Young Writers Society

“Wakey wakey.”

Zoltar groaned, curling further under his wings as someone gently shook him. He swiped his paw at her, trying to remain in the comforting darkness that, despite his best efforts, was slowly slipping out of his grasp.

“Come on,” Felistia insisted, “You got to get up early if you want to fish.”

“Aaaugh,” Zoltar grumbled as he opened his eyes.

Dawn was slowly creeping across the horizon, the copper hue cloaking the silent forest in a ghostly orange haze.

“Why are we getting up so early?” Zoltar mumbled groggily as he got to his paws. His bones ached, screaming for more rest, while his eyelids felt heavier than the deer he’d carried yesterday.

Felistia smiled, batting him playfully with her wing, “You’re going to help us fish today… remember. Dawn is the best time to bring in a good catch. At least… that’s what Shiraku told me.”

Zoltar blinked as he rubbed his eyes. He vaguely remembered the conversation he’d had with Felistia, but didn’t recall agreeing to this. Weren’t they going to hunt… you know…for real prey. Quarry that didn’t require you to get soaked to catch it?

“Mmmff,” he grunted, shaking out his wings to clear them of the dust and sand pick up from the cave floor. He looked around, still blinking.

“Where’s Shiraku?” he blurted finally when he realized that the Sea Talon was nowhere to be found.

“Ooh, she left already,” Felistia said, padding over to the cave entrance. Despite the dim light, her scales still gleamed like polished silver, “Come on.”

There was a rush of air as she sprang from the cave, her crystal blue wings catching the early morning air as she soared out over the shore.

Zoltar stumbled after her, shaking his head in a vain attempt to clear away the lingering tiredness. Glancing through the seaweed strewn entrance, he spread his wings and took off.

The ocean air was bitingly cold against his obsidian black scales as he followed Felistia west along the coastline. Mist swirled over the beach, the ghostly white tendrils coiling like snakes around the crashing waves.

Thin orange rays of sunlight were piercing through the fog by the time he caught sight of Shiraku. The Sea Talon was darting through the water, her powerful webbed tail propelling her forward as she chased down schools of fish.

Felistia touched down onto the pebble grey beach, her talons sinking into the sand as she landed.

Zoltar landed next to Felistia, folding in his wings as he followed the Ice Talon down to the water’s edge.

“Shiraku. We’re here.”

Shiraku didn’t look up, but instead dived sharply, her scales flashing a brilliant turquoise beneath the murky water. She surfaced a moment later, a large fish clamped between her vicelike jaws.

Her face lit up when she saw Felistia. She splashed out of the sea, salty water spraying in all directions as she bonded over to her.

Felistia hissed as a few droplets splattered across her snout, jumping back.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Shiraku said hurriedly as she rushed to wipe Felistia’s scales dry with her dripping wet talons.

“Stop, stop,” Felistia laughed, grabbing the Sea Talon’s paws, “You’re making it worse.”

“Oh,” Shiraku smiled sheepishly, a goofy grin spreading over her snout as she backed away.

Zoltar watch from a paw steps away, rubbing his talons nervously. It felt weird watching them, like he was a trespasser intruding on their fun.

“Hey Zoltar,” Felistia said cheerfully as she batted a wing with him, “Why don’t you give fishing a try?”

“Umm,” Zoltar backed away reluctantly, “I…”

“Oh come on. I’m sure Shiraku will help you out. If she can teach me how to fish, I’m sure she can help you.”

“Ehhmm,” Shiraku cleared her throat loudly as she gave Felistia a sideways glance.

“I thought we were supposed to be catching supper. I don’t have time to teach…him,” she growled, waving a talon at Zoltar before turning to splash back into the ocean. Her glimmering azure scales disappeared below the waves as she dived, leaving only a stream of bubbles behind.

Felistia gave the ripples where she’d disappeared a long steely glare, before turning back to Zoltar, “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what got into her.”

“It’s alright,” Zoltar said, sitting down, “I’m not much of a swimmer anyway.”

He grabbed a paw full of sand, watching it as it streamed through his talons like a golden waterfall.

Why was he here? Shiraku didn’t want him here. She and Felistia were good friends. They weren’t hiding secrets from one another and their tribes had always gotten along. What was he doing? He was an outsider, a liar. He didn’t belong here.

He sighed, brushing his tail over the mini sand pile he’d made.

Felistia watched him pityingly for a few moments, before she shook her snout with a snort, “You know what? We don’t need her. I can fish just fine. Come on, you and I can give it a try. Besides, it’ll be fun. Better than sitting on a beach all day moping.”

Zoltar glanced at the water and then back at her, trailing a talon nervously through the sand, “But, you’re an Ice Talon and I’m a Shadow Talon. We’re not really built for this. What if we go to deep or our wings get wet…”

“Oh, come on,” Felistia urged, bumping him playfully with her wing, “You’ll be fine and besides it might get you out of that gloomy mood of yours.”

Huffing bashfully, Zoltar dropped his gaze. He had been pretty down lately. Maybe Felistia was right. After all, he had done a little skim fishing on the Shadow Land Lake back in the day. How different could the sea really be?

‘I won’t go too deep. It’ll be fine.’

“Alright, you win,” Zoltar said a little reluctantly as he shifted to get to his paws, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“Great,” Felistia exclaimed, bounding down to the water’s edge. She hesitated for just a moment before wadding into the water. Soon she was almost belly deep.

Zoltar watched from the beach, the water lapping at his talons. Mist swirled over the ocean, the waves causing it to twist and curl like winged serpents. Anything could be out there, watching them. What if his wings got wet? He wouldn’t be able to fly from danger if…

He shook his snout.

Felistia and Shiraku had been doing this for many seasons. Surely if it was dangerous they would be on high alert. Shiraku was nowhere to be seen and Felistia was fully focused on getting him wet. There couldn’t be much to worry about if they were acting like this right?

“Come on in. It’s not that cold,” Felistia called, waving a wing at him from the shallows.

‘It should be fine right?’

Taking a deep breath, Zoltar stepped into the ocean.