That night as the two avians settled close together among the dead boughs, Rosanna turned to her mate, violet eyes worried yet hopeful. "Do you think it is truly them?" She asked softly, her voice betraying her desperation even though her expression remained calm. Too many times they had chased ghosts across the lands only to find the stories unfounded or simply a case of mistaken identity. But as they gradually got closer to the pride where their partners were now supposed to be living, at least temporarily, Rosanna couldn’t help but suffer from nerves, worried that this was just one more false lead.
Remus shifted on the branch, pressing his much larger body against his mate’s darker form. “Shhhh Rosa… you get yourself too worked up.” His words might have been harsh but for the warm tone and worried look in his pale eyes. Turning to regard her with a rarely seen expression of love, he groomed her crest gently with his beak. “Who else wears that particular bracer? All the assassins have one, but only the Auditore family sport that unique design. So unless there is some kind of heir wandering about with that brace on, then it has to be him.” Shifting back to regard his mate quietly, he watched her struggle to accept his words. But finally Rosanna released a heavy sigh and nodded, leaning up against him and tucking her head under his beak. “I know, I am sorry… but I can’t help but worry that this time is just like the last…. How many tan lions covered in scars with red and white mates can there be in the world?” She asked with a sudden rush of exasperation. Chuckling under his breath Remus simply slid his wing over his mate’s back, knowing better than to answer one of her many rhetorically posed questions. After a moment or two her dark feathers flattened back down and she settled back against his side.
They dosed for a couple of hours, huddled together among the creaking dead limbs of the trees. But soon enough, when enough strength had returned to them, Rosanna stirred, shifting sideways on the branch and ruffling her feathers, sending the collected droplets of water skittering away to fall into the darkness. Her motions woke her mate and Remus shifted before suddenly stretching his wings hard and giving a huge, telling yawn. They had been on the wing since loosing their bonded lions months ago and the strain was evident on both birds. With a single, violent flap, he resettled his plumage and turned to regard his mate with a knowing gaze. “Alright, lets move… I wont get any more sleep until we see this pride.” He grinned at the evil glare his Rosa shot him.
“You know very well that you can sleep no better than me.” She retorted, lifting her beak in indignation. His laughter only made her huff and launch off the bough without comment, but a tiny smile ruined the expression. She had not heard Remus’ laugh in far too long, it was good to hear it now, when their world had fallen apart and darkness was threatening them even during daylight. Remus powered his larger body into the air behind her and together, the two birds, one a flash of white, the other a dark shadow at his side, soared high above the landscape, headed for a particular knot of trees at the top of a particular cove.
It was evening the next time they landed, having caught and eaten whilst on the wing, a skill that Remus had always possessed but had taught his mate during their long search. She was now as comfortable eating on the wing as he was, if not quite as neat. A fact that he always teased her with. Setting down easily on a branch the two birds took a moment to settle, folding tired wings and stretching sore muscles. Ravens, she informed him, were not meant for long-distance flying. Turning he gave her an assessing look, finally reaching over to smooth down an errant feather along her back with his beak.
“You, my dear, are not just any raven, you are an Auditore.” His proud tone made her smile, a silly, girlish blush that was hidden by her ebony plumage but he nevertheless caught it. Chuckling he clicked his beak against hers in an affectionate gesture. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her. A fact driven home by recent events. They had lost their bonded family, but they still had each other, and he knew, deep in his soul, that they would find Giovanni and Maria soon. They were not dead, it was impossible to even consider the option, and besides, there had been too many rumours for there to be all smoke and no fire. Giovanni was out there somewhere, they only had to find him.
Rosanna groomed her flight feathers for a while, the silence between them comfortable but as always, strained with the desperation both had been carrying since the attack months ago. Finally, once both were as clean and groomed as they could get, she turned back to her husband. “Remus…” A sudden trembling in her voice made him look over. Stretching out a wing he shifted along the branch and pulled her close, settling her in her usual spot against his body. Tucking her head under his own, feeling his heart beat thud solidly in his chest, she finally let go, soft sobs almost totally smothered in his feathers, tears soaking his white chest.
For a long time he held her close, letting her release the stress and tension she had been carrying. As a male he dealt with the grief and strain differently. In hard flying, violent chases, catching prey ordinarily too difficult to bother with. It worked out his aggression and kept them both well fed. But Rosa was a strong female, and likely would have handled her emotions in a similar way, finding something productive as an outlet. But there was nothing but eating and flying and so she had suffered, bottling it all up inside only to finally crack and break down when it got too much for her. But he would never begrudge her the need, and always kept her close, sheltering her in her most vulnerable moments.
Yes, she was as strong and proud as any eagle could wish for, but even she had to set down her burden at times and he was honoured that she turned to him when she needed to. That she let him see her weakness.
That night they stayed together. With no pressing need to hunt he kept her wrapped in his wing until she finally quieted and fell into an exhausted slumber.
Word count = 1,132
