Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 46

"How long was it before you became more than another human to the Royals?" Ran'mosy asked, not understanding completely, but guessing this talk was about the human's feelings towards his suitors. Ran'mosy was still in no mood to talk himself but at the same time, the pain coming from the human was something he couldn't quite ignore after sitting with him for an hour.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I ever really was just another human to them," Ryraso muttered, "If I was just another human, I wouldn't have gotten away with half the things I did."

"Are you sure?" Ran'mosy commented, "From what I hear, you were always pretty much k'nairi."

Ryraso snorted, "What exactly could you have heard?"

"You are infamous, human," Ran'mosy smiled softly. "Everyone knows about the human who has caught the Winglord's eye. The human who is not afraid to kick the Windlord up the ass and put him through his paces when it came to rulings. The link knew about you, even if you were unaware of how much power you had over the Winglord."

"Someone needed to tell Tai'ray when he was being a dick," Ryraso said softly.

Ran'mosy laughed, a sad tone to it. "That's the point of mates," he said softly. "and friends," he added almost under his breath. Both were silent for a moment, lost in their own thoughts about the past and how they had ended up in the situations they were in. "Why is it humans fight against what they want?" Ran'mosy asked curiously. Ryraso looked up at Ran'mosy, giving him an odd look. "You want the Winglord, I can see it in your eyes and yet you are fighting against him," Ran'mosy said almost accusingly.

"It's complicated. But I guess normally, we get afraid of what will happen," Ryraso said to offer.

"Is it though?" Ran'mosy asked, "Herymi... He is braver than Cha'em, than Adar'y and even me. He had feelings for us but he didn't ever try to act on them. He just rejected us over a fight and ran away."

"Sometimes it is easier to run than say our real feelings. Safer than dealing with the consequences," Ryraso reasoned, suspecting that Herymi had to deal with his feelings far earlier than the k'nairi thanks to the difference in ages. They were all around the same age which meant Herymi would have had feelings for them earlier than the others would have felt desire. "To tell a friend you love them is dangerous to humans," he said softly.

"But why?" Ran'mosy turned to Ryraso, giving him a pitiful look. His wings moving, clearly distressed and confused. "The k'nairi don't give our loyalty lightly! No k'nairi would ever reject a friend," he paused, knowing that wasn't completely true. "We'd never risk losing what is ours."

Ryraso blinked, knowing that tone. "Yours," Ryraso murmured, something loosening in him. Something he had always known and yet at the same time almost forgotten. K'nairi were possessive. They would protect their mates and close friends to the end. To be friends with the k'nairi was a hard thing for a human, it was too easy to get glamoured by them, too easy to get comfortable and forget that they weren't human. "You forget, you never claimed Herymi as yours," Ryraso pointed out unable to keep the bitterness from his tone. "The k'nairi don't have the human issue of being too scared to act. If you don't, you can't expect us to know how to feel."

"He ran before we could," Ran'mosy growled.

"He lived with you for twelve years Ran'mosy. Exactly when were you going to do it? Also didn't you do something similar?" Ryraso pointed out dryly, "When you thought your nest didn't want you?"

"That was different," Ran'mosy snapped, looking away, his wings gathering around him defensively. Obviously, he didn't care for the reminder. "And most of those twelve years, he was just a friend," Ran'mosy trailed off near the end. "We never made the change clear," he whispered burying his face in his hands.

"How was your situation different to his?" Ryraso asked, knowing he was pouring salt on empty wounds.

Ran'mosy opened his mouth but closed it again, his wings curling up again. "I've fucked this up," he murmured, his wings shivering and tears rolling down his face. Ryraso reached up and stroked them lightly, smoothing over ruffled feathers.

"No you haven't," Ryraso smiled lightly, "He came back didn't he?"

"Not by choice," Ran'mosy said bitterly.

"He is not bonded to you, Ran'mosy. If Herymi did not want anything to do with you, he could simply say no to the claim. We do have that right. Or rather everyone but those the Winglord wants has that right," Ryraso said, sighing as he reached the end, feeling his own situation weigh on his shoulders more too.

"Would you say no if you had the choice?" Ran'mosy asked almost innocently.

Ryraso bit his lip, looking away from the other. "I... I'm not sure," he said painfully honest. The k'nairi shifted, sliding down off the rock to sit by him and leant against him. Ryraso wrapped an arm around Ran'mosy's waist and leant against him as well. "I may not be ready to forgive Tai'ray for his actions just yet but I will wait and see. After all, things are beginning to change."