Aves

There was once a young male eagle called Rowan, who was naïve but gallant at heart. He was yet to reach his full growth, but he boasted a full plumage of sleek black feathers on his body and frosty white feathers on his head.  His eyes were black as midnight and his beak as sharp as King Arthur’s sword. He already matched the build of his father, the king, and in a few years he would be a much mightier looking eagle than any other before his time. He was guarded well at the castle under the watchful eye of King Carac, a mighty yet old eagle. Rowan had two lovely younger twin sisters, Helewys and Adalaide, who were both pure in heart and mind. Their lady-in-waiting, Catherine, was an orphan white dove from a war a few years ago whose kingdom fell to the siege of the crows. The eagles and falcons had done their best to reclaim the land, but it was too late. There was nothing left to reclaim but ashes and rubble. Even through all the pain and suffering, she still maintained a positive spirit and never-ending forgiveness. Catherine was grateful for the help of the eagles and falcons and swore her services and loyalty to the young ladies of the house of eagles. Not only had she gained new hope, she also felt Cupid’s arrows for the first time when Rowan found her in the ruins of her home and helped her to get back on her wings.

The falcons and eagles had been in close alliance for many years. That is until one strange winter came and swept through the Kingdom of the Falcons. The air became heavy, like miasma, and gray clouds blanketed the skies for 6 months. The falcons suddenly became hostile and barricaded themselves within their kingdom walls. No eagle nor any bird kingdom could contact the falcons for an entire year. Anyone who was not pigeon, the messenger birds, or falcon was killed. The next winter came, and that’s when the falcons made their first move. It happened all of a sudden, with no warning, and the falcon’s victory over the ravens was swift. They dove down and killed many raven soldiers in their surprise attack, enslaving the Kingdom of the Ravens. The next victims were the vultures, and with the enslavement of the raven army added to the falcon’s, they claimed victory in one fell swoop. Then the sparrows, hawks, and condors, with each passing year, fell victim to the siege of the falcons. Every winter, a new battle was fought and won by them. There was no one who could stop the falcon’s growing army.  And now the eagles were next after 5 years of grueling battle. Carac aligned with the owl nation and had been creating a plan of attack and defense the entire year. It was now half way through autumn, and Carac knew the winter war would be coming soon.

Rowan, feeling the impending doom draw closer with each passing day, pleaded with his father to come up with a way to stop the war. His plan was to set off in a guise to enter the falcon village. He would then attempt to find out what had happened to the falcons during that winter 5 years ago. With a reluctant heart, King Carac agreed. Rowan donned tan and brown feathers and made his way down south, toward the guarded walls of the Kingdom of the Falcons. Catherine, hearing this news, pleaded to the twins that she may follow him, in case he should run into danger. The sisters readily agreed, as they knew they could not stop Catherine’s feelings. Catherine, because of her similar size and features, disguised herself as a pigeon. Hidden by the thick shadows, Catherine followed her prince to the South.

Rowan, after 3 long days, finally made it to the Kingdom of the Falcons. The guards of the gate payed him no mind, as Rowan’s disguise was expertly put together. As Rowan walked through the gates, he gasped and stopped right in his tracks. The town was devastated. Starved, diseased birds sprawled on the ground, looking almost dead. Bedraggled falcons walked quickly through the street and slammed their doors shut. Rowan walked towards a woman with her young eyasses. He asked her what had happened to the town, how things had gotten this bad. The woman looked up sorrowfully and asked, “Have you not heard, young traveler? Why, our king has become sick, and the prince a tyrant. We will all perish in time.” And with that, the woman and her eyasses scuttled away. Catherine, hidden in an alley, wept at the current state of the falcons. She could not believe the ruin the town had come to and was reminded of her own felled kingdom. She remembered her parents, powerless and wasting away under the rule of the crows, until the battle between crows and falcons and eagles began and ended.

Rowan, regaining his composure, set off with 

Author's Note

INCOMPLETE