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                                             ~CHAPTER SIX~

That same day, nightmares plagued Goth’s mind.
It was rare for him to dream. But if he did, there was always some hidden message woven into it. Goth ground his teeth together in his sleep, tossing and turning.
He was in the jungle. The familiar sights and scents surrounding him. All seemed peaceful. Suddenly, the trees around him toppled to the ground as if they had been made of nothing at all. The bird and insect song was silenced into a deathly quiet. All of a sudden, the sky went black like a large dark drape had covered it.
Goth then realized it was no drape…it was a huge colony of vultures. They were circling him, mocking him, as if waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
He tried to fly away, but his feet were stuck to ground, his wings wouldn’t lift him at all, no mater how hard he struggled. It was as if he weighed a thousand pounds. He looked up at the massive black cloud of birds, and suddenly saw Raiden and Eris clutched in the massive talons of two huge vultures. They screamed for him, begging for him to save them. Goth tried to yell back at them, but he had no voice in his throat. All he could do was watch as the vultures took both Raiden and Eris and, before his very eyes, tear them to shreds with their vicious claws and beaks. Goth’s mouth hung open in a silent scream. He looked away as their blood fell onto him like rain.
Goth’s body trembled slightly as he raised his head. He looked up and met the dark, beady eyes of Hexis. He was standing not too far away from him, a mocking grin across his beak. Goth glared at him, his mouth watering for the taste of bird flesh. He wanted to lunge forward and clamp Hexis around the throat. He wanted to bite down until he heard the fatal snap, before finally tearing his throat right out of him. But he just stood. That was all he was able to do.
Hexis’s wings were folded against his body, and Goth was certain he saw something move from under them. Goth peered at the shape hidden beneath the feathery curtain of wing. Suddenly, Hexis laughed and opened his wings to their full capacity.
A body of a bat slumped lifeless to the ground. Goth’s breath caught in his throat as he stared blankly at the bloody tangle of wings and fiery hair.
It was Phoenix.
Goth shut his eyes tight, not wanting to see her anymore. He could have sworn he felt tears sting his eyes. This was a rare thing, Goth never cried. Ever. The last time he did was when he was a young child, and his father had informed him of his mother’s unfortunate death. Then later when he found his young sister’s mangled body among the bushes. She had been killed accidentally. Those were the last tears he felt until now.
Suddenly, without warning, the huge swarm of vultures came crashing down upon him. He wrapped his wings around himself, trying to deflect their blows. They jabbed him with their beaks and talons, they smacked and punched him with their wings. He tried to scream, but still, no voice.
Suddenly, the world changed around him. He was no longer outside, but inside the Pyramid. He was sprawled on his back, his two wings pinned by two massive vultures. The portal was directly over his head, and he could make out the starry constellations twinkling above him. He frowned. If the portal was right above him, then that meant…
The Stone.
Goth was on the Stone. He struggled, but the vultures had a firm grip on him. At that moment, Hexis’s head appeared over him. He smiled mockingly at Goth. He growled hatefully, wishing Hexis would just lean in a bit closer, so as to lash out and snap at him.
Goth watched as Hexis reared his head back, opening his razor sharp beak. Goth’s eyes widened. Hexis was going to strike. Goth struggled violently, but knew it would be of no use.
Hexis’s head came down at him with such force, beak open to hungrily rip open his chest and tear out his heart. He was just about to feel his flesh rip…
Goth gave a shout, jolting awake. He breathed heavily, his flanks heaving, sweat trickling down his brow.
It was a dream…just a dream…
Goth rubbed his tired eyes and looked out of the window. The sun was just setting over the jungle canopy. He was up earlier than most of the colony would be. But there was no use trying to fall back asleep.
Goth stretched his wings and dropped from his roost. He soared out of his sleeping quarters and into the Royal Chamber. A few Vampyrum were up already, but most were still sleeping snugly in their roosts.
He spotted Phoenix at her roost, sleeping soundly. Goth looked at her for some time, remembering the dream. The image of her lifeless body still burned into his mind. He had to convince himself a few times that it was merely a dream. It wasn’t real.
Goth’s stomach jolted him from his trance. It growled loudly. It had been many hours since he last hunted. Angling his wings, Goth soared out of the portal and into the warm jungle air. The bird and animal calls were beginning to die down, but the chirps of crickets still echoed through the night. Goth looked up at the twinkling constellations above him. It was rare for him to dream. But whenever he did, there was always a hidden meaning to it. A message of some sorts, from Zotz.
What did it mean?
Goth frowned deeply. This dream proved to mean troubled times for the Vampyrum colony.  Those Vultures were brutal and relentless. They were the top birds of prey in the jungle. How far were they willing to go to take the Pyramid away from them?
He scowled, a low growl reverberating in his throat. They weren’t going to get far enough. They’d take his Pyramid and his chance to finally unleash Zotz over his dead body. He let Shade Silverwing ruin his last chance to raise his God; he would be damned if those feathered idiots sabotage his second opportunity.
Goth angled his wings and broke through the jungle canopy, his massive wings knocking leaves through the air. He landed on a massive twisting branch and cast out sound over the jungle floor. The silver image of scampering mice and creeping lizards flashed through his head. None looked all too appetizing. Goth frowned, and cast out sound amongst the trees, hoping for at least a delectable monkey or macaw.
What appeared in his minds eye was neither. It was the silhouette of a large bird. Goth gasped, jumping back in surprise.
It was a vulture.
Goth cast sound out again in the same place. But the vulture was gone. He frowned, shaking his head. His mind must have been playing tricks on him. That dream was getting to him again.
A rustle of leaves behind him made Goth spin around. This was getting too much! He pricked his ears, listening intently for any movement. The rustling kept coming. And the sudden sound of low laughter.
“Who’s there?” Goth shouted boldly. “Show yourself!”
The laughter grew louder. It was more than one voice, that was for sure. Goth watched as five massive shapes landed in branches, completely surrounding him. Goth stood in place as the vultures watched him with their beady eyes, chuckling.
“What do you want?” Goth asked.
One of the vultures, a female perched in a branch directly above him, leaned her head close. “We’ve come to ask you a question, oh mighty Vampyrum King.”
The four other vultures squawked with mocking laughter. Goth crossed his wings, noting the sarcasm in the bird’s tone.
“What is this question?”
She smiled. “I am Thea, messenger from Hexis. I have come on his behalf to ask if you have changed your mind about giving us the Pyramid.”
Goth smiled. “Well you can tell your leader that I’m not planning on surrendering my home for him or your colony anytime soon. You’ll get it over my dead body.”
Surprisingly, Thea gave him a smile. And all the other vultures seemed delighted by his answer as well. Goth frowned.
“We were hoping you might say that.” Thea grinned.
“Why?” Goth asked darkly.
Thea hopped down onto Goth’s branch. He did not step back. “We were told that if you rejected us again, we were to give you a little…how shall I put it…Warning.”
“Warning?” Goth asked, the fur on the back of his neck standing on end.
“Yes.” Chuckled a male vulture that landed on the same branch.
Goth’s eyes darted from one vulture to the other. They were approaching him quickly, their beady black eyes flashing menacingly. Goth’s heart began to race.
In a flash, Goth flew from the branch. He didn’t normally run from vultures, or anything for that matter. But there were too many of them. He wouldn’t be able to win the fight single-handedly. He beat his wings fast, glancing behind him to see if the vultures pursued. Indeed they did. Thea was catching up quickly, her powerful bird wings beating hard. Goth kept flying, pumping his muscles with such force he was certain he would collapse if he were to slow down.
Goth darted through the trees in a zigzag motion, hoping it would be enough to lose the birds. Suddenly, a pair of razor sharp talons snatched Goth by his shoulders, digging into his fur and skin. Goth cried out in surprise and pain as Thea took hold of him. She threw him onto the side of a tree. Goth nearly got his senses knocked out of him. His head was spinning as he landed on a branch, his shoulders oozing blood. He hadn’t even straightened up when another vulture punched Goth off the branch with a powerful wing, knocking him through the air. He was caught by yet another bird, and his wing was torn in many places by the razor beak. Goth shouted in agony, clawing viciously at the birds. His claws tore into the eye of the vulture holding him, causing him to let go and fly back with a painful howl. Goth was free, but his injured wings wouldn’t hold him up. He began to plummet to the ground below.
Thea appeared below him and caught his body in her talons. She tightened her grip around his body, nearly crushing his ribs and squeezing all air out of his lungs. Goth bit one of her clawed toes, and she immediately let go. Goth plummeted through a maze of branches and leaves, knocking his body around like a ragdoll. Finally, he landed hard on a thick branch. Goth moaned in pain, feeling as if every bone in his body were broken.
The vultures fluttered around him, smiling.
“Take that as your warning.” Thea shouted to him. “Next time, we won’t be so generous as to spare you, or anyone else.”
And with that, they took off into the night.
Goth tried lifting his head, but it felt so heavy. His fur was matted with his own blood, and some was still oozing onto the branch. The worlds around him began to spin and blur. He kept telling himself to get up. Just get up! Come on, you can fight this! But his body protested. He was so tired…
Laying his head back down, Goth gave into the urge, and let the world go black around him.

*******************************

Phoenix soared from her roost.
There was an unexpected argument of voices coming from below that had awoken her from her sleep. She recognized them as being Raiden and Eris. They were standing by the Stone, and Phoenix landed on the ground beside them.
“What’s going on here?” She asked, slightly irritated at being woken too early.
Raiden pointed to Eris. “Can you please tell her that Goth is an adult and he doesn’t need a babysitter every second of the day?”
Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“She treats him like a newborn!” Raiden shouted.
“Just because I am worried about where he is, does not mean I treat him like a newborn.” Eris protested.
“He’s the King!” Raiden said in irritation. “He can go where he likes, when he likes, without having to tell you about it! Dear Zotz, you really need to get a hobby, Eris.”
Eris growled, crossing her wings in frustration.
“Where is Goth?” Phoenix asked.
“That’s what I want to know.” Eris said. “He wasn’t in his sleeping quarters when we all awoke.”
“Maybe he went hunting?” Phoenix suggested.
“Before dusk?” Eris asked her.
“It’s not impossible.” Phoenix said. “Goth probably couldn’t sleep so he left to hunt early. It’s understandable with the amount of stress he’s going through.”
Raiden and Eris both nodded.
“Well I’m going to hunt.” Phoenix said, spreading her massive wings. “If I see him, I’ll inform him of the amount of worry he’s caused you.”
“No, don’t.” Eris said. She spread her wings. “I’ll come too.”
Raiden sighed. “No point me staying here.” He lifted into the air.
Together, the three Vampyrum soared through the portal. Phoenix scanned the jungle canopy, casting out sound, hoping to see Goth. He was nowhere in sight. She dove through the canopy, Raiden and Eris close behind. Phoenix fluttered onto a branch, landing gracefully. She cast out sound amongst the foliage, hoping to find a good meal, while Raiden and Eris hunted a few feet away.
Suddenly, Phoenix froze. A scent caught her attention. She cocked her head, sniffing the air. She would recognize that scent anywhere.
Goth.
He was either close by, or he had been here not too long ago.
“Goth?” Phoenix called out.
No response. He must have been here before. But there was another scent that lingered in the air. The pungent odour of bird. Vulture, to be exact. She frowned. That wasn’t a good sign.
Phoenix immediately lifted into the air. “Raiden! Eris! Follow me!”
The two bats heard her call and followed her through the thick of the jungle. Phoenix flew fast, following Goth’s scent, and the uncomfortable smell of Vulture. They were intermingled. Raiden flew beside her. “What’s wrong?”
“I caught Goth’s scent.” Phoenix said.
“Oh great, now you’re obsessed with finding him?” Raiden frowned.
“No, believe me.” Phoenix snorted. “There was another scent mingled in with Goth’s. It was Vulture.”
“Vulture?” Eris asked. “How can that be?”
“Goth must have had a little chat with the birds again.” She frowned. “Where that led to, I haven’t a clue.”
They flew on through the jungle, Phoenix leading the way. She didn’t know how long they had been flying for, but it had been a while. The scent kept going.
Raiden suddenly screeched to a halt. His nose crinkled up. “Do you smell that?”
“Smell what?” Eris asked, hovering next to him.
“Blood.” Raiden sniffed. He looked around. “Something must’ve been massacred close by.”
Phoenix sniffed. It was indeed blood. “We’ll investigate later. Right now we need to find Goth.”
She flew on a few feet, but the scent was suddenly gone. She banked, turning back. How can that be? Flapping back to the others she said, “The scent is gone.”
“Gone?” Raiden asked.
She nodded. “The only way the scent can be gone is that Goth is somewhere here.”
Immediately, she began to cast out sound among the trees. Silver images appeared in her mind’s eye, none of Goth. She frowned deeper. He was here. He had to be. Something was definitely wrong.
“My Lord!” Raiden called out. “My Lord are you here?”
There was no response. Phoenix couldn’t help but feel a sudden pang of panic. Where was he? She flew lower, Goth’s scent growing incredibly strong. She cast out sound amongst the trees and what came back at her made her heart stop.
“Dear Zotz…”
Goth was sprawled on a branch, unconscious and matted with blood. There were open wounds all over his wings, back, and shoulders.
“Raiden! Eris!” Phoenix called out. “I’ve found him!”
Phoenix flew over to the branch and landed beside Goth. She fell to her knees and stroked a claw across his cheek.
“Goth?” She breathed. “It’s me, Phoenix. Can you hear me?”
He didn’t respond. She lowered her head to his and felt his weak breaths against her fur. He was alive, but in terrible condition.
“What happened to him?” Eris gasped, hovering next to the branch.
“He was attacked.” She breathed, examining his wounds. “By Vultures.”
“Dear Zotz…” Raiden said.  “Will he be alright?”
Phoenix frowned. “I don’t know. We have to get him back to the Pyramid fast. Then I need you both to go back into the jungle and fetch me a few things for his wounds. Raiden, you’re going to help me make a poultice, understand?”
He nodded. “I must warn you, I’m not very good at herbs or healing yet.”
“Fortunately, I am.” She said. “Now lift him onto my back.”
“You can’t carry him.” Raiden frowned.
She smiled. “I’m a lot stronger than you may think.”
Gently, Raiden and Eris lifted Goth’s limp, bloodied body onto Phoenix’s back. She made sure he was positioned safely, before lifting off the branch with some effort. He was heavy, no doubt. Thankfully, she was strong.
“You alright?” Eris asked her.
“Fine.” Phoenix said. “Let’s get back, quickly.”

Description
                                             ~CHAPTER SIX~

That same day, nightmares plagued Goth’s mind.
It was rare for him to dream. But if he did, there was always some hidden message woven into it. Goth ground his teeth together in his sleep, tossing and turning.
He was in the jungle. The familiar sights and scents surrounding him. All seemed peaceful. Suddenly, the trees around him toppled to the ground as if they had been made of nothing at all. The bird and insect song was silenced into a deathly quiet. All of a sudden, the sky went black like a large dark drape had covered it.
Goth then realized it was no drape…it was a huge colony of vultures. They were circling him, mocking him, as if waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
He tried to fly away, but his feet were stuck to ground, his wings wouldn’t lift him at all, no mater how hard he struggled. It was as if he weighed a thousand pounds. He looked up at the massive black cloud of birds, and suddenly saw Raiden and Eris clutched in the massive talons of two huge vultures. They screamed for him, begging for him to save them. Goth tried to yell back at them, but he had no voice in his throat. All he could do was watch as the vultures took both Raiden and Eris and, before his very eyes, tear them to shreds with their vicious claws and beaks. Goth’s mouth hung open in a silent scream. He looked away as their blood fell onto him like rain.
Goth’s body trembled slightly as he raised his head. He looked up and met the dark, beady eyes of Hexis. He was standing not too far away from him, a mocking grin across his beak. Goth glared at him, his mouth watering for the taste of bird flesh. He wanted to lunge forward and clamp Hexis around the throat. He wanted to bite down until he heard the fatal snap, before finally tearing his throat right out of him. But he just stood. That was all he was able to do.
Hexis’s wings were folded against his body, and Goth was certain he saw something move from under them. Goth peered at the shape hidden beneath the feathery curtain of wing. Suddenly, Hexis laughed and opened his wings to their full capacity.
A body of a bat slumped lifeless to the ground. Goth’s breath caught in his throat as he stared blankly at the bloody tangle of wings and fiery hair.
It was Phoenix.
Goth shut his eyes tight, not wanting to see her anymore. He could have sworn he felt tears sting his eyes. This was a rare thing, Goth never cried. Ever. The last time he did was when he was a young child, and his father had informed him of his mother’s unfortunate death. Then later when he found his young sister’s mangled body among the bushes. She had been killed accidentally. Those were the last tears he felt until now.
Suddenly, without warning, the huge swarm of vultures came crashing down upon him. He wrapped his wings around himself, trying to deflect their blows. They jabbed him with their beaks and talons, they smacked and punched him with their wings. He tried to scream, but still, no voice.
Suddenly, the world changed around him. He was no longer outside, but inside the Pyramid. He was sprawled on his back, his two wings pinned by two massive vultures. The portal was directly over his head, and he could make out the starry constellations twinkling above him. He frowned. If the portal was right above him, then that meant…
The Stone.
Goth was on the Stone. He struggled, but the vultures had a firm grip on him. At that moment, Hexis’s head appeared over him. He smiled mockingly at Goth. He growled hatefully, wishing Hexis would just lean in a bit closer, so as to lash out and snap at him.
Goth watched as Hexis reared his head back, opening his razor sharp beak. Goth’s eyes widened. Hexis was going to strike. Goth struggled violently, but knew it would be of no use.
Hexis’s head came down at him with such force, beak open to hungrily rip open his chest and tear out his heart. He was just about to feel his flesh rip…
Goth gave a shout, jolting awake. He breathed heavily, his flanks heaving, sweat trickling down his brow.
It was a dream…just a dream…
Goth rubbed his tired eyes and looked out of the window. The sun was just setting over the jungle canopy. He was up earlier than most of the colony would be. But there was no use trying to fall back asleep.
Goth stretched his wings and dropped from his roost. He soared out of his sleeping quarters and into the Royal Chamber. A few Vampyrum were up already, but most were still sleeping snugly in their roosts.
He spotted Phoenix at her roost, sleeping soundly. Goth looked at her for some time, remembering the dream. The image of her lifeless body still burned into his mind. He had to convince himself a few times that it was merely a dream. It wasn’t real.
Goth’s stomach jolted him from his trance. It growled loudly. It had been many hours since he last hunted. Angling his wings, Goth soared out of the portal and into the warm jungle air. The bird and animal calls were beginning to die down, but the chirps of crickets still echoed through the night. Goth looked up at the twinkling constellations above him. It was rare for him to dream. But whenever he did, there was always a hidden meaning to it. A message of some sorts, from Zotz.
What did it mean?
Goth frowned deeply. This dream proved to mean troubled times for the Vampyrum colony.  Those Vultures were brutal and relentless. They were the top birds of prey in the jungle. How far were they willing to go to take the Pyramid away from them?
He scowled, a low growl reverberating in his throat. They weren’t going to get far enough. They’d take his Pyramid and his chance to finally unleash Zotz over his dead body. He let Shade Silverwing ruin his last chance to raise his God; he would be damned if those feathered idiots sabotage his second opportunity.
Goth angled his wings and broke through the jungle canopy, his massive wings knocking leaves through the air. He landed on a massive twisting branch and cast out sound over the jungle floor. The silver image of scampering mice and creeping lizards flashed through his head. None looked all too appetizing. Goth frowned, and cast out sound amongst the trees, hoping for at least a delectable monkey or macaw.
What appeared in his minds eye was neither. It was the silhouette of a large bird. Goth gasped, jumping back in surprise.
It was a vulture.
Goth cast sound out again in the same place. But the vulture was gone. He frowned, shaking his head. His mind must have been playing tricks on him. That dream was getting to him again.
A rustle of leaves behind him made Goth spin around. This was getting too much! He pricked his ears, listening intently for any movement. The rustling kept coming. And the sudden sound of low laughter.
“Who’s there?” Goth shouted boldly. “Show yourself!”
The laughter grew louder. It was more than one voice, that was for sure. Goth watched as five massive shapes landed in branches, completely surrounding him. Goth stood in place as the vultures watched him with their beady eyes, chuckling.
“What do you want?” Goth asked.
One of the vultures, a female perched in a branch directly above him, leaned her head close. “We’ve come to ask you a question, oh mighty Vampyrum King.”
The four other vultures squawked with mocking laughter. Goth crossed his wings, noting the sarcasm in the bird’s tone.
“What is this question?”
She smiled. “I am Thea, messenger from Hexis. I have come on his behalf to ask if you have changed your mind about giving us the Pyramid.”
Goth smiled. “Well you can tell your leader that I’m not planning on surrendering my home for him or your colony anytime soon. You’ll get it over my dead body.”
Surprisingly, Thea gave him a smile. And all the other vultures seemed delighted by his answer as well. Goth frowned.
“We were hoping you might say that.” Thea grinned.
“Why?” Goth asked darkly.
Thea hopped down onto Goth’s branch. He did not step back. “We were told that if you rejected us again, we were to give you a little…how shall I put it…Warning.”
“Warning?” Goth asked, the fur on the back of his neck standing on end.
“Yes.” Chuckled a male vulture that landed on the same branch.
Goth’s eyes darted from one vulture to the other. They were approaching him quickly, their beady black eyes flashing menacingly. Goth’s heart began to race.
In a flash, Goth flew from the branch. He didn’t normally run from vultures, or anything for that matter. But there were too many of them. He wouldn’t be able to win the fight single-handedly. He beat his wings fast, glancing behind him to see if the vultures pursued. Indeed they did. Thea was catching up quickly, her powerful bird wings beating hard. Goth kept flying, pumping his muscles with such force he was certain he would collapse if he were to slow down.
Goth darted through the trees in a zigzag motion, hoping it would be enough to lose the birds. Suddenly, a pair of razor sharp talons snatched Goth by his shoulders, digging into his fur and skin. Goth cried out in surprise and pain as Thea took hold of him. She threw him onto the side of a tree. Goth nearly got his senses knocked out of him. His head was spinning as he landed on a branch, his shoulders oozing blood. He hadn’t even straightened up when another vulture punched Goth off the branch with a powerful wing, knocking him through the air. He was caught by yet another bird, and his wing was torn in many places by the razor beak. Goth shouted in agony, clawing viciously at the birds. His claws tore into the eye of the vulture holding him, causing him to let go and fly back with a painful howl. Goth was free, but his injured wings wouldn’t hold him up. He began to plummet to the ground below.
Thea appeared below him and caught his body in her talons. She tightened her grip around his body, nearly crushing his ribs and squeezing all air out of his lungs. Goth bit one of her clawed toes, and she immediately let go. Goth plummeted through a maze of branches and leaves, knocking his body around like a ragdoll. Finally, he landed hard on a thick branch. Goth moaned in pain, feeling as if every bone in his body were broken.
The vultures fluttered around him, smiling.
“Take that as your warning.” Thea shouted to him. “Next time, we won’t be so generous as to spare you, or anyone else.”
And with that, they took off into the night.
Goth tried lifting his head, but it felt so heavy. His fur was matted with his own blood, and some was still oozing onto the branch. The worlds around him began to spin and blur. He kept telling himself to get up. Just get up! Come on, you can fight this! But his body protested. He was so tired…
Laying his head back down, Goth gave into the urge, and let the world go black around him.

*******************************

Phoenix soared from her roost.
There was an unexpected argument of voices coming from below that had awoken her from her sleep. She recognized them as being Raiden and Eris. They were standing by the Stone, and Phoenix landed on the ground beside them.
“What’s going on here?” She asked, slightly irritated at being woken too early.
Raiden pointed to Eris. “Can you please tell her that Goth is an adult and he doesn’t need a babysitter every second of the day?”
Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“She treats him like a newborn!” Raiden shouted.
“Just because I am worried about where he is, does not mean I treat him like a newborn.” Eris protested.
“He’s the King!” Raiden said in irritation. “He can go where he likes, when he likes, without having to tell you about it! Dear Zotz, you really need to get a hobby, Eris.”
Eris growled, crossing her wings in frustration.
“Where is Goth?” Phoenix asked.
“That’s what I want to know.” Eris said. “He wasn’t in his sleeping quarters when we all awoke.”
“Maybe he went hunting?” Phoenix suggested.
“Before dusk?” Eris asked her.
“It’s not impossible.” Phoenix said. “Goth probably couldn’t sleep so he left to hunt early. It’s understandable with the amount of stress he’s going through.”
Raiden and Eris both nodded.
“Well I’m going to hunt.” Phoenix said, spreading her massive wings. “If I see him, I’ll inform him of the amount of worry he’s caused you.”
“No, don’t.” Eris said. She spread her wings. “I’ll come too.”
Raiden sighed. “No point me staying here.” He lifted into the air.
Together, the three Vampyrum soared through the portal. Phoenix scanned the jungle canopy, casting out sound, hoping to see Goth. He was nowhere in sight. She dove through the canopy, Raiden and Eris close behind. Phoenix fluttered onto a branch, landing gracefully. She cast out sound amongst the foliage, hoping to find a good meal, while Raiden and Eris hunted a few feet away.
Suddenly, Phoenix froze. A scent caught her attention. She cocked her head, sniffing the air. She would recognize that scent anywhere.
Goth.
He was either close by, or he had been here not too long ago.
“Goth?” Phoenix called out.
No response. He must have been here before. But there was another scent that lingered in the air. The pungent odour of bird. Vulture, to be exact. She frowned. That wasn’t a good sign.
Phoenix immediately lifted into the air. “Raiden! Eris! Follow me!”
The two bats heard her call and followed her through the thick of the jungle. Phoenix flew fast, following Goth’s scent, and the uncomfortable smell of Vulture. They were intermingled. Raiden flew beside her. “What’s wrong?”
“I caught Goth’s scent.” Phoenix said.
“Oh great, now you’re obsessed with finding him?” Raiden frowned.
“No, believe me.” Phoenix snorted. “There was another scent mingled in with Goth’s. It was Vulture.”
“Vulture?” Eris asked. “How can that be?”
“Goth must have had a little chat with the birds again.” She frowned. “Where that led to, I haven’t a clue.”
They flew on through the jungle, Phoenix leading the way. She didn’t know how long they had been flying for, but it had been a while. The scent kept going.
Raiden suddenly screeched to a halt. His nose crinkled up. “Do you smell that?”
“Smell what?” Eris asked, hovering next to him.
“Blood.” Raiden sniffed. He looked around. “Something must’ve been massacred close by.”
Phoenix sniffed. It was indeed blood. “We’ll investigate later. Right now we need to find Goth.”
She flew on a few feet, but the scent was suddenly gone. She banked, turning back. How can that be? Flapping back to the others she said, “The scent is gone.”
“Gone?” Raiden asked.
She nodded. “The only way the scent can be gone is that Goth is somewhere here.”
Immediately, she began to cast out sound among the trees. Silver images appeared in her mind’s eye, none of Goth. She frowned deeper. He was here. He had to be. Something was definitely wrong.
“My Lord!” Raiden called out. “My Lord are you here?”
There was no response. Phoenix couldn’t help but feel a sudden pang of panic. Where was he? She flew lower, Goth’s scent growing incredibly strong. She cast out sound amongst the trees and what came back at her made her heart stop.
“Dear Zotz…”
Goth was sprawled on a branch, unconscious and matted with blood. There were open wounds all over his wings, back, and shoulders.
“Raiden! Eris!” Phoenix called out. “I’ve found him!”
Phoenix flew over to the branch and landed beside Goth. She fell to her knees and stroked a claw across his cheek.
“Goth?” She breathed. “It’s me, Phoenix. Can you hear me?”
He didn’t respond. She lowered her head to his and felt his weak breaths against her fur. He was alive, but in terrible condition.
“What happened to him?” Eris gasped, hovering next to the branch.
“He was attacked.” She breathed, examining his wounds. “By Vultures.”
“Dear Zotz…” Raiden said.  “Will he be alright?”
Phoenix frowned. “I don’t know. We have to get him back to the Pyramid fast. Then I need you both to go back into the jungle and fetch me a few things for his wounds. Raiden, you’re going to help me make a poultice, understand?”
He nodded. “I must warn you, I’m not very good at herbs or healing yet.”
“Fortunately, I am.” She said. “Now lift him onto my back.”
“You can’t carry him.” Raiden frowned.
She smiled. “I’m a lot stronger than you may think.”
Gently, Raiden and Eris lifted Goth’s limp, bloodied body onto Phoenix’s back. She made sure he was positioned safely, before lifting off the branch with some effort. He was heavy, no doubt. Thankfully, she was strong.
“You alright?” Eris asked her.
“Fine.” Phoenix said. “Let’s get back, quickly.”