"Up Max. Come on, the world won't save itself."

Not this again, I cracked an eye open and shut it quickly to try and shield myself from the sun. "I can't believe it' barely sunup and you're already bugging me," I whispered at the voice, not bothering to keep the conversation in my head.

"It's not my fault you fell asleep so early. You've had your 10 hours of sleep. Now up!"

Urgh. I'd never heard (felt? Thought?) the voice so mad before. I could practically feel the vein throbbing in it's forehead.

"Ha ha very funny Einstein"

Shut up, I thought back.

I sat up fully awake from my early morning meeting with the voice.

"What's up?" Fang asked from beside me.

Beside me? Oh that's right I'd fallen asleep on him the night before. Oops. I just hope I didn't drool on him.

"The voice says it's time to leave," I told him.

He raised his eyebrow and snorted signaling his lack of trust. It's not like we had anything better to do. Something occurred to me then, Fang and I had fallen asleep and the rest of the flock had already been asleep, so, who was on watch?

Crap.

I glanced around, the flock was nowhere in sight.

Relax Max; they're at the beach playing.

I ignored the rhyme relaying the info to Fang before he freaked. Which would be really funny. I have this picture in my mind of Fang wearing an apron and freaking out about the flock.

"But you should hurry up and get down there since trouble's coming."

Double crap.

I jumped up, snapping a quick explanation at Fang and ran with my wings out catching the wind and yanking me up in the strong ocean wind. Fang already beside me. We flew as fast as we could (without me leaving him in my dust with my super speed) and reached the beach just as about 50 erasers reached it too and these weren't the old, sucky fall-apart erasers, these were new, sleek, erasers that could not only fly well but seemed to be able to maneuver like hawks, if not better.

They continued toward Fang and me ignoring the kids in the water, then… stopped? One came out from the big group and came toward us a hand out like it wanted to make peace. As if!

"I just come with a message," the eraser said carefully. "Max, stay on track and we'll leave you alone, if not, we'll pick you off one by one. And Fang," he said turning to Fang, "Stop dreaming and if you don't keep her on track you'll be tortured in front of her, carefully torn apart layer by layer until there's nothing left."

He turned away and I started after him. But, I didn't get a chance because Fang pulled me back against him, my wings folded against his lean body. How dare that vile scumbag threaten my flock, how dare they threaten Fang. Thinking of that, "Fang what did he mean?"

I felt him tense up only slightly but when he spoke there was no change in his voice. "I'm not sure,' He answered quietly making me believe that he knew more than he was telling.

Then he let me go and I dropped a few feet then snapped my wings open and hovered. I was chilled, and I had a feeling it was more than just the lack of Fang's body heat.

Angel tugging on my sleeve brought me back from my thoughts.

"Max," Angel whispered. "We better get down, nobody's seen our wings yet but they will."

I folded my wings close to my back and angled myself down toward the ocean checking to make sure we were far enough out to sea that the water would be deep enough.

"Max!" Fang yelled, probably believing I was suicidal again. He darted after me but couldn't catch up I was already at full tilt toward the ocean.

"Maximum what do you think you're doing whether or not the ocean would be deep enough off a boat or a diving board, your velocity will hurl you into the water and either shove you so deep that the pressure will affect your air sacs, or you won't be able to reach surface by the time your oxygen runs out."

Shit! I tried to angle my wings flat so I could level out but at the speed I was going I could hardly pull out of it.

I felt warm hands wrap around my ankles slowing me just enough that I was able to pull out of it. Then, both me and my rescuer belly-flopped into the ocean, ouch. I was spun around then staring at Fangs, unusually, extremely emotional face.

"You idiot!" he yelled at me. "What were you thinking?!"

"Uhh… get out of the sky before someone sees, and go fast."

"You said you wouldn't do something stupid again remember?" he reminded in a quieter almost a whisper voice.

"Yeah, sorry," I said. I hate uncomfortable situations like this.

Then he kissed me, hard on the mouth.

"Idiot," he whispered, as he pulled away.

"I'm the idiot? The kids could have seen!" I answered blushing, I'm sure.

He raised one eyebrow in a Do you really care? Look.

No. actually I don't. I thought to myself.