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Chirp, chirp, chirp.

Dawn cracked through the thatched roof of the chief's house, painting the clay walls in a warm, honeyed glow. 

"Mgh…" Cole stirred, the straw mattress whispering beneath him. 

"...Yawn~" He blinked, his vision blurry with sleep as he stretched out and wiped the tears that formed in his eyes. 

"Hm?" Then his gaze landed on Lyra slumped over her makeshift ice stool, he observed her with a hint of concern, his gaze lingering on her now snow-white hair that had turned further than just the tips. Proof that she had been overusing her ice magic.

A pang of concern flickered across Cole's chest. "Is it just me, or did you age by a decade overnight?" he murmured, the question lingering unanswered as his own fatigue tugged at him like a chain. 

'Better not waste no time on useless observations, it might be just me after all,' he gently nudged Lyra's shoulder. 

"Lyra, we have work to do," he murmured, not wanting to startle her.

"Mmh…" Lyra stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she adjusted to the reality of the morning. She nodded, acknowledging Cole's presence. "Sorry, I dozed off. I've been quite tired as of lately myself…"

"No, it's okay. I know you've been pushing yourself. But I hope you can bear with it, we might just… make it possible to ease and cut ourselves some slack soon."

"Hopefully."

Without further preamble, Cole pushed himself off the straw and strode out of the house, the crisp morning air smacking him in the face like a cold greeting.

***

As the morning sun bathed the Blightbringer village in its warmth, Cole and Lyra gathered the Blightbringers for an assembly. The humanoid birds–younglings, wives, and warriors–still recovering from the previous night's battle, watched Cole with a mix of exhaustion and curiosity.

'Even birds get tired, huh? Obviously.' He shrugged his shoulders.

The Blightbringers, already awake and buzzing with nervous energy, gathered in the clearing before the chief's house. Today they will continue with their training and not remain just feathered prey.

He mounted a makeshift platform, a sturdy stump draped with the chief's feathered cloak, and surveyed his audience. Their emerald, white, and red feathers rustled in the breeze, a sea of watchful eyes reflecting a mix of apprehension and hope.

"Cough…" Cole cleared his throat once as he thought, 'Sigh, back to the speeches huh, let's get to it I guess.'

"Blightbringers!" His voice rang out, sharp and clear, echoing through the trees.

"Yesterday, we proved our mettle. We faced a predator beyond imagination and emerged victorious. But victory is a fleeting mistress, and today, we prepare for the battles to come."

He ended that sentence he had thought of yesterday night about it, deciding to just jump right in on the topic of the training.

He outlined the training regime, his voice a whip snapping their attention to each point. 

Aiming drills using berries as targets, honing their aerial maneuverability by weaving through makeshift obstacle courses, learning to focus their venom and acid into potent breath attacks, mastering the art of camouflage amongst the foliage, and, most importantly, cultivating absolute silence in their movements.

Each course presented before them was met with eager chirps and enthusiastic flapping of wings. The Blightbringers, despite their limited human tongue, understood the urgency, the weight of survival that pressed down on their feathered shoulders.

'These are all characteristics that may prove useful in the future, and these advancing Blightbringers which are growing smarter and smarter by day, I know they might be able to do it.'

Finally, with the morning sun climbing higher in the sky, Cole made his announcement. 

"Ahem, besides the training that I presented which you will frequently do from today on, I have another announcement to make."

"Huh?"

"Kraw?"

"Today, I will be venturing beyond the barrier, to the city of Mistveil. With me will be Kren, the esteemed warrior who showcased his fighting will yesterday, and Kaia, our young prodigy."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, some heads dipping in understanding, others tilting in confusion. 

He addressed their unspoken concerns. "I need information, allies, and resources. Mistveil holds the key to our future, and while I'm gone, Lyra will guide your training."

He met Lyra's glacial gaze, a silent conversation passing between them. 

'I'll be entrusting them to you.' Cole mouthed as he thinned his lips awkwardly, as if he felt bad to make such a request.

She gave him a curt nod, visibly forcing herself to wear a very slight understanding smile.

Kren, his crimson feathers gleaming in the sunlight, approached the platform, his eyes meeting Cole's with unwavering loyalty. 

Cole hopped onto his back, feeling the wiry muscles bunch beneath him. Kaia, already perched on his shoulder, chirped excitedly.

"Lyra," Cole addressed the Frost Queen of the Blightbringers, "I entrust them to you, once again, please do your best. Blightbringers, dare leave the village, and you know what happens, I hope you have gained a slight bit of trust towards me, and will do your best for your place from now on!"

He dismissed the fleeting notion as Kren launched himself into the air, the wind whipping through his slightly long hair as they ascended above the tree canopy.

"Eurgh!"

Cole's stomach lurched as he glanced down. The ground, once familiar, now stretched out like a green picture, dotted with the dark veins of rivers and the jagged teeth of distant mountains.

'Imagine if I fall from here… I'll become a bloody and gushed carpet.' With a shudder, he disregarded those thoughts as his grip tightened on Kren's shoulders.

Instead, he surrendered to the sensation of flight, the sun warming his face, the wind singing in his ears. The forest unfolded beneath him like a green ocean, and the sun painted the sky into gold.

'Ah? This might not be so bad.'

He felt an unexpected thrill, a sense of freedom he hadn't known he craved.

Guided by the faded map from Lyra's carriage, they soared through the skies, Kren's powerful wings beating a steady rhythm against the air as Kaia kept up with them without any difficulty. 

They rested occasionally, perched on sturdy branches, nibbling on berries and quenching their thirst from hidden streams.

As the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the forest, a faint glimmer on the horizon caught Cole's eye. 

Mistveil. 

The city rose from the plains like a mirage, cloaked in a perpetual veil of fog and mist that danced in the twilight.

"A city that gets covered in fog at different and unexpected times, huh? Isn't this more than the best place for a wanted man to work in, haha!" 

Talking to himself through the ear-deafening wind, Cole couldn't help but smirk and chuckle.