After Diedre's attack, the Bloodwings became uneasy. Never, despite their history of violence, had an heir attacked their siblings before their trial. And never had an heir done harm to their parent. Even though their lineage bore more bloodshed than most, the Bloodwings weren't prepared for something like this to happen.
There were whispers amongst the elders that the demon blood in these new hatchlings would spell doom for the lineage, and that Diedre and her younger siblings should be expunged, as well a Haraki and her mysterious mate, but the clan knew as a whole that such an action was already too late. Two souls were owed to the demon that Haraki had mated with, and the Bloodwings did not have the luxury of replacing Haraki as heir.
So, despite the unrest in the clan, things continued on as normal. For the most part.
Diedre, deemed to dangerous to be left on her own since her attempted murder of her brother, was accompanied by an elder or her mother at all times, and the younger siblings were restricted to the den where the elders could take turns monitoring them.
Nonetheless, the younger siblings, which had been named Amorahld and Myskana, seemed more like normal hatchlings than the generations that came before them. Despite the Bloodwings otherwise leaving them to their own devices, hoping to sow disdain and spite in their hearts like their older sibling, Amorahld and Myskana found solace in each other. Yes, Myskana was domineering and aggressive and played to rough, and Amorahld was skittish and cried easily, so they had their differences as siblings, but Myskana was fiercly protective of Amorahld and Amorahld hated seeing his sister upset.
Unfortunately, the Bloodwings did not appreciate this. While no one said it around the two young ones, the clan elders knew they would be forced to fight and feared neither would be able to slaughter the other. Perhaps this generation would be too weak....
But Diedre did overhear this, and her anger towards her siblings, specifically Amorahld, for he was the weaker, burned stronger.
Eventually, as Amorahld and Myskana became adolescents, the trial was scheduled, and their fates were to be sealed. The two siblings curled around each other the night before, knowing this fight would determine who of the three of them would become the next heir of the lineage, but not all it would entail.
"Do.... do you think we'll be okay?" Amorahld asked, picking his nails out of nervous habit.
"What? Sure we'll be! You worry too much." Myskana said. "All we have to do is take out Diedre, we can do it if we work together."
"Yeah but.... what if we don't take her out? What will happen?" Amorahld said, barely a whisper
Myskana shrugged. "I suppose we'll probably have to leave. But then, we can live our own life. But I doubt anything bad will happen. No one said it was a fight to the death." She said, tapping a talon against the ground. "And hey, who knows, Diedre might be a pushover."
"Well.... Well what if she is? A-And we take her out? Then what?" Amorahld said.
Myskana quieted. "We'd have to fight each other... Amorahld I-"
"No." He cut her off. "I'll just concede. You're stronger than me, if we take out Diedre, there's no doubt you would be the clear choice. I'll accept my fate."
"Amorahld..." Myskana murmured, but he already turned away from her to sleep. She huffed. The thought of losing her brother, even if he would only be cast out, hurt her a little.
In the Shadows, Diedre had been listening. She growled to herself
"Naive" She thought.
They have no idea what's coming. I am sure to win.
The next morning, the three skydancers were thrown into the Arena and the Arena was sealed. As the Arena sealed, Amorahld and Myskana quickly broke away from Diedre, the three siblings glaring at one another.
"Remember the plan, Amor," Myskana said to her brother under her breath as baited silence fell over the arena as the Bloodwings gathered to watch once again as their heir would be chosen.
"ALRIGHT!" Abadran, their grandfather, bellowed over the Arena, given the ceremonial rite of starting the battle since he had last time, after constructing the arena. "The rules are as follows! The three of you will remain in there, no food nor water will be given to you, until only one of you remains! Paint the arena floor with the blood of your siblings!" He snarled.
Amorahld froze. "W-wait.... this..." He gasped out.
Diedre cackled. "nO oNE SAid It wAS a FIghT tO tHE dEaTH!" She spat "Isn't that what you said, sister?! Last night?!!"
Myskana gritted her teeth. "You were evesdropping?! How dare you!" She spat back. "Come on Amorahld, we can do this!"
But Amorahld had froze. "N-No..." He said, voice wavering. "I-If we kill her.... w-we have to kill each other!" He started to yell. "I can't kill you!! Y-You'd.... you-d have to kill me!! Or w-we'll die!! We'll die in here!! We'll starve!" He cried, in hysterics, tears streaming from his eyes.
Myskana grit her teeth, looking at Amorahld. "You know I wouldn't kill you! Or let you die! We'll get out of this!" She said, trying to calm Amorahld down.
But Amorahld was already too far into hysterics to hear her. He shook violently, taking a step back. Myskana reached a paw out to grab one of his, to help him calm, but drew back as a flash of yellow darted past.
Diedre pounced at Amorahld, a fountain of red erupting from where her jaws met his neck. Amorahld tried to shreik, but only a sickly gurgle came from his throat, his vocal cords cut as blood ran into his trachea. He fell to the ground, life spilling out of him, as Diedre stood over his body, wings fanned out in victory as blood stained her jaw and the plumage down her throat.
Myskana stared in horror as the light faded from her brother's eyes. Tears pricked at the corner of her vision.
"H...How could you....." Myskana said in a quiet voice as she began to tremble with anger. "He was my brother! I loved him!"
Diedre only gave a sick smile. "I did you a favor, dear sister. He only made you weak. Now we can settle which one of us is better."
"HOW DARE YOU!" Myskana roared, her eyes beginning to glow. Power rippled through her as her emotions began to run wild.
Diedre only cackled as she began to charge towards Myskana, her claws and jaws extended and ready to strike as she lunged.
Then, with a flash of bright light, blinding those around the arena, an unearthly shriek was heard, and then.... silence.
Myskana stood above the body of her dead brother, holding his body in her arms, holding his forehead to hers. "I am so, so sorry I couldn't protect you.... But I at least got to avenge you...." She whispered before looking up into the eyes of her parents, a look of resolve apparent in her face.
Behind her lay a bloodied smear of broken bones and displaced feathers across the ground. Diedre as she had existed was nowhere to be seen.
Loki stood above the arena, pulling forth the life-force from Diedre's remains and absorbing it, consuming the soul. Then he looked to Amorahld's body and tried to do the same, but nothing came of it.
"No." Myskana said. "I know what you are. I know what I am. His soul stays with me." She said, eyes glowing.
Her father snarled. "You dare defy me?! I'll consume you as well!"
Myskana growled. "I'm stronger than you, devil. I know I am." She looked to the rest of the Bloodwings. "I AM IN CHARGE FROM NOW ON!" She yelled, an edge to her voice that spread anxiety through the Bloodwings. Myskana's eyes settled on her parents. "None of you forget it!"