DISCLAIMER: This another fanfic created by my good friend darkscream. Couple of her Non-transformer works. ^_^
The Storm
Prologue
Before the storm ever struck, everyone sensed that is was coming. One thing was for certain, this was no ordinary storm that was approaching.
Inferno's wings ruffled as the humidity changed the air. He hated to emerge unless the weather suited him, but he went out of his cave and stood on the cliff edge. Looking out at the darkening sky, an ominous cloud was starting to swirl.
“A hurricane is coming,” he mumbled to himself. “Surely the others can feel this as I can.”
Looking down to the land below, all he saw was a forest of shadows. Pulling his head back, the flames on his body flickered dangerously before calming down.
“May the heavens help us survive.”
Turning, Inferno headed back into his cave. Solemn, golden yellow eyes looked back to the building storm before he faded into the darkness of his cave.
Hard Lesson Learned
I
The storm was building strength over the ocean’s surface. Outer edges were sending gusts powerful enough to cause the grounding of the various raptors that lives in the forests. One in particular was being extremely foolish when he went out for a flight. The wind struck suddenly, causing Lance’s white wings to jerk back and buckle in.
Yelling as he fell, Lance crashed down into a redwood’s branches. The branches snapped as Lance continued to fall. He barely had a thought to pull his wings in, but he managed to do so before a branch could tear through it.
With a wince, Lance came to a stop on a pair of entwined branches. Groaning, he opened his green eyes slowly and slowly rubbed his head with a hand. He tried to move, but winced again. Turning his head, he saw that his left arm had a slash across it from the fall.
“That’s the last time I fly in wind,” he said to himself with a growl.
Glad that no one was around, Lance was really embarrassed. Slowly, he pushed himself to a sitting position, avoiding the use of his left arm if at all possible.
When he was up, the Ocelot took a look around again. Above, the canopy showed his downfall. While below, he could barely make out the leave covered ground. Sighing heavily, Lance looked to his wings.
A few twigs found themselves there, but they were otherwise fine. The snow white color had been darkened because of the twig’s shadows. Looking back around, he lifted his head and sniffed the air.
The scent of the redwood’s drifted in among the various smells of the animals that lived in the forest. However, there was another scent that made Lance’s ears lower to his skull.
Eagles.
This redwood forest belonged to the Eagle Clan and Lance wasn’t exactly on friendly terms with them. He sunk low into the branches and frowned. “If Talus finds me, I’m in a lot of trouble.”
Closing his eyes for a second, he let his ears swivel to track the sound of wing beats, but there were none. Only the sound of the wind was what he heard.
Knowing the only way out was to climb, Lance turned and folded his wings in to his body and started to make his decent. His left arm made him wince whenever pressure or force was applied, so it was useless for the moment. He knew however that things would come to when he would need to use that arm, despite the spike of pain that surged through his body whenever he had to use it.
Growling at his ignorance, he carefully made sure not to use his left arm. Lance’s ears were constantly on the alert for any sound that would of given away either Talus’ or one of his clan member’s wings.
His decent was slow because of his arm, but luck was on his side for the moment. The stress on his arm made him slower than normal, but he did reach the ground safely. Lance’s tail swished and kicked up leaves as he sat in a crouching position.
A few stressful minutes passed as Lance waited tensely. Getting up slowly, his wings adjusted and loosened. He looked back to the canopy with his blue eyes and nodded. Taking a quick sniff of the air again, he started walking. No desired direction in mind, except to get out of the forest. The widest opening in the distance did look good, so that is the direction in which he headed.
II
Pushing shrubbery aside, Lance exited the redwood forest and was greeted to a plain. He sighed softly before smiling slightly. Walking calmly out into the open, he paused for a moment and glanced to the sky. It had become dark with clouds as the sun was becoming covered by light clouds.
Lance knew better though. Those clouds would soon grow over the sun like a weed and stay there throughout the storm. His tail swayed nervously as he started to walk again. “I almost wish Talus was here. He at least knows if I could fly home with the wind now so faint.”
One thing that Lance was sure of, if he did meet Talus, he would be at a disadvantage. Pulling his left arm in, he held it close and folded his wings around his body. A small comfort, but one that hid his current weakness. Only his tail was outside his wings, but even it had settled to only move when he did.
Closing his eyes halfway, he continued to walk. With the sun now in view, be it partly hidden, he knew to head towards the South. There was a problem with that though. He was in the North-West and so would have to head West to see if Kei could help him.
With a final glance to the sky, he turned to the West and started to walk along the edge of the forest. Lance ignored the shadows that teased him as he walked. Playing with his vision so whenever a shadow came too close, it would make him jump. Soon even his tail curled up to prevent distractions.
Those distractions kept on coming and taunting the Ocelot. Shivering out of the fear of being found, he moved closer to the shadows that tormented him. It was safer in the shadows than out in the open. With the odd comfort of the shadows, his wings slowly relaxed, but he still held onto his injured arm.
The blood had already started to dry, staining his tan and spotted fur a dark color. It left a streaked pattern, which was a sure sign of the injury. Gently touching the injury, Lance winced as it still stung. His upper lip curled in disgust, but he calmed back down.
Looking ahead, he whined softly as he wanted to be home. His eyes became full of longing. “I should of listened to Razor when he told me never to fly in storm winds,” he growled to himself.
As he reminisced, he kept his ears turning. Even if he was calm, Lance knew he was still in Eagle Clan territory. Looking down to his injured arm, he wished that he had brought a bandage with him. All he had with him was his deer skin loin cloth and the opal necklace he was given as a present when he turned five. That was ten years ago, but he still had it.
“Razor, where are you now? You’re the only one who gave a damn about me.”
Lifting his head up, he took a deep breath. It would of calmed him down if the air wasn’t thick with the scent of Eagles. “Damn…”
Ducking quickly into the shadows, Lance crouched down and kept low. Only a moment later a all too familiar shadow moved past his position. Talus, he thought with a snarl.
Staying as silent as he could, his slit eyes watched as the shadow started to circle now. Going lower, Lance saw that the shadow started to shrink. That meant only on thing.
The raptor was coming in to land.
Ears going low to his skull, Lance shut back a growl and simply watched. The Eagles and Hawks were much better at landing than a mutant like himself.
Scoffing, Lance’s eyes narrowed as the Eagle set down gracefully. Always it was one talon first and then the other. Wings folded to his back gently as his arms came to rest at his sides. The yellow eyes of the eagle were always searching and then they turned, looking right at where Lance was hiding in the shadows.
III
Talus was proud of his heritage as the son of the late chief of the Eagle Clan. Landing was all too simple for him and it was soon just natural in his landing pattern. His legs were natural with the almost scaled pattern. His feathers came in at his waist and covered the rest of his body except his arms. The feather’s there did go as far as his elbows.
Lifting his head slightly, Talus rubbed his wrists gently. They were just like his legs, except that they had five digits. Scanning the shadows with his hazel eyes, an uncommon color for Eagles, he searched for someone of something.
Walking slowly towards the redwoods, his tail feathers ruffled. A necklace made of emeralds and Lion teeth hung around his neck. What else he wore consisted simply of a pair of Lion skin shorts hemmed with more Lion teeth. He didn’t want anything to interfere with his flight.
He paused just before the forest and rubbed his chin. “I know that a scout said someone crashed in the redwoods,” he started. “But where could this one be?”
Talus’ eyes searched the forest, passing right over Lance’s position. “He, or forbid she is here, I do hope they find shelter before the storm hits.”
Turning, he started to walk away from Lance, whom was watching the former with interest. Talus crossed his arms and headed back along the path in which he just came. Never aware of the eyes on him.
“Feh. Why should I care to what happens to some outsider?”
“Loathsome Eagle…” hissed Lance from his hiding place.
“What?”
Talus turned quickly with a hiss in search of the voice, but he missed Lance clapping a hand over his own mouth for that remark. “Alright, someone is there and you better show yourself.”
His order went unchallenged as he growled. “Must be some cowardly mammal,” he snorted and turned.
Turning was a bad move, as Lance came out from his hiding place and slammed into Talus. A screech of surprise came from Talus as he hit the ground face first.
Spitting out dirt, he hissed and turned to face Lance. “You!”
“Yes me.”
Lance stood there with his eyes narrowed. He was still holding his left arm, which was quickly noted as a weakness by Talus.
“Oh, you hurt your arm on the fall?” Talus mocked.
“Back off, feather brain,” retorted Lance with a growl.
Talus smirked and got to his feet. Brushing off, his smirk stayed. His wings opened slightly, but the move was mimicked by Lance.
Eyes narrowed as Talus closed his wings and clenched his hands into fists. “You should never of crossed into my territory, Lance. Now your going to pay for it,” he growled.
The Ocelot didn’t back down, but his foot did move slightly. The second that happened, Talus tackled Lance to the ground. “Now there is no one to help you, pest.”
Eyes gleamed over, Lance stared back at Talus with a menacing look. The Eagle was not phased as he was easily able to pin down the injured feline.
A smirk returned his Talus’ face as he watched Lance try to get free, only to roar loudly when his injury opened because of his struggle. Going still, so not to make it worse, Lance merely glared at his foe.
“Should of stayed away, Lance. Now you’re my prisoner,” Talus said as he moved to the side of Talus. Pulling the feline up, he made sure to twist his arms around back. He ignored the yelp and growl of pain when Lance’s injured arm was pulled back.
Using a rope he kept at his side for hunts, he tied Lance’s hands together. Talus was enjoying this. Of very much so as he hated Lance so much.
“Walk, feline.” Talus pushed Lance ahead, causing the latter to nearly trip. Holding onto the ropes with one hand, he half lead, half walked beside Lance on their way to the Eagle Clan’s nest area.
Filled with pride over finally catching Lance, Talus walked proudly. He never paid anymore attention to Lance, who was sniffing the air.
It’s getting closer, Lance thought. Talus was right about one thing, it is better to be under cover than in this. Still, I hate him so for doing this to me.
Lance’s low growl went unnoticed by the proud Eagle. Closing his eyes halfway, he looked ahead and saw the faint tips of the teepees that the Eagle Clan used. Shoulders hunched low, which only got a look by Talus.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure Rain will love seeing you,” mocked Talus as he knew Lance had a crush on her. He laughed as Lance turned away and continued to do so as they walked.
IV
The forest was whispering as Lance and Talus walked. Neither were aware that the storm was moving faster than expected. They were both too preoccupied with one another, but there was one who was always aware of the change. That one soul, the pair was heading straight towards. Whether they realized it or not.
Standing alert at the edge of the Eagle Clan’s territory was a solitary figure. The other Eagles were all in their nests, which were settled within the teepees. This figure however did not retreat back to hide. Instead, she was waiting for Talus to return with or without the one she saw fall.
“Rain, some in!” An eagle shouted from his nest, but she paid no heed to him.
Not moving an inch, Rain waited patiently. Her black feathers swayed with the wind as the white tips danced. Looking out with calm blue eyes, she was indeed something different. Even if she was Talus’ younger sister.
Slowly, her hands raised to the sky as her head also went up. She started to chant something and the wind swirled leaves around her form. The silver necklace around her neck never moved, nor did her deer skin top and bottom.
It appeared that the wind may of swirled around Rain, but not once did it cast it’s grip upon her slender form. She continued to chant and the wind continued it’s dance around her body as it went into the sky.
From a distance it look like a tornado was coming up from the ground and reaching for the clouds. Which it really was, but one caused by Rain herself.
Moving her head slightly, she could see two forms approaching. “Talus, my brother,” she said to the wind. “Leave us be and let my brother ad our guest pass!”
Just as if her words were a command, the tornado died down and Talus’ echoing laugh came across the land. That laugh made Rain sigh as she put her hands down and took her first step forward.
“Brother!” she yelled.
“Sister!” Talus replied. “I have returned. I also bring the fallen one, who I know you’ll enjoy seeing.”
Rain went quiet as she looked out. Who is it? she wondered. Who could of fallen that does not speak for himself?
Those questions soon answered themselves as when Talus was close enough, Rain put a hand to her beak to hold back a gasp. “Lance?”
Unable to believe that it was him, she shook her head and looked back. “Lance, you are a foolish feline,” she scolded him when he was in hearing range.
No answer came from Lance, but Rain did not mind it. She did however notice that he was bound.
A glare was shot at Talus, who glared back. He then answered Rain’s unasked question. “It is his own fault, Rain,” he said. “He knew better than to fly by our territory. Besides, didn’t that Razor teach him never to fly in storm weather?”
The female Eagle just shook her head. “Take those off.”
“No.”
“Do it, now.”
Talus growled as he hated to be given an order by his sister. He listened nonetheless and removed the rope from Lance. Giving the latter a warning glance, he headed to his teepee.
Now Lance looked to Rain before holding his arm. It stared to bleed a little again.
Seeing Lance in pain made Rain frown. “Come,” she started, “The medicine woman will help your wound heal without infection.”
She gently took his arm, but Lance was reluctant to go. The Ocelot exchanged glances with the Eagle. Both were soft and full of affection.
Smiling, Lance went with Rain. He purred softly so only Rain would of heard him. As they both knew that Talus hated them being together. Neither cared, but since the first time, Lance had been very careful about being around Rain.
Now, he had all the time as he could not leave because of the storm. Also, he did need a caretaker for minor things and Rain was all too glad to do it.
