Bird of a Wing (Bow 1)

Chapter 27

Few words were spoken as they left camp that night. Inai double checking Eyeri's cloak was tied tightly and murmuring a prayer for safety as Ryraso stood to a side. Ryraso hadn't said goodbye to anyone else. Some people like Wiljam and the other scientists he would see at the new base anyway and the rest were either busy or just flatly not looking at him. It hurt.

Inai kissed him on the forehead and cupped his cheek gently but said nothing. There was nothing to say. Chances were Tai'ray would already be planning his next attempt to capture Ryraso before he disappeared. This would be the last time for a long time that they would talk or see each other. After four years, it ended like this because of Ryraso's own demons.

Aw'endo pressed against him and Ryraso smiled softly at the boy. Eyeri clutching his other hand. The caw among the bodyguards murmured a greeting in k'nairi tongue and they were off into the darkness of the forest.

Tai'ray watched as the men moved through the forest at a quiet and relentless pace. Oddly silently as they moved through the undergrowth, Tai'ray barely able to heard any sounds of twigs being broken or of stepping on damp leaves. It was well into the night now, the only light in the forest being the moon through gaps in the overhang above. It was a full moon that night so there was plenty of light, at least for k'nairi eyes.

Dyn'ad was ahead of the group, scouting for a place they could ambush them, Nel'os and Tai'ray following from the rear. Tai'ray watched the layout of the group carefully, watching how the men moved together.

Ryraso, Aw'endo and the apprentice were in the centre of the group, a good position to protect them. The two youngest were being carefully watched by the guards to make sure neither grew tired or weak during the journey. Already they had stopped to give the boys a drink and something to eat to keep them going through the night. The stop was in a place ill-suited for an ambush but let the k'nairi see just who they were dealing with.

Tai'ray frowned at seeing Eyeri almost trip over as they stopped, one of the guards catching him and putting the boy back on his feet. He was young, younger than Tai'ray was expecting for someone on the Namya warship. Tai'ray hoped he wouldn't fight too hard, he didn't want to have to kill a child. Ryraso would forgive the deaths of guards, but not of a child and certainly not one of his own. Sakmi had very little information on the youngling, Ravn and his brothers knowing more of the boy's personality than his actual history.

He smirked as Aw'endo hit Eyeri over the head as the human caught back up with his companion. Aw'endo was no doubt enjoying being an older brother. His own charge seemed well looked after and in good condition thankfully. Being able to see but not sense Aw'endo unsettled him, however.

During the stop, Tai'ray had watched the caw bodyguard talk to Ryraso quietly about something, the sight of which left something burning in his stomach. The man was lucky he was caw, because Tai'ray was feeling very possessive of the healer at the moment, and was just about ready to rip the head of any man who tried to stand in his way. The way the human had put his hand on Ryraso's shoulder casually had almost made Tai'ray attack there and then but Nel'os had distracted him by having a moment of realisation.

'I know him,' Nel'os mused as he finally matched the face to a name. 'He was a borderlander. I met him once. He is claimed by one of the summer duty guard nests. His name is Herymi,' he revealed, tilting his head as he watched how the man was acting with Ryraso. Herymi must have been reassuring or comforting Ryraso because ignoring that one touch he hadn't made any other moves on him.

'Herymi?' Tai'ray murmured, searching through the link for the information he wanted. He could feel the information willing surrendered by the man's hopeful intendeds. A nest of four, he noted.