The Nian Chronicles

The day of the funeral rained as if Nature wept for the dead. Alaene still couldn’t walk, so she sat on a rock close by while Ramal took her place as officiator. Sadness overwhelmed her as she remembered another funeral not so long ago. She studied the bier with various wings and body parts recovered from the forest, wondering if they had found all of the fallen.

Prominent among the parts was a bright pair of orange and white wings. She sighed as Zabor touched her shoulder. “If only Nadia could have been more like Linae. Maybe we can watch the Dancers closer to ferret out those who feel out of place. We need to work with them like we did the Younglings.”

Zabor nodded. “Not one was lost. It’s an idea to work on.”

Alaene half-listened to Ramal recounting brave deeds done by the fallen Dancers. He even counted the fallen dissenters as having participated in their duty as their flight had distracted some of the Lizia away from the village.

When he lit the wood, the flame sputtered to life slower than Talek’s had due to the rain; but burn it did, and Alaene watched the flames consume the bier. She couldn’t sing the funeral song. Her heart was just too heavy.

Linae draped her arm through Alaene’s, and they held each other. “What do we do now?” the Youngling asked.

“For now, we wait. The next two weeks will tell if the Lizia return.”

“Hopefully we scared them off for good this season.”

Alaene shrugged. “More will come next year since the climate change usually lasts a few years at a time. In the meantime, we will tend to the wounded, repair equipment, and return to our nests by winter.”

“So soon?” Linae asked. “Oh, wait, that’s right. Lizia hibernate during the cold months. That will give us time to train better and prepare more launchers. Those worked really well!”

Alaene nodded. “I'm so glad you found those plans.”

Linae smiled. “Who knows what else we'll find in the Archives?”

“You're still in charge of that.”

Linae nodded, and Alaene knew the girl had found her niche in life.

Zabor watched the pyre flame as it curled around Nadia’s wings and consumed the dry material. His heart ached for his mate’s loss, but he knew she had brought this on herself. Had she just listened to him and Alaene, she might still be alive right now. Their future had crumbled just the same as her wings now crumbled to ash amid other ashes from other wings and lives that had ended too soon.

Once the pyre had burned completely, he sought out Alaene. She looked so tired. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”

Alaene shrugged. “I guess. I’m so sorry, Zabor. I was angry that you mated with her. Will you forgive me?”

Zabor accepted the hand she reached out. “Of course.”

He and Linae flew Alaene back to the caves to rest. Saren and Kalec saluted as she flew by, as did all the others. The Nia bowed in respect, and at last Alaene seemed to feel that she deserved her place as Commander.

She turned before entered the caves, facing the home and the people she loved, her eyes shining. This was her duty. Zabor knew she would always stand at the ready. She would always stand to defend the Nia.

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