Harold's Tale of Misery Book 2 Chapter 2

Chapter two: Flight
Astar woke suddenly, muscles straining, terror flowing though him. He hissed to his entourage “Wake up. We have to leave”
The buzzards shook themselves and stared at Astar, nervous from his temperament.
Astar frowned, foolish buzzards, can’t they feel it. The enemy is stalking us.
Shaking his head Astar took to the air, his roost vibrating with the strength of his thrust.
“We must leave at once, they have found us.” Seeing the panic flowing through his underlings he urged them to greater haste.
Being captured by these vultures would be the most pleasant of his future experiences unless he managed to lose them, and quickly. Vultures were cruel birds. They were not overly strong, but they had a poisonous beak due to the food they ate. There claws were sharp, but they legs were too weak to be able to cause serious injury.
Unfortunately the buzzards were in no fit state to fight. They had been fleeing the brook for the past three weeks, flying as fast as they could. Normally a pack of buzzards would have no problems, either in the air or in any place they decided to rest. This had not been the case so far. Animals that had no right to cause them problems had molested them every step of the way.
A small tiger had attacked them at the first watering hole they had come to. A tiger, for the love of the gods, what was a tiger doing playing games with a powerful pack of birds like theirs.
Gregor must be plying a large amount of effort to bring him back in.

Astar circled once, noticing the black dots that were the vultures. Circling again, Astar started.
No, that cannot be. There are two flocks of them.
Trumpeting a wild cry, Astar shot to the front of the buzzards.
“Solini, take half the pack and fly south. I will take the rest and meet you in the plains.”
Solini looked at Astar, puzzlement showing clearly on his face.
Astar considered Solini to be his closest friend. He was a true bird of prey. Loyal to a fault, he had more than once almost killed himself trying to keep Astar safe. A small mesh of greying feathers covered his left chest, a spot where a geyser had struck him.
Astar had given him the rank of second after a terrible incident involving a rhinoceros. He was one of the few buzzards that the eagle felt truly safe around.
“My lord, why must we separate? There are only 12 of them, we could easily destroy them and remind others why it is foolish to
Bother buzzards.”
Astar glanced around once more. His pack were strong fighters, but not that strong.
“No, my friend, there is another pack behind them. It would be foolish to throw our lives away in a fight we cannot win. Fly south, skirt the western edge of the forest of Sati. They will not be able to follow you in there.”
“And where do you go, my lord?” Solini was getting frustrated. He was not one to shirk from his duty, and he felt his duty was here, with Astar.
“I shall head north. The vultures cannot fly in trees. We shall rest for a short time around the Scemcic Lake. After we are rested we shall fly out, burst through them and head on down to the plains to meet you.”
Solini frowned but said nothing. He did not like the idea of hiding in the C’Darn Destrol Plains. Neither did Astar for that matter. There would be little food and less water, but they could survive down there. After learning their surroundings they would be safe from Gregor, for even he would not be foolish enough to start a campaign in the plains.
None had ever travelled the plains. They were vast, and whilst there definitely was water in there, no one had mapped the locations of the wells. There were plenty of lizards though, and all the buzzards liked lizard.
“I shall see you in a month then Solini, keep the pack safe”
Solini nodded, and turned away when another flock of vultures dropped from the clouds in front of them.
Astar roared. This was his pack and these pathetic scavengers wished to endanger them. He threw himself wildly into the vultures, screaming at Solini to make for the forest. It was only three or so miles to the south. He could make it in minutes.
Solini only paused for a second to watch the power of the eagle who had become his friend as well as his master. He bellowed at the pack “To the forest” before joining Astar in the centre of the battle.
Three of the vultures were already down and a fourth looked seriously injured.
Solini flew up high before dropping onto the flock, tearing a vulture’s wing with his powerful claws. As a vulture pulled back to strike at the buzzards face, Astar ripped the bird back, screaming vehemently and Solini slashed at another vulture who was trying to claw at the Eagle.
Astar grabbed two of the vultures in his claws and flew straight to the ground, smashing them into the floor breaking their bodies. The buzzard circled high as the remaining vultures swooped down, thinking the eagle unable to continue.
With a wild battle cry, Solini charged, putting his full strength into the flight. Faster than a speeding bullet he tore through the vultures, claws tearing them in any soft spot he could find, beak puncturing the weak underbelly of the last vulture. Astar shot up instantly, tearing the head from the birds’ body, screaming his triumph.
Seeing the other vultures only minutes away, they sped off, chasing the rest of the pack.
Finally Astar was able to speak between gasping the air into his lungs.
“I thought I told you to take them into the forest. That was a direct order you know” the eagle grumbled, adrenalin wearing off.
Solini grinned at the eagle mischievously “yeah, but, it’s not often we get to practice like that. Besides, I sent them off.”
Astar grunted and was silent as they caught the pack. Glancing at the trees ahead he shivered nervously.
“Right, I have heard that this place is haunted, or at the very least not the sort of place that you want to be in. we have to though, to get away for those bloody carrion birds, so we are going to stay as close as possible to the edge of the forest.”
The buzzards muttered uncertainly, glancing around the trees. Solini glared at them as some of them glanced back towards the open air. He was angry that they would show such fear. He spoke then, dangerous voice no louder than a whisper.
“What cowards are you? Here we are safe; no buzzard should be scared by bad dreams. Out there is certain death” he pointed angrily from the forest, “in here is nothing but trees and superstition.” He looked about them once more, seeing faces hardening against the fear.
Astar stepped in, smiling softly.
“Yes, that is all true. The plan now is simple. We are going to head south. In here we are safe from Gregor’s forces. We can take our time and relax a bit. Once we clear the southern border of the forest we will be in shouting distance of the plains.”
He smiled warmly, arms spread wide.
“Soon we shall be safe and stuffing our faces on lizards.”
The buzzards cheered, smiling at one another. Astar grinned at Solini, before getting distracted by the trees.

He could see why the buzzards were uncomfortable. The trees here gave of the impression of being malevolent. The canopy made it dark nad the trees appeared to lean in towards the birds. Huge trees which the eagle did not know covered in rough angry bark, the leaves were a dark green with three deep red veins running to the sharpened points.
The vultures could not enter because of their great wing span. The leaves and branches would shear the feathers from their wings and the wings form their bodies. Being as clumsy as they were on the ground, the buzzards would tear them to pieces if they entered in that manner.
The very air seemed angry that they had dared to taint the sanctity of the forest. There was no breeze to speak of and it was warmer than outside the forest. Small bones covered the floor.
Shivering despite the warmth, Astar looked once more at the buzzards.
“I want three of you on watch at all times tonight. Also, five of you head off in a group to try and find some water. With all of these trees there should be something, but don’t go too far. No one should be alone. I think we should be safe in here, but we would be foolish to tempt fate”
The buzzards were quiet once more as Solini took over. Astar moved away from the throng and rested against one of the trees. Finally able to rest he started shaking uncontrollably. The fear of what might have happened if the vultures had managed to subdue him mad him feel sick.
Gregor must have discovered that he had given his position to the duck. That would be a terrible betrayal in the sparrow hawks mind. All that the eagle wanted was to be left alone. Now it looked as though the rest of his life would be spent looking over his shoulder, fear prickling at every shadow.

Shadow

Diving from the ground, Astar flew at his friend, knocking Solini off his feet. The little shadow dweller flew through the area that had only moments before contained the buzzards head. Pausing in mid-air, the little shadow dweller looked around at the buzzards, all towering over it with menace.
Staring around itself, it seemed to pause, thinking before laughing apprehensively.
“This our forest” the Wisp yelled, body flaring, growing bright “why you here. Not welcome. You going die”