They left him. They went on without him, leaving him behind. Iggy was furious, if they could of waited just a few more seconds he would have been ready to go, but he wasn't. He had to tie his shoes, which wasn't easy. He missed the knot, twice. By the time he was finished and came racing out the door, all Iggy heard were quiet fluttering flaps.
The flock's flutter of wing's echoed in the distance, but they were fading with each passing second. Crossing his arms over his chest, he let out a big huff. Now what was he going to do? Him and the flock were supposed to go on their first flight around the area. Of course, they've flown at the school for training but this was real flying. Flying without the worry you're going to get shocked for each mistake you made. Flying without the constant concern that you might be thrown to the Eraser's grasp if the white coat finds you redundant.
But, no.
How could Iggy learn without the flock there to guide him? He couldn't see, they were supposed to be his eyes. Maybe, they'll realize they have forgotten him and turn around. So he tapped his fingers on his arm, just waiting for any sign of their return. Slowly, Iggy's face fell. It dawned on them that they weren't coming back.. Fine, he thought, I'll just, I'll just…, and he stomped off before finishing the thought.
He didn't know where he was going, but it was anywhere but here. After awhile his shoulders relaxed to they slumped. How could they forget? His head bowed, to the train of thought. A wary grin spread across his face, he was blind, and of course they would forget. Besides it would be no fun, if he was there they would be too busy concentrating on him rather than the joy of flying.
He sighed, knowing it wasn't true. But sometimes that's how he felt. Something cold dripped on his cheek. It felt moist and cool against his skin. Soon more droplets drizzled on his cheek coating it with coolness. Remembering not too long ago his love for that gentle coolness of the morning dew. Iggy blinked, with his head tilted to the sky, rain fell into his eyes. Blinking them away, he closed his them. Letting the rain wash away all of his anger and doubts, he spread his arms wide easing his wings out just a bit. It felt nice. His fingers spread wide, palm's open.
After a moment, Iggy resumed his position and continued walking. He didn't need the flock to navigate for him, he'll teach himself. His wings were fully extended to full length, his feathers brushing against nearby trees and underbrush.
Soon the rain settled into a gently drizzle, ever so second Iggy would feel a drop till they ceased all together. He sighed; with the rain gone he felt his troubles come rushing back. The trouble of how to get safety in the air without further hurting himself; physically and emotionally.
With his wings lightly touching the forest he determined two things.
Too narrow and too tight, there was no way Iggy could fly through this. He took a step back running his slender fingers along the trees; his fingers gliding among thin leaves, till his hands reached out and he felt them no more. Extending his wings, he brushed them among the area. It was as if the forest came to a complete stop.
Kneeling down on one knee, he spread his hands wide feeling along the ground. High grass tickled his arms and he tried to hold back a giggle. Letting the thin blades slid through his fingers, he concluded he was in some field.
Maybe a meadow.
He walked deeper in the area of tall grass. The wind ruffling the place tickling his body, as it stroked his cool skin. Once more the air smelled heavenly, different from the air he was used in the morning though. The air was heavy with the smell of spices, something mild that made Iggy's noise wrinkle.
It was an okay smell, but something he wouldn't favor over the morning air.
Once he was satisfied with distancing himself from the forest, he let his wings fully extend once more. Letting the sun rays hit upon them, warming them a bit. His wings flapped once drying them from the recent rain storm, before he took a slow step backwards.
He spread his legs apart, planting himself firmly on the ground. Something was sloshing beneath his feet, making a suctioning sound with each step he made.
Mud.
He could already the feel the dirty mush sink to his shoes. But as of now, that wasn't his concern. Getting into the air was top priority. It was becoming a deep need to prove that he could into the air without any mistakes, although blind he could still do things on his own.
Then, he ran. Ignoring the mud that seemed so determine to keep him fixed in the ground, sinking him into the dirty muck.
He ran as fast he could, pushing his long legs faster. He could feel the long grass blades whip around him, hitting his skin. The wind was beginning to catch beneath his wings, as he prepared for lift off. Just as he was about to jump into the air, his foot caught.
Pain lanced up his legs, and something warm was dripping from his knee cap. He stumbled, his foot catching on a stone or some firm object causing him to trip. He rolled twice, his wings tangling in the waving blades of grass, and his body became covered in muck, before he came to a complete to stop.
He laid there for minute before trying to catch his breath and not let he humiliation sink in. His hair was full of bits of grass and dirt. He shook his head, letting the debris softly fall from his pale hair. When he wiped his brow, dirt smeared across it, however he could careless to how dirty he was. The pain emanating from his knees could not be overlooked. Grasping his knee, he tried easing the pain and not let the tears come, by applying pressure to his gushing kneecap.
Warmth seeped through his fingertips and dripped down his leg, staining his jeans. He hissed through his teeth as the pain came again and again.
After a moment, he eased himself up, putting all his weight on the other leg. With nothing to lean against, Iggy tried to keep himself from falling over, maintaining his balance.
His jeans were torn at the kneecap while pain still throbbed with each agonizing minute, just reminding him of his liability. If he wasn't blind he would have seen that damn rock or whatever it was.
Iggy swore, ashamed of himself for not thinking of it sooner. He should of considered that there might be some other objective in his way.
Once more, he stood walking away from the meadow and returning back to the forest.
-+-
Iggy was back home, and still the others were nowhere to be heard. He strained his ears for Angel's giggling, the smell of Gassy's farts, the jibber-jabbering of Nudge's motor mouth, Max balking orders or Fang ever silent beating his wings.
But neither a sound nor smell was uttered from his flock members. He was all alone.
Sighing, he continued searching for a better place to take off. His nose picked up a thick musty scent coming from the west. It was different from the meadow's scent, thick and spicy. It smelled of limestone and salt. His instinct told him to follow his noise.
After walking west for about ten minutes, the smell only got thicker. Coating the air thickly, making it hard for Iggy to breathe. The wind here picked up, a slight draft smacked his clothes against his skin and small grains of sand pelted his face.
It stung, and he held up his arms up to shield himself from the annoying dirt. Holding one of his hands out in front of him he felt a firm, hard object.
A rock.
His hands trailed upwards and that when he realized he was in the canyon. Recalling that Max said that their home was on cliffside, when he asked what it looked like outside. Iggy concluded that he was somewhere similar to it and not far off from the house.
The ground was covered with fine grains of dirt, his hands fluttered over the dirt before he dipped his index finger into it. Taking a whiff, he realized where the smell was coming from. Standing once more, he let his wings out. Using his other tool for touch.
His wings brushed along nothing which was meaningless. A few paces forward and there could be some object that he could catch his foot and trip on. The pain came back to him as he recalled the memory.
Walking further on, he heard a faint gushing sound. Sounding almost like rushing water, he took one more step when he his foot touched empty air. He almost stumbled over the edge but his wings caught him.
Placing a foot back on solid ground, he keened his ear to the water. Far below it was flowing, smacking against rock walls and wet stones. Salt instantly stung his nose.
This was perfect. Open air, no objects that could get in his way. Of course, he would have to make sure he doesn't meet his watery end below. He took fifteen paces back, when thought he was back far enough he ran.
His one leg groaned in agony, as he pushed on it with all his might. But Iggy ignored it this time, he wasn't going to fall. When he felt the ground leave him, he let his wings snap open. A gust of wind catching them like a sail, he was slowly descending, but another blast of air caught under his wings and he began flapping.
Another push of his wings and he could feel wind all around him thrusting him into the sky. He ascended quickly, not wanting to run into the rock wall on other side, he was unsure how narrow this canyon really was. Soon the the salty air left him, the breezes calmer as he coasted with them.
Then, a big smile etched on his face. He did it. He actually did it, all on his own. He began doing back flips and turns and twists, forgetting the fact that he was blind and letting the joys of flying take him under. He was so high up, that the only thing he could hear was the sound of his laughter of joy.
The pain in his leg was nothing compared to the happiness he was feeling now. A fainting throb echoing the back of his mind, as he flapped once more,
Soon he felt something moist coat his cheek, he giggled. The only thing he had to fear into running into was a cloud. Like that could stop Iggy from flying.
After awhile, he was just coasting when heard the familiar voice of his family members.
"Glad you could make it", he heard Angel mutter. Iggy could hear the smile in her voice, knowing that on his first flight was accomplished all on his own.