In the light of the golden sun, the young person sat beneath a tree. The soft breeze blew the blue petals from the blooms on the branches, down off the cliff and over the town below. They rested their sword next to them and closed their eyes. They hadn't been able to take a break all day, they needed some time to rest their tired feet.
"Tommy?" a voice called out from back behind them.
Turning to look they saw one of their fellow guardsmen. He walked up beside Tommy, sitting down with them.
"Hey, Evelyn. Guessing you're also on break?"
"Yeah, they said I could join you for a bit. Nice view, huh?"
Tommy looked back over the cliff. They could see all the people going about their day. Some were down by the docks, others worked at small farms producing food for everyone. It was always such a quiet town.
"Mhm." they responded, trying to think of a way to make conversation. "Say, have you ever thought about why we need all this training?"
"What do you mean?" Evelyn asked with a confused expression.
"I mean, what are we gonna be hitting with these sharp blades? Every time I've asked Commander, he says it's just in case. But...just in case of what?"
"Hm...I dunno. I guess you can never be too prepared, right?"
"Well, yeah. It's just odd. I guess there's no harm in it, I just...yeah."
Evelyn nudged Tommy with his elbow. "I think you think too much about things sometimes. You're a real worrywart, you gotta loosen up."
"Yeah. Yeah you're right. Sorry." Tommy said, their eyes glancing at Evelyn before looking back down at the town.
The two sat there in silence, letting the time pass by. Despite Evelyn's words, Tommy's mind raced, still trying to figure out the purpose of their job and why they felt so drawn to it. Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a bell from across the town.
"Dang, guess we gotta go back. Alright, I'll see you there Tommy!" Evelyn said, standing up and walking away.
Tommy watched. They knew they had to go back too, they definitely didn't want to be late. Standing up and giving the overlook of the town one last glance, they descended down the hill to meet up with the others.
They stood in line, each of their companions standing at attention, blade sheathed but ready for emergency. The Commander spoke to them about their duties. It wasn't anything new, just go around the town walls keeping watch. When the Commander was done speaking, everyone went off to their assigned positions. Everyone but Tommy.
"Commander sir, can I speak to you for a moment?"
With a sigh, the Commander turned to look at Tommy. He was much taller than them, a very imposing figure, but one that the townspeople looked up to with respect.
"Yes Tommy?"
"I wanted to ask about, well...all of this. What is it we're so worried about? Why do we have to carry around such dangerous objects that could potentially hurt someone?"
The Commander thought, trying to look for an answer.
"The truth is, not even I know. I'm sure that as you know, there has never been any sort of threat to our people, or to any other civilization in this world. Danger is nonexistent, but..."
"...we still know what danger is." Tommy finished for the Commander.
The Commander simply nodded.
"It may seem irrational, but it's for the greater good. It's a precautionary measure, nothing more."
"I understand. Sorry for bothering you with this sir."
"Don't apologize. You are smart, none of your fellow men are as persistent in their curiosity the way you are. We need people like you to rely on. Now, go join the others, they're likely wondering where you are."
With a nod, Tommy hurried off to go join the other guards. With organized steps, the group marched around the town walls. An orderly routine, every movement precise and in sync. It was something Tommy had done countless times, they didn't even have to think about the movements. It was all simple muscle memory. Despite their monotonous movements, they paid keen attention to the lives of the people around them. Small talk of simple things, basic life. Everyone was happy and content. No one ever thought twice about things. They never wondered why, they just accepted it and moved on. This wasn't a bad thing, not at all. There was nothing bad about the life they lived, there were no darker secrets. Yet Tommy couldn't help but wonder. And in this wonder, they felt oddly alone.
Time passed, the same routine. It was nothing new. The group marched until their shift ended. Then a different group came along. They were all allowed to go home to their families. Tommy chose to go to a library. They wanted to see if they could find something. They wanted answers. They wanted to know the history of this place, of their culture, they wanted to know their reasoning. There must have been something, anything in the many books stored here that could explain it.
Walking into the library, the librarian greeted them. They only offered a quick wave as they went to the history books. The library was otherwise empty, leaving Tommy with very few disturbances. There weren't too many history books, most of them held all the knowledge of the major civilizations. Tommy started with the history of their own.
Boring history, the founding of the town, but nothing ever giving a reason for being so worried. They looked at another book for a reason. Nothing but tales of things being made and special people being born. Never an explanation. There wasn't anything in these books that could ease Tommy's curiosity. Perhaps it wasn't history. Perhaps instead it was in old myths.
They put the history books down and made their way to the fiction books. Tales of great creatures, grand protectors, but never an explanation as to what those protectors were for. Curiosity turned to frustration. Once again Tommy shut the book, not anywhere closer to an answer. It just didn't make sense, there had to be a reason for this feeling. Everything has a cause. Love, happiness, every emotion had a reason for being there, so surely there must be a reason for fear. But what?
Someone interrupted Tommy's thoughts, bursting through the door looking for them. One of the guards.
"Tommy? Tommy, it's the Commander, there's an emergency, he wants to see you."
"Huh, me? Why me?"
"There's no time, meet with him as fast as you can."
In a strange hurry, the guard left. Never in their life had they seen someone so afraid. Never was there a reason for genuine fear. Tommy knew now that their answer didn't lie in history of fairy tales. They'd soon be face to face with it.
Rushing off to meet with the Commander, Tommy could see that word had already spread to the others. People watch them run, worried looks on their faces as they whispered to each other. When they reached the Commander, he was already giving orders to the other men. Even he seemed worried, not even his stern expression could hide the concern in his eyes.
"Commander sir, reporting for duty. W-what's going on?" Tommy asked, standing at attention, their eyes glancing around at the people rushing off to their positions.
"Oh what a day for this to happen...we've received dire news from the Canary Catbird Village. They've...they've been attacked."
Tommy's eyes widened. A word, once only a possibility, was now a reality. And today of all days, when it was on Tommy's mind the most.
"What...what do you need me to do sir?" they asked, attempting to hide their own growing anxiety.
The Commander hesitated for a moment. Something troubled him, but he couldn't stay silent for long.
"...I want you to go to the village. Find out what happened."
"A-alone?"
The Commander nodded.
"I trust you with this, more than anyone else. The other men will stay here in case the threat comes to our home, but you...your intuition, your natural desire to understand...it must be you that finds out what this threat is."
Doubt filled Tommy's mind. They didn't know if they could do it alone, but what other choice did they have? If the Commander's mind was set on it, if they truly were the only one who could understand this, then they had to agree.
"Alright...I'll do it sir."
"You are different from the others, Tommy. I've known this since the day we first met."
The Commander rested his hand on Tommy's shoulder, his stern gaze softening for just a moment.
"Stay safe, Tommy."
They left for the gate that led out of the town. The guards there gave each other nervous glances as they watched Tommy leave alone, blade by their side. Tommy wore a brave face, but deep down still felt doubt. There was no turning back now. With their home now behind them, they marched onward. The Canary Catbird Village wasn't too far from here, it certainly wasn't hard to find either. Within the thick trees lies the canary catbird people, just one of many groups of their kind. Tommy had no clue what to expect, the whole way there they kept their hand gripped on their sword, ready for battle at any moment.
All of their training had led up to this, here they would finally get answers.
The sun peeked through the dense green leaves, making a trail of golden light for Tommy to follow. The trail was well taken care of, many people pass through these parts. But the silence of the forest was unnerving, it was too quiet. Their pace quickened, as if trying to outrun something.
Tommy came across a clearing. In this clearing were houses hanging from the trees and stalls lined along the ground, lights dangling across the tree branches. It felt like a ghost town aside from one figure standing there. The stranger turned around, a hatchet in his hands. As if it were instinct, Tommy pulled out their sword, getting into a defensive stance. The stranger was a canary catbird, wearing a red scarf around his feathered neck. The two stood there, staring at each other, anxiously awaiting the other's move. The stranger took a step forward, hands gripping the hatchet tight as if his life depended on it.
"Who are you?" he spoke, his voice showed an emotion unheard of. Tommy raised their sword as the stranger approached, their own hands trembling as they held up their blade.
The stranger grew more suspicious with each passing moment. The two were so locked onto each other, they didn't notice the townspeople beginning to slowly leave their homes.
"Kenny, stop!" a voice shouted.
The two looked over to see an older catbird leaving a larger building. Two people peaked out from the door, a woman and a young catbird. The older catbird wore fancy attire made of leaves and branches, signifying that he was a man of importance.
"Elder Conroy-" Kenny said, glancing between Tommy and the other catbird.
"They are a friend, lower your weapons."
At the advice of the elder, Kenny lowered his hatchet. Tommy did the same, sheathing their blade while not taking their eyes off of Kenny.
"I'm sorry Elder, I did not realize." Kenny spoke, his aggression gave way to respect for what Tommy presumed was the village leader.
"It is alright Kenny. And you, I am sorry for the...unpleasant welcome. Please, follow me, you too Kenny. We shall discuss what has happened now that the danger is gone."
Not sure what to say, Tommy followed the elder and Kenny. They followed them up to the large building with help from a ladder. While they could simply fly up there, Tommy did not have that luxury. It was nice that they made things accessible to visitors too.
Inside the building, the Elder led the two to a long table surrounded with pillows for seats. They all took a seat as the female catbird came in with her son. They offered sweet smelling drinks, which Tommy politely accepted. Kenny denied at first, but the Elder insisted.
"You need your strength Kenny. You should drink some, I'm sure Mavis can provide some food as well."
Mavis nodded her head.
"Oh of course, I'll be right back dear."
Tommy inferred that she must be the Elder's wife, which means the child was his son.
In the silence that followed, Tommy decided to speak up.
"I should, uh, probably introduce myself. I'm Tommy, I come from the town Maredida down by the coast."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Tommy. I must thank you for coming to our aid. Now, Kenny, can you explain to our new friend what you saw?"
"I didn't just see it," Kenny snapped, "I fought it...I'm sorry Elder, I-I'm just...still on edge."
The Elder nodded, allowing Kenny to continue.
"He, it, whatever it was, came from seemingly nowhere. At first we thought it was just another person traveling through the town, but...we had no way to predict what it was going to do. I-it..."
Kenny froze, trying to recall the events. His hands shook as he took a sip of the fruit tea.
"...not everyone got out safe. It got its filthy hands on someone, it took her and...she was...I-I don't have the words to describe what it did to her. There was nothing left when it was done."
Tommy could see the horror and guilt in Kenny's eyes. They had only just met them, but they could already sense something about him. Kenny continued.
"Everyone else ran and hid, but I knew that if no one tried to stop it, no one would be safe. It would just root them out, it would take everyone, and no one would be left. So I faced it alone. It looked like a man but...it was just so wrong. It was lanky, its skin was a pale white, and its eyes...I could see only the eyes on one side of its face but there were three, coldly staring back at me. I swear that at some point it...grinned, as if it could comprehend what it was doing. T-that thing...it wasn't an animal, but it certainly wasn't a person either."
Mavis returned with some bowls filled with seeds and dried fruits. Kenny looked at the food, clearly not in the mood to eat, but he still ate anyway.
"Whatever it was," the Elder began, "it's nothing that the world has ever seen before. What Kenny did was about as unnatural as the threat itself, but we are thankful for it. As for what to do now, we don't know."
Tommy's mind raced, trying to comprehend the situation. Something was out there, hurting people. This was what they had been preparing for, this was what all those precautions were for. Kenny's eyes were fixed looking down at the table. Tommy and Kenny were the only ones who knew what they were dealing with, but Kenny was in no shape to go through something so harrowing again.
"I'll go look for it." Tommy spoke.
Kenny looked up at him, his feathers ruffling.
"Are you crazy? You can't go out there alone, you'll end up just like Daya!"
"I have to. Someone has to. The Commander sent me alone for a reason, he trusted that I could handle this. I'll stop this thing, I have to."
The room went silent, there was no doubt that everyone knew how dangerous this was.
"I will send news to Maredida of your departure. Rest here for as long as you need Tommy, we welcome you with open wings." the Elder said, standing up and walking into a different room.
It was only Tommy and Kenny left at the table. The tension was thick, and right as Tommy was about to speak, Kenny interrupted.
"I'm going with you."
"What?"
"I already fought it, and if you go alone, who knows what will happen to you. I can't let it hurt anyone else."
"Kenny, your people need you. You're worn out from the fight anyway, you shouldn't risk it."
"And what, stay behind like a coward? I'll be more help to them if I go and stop that beast. You can't stop me Tommy, I'm going with you."
Tommy sighed, Kenny's mind was made up. They didn't argue any further, the help would be appreciated.
"Get some rest then. We'll leave tomorrow. Is there anywhere I could possibly stay?"
"I'm sure there's a spare nest you can sleep in. Mavis can get you set up. And hey, Tommy?"
"Hm?"
"...I'm sorry about earlier. We met on a really sour note. I'm sure you can understand why though."
"Don't worry about it. This isn't something anyone should have to deal with, I don't blame you."
Kenny took those words in, shaking his feathers a bit.
"I'm going to go roost. I'll see you later."
Tommy went to go sit outside, watching the town from the balcony of the treehouse. The rest of the catbirds were finally emerging from their homes, albeit wearily. A horrible cry could be heard. Tommy went stiff.
"DAYA! MY DAYA!"
Tommy could see someone curled up on the ground, screaming and sobbing. Another figure tried to comfort her, but he too was shaking. The cries didn't stop.
Tommy sat there paralyzed by the screams. They wanted to leave but couldn't move their body. They had never felt something so twisted before. Their stomach felt like it was being tied in knots. Just hearing the mother scream like that, it made them want to keel over and cry with her. They forced themself to move, standing and hurrying inside. They couldn't bear to hear those sounds anymore.
Mavis showed them where the spare nest was, helping them get nice and comfortable in it. It was different from what Tommy was used to, but they didn't care. They weren't sure if they would get any sleep tonight. The sun went down, the lights in the town went out. Tommy always had a problem with the dark, although they never knew why. No one else had this fear. The thought crossed Tommy's mind, maybe they were right to be cautious all along.
Minutes, hours, they couldn't tell how much time passed. They remained wide awake as the night went on. There was a creak. Tommy shot up, reaching for their blade.
Footsteps.
They waited, eyes wide open, trying to control their breathing. A light enveloped the walls and a silhouette could be seen. It was Kenny.
Kenny peaked in, seeing that Tommy was awake.
"I didn't wake you up, did I?" he asked, his voice hushed to avoid disturbing the rest of the house.
"No. I couldn't sleep. Do you need something?" Tommy responded as they relaxed, putting their sword back down next to their nest.
"I...hm. I wanted to see if you were up. I couldn't sleep either."
Tommy patted next to them, giving Kenny a space to sit. Kenny took this offer and sat down with them.
"...did you hear it too?" Tommy asked.
"Yeah. I heard her."
The two were quiet for a moment, Tommy could see that Kenny was struggling to process the events too.
"Is...is there a word for what that was?"
Kenny chuckled.
"For what part? I don't think there are words to describe any of what happened today. Daya, what do you call what happened to her?"
They both tried to think of a word, but nothing came to mind. This had never happened before in the history of the world. Tommy looked outside a window. A clearing in the trees showed a starless night sky. A word slipped into their mind.
"Murder."
"What?" Kenny said, puzzled.
"It was murder. She was taken and won't come back. She's gone."
Kenny repeated the word. Murder. It wasn't a word that existed in any language as far as Kenny knew, and yet it somehow just felt right.
"She was murdered...by that thing. Tommy, you know how an animal hunts to eat, right? And how a person smiles when they're happy?"
Tommy nodded.
"What I saw was neither an animal nor a person. It smiled when it murdered her. It didn't eat her, I know. It hunted her...as if it were for fun." Kenny continued.
"Back in Maredida, I was always called a worrywart by the other guardsmen. I always wanted to know why we felt the need to protect ourselves. I just...it's just so strange now that I have a reason why." Tommy said, crossing their arms.
"So you've had that feeling too?"
Tommy perked up at the idea that someone else understood what the feeling was.
"Yeah. I didn't think anyone else did. I thought I would always be the only one."
Kenny smiled a bit, going to rest his hand on Tommy's shoulder. Tommy flinched a bit, recoiling from the contact. Kenny quickly retracted his hand.
"Sorry-"
"No no, it's alright. I don't know why I do that, it just happens. Just another inexplicable thing I wish I could understand. It stops happening after a while, don't worry."
Kenny gave a nod of understanding.
"Well, I think we should try to get some sleep. At least trying is better than nothing I suppose." he said as he got up.
"Yeah. Goodnight Kenny, I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight Tommy."
Tommy laid back down within the nest, their eyes looking up at the window. An empty night sky. No clouds, no moon, no stars. Just pitch black. They closed their eyes, ignoring their anxious desire to keep them pried open. After an indeterminable amount of time, Tommy's body finally gave in to the need for sleep, relaxing in the unpredictable dark.