Having managed to obtain a small chunk of chocolate, Addy had bee-lined it back to her apartment, ready to share the rare treat with Sira and their daughter. “Honey, I’m home!” Bursting thought the doorway with a smile on her face and a cheery call to the rest of her family, on her lips, Addy gently set the chocolate aside before stooping to unlace her boots. One and then the other were kicked off, thudding dulling against the stone wall before landing in a pile near the door; a number of discarded footwear already occupied the space. Green eyes lingered at the mess for a moment or two, a soft sigh and a shake of her head the only indication she gave of her disapproval. Once upon a time, Addy had been a clean freak.
But that was before she had a child. Now, clean was a distant memory.
Shrugging off the scarf she had tugged over her shoulders to ward off the evening chill, Addy slung that over one of the many hooks she’d had some poor Avora pound into the solid stone. It had been worth his effort though. Her scarves looked so nice hanging there in a row like that. “Natalie?” Fingering the tasseled end a simple black scarf, the little woman tried to pick out a knot that had formed as she called for her daughter. “Natalie! I’m home!” and when there was still no answer, “Honey?”
Finally there was a distant flutter of wing beats, a scuffling of talons on stone before light footfalls scampered towards where Addy stood. Bracing herself just a moment too late, the healer staggered backwards as her daughter flung herself at her mother, jumping and extending her arms. They both laughed as Addy hugged her daughter tight, kissing the top of her crimson head before setting her back down. There was a pang of sadness that accompanied action, for soon Natalie would be her mothers size, and Addy would no longer be able to hold and coddle her daughter.
“Look what I got for us!” Battling off the sadness with a dimpled smile, Addy snatched the hunk of chocolate from the shelf and cupped it between both hands, holding it out to the young girl. Natalie stared for a moment or two, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she leaned forwards to sniff at the lump. “What is it?”
“What…is it? Seriously? It's chocolate!” Addy had to laugh, grabbing her daughter’s wrist and plopping the whole thing onto her palm. By now the healer expected Sira to have winged away with her daughter to indulge in this kind of stuff while Addy worked; Natalie knew that when one mom said no, the other would most surely say yes.
“Go on, try some.” Natalie tentatively nibbled on a corner, smacked her lips and swallowed. There was a moment of silence before the young girls eyes widened and she looked back down at the treasure in her hands. “Wow, Momma!”
“You can have it. Go on!” Giving her shoulder a shove, Addy waited for Natalie to disappear back into her room before settling down into her comfy chair. No sooner had she kicked her feet up and pulled a book off the shelf, flipping to a random page than she was assaulted with Sira’s shout, instantly bringing Addy back to her feet.
Sira! What! Where are you? Who is coming for her?! She knew her lover had gone out, but she didn’t know where to; though the panic in Sira’s voice made Addy want to instantly run to the woman’s aid, her feet felt nailed to the floor. But they were coming for their daughter?! Where was she going to run too? Was Sira even in the city? And then the images started flooding in.
Blood and gore swam behind her eyes, all of it blending into a frightening mix of what shouldn’t be; Addy had instantly recognized the sultry haze that was Inclement Weather, the revelers screaming and running rather than bumping and grinding. Running from what? Since it was from Sira’s perspective, Addy could hardly see that it was her lover that had caused the destruction. Instead, in the final flashes in which Addy could discern one thing from another before it all became a chaotic mess in her head, she saw them. The tentacles.
“No no… no no no no…” And then she was flying to her daughter’s door, flinging it open and rushing in to where Natalie sat nibbling on her chocolate. The little girl looked up with a smile on her face, beaming until she saw the look on her mothers face. “Momma, what’s wrong?” Her already high voice trilled a few more octaves higher, alarm darkening her cheeks as they flushed.
Panting from the pure panic that raced through her, Addy tried to hush her daughter as she tried to catch her breath. “Shhh, sweetie it’s okay. Just… just stay in your room. I have to go find Mom. Can you promise you’ll stay in your room?” Mutely, the little girl nodded, and Addy joined her, satisfied that she would do as told. “And fly. If anyone other than your mother or I come into the Aerie, fly away. You got that?” Another mute nod and Natalie clutched the chocolate to her chest, wide-eyed as Addy stood. “It’ll be okay. I love you.”
“I love you too, Momma.” A smile and a swift kiss to her forehead and Addy rushed out of the room and out of the aerie without even stopping for her shoes; the door was flung open as the healer kept barreling forward- straight into the man who shouted his way up the corridor.
“I know! Take me to her!” Panic welled in her chest, making it harder to breathe as they ran, the man keeping pace beside her as they navigated the twisting and dark corridors to the Weather. It seemed like forever, but Addy felt the sound of the music before she heard it.
Rounding the corner, the little healer was almost knocked over by the force of a group fleeing from the scene. “Run away if you know what’s good for you! She’s CRAZY!”
Furrowing her brow, Addy shouldered through the group as they ran past, working against the fleeing crowed to get into the Weather. Even if Sira wasn’t in there… so much blood! She had to help! The darkness when she finally made it through didn’t make things any easier, the full run at which she entered the doorway sending her sprawling on her face as her feet caught on something next to the door. Hissing as the rough stone cut her hands and knees, Addy fought to regain her footing as she looked around for who or what tripped her. All the irritation vanished, replaced by a cold sinking feeling as she saw the decapitated man only a few feet away. The woman who screamed had been screaming crazy as she ran suddenly sounded loudly in Addy’s ears. “Oh god…” They really were here for her daughter! And Sira had lost all control with the fear of it all!
And then Sira shrieked, somewhere behind her, the piercing scream of an eagle multiplying as it rebounded off the domed ceiling. Sira! I’m here! Sira! Spinning till she caught sight of Sira’s massive form, Addy ran forward, gaze casting around at the ground and the fallen, keeping an eye out for the ooze and the tentacles she had seen in her minds eye. But when she stopped just a few feet from where Sira flailed her wings, she hadn’t encountered a single one.
SIRA! STOP NOW! Raising her mental voice to a bellow, Addy put in some of the command she held over her bond mate into the words and simply waited for them to take effect. To the Endal and Avora with the ropes, Addy shoved them physically away, wrestling with a few and hanging on their arms before they would let go of the ropes. “Get away. Let her free. I can handle this! Let her go!” Some of the panic had taken a back seat to the shock of seeing her lover in such a state, simple anger replacing the void it left at the sight of the men trying to restrain her. It was a quiet anger though, all flashing eyes and cold words. “How dare you treat a Wind Eagle that way. And my bond mate, no less. Get out. GET OUT!”
None of the men said a word, though a few returned the hateful glances, throwing their ropes to the floor before they turned and left. Waiting until only she and Sira remained, Addy turned back to the Kelvic. “What the PETCH IS GOING ON!”