Flight

by wkblack

The Resolution

Author's Note:

Thanks so much for staying with me all these chapters, months, or years, for some of you!

Sorry I haven't published in a while! I'm about to graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Physics, which has been a lot of work. I'm also engaged, so that's been eating a good chunk of my time as well.
But I have not abandoned Flight! I've been focusing on revising past chapters. Once I release those, I'll put a star after the chapter title.

Sorry again for the long wait!

Run!

Canary forced Echo onwards, urging him to keep pushing through the forest. The noise of battle had long died, but every snapping twig rattled her heart. The queen's death replayed in her mind over and over. How could Aether do that? Her mind ran faster than her hooves.

In contrast, Echo moved forwards as if walking versus Woodburn's winds with wings widespread. As the rain stopped, so did Echo. Canary laid her shoulder into him, but the changeling didn't budge.

“Come on, Echo! We need to move!”

His response was barely a whisper. “I could have saved them.”

Canary stopped pushing and looked him in the eyes. “No. You weren't close enough to save her. Besides, if you had gotten between Aether and Libra, it would be you lying dead in the valley.”

Echo collapsed to the ground. “I'm not talking about them; I'm talking about my brothers and sisters.” He shuddered. “I can still feel their terror.”

“We were against an army twice our size; we're lucky to be alive at all! You couldn't possibly protect all the hive.”

Echo stared at the ground. “I know, but I could have called them.”

Canary blinked, nonplussed.

“Like Libra, when she calls us—called us—home.” Echo sighed. “I could have called them. As we were running into the forest, I could have pulled us all together. But now they've scattered too far. They're hunting us down.” Echo buried his face into his hooves. “I could have saved them.”

Though her mouth was open, Canary had no idea how to respond, and just put her hoof around him. A gasp escaped her lips. “Echo! You're freezing!” A cool breeze passed over them, making Canary's hairs stand on end. How long has it been this cold‽

We need a fire.

Canary shook her head. A fire could attract the pegasi, or worse! She wrapt herself around Echo and willed her warmth into him. Feeling him tremble in her embrace, she realized he was in no state to be moving.

We need a fire.

Canary frowned. It just rained!

We need a fire!

Canary sighed. “Fine.”

Echo looked up. “What?”

Canary climbed to her hooves. “I'm making a fire.”

The trees still dripped rainwater, soaking the ground below. Canary turned her gaze upwards, scanning for leafy trees. Back in Woodburn, she and Aether had started many fires from the dead lower branches. Much of the thickest wood, however, had been knocked down by the storm. Canary collected a wingful of relatively dry twigs from the south sides of trees, diametric to the storm's attack.

As she made her way back to Echo a tree caught her eye: it was completely devoid of leaves and missing large chunks from its rough trunk. Perfect. Canary bucked askant at the tree, knocking off the top layers of its bark, revealing its dry interior. She carved out a large chunk and carried it back to a shivering Echo, who hadn't moved a hair.

“It won't be long now.”

As Canary brushed away the wet leaves and dug a fire pit, she couldn't help but think of Aether. Together in Woodburn's forest, they'd discovered the forest's secrets, piecing together how to survive in the wild. She positioned a thicker stick into the dead tree's bark and rolled it between her hooves, pushing her tainted memories into the wood. After a few minutes of high friction rubbing, sparks flew and the fire started. By fire's glow, she could see Echo's shell clearly: a sea of grey with a solitary wave of stormy blue.

“Echo? Are you okay?”

Air escaped his lungs, but he made no response.

Canary rolled him over and pulled his face up to hers. His eyes were dark and glassy. “Echo!”

“I'm fine.”

“No! You're not fine—your shell is completely grey!”

“Doesn't matter.”

“It matters to me! Why are you turning grey‽ What can I do to help‽”

The changeling only breathed in response, face blank.

“Come on! Speak to me!” Canary shook Echo, but he didn't even flinch. “Echo!”

Canary wrapped herself around Echo and held him tight. Come on, she prayed, take it! She imagined, as vividly as she could, a stream of love moving from her heart to his, warming his body and filling his shell. Canary prayed silently it would work. The small wave of blue spiralled around his shell, growing smaller with each pass. Canary held him tighter. Why did I never learn how to properly do this‽ Minutes passed, but his shell stayed the same dark grey as before.

“I can't do this,” Canary finally whispered. “I don't know how. Nothing is working! Why won't you take my love‽” Canary set her head on his chest. Does he even have a pulse? Canary repositioned her head and heard the soft thump of life. His chest rose and fell between the slowest heartbeats she'd ever heard.

thump

“Please, Echo.”

thump

The fire flickered and Echo took another breath.

Tears swelled at Canary's eyes. Her mind spun like a maple seed yet felt completely blank. What do I do now?

Open your eyes.

Across the fire lurked a pair of bright yellow eyes, slit like a cat's. Canary leapt to her hooves and stood over Echo's body. “Don't you dare!”

The eyes drew nearer, entering the firelight. In front of the eyes sat a toothy muzzle—behind them, a lion's mane.

Canary froze and it vanished into the darkness.

Step off Echo!

Canary didn't budge. I'm not moving!

Step off Echo!

A dark object flew at Canary from her left, faster than a falcon seizing prey. She tried to dodge, but it tore a gash in her shoulder and knocked her to the ground. Her shoulder stung, but the pain dissipated after a heartbeat. She tried to push herself up but collapsed onto her left leg. Why can't I move it‽ Canary shifted her weight to her right and pushed herself up, letting her left leg extend.

Duck!

Canary obeyed the idea and dropped back down. She felt something fly over her head and hit the tree behind her with a thunkh! The monster roared. A gargantuan scorpion's stinger was lodged in the tree. By the fire's dying embers, she followed the tail back to a lion's body, sporting leathery wings. Canary's eyes widened. A manticore‽

While the monster wrenched its stinger from the tree, Canary scooped up a thick branch with a pointed end. The manticore fixed its eyes on Echo and lifted its claws to strike. Canary leapt forward and jammed the blunt end of the branch into the earth, aiming its point up towards the descending paw.

The thorn ripped through flesh, making the manticore let out a howl. A mirroring pain pierced Canary's hoof, making her wince. She knew the pain was only in her mind, but it hurt just the same. She could only imagine how bad Echo felt when fighting.

As the beast tore the thorn from its paw, Canary limped to its side, diverting its attention from Echo. She tried to buzz her wings for a burst of speed, but her left wing hung limp at her side. She never thought she'd fear a lack of pain. Her heart fluttered like a butterfly trapped under a leaf of paper; it was tantalizingly close to an adrenaline rush, but lacked the invigorating power behind it. She also noticed the more she moved, the more her vision blurred. It must be a neurotoxin. She jumped over two roots, but fell, realizing her vision was doubled.

Canary scrambled for her footing, but the manticore swept her up and flung her against a thick tree, far from the fire. Before she caught her breath, the manticore's paw was on her chest, pinning her down against tree roots. Canary's ribs compressed and she thought she heard a snap. She tried to move, but none of her limbs responded. So this is it. It took all her willpower to get her head to turn. Her vision had faded to nearly black.

“Echo,” she whimpered.

A pair of ruby eyes lit up a dark spot in her vision. Canary squinted. The shadows shifted and Canary realized the darkness was a massive pair of wings, framing a long neck. It towered over the manticore, nearly twice its size. The roar it released woke birds from their slumbers, sending them flying.

In a heartbeat it cleared the distance between them, seized the manticore by its stinger, threw it in a giant arc over its head, letting Canary gasp. As the manticore slammed into the ground, Canary winced.

The beast pounced on the manticore and unleashed a jet of fire over its head. Canary nearly felt the heat on her own face, stinging her right side. The manticore screamed in agony and Canary wished its pain could end. The beast released the manticore and it caterwauled away into the forest.

The dragon now rushed towards her. She could hardly breathe, much less run. It held her limp body close enough she could feel its heavy heartbeat echo through its chest.

THUMP. THUMP.

The voice that sounded was deep and desperate. “Please don't leave me!”

Canary's heart soared as a feeling of warmth came over her, reminding her of chocolate-covered strawberries. It was just enough energy to whisper a word. “Echo?” Another wave of love surged over her, waking her mind and body.

“I'm so sorry! I should have been there for you!”

Canary smiled. “But you were there for me! A bit late getting up, but since when have you been an early riser?”

Echo cried heavier and emerald flames engulfed them both. Though they didn't feel hot, her hairs stood on end, electrified with energy. He cradled her close, squeezing tight as a dragon. “I thought I'd lost you~”

She smiled up at him. “Me too~” His love surged stronger over her. She still couldn't feel her wounded leg, but her others tingled with feeling. She flexed her left wing and couldn't help but smile.

“But Echo, you shouldn't be spending your love on me; you should be saving it! You nearly died!” Canary tried to block the oncoming flood of emotions by imagining a dam between her and the oncoming waves, but Echo pulled her eyes to meet his own, breaking her concentration.

“Life's only worth living when given to those that you love.”

As the changeling held her close, Canary looked at his back: a thick red streak ran through his shell, pulsing with his heartbeat, conquering the grey. “Where is this love coming from?”

Echo glanced back at his shell. “I have no idea~”

“What do you mean, you have no idea‽ It had to come from somewhere! How'd you get it‽”

Echo shrugged. “All I know is when I saw you in pain, I had to do something, so I did.”

“But that doesn't make sense—you can't just generate love out of nowhere!”

“You're telling me! I don't know how it happened. It just sprung up inside me.”

Canary shook her head and pulled Echo to the fire, clinging to its glow. As she watched the embers die, a scene sprung to her mind. She saw herself and Echo traveling the land, defending the changelings, fighting as one. She smiled. “I love you Echo.”

“I love you too, Canary.”

As their lips met, their worries melted away. The forest sounded somehow sweet, as crickets chirped to the beat of their hearts. Stars shone between the leaves and their light danced on the leafy ground. Though the toxin still coursed through her veins, Echo's love kept it at bay like waves erasing footprints from a beach.

“So where do we go from here?”

A wave of cold washed over Canary, but no wind was blowing. Color leaked from Echo's shell as if it had sprung a leak. He was frowning, eyeing Canary's bloody leg. Canary's eyes darted between his. “What's wrong‽”

The changeling's eyes were flat. “What?”

“You're losing color! What's going on‽”

His eyes drifted back to his shell. “Hunh. Don't know.”

Canary growled. “There has to be a reason why! Think!”

Echo shrugged. “Maybe I'm just broken,” he said with a sad smile.

A question entered Canary's mind. “What were you just thinking about?”

Echo kicked a rock at his feet and sighed. “Nothing.”

“No, really—what was it?”

Echo sighed. “It was nothing, just a little thought. Well, not even a thought, really, more of a vague idea.”

“What? What was it‽”

Echo relented. “It feels like my heart wants to leave my body.”

“What‽”

“As if it's trying to push me through the forest.”

“That's it‽ Why‽”

“That's just what I was thinking—it's just a stupid idea.”

Canary saw another spiral of color drain from Echo's shell and her vision started blurring again. “Is that what's draining you?”

“Don't think so.”

“Then what is‽”

Echo shrugged again and another wisp of color left his shell. Canary's left wing started losing strength. She searched his greying eyes and snorted a sigh. “Fine. Let's go.” Canary limped over to the changeling and pushed him up to his hooves. “Which way?”

“But it doesn't make sense!”

With another headbutt Canary got Echo to start walking. “It doesn't matter. Which way‽”

Echo turned to face his wife. “Fine. But you need to be carried—you're in no condition to walk, much less run.”

“Run?”

Echo scooped Canary onto his back and shot into the forest. He paused after a while and swayed his head left then right.

As he head down the right path, Canary felt his shell warm beneath her. She smiled. “Whatever you're doing—keep doing it!”

Echo slowed down a few trees later, made a slight course adjustment, and resumed running. As his steps grew more sure, he stopped hesitating between turns and ran at full gallop, weaving through the forest like a river. Each turn he made added color to his shell.

Just as Canary started wondering whether they were going anywhere, something pierced the air: Fear. And pain. Canary furrowed her brow, trying to hear where her heart was pointing. All she knew was the sense grew stronger with each step.

Pinpoints of light peeped through the trees ahead. The changeling skidded to a halt just as the treeline broke into starlight, giving way to the Ravine below. Canary slipped off Echo's back and felt her left leg tingle with feeling, though it couldn't carry any weight. Though night obscured the Ravine's bottom, she still heard its river running below.

On a ledge some few stories down, Canary saw three grey-shelled changelings, scrambling across the rocks, futily trying to escape the manticore. Each sported wounds: a clipped ear, a bleeding leg, a gashed face.

Canary cringed in sympathy. “Echo! We have to—”

The cliff beside her was vacant. Down in the ravine, Echo leapt from rock to rock like a cougar chasing its prey. “No—you—don't!”

Canary beamed and followed alongside the top ledge of the Ravine. Her hoof twisted a funny way and she tumbled to the ground. Canary strained to get up, but her leg was impotent and sunk her to the ground. The toxin ran freely through her veins now, coursing faster than ever before, like a dam bursting. She growled and wormed her way to the edge of the cliff so she could see the fight.

Echo leapt down, landing square between the trio and the manticore. Though he wasn't half its size, he somehow stood taller as he roared at the beast. The manticore looked at Echo much as Canary would have looked at an apple that had growled at her. After a blink, its focus was entirely on Echo, and it reared to strike.

Emerald flames burst up taller the manticore. From them, a black paw seized the manticore's claws. The manticore staggered back, eyeing the massive black bear that now stood before him, roaring like a mother protecting its young. The manticore's confusion didn't last long—it fled before Canary could blink again.

Canary smiled. Though she could hardly make out their figures, she saw the three drones jumping around Echo, talking as fast as their buzzing wings.

A twig snapped behind her, betraying nearby footsteps. She tried to turn her head to see, but it felt like a thousand pounds. Canary's heart rate picked up when she realized that none of her other limbs were responding.

“Canary?”

She knew that voice. As she finally turned her head, Lightning Blitz walked into her view. His eyes grew wide as they fell on Canary's bleeding shoulder. His mouth moved without sound, unable to put words to his feelings. He finally stammered out, “I was terrified to ask, in case it were true.” He took a deep breath. “Who am I to you?”

It took all her willpower to just inhale. Her voice was hardly a whisper. “dad~”

Blitz swept her up in a heartbeat and pulled her into his chest. “I'm so sorry Canary! I'm so sorry!” He looked between her injury and her sightless eyes. “What happened to you! You aren't moving. Are you paralyzed? By what‽”

Canary's lips trembled, but in her atonic state she could barely breathe, much less talk.

“Nevermind that. We need to find you help.”

Blitz moved to pick her up but something froze his motions. At Canary's hooves, tendrils of grass wound around her and tethered her to the ground. “What the—”

Thousands of grass blades leapt from the ground and wrapt themselves around Blitz's entire body, engulfing both pegasi. The grass held them several heads above the ground, trapping their movement. What little air was in Canary's lungs rushed out as the plants suffocated her.

Not like I could move anyway.

Four deer stepped into view and eyed the two pegasi. The snaring vines sprouted bright turquoise flowers—they smelled as calm as lavender and as sweet as sugarcane. One waft of the flowers made her mind as black as her vision.

Comments

[wkblack]

8324716
Ookacha, thanks for your messages! Sorry to reply so late —I just now saw them!

I'm glad I caught you at the beginning, and thanks so much for the suggestions! I really appreciate the candid feedback!!

At the moment, I'm focused on getting out a first draft before revising, so the first few chapters are of lower quality than the later ones, in my opinion. I'm learning and growing as I write this, so that's the hope anyway.

I agree that it's a bit lacklustre at points. I really don't want to be any more bloody than I have to be, hence avoiding torture scenes as much as possible, but I agree that adding more of her thoughts, more of her hour-to-hour life would be good... If you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears!!

Thanks again for reading! Cheers!

[Shadow_Quill]

This is really good!

[wkblack]

8506470
Thanks!

I'd love to hear any thoughts or questions you have. I'm currently revising past chapters, so the next chapter may not come out for a bit. Sorry about that! But people like you help motivate me to keep going!

[Avatar Sprite]

Loving this story so far!

[wkblack]

Alright, everyone! I know it's been a forever and a half (sorry about that), but the next chapter will be published within a week!