Redemption

VI

Ney'irie did not panic. She held back the batch from running up there. "What are you doing?" Echo asked. "Don't do anything stupid," Ney'irie answered.

"Unus e nostris periit. Hic homo est in culpa. Sanguinem eius Gaiae offerimus pro mercede familiae," (One of our people has been lost. This man is to blame. We offer his blood to Gaia, as payback to the one's family) Ole'ka said, his voice booming. The batch looked around, confused.

"Gaia, nisi hoc, pacem facere in valle iterum," (Gaia, except this, to bring peace over the valley once more) Ole'ka continued. Ney'irie joined the rest of her people as the crouched down into a prayer position, with her head on the ground, her knees in her chest, and her left arm outstretched forward, and her forehand resting on her right forearm.

The batch watched as Ta'olo pushed Hunter over a batch of water. He then took the knife, and ran it along Hunter's palm. The blood dripped into the water, creating a plume of green mist.

Ta'olo then grabbed Hunter's wrist and untied to bonds. "W-what?" Hunter questioned. "You have paid your punishment. You are no longer our prisoner," Ta'olo answered.

Ney'irie stood up and turned to the batch. "See? Eveything is fine," she said. "That... that was it?" Wrecker asked. Ney'irie nodded. Omega pushed passed Ney'irie and ran up to Hunter, engulfing him in a hug.

Ney'irie smiled. Hunter seemed like an excellent brother, but he acted more like a father to Omega. Ney'irie motioned for Omega to bring Hunter over. She did just that, dragging over a very confused Hunter.

"Hunter, this is Ney'irie. She showed around the village while you were gone," Omega said. "Well, uh, thank you," Hunter said. "It is no problem, your brothers are quite endearing," Ney'irie said.

There was a roaring sound heard. The batch looked uneasily at the sky. Ney'irie grinned. "Do not worry, it is only the Pakras," she explained. "Pakras?" Tech asked. "Come, I will show you," Ney'irie said.

♤

Ney'irie lead the batch up a large tree branch the lead to an opening in the leaves. She made several yipping noises before a flying creature flew down. The creature had four eyes, antennas above the first set of eyes, and bat-like wings. The creature sat on two rear legs, was a gray-bleu colour and dark bleu stripes, and had a wip-like tail.

"This is a Pakra," Ney'irie said, petting hers, "This is Lena. I am her rider."

"How are you able to build the relationship with a... Pakra?" Tech asked.

"At a young age, we climb up to their nesting grounds, and a Pakra chooses you. But first, you have to best it in battle. Tie rope around its snout and pin it down until it realizes that it cannot shake you off. The first flight seals the relationship," Ney'irie explained, "The Pakra flies with you for life."

"How do you know if it chooses you?" Tech asked. He sure has a lot of questions, Ney'irie thought. And she was happy to answer them.

"It will try to kill you," Ney'irie answered.

Wrecker cracked his knuckles. "I could take one of these," he gloated. That earned a snarl from Lena.

"It's easier said than done," Ney'irie said.

"How many tries did it take you?" Tech asked.

Ney'irie lips formed into a thin line. "Um... I got it on my first try," she answered.

Lena flapped her wings to reveal the star like pattern of purple scales that covered the inside of her wings. Omega walked up next to Ney'irie.