DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of Max, Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, Angel, or Total.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place about 1 year after the Itex riots. And I'm not going to tell you what's going on.

Max awoke with a start, nearly falling out of her tree. Glancing at the Flock, she saw that they were all sound asleep. Fang was draped across a large lower branch, his head and arms dangling on one side, his legs hanging on the other. Iggy was curled up in a ball on a large boulder below her; he had apparently fallen asleep during his watch. Gazzy was doing his namesake a few trees away, mumbling about bombs. Nudge and Angel were snuggled together in a hollow part of Max's tree. Total had stated quite pompously last night that it was undignified for a dog to be in a tree, so now he was sprawled out on the ground.

There! The sound that had awakened her came again, this time seeming very close. Max slowly did a 360, but saw nothing that indicated menace or danger. Still, she decided it was best to wake the Flock.

She opened her wings a bit, and glided down to Fang. When she tapped his arm, he slowly opened his eyes and began to open his mouth. But before he could ask, the forest was suddenly filled with bright light. Barely awake and momentarily blinded, the Flock had no chance to react before they each felt a prick and fell to unconsciousness.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's so short… But I plan to add chapter 2 within a few hours!