Sleep was hard to find, but not as hard as I thought it might be. Dinner was given to us, hard bread and chunks of stew (it was filling) and then the Captain slid up onto the bed, next to Sev, and raised an eyebrow at the lot of us. The professor found himself a … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 33)
The Captain’s quarters were lavish. A bed sat in the corner. It had silk sheets and strange woven fabrics I hardly recognized but rustled with a noise like a harp. What I did recognize was the massive lump hiding under the sheets, and the two eyes that poked out from under the covers when we … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 32)
Up, down, and across the path, until we were on the mountainside itself, and then like a flame following wood, we were in the very same building that’d nearly killed us a day or two before. Now, the lobby was covered in life and sounds. A harp played in the distance, echoing off of the … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 31)
“Hm,” a voice crooned from behind me. “My guess was right.” I tilted my head. The archer bird from earlier sat there, tall, with a far more natural smug look across her face. “H-harley, right?” “Good,” she said, stepping forward. “You remember my name. Sister, did they hurt you?” “Only my wings and my pride.” … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 30)
The hood over my head was suffocating. It rested too tight against my skin, and every breath whistled across my face, doing absolutely nothing for the agonizing heat of midday. My hands were bound as well, and each step was an awkward affair, tied to Vali as I was. Each bump sent a shudder of … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 29)
After a few minutes of catching my breath and coming to terms, again, with just how bad the entire situation was, I reached out into the world again through my heart. I went farther, far farther than I had before, casting my ears as far as I could. Distant, as distant as I could yet … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 28)
Sev looked positively wrong covered in the heavy leather barding he dug out of his stuff. Half imposing, half fluff, he looked like a sheep pretending to be a war dog. He shook and shuddered in the armor, constantly squirming in it. The Captain had gone from scrambled to sure of herself over the course … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 27)
The crew stood on board in front of the Captain, long after we’d scurried on board. All of them were there. Some bore injuries, powder burns, and a single one had been bandaged for a sword wound. All of them were there except Thyn. Each step the Captain took on her pace grew more and … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 26)
Three gunshots lit up the space, and skulls flew in the darkness like after images, great gleaming things with gossamer fabric. Two fell into the darkness, dispelled, their amber lights dimming and only serving to keep the air lit up. “CHARM!” The Captain barked. “Get us a light.” “What?” and then it hit me. I … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 25)
The mouth of the fortress proper wasn’t a terrifying affair. There weren’t teeth guarding the entrance, nor were there pits, or anything too ostentatious apart from large stone doors, chipped at by centuries of erosion and decay. Pieces of stone had fallen off the last time it had been open, and shattered against the ground … Read moreSong of the Venturing Owl (Part 24)