Wind Walkers # 1

Wind Walkers is the second blog story in The Sentinels of Varnuse series. Follow the lives of Nico Redhawk & Dominic Manse, as well as Crimson Redhawk & Raevyn Blue.

Crimson Redhawk shook his head, as he watched the three men leave his village. Vayne and Arron were two of the strangest men that he had ever met, it seemed as though they both loved and hated each other at the same time. Dominic Manse was one that he still hadn’t worked out. He was quiet yet he seemed to always be near – lately every time he turned around Dominic was either talking to, or watching every move his older brother made – while Nico seemed to be oblivious to it all, or maybe not. Nico seemed to be a lot happier since the strangers had turned up.

“You looked troubled young one.”

Crimson turned and looked up into the face of his father and shrugged. “I’m okay, Nico is the one that looks sad.” And he did.

Nico and crimson were from the same nesting, though Nico was older by about ten minutes. Not only did they look exactly alike… Crimson could also feel his brother’s pain.

“Nico’s path lies elsewhere, it won’t take long for him to follow his heart,” his father said softly.

Shock raced through Crimson. “Nico is leaving?” What would he do without his nest mate? He and Nico had been inseparable in the entire twenty-six years they had been alive. If Nico left it would be like losing one of his own limbs. Out of the four hatchlings in their nesting, he and Nico were the closest it could be that they both had similar tastes in all aspects of their life, from the way they dressed to their sexual preferences.

His father nodded, he reached and placed a gentle hand on Crimsons shoulder. “You will need to follow Nico; it is your destiny to keep your brother sane and whole. He will need the mind link that you share. It is a rare and cherished gift among our kind.” Squeezing his shoulder his dad went on. “Nico will lead you to your own heart. Somewhere out there is the man that will love you as you were meant to be.”

Crimson stared after his father as he walked away, his mouth opening and closing rapidly in sync with the fluttering beat of his heart. He was shocked to find out that his father even knew about his tastes in men. To date all his rendezvous had been in secret and kept well away from his village and especially his family. In stunned silence Crimson made his way to the small hut that he shared with Nico.

**~*~**

“Are you okay?” Nico asked as soon as his brother walked into the room and collapsed on the bed across from him. “Are you ill?”

Crimson shook his head.

The paleness of his brother worried him. “Then what is it, Crim?”

“Dad, knows that I am gay… he… he says that we are leaving the village - that you will need to follow Dominic.”

Nico shrugged and felt the heat of a blush running over his pale skin. “I was thinking about it.” He smiled at Crimson. “I really like him, Crim.”

Crimson stood up and paced around the room. Nico watched as Crimson seemed to think hard about it all, before nodding and pulling out his travel backpack. Walking to his dresser he opened the draw and began shoving clothes into it. He turned and grinned, “Well, are you getting your shit together? They will get too far ahead of us if we don't hurry."

Getting up he blushed further as he pulled an already filled bag from under his bed. “I might have already packed mine,” Nico said softly as he pulled the bag onto his back and waited for Crimson to finish and do the same. “Do we tell the others?”

Crimson shook his head as he shrugged into his backpack. “Why? Dad already knows, we have his blessing and that is all that matters.”

It felt like a load had been lifted from his shoulders as they made their way past the outer guard’s perimeter and into the jungle fully. Nico could feel the eyes of the guards following them and knew one set belonged to Andel, their brother. It was kind of nice knowing that he would not have to put up with the hate filled glares of their brothers and Mother. Marion Redhawk detested that two of her sons were gay, after she found out Crimson and Nico were never again good enough for her. Instead she doted on Andel and Crayne, the two sons that shared her hatred. It saddened him that Crimson suffered right along with him.

“Stop thinking so hard.” Crimson snapped. “Those arseholes aren’t worth it.” He stopped and turned and stared straight at him. “We are better than them all. Dad was the only decent one among them.”

“It just worries me that they might turn on him now that we have gone,” Nico said so softly that he wasn’t sure Crimson had heard him.

Crimson shook his head. “Dad, basically told us to leave, he knew that we would never be able to advance through the Redhawk line with our sexual preferences. He knew the only way for us to truly live was if we left the village, left all the crap we have endured over the years, and moved on with our lives. He–” Nico watched as Crimson fell silent – deep in thought. “You know, Nico; I never thought Dad knew that I was gay, but I guess he has always known.”

Nico blushed as he confessed. “He knew, I told him when we were in our early teens. But I think he even knew before then.”

“What do you mean?”

Nico smiled, “Dad always told me that the bond you and I share was a precious gift, one to be cherished. He said that not many people were given this gift especially not siblings. He told me that no matter what else happened in our lives that we would always have each other.”

Crimson grinned as they bumped shoulders. “Well I guess he was right.”