The light that bursts around his target is nearly blinding. Had the flames that sizzled across him, replacing flesh with feather, not already lit up the night only moments earlier, he might have lost his sight for a time. Even so, he is still forced to blink against the dots now swimming in his vision. Snapping his wings wide, Vital lets loose another ear-splitting shriek that fades into something suspiciously like laughter.
His talons swipe half-heartedly at the brilliant wings shielding Malik as he brushes past him. Had he truly wished the horned stallion harm, he might have clutched more ambitiously, might have used his deceptive strength to his advantage. They had spent enough time together as children for Vital to know he had the advantage in that moment. But, despite the nature of his approach, he did truly wish to harm Malik.
The back-draft from his wings sends snow billowing around them as he lands with a thump, the pale powder hissing beneath his feet. As his wings settle against him, he twists in head around, a uniquely avian swivel, to eye Malik with a beady gaze. The laughter in them is unmistakable. With the vibrant plumage of his crest lifting slightly, he trills, “Is that any way to greet a friend?”
@
Malik