Chapter 112: The Eagle’s Wings And The Treehouse!
Neve tilted his head and his eyes darted between Sorin and his massive wings.
He walked closer slowly, like he was approaching something precious that might break if he touched it wrong. He stretched his hand out and paused before making contact.
"May I?" he asked, needing permission first.
Sorin nodded without hesitation.
Neve brushed his finger across the wing carefully. The feathers were incredibly soft. They felt like silk under his fingertips. Softer than anything Neve had ever touched before.
His finger almost sank inside the feathers as he pressed gently.
The wing twitched slightly at his touch.
"Your wings are beautiful, Sorin," Neve said honestly, admiring the way the feathers caught the light.
Sorin’s face flushed deeply.
"Th... thank you," Sorin stuttered, his voice becoming shy and uncertain. He moved his face away, unable to handle the compliment directly.
But then he moved close to Neve again quickly. He wrapped a hand around Neve’s waist firmly.
"Hold on tight," Sorin said, his voice becoming more confident as he prepared to take flight.
"Huh?" Neve asked, confused about what was happening.
Suddenly, his feet left the ground.
Sorin launched off the floor with powerful beats of his wings. The movement was sudden and forceful enough that a yelp tore from Neve’s throat. He was over twenty feet off the ground in seconds. The earth was falling away beneath him.
Instinctively, Neve looked down and immediately regretted it.
The village below was getting smaller. The people were becoming tiny dots. Everything was spinning slightly as Sorin adjusted his flight.
Neve buried his face into Sorin’s chest, unable to handle the height.
"Where are we going?" Neve asked, mumbling into his chest, his voice muffled by Sorin’s body.
"Want to check out the eagle tribe?" Sorin asked, his voice carrying excitement. "I want to show you where I come from. I want you to see my home."
Neve wanted to ask if it were not too far. He wanted to ask how long it would take. But he remembered seeing Sorin close to the leopard territory before. They were neighboring tribes. It could not be too far.
"Sure," he said, wrapping his arms tighter around Sorin’s neck. "Show me."
Sorin’s grip around him tightened as he flew straight toward the eagle tribe territory. He moved fast. Incredibly fast. The wind rushed past them, making Neve’s hair whip around.
He got there within five minutes.
Neve could not tell if it was because the eagle tribe territory was close or because Sorin just flew very fast. Everything had been a blur of wind and sensation during the flight.
Sorin landed smoothly on a high branch and set Neve down carefully.
Neve looked around and was genuinely surprised by what he saw.
It was snowing. Everywhere was covered with a thick layer of white snow. The cold was intense. But the eagle tribe had built their entire settlement high up in the trees. Their houses were not on the ground like the leopard tribe’s caves. They were in treehouses. Wooden structures built into the branches of massive trees.
It was colder for them up here. Much colder. The wind was stronger. The cold was more intense. But it was safer. They were protected from ground-based threats. They were away from predators and dangers that lurked on the earth.
"Our chief’s treehouse is that way," Sorin pointed toward a particularly large structure built into the tallest tree.
"Oh," Neve whispered in response, his eyes wide as he tried to take in everything he was seeing.
He looked at Sorin curiously.
"What about yours?" Neve asked.
Sorin flew to a specific tree and stopped in front of a smaller treehouse. He set Neve down on the wooden platform in front of the door.
Neve did not know how the eagle tribe managed to build these structures so well. But he was genuinely impressed. The craftsmanship was excellent. The wood was smooth. The construction was solid.
Sorin pushed the small wooden door open and entered with Neve following close behind.
The place was simple and mostly empty. There was no furniture like the leopard tribe had. Just some straw nest piled in the corner where Sorin clearly slept. The space was small but functional.
"It’s not pleasing to the eye," Sorin said, sounding a bit embarrassed about his humble dwelling.
"I’m not complaining," Neve replied, looking around with genuine interest.
He walked to the wall and knocked on it. The wood was hard. Solid. Built to last.
"It’s not even cold in here," Neve said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. The insulation was better than he had expected. The wind outside was harsh but inside the treehouse was surprisingly warm and protected.
"If people from the leopard tribe could get this kind of wood, they would be safe," Neve said, understanding now why the eagle tribe rarely had housing problems. "This is perfect. This is what they need."
"It’s not rare," Sorin said, stepping closer to Neve. "The wood comes from trees that grow in the mountains. But it’s hard to locate because you have to know where to look. I can help you."
Neve turned to face him.
"Thanks, Sorin," Neve smiled, genuinely grateful for the offer.
He walked toward the small window opening and looked outside. He could see the entire eagle tribe settlement from this height. He could see the other treehouses. He could see the snow falling gently.
He could feel the wind brushing his hair into his eyes.
Before he could reach up to move the hair away himself, Sorin helped him. He stepped forward and gently tucked the hair behind Neve’s ear. His fingers lingered against Neve’s skin for a moment longer than necessary.
Neve turned and looked at him.
They exchanged eye contact.
Sorin’s eyes were soft. Gentle. Full of emotion that he could not seem to put into words.
Sorin’s eyes trailed down slowly from Neve’s eyes to his lips. He stared at Neve’s mouth for a long moment like he was thinking about something. Like he was tempted by something.
Then his eyes went back up to meet Neve’s gaze.
The intimate moment stretched between them, charged with something that was unspoken but understood.
"Shall we go home?" Sorin asked quietly, his voice carrying a tenderness that made Neve’s heart skip a beat.
Neve smiled softly.
He nodded.
"Let’s go home."