“Arm yourself, my heart: the thing that you must do is fearful, yet inevitable.”
This letter is not carried but a dragon but by a sparrow. The bird is almost nothing more than a spiral of smoke as he flies straight as an arrow between the bonfires. He banks around the small dragons lingering by the flames quick enough to be felt more than seen.
There is purpose in his small body, purpose and a strange metal sheen to this feathers that suggests he has not always been a sparrow. The bird flies like a wild animal cut free from a trap, and in a way he was. He still remembers having soft rabbit fur. He still remembers the feel of teeth around his spine.
He remembers a unicorn too.
When he finds the black mare walking through the merchants he lands before her with the start of a song itching at his beak. The knot tied around his leg is small and the ribbon holding it as delicate as tiny, sharp eyes. He tilts his head at the mare like a rabbit might, encouraging her to pick the note free.
Once it's unrolled Katniss will find tight, small words written in a ink that looks a little like soot on snow.
Katniss,
We spoke once about what it took to fight. I told you once that Denocte needed you.
Our home needs you now.
Something is coming for our home. I can feel it in the wind like a beast dodging my shadow. I need you to gather whatever is left of our army. I need you to lead them, train them and love them. Protect them against whatever comes. You must all protect each other while I try to protect us all from the greater purpose of Raum.
Isra.
The strange sparrow waits until the mare reads the first note before holding out his other leg. On this one the paper is as silver as the moon cut through with diamonds. It says--
I hereby name Katniss as Denocte's Champion of Battle. It is my hope that she will be the fierce protector that we all need in times such as these.
Signed,
Isra the Sovereign of Denocte.
The sparrow hops once like a rabbit before taking off in another wild display of freedom given wings.
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