You did good, Bird.” Cego ruffled the few grey feathers remaining on the roc’s head.
He could see his mount eyeing the other rocs with envy as they raced into the distance.
“No need to prove yourself anymore,” Cego added. He knew Bird wouldn’t be able to keep up with the likes of Firenze and Akari, who led the flock, kicking up a cloud of dust to the hazy sky.
He turned back the way they’d come, toward the Citadel and the whole of Ezo behind it. It was still strange seeing the lights out, the darkened skyscrapers of the Tendrum, like shadowed stalagmites rising to the ceiling of red sky above. He watched as a formation of starlings passed overhead to overtake the Citadel’s lounging form.
Cego breathed deeply.
“You coming or what?” Dozer had circled back atop Boko, who’d gained quite a bit of weight and also couldn’t keep up with the other birds.
“I’m on my way.” Cego smiled at his friend. Though there were plenty of spare rocs back in the aviary now, Dozer had chosen to ride behind Knees, his big arms clasped around his friend with familiarity.
The three were quiet as they followed the road toward the Western Sea, and the sun sank closer to the land. A harvester pruning a garden patch in front of his newly constructed home nodded as they passed.
“See a big red bird go by?” Dozer asked the weathered man.
“Biggest I’ve seen in a while.” The harvester paused to wipe sweat from his brow. “If you’re with those other riders, you’re behind some.”
“They’re going to start without us!” Dozer shouted.
“Don’t be worrying, you block,” Knees said. “We’ve got time.”
Though Cego knew his Venturian friend was right as usual, he prodded Bird ahead so the others wouldn’t be waiting long.
Soon, they crested the slope and the Western Sea swallowed their view, shimmering crimson all the way to the glowing horizon. Cego looked to the offshore island, saw the slumbering forms of the remaining Flyers slowly getting eaten away by the salt and wind.
The rest of the Whelps waited for them on the beach beside a circle of tall torches dug into the sand and burning brightly. Cego dismounted and left Bird occupied with a sack of dried fish beside the rest of the tethered rocs. He walked toward his waiting friends, feeling the sand and stones between his toes.
“Glad you didn’t start yet!” Dozer yelled into the wind.
“What, and miss the opportunity to strangle you on this fine evening?” Sol grinned, her long braid glimmering in the twilight.
“I’m not letting that happen again, believe me,” Dozer said as he pulled the tattered second skin off his back. “I even asked Professor Dynari for a good defense against you trapping my arm like that…”
“Not going to do you any good against the Firebird.” N’auri flashed her sharp smile against the torchlight. “But I know some secrets on how to beat this girl.”
Brynn stepped beside N’auri, putting her arm around the Emeraldi. “If you know how to beat Sol, how come you haven’t told me yet? Spirits be said, I’ve been trying to figure it out for a while.”
“Yes, yes,” Abel said, creeping up next to Cego. “There must be sharing of technique secrets. It is said in the Codes.”
“What Codes be saying that now?” Knees asked.
“Forty-third precept, fifth passage, one shall—”
“I think it’s okay to keep a secret every once in a while, Abel,” Cego interrupted.
“Right.” Sol closed in on Cego and squinted at him. “Says the one who has decades more combat knowledge than the rest of us…”
“Not more than all of us.” Kōri Shimo stepped from the shadows into the torchlight. “I know a few techniques that my brother has not yet seen.”
“Oh?” Cego smiled at Kōri. He stepped within the circle of torches planted on the beach. “Perhaps you’d like to show me, then.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Kōri Shimo bowed his head slightly and stood across from Cego.
Cego smiled at his brother from across the darkness. He raised his fists.