7 Chapter 6

Ninah couldn't seem to get enough of it. She couldn't do it. She needed to learn more about the "Three Jade Piece," also known as the jade that the "Golden Fiery Red Phoenix" possessed.  She had no choice because her son was evidently like that. Her son's fate has already been written for him. Everyone knew who her son was now, therefore the rest of the family had to know, right? After all, it was their right to know who their Chief's son was.

"So, we're not going to China any longer?" Fushi, one of the clan members, inquired, her voice tinged with concern.

"We're still going to go. Gre- Lucky must be recognized as the new leader by the Ancestral Phoenix, as well as the Golden Fiery Red Phoenix." Plutonic stated that he was attempting to escape his son's look since he had almost forgotten his nickname.

"Everything will go according to plan." Ninah said while nodding in accord, before she headed towards the basement, where ancient books were housed. After all, no one read the anymore. They were members of the clan, having inherited it from their great-grandparents. She was their druid, and it wouldn't harm if she read them.

Ninah entered the basement, turned on the lights, and walked over to the massive wooden trunk. She couldn't open it since it was locked, and she didn't have the key. The padlock they used wasn't the same as the common ones that they usually used. This was a unique case, and she did not know who kept the key.

"Then I'll simply shatter it." She thought to herself.

"It will not break, Ninah." A familiar voice from behind her startled her, causing her to jump and let out a shocked gasp.

It was Plutonic.

"You nearly caused me a heart attack." She grumbled while jokingly smacking her hubby on the arm. He laughed.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I had to inform you. They crafted this padlock up with old stones and other stuff you don't want to know about. It will not break lightly." Plutonic explained.

"Then where is the key?" Ninah was perplexed.

Plutonic grabbed for a necklace he wore around his neck all the time. As he disclosed the end of the chain that contained the key, Ninah's eyes widened with amazement.

"You never told me what purpose that key held!" She was ecstatic.

"Now you know!" he chuckled. Plutonic removed the chain from his neck and handed it to her. Plutonic assisted Ninah in unlocking the trunk after she swiftly unlocked the padlock.

"It's quite dusty." Ninah made a remark as she sneezed.

"It is," Plutonic concurred.

"Have you people not opened this thing in a long time?" Ninah inquired, gesturing with her hand to the trunk.

"I guess since when I was a kid." He responded with a brief pause, which caused Ninah to glance at him, bewildered. "What?". She shrugged when he questioned her. "Okay, I've never been a fan of ancient historical novels. I never bother to read them. All I wanted to do was start a business and travel around the world, creating my deity." He gave an explanation.

"Is that why you spend so much time at your office? Because that was a dream of yours?." Ninah inquired, her brow furrowed.

"I guess it is," Plutonic moaned.

"Amina is expecting a child." Ninah responded, attempting to shift the conversation away from the tense situation.

"I discovered it out as well, because I heard a small heartbeat besides hers." Plutonic, but he couldn't help but notice Ninah's heartbeat stutter and falter. 

She was in a bad mood. Ninah was concerned by something, and it was only now that he knew what it was. Ninah hadn't been herself in a long time, and whatever was bothering her wasn't good. Who said that adversity was a good thing?

"What's the matter?" As they removed some books from the trunk, he inquired.

Ninah didn't appear to be looking at him, but he could tell she was frowning. She felt both depressed and worried at the same time.

"Nothing". Ninah responded bluntly, but in a tone that was more indifferent than she intended. "There's nothing wrong," she said, clearing her throat while pulling a thick hardcover book with a picture of a Golden Fiery Red Phoenix on the cover from the trunk.

"You're a terrible liar. Especially if you're trying to deceive me." As said by Plutonic. Mates, it's true, could never completely deceive each other. They could sense it... they knew it.

"I am delighted for her. Rufus will have a younger sister."She made a start.

"Sister? Isn't it too soon to say what gender it is?." Plutonic had enquired.

"Damn your Phoenix abilities." Underneath a sigh, Ninah murmured. Plutonic burst out laughing, but choked on his spit and cough out while Ninah slapped his back so that he could be relieved off of whatever he had choked from.

She burst out laughing after he was fine. 

But, It wasn't the same laughter she'd given a few days before when he returned, or the laughter she'd given when they were courting or newlyweds. This one was different... it was tinged with melancholy.

He could tell when his mate was sad, even if she tried her best to conceal her feelings by using her druid powers.

His Phoenix clawed beneath him as his heart tightened. He wasn't in the least bit pleased... Their partner was in distress, and they did not know why.

"Plutonic, for Christ's sake, I'm a druid." In a 'duh' tone, she answered.

"Oh sure," he answered. 

"I always wanted a small one too," Ninah said, taking a big trembling breath before staring at him. She expressed her sadness.

Of course, why hadn't he considered that earlier? Ninah felt envious of her best friend, who was expecting a child cause she wanted a child too.

"But..." she began, but then paused.

Plutonic wasn't a knucklehead. He was anticipating what she was about to say.

However, you are not always available.

That's exactly what she intended to say. He was aware of the situation.

"I apologise." As he knelt beside her, he said. As he embraced Ninah, she gave him a sorrowful grin. "Please accept my apologies for failing you as a spouse. I apologize, love "..

"I love you Plutonic," she murmured.

"I love you, too. Isn't it still possible?".. Plutonic inquired as she drew away from the embrace. He was referring to their chances of still having another child.

As Plutonic moved closer and spoke, she only smiled before he pulled her in for a deep kiss.

••••••

Lucky coughed as he opened his eyes, but soon closed them when the agony burned him. As he coughed, he rubbed his hands together. He couldn't breathe properly because his lungs felt heavy, like if they were collapsing. 

In his bedroom, there was smoke.

Smoke?

Did he light anything on fire while he was sleeping?

He hadn't seen his parents since the brief clan meeting regarding their trip to China in the early evening, but he knew they were in the basement searching through some old items.

He sat up... tears were not streaming down his face, oh no, they were being saved for something else. He was filled with powerful emotions, but he was also terrified of what was occurring.

Outside his room, there was a high-pitched scream. Then there were noises outside his room that could be heard. People were squabbling. Had his family been arguing so much that they set fire to the house?

He changed his eyes, making them shine a crimson red like Hamlin and his father had taught him, and the smoke no longer bothered him... he had transitioned; wings and claws out.

His door burst open, and he could see his mother walking in.

"Don't be alarmed, baby! I've got you covered ".. As she scooped him up, she remarked in a loving tone. Her druid abilities caused her eyes to glow purple.

"Mommy? What's going on? ".. Lucky was the one who inquired.

"Hunters. We must depart ".. As they exited his room and walked down the hallway to the back door, which led to the backyard, she said. Plutonic, Hamlin, and Aisha were also in attendance. Hamlin had Rufus in his hands and was attempting to protect him with his own wings.

"How are we going to proceed?" Hamlin enquired.

"They came prepared with heaps of iron and set fire to our nest!" Aisha exclaimed, her face enraged, but her tone worried.

"We should get out of here before they return." Plutonic replied, attempting to remain as cool as possible.

"Where are we going? They assassinated half of our clan! It's just these two families that remain." Hamlin yelled aggressively, gesturing with his eyes.

"I'm not sure. Okay?. I honestly do not know. We were unprepared, and the hunters assaulted us without warning. We did not know.". Plutonic retorted.

"Perhaps this wouldn't have occurred if you had been a decent chief and remained by us instead of your miserable office... if only you had given your clan time instead of your office!" Hamlin retorted with a counter-argument.

Hamlin was absolutely correct.

What if Plutonic had been a better chief? Those words pricked him like a bee sting... Such a sour sensation... In one night, he'd lost his tribe and his home.

He felt dissatisfied with himself, and there was nothing he could do to make him feel better. He had failed them all. Except for his and Hamlin's families, he had failed to protect them, and they were all dead.

He felt empty and a vacuum appeared in his heart, yet clan was family. If only he'd died instead of them, he wouldn't have had to deal with Hamlin's venomous remarks and Aisha's stony gaze.

"Before the hunters return, we should keep going." Aisha said.

"We can go to the Werewolves' for the night and leave the next day." As Lucky shivered in Ninah's arms, she offered. He was terrified, heartbroken, and worried... all of his buddies had been murdered, and this was the worst way ever.

His heart ached with grief, yet he could not cry for reasons he didn't understand. On rare instances, his father and the rest of the family sobbed as well. Was he going to end up like them?

The others gave Ninah a sidelong glance.

"What about the werewolves? What if we point the hunters in their direction? Will they not rip us apart? ".. Aisha inquired. "Ninah, it's just the two of us. This is the last of the FireWing tribe, and we must safeguard them." Aisha continued as she gestured at Rufus and Lucky.

"I propose we fly away... hunters are humans, and they cannot fly." Hamlin made a suggestion.

"How about me?" Ninah was the one who inquired. She was human, so of course, she could not fly like them.

"How about you, traitor?" From alongside them, an unfamiliar voice shouted. They all turned around to find themselves in front of a bunch of hunters. A much older man stood in front of them. He was, after all, the boss. Four individuals stood behind him, two men and two women, each wielding a bow and arrow.

"In my missions, I never accept survivors." He said.

As his wings and claws changed back, Ninah clutched Lucky close to her. The elder man, who was followed by his friends, laughed ghoulishly.