Tribute - #3142 + #3143 Stryx: Tribute - Daius Guardian

The Stryx

https://www.paperdemon.com/app/g/dracostryx/character/3143

Nickname - Kea

https://www.paperdemon.com/app/g/dracostryx/character/3142

Nickname - Drac

The Witness

https://www.paperdemon.com/app/g/dracostryx/character/1424

Nickanme - Sunny

Word Count - 1,390

The sun had just started to rise, its rays trying to reach as far as they could go. As the light began to breach the sands of the beach, just on the north coast of the land, beady black eyes blinked awake while a sharp beak opened to emit a low pitched screech. Soon after there followed some rustles of the undergrowth, as a large bird of prey began to show itself. While shaking off the sleep that still plagued their slowly awakening visage, their shining yellow feathers seemed like they were glowing with life in the early morning light.

Sunshine was their name, and optimism was their game. With one more blink and shuffle, they spread their wings and screeched a hello to the world, jubilee letting out as much sound as they could make in their throat. With a hop and a ruffle of their tail feathers, they began to bob their head up and down, singing in an off-key melody. “Oh what a day to be alive! Now it's time to thrive. Let loose your inhibitions and give it all you got. Cuz today you only get one shot!”

As the notes faded, two groans sounded behind Sunny. The tyto twirled around and tilted their head to the right, surveying the two hawk stryx who had just emerged from the brush of the jungle they had been walking through. Their feathers were all rumpled and out of place with leaves and even small twigs intertwined with their fluff.

The stryx on the right, body a mix of sea green with dark and faded royal blue and purple feathers on top of their body and wing, mumbled out an expletive - “Why the heck are we meeting up at the crack of dawn…do we not get enough sleep to be able to actually have energy?” Sunny replied with a cheery air, hopping from one side to the other. “Never too early to get going on our mission!”

Dracaena, the previous talker, grumbled and sighed, then grunted in annoyance as the third and final stryx made their presence known. Popping up and fluttering their wings excitedly, Haukea began to chatter endlessly. “OH, my, this is so exciting! I am so excited. Guess what Drac, we are going to guard a SHIP. An actual vessel that travels by water. And we get to fight against others, if they even dare to go against us for the goods. Oh my Daius…..what if they are PIRATES?! What if those dastardly stryx who strike at those poor sailors with their ferocious riders throw lethal spears appears?! WHAT IF WE DIE….”

The aforementioned ‘Drac’ just sighed, looking completely done already, but mentioned, “Well if we do die, we can go out with glory. You know, fighting to the death.” Amusedly, their eyes followed as Kea hopped around the sand - their pale piebald covered feathers an off white showing off the uncovered patches of brown even more - fluttering in the slight breeze their movement causes. “Woah, yes. I WILL DIE A HERO. I will arise and avenge my death as a ghost. I will not go down without a fight!”

On and on they went, Kea getting hyped up by Drac, while Sunny just watched on, eyes soft, watching the two chatter on and snap at each other playfully - mostly Drac’s doing which caused Kea to be even more excited. Finally, Sunny spoke up, “Ah, the ship is passing by our location now, let us go, defend the ship with your honor! I will guide you if needed, but the passage is just a ten minute trip, we should be fine!”

Under their breath, Drac muttered a quiet ‘Famous last words.” Kea swat them with their wings, which the other hawk just dodged and shrugged. Then, as the ship came into view, the three stryx flapped their wings and took to the sky. Albeit, Sunny took to the sky with ease and grace, Drac with more force than was necessary, which in turn caused Kea to falter mid jump and flap their wings as they circled in the air, before taking off to join the other two already on a path to the ship, screeching at the other hawk in righteous anger. To which the other just chuckled, and taunted them.

After settling in a hover above the ship, and Sunny had gone over their duties while the ship anchored down to fix some issues with the rudders, the ship hauled anchor and was off. The two students - which Sunshine referred to them as such and of which Dracaena grunted at but shyly looked away -soon put a halt to their badgering and laughter, settling in to be serious. At least, for ten minutes - Sunshine chuckled as they could see the nerves and energy rippling along their feathers, and the serious yet tense facial features.

Meanwhile, while Drac was tense and wary of their surroundings, they were grateful for the silence. Their friend Haukea, was a stead-fast companion but could get a bit much, a lot of times, if not all the time. They sighed due to the fact that they were thankful for the silence, a screech sounded from the area below, where Kea had decided to set up for surveillance. “I just ask for a minute, and I get thirty seconds…”

Sunshine who was floating a bit above the sea green hawk chuckled and cheerily whistled, “You either push against a mountain, or roll with the wind.” They were interrupted by another screech, this time causing them both to jerk towards Kea, of which the other had started diving. Both Drac and Sunny startled, at the sight of a kraken attacking the ship. Sunny blinked, then chirped, “Well you don’t often get to battle a kraken!” With a beady look at the remaining hawk, they flapped once and then settled, “Better go and help. Wouldn’t wanna miss this chance!”

Dracaena sighed, and then dived with a battle screech of their own, to help Haukea nip and guide the kraken away from the ship. The two barrel rolled underneath waving tentacles, both panicking, but focusing on their instincts. They dived, swerved, and at times were close to being swatted out of the air by the strong limbs of the kraken. Who in that moment was incensed these small birds were interfering with their meal. It was finders keepers!

Finally, at a signal from Drac, the two hawks spiraled up into the air, giving the kraken a sense of victory, disappearing in the not slightly cloudy sky. Then, without a sound, though both vibrating with energy - they dive bombed as fast as they could, straight at the face of the kraken. Unprepared, the kraken screeched its own primal call, as they both flared their wings to hover right before the kraken, blinding it with the sudden wind of their flared wings. Then they both instantly lashed out with their talons even as they were flapping to get back up in the air, scratching at the eyes. They managed to escape the flailing tentacles as the kraken wailed, and sunk back into the water.

Panting, their feathers all ruffled and their eyes sharp, they scanned for more danger, and then made their way back up to where their witness was waiting.

Sunny smiled, and then laughed. “Congrats on fighting a kraken! Now, focus, where is the boat?” Both stilled, and then in a frenzy started looking around down at the water, to locate the boat. Which was parked right where they needed to be, as they had reached the delivery zone a few seconds after the kraken had focused on the two hawks instead of the ship. But, well, learning was an experience. They smiled as they followed the two, listening to the bicker as they frantically looked around. Quite entertaining, they thought.

Meanwhile, “DRAC why were you NOT looking out for the ship!” “WHAT - I WAS FIGHTING WITH YOU WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHY WAS I NOT LOOKING OUT FOR THE SHIP!” “WELL I COULD HAVE HANDLED IT!” “Oh, right, of course, NO YOU COULD NOT! You are such a bird brain. No way could you have defeated that one on one.” “OH YEAH AND YOU COULD HAVE?!” "YES." "NO YOU COULD NOT! You don't even like squid!" "WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH IT?!" After that, just angry screeches were heard as the two dove at one another.

Yes, entertainment indeed.