Silver smashed into the tree with a resounding thump before recoiling. Panting, she rose to her feet and inspected the young sapling. Not even a mark was left. Disappointed, she glared down at her feet, wiggling her toes and wishing that she had normal talons instead of her chipped, shortened ones.
"You aren't even going to dent a moldy moss patch with those, young lady."
With a startled jump, Silver whirled and around and her yellow eyes focused on Bloodwing, who stood on, amused. "You're right," she sighed, throwing up her wings in frustration. "I'm pathetic. How am I supposed to be a warrior with these pitiful things?" With longing she admired Bloodwing's black, saber-sharp talons.
Following her gaze, the rooster chuckled. "By my pinfeathers, are you modest! Pathetic, no. All you need is a bit of . . . remodeling."
"Remodeling?"
"Observe," he winked, gesturing her over to a slab of rock. Silver frowned. It wasn't smooth or sharp like shale, but rough and pitted. Carefully, Bloodwing raised one of his feet, and started rubbing the tip of his first talon on the rock. The stone darkened with the dusty residue even as the rooster took his foot away, admiring the talon's glinting surface, now as sharp as a cougar's claw. "There," he grinned. "Fit for waging war on trees. Or whatever you were doing."
Delighted, Silver imitated Bloodwing. It was not easy, but within a few sun-shifts she found herself admiring talons fit for a warrior, lethal, sharp, and deadly. Confidence seemed to swell inside of her as she realized that these weapons could rip through flesh. She shuddered.
"You've done a good job," Bloodwing lifted her foot with his wing, inspecting critically. "Now, you just have to know how to use them."
"Oh, I know!" Silver began excitedly, giving a few kicks and recoils. "I've been practicing whenever I can!"
Bloodwing winced as she twirled around like some rabid, knife-laden ballerina. The third time he was nearly beheaded with a whispered 'sorry!', he waved his wings desperately. "Stop, stop, stop!"
At once, Silver realized her error. Ashamed, she hung her head, recognizing that all her practice had been for nothing. "It wasn't any good, was it?"
"Nope," Bloodwing said curtly, lowering his wings, which had been defensively shielding his face. "But," for a moment, he tilted his head in thought. "I'd better teach you to use those claws before you kill somebody. What do you say?"
Silver gaped at him with delight, and her features broke into a smile. "I would like that very much!"
