Falcon - Death From Above.

The Beginning.

Dawn came, rising in the east. The warm colours blurred together, like a watercolour painting. Then the notes sounded, signalling a new day. Slowly, the city came to life, gradually.

In one such cave, like many of the ones on Pluma City, a falcon woke up from a deep sleep.

"Happy birthday, pumpkin!" said a nearby bird, the falcons' mother.

"Mama" said the younger one, rising from a well-crafted nest, " I am eight now, not two!"

"Yes, yes, of course, but this is such an exciting day for you! You've finally come of age!"

The mother looked intently at her daughter. Oh, how Liancé had grown! Sharper eyes, taller height and massive wingspan. It was like it was yesterday when she was a tiny little bird. Liance's mother sniffed. Her daughter sighed.

"Mama, I'm going to Abuelo's house. He said he wanted to give me something".

"Alright, but be back in time for your birthday meal!"

Liance left the cave, almost gagging at the thought of her yearly birthday meal. It was a dove, carefully hunted in the Shorelands. Her mother, Hermosa, claimed it was a peace symbol, but was later doubted by Liance and her father, as the bird was dead, and likely symbolised the ceasing of peace, but Liance ate it anyway because it made Hermosa happy.

Spreading her dark, black wings, she flew through many twists and turns. Markets, old buildings (which needed foot gloves to turn pages), stores featuring food, armour and supplies, and the

town hall.

Then the walls came into view.

Fifty (or more) feet high, solid concrete, impossible to fly over it, because of electric fences, carefully put in using claws and talons only. It surrounded the entire city, even the Shorelands.

Then the guards.

Heavily armoured, weaponized with turrets and wing pistols.

The D.F.A. Death From Above. The strike team that protected the city. Liance would give anything to be part of it. Since she was born, those walls had kept her from the endless land that stretched out over the Antartican plains. The city was put into lockdown, said her father, after a warning. That was all he had said. But now that she was of age, she could apply. However, so did at least hundred or more fellow falcons. It was hard to get into, almost impossible.

Shaking her head, Liance took a sharp turn into the uptown area, which had better caves, views and less flying traffic. Her family lived in midtown, but they had a good life. Mainly because of their family connections.

Soon after arriving at a large cave overlooking the city, adorned with golden banners and statues, she pressed her talons down onto a golden brick, a door slid open. Standing there was Abuelo, which meant grandpa in an ancient language.

"Abuelo!" said Liance, enveloping him in her wings, then stepped backward carefully. Her grandfather was getting old. Being a tribe leader, it must exhaust him.

"Happy birthday, Nieta. You eight now!" grinned Abuelo.

"Yes! Finally!" smiled Liance. Being eight years old, she could now legally get a job, hunt solitarily, own land, and.......find a mate.

"Come, come! I show you something!" he used his left wing to beckon her over. She followed as he walked towards a room on the left. The amount of shining gold made her eyes hurt. It was covered in symbols of suns, moons and doves. Once again, a door slid open. Liance, with her amazing vision, could only just see..a box. Smooth, with occasional bumps and ancient glyphs.

Abuelo quietly flew over to it. So did Liance.

Reaching for a pouch under his wing, Abuelo pulled out a silver key, weirdly shaped. He inserted it into the box, which it opened with a loud creaking sound. It obviously hadn't been opened for a while.

Slowly, he pulled out some sort of garment. A...coat?

Abuelo held it out to her. It was a coat, more like a piece of armour, with a glowing medal attached.

It was the tribe symbol.

"You ready to be leader?" he said.

--------

"You can't be serious! I can't lead! No-no experience at all! Abuelo, I only want to go outside the walls! Not lead! I'd be the worst choice in the whole city!" panicked Liance. She hadn't been offered so much responsibility since Junior.

"Listen, child. Adult now. I am old now. Not fit for leading. You are next in line in family. You must". His voice was fragile, gentle.

"You get many responsibilities. Including," he grinned, "Access to the D.F.A".

That stopped her.

"How?"

"They need authority on the team. But do not take it just for that. Abuelo needs to know that he can trust you!" he said seriously.

"But why can't Mama do it? She knows how to get us into line at home" asked Liance.

Abuelo smiled at the thought of his daughter. "She old too. You young. Will keep peace for many years".

Liance took a deep breath. "Do I have to learn anything?"

"Yes. History. How to fight. Leadership. I will teach."

"Wait!" he held up a wing, as though something had just come to mind, as it probably had.

"You must formally accept this position!", said Abuelo.

"Umm..ok. I, Liance Tiobiet, accept the position as tribe leader for Pluma City, until the day I die".

Abuelo fastened the garment onto her. It felt just the right fit. The medal clinked against the box.

"It fits perfectly. How?" she asked, curious.

Abuelo grinned.

"Hermosa".

"Mama? She knew?"

He nods.

"So, when does training start?"

"Tomorrow".