“What is that you got there hidden in your wing?” Oxinum asked as Lindestic took a new place by the wall. Adridge was present as well as Oxinum having just woken up.
“This?” he said laying himself down and slowly stretching his wing out. Making sure whatever it was didn't brush up against his bladed wings he slowly dropped a red ball that seemed to be a bird. “It's a baby red Cardinal bird.” He scooped his four hoof around making sure to cup it at the bend keeping it away from the metal gauntlets that shot out deadly claws as it was cold and his intentions was to keep it warm.
“Where did you find this thing?” Adridge said taking part in the new found subject.
He nodded out the door way. “Yesterday I found a nest within that now collapsed building containing only this little birdy. I thought the mother would come back but it didn’t. I think the storm may have killed it.”
“That's unlikely,” she said as she scooted herself closer to get a better look at the vibrantly red bird.
“I found three dead birds one stormy night,” Rechon said as he stretched himself also taking part in the new found conversation. “My little sister insisted we bury them. We were little hahe.”
“It's a female,” Lindestic said angling his head around it as it layed next to him snug in his foreleg. “You can tell because female's feathers are brighter than that of a males but… This one seems to not want to open up its eyes. Its clearly alive.”
“You know what this reminds me of?” Rechon asked.
“What?” Oxinum asked for Lindestic as he continued to appear asleep.
“Warrior Benagun-”
“And his wolf companion Elcosh,” Lindestic finnish a bit enthusiastically.
“I heard that there were three and that they were brothers.”
“I heard that was just for the sake of a better story,” she commented. “But still he was a warrior marked by his wolf,” Adridge put on a smile then said, “I find it funny that you could end up being a Falconer marked by a red Cardinal. A song bird like no other, and could lul any unsuspecting foe to sleep,” she joked.
“No, I expect it to fly off when it comes time. I just… Well I couldn't just let it die, let's be honest. You would do the same.”
“Do you know how to take care of a bird Lindestic?” Adridge asked as she began to examine her curved sword she held in her magical grip out of boredom. She would be flashing the sun shine about just for fun if the sky wasn’t ever so present with storm clouds.
“One bird is the same as any other,” he said. “Keep it warm when young feed it seeds, and in this case and many others too, small bugs and insects.” He nuzzled it a little causing a flurry of wing flaps but with failed expectations to see its eyes open. He sighed with slight disappointment and said, “I won't burden you with having to help. I can take care of it myself.”
Adridge shook her head and said, “Its fine. Really it is. I can keep it in my bag if you need. It’ll keep it warm and cozy.”
“I don't know about the insects,” Rechon said tapping it with his hoof which caused its head to shrug downwards to avoid the very touch. “But I was a farmer as you know, and I can deal with seeds and such.”
“See,” Adridge said with a smile. She took them both in for a group hug taking them both around the neck causing a dull clack to be made as both of their chest plates hit her dark armor. “This is what I like about us. Good team, good team.”
Now while Adridge and her team were having their moment Oxinum politely sleaked out of the room in search of the two thirds of his team who seemed to never be around these past few days despite the close quarters. He knew were Igneous was as he was always in the room with a missing wall to the outside but he was went into the room with opposite of it which too had substantial missing structure.
For a moment Oxinum she was out of Oxinums sight but only when he looked up did he see Floritha laying atop the two rafters that crossed in the middle of the ceiling. With both of her mettle made four hooves hanging limply in the air she took noticed of Oxinum and positioned herself properly as to be polite. “Oh hello Oxinum.” She rolled herself over falling to the floor but landing sure footedly on all fours. “Did you come to talk to me it's seemed like a long time since we did speak.”
“Yes,” he nodded in no particular direction. “The cabin fever may make it seem that way.”
She unfolded her wings and flicked them around trying to shake off any dust that may have settled on her bladed feathers and then sat herself down. “Well? Be polite and sit down what is it you come to talk about?” She asked as she patted the floor next to her beckoning him to to sit.
“Ponies lately have been talking,” he began. “A little too much for my liking. Nothing sinister or anything but I tend not to question the superstition of others as most times I find them right.”
“Superstition? What did they say?”
“Nothing they have said but something I myself feel my days are numbered.”
“O-Oxinum?” She asked worriedly.
“Please,” he said raising a hoof. “My name is Dramier. Bold and as hard as an Ox,” he said pounding his chest plate avoiding the center button as to not cause his crossbows to deploy themselves prematurely. “That's why I took the name, but the reason I come to talk to you is because you deserved more from me.”
“Dramier? What do you mean? You’ve given all you could have to our team. Please don't do this to yourself.”
“No. For the past year I’ve been so introverted that's it's beginning to suffocate me. I know you and I knew Dettetcheny.” For a brief moment he took a swift moment of silence. “But, neither of you knew me. Who I was and why I avoid others gauzes.”
“Dramier? Wha… Why? Whats gotten to you.”
“Do you remember your first year as a Falconer Floritha?” He asked as the rain and wind continued to throw itself at the wooden house hold. She nodded a bit worriedly as she observed his physique which was still and always was calm as ever. “Its great isn’t it? When you finally leave the Village and with a group of Falconers bent on making sure you become the best you can be. My origins were kind as I worked in the lumber villages as a woodworker carving and cutting to their liking that I became skilled in the craft. I made my Crossbows and bolts as you can see.” He gently motioned to his side mounted crossbows as it was smoothly carved with small details he put in for himself. His bolts you could always tell where his as they were always marked as if a vine was growing up it. “Now when we ran out of our local resources we sold three quarters of the land to farmers and the rest to miners.
“Some of our village left in search of new timber while others stayed to stake a claim in farming. My parents insisted I stayed but I didn’t want my skill wasting away in some recessive cycle so I left with the Falconers who had come to make sure the deals on the land we were selling went through with one another as to not scam the farmers or miners. After the matter was handled and each pony sold and received their share of land they took me in.
“The for the first time in my life it was an adventure as they taught me things I would have never learned otherwise. How to hunt track and kill monsters and of course… pony too. The majority of the first year was also kind to me but then we found ourselves undertaking a new mission. This was near the end of my first year and still when bandits ran rampant near the end of what you and I know as the golden age of banditry. You all know the capital never insisted on sending warriors so we were the only ones left to clean it up. Now this team I was with was named, ‘Team Equilas.’ During this mission we went hunting for a bandit group buried deep within some thickly wooded forest where they were said to have set up fortifications. These woods were so thick and the group could have been anywhere so my team leader suggested we split up but stay close to avoid getting lost or separated.’
“So we did, and me and Contharsis went slightly separate ways making sure to stay close to one another. We inched our way through this dense forest for what seemed to be days because this particular group was impressively armed with even the best Falconering equipment making the element of surprise and skill in stealth our best friend. I’ve heard the stories of what they did to villages and the villagers within those villages and I could say I was terrified, but I knew with conthersis at my side there was nothing to fear. That was until I found she was no longer anywhere to be seen.’
“Her and I were supposed to take up the east side of the general location while the other three took up the west side so losing her left me completely alone. Me, an earth pony, with nothing but my own made crossbows and crafted wooden bolts against what I’ve heard to be an almost exclusive unicorn bandit gang. I was terrified and I began to frantically look around for Contharsis making sure to stay as low and quiet as possible. Then I heard some movement some were around me and I couldn’t pinpoint where the sound had come from as it sounded like it was all around.’
“With the slightest of optimism I thought it was Contharsis so I called her name and there was no response, from her that is. I was however met with a unicorn who wielded a great sword far bigger than any of Igneouses or Adridges blades. There was a brief confrontation that I miraculously won. Thing was he wasn’t dead and he was screaming in pain as he was riddled with wooden bolts. Eight was the number and not a single one granting him the sweat relief of death.’
“His cries of pain alerted the others and I could hear the advancing hoofsteps of the uninvited so I ran as fast as I could. It however wasn’t fast enough for they knew the land better than I. So I hid in the brush letting them overtake and pass me unaware of my whereabouts. All around I could hear the movements and shouts of the others as they shouted the horrible horrible things they would do to me when they found me, trying to intimidate me. Believe that it worked because it did work and the word terrified was becoming more and more of an understatement as time went on.’
“Seconds turned into minutes and minutes stretched into hours that seemed to drag on longer than should have been allotted. I never moved an inch from where I hid, refusing to make a sound and refusing to take any risk. I had my crossbows deployed as I waited for what I thought was the inevitable. The rants never sized and the constant sound of movement was all around.’
“I waited and waited and waited so much so that night fell and by then I thought my team had abandoned me. Thing was I was young and I happened to forget that one of the most important codes of Falconering was you never leave one another behind. If one gets captured we all set out to rescue him. If all but one gets captured then the one should and will come back for them. It was my first mistake to think otherwise.’
“Suddenly straight ahead of me I started to hear some rustling and in my increasing anxiety I thought I had been found. I prepared myself ready to fire with shaky hoofs and unstable head. Dechon? You know you can’t hit a target unless your looking them full on? It's just how the equipment works as it's strapped to your sides and can pivot on its hinges to meet the target you intend to hit. It makes killing an enemy all the more... personal, as at that moment when he sees you and you see him, you make eye contact.’
“In that final, brief moment of combat you see the surprise on their faces. The fear, the confusion, loneliness, you see it all in a blink of an eye, in a flick of the ear and it's gone. Except it remains seared in your brain. Every kill, every victim right here in your head never to be forgotten.’
“And… that was the last look I saw on Contharsis. I held her in my hoofs as I watched the final signs of life drain from her eyes but one thing I didn’t see in her dead lifeless stare was forgiveness. Just the fear, confusion, the loneliness and the pain even as I tried to aid her. Tragic part was… I loved her. She never knew because I never told her, but I loved her because she had always been there for me when I had joined the team. Always willing to help me always willing to lend a hoof, willing to listen. She was the one who trained and me taught me how to be a Falconer. She never left my side when I got lost that night. She came back for me and that was how I repaid her.’
“I never trusted myself after that day. If I could, I would have quit Falconering all together but some ponies got to keep Noriphmy safe. Now even today I constantly dodge glances only looking at each and every one of you through the corner of my eyes because I am just too scared I would end up doing the same thing to you, and I am more than terrified you would give me that same look. That final look as death sweeps over you completely and there is nothing left but a husk of meat and bone. Don’t ask me to change and please... don’t think ill of me because honestly… I'm scared. I’m just scared. That's all there is to it and this is the only time I will ever mention it.”
“Dramier…” Floritha began. “I would never think ill of you.” as she trying to rest a friendly hoof on his back which he pulled himself from. “You're no stranger your somepony I would trust my life with no mater what. You shouldn’t have to do this to yourself.”
Dramier found himself quite but after a moment passed while in thought a smirk broke out across his face. “Ha,” he tiredly belched as he stood up. “I'm still just a young little colt. You think I would have grown out of it by now; this pette fear.” He shook his head in self disgust as he stomped a hoof in frustration. “Even as I recognise it I still can't over come this long since traumatic event.” He turned himself to Floritha who was still staring with concern though still refrained from eye contact. “Come the day I die you will still find me as I am. That scared cold little colt surrounded by murderous unicorns out in the woods many years ago. This I feel and this I promise even if it's the last one I make.”
That night, again without a watch they fell asleep with the clouds still keeping watch as they continued to fall. Igneous himself decided company was the best alternative and so he resided near the rest of the group where he was welcomed. Floritha stayed near the troubled Dramier for his comfort and again a day and a night passed which gave way to a new day promising to pave the way to the new kingdom.