up up and away

Zephyr adored his little siblings, perhaps in fact too much. He wanted to spend every waking hour with them, whether they were the waking hours of the puppies or not. His mother and father gently reminded him that the little ones needed their sleep and could not play all hours of the night and day, and Zephyr resigned himself to solitude with a little sigh. There was the issue of the feast and statues, he supposed, and he had not yet gathered an offering to bring to the grand feast that was to come.

He circled high above the territories, keen eagle eyes scouring the lands in search of something suitable to bring. Meat? Hide? The wolves would probably have that covered by the dozen. Fossils from Fossil Ridge? Berries from the grove? Zephyr considered and considered, until the cry of a harpy eagle called out not far away. It's soaring form appeared next, in its talons the distinctive form of a puppy. Which child had found itself in the claws of the raptor Zephyr could not determine, but it was a child nonetheless. Someone under the Hallows protection, someone who was born into his found family of wolves.

Drawing his wings in close to his body he dove, picking up speed in pursuit far beyond what the eagle was capable of. He reached it in seconds, pulling his newly weaponized talons up and unclenching them, steel-on-steel ringing out as the metal claws slid past each other and folded open. His lessons in sword fighting had taught him control and precision, benefiting him today as he caught the eagle in midair by its limb and with a clench of his talon, severed it from the body. The other talon reached below the severed limb, catching the pup and holding it secure and gentle in his massive grasp.

"Zephyr"