Bird Boy

"I'm not going to hurt you," I promised, stepping back to give the avian space. "I saved you from your mother. Er- whatever was happening in the woods."

The avian boy tucked his wings against his back and fell still. His crimson eyes blinked. "Y... You're not here to kill me?"

"What? No!"

"My mother didn't hire you?"

"Absolutely not!" I held up my throbbing arms to show my bandages. It was a sign of allyship; we shared a common enemy. "Your mother did this to me."

The boy's shoulders slumped before he hide his face behind his wings. They were his shield.

I frowned, waiting for him to say something. Anything. He didn't.

"I'm Soren, by the way," I said eventually, trying to keep the annoyance from my voice. He was terrified. Anyone would be in his situation. I had to remember that. "What's your name?"

The avian remained silent.

"I saved your life. The least you can do is thank me."

He flinched.

"Well?"

No response.

"Listen, you probably won't get this, but I'm not supposed to be here. I'm risking a lot to meet you and make sure you're okay."

"Then leave." His voice was a whisper.

"What? No!" I stomped forward. "Not until you tell me your name and what exactly I saved you from. I want revenge for my arms and for... whatever happened to you."

He peaked over his wings. Tears welled in his eyes, highlighting his pale completion. He stared at me for a second before whispering something. The only word I made out was, "curse." It made my stomach churn and spiked my curiosity.

"Sorry, what was that?" I asked.

He buried his face in his hands.

"The pack will pry whatever happened out of you, so tell it to me first," I urged. "Telling me will be good practice."

He shook his head and wrapped his wings around himself like a blanket. Despite how obnoxious his refusal to talk was, the movement was almost cute. He reminded me of a giant chick.

"I saved your life. Repay me by telling me what I saved you from." I sighed. The direct approach wasn't working. "Please? I'm worried about you."

"Um. Did you find me alone?" he asked, still hiding behind his wings. It wasn't an answer, but it was a start to a conversation nonetheless.

"What? Oh. No. I found you with your father." I sniffed the air again. "It smells like he's a few rooms down. Strange that they didn't keep you together." Unless the pack wanted to interrogate them separately; but I didn't say that out loud. It would have only served to cause Kai anxiety.

"Oh... that's who he was..." the boy muttered.

"What? You didn't recognize your own father?"

Footsteps echoed from outside the closed door. I growled at myself as my heart rate spiked. I was an idiot. My farce was over. It was time to face the music. And what exactly had I accomplished? Nothing. I'd accomplished nothing.

"S... Soren?" the boy asked, peeking out from between his wings. "Are you really in troubled for talking with me?"

Outside in the hall, Dad greeted Konrad. My muscles contracted in horror, but I tried to hide my emotions. I must have failed because the avian said, "I'm really, really sorry."

"Yeah, well, I'm the idiot for wanting to meet you."

I glanced around the room, looking for an escape. Swearing under my breath, I dashed for the window taking up half the far wall. My hands trembled, my arms numb from a sudden shot of adrenaline, as I twisted the claps open. I pushed the window up, but it lodged stuck after two inches.

"No. No. No," I begged. "Come on, window! Open!"

"Kai," the boy said.

I looked back at him. "What?"

"My name. It's Kai." His voice broke. "I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry you got involved with me."

I frowned. "Yeah, well, you've got nothing to be sorry for. You didn't ask me to get involved."

"T.. then why did you save me?"

"Listen," I snapped. "Now isn't the time for this conversation. I messed up. I gotta get out of here. Know a way out?"

"The window won't open... I tried. B...but it won't open." Kai shook his head. "We're trapped. This is all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," I said, closing my eyes.

A knock at the door rattled my being.

"Soren. You have ten seconds to open this door before I enter the room," Konrad's even voice called.

After a deep breath, I opened my eyes as I turned for the door and straightened my shoulders. I'd made my own choices. No doubt I was in trouble, but that didn't mean I'd back down. The pack had no reason to keep me from the kid I'd save or treat him like a prisoner.

Wings rustled behind me, followed by a swoosh of air. I ducked with a yelp as Kai flew over me. His talons clicked against the floor as he landed in front of me. My head only came to his shoulders. His wings folded against his back. Before I could protest, Kai reached for the doorknob with a trembling hand and pulled the door open.

Konrad scowled at us as my dad and Hal stood behind him. Konrad started, "That was quite the stunt you -"

"Please don't hurt him, no her, no him... no. Um. Don't hurt Soren," Kai begged, cutting off Konrad, his voice shaking harder with every word. "Please, don't hurt Soren. Whatever the punishment is, I'll accept it."

My jaw dropped. Kai was protecting me? Why?

"Avian-Kid! You're awake!" Hal cut in. "How are you feeling?"

"Sorry, Soren," Dad mouthed as Konrad snarled at Hal. Dad and Hal instinctively snapped back to attention, waiting for orders. It was pathetic. Why did all pack members inherently listen to the hierarchy?

"You're not in trouble, young-avian," Konrad said.

"Then... what do you want?" Kai asked. "Y.. you trapped me."

I snarled, my eyes narrowing on Hal. The idiot made the scared kid feel like a prisoner. Hal didn't notice. He was too focused on sucking up to Konrad.

"You were found unconscious, on pack property, and a member of your family attacked -" Konrad's eyes flicked to me " - and at least one of our pack's members. We need to be sure you weren't a threat."

"I don't want to hurt anyone." Kai shook his head. "I'll leave right now. I won't come back. I'll stop being a bird-en to you now."

I raised an eyebrow. Had Kai made a bird pun?

"What about the man found with you?" Konrad asked. "He's your father, correct."

Kai's trembling intensified. He reminded me of a tree blowing in the wind, and for a second, I thought he was going to collapse. I stepped to Kai's side, hoping he would hold my shoulder for support, but he grabbed the doorframe to steady himself. Somehow, it felt like rejection.

"The man we found in the forest with you: is he your father?" Konrad asked.

"I... I don't... I can't..." Kai stuttered.

A flap of Kai's wings rattled the chandeliers and tossed the party's hair and clothing. My dad and Hal jumped at the small display of power, but Konrad gave a short growl. Kai's wings smacked against the hallway's narrow walls as he wrapped his wings around himself and buried his face in his feathers.

Kai broke a sob. "Just hurry up and punish me instead of Soren so I can leave."