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32 - A Hankering To Do Something Stupid

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Senesio

“Terror bird,” Suni had said. What she’d meant, though, I now realized, was terror birds. There were more than just one. Nine of them, from what could be seen through the gaps in the outpost’s stakewall. They were gathered around the open front gate, picking at the corpses there.

Nine terror birds was a far more interesting proposition than one. A single overgrown chicken wouldn’t have been much of a challenge for me. Not that I’d ever fought one before, but what chance could it have had? A big, squawking sack of feathers versus the quickest blade this side of the empire? Why, the fight would’ve been over in a blow and we’d all have been able to enjoy a feast of roast chicken before setting off in the Welkin.

“Not to say that a feast is entirely off the table,” I mumbled to myself, the thought setting my mouth to salivating. Roast chicken sounded a lot better than the hardtack we’d been eating.

“Come again?” Maritza was staring at me, brow raised and mouth set in a stern frown.

“I said we’ll need a plan, of course.” I clapped her on the back, then turned to the others, put on a confident smile, and sucked in a lungful of air.

“Not here,” Elpida hissed, then waved the group into a thicket of sawgrass, a good twenty paces away from the outpost, in knee-deep water.

I stepped over light as a feather, but the others stomped and splashed, drawing enough attention even a deaf terror bird could have heard.

“We have to get to the airship, but how? Those... things are all around the open gate,” Maritza said, worrying as always. Such a pessimist. Of the three ingredients necessary for success, confidence was the most important—followed closely by good looks and skill. Thankfully for the rest of the group, I had more than enough of all three.

“It’s rather simple, really,” I said, looking around at the group to make sure they were all paying attention. “We’ll send some courageous, skillful, handsome devil over the palisade to distract the birds. While he does, someone else can open the gate from the inside. Everyone slips onto the Welkin, gets it in the air, then drops a rope for their dashing hero.” I clapped my hands together and gave the group my most winning smile.

“Yeah, okay.” Maritza crossed her arms. “Now that the suicidal plan is out of the way, can we discuss something a bit more reasonable?”

“Actually... that could work,” Elpida said, rubbing at her chin.

“Will work.” I gave her a nod.

“Could work.”

She took a long swig from her flask, then wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

“One person to distract the birds, another to unlock the gate.” Elpida turned to Maritza. “And once we’re in and on the ship, how long to get it in the air?”

“A few moments, no more.” The veteran helmswoman craned her neck as if looking back at the ship. “Assuming the Welkin’s all in order. From what I could see, she is, but it’s hard to tell without a closer look.”

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“I can handle that,” Demetrias added. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s skyship engines.”

“Alright, we’ll get you that closer look.” Elpida nodded, then glanced around the rest of the group. “Soon as we get the Welkin in the air, the birds are going to know we’re there. Everyone needs to be onboard when we lift off, except for Senesio, who we’ll pick up right away.”

“Theo, Gabar, you keep the sergeant moving. Kyriakos.” She met the injured man’s eyes. “Your wounds are going to smell like a fresh buffet to those birds.”

“There’s some fight left in me yet.” He patted his empty sheath, then paused, seeming to remember he’d lost his sword in the wendiguar attack.

“That’s not what I meant.” Elpida stepped forward and upended her flask on the sergeant’s shoulder and chest. The gorgam rum soaked into his shirt and bandages, mixing with the dried blood and dirt.

“What are you—?” He jumped backward, near falling as he broke from the support of Theo and Gabar.

“I know, I know.” Elpida sighed. “A waste of fine rum. But it should mask the smell of your wounds, for a bit. The animals out here avoid gorgam cane on account of how poisonous it is. With any luck, they’ll avoid you too, now that you reek of it.” She tucked her flask away, then immediately produced another. The sergeant flinched. She laughed at that, but lifted this one to her lips.

“Great, then!” I slapped the sergeant on the back. “Sounds like we’re all ready. The only remaining question is who’s going to unlock the gate while I distract those big chickens? What brave soul will join me in delivering salvation to this poor, bedraggled group of survivors?” I looked around. Oz, maybe? A good climber, no doubt. He seemed the most likely candidate. Then again, there was always the chance he’d get distracted ogling the terror birds and forget why he was there. So then, maybe Elpida? She was more than capable, despite her age. I’d never known a—

“I’ll do it.”

I paused mid-thought, then turned to look at who’d spoken. Suni.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said.

“We can’t afford to mess this up,” Elpida added at the same time.

“It’s a long climb,” Oz said, eyeing the stakewall.

Suni’s eyebrows shot up in a look of shock. What else had she expected? She was cut from the right stuff, that I could tell. But, like fine wine, making a hero took time. She was still just a naturalist’s apprentice. And, well, sure, there’d been that thing with the wendiguars, but she hadn’t been thinking properly then. Got caught up in the emotion of the moment. This was something different, though.

“You don’t think I can do it,” Suni said, then crossed her arms. “That’s what this is?”

“No, no. Not at all, my friend.” I pulled her close in a one-armed hug. “It’s just, you know, there’s more experienced folks here.” I leaned in close. “And ones I like less.”

Her elbow caught me in the ribs and she slipped away. Stumbled a step, splashing through the water, then caught her balance and looked at the rest of the group. I opened my mouth to explain more, but stopped when I saw the look in her eyes.

It was... well, it was something. Something I hadn’t seen there before. Not since she’d tackled that wendiguar like some sort of berserker. Fear is what I’d expected to see, but this wasn’t fear. This was something bold, something daring, and something that almost seemed—well—eager.

“Ancestors damn it, Suni,” Elpida cursed, scowling at the apprentice naturalist. “You remember what I told you after the wendiguars?”

“Next time I get a hankering to do something stupid, don’t.”

“Right, so what the hell do you think this is?” She gestured back at the outpost.

For a moment, Suni seemed to back down. Doubt, tinged with fear, clouded her eyes. I nodded. That was more like it. She wasn’t ready for this. And then she cursed, shook her head, and took a step forward.

“Theo and Gabar need to carry the sergeant. Senesio’s running distraction.” She took another step forward, this time toward Elpida. “Maritza needs to fly the ship. Demetrias needs to check that it’s functioning. And you and Oz are the only two who can navigate out of here.” She shook his head. “I’m the only one who isn’t contributing anything to the group. But I’m not going to be deadweight. I can help and, ancestors blast it, I’m going to.”

“You don’t have to do this.” Elpida leaned in close. “You don’t have anything to prove,” she whispered next, so low I had to tilt an ear forward to hear. “It’s not your fault Kamil is lost out here. It’s not your fault that you didn’t stop him from going.” Her usually stern features faltered as she spoke. For a moment, it sounded more like she was pleading with Suni.

“This isn’t about guilt. It’s about doing what’s right. And what needs to be done.” The ferocity in Suni’s eyes said as much as her words.

Elpida huffed. “Lie to me, that’s fine. But don’t lie to yourself. Don’t become like... ” she trailed off, but gestured to Oz who was poking at a snakeskin in the grass. He looked over at Elpida with an eager grin.

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” she growled, her eyes never leaving Suni.

I couldn’t fight the frown forming as I looked between Suni and Elpida. Just the same, I couldn’t fight the smile that came next. I’d known there was more to Suni, but I hadn’t expected her to embrace it so soon. Maybe she was ready for this?

“I’m going over that fence,” said Suni. “It’s as simple as that.”