Falcon didn’t explain as she kept her grip firmly on Jay’s shoulder and half-pulled, half-dragged him from the seating area.
Placing him in front so the teenager was between her and the milling market crowd, Falcon pushed him a tiny bit. ‘Head towards that narrow street in front of you,’ she murmured in his ear.
Jay’s head bobbed and he strode forwards, thankfully not taking his time but not rushing either.
When they reached the cobbled side-road, Falcon pressed Jay against the wall with one hand and turned, peering out at the crowd.
‘What is it?’ Jay asked, his voice breathless. ‘Is Jackal here?’
Falcon snorted. ‘Look, I know he’s been the cause of a lot of chaos the last couple of months, but Jackal’s not behind every incident in the city.’
‘I didn’t say he was,’ Jay grumbled.
Falcon continued to watch, her eyes darting, trying to discern if there were any other Sarpiens about. She didn’t bother to stop Jay when he peered around her.
His intake of breath was audible. ‘I know him!’
Falcon gave a questioning glance.
‘He was one of my guards when I was in Trine’s lair.’
Falcon nodded. ‘He’s a Sarpien these days – Grey Osprey.’
‘Osprey? Hawk’s mentioned him. He says the Sarpien doesn’t like him.’
Falcon snorted again, ‘Sarpiens don’t like anyone. I know what he means, though. That one’s taken a disliking to other birds of prey. Leopard says she’s even seen him arguing with Harrier – and they work together.’
Falcon stared at the young man as he wandered through the market, he was slowly coming closer to them. ‘Does Osprey know what you look like?’
Jay nodded.
‘All right,’ she sighed, digging the medallion out from beneath her shirt.
‘What are you going to do?’
‘I’m going to activate and fly up to a roof. Osprey always takes a shot at me when he can. I’ll lead him away from here and come back for you, so just stay here, okay?’
Be careful, Falcon.’
She smiled and activated the coin, letting the silvery glow bathe her in its magic.
Standing a good foot taller now she was in armour, Falcon unfolded her giant, silver wings. The spirit of the avian all around her, she felt stronger, more confident. Falcon could feel the wind gently ruffling her now longer, paler hair and the silver plates of her greaves and armguards did not hinder as much as with other warriors, her armour incorporating a lot more leather than even other light-armoured warriors in the same class.
Falcon lifted off and alighted on the nearest roof. She stayed there a few minutes, scanning the crowd, though she made sure not to make it too obvious she was watching Osprey.
The young warrior was already veering towards the nearest exit, thankfully the other side of the market to where Jay was hiding.
For a moment Falcon considered returning to Jay. She could get back on the ground and her armour off before Osprey reappeared. He might decide to cause trouble though.
She let loose a resigned sigh. Lion was going to lecture her on riling up Sarpiens needlessly again.
The grey Sarpien rose from among the buildings on his dull wings. Falcon waited a moment more, to give ample time for her to notice him. She wouldn’t want him to think she’d been waiting.
Falcon took flight and winged her way upwards. She’d already decided where she was going. In the distance there was a high radio tower. It would do.
She landed on its rough cement roof with a clunk and turned to watch the slower Avian join her.
Falcon took a few steps back, putting a little space between them.
With a nasty grin, Osprey took the crossbow from its place on his back.
Not bothering to wait a moment longer, Falcon gathered her will and threw out a few ice shards. As the Sarpien darted to the side she launched herself at him in a low Feline Jump-Start.
Her claw unsheathed and Falcon delivered an Avian Strike, her fist and claw finding Osprey’s left wing.
He screamed in agony as it pierced through feathers and into flesh.
Falcon wanted to finish this quickly, so as she deflected his desperate counterattack, she punched him in the jaw and threw him off the side of the tower.
Immediately rolling backwards, Falcon let herself fall off the other side and careered down in a steep dive, only slowing her speed as she reached the street.
She sped alongside the road for a minute before alighting. Hiding behind a parked car, she performed a small aura sweep to ensure she was properly hidden before deactivating.
Falcon paused a moment, panting a little. She watched the tower for a while, noting when the grey Avian managed to make his way back up.
A fall like that with an injured wing wouldn’t put an armoured warrior out of action for good, Falcon knew that, and Avians could reset their wings by deactivating. It was the one injury a medallion could take away.
Still, it had given her the time she needed to disappear. That trick would never have worked against Harrier or Jackal, both of them could track auras.
Now invisible to the Sarpien again, Falcon made her way back to the market to find Jay.
She breathed in when she arrived on the small cobbled path where she’d left the teenager. It was empty.
Falcon threw out her mind in another aura sweep, but without her medallion active it could only reach ten feet or so.
‘Oh, Jay,’ she muttered.
She wandered down the narrow street in search of him, her eyes lifting to the sky every now and then for signs of Osprey.
It might be impossible for her track Jay without putting her armour back on, but if she did Osprey would attack again.
Falcon let out a sigh. Why did these things always happen to her?
Predgarians 