Mother Bird's Resolve Pt.2

a few days had passed since that little incident with the serpens. The abnormal hatchling has continued to show very interesting behaviour. He can fly now but for some reason he refuses to look down while doing so. How truly peculiar. I thought that this would hinder him during our hunts but he was surprisingly able to make do without his aerial advantage. I'm sure he will be fearsome when he utilises the biggest advantage we avis have. Though whenever we encounter a serpens, he is the first one to jump straight into a fight with it. I have a suspicion he is keeping a grudge from the previous incident.

Today was supposed to be an ordinary day like any other. While the hatchlings were preparing to rest i felt some unease stirring from the flock. Then, i started hearing sounds of battle and the unease i was sensing switched into enragement. Looking towards the general direction these sounds were coming from, i focused my senses and squinted my eyes. I caught glimpses of bipedal fleshy beings running amok, killing off my kin with ease. Before i could act, my danger discernment set off and i intinctively used |Frost Wall| to protect the hatchlings.

My thoughts were unclear then but all i recall was rage at that moment and rushing off to deal with the intruders. My mate was similarly furious and followed my lead. I was able to regain my senses a short moment later and witnessing how my fellow flock members were being so easily dealt with i had a rouge gauge of their strength. I had to come up with a strategy. I gathered the majority of the remaining flock members and had them wait for the time to strike. It was better for all of us to attack at the same time. Seeing how powerful these fleshy beings were, i couldn't think up a decent plan. We were fighting a losing battle.

With no options left, i opted to use frost destruction. A suicidal skill that once used will leave me vulnerable and i would most likely fall afterwards but it was the only way i could see any chance of us winning. This was all for the survival of my young. Telling myself that, I steeled myself and swiftly snuck behind enemy lines. Just after they dealt with another of my kin i showed myself to them and begun the activation of the skill. I braced myself but contrary to expectations, the bipedal beings started running away? Well that worked in my favour as only a few of them remained. The ones who ran wouldn't be able to escape my range anyway. Before they started attacking, i looked back at the nest, hoping my children were safe. That was when i spotted a certain hatchling looking at me from the edge. I'm not sure what made me do so, whether it was the low chances of victory, or the possibility of them getting caught up in the skill, but i kaw'd as loud as i could for him to flee.

It looked like he understood and once he left, i moved my attention back onto the enemies. Another drawback of this skill is that i couldn't move very much during the activation which is another reason why i gathered flock members. When they started shooting all sorts of projectiles at me, my fellow avis countered with their own attacks and started distracting the enemies to buy me time. I barely avoided the attacks and once i made sure their attention wasn't on me anymore i focused on charging up the skill again.

That was when i felt a sudden presence appear behind me. Before i could react, i felt a sharp pain in my back and faltered. I sensed the enemy going in for another attack but my mate managed to come back fast enough to aid me. Trying to ignore the burning sensation on my back, i redoubled my efforts on gathering the ambient mana and a few seconds later, i was finally done.

I alerted the flock members to scatter and so they did. Just in time too, it seemed they were struggling.

I glowed in a blue hue and unleashed all havoc onto the enemies. The surroundings were quickly enveloped in frost, turning the area into a wasteland of ice. I collapsed onto the ice cold ground and as i tried to regain my bearings, i perceived a large gathering of mana where the enemies who stayed were at. Those that ran have already been frozen to death, taking on the appearance of ice statues. It mattered not however as the strongest of the group still remained unscathed. The mist cleared and i laid my eyes on the small group of bipedal beings, surrounded in a dome-like structure.

Now i'm here, helpless to do anything. I sigh internally as i resign myself to my death. The enemies approach to end me as i tried to get up and unleash one last futile attack.

When they got close enough, one who was completely covered in metal towered over me while i stare back defiantly at him. He raised his sharp stick of metal and prepared to strike me.

At least the brood got away, i hope they find my mate and manage to survive.

*Woosh*

It was so fast that i couldn't see it coming. I open my eyes wide in shock as a thinner stick with a pointed end pierced through

the appendage holding the metal stick. Blood drops as the enemy screams in agony and drops the stick. The others become vigilant and warily scan the surroundings. At this point the after-effects of the skill takes its toll on me.

My consciousness starts to fade but i manage to catch sight of more bipedal beings emerge from the frozen forest. In my stupor, i heard sounds of metal clashing against metal and i felt myself being carried off the ground, a familar and pleasant warmth emanating from nearby.