Now that we just past the part, in the novel, didn't the mother Phoenix 'kidnapped' them along with the car to help train the baby phoenixs to fly? Or am I thinking of a different novel?
I think the veteran slashed his hand because of some saying that if a blade is unsheated blood must be shed, to unsheate it without reason an no blood spilled would bring its owner misfortune.
Only way I can make sense of that words and act.