Realms of the Raven

Caught
(c) 2007 by Maura Anderson, all rights reserved

Martine hung onto the edge of the rocky cliff with every bit of strength she had, fingertips already white with strain. Stupid, so stupid. She’d finally die on one of her crazy missions, just as her family always predicted. She’d been so sure she’d found evidence of a new raptor, a huge bird of prey, that she’d ignored her own safety and taken a chance. The ledge she’d leapt over to had crumbled beneath her, leaving her dangling in midair with no real hope of rescue.

She felt in vain for toe holds or tiny outcroppings, anything to take the weight off her hands and maybe give her a chance to clamber up. Nothing. Her fingers slipped and she fought to regain her grasp, then the bit of rock she clung to pulled from the outcropping and she tumbled in the air.

Unable to breath, panic flooded through her. She was dead. The whole world moved in slow motion as she twisted and turned in the air, flailing her arms and legs in an instinctive effort to somehow catch herself.

It seemed forever. It seemed like a split second. Suddenly what little breath she had was forced from her with jolt that doubled her in half. She wasn’t falling anymore but was soaring upwards instead. She felt something tight about her body and glanced down her body, only to stare in disbelief. Huge talons were clasped around her, sharp tips burrowed into her clothes. Her ears recovered from the whistle of the wind and she could just make out the flap of huge wings.

A moment later whatever was carrying her dropped her onto a rocky mesa and landed lightly next to her. With a shove, she turned onto her back to see the huge hawk she’d been hunting looking at her, head cocked and looking at her with shiny black eyes.

“Oh my God.” It really did exist. She had finally found one of the mystery animals she’d spent years looking for.

She sat up and tugged her backpack off to search for her small camera by feel. A picture. She needed a picture to prove what she’d seen. No one would believe her without some proof.

Before she located the camera, the bird seemed to shimmer and blur. Martine rubbed her eyes to try to clear them. Then the bird glowed with a bright bluish light for a moment, then disappeared. A tall, muscular man with long black hair and gleaming coppery skin stood in its place. A very naked man.

Labels: Friday Flash