Quest Ambitions (Aela Calder)

[Phoenix]

Even though the corridor that housed Hala and her unhatched chick had been abandoned after the drama of the morning, the ruckus that Aela’s attack made garnered some attention. An Endal by the name of Hof had been on the way to his Aerie, a lovingly used longbow slung over his shoulder as he returned from the archery ranges and a long day of practice.

The new egg meant hope for the city, especially after suffering through such a devastating blow that past spring; The Dejed Storm and Ivaks escape shocked and awed the entire city, forcing them to cope with this development or die. None of the Inartans had even known Ivak’s name before his escape, making his sudden appearance and the sudden communal knowledge of what his escape meant was a burden the whole city had to learn to bear. However, like in most times of crisis Wind Reach had banded together and fought against impossible odds to survive, even though it seemed as if they wouldn’t make it to winter. Now, nearly two seasons later, Hof had personally seen the amount of food they had managed to store only that morning; there was a smile on his face and a whistle on his lips.

And the egg! There was an egg. It was like a ray of Syna’s light after a long storm, that budding life inside that not-so-little shell was living proof that their hope was not misplaced. It was with this positive attitude and overall good cheer that Hof decided to take a swing by the Hala’s nest on his way back home.

At first, the clicks and scrapes, along with the random caw as the big man entered into the nesting corridor were nothing out of the ordinary; it was a simple fact that some of the birds just didn’t get along. It was to be expected of the highly intelligent creatures, who were practically human in every way except physically.

It was hard to tell where the sounds were coming from, though it was obviously from the far end of the corridor, and Hof slowed his walk to a complete stop to listen. It sounded like it was coming from Hala’s nest but…. No, she was alone in there. As ornery as she was, none of the other eagles had been allowed near her since she started nesting…

Alarm bells went off in Hof’s head as soon as the thought processed, his cautious steps lengthening into ground eating strides. It was only a matter of chimes until he rounded the corner, the last pair of nesting aeries coming into view. The shrill squawks and cries blasted the Endal full in the face, rocking him backwards a step before he pelted back into his run. It was definitely coming from Hala’s nest.

Skidding through the entrance, Hof slipped on the blood that had pooled on the ground as he charged through the stone archway, the man catching only a glimpse of the young woman standing over the nest before he went crashing to the ground. It was a moment or two of sliding before he managed to regain his feet, the color draining from his face as he looked down at his hands, stained dark red from the congealed blood. His glance flickered around the aerie, stuttering to a halt on the fallen form of the mother eagle, and his heart began to beat faster. The room spun for a moment before everything came back into focus, though the shock still kept him from comprehending the situation. “What… what happened here?!”

The sentence was choked, barely a whisper though it drew Aela’s attention to the Endal if she hadn’t noticed him already. Hof stood there dumbfounded, taking in the armored girl and her bow, fallen arrows and the way she stood possessively over the nest and it’s single egg.

“Hey! Get…get away from there! GET AWAY” The situation slammed into Hof all at once, and he lunged at Aela, lifting his voice to a loud bellow. “SOMEBODY HELP!”

[Alori Sai]

Skye circled the room, staring down with watchful eyes, upon Aela and the fallen giant eagle. The blood slithered across the floor and settled in around her boots and the huge nest in front of her. The mother eagle was dead, and while it wasn't something that she would have normally wanted, it had to be done. She was in the way of Aela's dream, and she had to be removed..there was nothing else to it. Raising her arm up, Aela signaled Skye to float around and land upon the sontav. She looked to the bird, giving a nod of approval, before chirping a few words to him.

Her attention was suddenly shifted, as she quickly turned around to find a lone man standing behind her. Skye squawked viciously, a warning to Aela of the danger. She stared at him, Ivak's rage still burning within her eyes. "It's mine. You won't take it from me!" She hissed, throwing her arm up, causing Skye to fly off as she dashed toward the man with her talon sword held tightly in her hand. As they collided, the larger man tackled her to the ground easily. The little huntress hit the ground with a thud, causing her to lose the sword she once held.

She cried out, a sharp gasp leaving her from the sudden impact of her fall. "Get off me petcher!" she hissed as she clawed and struggled beneath him. The Endal's words were lost to the fiery teen, her inhibitions, and judgements lost in her need to be as he was. Skye circled the room again, his ever watchful eyes focusing in on the fight below. Aela was in trouble again, and needed him. The falcon soared lower, coming in just above the man's back as he raked his claws into the Endal's flesh. A loud cry echoed across the room, as he arched his back in pain.

Seeing the opening that she needed, Aela rammed her knee into his stomach, and followed up by driving her fist into his jaw. The blow wasn't hard enough to knock him out, but it gave her enough time to scurry from under him. She pushed her body backwards, her legs and hips now covered in blood, until she could reach her sword again. She swung it wildly in front of her to keep the the Endal off her as she struggled to get back to her feet and attack. Her swings were wild, without form or skill, the blood covering the floor made it even harder to attack, but kept the Endal from gaining an edge on her as well.

Aela continued to swing wildly upon him, sending a mess of red hair and steal blade against him in a violent and stumbling motion. She tried to stay as close to him as possible, to keep him off guard and unable to ready his bow. Skye continued to circle the room, squawking loudly as the fight below him raged on. More wild swings drew forward, and the Endal grabbed her arm in an attempt to take the sword away from her. "Stop this, Now!" Aela rammed her fist into his jaw again trying to free herself, which caused the angry man to snap and ram his fist into her jaw, successful freeing the sword from her and knocking her flat on her back.

The room started to spin as she laid there, a throbbing feeling growing in her head. Another squawk echoed across the room as Skye noticed Aela go down again. He soared over them, and around for another dive. "That's enough out of you!" The Endal growled as he took his bow from his shoulder and reached for an arrow. Aela's eyes widen as she realized what was about to happen. "Don't you dare!" Forcing herself back up, she tackled the man. The blood under her feet caused her to slide again, and as she gripped his arm, the forward motion sent them both into a spin before they fell to the floor.

The young Avora crawled up and dived on top of him, grabbing his head and slamming it into the floor until he stopped moving. At first she thought that she had killed him, but a closer look showed that he was still taking in air, she realized that he was only stunted and she needed to get out of there in a hurry. Aela pulled herself from the floor again and stumbled over to the nest. She panted hard, her body aching from the fight as she settled inside beside the egg. "You're mine...you're all mine."

Taking her backpack from her shoulders, Aela set it down in the nest and scooped up the egg then placed it inside. She moved quickly, knowing that with all the shrills and shouting someone else was bound to come to investigate. With the backpack on her again, she took up her sword and bow, chirping to Skye to follow her as she hurried out of the Aeries. Aela wasn't sure of where she was going, but for some reason she felt the urge to return to the Edge of the world.

It was a dangerous place, and she had her own close call with death there once, but it seemed fitting somehow. However, none of that mattered now, and all else was pure after thought. Aela had gone far beyond any other, she had done the unthinkable. Because of her actions, she now had an eagle egg all of her own. She would raise it, mold it to be supreme among the rest, and she would become it's rider. Aela would become and Endal.

[Phoenix]

By the time Hof came too, Aela was long gone.

The first track his gaze took around the room made his stomach heave. There was so much blood everywhere, coating the floors and splattered on the walls. A second glance at his own person made him shudder, his own skin stained a dark red with the dead Wind Eagles life force.

Hala’s still form drew his attention next. Scrabbling across the sticky stone floor, Hof clawed his way to the eagle’s head, hands pawing through the sodden feathers to feel for a pulse, but that great chest lay still and unmoving.

Sorrow hit Hof first, though rage was right on its heels; the death of such a magnificent creature was appalling, not to mention the man could hardly think of his own Eagle meeting a similar fate. The thought of the Hala’s chick growing up alone without its mother made the man shudder and blink back tears. Turning to the now empty nest, the sight didn’t register with the Endal for a few chimes at least.

The nest was empty.

The egg was gone.

“She took the egg!” Moving like he had never moved before, hardly feeling any of the pain from his fight with Aela, Hof sprinted from the Aerie, yelling at the top of his lungs. “SHE KILLED HALA AND TOOK THE EGG!”


Of course, The Edge of the World was empty of life, as usual. Hardly anyone used the climbing rock as the Summer season drew to a close; they were all too busy preparing for the Fall and Winter to spend time and energy climbing up a outcropping of rock just for fun.

When Aela arrived, however, something told her to follow the path that she took that fateful night with Aidara, when the Zith attacked and they were almost thrown from the mountain face to their deaths. Aela found that she remembered the way, climbing across the thin ledge and then down onto the ledge that had saved their lives.

Once there, a heavy silence enveloped the young woman and she felt a name weighing heavily on her mind.

Ivak.

All at once, Aela knew what happened to her. She knew why she had suddenly been driven to steal the egg at all costs, why guilt, pain, and better judgment had no effect on her actions. It was all because of the God.
Though the reminants of her Ambition kept her upright and still clutching her backpack, the rest of the emotions that the God had severed so that Aela could fulfill her task came trickling back, little by little until the scope of the situation, of what she had just done, hit her.

Somewhere nearby, Aela heard the joyous laugh of a man.

[Alori Sai]

Aela stood proudly on the ledge judging out from the side of the mountain. The Edge of the World was known for many things, and meant as much to many people. For her it had once been a place she'd rather not return. The ledge she stood upon a reminder of the night that her life almost ended, and also the night that she made a close friend. However now,the place was anything but. She wasn't afraid, nor haunted by her memories any longer. She felt strong, powerful, and proud of what she had done. Who among her people could claim to have bested a Wind Eagle, and a Endal as well, each fight within ticks of the other. She was better than a mere Avora, more powerful than even an Endal. They would write stories about her, and how she single handed rose above and beyond the ranks of her people. Aela..would be legendary.

Just as those thoughts came together and filled her with pride and strength unlike any she thought she could muster. It all went away, slowly, as if something was sucking the very air from her lungs and leaving her breathless. It was an harsh and painful moment, as if waking from a nightmare only to realize that she was never asleep. A sudden eerie chill raced up her spine and she could barely stay on her feet, as her knees trembled beneath her. A heavy weight pressed into her chest and even breathing took all the strength that remained inside her. Her eyes darted back and forth as they stared blankly out into the opening. Warm tears trickled down and stained her pale cheeks. Her fingers shook and twitched, even as they held tightly to the straps of her back pack.

"What did I do?"

The little Avora was starting to panic, she had done the unthinkable, the unforgivable. Something no other had dared to do, and people would know. But it wasn't entirely her fault as she realized, Ivak, the raging God had touched her and forced her to do his bidding. She was only a human, not even a full adult yet. The fiery teen was no match for a God, however she doubted that it mattered. The angry Wind Eagle mother, the Endal that had come to defend the egg, neither of them saw Ivak, they only saw her. Aela looked down, seeing the blood splattered on her armor and the dried smudges on her hands and fingers. She knew that she had betrayed her people, betrayed her city, and they would not over look it.

"Gods no...This can't be real. This can't be real!"

Aela cried out, only a hollow shrill escaping her lips. Her mind was filled with thoughts, crushing waves of emotions impaling her as the thought of losing everything came crashing down upon her trembling shoulders. Guilt and confusion riddled her mind, wrapping tightly around her soul and keeping her from moving an inch further. A sharp gasp slipped from her, as she leaned forward and rested her hands on her bent knees. It was over now, everything that she had worked for since she was a kid. Even if she wanted to return the egg, she would be left to her fate. To whatever punishment the Endal saw fit to give her. Although a crime like hers had never been done before. She could be jailed or worse exiled from the city.

Tears continued to flow from her mournful eyes, tiny droplets rolling off her reddish cheeks and landing on the back of her hands. It was all over now, her dreams and everything that she wanted to be. Everything destroyed, turned into nothing by the vengeful whelm of a God. "I didn't want it this way...Not like this." A sudden cry from above caught her attention and caused her to jump as she looked up. Skye was soaring around high above, watching his mother and waiting. In those moments of realization, she had forgotten that he was following her, as he always did whenever she let him out.

"W-What was that?" Aela asked, looking around her quickly. She had heard this wicked laughter before, and she knew his name now. She cried out again, her voice dried and caught in her throat allowing only another gasp to escape. "Why did you make me do this?" There was no answer yet the laughter continued, it's sound bouncing off the rocky walls, making it hard to determine where it came from. Aela spun left then right, barely paying attention to how close she was to the edge of the rock she stood upon. "Stop laughing !" It was all too much for the girl to handle and she finally dropped to her knees and cried out. Her voice stretching across the rocky formation and echoing loudly. "What do you want!"

[Phoenix]

“I didn’t make you do anything, child.”

The voice sprang up from all around Aela, ricocheting off the rock walls, warping and twisting until it sounded as if multiple, bodiless men spoke to her at once. No matter where Aela searched, she would not find a source of the voice nor the laughter, which continued despite her insistence that it stop.

“Everything that you did was of your own accord. A suggestion was all it took to bring your true desires to the surface.” While the laughter continued to echo, the voice began to lose its many facets until it was a loud whisper, somewhere behind the young woman. “Wouldn’t you do anything to become an Endal?”

Memories sprang unbidden to the forefront of her mind, of all the times the woman had talked about, wished, thought or even dreamt about being an Endal. Images from times long past assaulted the woman’s senses, so crisp and clear that it was almost as if they were happening all over again. Smells and ambient sounds swirled around her, adding to the illusion.

“It doesn’t matter what I want.” The voice was closer than it had been before, more solid sounding and real, the mysterious, directionless quality gone now, so that it almost seemed as if it was coming from directly behind her… "This is about what you want. It was a gift!"

Ivak lounged with a shoulder resting upon the rough stone of the cliff face, his legs crossed at the ankles and his arms across his chest. He watched the redheaded woman with a pleased smirk upon his lips, waiting for her to notice him rather than draw any kind of attention to him. Should anyone have expected the god to manifest in a magnificent male form, beautiful and free of all flaws, would be sorely disappointed. The man that lounged there was the epitome of normal; tall and lanky with a shock of red hair so dark that in the shadows it looked pitch black. Even though the wind was strong out in the open, not a single lock of hair moved with the breeze, subtly marking the man as something more than normal.

“Did you enjoy your little adventure, Aela?

[Alori Sai]

The God's words tore into her, erupting in her mind and turning and twisting her emotions until it felt as if they were alien to her. She didn't want to believe what he said, the possibility that she could do something so cruel and selfish wasn't what she was ready to believe. Aela knew herself, he didn't no matter what he was. She loved her city, she loved the eagles, there wasn't anything that could tear her away from them all. Becoming an Endal was only part of her dream, she wanted to help, wanted to make sure that her people survived.

Aela had friends amongst all the castes, and she fought more for those who were less fortunate, than the ones who could hunt for themselves. Still, she loved them all and wanted to see them happy. He had to be wrong, the God had to be lying, and she knew that she was not capable of doing that on her own, or so she thought. "No..I wouldn't..I couldn't."

When the memories started, plaguing her mind and reminding her of all the times she had spoke it. The times that she had proclaimed to the world of her dream and the strength she felt each time that she said it. It all came back to her now, flooding her mind, tormenting her as if she had asked for this to happen. Aela felt sick to her stomach, the thought that she alone was responsible for what happened was too much to bare.

His words continued to invade her mind and twist her thoughts, making her examine her thoughts and actions up until now. The question bore into her, causing her to freeze up, a throbbing feeling, strong and fast beating into her chest. Although she hadn't said it much, the thought had crossed her mind many times, and many times the answer had been the same. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do to become an Endal, long ago she had made that decision and over the years her resolve had only grown stronger.

Perhaps the demented God was right, and she had somehow willed it to happen. Maybe it was her ambition and desire that led the God to her. His next words were like a thick spike, driving deep into her soul. A gift, he had said, as if in his own twisted way he was helping her to obtain her goal. Aela leaned forward, a sharp gasp slipping from her lips as she almost vomited on the edge of the ledge. "A gift?....How? I've done something horrible...they'll never forgive me. I'm an outcast now..I can never be an Endal."

Once the voices stopped echoing off the walls and settled into one place behind her, Aela turned around. The sight before her wasn't anything she would have expected, though it didn't matter at this point. She knew that it was him, even though he may have almost seemed normal..she knew. "Ivak..?" she said suddenly, her tone questioning, and words of confusion and horror. One thing was clear to her, as her earlier thoughts returned. Whether it was her fault or Ivak's influence, the people would blame her. They would hunt her and take the egg back. The dream had ended, and the dreamer along with it..unless there was another way. "You're toying with me...Why? I'm just a puppet to you?"

[Phoenix]

“I am not toying with you, little one. I’m giving you a gift. You wanted this.” The last bit was said with a ferocity that would make the strongest man flinch away from the sound, the winds, seeming to pick up on the hostility, beginning to whip around Aela’s legs in hard vicious bursts that sent her stumbling forward. It wasn’t until she collapsed at his feet that Ivak spoke again, with a laugh in his words.

“No need to bow to me, sweetling! Get on, up on your feet you go.” Though he made no move to help her, the god waited for Aela to look up at him again before he nodded at her pack. “It’s in there, is it?” Extending a hand and watching as Aela clutched the pack tightly to her chest and slightly turned, shielding it with her body, Ivak couldn’t help but smile. “Ah. I see. It seems that I made a good choice, for as unwilling as you pretend to be… you want that egg.” Again, Aela would feel that ambition to become and Endal surge through her, whipping through every vein until her face was flushed, her head pounding and her breath heavy with need. “Yes, you do.”

Pacing back and forth, the god lifted slender fingers to twirl the sparce hairs on his chin, twisting them endlessly as he walked back and forth in silence; it was almost hypnotic to watch, and Aela found her mind drifting back towards the events of the day. It was clear that her wishes had been twisted, the traumatic event that succeeded Ivak’s tampering changing the young woman’s life forever. So much so that she hadn’t even had the time to consider the scope of it yet. Ivak, however, knew exactly what he had done. Though he had essentially ruined Aela’s life while giving her exactly what she wanted most there was still… more to be done. The young woman’s ambition had always been there, social niceties and inhibitions hindering her from progressing.

She had done his bidding, and he liked it.

“It’s the dawn of a new age, for I am free!” There was no malice in his words, but instead pure and simple joy at being able to roam free his world again. His imprisonment had been a long one, and the god had an inordinate amount of time to think. He had followers still, the Azenth scattered all around Mizahar, doing his bidding, and yet…

Here was the city upon the mountain that had imprisoned him. He had been so close, for so long, and none had known his name. Now they did, and they hated him for escaping, hated him for what had caused him joy. He had changed their worlds, just as he had changed Aela’s. Ivak knew that the young woman that shifted between standing defiantly before him and cringing away would not seek his favor, but he wanted her nonetheless.

“My followers freed me. Your people could not stop it. But you…” He was fast, faster than her eyes could track him. One moment, he a handful of steps away, and in the next he was but a hairs breadth from her face, his hand lingering neck to her neck, as if he wished to caress her. “You will do great things. Welcome to the family, Zaital.” And without another word, Ivak laid his hand upon the left side of Aela’s neck, pressing his palm flat as he smiled into her eyes. There was an eruption of pain, a burning that spread from the point of contact and throughout her body until the young woman was left in a quivering lump on the ground. Unconsciousness took her soon after, shielding her from the pain.

When she awoke, the god was gone. She was alone, left with only her stolen egg and a mark upon her neck where Ivak had touched her. She was chosen.

[Alori Sai]

Aela awoke upon the rocky bed that she had rested on. For a tick she had thought it all a dream. A nightmare that had twisted her dreams into something visous and dark. But as she looked upon the egg still resting in her backpack beside her, she knew that it was not. The mark that now graced her neck, the remnants of Ivak's touch. A touch as hot as fire, burning her flesh and leaving a mark that forever bound her to him. Reaching her hand up, fingers trembled as they neared her neck. She jumped a bit, expecting to feel burned, or gored skin. Soft, smooth skin bushed against her finger tips, and although it felt normal she knew that something had changed. Even as her fingers trailed, goosebumps rose beneath them and the hair at the back of her neck stood up.

She looked around again, a bit more aware not that the haze of sleep had vanished. The God was gone now and she was left alone with the egg. Looking towards it again, Aela lifted her backpack into her lap and held it close. Remorse and confusion over took her, as she replayed the God's words in her mind. He had been right in fact, she did want the egg, much like anyone did who wanted to bond to an eagle. It was a simple thing, and everyone in the city was happy about the egg being laid. The curious teen had only wanted to see the egg and be near the eagles that she loved so much. If she had any idea, any clue of what was going to happen, she would have never left the hot shop.

Or perhaps...

Aela curled her body around the egg, she closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. There had to be a reason that this was happening to her. Something more than what the God had told her. There had to be something, a reason why it happened and why he chose her. Out of the many people in the city, some of actual importance,why did he choose her? If it was revenge, or some form of impact that he sought to create, she would have thought him better at picking an Endal, or someone of status that the people looked up too. She was only a mere glass blower, and although she would claim the title, she wasn't the best in that either.

"He said....that I would do great things.."

The thought echoed through her mind, bouncing back and forth between as it looked to stick and sink in. She had said those words herself, and she still wanted to. She had the passion, she had the drive to succeed, and now she even had a Wind Eagle egg. Perhaps it wasn't over for her, maybe there was a way..someway that she could still do good. Ticks passed and the confused girl still sat, cuddling the egg as she tried to put the shattered pieces of her life back together. "I can do great things..."

Another thought crossed her mind, and the fiery Avora darned to hope. She wondered if it were possible that no one else had noticed her. That they had all been too busy to notice the girl racing past them covered in blood, armor clad and armed from back to hip. Had they not noticed the bulge in her backpack, the one that she held tightly in her arms as she fled the city? Aela couldn't be sure...

One thing that she was sure of, was that one man had seen her, he had fought with her and gotten a good look at her face. If he wasn't around then maybe she could return...She quickly pushed the thought from her mind, a sickness forming in her belly from the thought of harming another person, someone that she aimed to be like. A subtle gasp slipped from her lips as she tried to hold back more tears. Everything had gone so wrong and she didn't have any idea of how to fix it. Opening her eyes again, she stared down at the egg, the gift that Ivak had given her. Warm tears trickled down her cheeks, leaving a thin trail as they slipped away, dropping with a soft plop onto the shell of the egg. "What am I supposed to do..?"

[Phoenix]

There was barely half a bell of peace between the gods disappearance and the shouts that started to echo off the rocks; loud and raucous, the sounded as if the entire population had gathered and were surging towards where Aela huddled on her ledge.

Perhaps they were.

Inarta take the preservation of their city to the extreme, the majority of the population putting the welfare of the whole before the individual. After the devastation they suffered that spring, the nests destroyed and the hatchlings killed… The future of the Wind Eagles had looked bleak to the fiery people. It was sometimes hard to look past devastation as one after another, the incidents piled on top of one another. To the Inartans, the future was bleak, their survival doomed without their protectors, their hunters, the Wind Eagles.

That one egg, the one cradled in Aela’s arms, was more than just a future chick. It had represented hope, rekindling the fire within those ginger hearts where their determination had fizzled to barely smoking coals. It’s kidnapping didn’t destroy the hope. Oh no, it stoked the warm fire into a blazing, angry inferno.

And that inferno was out for blood, roaring along the mountainside and through the air in search of one scared little Avora.

Despite the amount of time it had taken Aela to escape and get cozy with her now patron god, the blow that downed the Endal who caught her red handed had kept the man down until now. The hunting party he had roused with the news of the theft had barely gotten underway; it was the acoustics of the Cedar Amphitheater that carried the shouts so far, spreading the anger out into the night sky. Long story short, Aela still had time to escape, but she had to go back through the city in order to do so. And there was only one place that could safely hide her from anyone searching for her via ground or sky: The Unforgiving.

On her way back through the city, it was hard to tell where the group had gathered, the stone cliffs that towered over Wind Reach distorting the sound. The quickest path out was through the Courtyard of the Sky, but to get there she had to pass the scene of the crime. And that’s when she heard them.

The crowd, consisting mostly of the Endals and an avora or two that had been hovering nearby, gathered at the bottom of the single corridor that lead up to the Nesting area, Hof standing at the front with a bloody rag clutched to his head as he relayed what happened. The crowd, quiet at first, the air thick with shock, quickly grew restless; it wasn’t long before they were shouting for her blood.

“She’ll have gone down the road! It’s the only way out!”

“I think she’d head to the Bay, who in their right mind would go there?”

“Perhaps she’s still somewhere close. What good is an Egg without an eagle to hatch it?”

“Quiet!” Hof shouted, wincing the sound clamored around the enclosed hallway; he had lost a lot of blood and was still unsteady on his feet. His gathered peers instantly hushed and looked at him for direction. “We’re going to search the perimeter and then move out from there. She can’t have gotten far. And you’re right, she’ll have to get that egg into some heat soon if she’s smart… the same reason we need to get the egg back before it’s too late. “

[Alori Sai]

The Endals weren't the only ones feeling restless, the little Avora felt it as well and had enough blood shed for one day. She watched them, hidden by the nights shadows, her slender form mostly covered by the rocky bulk of wall that she rested behind. Gleaming eyes of green peered at them, watchful of their moments, and blood speckled ears took in everything they said. They were out for blood, her blood, and without the influence of the God to help her. Aela was now truly alone.

She continued to hug the egg to her chest, squeezing it tighter when she felt the need to. She had to escape the city and she had to do it now before she was found. She glanced up into the sky seeing a small white blur. It was Skye, following her as he always. Aela silently hushed him and hoped that he wouldn't make any sudden moves or sounds to alert them. Turning back to watch the Endals that now hunted her, Aela slowly moved past the wall that she had hid behind and started forward.

She had to be silent, even though she was still carrying her bow and sword, she wasn't in the position for a fight. She was out numbered by more than seven, and she would have fallen easily. Aela stepped lightly, lowering her head and shoulders to make herself seem as small as possible. She could still hear them, disdain in their voices as they cursed her, and what they planned to do to her once she was caught. Her own people were out to get her, for a crime she believed that she had no choice in doing....Aela felt betrayed.

The journey through the city seemed to take more than several bells, and there were moments when she thought that she wouldn't make it before they caught up to her. Finally she found herself near the entrance gate and almost free from the city. The reckless teen turned and looked upon the city one last time. The only home that she had ever known, and a place that she might never return to. To her friends, her mentors, and everyone else that she had known, it was good bye.

Aela raced out of the city, putting as much distance between herself and the hunters as possible. The walk through the forest was long, turning ticks into bells as she wondered through the night in search of the place known as the Unforgiving. This wouldn't be her first time venturing into the massive forest, although the last time she had gone by day and with a guide. Everything looked different in the night and it was hard to find the path she had once taken. There was an ominous presents all around her, growing ever violently. The wind howled through the night, seeming to whisper her crime amongst themselves as they watched her pass.... disgraced, hunted, and alone.

Time was completely lost to her as she moved along. The wary teen continued, with only her instincts to guide her in the right direction. After walking for so long, Aela was tired and needed to rest. She found a hiding spot behind a large tree that was mostly surrounded by other trees and bushes. She settled down, resting at the trunk of the huge tree with the egg in her lap. Leaning her head back against the tree, Aela stared up into the sky. She decided to rest there a while and continue on when she had regained her strength, having no idea that she had already made it to her destination.