Trouble on the horizon

Atop Nasir's broad back, Marcus felt the wind whip by. Kihara sat behind him, his body neatly settled against hers and one of her strong arms wrapped around him to keep him there. By now he was much more used to flying on the massive eagle and felt like he wasn't about to fall off, but it was still really nice to have his lover hold him like this. Every now and then she'd rub his belly, or give his side a firm a little squeeze that always made him smile.

Kihara seemed to be in a rather playful mood today. She'd been way more bold anyway, which had ended up causing him quite a bit of trouble when he was helping her clear the camp this morning. Trying to fold up a tent was hard enough work when he wasn't getting his poor butt smacked or squeezed every few minutes. Despite his squeals and protests at the time, it had all felt rather naughty and exciting. Just the thought that she could grab him whenever she wanted and do with his wriggling body as she pleased was quite the thrill and he'd been quite disappointed when she'd told him they were leaving once he was done instead of having any more fun. Of course he'd listened anyway, obediently letting her left him across Nasir's back and snuggling into her on the saddle when she pulled him close. He was hers, after all.

Far below them, the forest had given way to rocky hills some time ago, and now looming ahead were the jagged forms of huge, snow-covered mountains. Marcus stared in awe at the stunning view. Kept safe in the Castle for most of his life, he'd only ever read about landscapes like this, the walls of solid rock stretching up so high they pierced through the clouds above. It took his breath away, and seeing this all from the air just made everything that much more magnificent. From here, the range of mountains stretched out in either direction, cutting across the smaller hills like a wall of dark stone. This spectacular sight was just another precious gift Kihara had given him.

"See there?" Just like that, her hand slipped from his belly for a moment to point ahead of them, over Nasir's head. "That pass, through the mountains." Marcus followed her finger, his gaze flickering down the jagged cliffs to a huge ravine leading between them. He could just about make out a small path leading along the bottom. "That's our way home." His lover explained.

"Really?" The young prince gasped, leaning forward to peer through the pass. The winding passage of the ravine meant he couldn't quite see what was on the other side. "Your home is through there?"

"That's right, little one." She grabbed him tight again, pulling his slender body neatly back against her chest and pinning him there under her strong arm. "Nasir could fly over the mountains, but the air up there gets too thin for us. He'll take the pass instead, and through there is the Empire, my motherland." Marcus frowned curiously. He'd never really paid much attention to affairs of state, but he'd thought he knew at least the countries bordering his parents' Kingdom. Only, he'd never heard of an Empire before.

"What kind of place is it?" He asked, craning his neck up so he could stare behind him at Kihara's gorgeous face. She paused a moment, her lips curled.

"A warm place, the desert heat keeps it so." She explained, a note of pride slipping into her strong voice. "My people are slow to trust, but there are no truer allies when trouble comes. They are a proud and fierce tribe, shrewd merchants and great warriors too." Marcus nodded. After seeing her fight back in the castle, he didn't doubt it. He wondered if all the women in her home were so tall and strong and beautiful. If they were, he wouldn't know where to look! Though of course, no other woman could compare to her. He snuggled back against his lover, longing to feel the warmth of her skin again through that armor. What would she do to him when they camped down tonight? All the naughty ideas flooding through his head made his little dick tingle. "Damn it!" She spat suddenly, and just like that she grabbed him hard, her fingers digging into his side. At the same time, her other hand yanked Nasir's reins to the right. The eagle let out a piercing screech and dove that same direction, his huge wings beating hard. His feathers were bristled up on his neck, his golden eyes narrowed and cold, like he'd sensed the same danger his rider had.

"What is it?" Marcus yelped over the whistling wind, cold panic clutching his heart.

"I thought there'd be no-one watching this way." She snarled. "Keep still." Her fierce glare darted down towards the peaks below them. Heart in his mouth, Marcus tried to look. He couldn't see anything for a moment, then he caught a flicker of movement against the mountainside. Something was flying straight at them! A dark shadow against the rocks, moving really fast.

As it got closer, he could just make out the beating of wings. Another huge bird like Nasir, with the hunched over figure of a person riding on top. It wasn't the only one either. Two more had plunged down from the cliffside, the piercing screeches of their eagles filling the air. They soared closer, riding on currents of wind. None of their birds were quite as large as Nasir, but they seemed much quicker, the riders bent low over their necks. The young prince whimpered softly, only the feeling of Kihara's body pressed against his own keeping him from utter panic. He knew she'd protect him, but...this was still so scary! How was she supposed to fight this high up in the air?

"Are they enemies?" He squeaked. Kihara didn't answer, her face a mask of cold determination as she guided Nasir on with tugs on the eagle's reins. As they got closer, the three birds split apart, two of them darting left while the third kept flying straight at them. Now Marcus could make out the people riding them, women wrapped in cloth and leather carrying long lances like the one Kihara used. The leader raised her spear high and swung it towards the ground, pointing viciously with the curved blade.

"They're asking for us to land." Kihara growled suddenly, pulling Nasir's reins tight in her hands. "Do not speak, little one. Let me say everything, understand?" Marcus nodded frantically. He wasn't sure his voice was even working right now. With a piercing screech that seemed to shake the air, Nasir folded his wings and suddenly they were plunging towards the ground. Above them, the three other birds moved to follow, answering with shrieks of their own. The rocks below got closer and closer, wind whistling past.

Nasir spread his wings at the last moment, beating them hard. He landed on the rocks, sending a jolt up the young prince's spine that made him yelp in shock. Hurriedly, he pursed his lips shut to stop any other sounds escaping. Kihara was stiff against him, holding him so tightly it was starting to hurt. Her other hand had dropped Nasir's reins, and was down by her leg, near where her long spear was strapped to the saddle.

The three other birds dropped out of the sky, landing hard on the rocks around them. Even Marcus noticed they were trying to surround Nasir. The eagle bristled, scratching at the ground with those massive talons. He was much bigger than any of them, like a pigeon compared to a hawk, but could he and Kihara fight all three at once? Especially with a useless prince slowing them down.

There was a woman riding the front one, her skin brown like Kihara's and he watched nervously as she straightened in her saddle. From underneath a leather helmet, her dark eyes were narrowed and suspicious, flickering over Marcus in a very unfriendly way. The young prince shrank back into Kihara, wishing he could hide behind her muscled body.

"Who are you?" The woman snapped, her accent thick. "Entering the Empire is forbidden for those not of our blood."