CHAPTER 69: NOKARI - SERAKAI (2)

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Only the sounds of Yoa’s knuckles pounding into Vulcan’s face resounded in the eerily silent jungle as the Silver Feather flock watched their newly crowned leader get pummelled into. Each strike of Yoa’s fury was more powerful than the last as his beast sought blood and vengeance.

How dare this entitled peacock try to make a claim to his Serakai?! A growl ripped from deep within his chest as his eyes burned into Vulcan’s, not seeing anything beyond the memory of Nova trembling in Vulcan’s arms, freshly marked, the Nokari ceremony taking place. He couldn’t see Vulcan or feel the skin on his knuckles split.

Yoa’s attack had been so quick even Vulcan couldn’t react in time. He could only accept Yoa’s punishing fists, groaning as his cheekbone cracked under the force of this beast. He knew the consequences of taking Nova, but he had no other choice. Ixana ruled with an iron fist, and Ayumi would be no different.

Pain shattered across his skull, shooting to his ribs and lower back. His survival instincts snapped into place, and he fought back, bucking his hips and shoving Yoa off him with a roar. The jaguar shifter was a heavy lump, all muscle and towered even over him.

Yoa flipped back, landing on his hands and feet, muscles coiled and ready to strike. The jaguar and eagle faced one another, chests heaving.

One gasped from unleashing a storm of blows, rage fuelling his veins. The other struggled to breathe because Yoa had definitely broken his nose.

They charged at each other, colliding with the force of wild gods. The impact echoed through the trees, those gathered trying to steady themselves against the tremor rumbling along the bark, their wings fluttering.

Vulcan’s wings beat the air in violent bursts, his feet shifting into deadly talons. They raked across Yoa’s side, drawing blood. Yoa grunted and slammed his shoulder into Vulcan’s chest, knocking the wind from him, then followed with a savage uppercut that snapped his head back.

They grappled, twisted and slammed into the bark of the tree. The platform shuddered beneath their fury, branches splintering under their feet. Claws and talons sliced at skin, the desire for blood driving them into a frenzy of savage blows and unrelenting fury.

Nobody intervened. The Silver Feather flock stood idly by, watching and unable to do anything. Yoa had every right to kill Vulcan for what he did. They had rules, and Vulcan broke the singular one that all tribes agreed to.

Nova watched, ignoring Aiyana’s attempts to pull her away, frozen in place as her heart hammered in her chest. She could almost feel every strike like the blows were landing on her, too. Her hand pressed to her chest, flinching whenever Yoa landed a hit—and gasping whenever Vulcan struck back.

She couldn’t understand it. She had every reason to let Yoa hurt Vulcan, but each hit made her flinch.

Locked together on the ground again, Yoa growled in Vulcan’s bloodied face as he heard Nova’s reactions. "Atia! Take Nova away now!" He barked over his shoulder.

He sensed that stupid connection between Nova and Vulcan and needed her gone. It physically hurt his chest more than any wound this pompous chicken inflicted on him to hear Nova’s pain over another. But it was that stupid Nokari bond messing with her.

Before she could stop herself, Nova whispered, emotion clawing at her throat. "Please stop."

Two little words. A plea. One meant for both of them to hear. Vulcan and Yoa froze, their knuckles bloodied and skin covered in cuts from talons and claws.

Yoa growls in frustration, the noise loud and vibrating along the bark until their knees shake. His eyes glowed like two burning sunsets as he fought with the urge to kill Vulcan right now. "What you did... I will never forgive, and I will never forget," he snarled.

Vulcan’s jaw set as he stared back at the jaguar shifter who held him against a tree. He knew the consequences, but he couldn’t remain under Ixana’s rule and then his sisters-

Blinding white ruptured along his eyesight as pain rippled along his wing, the vibration shredding to the core of his wing bone. He hadn’t even seen Yoa’s speed or heard him break his wing. His knees buckled, right wing hanging loosely by his side.

Yoa’s upper lip pulled back in a snarl as he kicked the eagle shifter in the chest, and Vulcan fell back on his wings.

Nova gasped and bolted forward—or would have if Atia’s arm hadn’t wrapped around her waist, halting her. She tried to scramble out of his hold, wanting to comfort Vulcan. Seriously? Comfort the man who’d created all this mess?!

Yoa growled at the eagles, glaring at them. This was a message to them. His beast wasn’t satisfied, deeming Vulcan’s punishment was far too light. But the tugging sensation in his chest demanded his attention. He’d been a mess without Nova safely in his arms for too long.

Atia still held her back, but the moment Yoa turned his back on Vulcan and his flock, Atia released Nova. She had been running, intending to see if Vulcan was okay, but the moment those ethereal eyes burned into hers, it was like a flame-tipped arrow pierced into her chest. She ran straight into Yoa’s arms.

He lifted her up and crushed her body to his, face burying into her neck, inhaling deeply, then wrinkling his nose. Her scent was mixed with his. His beast’s growl rumbled in his chest.

"Come on," Atia urged from behind them. Now that Yoa had turned his back on the flock, dismissing them, families had taken to their nests, protecting their young, while warriors and women began to gather around Vulcan, finally showing concern.

Yoa and Nova looked in Vulcan’s direction, and the surrounding warriors started to step towards them. Vulcan’s offences to Yohuali had now been forgotten. They were on Silver Feather territory, and their new leader had fallen.

A flash of concern passed through Nova’s eyes before she looked up at Yoa, noting the scowl on his face. Her expression crumpled, and she squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her face into his chest.

"I’m sorry," she murmured, meaning it so deeply it made her heart ached.

"It’s not your fault." Yoa wiped his cheek against the top of her head in a rough yet comforting gesture.

Nova frowned as she felt something warm and wet on her side, then gasped. "Yoa! You’re bleeding!"

She stared down at the gashes carved into his skin by Vulcan’s razor-sharp talons.

"It’s just a scratch," he chuckled—like she couldn’t see a literal chunk of his flesh that shouldn’t be visible. "It’ll heal."

"That must hurt like a bitch," Nova whispered, still wide-eyed and guilt stinging her eyes.

"Hey," Yoa’s hand brushed away a tear, and he tipped her chin up with his other hand. "It’s not your fault-"

"Bro, this is real sweet and everything; you two are total lovebirds, but. We. Need. To. Go," Atia called out, interrupting the cute moment. He glanced toward Aiyana, who had already started to pace in front of them like she was ready to take on the entire flock if it came to that. The girl would do it without needing to be asked.

Atia would be right beside her, of course. He always would be. But Aiyana was hurt. She masked her limp well, but nothing escaped his notice—not when it came to her.

Yoa nodded. "Climb onto my back," he instructed Nova, helping her to move onto his back, clinging to him, arms around his neck.

Atia raced across the platform first, his twin blades sheathed by his sides as he leapt the huge distance between the trees. Yoa and Aiyana followed. The flock started banding together again and working as a unit, guarding their leader, his baby sister, whose fate was yet to be decided, and expanding the perimeter.

A few whooshed by the escaping Oncari, some swooping close by, talons or beaks almost hitting and cutting into flesh as a warning. They ducked and leapt out of the way. Aiyana tackled one of the eagles down before it could attack Yoa and Nova.

Atia struggled to track her movements a few levels of branches below, where the leaves concealed her. He breathed easier when she leapt back up to meet them, shifting into her jaguar form for quicker healing.

"Go back to the treehouse. Lose them first," Yoa ordered the other two. "We’ll meet you there."

"Be safe," Atia called, pressing a palm to his chest in farewell.

Yoa mirrored the gesture, and they parted ways at a split in the river.

Nova remained quiet the entire time, feeling nauseous with that pecking sensation on her chest again. Sensing Nova wasn’t feeling well and aware that it had to do with the Nokari mark, Yoa spoke over his shoulder in a soothing manner even as his eyes still burned like the rising sun on a battlefield. "What you’re feeling. It will go. Don’t worry. It will all be over soon."

Nova searched his eyes, feeling like she might fall apart with the turbulent emotions stirring in her chest. She felt so weak and vulnerable and hated seeing Yoa like this, feeling his temper and sadness. It was like her own.

"How... How do you know what I’m feeling?" She asked in a small voice, aware it was barely a whisper, and she could hardly hear it over the sound of her racing heart.

Yoa slipped them beneath a wet rocky surface and pulled her down into a crouch behind a boulder. She hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings, trusting Yoa completely to take her to safety. Still, her gaze was fixed on him, her breath halting, sensing his next words were important. Like they’d already been written in the stars themselves.

"Because you are my Serakai, Nova," he whispered, grasping her face gently between his hands, holding her like she was a delicate petal. "What you feel, I feel. If you are in pain, then I am in pain."