[The White Raven, Chapter 24, Defiance] [House Eagle, Eagle Cliffs, Planet Darai] “I don’t want to leave.” Kata crosses her arms defiantly, her wings fluttering with the movements of her wing-blades. “We are going, and that’s final,” says the White Raven. “You can’t make me go.” “Yes, I can. You are my acolytus and you are going.” “I’m not going.” “Kata, I’m not going to argue with you, get your things packed.” “No,” says Kata stomping past the White Raven. The White Raven grabs Kata by the arm and pulls her back, twisting the arm and making Kata cry out. “Let go of me,” shouts Kata. “You abandoned us, we aren’t going with you.” Before she realizes what she’s doing, the White Raven lifts her hand and smacks Kata across the face. Cala leaps between the White Raven and Kata, breaking the grasp the White Raven has on Kata. “Please stop,” cries Cala, tears streaming down his face. Cala grabs Kata’s arm and pulls her away. Cala has no choice, he has to stay with Kata. The two acolytus flee towards the construction site where they know Raen will be. The White Raven chases after the two hatchlings screaming. “Wait, Kata.” Raen looks up from the building frame he’s working on at the sound of the shouting, the two acolytus hatchlings are running towards the construction site. The White Raven is chasing them screaming something about traitors. Mergan is closer and the hatchlings veer towards her. Raen drops his hammer and sprints towards Mergan and the hatchlings now hiding behind her. “You’re traitors, all of you are traitors,” screams the White Raven. “What in the name of the ancestors is going on?” shouts Raen. “She hit Kata,” says Cala crying. “She’s crazy,” shouts Kata. The shouting is loud enough now that Moeth and the High Priestess run towards the commotion. The High Priestess pushes through the crowd and orders the growing crowd of curious hatchlings away. “You struck a hatchling?,” asks Raen, his face clouding with anger. “You did this,” shouts the White Raven. “You did something to them in the hospital, you turned them against me, you’re a traitor to House Raven.” The High Priestess lifts Kata’s face and inspects the red hand-mark of a slap. “These hatchlings will stay with me now,” says the High Priestess. “The White Raven will no longer be permitted to be alone with any hatchling.” “You’re traitors,” screams the White Raven. “The Eagle belongs to House Raven, you weren’t supposed to leave Clapper Province. I demand you return immediately.” “The Eagle belongs to no one,” says the High Priestess. “You should know that.” “You don’t want to find the Eagle,” shouts the White Raven. “We will never find him in this horrible place, we have to go back.” “Calm down or I’ll have you restrained,” warns Moeth. “I’m tired of you standing on top of your ivory tower acting better than everyone else, and now you dare to strike my children.” “They’re mine, I own them!” screams the White Raven. “You still have the heart of a Raven if you think you can own someone,” growls Raen also getting tired of the White Ravens nonsense, slapping a hatchling was the last straw. Mergan steps forward and holds her hand up. “The Eagle has already been here,” says Mergan. Everyone’s head whips around to Mergan, and even the White Raven becomes silent. “He was here for several weeks,” confesses Mergan. “It was the Eagle that saved the falling hatchling with the broken wing.” “You’re a liar,” whispers the White Raven. “I will share the results of the medical examination I performed on him,” says Mergan. “He left us with the design for a new type of glider-wing based on his own natural wings, as a gift to his people.” “Mergan, why didn’t you tell anyone?” asks Moeth. “Wait… What?” says Raen. “He has real wings?” “Yes, he does, and he told me that he must remain hidden and that it is not his turn yet. He said that it is still the Heart of Darai’s turn. I don’t know what that means, but he has left and is well hidden, he doesn’t want to be found.” The High Priestess starts laughing, then crying, then laughing again. “High Priestess?” says Raen. “Doctor Mergan is telling the truth, I know who he is now,” says the High Priestess. “I met the Eagle many times and never recognized him, he even slept on my lap once, all of us except for the Doctor failed to recognize him.” “I would have know if I met the Eagle,” insists the White Raven. “You did meet him, and didn’t give him a second glance,” says Mergan. The High Priestess turns to the White Raven, a look of sadness in her eyes. “Child, you were denied knowing the Eagle because you allowed doubt and fear to slip into your heart,” says the High Priestess. “You have not embraced the heart of the eagles into your soul.” “I don’t believe you,” whispers the White Raven. “It’s a passage from the Corvus Mallori,” explains the High Priestess. “Nobody before has ever been able to understand the meaning. The passage reads, ‘The four paths of the prophecy will meet at the beginning'.” The White Raven puts her hands over her mouth and starts crying. “What does that mean, about the four paths?” asks Raen. “The four paths of the prophecy met together here, and this place is the beginning of our species,” says the High Priestess. “I’m one path of the prophecy?” says Raen. “The Eagle is obviously another, but who are the other two?” “Two from Darai, and two from Demonia,” replies the High Priestess. “Are you talking about Princes Mischief and Malice?” asks Raen. “Kind of makes sense, but who exactly was the Eagle.” “That I will not reveal, and I forbid Doctor Mergan to reveal him either, until a time that the Eagle chooses to return,” says the High Priestess. “And you can throw the White Raven off the cliffs, she no longer serves a purpose.” “Well, I guess there’s nothing else to do then, I’ll make it quick,” says Raen stepping forward and grabbing the shocked White Raven by the arm. “No sense in making her suffer longer than necessary.” Cala runs out from behind Mergan and shoves himself between Raen and the White Raven. “No, Master Raen, please, don’t hurt her, she’s just confused,” cries Cala. “Are you sure, Cala?” asks Raen. “I love her,” says Cala wrapping his arms around the White Raven. “Very well then,” says Raen. “High Priestess, take Cala and Kata, and as you’ve said, the White Raven is not to have further contact with any hatchlings for now, I will consider supervised visits in the future. Doctor Mergan, this is a medical issue, the White Raven is not in her right mind, you will be responsible for monitoring her.” Mergan takes the White Raven away and the High Priestess takes Cala and Kata to help in her garden, and probably counsel them. The hatchlings will need a delicate touch after the perceived betrayal of one they love as a mother. “Would you have thrown her over the cliff?” asks Moeth. “No, of course not,” says Raen. “She just needed to see that someone still loved her.” “The White Raven is becoming a liability,” says Moeth. “Contact the Demonians with an offer to employ all their Tarlock Priest apprentices,” says Raen. “We can’t afford that,” says Moeth. “We can’t afford not to,” argues Raen. “We need a family crises center, hatchery Tarlocks, school teachers, counselors, foster parents…” “They aren’t fully trained,” interrupts Moeth. “They will do fine,” says Raen. “Nobody else would hire a Tarlock apprentice, so we can get them cheap, but Tarlock Priests on other worlds are on the way to finish their training, and we might be able to convince a few to stay with us.” “You have something else up your sleeve,” says Moeth. “One of the Hatching Lounges might follow the Tarlock apprentices here,” says Raen. “I got word earlier from Vas that House Raven has declared war on us. If a Hatching Mother is here, House Raven won’t dare attack.” “You slick old Raven, you’re manipulating,” says Moeth. “Yea, get over it,” says Raen. “So, who was the Eagle?” asks Moeth. “There were over two dozen hatchlings from the Demonian camp here, and about half of them were wearing the older wings instead of the alloy wings,” says Raen. “We might never know which one it was.” “What about Master Gaevin’s son,” says Moeth. “I said there was something strange about his wings.” “Naw, he was too shy to be the Eagle,” says Raen. “Yea, you’re probably right,” says Moeth. “Maybe that big Hawk boy, what was his name… umm… Alaen?” “Too cocky.” “Markae?” “You’re kidding, that boy was an idiot.” “Salai?” “Naw, too small, and isn’t he the one that got stuck in the apple tree and wailed like a banshee until Clap got him down?” “I’m going to figure it out.” “You do that, I’ve got a building to put up.” Raen walked back to the construction site while Moeth went back to whatever project she had been working on. Raen thought about all the hatchlings that had been here, there was only one real possibility for who the Eagle had been, but he also understood the need for secrecy. He would have to find an excuse to travel back to the mainland and visit Master Gaevin’s farm. ***** [Eagle Shore, Planet Darai] “What’s that over there?” asks Clap of the powerfully muscled Demonian giving him a tour. “That’s the framework for the blast furnace, and over there will be the finery forges, foundries, and stamping forge,” explains Master Savage, the Head of Demonia Metal Works. “I thought this was the shipyard?” asks Clap. “We’re putting everything here along the shore and away from where the city will be,” says Master Savage. “We’re twenty miles from the city, the wind patterns off these oceans are predominately northerly. That will ensure the smog blows away from the city.” “Oh, I thought the forges would be on the cliffs with the city,” says Clap. “Dragon’s teeth no, boy,” says Master Savage. “The city would be uninhabitable, but once we see a profit and can afford it, we will add scrubbers to the smoke stacks. After the first year there should be very little in the way of pollution, but for now… you don’t want these forges anywhere near the city.” “I saw Demonians clearing land further inland,” says Clap. “Salvage yards,” explains Master Savage. “Darai has been mostly mined out for a thousand years, so we put the word out that we will buy all salvage brought from our solar system. Salvage ships will begin arriving in a few weeks and dumping salvaged metal there.” Clap nods, Demonian steel will begin to flow again for the first time in six years, and right here in Eagle Province. “I imagine House Sparrow will be happy for having your forges on the planet,” says Clap. “You’d think so, but no,” says Master Savage. “At our insistence the Daraian Commonwealth Senate has frozen steel prices where they were six years ago. The Sparrows will have to pay the same price for steel as if it were coming from Demonia. They wanted a discount since we don’t have to ship it a quarter of the way across the galaxy.” Clap walked along the beach with Master Savage, as far from the surf as he could get. The surf was lapping up on the beach thirty feet away, and that was far too dangerously close to that horrid ocean for him. Clap stopped and watched an army of Demonians laying the ground work for something… familiar… “I’ll be damned,” says Clap. “We got hustled.” “You should have known better than to negotiate with Demonians,” says Master Savage. “We always get the better end of the deal.” “We gave you all the ocean off Eagle Province to use almost for free,” says Clap. “That’s why you only needed three-thousand feet of shoreline. So, how many are coming?” Master Savage smiles. “You were quick to see it, yes, these will be Galaxy Ship pod recovery docks. The pods will drop from orbit into the ocean and our ships will recover them from there. You are looking at the recovery tracks that will pull the pods on shore.” “I’ve never seen a Galaxy Ship before,” says Clap. “How many do you have out there?” “That’s the irony,” says Master Savage. “We have fifteen Galaxy Ships we recalled, and we had hoped to hold on long enough for them to arrive, but we didn’t make it. Demonia was too far gone.” “When do they arrive?” “Two arrive this year, we’ve already sent the order to re-route them here.” “Are you going to have enough room to store that many pods?” “We have six years of back-logged orders, but we might have to negotiate for more shoreline.” “Take as much shoreline as you want, I’ll sign an order allowing you to expand as you need.” Master Savage stares at Clap for a moment before replying. “No negotiations, no lease?” “Your fate and ours are intertwined,” says Clap. “I don’t know how to explain it, but since your arrival something feels different. I just don’t know, it’s a feeling I’ve been having, as if your species and mine were meant to be together.” “I’ve heard some of my people saying the same thing,” says Master Savage holding his hand out. Clap shakes the large Demonians hand. “Together we will build a great civilization that will be the envy of all worlds, Cousin,” says Clap. “That we will, now could you get those blasted fools to find someplace else to play,” says Master Savage pointing up. “They keep dropping apples on us.” Clap looks up at the sky full of hatchlings. “It’s a game, Cousin, if you can get an apple to stick on one of a Demonian’s horns, you win.” “Is that what they’re doing? We thought they were bringing us lunch in the most annoying way possible.” ***** [Cassoway Province, Planet Darai] This was the most gosh awful boring thing Willet had ever seen or done in his entire life. He had been sitting on his horse for hours watching the Trail Boss and the steer doing absolutely nothing. The Trail Boss had selected what he said was the most dominant steer in the herd and slowly led the stubborn beast to the front of the herd. The front being the direction they would go… someday. Willet was beginning to think they would never move. “Is this some strange version of ‘The Chair’?” whispers Willet on the Ear-bug Com-link. “I’m so bored I’m starting to name them,” whispers Sander. “Yep, this one is Pokey, it sleeps more than Sander does,” whispers Rip from somewhere at the back of the herd. “I’m calling this one Greedy,” whispers Kit. “No matter how many times I move my horse, it wants the grass I’m standing on.” “I’ve got you all beat,” whispers Tear. “I got one here that’s charged me three times already. I think I’ll call it Dinner, because when we get home it’s going to be the first one on my plate.” “Hey guys, something's happening,” whispers Willet. The Trail Boss slowly guides the dominate lead steer forward about two hundred feet and stops. The steer goes back to grazing and the rest of the herd sort of shifts around until they are back with the lead steer. “That’s it?” whispers Avocet. “Let’s see, that was two-hundred feet in four hours, and we have fifteen-hundred miles to go… we should arrive in about sixty years.” Two more hours pass before the Trail Boss moves the lead steer again, a little further than before, and the herd follows. “Oh for the love of the ancestors,” whispers Avocet. “This is ridiculous.” “My drover says this is how it’s done,” whispers Willet. “The Trail Boss has to get the lead steer used to moving the direction we want, looking for grass to graze on, and the rest of the herd used to following the lead steer.” “That’s it,” whispers Rip. “I’ve had enough of these damn Cassoways and their cattle drive, and mostly their rudeness.” “Rip, what are you doing?” asks Willet. “I see how it’s done,” says Rip striding up the center of the herd. “Now we’re doing it a different way.” “The Trail Boss is signaling you to go back to the rear of the herd,” says Willet. “Tell him to bite the Dragon’s tail,” replies Rip. “Tear, do something,” says Willet. “You know better than that,” says Tear. “Demonian males aren’t subservient to their females, I couldn’t stop him if I wanted to. I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s going to do.” Rip walks calmly through the herd, doing nothing to spook them, but very deliberately heading towards the lead steer. Twenty feet from the lead steer Rip drops down on his hands and knees, and roars softly at the beast. The steer faces Rip, it’s nostrils flaring, and shakes it’s horns at Rip. Rip shakes his head and horns back at the beast. The lead steer stomps it’s hooves a few times, tries a few false charges, and Rip mimics the beast’s actions. The intent is clear to the lead steer, Rip is challenging it for lead steer position. The beast lowers it’s head and charges. Rip leaps forward to meet the charge, Steer and Demonian collide in a thunderous sound of skull on skull, their horns locked together in battle. The beast tries to throw Rip to the side, but he plants his own powerful hooves into the ground and holds his position, sliding slightly backward in the dirt. The steer backs away several steps, rises up on it’s hind legs and throws it’s entire weight of twelve-hundred pounds at Rip. Rip was in his prime, but weighed a good one-hundred pounds less than a full Demonian, and at only four-hundred twenty-five pounds was significantly out weighed by the steer. Rip took the blow solidly on his horns and began sliding backward against the onslaught. Rips knees began to buckle until one knee was on the ground, but the steer's weight was too far forward now and Rip twisted his body in a move that surprised the beast. The steer flipped sideways off it’s feet and landed with a thud on it’s side. Rip had the advantage now by using the steers own weight against it and pinned the beasts head to the ground by it’s horns until it tired and the thrashing of it’s legs stopped. Rip released the exhausted beast to struggle to it’s feet and run off. Rip pounded a hoof against the ground, roared once, turned and began walking. The herd only hesitated for a moment and started following Rip. “I’ll be damned,” says Willet. “I shouldn’t turn around to look,” says Rip. “Are they following?” “Yes, it’s incredible,” says Willet. “The Trail Boss has his hat off and is scratching his head.” “We just saw the exact reason why the Kitsune suppressed the Demonian technology for five-thousand years and tried to commit genocide against them,” says Kit. “You were down in Hell Prison with Moeth and Raen during the final charge of the Demonians,” says Tear. “Even the half-breeds were permitted in the charge. Rip and I were in the last rank with the younger Demonians. The Kitsune cut us down by the millions, but our charge never broke, even though we knew we would never make it.” “That’s when General Fox surrendered to the Demonians,” says Avocet. “What I just saw Rip do, sheesh, I can’t even imagine what a charge of twelve million Demonians was like,” says Teal. “It’s the reason General Fox was found innocent during the war crime trials,” says Tear. “If he hadn’t stopped the carnage that day, it would have been the end of our species. He gave us mercy that day, and we gave it back to him.” “The Trail Boss just talked to me,” says Willet. “Is he mad?” asks Caedon. “He’s somewhere between mad and stunned,” says Willet. “Says he never seen anything like that before. But, he also says Rip can’t leave the herd now, he’ll have to eat and sleep with them, they see him as the lead steer now.” “Fine with me,” says Rip. “At least we’re moving, and someone needs to bring me a file, I broke one of my horns.” “Will it grow back?” asks Kit. “Yes, but it will take about a year,” replies Rip. “Hey, my drover just turned back,” says Kit. “Mine too,” says Teal. “They all are,” says Willet. “Trail Boss says he can’t stop them, they said what Rip did is unnatural and this is a bad drive.” “Let them go,” says Rip. “Kit, ride back and get the chuck wagon. I’m tired of those damn Cassoways anyway.” “Trail Boss is staying,” says Willet. “Fine, but if he calls me a lizard again, it’s the last thing he’s ever calling anyone,” says Rip. “Lizard,” says Tear. “Lizard,” says Kit. “Lizard,” says Willet. “Lizard,” says Teal. “I think I’m beginning to prefer the company of these cows,” says Rip.