The Virals

Chapter 6

'Hey Black Talon!' Fleet Claw ran over to the small, dark-feathered raptor, who sat relaxed under the shade of a tree. The other two, Razor Feather and Thorn Tooth, were not present, for they were out on a hunting trip.

'Hello,' he replied, with a friendly chatter of his jaws. Three months in, and he had truly been accepted in the pack. Quick Blade was impressed by his strength and resilience, and decided to keep him.

'It's a nice day today, isn't it?' She commented, sitting down right next to Black Talon. He nodded, silently. The two looked out, at the sun slowly approaching the horizon at a snail's pace. Ripples of pink and red decorated the sky.

Black Talon sighed. He had noticed that, day by day, he grew closer and closer to those three. He didn't understand why or how he could allow himself to do such a thing, but he couldn't stop it either, and for that reason, he did not care. If he was going to grow attached, then so be it. He'd make sure that each and every one of them would be safe for as long as he lived.

'So, I want to ask a question...' She said, somewhat awkwardly.

'Go right ahead,' Black Talon replied.

'Ever since you came here, I've been curious... what was life like when you were a rogue?'

A sudden myriad of bloody images exploded in his mind, showering him with memories of pain and fear.

'... It was very difficult...'

'Any details, please?'

'Not now,' He replied, trying to ignore everything that was triggered in his mind. 'I'm not quite sure where to start, or how to tell you everything. It's difficult to describe in words, it's something one must experience first. But I can tell you, it was very difficult, and very cruel.'

'Ha! Well that explains why you're so serious all the time!' Fleet Claw giggled, while Black Talon merely raised a single brow at her. Her laughs died away.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you like that.' She sighed.

'Wh-what!? I was not upset.'

'Yes, you were! I could tell. You don't need to be embarrassed by it, everyone has feelings.'

'W-well-' 

'I won't tell anyone, don't worry.'

...

...

...

'Thank you.'

There had been so many things he had wanted to say to her- that he really trusted her, that he truly wished he had entered this pack earlier to spare himself from the hell that was before, and that they had been so kind to him. But, he didn't. He was too reserved, too cold, too aloof. He told himself that, one day, he would tell all of them just how thankful he was for them.

He never did.

And now, he never will.

---

He flinched. It was just another dream, another memory replayed in his mind. How pathetic.

With a sigh, he got up. He wouldn't cry again, not today. He had had enough of it- he was not a weakling. He was strong. Today, he would go out into the world instead of staying cooped up in that stupid cave. Today, he would head back to the canyon he remembered from that time before.

He only took one step forwards when he stopped in his tracks.

It was her.

Right outside the cave.

He froze. She had not noticed him yet- he was far enough in the cave to go undetected- but still. He could see her well enough to see her jagged teeth, her scarred body, and her mindless eyes of rage.

She was viral.

More than anything, he wanted to approach her. A tiny, irrational part of him told him that she would recognise him and wouldn't attack, instead, she would return. But, inside, he knew that her real self was dead, and what remained was not her, but rather, a virus, a bacterium, a parasite. Because she was gone, and it was here.

He scrambled back, quietly. He would not go out there- no way. What was the point? He would just return to the canyon, and if he was lucky enough for no virals to be there, then what? He would be alone. Back to being a rogue, back to that pain from before. And he had no wish to return to any of that. He would rather starve, shrivel, and die than go back to being alone.

But then, right at that moment, he remembered her final words to him.

'Keep going'.

Why did she have to burden him with that final wish? Why couldn't she just let him give up in peace, without having something on his mind discouraging him from doing so? She just had to say that, didn't she, to give him a futile sense of meaningless hope.

All right... He thought to himself, shutting his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at her- or rather, it. I'll be a fool, and I will try to stay alive. But I make no promises. I'm only doing this because I don't want to die with the fact that I didn't keep her final wish to bother me when I lose my life. But, it's going to be hell, because everything's gone to hell. Besides, even with everything around me, I still fear pain and death more than anything. Well, almost...