A Whisper of Wings (29 page)

A new play raged across the playing field, and the audience stared at the flash and bang of ïsha deep within the fog. Here and there the mists were melting, showing Wrens and Skull-Wings grimly battling in the air.

“Well she’s blasting a hole clean through the Skull-Wing line! Have the Vakïdurii priests investigate the girl once they return. She could be valuable.”

Out on the field, a battle raged around the ball; Tingtraka and Shadarii hovered high above the teams. Tingtraka grinned, her long black pony tail gleaming in the wind. She pumped her fist and thrust it out towards the milling demons far below. The two girls dove gleefully through the middle of the Skull-Wing team with Tingtraka’s laughter trailing in their wake. The two girls swooped past the Skull-Wing Rovers and knocked the ïsha from their wings. Tingtraka snatched the ball and hurtled it up towards Kotaru’s men. Shadarii gave a victory roll and threw her arms out wide.

Suddenly Zhukora erupted through the air and slammed her staff into Shadarii’s face. Shadarii crashed against a treebranch and span down to the ground. The girl somehow staggered to her feet, half blinded by the lights still dancing in her eyes.

Daimïru dove out of the fog, streaking straight towards Shadarii’s throat. Another figure instantly smashed into Daimïru’s back; Kotaru grappled, ruthlessly pinning her wings down flat as he rode her to the ground.

Kotaru and Daimïru rolled apart, and the crowd roared as the Skull-Wing kicked Kotaru in the crotch. She smashed his face into the dirt, screaming as she saw his blood spatter on the ground.

Other Wrens left the game in panic. The Skull-Wings snatched the ball and raced off for the goals. Totoru roared and landed by Daimïru, plucking the girl up in his arms and dashed her against a tree. The huge guard turned away and went to help his captain. Daimïru shot back into action, lunging on Totoru’s back to gouge the eyeholes of his mask. A dozen Wrens hauled Daimïru from Totoru’s throat.

The umpires ordered Daimïru off the field; the Wren’s magician was still in play, but now Zhukora lacked her bodyguard.

The score now stood at two to one.

Kotaru leaned back against a treestump as Shadarii stripped away his helm. Blood ran from his mouth to stain his chin. Shadarii whirred up into the branches of a eucalyptus to pick the fine new leaves while Kotaru turned to face his team.

“We lost the point! They won that goal because we all behaved like fools. We brawled like animals instead of worrying about the ball!”

“They’ll take out anyone who seems a threat!” Vast and dark, Totoru flexed the massive muscles of his shoulders. “We have to fight violence with violence. Show ‘em what it costs to fight us!”

Totoru made sense; the others began to mutter in agreement. Shadarii broke the moment by alighting in the middle of the team. She scowled and moulded ïsha with her hands.

Kotaru rolled his head.

“She says you are stupid. She says that Zhukora will fight and we will fight, and what will be achieved? We must beat her by winning the game as quickly as we can.”

Shadarii spat leaf pulp into her hand and cleaned Kotaru’s wounded jaw, then let her aura bathe his wound with light. Kotaru blinked and absently ran his hands along the smooth, healed cut.

“We’re still twelve strong, and they’re down to eleven. We shall not be provoked. We’re stronger than they are. We can beat them without falling to their level.” Sharp eyes looked from face to face. “We’re going to play for fun just the way we always have.”

He knew his friends too well; they shuffled their feet and reluctantly agreed. Kotaru gripped their hands and led them back into the air to play another round.

Shadarii hung back behind the others and stared upwards at her sister, her tail thrashing as she watched the demons whirl. Zhukora was the Skull-Wings’ weakness. Without her, they were like a viper with its head struck off.

The ball whirled into the air. This time Shadarii took the whole field by surprise. She rammed aside the other players, snatched up the ball and dashed into Zhukora’s team. Before anyone could stop her she had clouted her sister clean across the backside with her staff. A legal hit! Shadarii whirled and flung the ball back into her team.

Zhukora was out, and only seconds into play! Her team floundered as the Wrens moved into the attack. Kotaru flung his people at the Skull-Wing’s weak points, slicing through their lines to dunk a clean goal home. Seething with fury Zhukora climbed back up to her players, glaring towards the Wrens as she flexed her claws.

“Bitch! I’ll do her for that! Kukutu, split your squad left once we engage the centre. We’ll turn them there. I’ll take the lead! Go two to one on their main players. Clear the field as quick as you can.”

The ball sliced up from the ground. Zhukora lashed out with an ïsha whip and took the ball. She lead her screaming team towards the goals, laughing as she felt her play strike home.

All of a sudden blue figures plunged past Zhukora’s face. The Wrens had swooped down through a tree to blast into her formation. Staves cracked and rang as players battled just a few tails short of the goals.

Zhukora turned and fought. The ball plunged out of the wild melee and fell down into the grass - right into the catching staff of a plump little figure slyly waiting in the shadows. Shadarii fixed her eyes upon Zhukora and gave a malicious grin, then flung her staff with all her might, shooting both stick and ball up towards Zhukora’s team.

“Look out!”

Zhukora whirled as Shadarii’s staff lanced up into her chest. Zhukora shrieked with rage. The rule’s were clear; anyone within ten spans of the ball was fair game. She had been struck out again! She watched in fury as the Wrens tore the initiative from her team, slamming home with yet another goal.

“Three to two! Three to two! Who’d ever have believed it?” Counselor Fotochi desperately mopped his brow. “They’ll climb back! Just you wait and see!”

“This never would have happened if the Orchid’s had been allowed to play!” Mistress Traveesha’s face screwed up in disgust. “That damned fool girl is going to cost us the game!”

Fotochi swiftly gulped his tea. Far out on the field something screeched in rabid anger; Chief Nochorku stuck his finger in his ear and jiggled it about in irritation.

Shadarii was rewarded by delirious hugs from all the Wrens. The girl turned a somersault before them, waggling her tail in delight. Kotaru drew his team in close and hunched down to confer.

“Right… Yes, alright then, we’ll let her! Coax her down our end, picking off the supporting members of her team. We’ll thin the numbers, block her shot and then double forward. Totoru, we’ll need you by the goals this time. Shadarii, you stay with him. We’ll need everything we’ve got to make sure that ball don’t get through.”

The team shook themselves out into a rough formation as Kotaru took Shadarii by the hand.

“Alright now, my fine young miss. I’ve seen just what you’re up to and I’m proud of you. You’re a mischievous little bugger an’ no mistake! Just remember that Zhukora’s dangerous. This time keep clear of her. I don’t want you hurt, and we also can’t risk her findin’ out just who you are.”

They kissed carefully, Shadarii trying not to hurt Kotaru’s mouth. The umpire saw that all was ready and swung his staff round in an arc.

“Wings spread, ball high!”

Zhukora came in low and fast just as Kotaru had predicted. She furiously snatched the ball and flung her team out like a lance. This time she protected herself with a shield of guards. Her team reacted to its orders with terrifying precision, driving relentlessly onwards to the goals.

Wrens dove in to the attack; Zhukora’s team ignored their casualties and screamed onwards down the field. Another man fell, and then another. The Wrens struck and wove, whirling like a storm of darts. Zhukora ground her fangs as she forced herself to even greater speed.

She would have her victory!

The goal ring loomed up before her, but suddenly the ïsha seemed to drag back at her wings. It felt like being an insect trapped in amber. She thrashed her wings as a huge Wren sprang up before her. Zhukora parried a sharp stab of his staff, losing the ball as she desperately tried to save herself. Blue figures dove down and snared the prize, dashing off towards the Skull-Wing goals. Zhukora looked around, gaping as she realised her team had dropped to half its former strength.

A sparkling presence made Zhukora turn. The plump girl from the Wren team hung below her, her mouth wide open in a smile. The cause of the dragging at Zhukora’s wings suddenly became all too clear; the girl had done something to the ïsha! She had cost the Skulls the game!

With a shriek of fury, Zhukora shot off in pursuit. This time she’d rip the bitch’s wings to shreds! She blind the little bastard in one eye!

Shadarii felt a thrill of fear as Zhukora screamed out for her blood. Shadarii felt her speed failing her; she was too fat for speed, too broad of wing to outrace an opponent. Shadarii threw herself into a numbing turn; wings bowed, muscles creaked. The girl felt the grass whip across her breasts, and suddenly she was free.

There was an explosion high above her. Zhukora overshot the turn and plunged into a tree. With a dreadful scream she hurtled end over into the grass, while Shadarii quickly sped away. Somewhere in the distance, crowds were cheering as the final goal went home.

Shadarii swirled up into Kotaru’s arms. She had won. At long last she spread out her wings to fly. Hand in hand with her beloved, she soared into the trees.

***

Zhukora howled and hacked out with her dao in fury. She butchered an innocent tree, ignoring the Ka that screamed out in protest. She met it with a blast of force, viciously hurtling it back into its trunk.

“Zhukora! Zhukora, stop it!”

The woman didn’t hear; she raved and swore in dreadful rage, smashing at the tree with all her strength, while Daimïru hovered helplessly in the shadows.

“It’s only a game, Zhukora! Only a game!” Daimïru scrubbed tears back from her eyes. “Just-just listen to me! It doesn’t matter! It’s just a game. We simply have to move on from here. Zhukora, stop it!”

Zhukora screamed and threw away her knife, hammering at the tree with her bare fists. Daimïru hurtled her arms about Zhukora and dragged her to the ground. She grimly held her grip as Zhukora bucked in fury.

“Let me go! Let me go you bitch! Let me go!”

“I’m here! Hit me all you like, but I’m not letting go! We’ll just sit here, my love. We’ll just sit here until you’re calm.”

Zhukora writhed and fought with all her strength; Daimïru simply closed her eyes and rode the storm. It would only last a little while. There would be new plans made soon, new orders, new direction. Until then, she must be protected. Zhukora’s genius blazed so bright that she could burn herself with its heat. Daimïru held Zhukora tight and did what must be done.

***

Village fires lit the sky as distant music thrummed. Down beside the bathing pools, Shadarii hopped on one foot as she fought to strip away her moccasins. The Ka helpfully heated up the water as Shadarii tore away her clothes. The girl swiftly plunged into the drink, then surfaced in a shower of spray and frantically scrubbed her hair.

Rain and Fire, she had only half an hour to prepare! The fires were lit, the circle drawn… Shadarii snatched a fist of soap-root and scrubbed furiously at her fur while host of little Ka foamed the water to a froth. Together they might just have time to make ready for the dance.

A warm presence blundered through the bushes. Kotaru bounced his way over to the water’s edge and dashed his hair back from his eyes

“Shadarii? Ha, found you at last! We won! I still can’t believe it. The rest of us are all just going to…”