Black Feathers

A/N: I've been writing this story for a long time. It's not filled with awesome porn, and I get that a lot of people will skip over it because of that. So thank you, to everyone who is reading it, and a special shout-out to Leowardelf, who took the time to leave me an encouraging comment. Leo's the main reason this chapter got finished so quickly. It's amazing what a little encouragement will do for you. Thanks again for sticking around.

Having successfully scouted the surrounding area, Raikuro met with Kaien at the road, giving him a concise report on the road condition ahead and the likely weather for the day. Duty fulfilled, the Tengu hastily launched himself into the sky once more, uncertain how to act around the human now that they were on their way back to their respective lives. 

Raikuro indulged in some aerial acrobatics in an attempt to burn off the frustration borne of confusion. True to his word, Kaien had backed off and allowed Raikuro to simply see him as a friend. The human was perfectly friendly, despite the way the Tengu had shot him down.

But still, deep within his bright green eyes, Raikuro thought he had caught a glimmer of barely-suppressed desire. It was secretly thrilling to know that someone could want him so intensely, but it was also terrifying. He had never expected anyone would want him. True, he was not a bad-looking Tengu, but he was different.

And in a world where inter-Clan breeding was taboo, his existence was only proof of his parent’s perceived weakness. Not only had they been foolish enough to fall in love outside their respective clans, but they had not even done the “right thing” by disposing of him before he could contaminate the gene pool.

That trail of thought was old however, and well traveled. Shaking himself, Raikuro pushed dark thoughts and lingering doubts from his mind and allowed himself to be distracted by the human once more. Kaien, at least, did not see him as a genetic aberration.

Kaien saw him as an object of desire.

Smiling slightly, Raikuro playfully tumbled through the skies, executing lazy wing-overs followed by short hikes to gain altitude and spiraling dives towards the ground, before catching myriad thermals and zooming back up.

He did not even realize that he was courting the human as he would another Tengu.

_________________

Kaien watched Raikuro flit through the skies, seemingly carefree and wild. It was disconcerting to find his attention consumed with thoughts of Raikuro. Behavior he would never have permitted in one of his soldiers, he found himself succumbing to more and more often.

Despite that, Kaien’s eyes were glued to the black-winged Tengu who flaunted his aerial prowess with all the ease of any bird in the sky.

Something about the spirals and dives Raikuro displayed caused a welling of lust to pool in Kaien’s loins. Raikuro was elegance and deadliness wrapped up in one neat, rude, beautiful, highly complicated package.

Kaien wanted.

But Raikuro…didn’t? There had been regret in his features when Raikuro had turned down Kaien’s offer though. Whatever it was, the Tengu had a reason to not want him…whether it was because he was human, male, or some other unfathomable reason, Kaien didn’t know.

It hurt though. It had been so long since Kaien had reached out to anyone…had ever wanted anyone to reach back…To be denied after such a long stretch of solitude was akin to a gut-stab. It throbbed and ached, and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how to reconcile the emotions that assailed him.

Old memories surfaced, taunting him. Kaien ignored the mocking laughter that rose from the depths of his mind and pushed the memories back behind their wall. He had bricked up that part of his past long ago, and it was a rare occasion that they broke through to remind him of his foolishness.

The scar across his neck pulsed in time with his heartbeat, and resonated with the bruises Raikuro had inflicted upon him only a few nights prior.

The cynical part of his mind wondered briefly why people were always going after his throat.

A flip of wings drew Kaien’s eyes and thoughts back to the Tengu above. A primal lust that he was nigh unfamiliar with pulled at him and demanded he claim Raikuro before someone else did. A low growl burst unbidden from his throat at the thought.

With a sudden and fierce intensity Kaien needed to know why Raikuro didn’t want him. With fresh determination, Kaien told himself that he would ask once they had made camp for the night.

_______________

 Hharvek shifted uncomfortably, his eyes locked on the Waterlord….Feinrys. The child stared into the flames of their hastily-erected campfire, though it was obvious his gaze was not focused on the blaze itself.

Stormcloud-gray eyes flicked up to regard the Berute sitting opposite him. Feinrys sighed and poked at the fire with a stick, causing logs to shift and send up sparks.

“Hharvek?”

The Berute grunted in response. Feinrys gripped one shoulder in uncertainty before continuing.

“All those years ago. When you raided our ship…” Hharvek shifted uncomfortably. “Why did you not kill me along with the others?” The Berute sighed and wiped a hand over his face. “I’unno. Yer jus’… Jus’ a younglin’...no reason ter kill ye.”

He sensed it was not the complete truth, though Feinrys let it go for the time being.



“And tonight? You saw that I was ill, terribly ill. And instead of letting me burn in the fires of my own magic, you took me to the one place you knew could heal me. The river. Why?” His eyes bore into Hharvek’s pale yellow orbs, demanding answers.



Hharvek’s fists clenched, and he trembled with frustration. “SHUT UP! IT DUN MATTER!” He roared, his eyes squeezed tight against the gaze of the Waterlord which seemed to peer into the very depths of his soul. Feinrys was far from finished however.



“What about all the years you held me as your ‘slave’ then? Not once did you beat me, or attempt to train me as you did the other slaves.” Feinrys spat, distaste written all over his face and his words. His scowl faded slightly a moment later.

“You even killed that soldier that tried to rape me…” He murmured, shivering at the memory. “You can’t tell me that you did all that just so you could have a pet healer.” He murmured finally.

“Your type of evil is not as easy as black and white.” Feinrys sighed. “I have seen compassion buried deep inside your twisted soul. I have experienced the only kindness you know how to offer. You have the makings of a good man, if you could only overcome your legacy.”

Feinrys was on his feet, pacing irritably. “So why…” the youth panted “Why do you serve an evil man? Why do you capture innocents and destroy their minds and bodies? Why do you…”

Feinrys stopped dead in his tracks, and his head tilted back to regard the stars. Hharvek felt a chill roll up his spine, and he tensed, prepared for whatever might happen. Feinrys’ back arched towards the sky, and a guttural whisper floated through the woods.

“He has set in motion the changing of Ways. His task is fulfilled.”

Hharvek jumped to his feet, reaching for the dagger he kept on his hip before remembering that in his haste to get Feinrys to the river, he’d left it under his pillow. Yellow eyes scanned the darkness outside the ring of light cast by the fire.



Feinrys collapsed to the forest floor with a muffled thump, startling the Berute. Hharvek moved to check if the lad was still breathing. A low groan emanated from the boy’s thin frame, before he pushed himself upright, rubbing at his own skull.

Gray eyes roved the clearing before staring up at the Berute in slight bewilderment. “How can it be…that someone’s Way is meant to be paved with blood and suffering?” He asked pitifully, sounding more like a child in that moment than he ever had.

It went against everything he had been taught about the Way, and it made a cold fear well up within him.  

“Sea and Stars.” He uttered to himself.

A prodding in his gut, and a flash of blue in his mind’s eye stole his attention. It was time, it seemed.

“I am leaving.” Feinrys announced.

Hharvek snorted in disbelief. “Na yer not.”

Feinrys glared at the Berute over the low fire. “You’re a fool if you think you can keep a Waterlord in a place he does not wish to be.” The haughty declaration didn’t come off quite so intimidating when said by a ten-year old child, no matter how fey or magic-riddled he was.

“Kept ye this long, din’t I?” Hharvek chuckled, poking the fire with a stick.

Feinrys scowled. “You don’t get it.” He muttered lowly. “The Way….the Way is done with you, and so am I.” The child tossed a pebble at the humanoid’s head, unsurprised when it was dodged with lazy unconcern.

Hharvek lifted his gaze to the child, still a little surprised when he saw black pupils in what had previously been eyes filled with liquid silver. Feinrys’ chin was firmed with a stubborn tilt, and his shoulders squared to back up his decision to leave.

Hharvek suppressed a welling of panic at the thought. If Feinrys left, his ties to the last truly happy days of his life would vanish with him. Feinrys filled a gap that had been sundered within him since the day he turned his back on the Mother’s Bones.

He would die before he told the child that. Before he mentioned that his own child would have been the same age Feinrys is now, had he survived the Winnowing.

How his own youngling had borne eyes of palest gray, like his mother.

Hharvek shook his head, trying to expel the wistful memories, as they were a hindrance…weakness.

Feinrys watched him with an intelligent gaze, detecting some flicker of emotion behind the yellow eyes. If only such a change had happened when he had time to draw out such a thing…

“I’m afraid there is no choice on your part.” The child said finally, a soft mist rolling in along the ground.  The air chilled him, and the fog beaded droplets of water on the Berute’s skin. Hharvek felt control slip from his grasp.

“Whatever time you have left, make good of it.” Feinrys said solemnly, a hint of puzzlement coloring his words. “The Way professes to be done with you, but I have seen your death…and you have time to make something more of yourself before it comes… Something I have seen buried beneath the façade your race requires of you. Prove me right, Hharvek of the North.”

The fog grew heavy, obscuring Hharvek’s vision, and filling his lungs with damp air redolent of rotting leaves and earth. Urgency surged within the Berute. He lunged forward, one arm outstretched to catch hold of Feinrys before he faded completely. His grasping hand closed on mist. Invisible, chilled fingertips pressed to his forehead, and a feeling of blue invaded his mind.

::I will be watching.::

Darkness closed in, before overwhelming him.

____________

Raikuro stretched out onto his bedroll, picking at one short talon with his belt-knife. The crackle of fire, and the slow shhck of whetstone against steel soothed his frustration, though he found himself sending covert glances at the human sitting across from him.

Kaien made a final sweep with the whetstone before setting it aside and picking up an oil-saturated cloth to polish the blade resting across his knees. He glanced up, and caught Raikuro’s furtive gaze.

Firelight flickered across the Tengu’s skin, making it glow warmly and gilding his black feathers with hints of gold. Kaien was reminded of the possessiveness he’d felt this afternoon while watching Raikuro fly. Recalling also his determination to get answers, he mentally gathered himself.

It was harder to speak of than he’d thought it would be. But…he did not want to concede defeat where the Tengu was concerned unless he knew why.

 “I…have a question.” He admitted quietly. Raikuro blinked owlishly, before nodding and acknowledging that he was listening.

 “I know we agreed to be friends but I must know…Is there some reason you…don’t want me? Is it because I’m human?” Kaien asked in a rush, heart hammering against his ribs. Raikuro’s eyes widened fractionally before the Tengu flushed and looked away, embarrassment burning hotly in his cheeks.

‘That doesn’t matter to me!’  Raikuro wanted to scream. If the Bond weren’t an issue, he’d have taken Kaien into his bed multiple times by now! The thought intensified his blushes, but he couldn’t deny the truth to himself.

What to tell him though? The Bond was a difficult thing to explain…

“Sort of…” He began, searching his mind for the best way to explain it. Kaien laughed somewhat dejectedly, interrupting before he was finished. It irritated the Tengu.

“It’s not so simple as that.” Raikuro snapped, annoyed at the human’s easy acceptance of what would have been normal for another Tengu. Any Tengu but him, really.

 Kaien shrugged “Simple or not, the underlying reason is that I’m human, correct?” his tone was light to mask the confusion and hurt lurking beneath his stoic exterior.  Raikuro scowled and admitted reluctantly that he was right. Kaien turned his attention back to blade and oil-cloth. 

Raikuro cocked his head to one side, the blade in Kaien’s possession prodding at his memory.

“That sword-“ Raikuro started, eyes narrowing. Recognition made his heart clench with hurt. Irritation rippled over his skin, causing his feathers to lift slightly. “Is that the one Aku gave you?” he asked tightly. Kaien nodded, glancing up at the Tengu in query.

Raikuro glared at the human. “What did you say to make him give it to you?” he blurted out accusingly. Kaien blinked stupidly before annoyance reared its head. “What?!” he spat out, offended at the Tengu’s tone. Raikuro scowled.

“That sword is the only weapon I was not permitted to touch when I was a fledgling.” Raikuro burned with jealousy. “Why should he let you – a mere stranger – take it with you?!” Kaien glowered at Raikuro, the accusing tone setting him on edge.

Raikuro was standing, his wings held up and out in a threatening posture. Kaien saw the pain of betrayal and confusion in his eyes though, and let his anger melt away.

“I tried to take a different sword.” He said quietly, eyes lowering to the blade glimmering in the firelight. The non-aggressive response confused Raikuro into near-docility. Kaien ran a finger down its length before reverently sliding the sword into its sheath.

“I mentioned that it was Alteiran – it was from one of my people.” Kaien’s gaze lifted to the Tengu. “He said…that it was time this sword went home. I pledged to do so for him. That’s all.”

Raikuro felt his anger draining away, and his wings slumped. Half-told stories fell into synch, unfinished sentences filled the blanks, and Raikuro saw with painful clarity the truth behind that sword.

It was his Bonded’s blade…wasn’t it? He asked himself mentally. The words felt right in his mind.

Aku’s mate had been human...the revelation shook him to his bones. Why hadn’t his teacher told him something so important? Had he shown himself to be untrustworthy? Had he said something wrong? Uncertainty and hurt gnawed at his core.

Sitting heavily on his bedroll, Raikuro stared vacantly at the fire, movement out of the corner of his eyes bringing his attention back to his traveling companion.

Confusion was written plainly on Kaien’s face, and no small amount of concern.  “Is…are you okay?” He asked quietly, one hand stretched halfway out as if to offer succor. Raikuro ignored it.

“I’m fine.” The words were sharp – far harsher than the human deserved, but it was too late to take them back.

Kaien snatched his hand away as if the words had scorched his fingertips. Myriad expressions flitted across the human’s face before he settled on that damnable stoicism. “Well then…I will leave you to your rest.” He said frostily, emotions a-jumble and confused – something that seemed to be the norm around the tetchy black-winged Tengu.

 With one final glance at Raikuro’s brooding form, he put his back to a tree, and turned his gaze away from the firelight. “I will take first watch.”

Raikuro ached to explain himself…to tell Kaien why he’d been so upset when he saw the sword of his teacher’s beloved, and why he couldn’t take that same risk. He’d bungled his opportunity though, and now Kaien was pissed.

With a heavy sigh, Raikuro lay down on his bedroll, curving the shoulder of one wing to cover his face and block out the firelight.

Sleep did not come easy that night.

______________

False dawn slowly crept through the trees, gradually giving form and definition to what, to Raikuro’s eyes, had only been vague shapes in the darkness beyond the dim glow of embers flickering weakly in the fire-pit.

Raikuro had spent the majority of his watch ruminating on the revelation that his teacher had been mated to a human. He found himself more troubled that Aku had kept it a secret from him, than that he had mated a human. 

It was well known that Aku was not the type of Tengu to hold much stock with “tradition” and “acceptable actions” – partially because of his breeding of Goshawk Clan, but now it seemed also because he’d once had a personal stake in the matter.

But why keep it a secret? Why from him? Aku must have known that Raikuro didn’t care if he’d mated a human or a Tengu, or a winds-cursed Berute!

Well he might have cared about that last one…

Then again…he did ask me if I was troubled with my attraction to Kaien because he was human…

Was it possible that Aku didn’t know he wouldn’t care? Did the old bird value his regard so much that he would do for Raikuro what he would not do for the rest of the Clans? Without flying straight back to ask – something Raikuro was sorely tempted to do – he would have to suffer through not knowing.

Aku had been crazy enough to risk his life to mate that human. Could he too, be crazy enough to risk the Bond with someone who would not be bound by it? Raikuro got to his feet, stretching his wings out to their fullest, as he mused.

A jay called out raucously, startling Kaien into wakefulness. He rubbed at bleary eyes before rolling to his side, about to chastise the Tengu for letting him sleep in.

Eyes widened in surprise when first thing he saw was Raikuro greeting the dawn, black wings spread wide, rays of light shining through the spread of feathers. He sat up in a daze, devouring the nigh-holy sight before him.

Raikuro turned at the sound of Kaien rousing behind him, words of morning pleasantries dying on his lips. The human was staring at him. Not just staring, but visually devouring him as if he were a tempting morsel and Kaien a man long-starved.

Raikuro took an involuntary step backward, and the spell was broken. Kaien jerked, as if he just now realized what he’d been doing, and hastily busied himself with the packing of his bedroll. Raikuro covered his confusion by assembling a hasty breakfast for the two of them.

Few words were spoken as they broke camp and got back on the road.

_______________

It was past noon when Raikuro zoomed in and landed heavily in the road ahead of Kaien, an outstretched arm blocking his progress.

“What..?” Kaien asked, before two shapes emerged from the forest ahead of them. Raikuro’s wings bristled.

“Who are you? Why do you lurk in the shadows like thieves?” Raikuro demanded haughtily. Kaien peered over the curve of an outstretched wing to see that the two figures were not armed…or human.

The first sported pale cream-colored hair cropped choppily around its face, with long triangle-shaped ears poking out of the same color, with smudges of chocolate brown on the tips. A long smooth tail of the same cream and chocolate lashed angrily behind it. He…she? glared at them with startlingly sapphire eyes slashed through with a vertical pupil.

It was one of the notoriously androgynous Neko.

 The other was of the Inu Tribe, and had long grayish-black wolf-ears sprouting from shaggy silver and black hair, a bushy gray tail and golden eyes. This one was quite obviously male, tall and heavily muscled, though his face was open and friendly.

“As you can see, we are neither thieves nor brigands.” The Inu declared amiably. “Any more than that though, and we’d have to know some about you first…dangerous times, you understand.”

Kaien laid a hand on the top curve of Raikuro’s wing and gently pushed it out of his way. The Tengu hissed at him to stay back, but he ignored the demand.

“I understand all too well, Inu Tribesman.” Kaien said amiably, one hand resting unthreateningly on his sword-belt. “We’ve encountered some trouble ourselves. Perhaps you could help point us in the right direction? We’re looking for a field of scarlet amaryllis.”

The Inu grinned widely. “Aye, I’ve seen such a field, though it’s filled with birds and cats and dogs at the moment.”

Kaien smiled and offered his hand to the Inu. “Captain Kaien Furai of Alteira, my companion is Raikuro of the Silver Claws.” Kaien greeted. The Inu stepped in and clasped forearms with him. “Kiros Moonheart of Dennin. My trail-mate is Auril Delau of Helmswood. We’ve been looking for you Captain.” Kaien blinked in surprise.

“Looking for me? That’s absurd. I should have been given up as dead after that last skirmish on the border!” Kiros shrugged. “Your lady-Queen said to find the slavers that took our soldiers captive, and to find you specifically. She seemed pretty put out about your being captured actually.”

Kaien let an amused smile cross his face.  Queen Ashila was…something else really. She’d been quite fond of the scrappy youngling Zarion had hauled in and designated for one-on-one training, and Kaien had been daring enough to sneak into the royal gardens past the guards and regale Ashila with stories he’d dreamed up until one of the guards noticed him and unceremoniously hauled him back to the salle.

That fondness had developed into friendship as he grew older, and he found himself in the oft-uncomfortable, always enjoyable position of being a “military man” who could report what he saw to the Queen with no axe to grind, or lord to appease. Ashila often told him that his “plain speaking” kept her grounded in the lives of her subjects.

Raikuro folded his wings with a snap, breaking Kaien out of his reminiscences.

“What proof do we have that they are who they say they are?” he muttered to Kaien. The human smiled and glanced over his shoulder. “All that nonsense about amaryllis? That was a coded conversation to identify us to our allies. Surely you were briefed on it?”

Raikuro sputtered quietly as he vaguely remembered such a conversation.

“If you’re ready to move on, we’ve established a safe-house a ways down the road.” Kiros interrupted. “It’s not much, but you can debrief us on the slave-caravan’s movements, and have a secure place to sleep tonight.”

Kaien nodded. “Of course. That would be welcome.”

____________________

“…and there’s an old keep, just off this trail head.” Kaien stabbed his finger at the map he, Raikuro, Kiros and Auril were currently huddled over.

“That’s Brenwythie Keep.” Auril said quietly, bright blue eyes studying the map intently. “It’s been abandoned since Lady Brenwythie went mad and murdered her husband and children, and half the staff.” All heads turned to the Neko.

Auril looked slightly uncomfortable at the sudden scrutiny. “It’s said her madness was brought on by spirits of vengeance. No one in their right mind wants to risk angering vengeful spirits, so they all up and left.”

Kiros smiled proudly at the Neko. “Auril is something of an historian when he’s not busy with his scouting duties.”

Raikuro closed his eyes, the images of that charnel keep flashing through his memories. “There will be more spirits there now for sure. Many were tortured and killed when they proved intractable or otherwise unhelpful.”

Silence fell on the small group, suddenly solemn in light of Raikuro’s information. “Do you know how many they took?” Kiros finally asked.

Raikuro shrugged. “Enough to fill ten or twelve small slave carts. Perhaps thirty if they were separated into twos and threes as Kaien and I were. They also had a Child of Mananan.” Auril gasped quietly. “He was just a youngling, but it sounded as if he’d been captured long before this war started.” Raikuro continued.

“At any rate, we waited until we were about here.” He dragged his finger across the map “I have…family in this part of the Leimal Forest. He is the one who helped us escape…if any others made good the chance for freedom at that time, we have not seen them.”

“Hold please.” Auril requested, his ears flicking back and forth. “He’s back.” Bright blue eyes regarded Raikuro. “You should go greet your clansman, Tengu. He has been particularly worried for your safety, though none others of your Clans acted so.”

Raikuro’s eyes widened, and Kaien wondered –somewhat jealously – who could cause such a look of happiness on the dark Tengu’s handsome features.

The sound of wings finally drifted to Kaien’s ears, and Raikuro launched himself from the table, and hit the door at a run.

“Lapis!”