I'm Begging You, II

"You don't seem as pleased," Harvey continued, looking at the now deflated eagle. Mammal beastmen found it hard to see definable emotions in the bird males since they lacked expressive ears - sometimes they had the same issues with their spouses, though the women would learn quickly to hiss, growl, or do whatever they needed to let everyone know their ears would be pinned, if they had them.

"Ah, Harvey," Ukko's nose curled as he reached around to scratch the back of his head, messing up his shaggy silver hair, "It's past midnight."

"It's an emergency."

"You go," Ukko offered up. "It's a medical emergency. I want to help her but Molly and all her spouses will kill me if I wake them up. It's not even Edgar, walking into a pile of predators isn't something I should be doing - "

"Alva's not a predator," chuckled Harvey. Ukko's nostrils flared as his eyes narrowed at the joke.

"I'll go with you," sighed the leopard. "They will have a guard posted anyway, you don't have to 'walk into a pile of predators'" he said in a mocking tone, "But you'll convince them to give up an energy crystal from the stockpile. I know we are running low as the Behemoths have not come through the area in years. But for a female that will take one of the young Eagle Guardsmen as a spouse, I think they'll relent."

"Did she say that?" the young man asked, skipping a step. Both of them were walking nude, hurriedly, in the direction of the castle. During the day this would not be customary in crowded streets of mixed company, but for the dead of night, it was impractical to continue to dress and redress, and carry clothing with you while you changed back and forth from animal to human.

"No," Harvey shook his head. "She she never woke up from the sleeping powder. She's really unwell, Ukko. But I already spoke it over with Set - the snake - he's not going to stop you. It's up to her of course but you are getting ahead of yourself. Change, and wait for me at the tree in front of the castle."

Ukko didn't need more explanation, and he shifted, starting with his arms forming into wings, before returning his entire body to the large gray eagle, flying out of sight. Harvey leapt into his leopard as well, who was not much slower in speed than the bird, but had to take the roads rather than a direct sky route to the castle entrance.

Sure enough, Harvey arrived at the large gray stone castle later than the eagle, who was perched in an apple tree at the gate. Anna, Molly's daughter, had an affinity for the fruits growing up, so there was a small orchard at the entrance, though the girl had moved out three years prior to start her own family. Ukko ruffled his crown feathers, a distinctive spike of plumage only the Harpy eagle's had, giving a soft caw.

The leopard gave a low throaty huff back to him, but passed by the tree, approaching the two night guards, a leopard and a lion, both in their beast forms. The night guards were always unwed males; males with spouses would not stand to be away from their homes at night. This made them generally more on edge than the day guards, who's tempers had been stifled somewhat by spousalship. Harvey spoke up for the eagle, since he wouldn't need to shift to do so.

[Ukko has an urgent request of the King, it cannot wait until morning,] he purred. [The injured female in my care will not make it without Edgar's help.]

The lion was the first to respond with a sneeze. [What would the King be able to do for her, at this hour no less?]

Ears pinned flat to his skull, Harvey barked nearly like a wolf as he spat his answer out, [That's none of your business. I'm here to get the eagle entry. I'm the King's doctor] he growled, [I am telling you a female will die under your watch if you do not awaken him, and if she dies I'll tell him it's because you wouldn't listen.]

The threat nearly backfired, both the leopard and the lion making glances at each other - they didn't want to work the night shift after all, perhaps a mistake would get them thrown off it. But the beating that would come from the King wasn't going to be worth it, so with a yawn, and a bit slower than he ought to have moved, to try and show dominance towards the doctor, the leopard got up from his post and padded his way inside. Harvey turned to look at the tree, clicking.

Ukko flew down to the ground, then hopped a few paces before turning into his human form. It was an unfortunate setback that the graceful eagles were all a bit goofy looking on land to the four footed beasts, and they often tried not to bird-hop around if they could help it. After what seemed like too long a time, the leopard guard stalked back, giving a gruff grunt to Harvey, who looked over at Ukko and nodded. The young man made both of his hands into fists, mustering up courage and stepped into the castle doorway.

Eagles were not night hunters, though he could still see in the dark, it took him a moment for his eyes to adjust, and one thing all the birds were far inferior with was their sense of smell. Before he had his wits about him, Ukko jumped at the sound of an angry roar coming from the dark.

"I'm sorry, sir," he stammered.

"What could I possibly do for you," growled Edgar, standing in front of the boy, towering over him with his fists also clenched, but to temper his anger.

Ukko instantly submitted, backing up and kneeling, his eyes diverted to the ground. "The fox girl from yesterday, she's dying. She lost too much blood. Harvey said that she - I mean - that the snake agreed I could become her spouse for saving her, if she lives."

Edgar saw where this was going, looking up to the sky and sending off a silent curse while cracking his neck. "Say what the request is."

"She needs an energy crystal to survive."

The two stood in a deadlocked silence for what again, felt like a century to the silver haired boy, but the King finally exhaled, flopping his single ear to the side.

"I will give you one. But, you must repay me three fold within a year."

"Sir, I -" Ukko stammered. Of course this was the news he wanted, but he was merely single striped, and to obtain the crystals, one had to kill a behemoth, gigantic dinosaur like creatures with hide that was barely penetrable by even the strongest of men. What's more, the energy crystals were at the base of the neck of carnivorous behemoths, who were more than willing to fight back rather than flee.

But Edgar would have none of it, raising a hand to cut him off.

"We haven't had behemoths come through here since probably before you were born. The entire city only has five energy crystals left, and you're asking for one, for a female that as far as I know, may not even stay in the village. If you want it, in return you will bring me back three by this time next year, or you have to battle me to the death in ceremony." He grinned like a cat toying with a sparrow, "Think about it, worst case you die, best case you'd kill me and become King. I don't even care if they're energy crystals or green life crystals."

Ukko wished he was a big cat and could hiss, but all he could offer was a furrowed brow. Both options were impossible, but instinct also didn't allow him to turn his back on the chance of a spouse even in the face of self preservation.

"Yes, fine," he mumbled.

Edgar clapped his hands, and a tall pale skinned male in his late thirties with long green hair showed himself from the shadows, clearly listening the whole time. "That wasn't enthusiastic, Ukko, but either way, Alva, bring us one of the energy crystals."

Alva eyed the eagle beastman with a look of pity. As a peacock, he felt more kinship towards the eagles than the tigers who were the ruling party, but between the Black Eagles being so cold and aloof, and the Harpy Eagles and other minorities always getting themselves into impossible predicaments, he felt he would never see an avian king in his lifetime. However, he was a subordinate spouse to Molly and the king, and did as he was told, disappearing for a spell only to come back with a small leather drawstring bag, handing it to Ukko.

"Don't let this get wet before you give it to the girl," Alva instructed, staring his fellow bird down directly into his silver eyes. "These dissolve with contact to anything wet. Harvey will know how to feed it to her, but otherwise this is a death sentence for nothing, kid."