Kareen kept her wings high, this time to dye her son's wings. Mila's wings weren't a problem. Hers were already brown, but Jenin's bright red wings had to be hidden. Jenin also had the red feathers on his head, the ones that stuck up and back like on the head of a cardinal. He looked like his father before shaving his own head.
So much like his father.
Mila huddled up in a corner. She didn't need to be there, but Kareen didn't want to leave her alone. In the back of her mind she knew she could have left her with someone else, but she didn't want her out of her sight either.
That was the last thing she wanted.
She finished dyeing Jenin's wings and he said, "I think I'm ready to shave the feathers from my head now mother."
"I thought you liked them?" said Mila.
"I do. But it's war time. I want to look like it."
"Alright," said Kareen. She let his wings dry, and then went to work on his head, carefully shaving the feathers away. When she was done she took a good look.
He looked so much like his father.
...
Terin flew high above the ground, which was green and lively. The nest palace floating high above the ground looked like any other nest at the bottom, but it seemed to have a palace growing out of it. A palace made of wicker. He flew with the Chief and the rest of the guards who had either black or brown wings. He could tell at least one of them was dyed, as he had feathers on his head like a cockatiel that stuck up. Those were usually white.
The palace had several levels of battlements, and they flew to the highest one. They took their positions, and watched the horizon. The directions they knew the goblins were coming from. That's where the nearest goblin cave was from their position.
Terin looked up. The dark cloud that had been spreading across the land was almost completely across the sky now. He knew they couldn't fly the palace over it. Too high and they couldn't breathe. Besides, the few eagle men who had flown into the cloud had perished. The cloud was poisonous, and flying above it would trap them with no food. They had to take a stand.
He watched the horizon. The goblins would be coming soon.
YOU ARE READING
Wings in the Darkness
FantasyKareen is worried, and why shouldn't she be? The Eagle Men have never had to defend their home before. Their palace flies out of the reach of all other nations. Even the fearsome goblins that have wings of their own cannot leave their caves for f...
