| Chapter Twenty |
Nefti and Ashayla were nearing the very limits of their endurance, and Jozay was just not finding the airspeed to
overtake the manmade beast the humans were riding. But he couldn’t give up. By the grace of Sozo, the noise that had
dispersed the others had only driven him down to Leandra. He was being given another chance to not be weak, to
overcome the challenge set before him. No, there would be no surrendering.
Thunder rocked the night. For every bit that the first noise had been high and shrill, this one was low and deafening. But
the punishment dealt to Jozay’s ears was nothing compared to the pain of heart he heard in Nefti’s voice as he called out
for his mate. Jozay looked over his left shoulder. Where had once been Ashayla flying beside him was now a cloud of
white and golden feathers as the eagle’s body fell to the ground. Nefti circled back to his beloved.
Jozay was filled with a rage he had never known. White-hot righteous anger flooded his being as he found untapped
reserves of strength and power not before used. The speed of the wind itself carried him into the human who had done
this. Although he was aiming for the man’s throat, his first strike hit the hand holding the weapon, which fell deep into the
riding beast’s interior. Jozay’s second claw-studded paw hovered; he was fully prepared to send the human being to
Sozo for judgment.
But something stopped him; a baseline commandment even deeper than his instincts.
‘It is forbidden for a beast to kill a human master.’
Jozay did not have to consider this long, the split second was all Destiny needed. The female human looked back in
shock and alarm and lost command of the beast she was directing. It overturned, sending the two humans, Jozay, and all
three caged cubs flying to the ground. The fall was hard. Not one of them rose to their feet.
overtake the manmade beast the humans were riding. But he couldn’t give up. By the grace of Sozo, the noise that had
dispersed the others had only driven him down to Leandra. He was being given another chance to not be weak, to
overcome the challenge set before him. No, there would be no surrendering.
Thunder rocked the night. For every bit that the first noise had been high and shrill, this one was low and deafening. But
the punishment dealt to Jozay’s ears was nothing compared to the pain of heart he heard in Nefti’s voice as he called out
for his mate. Jozay looked over his left shoulder. Where had once been Ashayla flying beside him was now a cloud of
white and golden feathers as the eagle’s body fell to the ground. Nefti circled back to his beloved.
Jozay was filled with a rage he had never known. White-hot righteous anger flooded his being as he found untapped
reserves of strength and power not before used. The speed of the wind itself carried him into the human who had done
this. Although he was aiming for the man’s throat, his first strike hit the hand holding the weapon, which fell deep into the
riding beast’s interior. Jozay’s second claw-studded paw hovered; he was fully prepared to send the human being to
Sozo for judgment.
But something stopped him; a baseline commandment even deeper than his instincts.
‘It is forbidden for a beast to kill a human master.’
Jozay did not have to consider this long, the split second was all Destiny needed. The female human looked back in
shock and alarm and lost command of the beast she was directing. It overturned, sending the two humans, Jozay, and all
three caged cubs flying to the ground. The fall was hard. Not one of them rose to their feet.
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