{{Just a small note: This is unbeta'd and it probably has tons of mistakes. You can also find this story on Ao3 and Tumblr under the same username. Come interact with me! I would love to chat}}
Searing pain etched a path along the bones in his wings as he readjusted his grip on Aurora's hide. She was still unconscious, her body heavy in his grasp. He grunted with the effort of staying aloft, pumping his wings up and down and trying not to drop like a rock. He still hadn't hit his big growth spurt yet, and although he was bigger than Aurora, he wasn't as strong as some of the older kids in their year.
He cursed himself mentally. All of his dreams of presenting his elusive quarry in front of his peers were quickly turning into scenes from his worst nightmare. Coming back to the Colony clutching the unconscious body of one of the most respectable and reliable bats in their year.
Her accusing voice calling him an idiot resounded through his mind, and he sunk lower in on himself. What if she wouldn't be okay? What if he couldn't carry her all the way back? Where would he leave her that would be safe? Would he be able to find help in time? Should he leave her or stay with her until he had enough strength to continue?
His mind continued it's relentless worrying as he struggled towards home, praying that Aurora was still breathing- that someone would know how to fix her.
His ears picked up on the vibrations from a tunnel to his left. There was movement there, but he couldn't tell what it was yet.
He took his chances, "HELP!" He called as loud as he could, using his long range screech. If it were another flier, they were sure to hear him, "HELP ME!"
The vibrations came closer and he could slowly make out the silhouette of a yearling, heading back from the hunt. They accelerated through the tunnel as Ares hovered, working twice as hard to keep Aurora in his grasp.
"What happened?" The young bat called to him and he recognized her voice immediately. His stomach clenched painfully and he almost wished that he had not been found. She was the absolute worse flier to come upon him in this situation;
Of all the curséd bats to happen to fly by, the Queen's daughter, Nike had to be the one to witness his idiocy.
"We were hunting and she was injured." He said, mentally kicking himself. He needed help and right now his personal image shouldn't be his priority, "Can you help me get her back to the Colony?"
"Of course!" Nike said, dropping the hopper in her talons and swooping in to latch onto Aurora, "How did this happen?"
They flew awkwardly for a while, trying to get their bearings before Ares answered. He stammered through a watered down version of his story, knowing that he would have to repeat the full thing shortly. Even though he dreaded returning to the Colony, he was grateful that Nike had found him- for Aurora's sake.
Soon they were joined by others returning, whose questions bombarded Ares like rocks thrown at a traitor. He shrunk in on himself until Nike took charge and yelled at the other yearlings to fly on ahead and get help.
They were nearing the Hall of Ceremony when the adults swarmed them and Ares' grip on Aurora was relieved. He followed the bat that had her as quickly as he could. At one point he heard his mother's desperate shriek, but ignored her, heat surging to his cheeks. He tried to keep the tears out of his eyes as he stammered out answers to the thousand of questions thrown at him. They reached the healing cavern, and Auroras mom bustled in, the baby on her belly squalling. His own mother finally pushed through the crowd and Ares found himself locked tightly in her wings. He wouldn't ever admit it, but he was instantly comforted by her warmth and words.
The room quieted down as their healer looked over Aurora. The mass of bats slowly dwindled from the room and Ares' heart slowed down. The tears that refused to fall burned behind his eyes and in his chest.
"Is she going to be okay?" He heard his mother ask, and the healer replied something unintelligible.
There was a sudden hush in the room and Ares felt his mother straighten in surprise. He perked his ears up and focused, realizing with a sickening lurch that the bat entering the room was the Great Mother. His ears twitched down in shame and he held his breath, not wanting this to be real.
"Ares." His mother shook him slightly and pulled him away from her breast, "Ares, please tell us what happened."
He pulled back, his breathing speeding up in distress. He looked over at Aurora's limp body on the cavern floor and realized that she was breathing- however weakly. He looked over at the Queen, her face serene and devoid of anger. Finally he turned back towards his mom and mumbled, "It was an accident. We were hunting and she was hit by a falling rock."
Aurora's mother crooned softly and he ducked his head. Queen Athena fluttered to his side and reached out one wing to pull his chin up. She stared into his eyes.
"Youngling, please tell me all that you know." Her voice was calm, but authoritative.
"I told you- it was an accident!" he stared but she cut him off.
"I understand, Ares. But if you were completely free of guilt, you wouldn't be acting this way. Where were you and she when this happened?"
He didn't want to answer. He didn't want them to know how foolish he had been.
The silence was heavy in the room until he finally mumbled out, "We were hunting past the Faults." There was a sharp intake of breath from the adults in the room.
"Ares," His mother's voice was disapproving and worried, " How could you? You know how dangerous it is!" He turned his face from her, shamed.
"We were really careful! We'd almost made it all the way out—"
"Well, you obviously weren't careful enough!" The accusing voice came from behind him and he felt Aurora's mother bristle and start towards him, "Honestly, Eris- how can you raise a son like this!?"It was his mother's turn to bristle angrily.
"Please remember that your daughter was hunting in a restricted area as well! Ares is not completely to blame!"
Athena and Ares watched the two mothers as the tension in the room rose. Aurora's sister squalled as her mother jostled her, her cries adding to the chaos of the room.
"My daughter would have been nowhere near the Faults if it wasn't for this boy. He's been trouble from the start and you let him run rampant!"
Ares cringed at the harsh words, and his mother got in front of him.
"You will not speak of my son in this way. Your daughter was not forced to go with him, she followed on her own volition."
"She was protecting him!"
"You can control her no more than I can control him!"
"Enough!" Queen Athena fluttered forward and placed herself between the livid parents. "They were both in the wrong. They are both to blame. We should be rejoicing that Ares was able to bring Aurora back to us, and that they did not both perish".
Both mothers backing away respectfully, their hostility still apparent on their faces. Athena watched them carefully, her demeanor calm, but her eyes sharp.
"Mom?" A small voice called out in the ringing silence. Ares craned his neck around his mother to see Aurora stirring on the ground, the healer still working over her.
Aurora's mother was with her in an instant, soothing her with soft croons.
Athena gestured for Ares and Eris towards the door and moved to follow them.
Ares had another worry on his mind, "Your majesty… I know I was wrong, but please don't punish Aurora for following me. She really was trying to keep me safe, and I was being an idiot and not listening to her. Please… she caught a Flicker that was the size of my head! She should be allowed to join the others from our year."
"That won't be a problem, young Ares." Athena stated serenely and he felt hope flutter in his chest. Perhaps she would forgive both of them for not returning from the First Hunt with quarry. Perhaps they wouldn't have to live with their parents for another year!
"She's passed the ritual? You'll allow it?"
"Of course she has." Queen Athena said, and Ares caught the smallest hint of humor in her voice, "Aurora returned to the Colony with quarry from her first hunt. She passes by her own strength, not from my mercy." The Queen stepped back and pointed one claw towards the recovering bat. Ares was confused but followed her direction till his eyes landed on his friend. Clutched in one bloodied paw was what remained of the Flicker.