Storm was confused.

The flock she had ordered to watch younger brother and sister had begun squawking and chittering at her when she arrived at the perch she preferred to rest in while waiting for her younger brother and sister to have playtime.

Things had changed lately for them. Storm had noticed the changes as they took place. First, they each had gotten a little stronger; their ability to store Qi had increased, making it easier to play with them without worrying about hurting them.

Then they started bringing Spirits with them when they played. Sister had said the Spirits were linked to younger brother and younger sister. They were like Toi, so Storm readily allowed them to come when they went flying.

But what was most interesting happened recently. Younger Brother and Younger Sister had formed Spirit Roots. They had become Cultivators. Storm had decided that now was the time to have chicks after all.

Pluton had agreed and, with the help of his bond, was going to build a rookery on the cliffs near Clan House.

Storm planned to let her younger brother and younger sister each select one egg to bond with. She could feel how much the two loved to fly, and Storm felt proud that she had devised a plan to make it possible for them to fly whenever they wanted.

Storm wanted to keep her idea a secret until it was time to let the children choose but remembered how angry everyone had gotten when she took younger brother and sister flying without asking first.

So, Storm asked Sister, and Sister agreed. Sister told Storm how proud she was of her for looking after her younger brother and sister and thinking about giving them new brothers and sisters they could be friends with.

New brothers and sisters that could help protect them.

A flying snake approached as Storm was thinking, hissing in outrage, determined to be heard. The little thing was worried. Worried that the younger brother and sister were being hunted. Storm watched as the flying snake, sure that it had Storm’s attention, darted off, turning to make sure Storm would follow.

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It didn’t take long to figure out what was bothering the flock of creatures that Storm had ordered to watch and protect. There was one of Sister’s people. Someone that followed Sister and helped her where she shouldn’t be.

That person was stalking younger brother and sister. Storm recognized a hunter when she saw one. And this person was an ambush hunter. Storm watched, hidden by shadows, as Sister's younger brother and sister left their home. She flitted from one area of shadow to another, ensuring no one saw her as she followed.

And although the woman tried to contain the killing intent she radiated whenever younger brother and sister neared a place with shadows, she couldn’t hide her intentions from Storm’s perception.

Why did this person want to hurt Sister's younger brother and sister? Wasn’t she Sister’s friend?

Maybe Storm was confused. Maybe the person wasn’t hunting younger brother and sister. Maybe the killing intent was targeted at something else. Sister might have sent this person to watch and make sure younger brother and sister were safe.

It was best to be sure before acting.

Storm passed images of the person, the furtive movements she was engaged in, and the certainty that the person was hunting across the familiar bond to find out if Sister knew about this woman or if Storm was right to be worried.

Storm waited, experiencing Sister’s thoughts and emotions as she processed the imagery she had shared. She shared more images when Sister asked for more information, showing the person hiding in shadows. Showing the person shining with barely concealed killing intent.

Sister’s anger roused Storm’s fury. She wanted to strike, to kill that person who would dare hunt her younger brother and sister. But Sister told her to wait, to land near younger brother and sister and spend time playing.

Sister asked her to have the flock of flying creatures track the person until she arrived. Sister had been busy exploring and fighting underground, so it would take time for her to arrive.

And when she did, Sister promised she would capture that person who dared to hunt her younger brother and sister and find out exactly what she was up to. Sister needed the woman alive for now. Toi might be able to speak to the person if it died, but there was no guarantee that it would linger long enough to answer questions or tell the truth if it did.

Sister had methods of getting information. Alchemy pills, truth tokens, and illusion arrays that could confuse the mind. Sister would discover why this person dared to hunt younger brother and sister.

And once she had, Sister promised Storm that there wouldn’t be enough left to feed a Roc chick.