ThatPinkThing || Cardinal || male || 16 years old || escapee || wild west setting || featuring
Sawyer Hill* || 2017 words
*Sawyer is in his mid twenties when this takes place, as opposed to the age of 32 listed on his page!Acrobatics and aerial performance. That's what Cardinal was born for according to the circus owners. He was bought as a kit from God knows who and raised on the road by trapeze artists and strongmen. From the time his wings were strong enough to support him, he was pushed to do better, act faster. Life as a performer was cause for jealousy, and Cardinal had been told many times by others that he was lucky to be able to fly. He smiled and accepted the praises and comments graciously, but at the end of the night when all the spectators had gone home, Cardinal sat in his caravan and let his wings fall.
As usual, the click of the external lock confirmed that he would be stuck in his trailer for the night.
He was constantly training to perform more and more dangerous stunts, hardly ever being allowed a break. Everything ached, but his wings and shoulders most of all. Cardinal flopped down on his bed, letting his wide wings knock against the posters on his wall. Several posters were ripped from constantly getting battered, and on this particular night, one poster came loose and fluttered to the ground. Cardinal turned his head to watch it fall. It was an image of a singer he liked, but he didn't bother to tack it back up after it fell. He lay on his stomach for a long while before he shoved himself up and went to get in the trailer's bath.
The hot water was a treat he had grown used to. After a long day at work, he loved the feeling of the water in his fur. He untied his hair and spent ages scrubbing and combing it. He cared greatly for his appearance not just because he was made to, but also because when he looked in the mirror, it was nice to think the kal looking back at him was handsome.
Cardinal bundled up in his blankets after his shower, his long wet hair wrapped in an extra large towel. He fell asleep fairly quickly and stayed asleep until he heard the click of the key in his caravan's lock the next morning.
As usual, Cardinal went about his routine. He ate, stretched, ran through rehearsal, and then headed to get ready for the official shows. A couple of the trapeze artists braided his long hair tightly as he made the markings in his fur more defined with makeup. He looked in the mirror and deemed himself suitable for the two shows to come. They ran like usual, but during the first show, Cardinal noticed an odd character in the front row.
Striking gold eyes reminded him of his own, and this kalon's face was also made distinctive by an 'X' shaped marking across the center of his face. Cardinal noticed him because, for the entirety of the show, the strange kalon's eyes were on him. His eyes weren't filled with fascination like Cardinal was used to, though. This man looked almost... angry. Cardinal shook it off as jealousy and continued his flips and twirls, his vibrant red feathers shimmering in the bright circus lights.
After the second show, it was business as usual. Cardinal ate dinner around the fire with the other circus members before dismissing himself to his caravan, where he waited for the tell-tale click of the ringmaster's key. He was only resting for about a half hour before the lock was fastened, shutting Cardinal in for the night. He bathed and went to bed, wings falling over the sides of his mattress.
He woke like usual to the click of the lock coming off his door, but when Cardinal opened his eyes, he found himself in the dark. Daylight didn't yet fall through his windows. He scowled and pushed himself up, looking at the door. The ringmaster didn't ever unlock the door in the night... He flinched when the door opened slowly.
In came a large figure, and the door was shut once more. The stranger looked up at Cardinal from where he crouched, his golden eyes meeting Cardinal's. Cardinal's ears went flat.
"You," he said, recognizing the intruder as the kalon who watched his show earlier. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?"
"Sawyer Hill. You want out?" The kalon was older than him, a young adult with a growly voice and dusty fur at the end of his long tail. Clearly a rogue type. Perhaps he was sent to kidnap Cardinal and hold him for ransom.
"Excuse me?" Cardinal hissed. Sawyer sighed.
"I heard rumors some circus troop was keeping a kid locked up to perform. Didn't think it was right. Decided to check it out." Sawyer said it as if it was obvious. His tone was sincere.
Cardinal blinked, brow furrowed deeply. "You... just go around breaking into places to see if rumors are true?"
"I haven't heard it that bluntly before, but I guess that's it, yeah." Sawyer's left ear flicked and he chuckled a little. Cardinal wasn't sure if he should be scared or amused. This guy was crazy, but he seemed to have a good heart. Sawyer sighed. "Look, kid, I just wanted to see if you're okay. If they're keeping you here against your will, I can help. I got in, I can get you out. But if you're fine, I'll be on my way."
Cardinal fell silent. He had never thought seriously about running. He knew people would come for him. He knew he wouldn't fit in with the general population, not with his wings. He only knew circus life, he didn't know how to survive on his own. He'd resigned to being stuck here forever. His constantly-sore body and bored mind were just facts of life he had accepted. But here was a man in front of him in the middle of the night, offering him a way out. He wanted to leave, but he couldn't even begin to imagine a life outside the circus.
"Where would I go?"
"I don't know, but I wouldn't just dump you, kid. I know my way around the wild west, and I've got friends in good places." Sawyer gestured as he spoke, and Cardinal noticed that he was missing two digits on a front paw. The injury startled Cardinal.
"What happened?"
"Hm? Oh, just an accident," Sawyer held his paw out, allowing Cardinal to come closer and inspect the scars. Cardinal looked his paw over and was silent for a long while before he replied. Something bad had happened to Sawyer, but he was okay. It hadn't ended his world. If this guy could face something scary and be okay, Cardinal thought that perhaps he could try being brave too.
"Okay. I want out. Truth is, I've never... tried to leave. I didn't think I could. But if there's something beyond just training day in and day out for the rest of my life... I guess it would be nice to see it," Cardinal said, steeling his nerves.
"You got guts, kid," Sawyer said approvingly, grinning. He nodded and opened the door. "Alright, wings in tight, stealth is gonna be your friend in the dark."
The two slipped away into the night, the circus tents and caravans beyond the horizon by the time the sun started to rise. Sawyer rode a grey dappled horse called Achilles, and Cardinal rode with him for a while before, once away from the circus, the winged kalon decided to fly. He'd never flown distances before, but the glorious feeling of the wind in his fur as he glided dreamily, high above Sawyer and Achilles was unmatched. He laughed a bit at first at how widely the world stretched before him. He'd felt this free before, but had always awoken to the click of a key. Now he didn't have to wake up.
The pair traveled constantly for days, wanting to put as much distance between Cardinal and the circus as possible. Cardinal wore a cloak to hide his wings. Rumors had already started to spread that the ringmaster's prized show piece had gone missing. Cardinal went quiet when he heard the whispers, not knowing if he'd made the right decision in running away, but Sawyer never let his gloom stay for long.
"Get the lantern oil," he'd order. Or, "Fill up the canteens, we're moving out soon." He made Cardinal feel useful, even with simple tasks.
It was during a stop in a small town that Sawyer eyed the shadows warily. He hesitated before he whistled for Cardinal to come over.
"What's up?" Cardinal asked, looking around.
"We're found." No sooner had Sawyer warned him did Cardinal notice the mercenaries in the alleyways. His wings twitched anxiously under his cloak, and Sawyer swore under his breath. The men moved quickly, too quick for the pair to reach Achilles at the other end of town. "Get up, head south. Meet me at the fish-shaped lake." Sawyer snatched the cloak and freed Cardinal's wings. "Go!"
Cardinal spread his wings and leapt up, ascending as quickly as possible. He yelped as the mercenaries fired at him and Sawyer, who was slipping away through the alleys.
South, head south. Fish-shaped lake, Cardinal reminded himself. He flew up as high as he could and headed south.
The lake was easy enough to find from the air. Between the lake and the town, though, was a ravine. It would be difficult to cross if you were unfamiliar with the area and where the trails were. Sawyer had bought some time by putting an obstacle in the way of their pursuers.
Cardinal landed at the edge of the lake, trembling nervously. He waited in the shade of the trees, looking at his reflection in the water. His long hair was tied in a braid, looser than when he performed. Stray hairs fell in his face. His paws and tail were fairly dusty. He didn't look like the handsome performer he was used to seeing, but something looked almost better. Cardinal was happier like this, he realized. He didn't want to lose his freedom. He hoped Sawyer could shake those guys.
Sure enough, Sawyer appeared a short while later with Achilles. The cowboy greeted the kid with a grin. "Come on," he said as he trotted past. "We gotta keep moving." Sawyer went to hop off Achilles, and as he did so, a lasso came out of nowhere and spooked the horse rather than catch it. Achilles bolted into the trees and Sawyer turned to face where the rope had come from. One of the mercenaries had managed to follow them, and was looming at the tree line. Sawyer shouted for Cardinal to fly again.
"But-"
"You want to spend the rest of your life in a tent-shaped cage or not? Go!"
Cardinal flinched when Sawyer yelled at him, but he staggered a few steps back before he turned to sprint. With their pursuers this close, Cardinal was feeling like perhaps he'd never stop running. He took off and disappeared over the tree tops, leaving Sawyer to face the mercenary alone.
Cardinal flew a few hundred yards before he couldn't fight the truth anymore. The only way they were going to outrun these guys was if all paws were on deck. He couldn't rely on Sawyer to get them out. Cardinal grit his teeth and veered sharply back toward the lake.
He found Sawyer in a fistfight with the mercenary. The stranger was entirely focussed on Sawyer and failed to notice Cardinal's return. The kinged kal grit his teeth.
Now or never, he told himself as he shouted angrily.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" The mercenary looked up, but he was too late. Cardinal grabbed him by the back of his shirt and kept going, dragging the guy out into the lake. He let him go to swim back to shore a ways out, then headed back towards Sawyer. "Go get Achilles! We're out of here!"
Sawyer grinned widely, proud that the young man had decided to stand his ground. "You got it, kid!"