short or long. Each different syllable is a word. For example, Screeeeena would be a different word entirely (Leena is what that means) If you want to master the language entirely, you have to know the exact number of syllables for each word. You also have to know the difference between a distress call, mate call, and other hoots that aren't words, so much as sounds that attract other birds of her kind. You also have to learn what's the difference between names and actual words.

Eve looked at the map and noticed three small lakes. One was the Rune Lake, another was the Quill Lake, and lastly, Tide Lake. Eve noticed a caption underneath each of the lakes.

Rune Lake: A small water-like pool of which all royals love to soak their worries away. Is said to have the ruins of Hell Stones and old homes of the Magic Omens.

Quill Lake: A small winding lake of which few go to; due to how cold it gets at night.

Tide Lake: A huge lake of which no one goes to. Surrounded by trees and owls of which we have no clue what breed. This forest is cursed; be careful: Word of Caution!!!

After reading all of the captions, Eve immediately crossed off Rune Lake. She did not want to be seen; much less be surrounded by tons of BATHING phoenixes. Has anyone over there heard of "Privacy...?"

Quill Lake might still have others there, so she crossed it off as well.

Lastly, Tide lake. It sounded perfect, no one's there, it's quiet, and there's owls who might be able to help her.

Knowing Eve's location, she ventured forth, hoping to find the lake.

When she finally reached the lake, it was past midnight. The first thing that went through Eve's head was, It's beautiful! Glowing mushrooms stuck to the trees around her and the still clear-pool water moved slowly, making a beautiful trickling noise. I could live here... Flowers and grass covered the ground beneath Eve's talons. She let her true form show. She had orange and white feathers, green eyes, and a long horse-like feathered tail. Her beak was black, which was also why she was teased in the Royals High & Mighty School. Well, I guess this is my home now. Stupid Princess Shadow... I'll show her! I can show her that I can live without you or Mother. I don't need any of you! Without any regret, Princess Evening slowly drifted off to a sleep of pain and sadness.

"Hey! Wake up!"

Huh? When Eve opened her eyes, a pretty Phipogrix stood before her. Eve sat up and looked around. She was still at Tide Lake. "Who are you?" Eve asked. The Phipogrix before her smiled. She was tan with black and dark brown jaguar fur. Fur... Not feathers... She had cat ears that were constantly moving and swishing around. Her intelligent-looking brown eyes stared at Eve. Her tail was long and fluffy, like cat's.

"Oh... My name is Kyra. I'm sorry. I should've taken my Phoenix form..." She said nervously. Form...? That means... She's a Morpheen, isn't she? That means she's just like me...!

Kyra's fur melted away and in front of her stood a deep brown phoenix. Her tail was long and elegant and near the end they broke out like branches. On the back of her head hung three leaf-like feathers, making her head more beautiful than Eve could ever imagine. Her calm expression melted into a frown. "I'm sorry. You can scream at me, throw rocks at me, and call me the curse of the Tide Lake now. I'm a Morpheen... Your sworn enemy..." Kyra mumbled. She seemed to be locked in place, not able to move at all.

"Huh? Why would I act that way in front of my own kind? I'm a Morpheen too," Eve showed her Phipogrix form.

Eve and Kyra laughed and joked as they sat under the moon all night and under the sun all day, their bond growing as big as Eve's love for her. I can't believe I've fallen for a girl... But I don't care. I'll live with Kyra until I die.