Breeze Scorchwind's Arc

Chapter 1 of 6

Breeze Scorchwind perched on a jagged outcrop, her red wings folded tight against her back. She stared up at the highest peak in the distance. Ice and snow covered its sharp summit. That peak would be hers one day—her domain, her home, her throne above all of Hunky Dory. She pictured it clearly in her mind. A grand nest would sit at the very top, woven from twisted branches and stone. Desert plants would line the edges, their green leaves bright against the white snow. Her own red feathers would decorate the walls, proof that she had claimed what was hers. The nest would be wide and open, letting wind flow through freely. From there, she would see everything below. Every valley, every cliff, every creature in the range would know she ruled from above. Breeze spread her wings and felt the morning air lift her feathers. Soon, that vision would be real. But first, she needed to mark the path. Breeze dove from the outcrop and glided down the mountainside. She landed near an old leather flag half-buried in rocky soil. The flag was weathered and worn, its surface cracked from years of sun and wind. She pulled it free and shook off the dust. Faded letters warned of harpy territory ahead, written in shaky, old-style script. Perfect. She grabbed it in her talons and flew back up the slope. Every hundred feet, she planted a similar flag into the ground between the rocks. Each one would guide travelers up the mountain and remind them whose land they walked on. By sunset, the flags formed a clear line from the base to the middle slopes. Breeze stood at the highest marker and looked up at the peak again. It seemed closer now, less like a dream and more like a place she could touch. The path was set. The warning was clear. All that remained was to climb higher and build what she had imagined. She flexed her wings and felt the cold wind rush past her face. Her domain waited at the top, and she would claim it soon.