Flight School: Predator

One for Two

Get up, Victoria pecked at the covers that were draped over her Winged. Put some clothes on.

Luka raised his arm that was heavy, smacking Victoria's head in the process in which she returned with a temperamental nip of his hand. The Avian screeched once, darting across the room to perch on her favourite windowsill as she shook her head disapprovingly at the scene before her eyes. Insufferable. What is with you? Heat's almost over—it's been five days! Get up. Get up now.

He laughed dryly, unentertained by her reasoning. For some strange reason, the eagle was feeling awfully drained as though the river that ran through his heart had somehow run dry and loveless. There were many possible reasons for such an occurrence; one of them being the after-effects of heat, and that was the empty chill that was left behind in place of the summer heat that once raged in his cage. Victoria thought so, but Luka himself was not so quick to conclude.

There were many reasons and some—he already knew.

"What?"

His Avian brushed aside the mild hostility in his voice, choosing instead to focus on the question at hand. I'm starving for some rabbit. Famished. In fact, an occasional sparrow wouldn't do too badly either.

Luka narrowed his eyes at this. He had been half awake and was harbouring slight affections for another nap before his Avian's rude declaration, obviously to gain his attention.

"What are you getting at?"

Nothing. Nothing at all, Victoria hummed as she folded her wings and stared out of the window. We haven't seen him for days.

The eagle sighed, taking in the raw sensation of air against his skin as he sat up, covers falling from his chest that was bare. This, he felt as though he hadn't experienced for a long time—perhaps usually accompanied by the dull hum of summer heat wrapping around his entire being, locking him within and keeping his heart constantly erratic. It wasn't uncommon for Luka to rise one morning in heat only to see that another part of him had, so naturally, been roused as well.

At least he didn't need to take care of that today.

Are you even listening? Victoria landed on the bedpost near his feet. I said we haven't seen him for days.

Luka made a vague sound of acknowledgement. "And?"

And it's mostly your fault, as far as I am aware, Victoria quipped sharply. Humans. Always shifting the blame while forgetting to look at themselves.

Her Winged remained silent, staring at a spot on the marble floor, thinking nothing. Victoria wasn't entirely right about Luka shifting the blame. In fact, he hadn't thought about the reason behind their silent withdrawal from each other at all, let alone assigning blame. That said, his Avian had a fair point as well.

"It was the heat."

The heat? Victoria snorted, is that how you're going to explain it to Io? That his scent was far too pleasant for you to even say a word to him? She laughed mockingly. You're a coward, Luka.

He extended a hand with the intention to knock his Avian off her high horse. She however, avoided this promptly by finding refuge on a sturdy lamp high up the wall. Both glared. There was a moment of pause before Luka came to register his presence in the external world; it felt as though he was waking from something, from sleep or a dream, something intangible and sublime. He felt the need to do something but knew not what—something to confirm his existence.