Jason and the Falcon

No one ever walks here, thought Jason. Wish I did not have to walk so far to get to the ocean, but this may the last time Ang and me have before it all goes down. He grabbed Ang's hand as he slid across a mossy rock. The ocean crashed, spraying their faces with salty mist.

Another particularly large wave hit the rocks. It cupped over smashing water, foam and ocean waste all around them. Ang dodged something careening by her. Jason felt the wind wash as it flew by his face. Flinching, they both ducked.

Shrugging it off, they looked around at the primeval landscape that was the ocean careening into the world they knew as Cape Ann. They kept walking along the coast, the very thing that separated ocean, the primeval essence of life, from the modernized version of reality they were used to living in.

"Is this real? What's going on Ang? Are we really going into the world of the Exorcist?"

"Jason, you have an idea on what I do. I deal with situations that others can't. It's fun, exciting even. No day is ever the same. It is fun and I get to see how people deal with things outside their normal frame of reference. I'm good at what I do, no one is better at it then me. But I just don't know what is happening right now. It like a story I read as a kid, evil spirits, ghosts, talking dogs and that whole thing down in Cameron's dungeon! What's going on?"

Jason mulled his words and thought about what she was saying. His mind raced around her inferences. He remembered her stories of jobs creating equanimity between desperate sides. She was good at what she did, he knew. He also knew what they were getting involved in was something neither of them had any real knowledge about.

"You know me Ang, I look for interesting and unusual things to write about. I want to find things that Fox Maulder could not understand. This is real, Ang. This is the real thing, we are witness to something beyond our world."

A wave crashed onto the rocks, spraying them with reviving mist and clarity they may not have understood before. Over their heads a falcon screeched.

They both looked up and saw him flying over the verge of water and rocks. Further out over the ocean a lone crow, or raven, flew.

The falcon flew its course, hunting mackerel, while seemingly ignoring its lone foe. Yet the bird flew higher than it should have if it were really hunting its dinner. Somehow Jason could see this minute deviation in patterns and understood something was about to happen. He pointed out the bird and explained his observations to Ang.

"What are you trying to say, Jason?"

“I'm not sure. Let's watch and see."

They watched as the falcon hunted. It dove at the waters surface, wings tucked and streamlined. It pulled up just before hitting the surface with legs extended. However, nothing was in its talons as it arced back to the open sky.

A scree sounded and Jason saw the falcon look around trying to find the source. Abruptly the falcon banked avoiding the extended claws of the raven. The two birds of prey danced and dodged each other driven by the vagaries of wind shift while flying so close to the land and rocks it seemed disaster was imminent. Up and down, twisting between rock and tree they frantically pursued each other. Waves crashed and the birds flew through the curls.  Spray filled the air, yet the two paid no heed.

Finally the black bird, a raven, Jason decided, screeched in frustration and gave up the chase. It flew straight up to the sky. As it arched higher and higher, its silhouette faded. The sun engulfed the figurer in its glare.

The falcon seemed to understand and pulled up to just over the trees and rocks. Jason saw it look around. It seemed to shake its head. Jason thought it seemed to relax a little as it settled on a dead beach pine branch.

Jason watched as the bird settled. It ruffled feathers, shook its head and looked around, ever vigilant. Its intense gaze was directed at the sky, not the water where dinner was awaiting. Jason pointed the bird to Ang and started telling her of the epic hunt, but she said she was compelled to watch the scene too.

"I just could not see anything else. It was like I had to watch it, nothing else mattered.”

Jason pointed at the bird of prey sitting on the branch not 20 feet away from them and said, “There is more going here than what we're seeing. I can feel…something,” he looked at his lover and knew she felt it too.

Angelique’s face was flushed, her eyes a little red, her lips moist and a little pursed, her chest was heaving a little. “Where did that raven go? What is a raven doing out here?” It was like a wave flowed over her being. Her face flushed even more. “There are no ravens here, only seagulls fly like that. Maybe a crow or two, but they don’t fly out this far in the water." She paused a moment, "What was that Jason?” a shiver engulfed her body. It flowed to Jason, his face reflecting their trepidation.

Sitting on the branch, the falcon majestically surveyed its surroundings. Its gaze finally settling on the ocean before it.

As the two looked up at the bird in the dead tree, their butts, seemingly of their own accord, found a hard rock large enough for them to settle on. The falcon’s laser-like stare moved from place to place. Jason watched as the aerial raptor scanned the sky, finally it stared fixedly at single point. Jason shifted his gaze to where the falcon was staring.

A single black dot way out on the horizon appeared. The falcon raised its head and Jason could see the bird focus all of its attention on that spot in the sky, all thought of hunting fish gone. Somehow Jason's whole perception shifted to the falcons view. He felt the falcon's apprehension.

Somehow, both the bird and Jason knew the raven coming at them was more than just a bird. Jason saw through the falcon's eyes as the raven swooped down, talons extended, a loud screech coming from the attacking bird. It charged through the air at Jason/falcon, pulling away mere inches from them, all the while screeching fear and hate. Through the falcon's eyes he saw the raven's attack. He felt its fear, yet knew its self-confidence. Jason's bird of prey knew it could out fly its opponent, it could even best it in a physical aerial fight. Its talons it knew, were stronger and sharper than any other birds. The falcon had felt bones crush with their strength. It had beaten many a foe and caught many fish with their grip.

The falcon called itself Bendor. He had seen many a battle against all manner of bird, crows, jays, even a mockingbird or two, and the ravens. Bendor always prevailed. He knew he had no equal even among his own kind. Yet Jason felt its anxiety about this assault. The bird of prey knew he was battling more than just mortal birds. While Bendor's attention was taken by the raven harassing him, another raven appeared.

Both ravens flew close screeching, passing within inches of Bendor. His eyes swiveled around while his head turned and followed the two. Seemingly passive, while inside Jason could feel the tension grow within Bendor's mighty soul. A swift breeze almost knocked Bendor off his perch. Instinctively his wings spread. One of the attackers scored a slight hit on the very tip.

Screaming his rage, Jason felt himself leap into the air, wings extended pounding the invisible air to gain speed for flight. The ravens, now numbered three, with another flapping frantically into the fray.

Left on the ground, Angelique watched as Bendor, somehow she knew his name, used the wind currents to gain altitude. She saw how the falcon could fly closer to the wind than his foes, while the ravens cawed in frustration circling around the more agile bird.

Bendor saw the fourth raven finally begin to engage the battle. He also knew it was more fatigued than the others and knew his strategy. He flew higher, making the world beneath small and distant. He knew he could separate his victim, and was confident his claws could crush the life out of it before hitting the ground.

Angelique saw the spot in the sky tip over and dive. She heard the ravens caw in alarm as they spread apart. She saw Bendor single out the newest enemy. The two birds almost collided, but the raven flipped over to its back with talons extended and Bendor swooped away. Angelique saw the falcon do something she thought no bird could do. It made a loop in the sky and came up from under the raven smashing in it with such force and speed feathers flew pell mell. Bendor's claws snapped the neck of the unsuspecting raven and pushed it away.

With wings extended to catch air, Bendor gracefully arced a mere foot from the rocks.

Outraged and screaming their in indignation the remaining three ravens tried again to out flank their foe. Yet again Bendor flew too close to the wind for an effective attack. Each raven would swing wide of Bendor and flap to gain momentum for its attack, yet Bendor was always able to pivot away.

During one especially close foray when two of the ravens got extremely close, one reached out and nipped Bendor's wing again. He howled in rage while the other wing pulled at the wind making him almost pivot in the air, smashing against one of the ravens, knocking it, wings akimbo, into the third. The ravens screeched their rage.

Bendor tucked his wings leaving only the tips out to guide his flight. He tipped his head down and dove towards the earth. Jason, still inside the warrior falcon's being, thrilled at the skill and courage of Bendor, yet he saw the third raven stalking above.

Bendor saw it too. Closer to the ground than he wanted to be, he saw a tall boulder standing along the water line and headed toward it. Gaining speed as he descended he opened his wings a little to gain better control while slowing enough for the raven behind to close the distance.

Diving around the huge boulder, Bendor swooped up and again looped around to the back of his outclassed attacker. He pounced on the foolish raven, grabbing it mid flight, and smashed it against the rock. He arced upward screeching his exhilaration and triumphant glee for all the world to hear.

Jason, his heart pounding at the maneuver, was released from the falcon and found himself back in his own body. He collapsed almost mashing his head against a rock. Gaining his feet, he looked at Angelique whose face was shocked, yet she recovered quickly.

"Did you see that? That falcon took out those crows like they were nothing. It was like they were only shadows."

"Oh they were real all right. My hand is still sore from one of their flybys," Jason shook his hand as if trying to shake the pain away. "I was up there with Bandor. I saw the whole thing, I was in his head."

"Bandor? His name was Bandor, right? That's what I heard, or felt. I'm not sure. What happened up there, Jason? I know what I saw, but I know more things were happening. Your eyes got all gazed. It felt like, I don't know. Is this somehow involved with everything? I just wanted a little walk before it all happened! Just a minute with you to relax and get some understanding or perspective, maybe on what this is all about."

"I know, Ang. I think as long as this thing between Cam and Dreamsire is going on, we are a part if it whether we like it or not." Jason staggered a little, catching himself before falling.

"Are you OK?" Angelique asked reaching out to her man, catching his arm.

He shook himself a little. Angelique thought it looked like a bird ruffling its feathers. "Oh that was intense." He looked at Angelique with wonder in his eyes, "I have never felt like that before. Think about it Ang, I was in the head of a peregrine falcon. I can still feel him a little. Jeez Ang, I can't tell you what it was like, but kinda like riding a roller coaster with all the safeties off! When he did those loops..."

"I didn't even know a bird could do that!? What was it like?"

"I had no control. Yet I felt like I was part of the whole thing. I knew that if we didn't do it right we would have been killed by those wraiths. They could have out flown Bendor, trapped us in the sky. It almost happened, but Bendor out flew those things."

"Wraiths? I saw them as clear as day."

"Yeah, I know, but Bendor told me what they were. There is something about demoniac possession. It was more than that though. I think these ravens and," he made air quotes, "and the dark side have some kind of understanding. So I'm gonna go out on a limb and call them wraiths."

"Yeah I can go with that, I guess. About all I know about that stuff is what I've read by Tolkien." Her face brightened with that reference. "Think we'll see any hobbits soon?"

"No but I think Bendor may be related to the Great Eagles, at least in his heart.”

The two started walking again, Jason still a little shaky and reaching out to Ang. He tried to explain what happened up there in the head of the magnificent Bandor.

"It all happened so fast, all at once I was the bird. It was weird, I could not make him do anything, but it felt so natural. His attack on those ravens, felt right. I knew he, or we I guess, could take those guys, and when he did that loop, I saw everything, knew what he was doing and what his plan was. I don't think any other bird could have pulled that off, but Bendor knew he could. I think he has done it before. The amazing thing is I knew he could do it and I knew he was going to grab that ass wipe bird and slam it onto the rocks. I saw the whole thing as he was doing it and understood the whole plan."

"You know ever since the...the Quickening, I've felt stronger, more vital. You know what I mean? Everything just seems more clear, kinda like a hangover before the pain and puking get in the way. I had no idea that stuff like that could happen." Angelique reached for Jason's hand. It was warm and strong.

Jason felt Angelique's strength and need when her hand moulded to his. "I don't how it happened, but I was there in his head, I was him. I did a little research for something I wrote, on something called transference. Mostly it had to do with emotional redirection of one's feelings to another. But there was some vague reference to the actual movement of ones being to another. Mostly it sounded like hooey to me."

"Until now?" asked Angelique.

"Yeah."

A falcon's SCREE made the two jump. Over their heads flew the magnificent falcon. With a flourish, and a feather floating to the ground, Bendor settled on a sturdy piece of drift wood facing the two humans.

Jason could see the way the bird of pray hid its discomfort. The wing that had been injured during the arial battle moved a little slower, a little stiffly. Yet he knew the bird could handle anything this world could send his way.

A thought filled his head, You did well, Man. I have seen others loose themselves in battle. It is bad for me when that happens.

"You have done this before?" asked Jason?

Use no words, Man. There are those close by that may hear.

"How do I do that? Ahh, I see." Jason felt something happen in his mind, a door opening. He saw Angelique's face recognize the same feeling. He tried, Ang, can you hear me?

Yeah, I think so. But hear is not the right word. Whatever this is really is cool-telepathy. Cool!

Humans, understand my words. The woman Cameron, sent me to you.

Why? Asked Angelique.

We have been allies for many, many generations. Our races have allied each other in many battles. In all we have won. When our two peoples fight, we win. In the battle ahead, we will win.

To show is strength and confidence, Bendor let out an ear piercing scree.

Both Angelique and Jason felt the strength of conviction and power flow through their beings.

Jason thought, You have fought those ravens before, haven't you?

The raven are an old enemy. We fight. They die.

Angelique leaned over to the rock where the errant feather had fallen. Picking it up she saw the stain of blood at the red tip. This must have hurt. The way you flew around those ravens. I have never seen anything like it before.

Jason watched as she drew the feather under her nose. A ferrel look flashed behind her eyes. They shifted about looking around for any foe.

Keep that, human woman. It will remind you of the stakes we fight for.

Angelique drew the feather across her nose one more time. Then proffered it to Jason, who gazed at it. He wiped his elbow and winced a little. A far away gaze darkened his face, then a look of resolve straitened his spine. Fiercely, his gaze found the falcon's.

Angelique saw something pass between the two and while Jason seemed to grow in strength, a savage change seemed to take over his whole being, the Bird o prey screamed and took to the air.

When Jason turned back to his lover his face had returned to normal. He  reached out to her and turned her around, after kissing the feather he tucked it into her hair at the tie-dye hair band.

She turned back to her man, grabbed him and they kissed with more passion then either had felt before. They kissed with the desperation of two who knew they may be dead soon due to their adventure ahead.

Angelique pulled away from her lover and thought, My God what are we in to here? I could die here and no one would know what happened.

We will not die my Love...

" Jason! We can still think together!" She exclaimed aloud.

"I guess it is one of the benny's we get with it all. Now you need to be careful what you think, I can hear it!" She tried to punch his arm, but he caught her hand and twisted her around so their lips met with an explosion of feeling. After, they walked some more on the rock strewn coast. Finally they made their way back to his car and went looking for answers and Cameron.