Chapter Text
Parrot had always sacrificed his own needs for his younger brothers, it had been a burden he carried from a young age, which was shaped by the absence of his parental figures who had either vanished or met their tragic ends. As the eldest, he felt the weight of being their foundation, their protector. But now, at the age of 19, he had a once in a lifetime opportunity that stood before him, a chance to finally think about himself, a taste of freedom he longed for since childhood. Yet, just the thought of him leaving his siblings tore his heart. The idea of being apart from them was truly unbearable, a wound that had been cut deeply. He knew, Flame, his brother, would soon turn 18 in a month, but Spoke and Wemmbu were too young to only rely on him. Even the thought of placing that responsibility on Flame was painful, but Parrot still clung to the hope that one day, Flame would understand his decision and know it was for the best.
He had made the heart wrenching decision to take this opportunity with Wifies, and decided to depart at dawn. His brothers lay peacefully asleep beside him in the nest he had lovingly made for them. A deep ache filled his heart when he had imagined their confusion and sadness upon waking up to find him gone. Yet, he knew this was necessary, this opportunity could help all four of them. With his heart feeling heavy, he carefully slipped out of the nest, quietly gathering his belongings around their home. He had decided to leave them heartfelt notes, hoping it would soften the blow. He wrote until daybreak, placing the cards on the kitchen table for them to discover later that day. Parrot went up to take one final, tender look at his brothers, planting a gentle kiss on each of their cheeks, carefully to not wake them up from their slumber. Wemmbu had given him a scare by stirring in his sleep, he was relieved that his 13 year old brother hadn’t woken up to see him leave, as it might have been enough to convince him to stay. He smiled softly at his brothers’ peaceful faces for one last time before stepping into the morning.
That morning, Spoke had woken up with a sense of anticipation, as he often did. The comforting aroma of what he thought was fresh pancakes seemed to drift in the air, stirring a longing in his heart. With a hopeful heart, he hurriedly made his way out of the nest to the kitchen, only to be met with an unexpected emptiness. Parrot, who he had been sure was there, was nowhere in sight. A wave of confusion washed over him, fraternizing with a hint of disappointment. His eyes had drifted to the table, where a card labeled “Spoke” had lain waiting, its presence both intriguing and unsettling. He was torn between curiosity and concern, .. he hesitated, deciding whether to read it right away or to seek out his other older brother, Flame.
He had chosen to wake up his older brother, a decision he didn’t know if he’d regret later on. Returning to their shared room, he saw Flame and Wemmby nestled together, the way they looked peaceful in their slumber struck him with guilt. Still, he gently shook Flame awake. The demonic tiger hybrid, still caught in the haze of his dreams, mumbled, “What’s wrong, Spoke? Is the food ready?” Overwhelmed with emotion, Spoke had found himself unable to find the right words. Tears forming in his eyes, showing a depth of emotion that words could never capture. Flame, sensing the distress in Spoke’s cries, quickly rose from their nest, determined to face whatever had disturbed his younger brother.
“Woah, Woah, what’s wrong? Why are you crying, bro?” he questioned, his voice lingering with panic. Comforting his younger siblings was never his strong suit, that had always been Parrots’ specialty. His heart ached as he looked at Spoke, who was still struggling to find his words, his cries drowning any attempt to speak. The loud cries were so intense that they had even woken up Wemmbu, who now stood beside them, his eyes were filled with concern for his older brother, Spoke.
Flame had embraced his brother, desperately hoping it would ease him. Fortunately, it worked just enough for Spoke to find his voice. “P—Parrot… I went down to get breakfast.” He stammered, pausing to gather himself once more. “He wasn’t there… only cards with all of our names written on them.” Spoke was now full on sobbing at this point, his tears streaming down his face. His fear was noticeable. Parrot’s absence had left a wound, leaving him lost and terrified. Flame’s face was covered with deep worry. His mind was racing with questions about his older brother’s whereabouts. He tried his very best to comfort Spoke, to bring some kind of fragment of calm, but Wemmbu was now spiraling into panic as well. Just perfect, Flame thought. Now he had to deal with both of their breakdowns.
“Both of you, I understand that you’re concerned for Parrot, but if you both don’t stop panicking, we won’t ever uncover what happened,” he declared. His words had thankfully reached both of his younger brothers, who had made an effort to remain silent. “I’m proud of both of you for being brave. Now, you mentioned there were cards?” Flame asked, giving Spoke a questioning glance. The voidling simply nodded, his nose twitching with small sniffles. With that, Flame headed downstairs, his brothers following closely behind. He picked up his card, which had his name written on it with dark ink. Anxiety took over his body, unsure of what the letter contained. Yet, he opened it.
It read:
To my dearest brother, Flame,
I can only imagine you reading this with many emotions. I’m sure it was Spoke who woke you up this morning.
Please, Flame, don’t try look for me. I know this is a big ask, but I can promise you, I am safe. I will return, though
I cannot tell you when. Just hold onto that hope. Never let doubt creep in, okay? I’m truly sorry for having to leave
you with the burned of caring for Spoke and Wemmbu. You’re nearly 18, and I know it’s a lot to handle those two… I
understand you’d rather be doing anything else than looking after them, but I’m begging you to please take care of
them, they need you. If you could, it would mean everything to me.
With all my love, your older brother, Parrot.
Flame could feel tears descending down his face. When had he started crying? He glanced at his two younger brothers, who were also bawling after reading their cards. He was at a complete loss, he could only feel helpless without Parrot, who always knew what to do at any given moment. How could he comfort his brothers when he couldn’t even hold himself together? He understood why Parrot had left them, but why now? Spoke was just barely 15, and Wemmbu was only 13. Overwhelmed by his emotions, Flame’s legs had gone weak. And he collapsed to the ground, streaming tears pouring continuously. His mind was whirled with thoughts, feeling like he was on the brink of a breakdown. But then, Wemmbu had pulled him back to reality by gripping his sleeve. Despite his own emotions, Wemmbu was trying to comfort both of his older brothers, which only deepened the ache in Flame’s heart. He realized he had to be strong for them, now with Parrot gone and having no idea when he’d return. Flame wrapped his arms around both his brothers, offering what comfort he could give. It seemed to help, as Wemmbu and Spoke clung to his shirt, as they cried.
TIME SKIP TWO YEARS . . .
His older brother had vanished when he was just 13, leaving a void which seemed impossible to fill. Despite their efforts, they had never found him, and eventually, they had given up hope. A year later, overwhelmed by the emptiness left by Parrot, Flame had left to join the guard of a newly established empire, leaving Spoke and him behind. Together, they had faced the discouraging challenge of caring for each other, though they were both far too young for such a burden. They managed, but when Spoke had turned 17, he too left Wemmbu. Now, at the age of 15, he was utterly alone, with neither of his brothers by his side. Their family had crumbled in the span of two years since Parrot’s disappearance, and it felt like he was the only thing holding them together. Overcome with grief, he just couldn’t stop the tears from flowing in the now empty house.
He was overwhelmed by a charge of emotions, beginning with an overpowering, intense anger. Why had his brothers left him all alone? Did they truly despise him enough to leave him utterly alone? As he had blacked out, he awoke to find himself holding the shattered remains of the letter Parrot had left him, alongside a family portrait. A wave of sadness and guilt had now washed over him. Why had he destroyed it? It was the only thing he had left of them. Before he knew it, he had dashed to the drawers searching for tape to fix it somehow. His tears clouded his vision, but he still was successful in finding some. He hurried back to the scraps on the floor. With determination, he taped them together as best as he could, not concerned about the messiness. He just wanted it restored, and had accomplished that.
After his emotional breakdown, he had felt suffocated in that house, overwhelmed by the flood of memories. He now yearned to spread his wings, just like his older brothers had done. With a heavy heart, he had rose from the floor, his hands still trembling as he packed the few precious belongings. As he stood at the door of his childhood home, a massive wave of memories crashed over him, and a gentle smile graced his lips before leaving, closing the door behind him. This moment had marked the beginning of his journey.
After what felt like an eternity of walking, he had finally stumbled upon a small boy who seemed to be around his age. As he came closer, his heart had leaped with joy. It was his best friend, Egg. They had met a year ago, just before Flame had left to join the guard. Egg was like his anchor, holding him together, the only one besides Spoke, who was now gone. With no family around, it was just them, alone in this harsh world. They had dreamed of adventuring together, to a distant place where they could escape everything and find peace. They longed for a place to call home, a place where they could finally rest. With a firm hand, he reached out to help Egg up, ready to continue their adventure into the unknown, together.
They finally found comfort in a flat land that settled atop a mountain, a place that promised a fresh start. There had to be terraforming done, but it was a challenge they could overcome. Below, a village lay unaware of their pretense, just as they’d liked. Egg absorbed himself in planning the land’s future, visioning where the structures would be placed. Knowing Wemmbu would’ve been overwhelmed by the details, he had sent him to explore. Wemmbu wandered, losing himself in the immensity but making sure he never lost sight of the mountain. He was comforted by the thought that he could fly back if needed.
As he walked, a realization had struck him. He had neglected his wings ever since Spoke and Flame had left. His feathers were tangled and grimy, a reminder of his neglect. Wing care had always been left to his older brother, something he never bothered with. Now that he was alone, or at least not entirely, with Egg by his side, he now faced a task of independence. Spotting a small river, he saw an opportunity to learn. He cupped his hands, hoping that the water would somehow cleanse his wings, but he quickly understood that he needed more than just water. Fortunately, he always carried a cloth for emergencies.
He dips the cloth into the water, feeling the droplets seep into his fingers as he drags the rag across his feathers. A shiver ran through him, his wings were twitching at the sudden touch, a little reminder of their fragility. He winces, the feeling being almost unbearable, but he continues, now moving with a tender gentleness, massaging his dark purple feathers with care. It has been months since he felt this kind of comfort, and his mind starts to drift into a sea of memories. He starts to recall Parrot, the warmth of his touch, the way he would lovingly care for his wings, each stroke bringing him ease. The memories wrap him, a bittersweet comfort, until a sharp snap of a twig jolts him back into reality.
“Who’s there?” he screamed out, his voice mixed with fear. His heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to mask it with confidence.
The other letters here :
To my dearest brother, Wemmbu,
I understand I promised I’d teach you how to fly for longer durations, and I’m truly sorry I couldn’t keep that promise, Wem. I have
to for a while, so please try not to miss me too much, okay? (you still better miss me though…) Take care of Flame, Spoke, and most
importantly yourself for me. Be on your best behavior, and remember, I’m counting on you! I don’t know when I’ll be back, maybe when
you’re a few years older. But I will return, so you better not lose hope on me, okay? I love you so much. Never stop showing that smile of yours!!!
With all my love, your older brother, Parrot.
P.S. ; I left you a flying guide, please read it! It’ll teach you all the essentials including wing care, but I think Flame knows most of that [ :
To my dearest brother, Spoke,
I’ll deeply miss our morning conversations, those precious moments where we sat together, waiting for the other to wake up. I know you
probably searched for me this morning, I wasn’t there, and I am truly sorry for that. I’ll be away for a while, please don’t encourage Flame
to come searching for me, I am more than alright. I will return, though I can’t say when, but I promise you, I will. Please don’t lose faith in your
older brother! I love you dearly, and make sure he gets you that breakfast!!!
With all my love, your older brother, Parrot.