As Shade led Ataria into Tree Haven he found most of his colony just waking up and roaming around.

"There you are Shade." He heard Marina call to him.

Shade flew to her and embraced her, "This is Ataria, she's a Moonwing, and I found her flying outside of Tree Haven."

"A Moonwing? I don't think I've ever heard of a kind of bat like that. Is your colony roosting nearby?"

Ataria seemed to have trouble replying, "I don't have a colony, I once did, but not anymore."

"Oh," said Marina, a little shocked, "Well, what happended to them if you don't mind me asking?"

"She doesn't really like to talk about it," Shade told Marina, "By the way, this is my mate Marina," he said to Ataria.

"Nice to meet you." Ataria said.

"We should probably let you meet the elders, just to make sure it's o.k. for you to stay with us for awhile, but I'm sure it won't be a problem for them." Shade said.

"Off course she can stay." Shade looked up to see his mother flying down, "Hi, I'm Ariel, Shade's mother; I'm also one of the Silverwing elders."

"Nice to meet you." Ataria said.

"We should introduce you to the colony." said Ariel.

"Oh…well…

"Don't worry, were a nice colony," Ariel said.

"Make yourself at home." Marina said to Ataria later after her introducing.

"Thanks. Aren't you a Brightwing?"Ataria asked.

"Yeah, but I met Shade about a year ago on an island and we became close friends, and now here I am, staying with his colony."

"What about your other colony?" Ataria asked.

"Well, I guess you know about the whole thing with the banded bats?"

"Of course. My colony thought the bands to be a sign from Nocturna, while others thought them to be a curse."

"I had a band, and my colony thought they were cursed, so they banished me."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I know what it's like to lose a colony."

"What happened to your colony?" asked Marina.

"Well……

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I'd like to, just to get it off my chest."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure"

"Well, I'm sure Shade would like to hear it too, so why don't we wait till tomorrow to tell us."

"That sounds o.k. to me. Thank you for letting me stay with you."

"It's no problem."

"How long have you and Shade been mates?" Ataria asked.

"Actually, we just became mates yesterday." Marina replied.

"Really? Ataria said, "It's nice to fall in love with a friend. I once had a mate, and he was very handsome."

"I bet. You look like a bat that males would fight each other for, just to have you."

"Thank you," Ataria said, "your pretty attracitive yourself."

"Yeah, Shade became real jealous when all the males in his colony started treating me real friendly."

Ataria laughed," Well, I think you two will be really happy together."

"I think so too; but I also think he's stressing about mating with me."

"Really? I would have thought he would be the entire world excited to mate with a hot bat like you."

"Well Shade's a very confusing and frustrating bat, but I do love him."

"I think his stress will pass in due time. Me and my mate never had the chance to mate with each other, and we even picked our honeymoon location."

"Oh, really, where'd you pick?"

"Where we met."

"That sounds very romantic; Shade and I want to pick a very romantic place for our honeymoon too."

"Shade…Shade… wait a minute, is he the one who won the bats back the sun and made peace between the bats and birds."

"Yep." Marina replied.

Ataria's eyes widened in amazement, "I can't believe I was talking to him all along and I didn't even realize it. He's famous."

"I'm sure he'd love to hear you say that."

"Wow, I never would have guessed it."

"Have you finished your roost yet." Marina and Ataria looked up to see Chinook flying down to greet them. "Hi, I'm Chinook, and I understand your Ataria."

"That's correct, nice to meet you. Your Shade's brother, right?"

"Just recently, yes." Chinook replied.

"Hi Chinook." Marina said.

"Hi, I can't believe it. Shade and you now mates, well, I think you made a great decision in picking him instead of me."

Marina blushed, "Thank you, although I felt a little bad for rejecting you."

"Nah, besides; I'm looking for someone else to become mates with, and you and Shade just seem to go great together."

"Thank you. Well Ataria, I think you should get some rest, you look tired."

"Yeah, I better go and finish up my roost."

Ataria flew off and Chinook whispered into Marina's ear, "She's a fine young bat, and I think I'd be interested in getting to know her."

"Well, be easy with her, she lost a mate and a colony. And besides, if she did mate with you, what about when you meet her mate in the afterlife?"

"Well, I always wondered that too and apparently the elders say that in the afterlife, mates are indeed still mates, but more friends than anything because you can't give birth in the afterlife. But you can still be affectionate to each other."

"But what about mating with someone who already had a mate?"

"The elders said that it would balanced, though they really don't know how, but they also think that once you have a mate, and if that mate dies, that you should just wait till' you die to be with that mate."

"Interesting, but I think you should wait before making a move on her."

"I will, I respect that."

"Well, I'm tired, and I'd better be getting back to Shade and mines roost. Sleep well Chinook."

End of Chapter 4