Chapter 1: Attack at Dawn

They had roosted in a tall, thick spruce tree, in a forest overlooking a wide valley. A single Human road cut through the centre, like an unnaturally straight river that branched off into a vast network of smaller streams. The tree itself was covered in gnarled knotholes, many of which led to small nooks just large enough to hold a bat or two. The rest of these holes leaked a seemingly endless supply of juicy beetles, making hunting unnecessary. Shade almost wished that they could stay here all summer.

The colony was still on its way back to the northern forests, where they would designate a new Tree Haven in preparation for the year's newborns. Of course, it was still early to be thinking of such things—it was not yet spring, so many younger bats were still unmated. Nonetheless, Shade couldn't help but feel a little knot in his stomach.

It was almost time for him to choose a mate, and he didn't know if he was ready for it yet. He knew whom he wanted, of course, but he doubted she would take him seriously—she never did, after all. Even now, as his eyes focused on the bright autumn leaf hanging from a branch a short distance away, he could see that she was sleeping beside Chinook. After everything the two Silverwings had been through in the jungle, Shade felt that this was a huge betrayal. Still, he tried his best not to be angry with Chinook: he had saved his life after all.

The horizon began to glow with the coming dawn, and Shade tried to calm himself down so he could sleep. But every time he closed his eyes, he would see images of helpless bats splayed out on a vast, circular stone. A giant monster, with a three-foot wingspan, would then hunch over their bodies, one by one, before rearing back, a heart in his jaws.

He sighed heavily. How long would it be before he could sleep soundly again? He lit from the branch, in search of a better vantage point. If he couldn't rest, he might as well enjoy the view for which he had fought so vehemently.

He didn't have to wait long. Soon, a thin, bright crescent broke the horizon, forcing Shade to squint. As the sun rose into the sky, the forest was ignited before his eyes. Snow-covered trees glistened in the morning glow, and the ground shone bright white in the sun's rays. Even after having experienced it so many times, Shade couldn't help but stare in awe at the scene before him. It was as though the sun brought with it a whole new world.

"Can't sleep?"

Shade jumped, his head snapping in the direction of the noise. He grinned in spite of himself. Beside him hung a bright autumn leaf, not yet fallen. She must have snuck up on him while he was distracted. As his eyes washed over her, he felt as though the warmth of the sun's beam was only just now penetrating his fur.

"Maybe I just wanted to see the sunrise," he responded casually, "We can look at now, you know."

Marina laughed mockingly. "You don't have to lie to me Shade: I could hear you moaning in your dreams."

He just grunted. Was her entire purpose in life to torment him?

That's not fair, he thought, she traveled all that way to save you, remember? She risked her life for you.

The Brightwing moved closer to him. "It's okay Shade, you don't have to act all tough. You saved the sun, for Nocturna's sake! You've earned the right to be a little traumatized."

Her words had a more profound effect on him than he would ever dare to admit. He looked into her eyes, trying to gauge her expression. He couldn't tell whether she was trying to be like a friend, or a sister…or something else. She was an enigma as always. Like this time she spent with Chinook: was she just seeking friendship? He had to admit, he hadn't been paying her as much attention as he should have been. Or did she want something more from Chinook? Handsome, he thought, she had called him handsome. As though he could ever forget.

The whole thing bothered him, and he couldn't help but wonder if that was her intention. Making him look like an idiot, yet again. Still, Marina thought he was a hero; and here she was right now, watching the sunrise with him. Her bright fur shone radiantly in the daylight, and Shade couldn't help but reflect once more on how beautiful she was. Would there ever be a better opportunity?

"Marina, I was wondering—"

He broke off mid-sentence. A small crunching noise had reached his ears, which he now swiveled to try and home in on the source. The noise was getting louder…closer.

"—wondering what, Shade?" He had forgotten about Marina.

"Shh! Do you hear that?"

She looked a little disappointed before closing her eyes and flaring her ears. She frowned, "What is it?"

"I don't know, it sounds like…" he listened still more carefully, "footsteps." Shade belted out sound at the ground beneath the tree. It wasn't unusual to hear small land creatures or other beasts traveling through the snow during the day, but these footsteps seemed louder and more coordinated than those he was used to. As his echoes returned to his ears, a dozen or so tall, powerful creatures flashed in his mind's eye, etched in bright silver.

Shade broke out into a cold sweat. What were they doing here? He turned to Marina, opening his mouth to speak, to warn her, but his words were lost beneath a much louder shout emanating somewhere below him:

"Humans!"

The morning calm was broken by the sound of thousands of wings churning the air as the Silverwings awoke from their slumber, desperately taking to the sky in fear. Chaos erupted around him as Shade tried to locate his parents— to make sure they had gone already. Loud bangs rented the air and he watched as bats went careening into trees and falling to the ground, blinded by the noise. He made to take flight himself, turning to check that Marina was doing the same.

"Go!" he yelled.

He watched her open her wings and tense her legs, ready to lift off, when another loud bang rang out. Shade closed his eyes, flinching, and what he saw we he opened them made his heart plummet.

A dart had impaled Marina along her side, midway up her body. Her face was constricted in pain, and she tried blindly to grasp the needle with her claws. Shade made his way over to her and immediately tried to calm her down, despite his own racing heart.

"Marina! Stand still!" he yelled above the din of bat voices, calling out to friends and family, trying to locate their loved ones. "I'll try to get it out with my teeth."

She nodded, her eyes still shut tight. Shade quickly closed his jaws around the metal dart, and pulled gently. Marina let out a scream and he stopped, not wanting to hurt her.

Suddenly, her head lulled to one side and she lost her grip on the branch. Shade watched, frozen in terror as the autumn leaf finally fell to the ground, creating a small crater in the snow below. Wasting no more time, Shade bolted from the tree, streaking towards the forest floor. She can't be dead! he thought, This can't be happening! He remembered the Humans that came after Goth and Throbb—they had used sleeping darts. He hoped morbidly that these darts also contained a sleeping elixir, and not something more sinister.

He finally landed on the ground and began frantically searching for Marina. His job was difficult, however, as many more shots filled the air, and one-by-one more limp bodies fell from their roosts. The snow was littered with bats that were either unconscious or worse, each with a feathered dart protruding from their sides or chests.

He continued to look for the bright fur amongst the dark silver. He wished he could help everyone, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he was separated from her again. How many times had she risked her life for him?

Just then, a wide shadow was cast over the snow, and Shade could tell from the silhouette that one of the Humans was standing over the lifeless Silverwings. Slowly, without any sense of urgency, the Human began gently picking the downed bats up off the ground with its powerful hands. Shade watched, fearfully retreating into the shadow of the tree's trunk as each one was tossed carefully into a metal cage.

Gradually, the pile of bodies was thinned until all but one had been placed into the cage. As the last bat dropped from the hands of its captor, Shade saw a glint of metal on the creature's forearm.

They had Marina.

The Human turned, its gruesome work finished, and began to walk away. Shade watched as it carried the cage towards one of the noisy, wheeled machines he had seen rumbling around in the city. Oh, no you don't! Shade yelled in his head, You're not taking her that easy! He spread his wings, ready to bite and tear and fight for the bats' freedom, when a claw came down on his shoulder, holding him to the ground.

"You can't win, Shade," Ariel said softly.

"That's not going to stop me from trying!" he said viciously. "They took Marina!"

He looked his mother in the eyes, and noticed she was crying. "I know, they took Cassiel too. But there's no sense getting caught ourselves. We need to have a plan, Shade, we can't just run after them."

Shade knew she was right, but he didn't like the idea of waiting around while those Humans could be doing all sorts of unspeakable things to the other Silverwings—to Marina. Reluctantly, he nodded his head and followed Ariel a short distance to where the rest of the colony was waiting, counting the missing bodies.

Don't worry, Marina, he promised. I'll come for you.