Shifting Shadows {open}

[kryll]

Amber turned to see Oliver having issues. Wincing at the risk she was about to take she flipped up out of the crowd and wrapped her talons around the joints where his wings connected to his body. Lifting up she glided over the main body of the crowd before dropping him off near the outskirts of the throng. "There. And if push comes to shove little bird, its called elbows." Amber landed beside him and hopped her way up to the Navigator. His booth of twigs covered in mini maps. "Hey there." Amber called above the bustle. "Where are we? I'm sorry if its an odd request but we got lost in the nearby woods." Amber pointed her beak in the direction they came. The Navigator, an old owl, eyed the two birds in front of him. "Your on your way to the great oaks if you came from that way. That's the shifting pass, I'm surprised you made it through. Even you Phoenix." Amber started at that name. She glared at the owl in annoyance. "I don't know who your talking about. I'm just a village bird." She said evenly.
"Yes, yes, a bird raised in a village of ashes and coals. Her very feathers painted in shades of fire and soot. A bird who survived the greatest trial of all." Amber grimaced. "Lets go Oliver." Turning away the owl called one once more them. "Head to the oaks girl. You have a special request to make."

[Shrike]

"Phoenix? Who's that? What's going in here!?" He rounded on her, thrusting his head forward, dark eyes narrowed.

[kryll]

Amber reared back from his accusing stare. "It's nothing you should be concerned with!" She snapped. Then without hesitation, like a well trained escapist, Amber took off above the flock of birds. Soon getting lost in the bustle with her dizzying twists and turns. The owl clicked his beak. "She is a troubled one. Little bird have you heard the story of the Village of Ashes? A village that burnt to the ground because of its bravery. And they say nobody survived." The owl stopped and turned toward a lamp next to his booth. Gray eyes gazing thoughtfully at the flame within. "But legend goes that as the rescuers searched the broken homes a figure emerged from a still smoldering ruin. The special temple in the center of that town. A bird with feathers the color of fire and eyes as bright as sparks. Her small soot covered wings carried her into the smoke. They say she is the Phoenix. The ghost that held on to the cries of those lost souls." He turned back to Oliver.

[Shrike]

Oliver stared at the owl in awe, beak agape. "No, I- you believe that's her?!" He asked in astonishment. Then he bitterly thought. Why would such a heroic bird want to go to the great oaks with me?! He scoffed simple answer, they wouldn't.

[kryll]

Amber finally stopped on the outskirts of town. Tears of anger, regret, and tiredness brimming her eyes. "Stupid old owl." She muttered. "Firebird, Phoenix, Ghost of Ashes. What will they come up with next." Fluffing her feathers to resettle them Amber heard two snickering voice. Two outlaws, fools as they were, were carrying a burner of coals to an empty booth. She instantly darted for them but she didn't get there until they had already dumped them into the mass of dry twigs. She tackled one, forcing it to the ground easily. "What do you think your doing!" She shouted. *"Hey! Get off."* The partner of the disheveled black bird Amber had pinned down tried to attack her. She merely batted him away with her wings. "Your lackeys aren't you? Who sent you!" Amber's question went unanswered as the coals sparked and a flame began to devour the booth, growing larger every second. "FIRE! Run!" Amber released the troublemakers and soared above the crowd shouting her warning. Many began to flee. "Oliver? Oliver?! Oliver!" Amber searched for her friend unable to fins him in the chaos. Instead she turned and grabbed an acorn to use as a water container. She went to help douse the fire.

[Shrike]

The finch perked up at the word fire! Immediately he took to the sky. Now even the sky was crowded, so he did what Amber told him. He used his elbows. "Amber!" He screeched out, searching for his friend. He didn't care much about who she really was. He knew Amber.

[kryll]

Amber worked diligently with several other birds to battle the spreading flames. She was just about to empty another water filled acorn when a female chickadee collided with her. *"My son! Please!*" She could barely speak through her fear. Another yellow body came into view. "Oliver?" Amber made eye contact for one second. The chickadee tried to force a way past the oriole. "No! It's to dangerous!" Amber shoved the bird towards Oliver. Them she dropped her acorn and banked towards the fire. 'Use the winds to your favor.'

[Shrike]

The finch nodded at the chickadee, "we'll get your son." He promised her and spiraled after Amber.

[kryll]

Amber approached the flames, eyes darting left and right. She suddenly banked and rolled left avoiding a swath of windblown fire. She didn't realize Oliver was behind her. Fire was unpredictable if you hadn't been through it already. A cruel gift from fate. Elegant but deadly twists and turns bought her through waves and hills of orange flame. It licked up at her feathers, eagerly waiting to catch her. She stopped in a clearer spot and looked around. Her black wings the only thing visible in the heat. She heard a cry from her right and she narrowed her eyes through the smoke. A young chick huddled against a booth. "Easy! I'm coming!" Amber called. The chickadee whimpered. Amber flew to him and picked him up in her claws. "Be still." She ordered. Turning she was blinded by a wall of incinerating heat. She didn't have a way back! 'That's not good.' The black and warm colored bird drifted up with every wing beat. She was trying to get over the flames, but she was flying eight into the smoke.

[Shrike]

Oliver narrowed his eyes against the heat? As the fire singed his mellow yellow feathers. He mirrored every move amber made. She had obviously been through this kind if situation before. Oliver flew behind her in determination, when she found the chick it didn't take an owl to know she would be trapped. The finch scanned around for a way out. He might be somewhat of a coward, but Amber was his friend. He clacked his beak in joy and urgency as he spotted a way out.

"Amber! Dive down! You'll see a way out! Under the flames!" A branch was propped up by two others, underneath it an empty space, just big enough for Smber and the chick to fit through, though the beam was smoldering, burning down. If she didn't hurry, only the chick would've able to escape.

[kryll]

Cinders fell onto Ambers back making her flinch and twist. She heard Oliver's call and held the chick closer. "You'd better be right." She muttered. Pulling her wings in she went down. And (like you'd see in the movies ) came out from under the beam. Her wings snapped open again as the beam broke. Amber wrapped her wings around the little bird and came careening out of the air. She struggled to regain her balance. Then darted past Oliver, using a claw to catch his and pull him along.

[Shrike]

Oliver was whisked along behind her as the whole village was engulfed in flames. The finch fluttered wearily into a nearby tree branch to watch the village go down.

[kryll]

Amber flew out of the smoke eyes watering. She raced to the chickadee and returned her child. After many sobbing thanks the oriole returned to her finch friend. Her back was arched like she was tired. Feathers caked in soot and partially singed. A guard bird approached her and she sat up straight becoming strong and alert again.

[Shrike]

Hey there! Guard!" The Finch chirped and flew aways from his friend, somehow he knew she didn't want to see the guards at the moment. "There's a chickadee and her chick that need your help down there!" He attempted to distract the guard.

[kryll]

The guards pushed past Oliver and approached Amber. She stared them down evenly. "Are you the bird who saved my son?" The front one asked. Amber nodded slowly. The chickadee softened his gaze. "Thank you Phoenix." He said solemnly before hopping to his family. Amber let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She looked up at Oliver and then to the owl approaching behind him. "I told you Firebird." He grinned. Then as a group of birds passed in front of him he disappeared. Amber blinked a few times.