Chapter Text
Eve
"Alright, everyone, I have to head out." I say, offering the group an apologetic smile as I stand and brush the sand off of my jeans.
"Why? Where are you going?" Thori asks curiously, tilting his head.
My face flushes as I reply. "I'm... going to a flying lesson."
"Ooh, can we come with?" Daisy asks, her face suddenly lighting up.
I shift my wings uncomfortably, refusing to meet her gaze. "You... want to?"
"Yes!" Daisy and Brizo both squeal at the same time, looked equally excited at the prospect. Sam and Thori each give me an apologetic glance, while Ander just looks thoughtful.
"I'm curious to see this guy." Ander hisses eventually, his arms crossed over his bare chest and his expression unreadable.
"Then it's settled." Brizo declares, patting Daisy on the shoulder. "Daisy is going to carry me, and we are going to go and meet this mystery guy."
I sigh heavily, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. "If you insist..."
"We do." Daisy replies hastily.
Taking a deep breath I reluctantly nod, turning and beginning to lead the group to the plateau where Accaq and I meet.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Daisy hoist Brizo onto her back before following.
I trudge forward and try not to think of how Accaq will react to all these people. He doesn't seem like a very social person, and I'm worried this many newcomers will scare him off.
There's not much I can do about it though, and as we move through the woods I close my eyes and accept my fate.
Accaq
I lay miserably in my bed, picking at a stray piece of straw that is sticking out from under one of the furs.
I'm incredibly bored. Mother has me on bed rest for a few days until she is convinced that I can handle moving around. Even after she lets me out of my cave, I doubt she'll let me go out for a flight.
There is a faint rustling outside of my cavern, and Naqua pokes her heard in.
"How are you feeling?" She asks, her voice sympathetic.
"Bored. Miserable." I reply. "What time is it?"
"About midday." Naqua replies, and I bury my face in my hands. "What's wrong?"
"I should be meeting Eve right now." I snap in reply, my irritation spilling out. "She's going to think I ditched her!"
"No she won't." Naqua soothes, but I'm having none of it.
"Yes she will! How do you think it will look if I randomly don't show up? It's not like I warned her yesterday!" I snarl, glaring at her angrily.
Naqua cringes a bit. "I'm not going to lie to you, that doesn't look good."
"You think?" I groan, trying to adjust my cramped wings without knocking them against the low ceiling.
"If you want, I could visit her and tell her what happened." I quickly shake my head at her offer.
"You can't!" I yelp. "If you tell her how I hurt myself, she'll find out about my bad eyesight!"
"You haven't told her yet?" Naqua says, surprised. "It's not good to keep secrets, Accaq."
"I know that! I'm going to tell her! It's just.... I'm worried that if I tell her too early on..." I hesitate.
"She'll think you're a worthless hunter and ditch you." Naqua finishes.
I nod in confirmation, staring at the floor in shame.
"Alright, well then I can't help you. Is there anything else you need before I go back to watch duty?" She offers me a faint smile.
I shake my head and lay down with yet another heavy sigh.
She gives a small wave before she walks away, leaving me to sulk in silence once more.
As she leaves there is a moment of silence, then I hear movement outside of my cave once more. At first I think Naqua is returning and I open my mouth to tell her off, but someone new pokes their head into my cave.
"Niqu!" I say in surprise, propping myself up on one elbow. My younger brother peers back at me from the mouth of the cave, his brown eyes wide and his dark gray hair ruffled as if he has just woken up. Out of all of my siblings Niqu is by far the youngest. The rest of us were all born around a year or two apart. However, he wasn't born until I was around nine years old. He and I are pretty close despite the age gap and the fact I don't get to spend much time with him. I smile as he moves tentatively into my cave.
"How are you feeling?" He asks, sitting down beside my bed and tucking his downy dark gray wings closer to his body.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, I've felt better." I reply dramatically and he smiles a bit.
We sit in a long slightly awkward silence before he pipes up again. "Who's Eve?"
I cough, surprised by the sudden question. "What?"
"Who's Eve? I heard you and Naqua talking from outside of the cave."
I frown. "You shouldn't be eavesdropping Niqu. It's rude."
"I didn't mean to." He shrugs and looks down at the floor. "It just sort of... happened."
I smile faintly at that. "Alright, I'll let you off easy this time." I joke and he laughs a bit in return.
"Eve is..." I pause, searching for a words. "... a very close friend of mine."
"Someone you want to be more than friends with?" Niqu asks curiously, and I can feel my face heat up with embarrassment.
"...Maybe someday."
He smiles. "How did you meet?"
I hesitate, letting out a quick breath. "It's a long story."
"I'm done with my chores." He insists, clearly having no intention of leaving.
I roll my eyes and settle back down on my bed, laying on my stomach this time as I begin to tell my brother the tale of the girl with the brown eyes.
Eve
I stand nervously on the plateau, glancing up at the sky.
Thori is standing not far behind me, waiting for everyone else to make the steep climb up the rocks. The plateau is easy to reach for Avians, but for the others not so much.
"Finally." Ander breathes as he reaches the top of the plateau, panting. "That climb is a total pain in the ass."
"For once, I actually agree with the snake." Daisy mutters as she takes Sam's hand and allows him to pull her up the last few steps.
"I didn't think it was that bad." Brizo laughs from Daisy's back and Ander shoots her a glare.
"So, where is this guy?" Sam asks, looking around at the barren rocks.
"He should be here soon. We agreed to meet earlier than usual today, so he might be running a bit behind." I reply, my gaze still fixed on the sky.
I sit down and watch as everyone else settles in, ready to wait for Accaq's appearance.
- - -
Hours pass, and we're still waiting. My eyes have not left the sky since we arrived, and my good mood is slowly beginning to evaporate as the sun sinks lower on the horizon.
Everyone else is sitting behind me, talking in hushed whispers that they think I can't hear.
"Uh, Eve?" Thori finally speaks up and I temporarily look over at him.
"Maybe... maybe he's not coming." Thori's wings flutter nervously as he speaks and I grit my teeth.
"He is coming! He hasn't missed a lesson yet!" I snap defensively. "He probably just... forgot about the earlier time."
I glare back at the group. "If you guys are bored, then feel free to leave. You're the ones who wanted to come anyway."
For a moment they are silent. Then Sam stands and glances at me before looking to Daisy. "Actually, we should get going. The herd will get worried if we're gone for too long."
Daisy nods and stands, hoisting a now sleeping Brizo onto her back. "Yeah. Besides, I'd better get this dork back to the river before she dries out." She turns to me and smiles, glancing at the mermaid on her back. "See you later Eve."
"Bye." I call in response, hugging my knees to my chest.
"I should probably go too." Ander says eventually. "I've got work to do at home."
I offer him a wave, then listen as he slowly retreats and begins making his way down the rocks.
Thori watches as they all disappear from sight, then plops down beside me, offering me a lopsided smile. "I've got no where better to be, so I guess I'll just wait here with you."
I smile back at him appreciatively before turning my eyes to the clouds once more, sighing heavily as I wait for Accaq to arrive.
Accaq
Nearly a week passes, and I'm even more restless than before. I shift around in my bed impatiently, waiting for my mother to arrive and give me a checkup.
I've managed to change into new clothes and eat some of the food my siblings brought me, but I feel gross from not being able to go to the lake and bathe, and my wings are cramping from being folded up for so long.
I nearly sob with relief when I see my mother appear in the mouth of my cave, her expression sympathetic. "How are you feeling Parakeet?"
"Cooped up." I reply honestly, sitting up in my bed and ducking to keep my head from hitting the low ceiling.
"Yes, I'm sure." She says, ducking into the space and approaching me.
She places the back of her hand to my forehead for a moment, then leans in and checks my eyes, humming thoughtfully.
"Do you still have a headache?" She asks, running her fingers through my hair to check for a bump.
"Not really." I keep my reply as vague as possible.
"Yes or no, Accaq."
"... yes." I admit reluctantly. "But it's much better than it was the other day. I barely even notice anymore."
She narrows her eyes and me, appearing thoughtful for a moment, before speaking.
"I think you're ok to come out and walk around the cave."
I grin and clap my hands together enthusiastically, and she puts a hand on my shoulder to settle me.
"Don't get too excited. You're only allowed to walk around for a little bit, and the second your headache gets worse you're coming right back, understand?" She asks, giving me a strict look.
I sigh heavily, disappointed by my restrictions. "Yes, mother."
She smiles. "Good. Now come on out. We'll find something for you to eat."
Mother exits my cavern and I follow soon after, walking quickly to get out of the passageway and into the main cave.
I take a deep breath as we finally reach the largest cavern, and allow my wings to extend fully. In my rush I knock over chair at the table nearby, but I can't find the will to care. Stretching my wings feels amazing, and I sigh at the relief it brings.
"Sorry about that." I say, picking up the chair I had knocked aside. "My wings are sore from being folded for so long."
Mother nods, a smile still coloring her face. "I understand."
"Accaq!" A voice calls my name from across the cave, and I turn just in time to see Iqui, Quana, and Naqua all barreling towards me.
Just before they can knock me over, however, Mother steps in front of them and blocks their path. "No roughhousing! He still hasn't fully healed!"
"Yes mother." They all say in unison, looking to the floor with embarrassment.
Satisfied with their compliance, Mother gives me a quick peck on the cheek before turning and going off to see how chores were coming along.
"How are you feeling man?" Iqui asks, grinning and patting me heavily on the shoulder.
"I've felt better." I reply honestly, laughing a bit in return. "I just wish I could be out of here. I'm so sick of being stuck in this cave!"
"I'm sure you are!" Quana chimes in, leaning on my opposite shoulder. "I don't know how you can stand it. I would've snuck out on the first day!"
"Well, unlike you, Accaq isn't a trouble maker!" Naqua teases, elbowing Quana playfully.
They all fall silent, however, as Father approaches us. My siblings step behind me, and I look up at him cautiously.
"Accaq." He says quietly, and I nod. "How are you?"
"I'm feeling better." I reply, offering him a timid smile. He may be my father, but he is also the most intimidating person I know. Even small conversations like this tend to put me on edge.
He smiles slightly and pats me on the shoulder. "Good. Heal up quick. We're going to be falling behind on your training because of this."
I nod, smiling once more, and watch as he turns and heads off to organize the hunters near the mouth of the cave.
"Wow, big day for you, huh?" Iqui says once my father is out of earshot.
I let out a breath. "Yeah, no kidding."
I'm not really thinking about my exchange with father, however. My mind is focused on what Quana said before.
Why hadn't I thought of that?
Everyone in the nest is asleep during the day. I would have plenty of opportunities to leave without anyone noticing.
The only issue would be getting around the entrance guard.
"Hey! Earth to Accaq!" Naqua breaks me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry, I'm feeling a little tired." I say, sagging my shoulders and doing my best to look exhausted. "I think I'm going to go back to my cave and rest for a little while."
Quana eyes me suspiciously. "Didn't you just leave your cave?"
"Goodnight." I say dismissively, waving and turning to go back to my cavern.
I need to rest up and plan for the coming day.
I'm going to see Eve, no matter what.
Eve
A week.
It's been a week since I've last seen Accaq.
Thori and I had waited until the sun had completely set before giving up, and since then I have gone back every day at our usual time.
All this time, and still no sign of him.
I sit in class, tapping my pencil on the desk impatiently while considering this fact.
Did something happen? Or did he just get sick of our lessons?
I frown to myself. That couldn't be it. He always seemed to have the time of his life. Surely he wasn't faking.
Right?
I let out a heavy sigh and glance to the clock above the chalkboard.
Since my meetings with Accaq stopped, time seems to move slower.
I no longer have something to look forward to after school. Airball practice would be starting soon, but even that will be boring in comparison to my lessons with the boy.
After what feels like an eternity, the bell rings to signify that class is over. I stand and slowly collect my things, walking silently towards the door.
Thori is waiting for me by my locker as usual, but today there's someone else with him. When I realize who it is, I feel myself starting to smile.
"Hey, Julie." I call in greeting, picking up my pace a bit to reach my locker.
Juli looks down at me from behind the thick, black rims of her glasses. After a moment, she smiles in return.
"Hey Eve. How've you been?" She asks.
"Oh, I'm alright I guess. How was your trip?" I question in return, opening my locker to put my things away.
"It was very interesting. I was intrigued to see how other colonies have set up their government systems." She rolls her eyes a bit, brushing one hand through her thick black hair. "Though I must admit, spending that much time with Arthur was absolute torture."
Thori and I laugh. "He can certainly be a pain." Thori comments, grinning at Juli.
"So, has anything exciting happened since I left?" Juli asks.
"Well, I made the airball team." I say proudly, grabbing my backpack and closing my locker.
Juli rolls her eyes once more. "What else is new? Of course you're on the team, you're the best player!"
I grin, flattered by the compliment, and Thori clears his throat.
"Is that really all you wanted to talk about?" He asks pointedly, and my smile fades into a scowl.
"Yeah, that's it. I don't want to talk about him." I retort, turning away from Thori and beginning to walk.
They follow not far behind me, and Juli shoots Thori a confused look. He whispers the details to her, and I pretend not to listen.
"Hey Eve, slow down will you?" Thori says eventually, jogging to catch up with me. "Are you going out again tonight?"
Thori's question makes me hesitate.
I had been thinking about it all day, but I try to play it cool.
I shrug a bit, feigning nonchalance. "I haven't decided yet. I'm starting to think it's a lost cause."
Thori frowns and glances over at Juli, who appears just as concerned.
"Do you think something happened to him? It's weird that he would just... stop showing up." Thori says, and I sigh heavily.
"I have no idea." I reply honestly.
"Why don't you just fly to his colony and find him?" Juli asks curiously. "If he visited you every night, he must live nearby."
"Well..." I hesitate before answering. "I never really asked him what colony he was from."
They both stop and look at me in surprise.
"Well, he never asked me either! I just never thought about it!" I say defensively, trying to hide my embarrassment.
"Unbelievable." Thori says, rolling his eyes. "You're head over heels for this guy, and you don't even know where he's from?"
"I am NOT head over heels for him!" I snap, my face flushing.
"Liar." Thori says with a smirk, and I shove him.
"Well, I think you should give him one more chance." Thori says, glancing at me. "He might have had something come up."
I think for a moment, then sigh. "Alright. I'll give him one more chance." I say, glancing Thori.
He smiles at me, and I quickly change the subject.
"So, have you thought about auditioning for the play?"
Accaq
I lay in my cavern for a long time, plotting out my escape.
It takes a lot of thinking, but I finally manage to come up with a plan.
I spend the rest of the evening waiting anxiously, listening for my siblings.
I eventually hear them filtering past the opening in my cavern, talking amongst themselves as they head to their own caves.
After a while the voices fade, and I cautiously peek my head out of my cave. The passageway is silent, and I quietly shuffle out of my crevasse.
I grab my bag, which I had packed with supplies earlier in the evening. Mother gave it to me as a gift some time ago. It was hand made, sewn out of leather and lined with soft animal furs.
I sling the strap over my shoulder and creep silently towards the main cavern, keeping an eye out for any signs of movement.
I peek my head into the main cavern and look around, making sure that it is empty before I enter.
I rush to the other side of the room, careful to avoid the chairs and tables, and head for the shallow gap in the wall where we store our leftovers.
I grab a few pieces of jerky and throw them into my bag, then pause and grab a few peppermint leaves. My head feels fine for now, but after the exertion of flying I will likely need them for the headache.
Lastly I grab a water skin. As summer draws nearer the days will get warmer, and I will want to stay hydrated.
After stocking up on supplies I head for the entrance to the cave. One of my siblings, Perquin, is standing just outside, his soft brown wings visible just to the right of the cave's opening.
As quietly as possible, I pick up a stone from the floor of the tunnel. As Perquin turns to look in one direction I toss the stone in the other.
It clatters loudly against the rocks below the platform, and Perquin's head snaps towards the sound.
He flaps his wings and takes off to investigate, and as soon as he is gone I dash outside and take flight, darting around a nearby pillar and out of his line of sight.
The maneuver has my head spinning, but I force myself to keep flying, making a beeline for the nearby lake.
When I finally reach the lake I land with as much grace as possible, which is to say I land on my knees and fall forward, just barely managing to save myself from face planting.
I stand and look at the clear water of the lake, feeling embarrassed. At least no one was around to see my failed landing.
With a heavy sigh I remove my bag from my shoulder and place it carefully under a nearby tree. I then strip out of my clothes and wade into the water, flinching at the cold.
After I bathe I head back to the shore and grab the fresh clothes from my bag. I use the old clothing to dry off before putting on my clean garments, then sit down heavily beside my bag.
I wring the water out of my long hair and comb it through with my fingers, feeling better than I have in days.
As I groom myself, however, I hear a faint rustling in the bushes across the lake.
I freeze, looking towards the source of the noise. However, with my impaired vision, all I can make out is a blur.
I see a figure emerge from the brush on the other side and frantically grab for my bag.
I shuffle my supplies around for a moment and eventually find what I'm looking for; a small knife in a leather sheath.
I slowly stand and drop the sheath to the ground, gripping my knife and intently watching the figure that emerged from the trees.
They appeared to be a male and, oddly enough, topless. They're carrying a long wooden spear with a sharpened metal point, and when they move into view I catch sight of a long, green serpent tail.
Naga. The thought flashes through my mind, and I grit my teeth. I've only ever heard stories about the vicious snake people who frequent this area, so seeing one in real life catches me off guard.
We both stand there, each of us waiting for the other to make a move. After a long, tense silence, they call out to me.
"Who are you?" They ask, their voice faint and tinged with an odd accent.
I don't reply. Instead, I slowly back up towards my supplies, my gaze not leaving the intruder.
As I back away they start to move closer, and fear rushes through me. I quickly throw together my supplies and sling my bag over my shoulder, taking flight just as the stranger slithers towards me.
He calls out as I fly away, but I neither hear him nor look back. Instead I head for the plateau where Eve and I usually meet.
I make it there without further issue and collapse onto the rocky ground, exhausted.
I sit up and take a deep breath, trying to ignore the pounding in my head.
I get back to work combing out my hair, which is once again tangled from my sudden flight. After it is mat free I carefully work it into a braid and tie it back.
Next I reach into my bag and retrieve the jerky I brought along. I eat in silence, my eyes scanning the trees below for a better spot to settle.
I spot a small clearing, just big enough for me to land, and gather up my supplies. I fly down to the open patch of grass and manage to keep myself from falling as I land.
I settle back down under a nearby tree, much happier now that I'm out of the sun. There, I finish my breakfast and fish out my peppermint leaves.
Chewing on a leaf slowly dulls the throbbing in my head, and I look mournfully at my empty water skin. Due to my encounter at the lake, I hadn't had time to fill it.
It's too hot for me to go without water, so I need to find another water source. I've flown over this area countless times while waiting around for Eve to arrive, and I desperately try to remember if there is a stream nearby.
Suddenly it hits me. The river just outside of the trees!
I gather my things once more and take off, this time heading for the river.
I land near the rushing water, a smile plastered to my face. The peppermint in my mouth has helped to clear my head, and I'm excited at the prospect of clean water.
I set my bag down and grab the water skin from inside. I kneel on the bank of the river and dip in my water skin. It steadily begins to fill, and when it's about half full I pause and take a drink.
The water is fresh and cool, and I down all of it at once. Once I've finished it off, I dip it into the water to fill it once more.
After I fill the skin a second time I sit beside the river, dipping my bare feet into the water and sipping at my drink happily.
Just as I begin to relax, however, I hear faint voices. More Nagas?
I cautiously rise from my seat and grab my bag, creeping carefully towards the trees to search for the source of the sounds.
I enter the woods and peek around the tree, and I catch sight of something completely unexpected.
Centaurs! A male and a female, walking side by side towards the river. They are talking cheerfully, not exactly paying attention to their surroundings.
Then again, why would they need to be careful? Not even Father is crazy enough to tackle a centaur alone. It would take a whole flock of our best hunters, and even then the task would be a challenge.
I watch them as they stroll towards the river and settle down on the bank, still chatting amongst themselves.
I'm confused on why exactly they're here. They aren't drinking, and they aren't in the water, so why they would travel all this way is beyond me.
My attention is turned upstream by a sudden splashing, and I watch with wide eyes as a dark shape in the water moves towards the two centaurs.
Theres a splash as the creature surfaces and my jaw drops. A mermaid! Unlike Nagas, I've seen mermaids before. However, as strange as it is to say, I've never seen a living mermaid.
The mermaid seems to be talking with the female centaur, while the male simply seems to be listening. I watch them and awe, and lean a little closer to listen in on their conversation.
"I'm doing well! It's been a boring day, I'm glad you two could stop by." The mermaid says, and the centaur laughs a bit in return.
"Yeah, we've been pretty bored as well." The centaur replies, leaning fondly on her male companion.
My chest aches, and it takes me a moment to realize that I'm jealous. I desperately want a relationship like these two have, and watching them interact makes me want it even more.
"Oh! I was going to ask you, did you see anyone around when you were walking here?" The mermaid suddenly says, and I feel a sense of dread creep over me.
"No, why do you ask?" The male centaur says, frowning.
"Someone was sticking their feet in the water." The mermaid says, giggling. I feel my face heat up in embarrassment. If I'd known someone was in the water, watching me, I wouldn't have soaked my feet.
The male centaur frowns and looks around, suddenly concerned. "I'm going to take a look around." He says finally, slowly rising from his spot on the bank. "They might still be lurking around."
I swallow hard and slowly back away. The centaur walks away from the river and moves towards my hiding spot in the woods, scowling as he looks for any signs of danger.
My heart is pounding in my chest, and I desperately look around for an escape route. There is no way for me to fly away without being seen, but at this point, I really don't have choice.
Just as the centaur approaches my hiding spot I launch into the air, startling him and the two by the river.
The mermaid dives under the water, and the female centaur hops up in panic and backpedals. The male centaur yelps in surprise and rears back on his hind legs.
I flap my wings in a panic, startled by how the centaur reared up. He's huge, and his hooves are nearly close enough to knock me out of the air.
I manage to avoid the centaur and turn in the other direction, flying as fast as possible to get away.
"Hey!" I hear the male shout angrily behind me and, much to my surprise, I hear him run after me.
I flap my wings harder and increase my speed, trying to gain altitude at the same time.
As I try to move up, however, my grip on my bag slips and it falls off of my shoulder, plummeting down directly into the chest of the centaur.
He squawks and stops running, surprised by the sudden impact. I desperately want to turn around and retrieve my supplies, but it isn't possible without getting caught. Gritting my teeth, I turn away and fly into the distance.
When I finally land back at the plateau I collapse, feeling both emotionally and physically drained.
I'm exhausted from the exertion of the quick flight, and the loss of my bag is hitting me hard. The bag from Mother and the knife from Father were my two most prized possessions, and I'd lost them both at the same time.
At this point, I have nothing left to do but sit around and wait for Eve to arrive.
So I do exactly that.