These broken wings

He frowned unhappy, watching Asla, as she spoke of how easy it was for people to be afraid, and how it didn’t change who you were, or make you not a part of this family. She made it sound like it was so easy, words of how their father had been afraid - because he was worried about Asla and Azure. He didn’t find any comfort in them, he remembered the disgust in his father's eyes when he had discovered how Mortis hadn’t wanted to kill a bird. He thought of Azure and Asla, hiding together, and Asla not having to worry, because his brother hadn’t lured her there to hurt her.

He huddled further down, more miserable than he had been before. “Azure and dad would be happy if I wasn’t a Fatalis.” he whispered. “Azure…” the words caught in his throat. He had promised. He wouldn’t tell Asla.