Wings in the Darkness

Memories

They flew it out of the back of the cave.  It seemed the goblins had lost them...for now.  Her children flew close to her, flapping their wings in unison.  Kareen held her bow up as they flew through the trees.  The goblins could come at any moment.

She wondered where Terin was now, and if he was safe.  She remembered when they had first met...she and Terin.  It was during a grand ball, and many eagle people were dancing above the northern mountains.  Of course eagle men dancing wasn't like most dancing.  It took place in the air, with two partners circling and diving around each other at high speed!

She had been eighteen at the time, as she had landed on a cliff edge, staring up at an aurora filled sky; a gorgeous display of shifting light and color.  The ideal place for a ball.  The eagle men dancing here weren't just brown and black.  Some had white feathers, or even more exotic colors like green or blue...they tended to have the feathers on their head stick up like the parrots for which they were associated with.

Kareen always though such eagle men looked a little funny, much like the one that came up to her then.  A handsome man who had red wings with black tips.  He also had red feathers that stuck up and back like a cardinal bird.  He looked silly.

"What?" he asked when she laughed.

"I'm sorry," she said.  "The feathers on your head..."

"Yes, I know some people think they look silly."

Nearby there was a table filled with food, and the eagle man picked up an empty plate, hiding his feathers.

"How do I look now?" he said.

"Like a man with a plate on his head," she laughed.
"Alright," he said, putting the plate down.  "Just imagine me without the head feathers."

She did.  He was quite handsome underneath it.

"That's a little better," she said teasingly.

"Alright," he said.  "That's fair enough.  You, on the other hand, are radiant.  "He kissed her hand.  "My name is Terin, and I would be delighted to have the honor of this dance."
Kareen was flattered.  With her brown wings she didn't feel very beautiful, but was flattered all the same.

"My name is Kareen, and I would love to...but first you must ask my father.  He won't be hard to find.  He's only man here with a sword."

"A sword?"

"He takes his daughters very seriously."
Terin laughed.  "Alright, but I'll need your help finding him."

Kareen just nodded.

That seemed so long ago.  Miraculously he had gotten permission, and they had danced.  Now they had two children, and were married.  She wondered where he was, and if he was safe.

...

Lailen flew as fast as she could, searching for Kareen.  She lifted her sword, ready to attack any goblins that got near her family.  After what had just happened to Terin she couldn't let anyone else die.  She spotted a group of eagle people, flying through the trees below.  She saw Kareen, and found a momentary speck of relief.

And then she saw the goblins bearing down upon them.

"Kareen!"