Monte helped Felix get up, while everyone else watched what had just happened with mild interest.
'You're quite ruthless, Felix. Wasn't he supposed to be your friend?' Tyranus said, amused. 'You know, Vincent's replacement.'
He continued, earning himself a deadly gaze from the small bird. Tyranus laughed, quickly losing interest when he saw that Felix ignored him and turned his attention back to the young boy.
'Don't worry about him, Felix. We both know he's an asshole,' Monte said, to which Felix nodded before removing his wing from around Monte.
They walked in silence when Monte asked, 'How do they even know about him, anyway?' He paused before adding, 'About Astel, I mean.'
Felix sighed. 'He fell into the queen's territory.'
Monte nodded silently.
'After which she tried to eat him.'
Monte stopped. 'Oh,' he said, quickly catching up to Felix, who was already standing before Astel.
'Are you alright?' Felix asked.
"Yeah," Astel said, catching his breath. He wiped his mouth. "What did you do that for?"
Even though he already knew the answer, the fact that they could even talk was proof enough that Felix had somehow used his energy within Astel to establish some sort of mental link.
"This isn't the first time you've done this to me, is it?" He asked again, without waiting for an answer.
'It's a temporary measure, only until you learn to speak,' Felix said calmly.
"Speak? What do you mean? I'm speaking right now, aren't I?"
Felix shook his head. 'Your language is crude, unrefined, and inaccurate. Most species besides yours can't even learn it, and those that can prefer not to use it.'
Astel tilted his head. "Other species? You mean like animals or monsters or something?"
'I mean other species…'
Astel started to get a little frustrated. "What other species?"
Felix gave him an odd look. 'Are you perhaps an idiot?' He shook his head. 'Never mind this. I'll answer your questions later. For now, just sit here, listen, and wait.'
Astel raised his hand.
'Yes?' Felix asked.
"How can I listen when I can't even hear the others speak?" He looked behind Felix at the others before looking back at him. "They do talk, right?"
'Yes, they talk. And don't worry, I'll make sure you can hear them.'
Defeated, Astel blurted out, "Oh, right. Because you invited yourself into my head."
Felix sighed. 'I had to. And besides, I already apologized.'
"Not to me, you didn't," Astel shot back.
'Oh, right. That was before I stabbed you in the neck.'
Astel's lips curled into a smile — not one of happiness, but one that seemed to say: "I will pluck all your feathers and leave you here naked."
Felix turned around. 'Now that that's taken care of, let's go over the plan one more time.'
Under normal circumstances, he would have flown to higher ground, somewhere like a branch, but he was currently so exhausted that he instead climbed onto Monte's back.
'Our objective is to overtake the mole king's territory and claim it as the queen's. That doesn't mean we have to slay the king — only dethrone him.'
He proclaimed it in a way where, even though Astel could tell he wasn't speaking directly to him, he could hear everything he said, the words simply manifesting in between his own thoughts.
'Right now we're waiting until Rold comes back with information on the king. Despite his underground habitat, it's too dangerous to fly in the open in his territory, as Thorne would know.'
He looked directly at the vulture, before noticing Astel's hand was raised.
"First of all, which one's Rold? Secondly, aren't there too few of us? I've seen two rulers since I came here, and I wouldn't want to engage them with anything less than a small army. What we have is a single squad at best." He looked around. "Also, aren't we at even more of a disadvantage since most of us have wings and, you know, he's a mole? So, he's, you know, underground?"
Felix shook his head, being the only one who could understand him.
'Would you let me finish?' Felix asked, his small red eyes gazing directly at Astel with a stern look. 'Thank you. Where was I?'
He turned his attention back to the vulture.
'Ah, yes. Thorne, would you mind describing the dangers of flying in the open for Astel here?'
The vulture's body shifted, making Astel's hair stand on end.
'Please stop calling me that. Your naming sense is horrible, and it only seems to get worse every time we see each other.'
'Then which name would you prefer? You didn't like Corpse, or Fleshy, or even Broode, and now you're saying you don't like Thorne?' Felix argued.
'I don't,' the vulture responded without hesitation. 'I do have a suggestion.'
Felix's eyes lit up. 'Which is?'
'That you never speak to me after this,' he said, laughing, making Felix frown.
'Don't worry. I'll come up with a better name next time.'
The vulture rolled his eyes. 'Whatever. I can just eat you,' he mumbled. 'Now, where were we?' He paused for a moment. 'Well, everyone can see you. The moles aren't the only ones who live here, and they may or may not have an army of those annoying mosquitoes. That's about all there is to it.'
Shuddering at the thought, Astel raised his hand. Felix saw it and nodded, giving him permission to speak.
"Remind me, why are we doing this, and why do I have to be a part of it?"
Felix sighed and spoke. 'We're here so that we don't become the queen's prisoners.' He paused. 'Trust me, you don't want that.'
Astel quickly scanned the others, noticing that the large basilisk was smirking. He averted his gaze before leaning in and whispering to Felix.
"Can't we just hide? You know, I really don't think this is a good idea."
Nodding along, Felix answered in a way that Astel felt reached only him. 'Hiding is impossible. The queen sees all, and sooner or later she will find us. But I do have a plan. Just wait for my signal, and then follow me.' He slowly nodded, thought for a moment, then added, 'Also, you don't have to whisper.'
Astel nodded in understanding when Felix's voice once again appeared in his head, this time broader, less personal.
'It should be about time that Rold came back. Keep an eye out and remember the plan.'
Astel was a bit disappointed that he was being ignored, like a child at the adult table, but he didn't outwardly complain, because he knew that out of everyone here, he contributed the least.
The conversation quickly wrapped up, with minor details of the plan repeated over and over until everyone looked sick of it. Hours passed in complete silence, with Astel unable to muster up the courage to ask more questions, until he finally couldn't hold himself back.
He approached Felix, who was keeping watch atop a tall tree.
"Felix, how much longer do we have to wait? It's been hours. Are you sure this Rold is even coming?"
Felix was silent for a moment before responding. 'Patience, Astel. Barely a moment has passed.'
Astel rolled his eyes, mumbling under his breath, "Maybe for you… I can feel myself getting older."
He stayed still, observing Felix for a while.
"What even is Rold? I imagine it's some animal, but I can't imagine which."
'Ant,' Felix said, so quickly and silently that Astel almost missed it.
"What? Sorry, I didn't hear you."
Felix waited for a moment, slightly embarrassed. 'It's a colony of ants.'
Hearing this, Astel shook his head, only one word coming out of his mouth.
"Jesus."