The beast swerved around in a circle before thrusting himself off the ground. Clouds of dust hovered around them, and before he went back up toward the mountain, he went out to the vast ocean where the moonlight and stars danced inside its reflections just like the fins lining the nape of his neck and back.
They were so close his movement rippled the water, leaving a silhouette of his form upon the surface. Mist speckled them. "I used to love stretching my wings around here. But now I stay inside that mountain." Snapping upwards without warning, he spiraled, curving his wings back and up so she wouldn't fall off, then they straightened again.
The sudden twists and turns left her loose dark hair whipping behind her. The experience of flight was much like the beast; utterly terrifying and beautiful at once. Her stomach felt weak but at the same time her heart raced in her chest, thudding harder with every flap of his mighty wings, flooding Strelitzia with adrenaline. Her free arm flung out to feel the currents split around her. A big goofy grin plastered on her face despite everything that led her to that moment, she couldn't deny the joy and freedom that came with soaring through the skies.
When they finally leveled out again she could finally take a deep breath. "Why don't you anymore? It's dark in the mountain and the shadows felt unwelcoming." Surely a beast such as himself wouldn't be bothered by things like a bit of darkness but it also seemed a shame to hide his magnificence. If Strelitzia could fly she'd do it, consequences be damned.
"Because others can sense my magick the moment I spread my wings. I have no Mage to shield it. Even now is a risk." The beast rolled in the air, diving again towards the top of the mountain where the opening was. Faster than before, they moved. The Rocky walls inside went past in a blur until he landed on his feet, pulling his wings in toward his massive body once more. "This mountain is the only place where it cannot be traced."
"I'm sorry." Strelitzia slid down from his back with the water which was still cold from the frozen stream outside. She placed it down in front of the massive creature.
Someone grabbed Strelitzia by the shoulders the moment she landed, nearly tearing her off her feet and shoving her behind them. "Ge- get, get away from that hideous fowl beast." Charlotte yelled, glimpsing down at the blood on her hand that came from her head. "Is, is that blood?" She fainted face first but the beast lifted his wing and allowed her to fall on its leathery textured surface.
She was surprised by her mother's sudden waking when she was pulled away before the woman fell out again. "Please don't mind my mother. She's over protective and doesn't know what's happening." Or that father is dead. Strelitzia Bowes her head in thanks to the creature's gentleness. He could have very well let her mother drop once more though that surely wouldn't have been good for her head. "If she's bleeding again we'll need to be quick. There's nothing here for me to use for bandages to clean their wounds or numb the pain."
The only thing left was for the creature's tears to mingle with the water. Then she could heal the mage and her mother. "She may seem brash and a bit offensive but I promise you her heart is good. She raised me after all and I'd say she's done her best."
The creature released a heavy breath that left Strelitzia's hair dancing from her face, and he lowered his head, slowly sliding his wing from beneath her mother. Her mother gently rolled over onto her back, chest rising and falling peacefully. "Bring me the water." Growled the beast, his claws raking across the rocky floor as he lowered onto his stomach completely.
Strelitzia did as instructed, moving the leaf closer until she was sure it was well within reach before placing it down. She wondered if it would weep for all of the family it probably lost along the way or the isolation it now lived in because the rest of the world would kill him, or he might unleash an unknown fury upon civilization. Tears to heal people who were part of the heart the creature harbored within its chest. Thinking like that, well tears would be no problem. Strelitzia was grateful she'd always been fortunate to have such caring people in her life.
An orange glow beamed from the creature's scaled visage like a golden sun their world no longer had; it was bright enough she couldn't see the tear when it originally descended, only when it fell into the leaf. Over a dozen rays arose from inside the water, a chasm filled with multicolored lights akins to the northern ones beneath the crimson moon. "Take this and let them drink, they should heal immediately. When they are stable you should leave. I don't need more of your kind tracking me here."
Rising back onto his four legs, he turned around, long tail whipping above her head and curving as he wandered back into the deep and seemingly never-ending shadows. "Don't wait too long. The tear only lasts ten minutes before nullifying."
"Thank you!" She called after the creature. Then she dipped her hands into the water, forming a cup to ladle it to her mother. Carefully she tipped it into Charlotte's mouth, placing two fingers on her throat and rubbing to force her to swallow. She wasn't entirely sure how she knew how to do that but it didn't matter.
Strelitzia repeated the process for the burly Ogosian man who managed to get stabbed somewhere along their escape. Even though the creature knew of him, she couldn't help but feel that the adventure she had was her own to cherish. No one could take it from her. Once she'd run back and forth between the two feeding them the creature's healing mixture, she waited.
There was nothing left to do but watch the light slowly begin to fade from within the leaf as the magick began to wane while minutes crawled by. Instead she used the last of the water to drink for herself. They'd been gone for hours with no food, water, or shelter from the elements beyond her targeting nightgown. Who knew when they would get another chance to stop and rest?