Native Wind by A.M. Burns

Author:A.M. Burns [Burns, A.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: steampunk
ISBN: 9781634765534
Publisher: DSP Publications
Published: 2016-07-18T22:00:00+00:00

17

A BULLET whizzed past Gray Talon’s wing as he soared over the twelve-foot rock wall that encircled the several thousand acres that made up Dabinshire’s ranch. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw one of the metal men—evidence of McNair’s presence on the ranch—standing on the wall, holding its arm up, taking aim at him. Turning his tail to climb higher into the sky, Gray Talon struggled to get out of range before the construct managed to hit him. More bullets zinged by, narrowly missing his feathered form. Below him more metal eyes stared up at him. The bullets came too close for comfort. Finally he managed to clear the upper range of the bullets, but he was now so far up in the cold atmosphere, even his sharp eagle eyes couldn’t make out details on the ground below.

With a heavy sigh, he turned his wings to the north, toward the butte where they’d set up camp. It was only his first attempt to penetrate the ranch’s defenses and see what he could spot from the air, but he hadn’t expected the metal men on the top of the wall to start shooting at him. He’d heard rumors—all natives in the area had—that Dabinshire and McNair hated the People so badly they killed any animal they didn’t know trying to enter their land. All out of fear it might be a shape-shifted warrior trying to get revenge for the war ten years ago, when McNair slaughtered men of the People from various tribes with his earth magic as he raised the stone wall encircling the ranch.

Once he felt he was safely out of range of the wall, Gray Talon swooped toward the butte, angling his flight to cover the shortest distance. Wind rolled across him as he cut through the sky. In the distance gray clouds of a cold front hung ominously. The cave they’d discovered at the base of the butte would give them shelter from the chilling night air. Flying low along the path that led to the cave, Gray Talon shifted to his human form and strolled in to find Trey deep in meditation while Sarah and Copperpot looked on.

“How long has he been out?” Gray Talon asked softly. If he were too loud, it might break his partner’s concentration, giving Trey a splitting headache.

“About an hour,” Sarah whispered. “He said he wanted to get a feel for the place right after you left. Did you find anything interesting?”

Gray Talon shook his head. “Not really. He’s posted metal men sentries on top of the wall. They started shooting at me as soon as I was within range.”

“You’re back, so they must not have been very good shots,” she replied.

“Good enough that I couldn’t get past the wall without risk of lead poisoning.”

“That wall is an abomination,” Trey said softly.

Gray Talon turned to him. “So what did you find out?”

“The magical energies around here scream in pain,” Trey said. “I understand why the People stood against McNair and Dabinshire when this monstrosity was being built.

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