The Long Way Home: Chapter 5 - Battle of the bay

Samber lazed on the rocky beach watching the fisherman at work. The morning sun had heated the shale of the beach pleasantly, the warmth of it radiating up threw her body making her relax and feel sleepy. She was getting used to the island and how things where. She was learning slowly how to live decently in this place. She could hunt fish and seals when she was hungry, there were a handful of freshwater springs and pond she had found to drink and bathe in, she'd even found a large driftwood log on one of the other beaches that made a comfy perch at night as long as the wind wasn't blowing too hard. But as more days slipped past she found herself missing home more and more. It wasn't just Paca and her handler she missed. It was the little things too. The smell of mash being made in the morning, the chirping of the bugs at night, the smell of fresh hey nest, the chores and routines of ranch life, having other stryx to play with and annoy. The island had a wild beauty and on days like this when the sun was warm and the sea flat it was a nice place to be but it wasn't home.

 

Drawing herself up to her full high Samber tried to push away the thought of home and shook out her crimson wings. She needed to get her day's fishing done while the sun wasn't too high and made it hard to see the fish. Maybe if she was lucky the nice human would give her his fish scraps again though she'd much preferred her fish whole. Opening her wings ready for a take-off Salmber but glancing she slowly closed them again. The blue tyto was nowhere to be seen and though the fish in the smoking hurts weren't whole they were alot less effort to catch. 

 

Fixing her gaze on the hut she had previously pillaged Samber crept along the beach towards it. Pillars of smoke rose out of there chimneys and up into a clear blue sky. She was almost close enough to reach out a claw and ripped off the planks that had been nailed over the old hole when an angrey screech filled the air. 

 

Samber knew who owned that screech. She didn't even waste time looking up but flung open her wings and jumped into there air. She was barely off the ground when a set of sharp claws racked across the back her head. The shock of it almost sent the colourful corva diving back into the beach but somehow she managed to catch enough air under her wing to climb upwards all the while cawing her pain and panic. Only when she was well clear of the beach and huts did she get a chance to look around for her attack. The tyto was swooping around in an ark her eye full of murderous rage. Her open white claws glinted in the sunlight as she made a war cry. 

 

Screaming in alarm Samber pumped her wings hard in a headlong flight along the beach. Her raucous crys for help along with the tyto's shriek caused more than one fisherman to look up from his task. But there was no help to be had. Pacu and her humans were there to fight all her battles for her, the only option was to run and hide. Hearing the tyto scream a war cry behind her Samber flew harder and faster than she thought she was capable of, Like a colourful arrow shot loosed from a bow she shot up and over the headland. She was fast, but so was the blue tyto, claws narrowly missed the end of her tail as she swooped down the other side into the next bay. Desperately Samber looked around for something anything to help her. But no one was there, she should have known that she'd already explored this bay before. It was a small roughly round bay. The blue disc of water below her was shallow but reached all the way to the foot of the dark jagged cliffs. Only at low tide was there any kind of beach in this little bay. A few rocks poked out of the water here and there but nothing that could offer a corva cover. She should have flown the other way down the beach when she was attacked but it was too late now. To her right the bay opened into the sea, it was a narrow gully of water between two steep headlands, Samber judged it only just wide enough her to fly threw. With a tilt of her wings, the little corva aimed her beak for the opening but the tyto was faster. A flash of blue from above and an ear-splitting screech forced Samber to swoop sharply to the left. Claws raked threw her wing feathers harmlessly but screeching Samber almost ended up hitting the headland, it was only a bit of quick clumsy wing work that kept her from crashing. It was only as she was recording some hight again that she realised she was trapped, as long as the tyto was above her she couldn't get out of the bay. The tyto could fly faster than she could. 

 

Looking around frantically Samber tried to form a plan. Below her, the shallow waters of the bay offered no hiding place. All around steep grey cliffs climbed high into the air. The sharp claws above her kept her from rising up over the headlands. Things didn't look good, panic rose in her chest. She was going to have to fight, for the first time in her life she had no choice but to go claw to claw with anther stryx. Looking over her sholder Samber's heart felt like it jumped into her throat. The tyto had gone into a dive and was closing in on her fast. Pumping her wings hard Samber tried to stay ahead but it was no use the tyto was faster. Claws raked up Sambers back making the little corva cry out in pain and panic. Ahead of her the tyto came around in a tight circle and came at her again claws and beak open wide.

 

It was more instinct than any kind of fighting skill that made the little corva bring her feet up to meet her attacker. The impact jarred her legs painfully. Tallon's locked together tightly as both dragon birds beat their wing, fighting for control of the fall. Neither of them got it, locked together in a vice-like grip they began to pinwheeled down towards the blue water of the bay. Air rushed past them, the bay and sky switched places so many times Samber almost lost track of what way up. She very nearly crashed into the sea when she felt the tytos finally let go. Both stryx snapped open their wings in a flurry of feathers. Samber lost track of the blue tyto as she struggled to keep herself from ditching into the water. She just about managed it. only her feet and the end of her tail got a dunking. 

 

Skimming the top of the water Samber Looking around quickly for her attacker. The tyto had climbed a way up and was circling to come straight back down at her again. Screeching in terror Samber turned her beak to make a beeline for the gap in the rock where the bay met the sea. She had to get out of this bay! she stood no chance trapped in this giant bowl. She was making good headway when something appearing in the gap made her flair her wings in alarm. Samber was barely able to recognise a human fishing boat before the tyto slammed into her back. This time she had no chance to righting herself before hitting the water. 

 

Once more the little corva lost all sense of up and down. It was only by luck that her head broke the surface. Splashing and screech she tried to flap her wings and escape the water but all she managed to do was make the water around her boil and splash. Overhead the tyto called out a long screech of victory. Waterlogged Samber began an undignified swim back to land. 

 

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Words 1385 - 6.5 AP

Other stryx (Glacier 11865) - 2AP 

Background - 2AP 

Biorhythm - 1AP
Area battel - 2AP 

Total: 12.5 AP