2021 December Monthly Prompt: Chapter 1

Dawn hesitated to creep over the horizon, displaying only a soft grey glow against the clouds as the winds whispered and whistled amongst the mountain spires. Windshear's ear tufts stirred at the noise, drawing up the stryx's head. He lay nestled into a scrap of canvas. It was better than the cold rock within the cave. Despite the many sleeping bodies, cold still seeped between his feathers down to his bones. Every small movement pushed the precious warm air away. Even so, he was glad no command had come for them to leave. Maybe it was the howling winds or thick clouds. It'd be suicide to make a move to attack. And if no Wyveran forces would find them up here, then there was no reason he couldn't just take it easy for one moment. One moment where everything wasn't awful. But smooth curved talons poked his wing and Windshear looked up to his superior. Morning watch.He didn't grumble or complain, just a quiet sigh, mourning the loss of his sad excuse for a nest. He carefully tip-toed around the other stryx, nearly stepping on a tail but he caught it just before he set his foot down. The closer he crept toward the entrance of the cave, the colder the air became. Normally he welcomed the dawn but this turn of the day brought no warmth from the sun. He nodded to the stryx watching the entrance and they traded places. Oh how he envied the harpia lumbering back into darkness. Snow smacked into his face. Not just tiny little flakes, but those large fluffy wet ones that sunk down to his skin with their moisture. Clouds cloaked the lonely peaks, he couldn't even have the view. Just grey nothingness. Though it was better than swooping wings. Wing bearing death and pain. Scars healed but still left behind their marks just beneath his feathers. He spared a glance behind him to the resting stryx. And his scars were more forgiving than most. Gradually, the blank sky glowed into a grey morning. Though clouds fought to darken it. They were thicker than ever and snow piled up around Windshear's talons. He started to think he'd become an entirely white stryx at this rate, with all of the flakes sticking to his body. He shivered slightly, pulling his furred tail over his toes. He used to like the cold, but now he had second thoughts. It was the wind's fault. All it did was scream into his ears and slap at his face. It was greedy for his warmth but he wouldn't let it have it. Wind was supposed to be yours to command as you swooped between rocky spires or just barely dodging death against a mountain face. It was your closest ally, and deadliest enemy. But now all it did to Windshear was become an increasingly annoying nuisance. How pathetic. He silently cursed at it, curling his tongue between his closed beak. Only he would know the insults the wind deserved. At least it was amusing, he thought as he cracked a small smile. He could hear some of the stryx stir behind him, a small choir of yawns and clacking beaks. Talon steps walked up and a wing tapped his head. "Good galyx, I think he's been frozen." The blue corva chattered sarcastically. Windshear gave Twister an icy stare, wiggling some of the snow from his body. It all fell to the ground in clumps. "Your watch is done and I'm taking over. Go rest your snowy head." Twister said with a condescending tone and tried to ruffle the feathers on Windshear's head again but the tyto managed to dodge around him, despite his near frozen talons. He didn't like the corva at all, but at least he could hide back within the cave for warmth. The tyto snuck around the other stryx, trying to find the warmest nest left unattended. As long as it wasn't the floor, anything was better than his old nest. Finally, a big sheet that was still warm appeared in the dark. It even had feathers left over from its previous owner. Windshear didn't take any chances and dove right in before it could be stolen, rustling around the canvas cloth until he was nice and warm. So much better than standing outside, though the snow on him started to melt. If only he had the gift of fire like some. Must be nice to warm your insides when your outsides got too cold. At least his talons weren't at risk of falling off anymore. It sounded like his troop wouldn't be moving today, the weather was just too dangerous. He liked dangerous, but staying in was just fine. It meant another day he could just be, and nothing else mattered. The tyto's breaths soothed into slow quiet whistles as he drifted off to sleep, too tired for any dreams.