For those of you who are still reading this, thanks. I have good news: the horribly boring setting up part of the story is pretty much over. Now it gets exciting. Sorry for the wait. Here you are! :)

POV Azizah

The residents of the village had begun to make their way into the clearing, clustering around the west side, by the painter's hut. The graduates had hardly noticed them, however, since they were to busy chattering among themselves.

"I wonder what we're supposed to do, exactly. I mean, we fly and stuff, obviously, but where? Do we have to perform? I hope not. That would just be weird." Lyall muttered nervously. Like he had been doing for the last half an hour.

Azizah glanced at Ravyn. She looked worried, but that was nothing to go by, since she always looked worried these days.

What's the point in checking? Everyone's nervous. Azizah thought. I know I'm nervous. There probably isn't anything to be nervous about, but, on the other hand, who knows?

She cleared her throat. Lyall shut up – finally – and glared at her. "What is it?" He practically snarled.

Well. "I was just wondering how you were doing." And you look like you need something else to think about besides the ceremony.

His face softened. "I'm just worried is all. Sorry for snapping at you."

"It's okay. I'm worried too."

Ravyn rolled her eyes. "You think? We're all worried... What do you think we're gonna have to do?"

Suddenly, all the people in the clearing quieted. Azizah looked around a group of girls to see what was going on.

The flight teacher was walking briskly out from the forest on the east side of the clearing. She gestured for the graduates to line themselves up. As they got into position, she addressed the gathered villagers.

"Greetings, friends." She started. "Soon we will begin this year's flight ceremony. I'm sure you all remember your own." This brought nods and smiles from the audience. "However, every ceremony is different, as you know, so the procedure itself will be as much of a surprise to this year's graduates as it is to you." She turned to the graduates, who were now in a line on the north side of the clearing.

"I have hidden a small orb for each of you in the forest." She gestured towards the southern side of the clearing, where the forest was the thickest.

Azizah let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Then she smiled. Oh good, she thought, relieved, that's gonna be easier than I imagined.

"Your task is to find your specific orb." The teacher smiled cheerfully.

Azizah glanced sidelong at Ravyn. Her violet eyes had gone as big as dinner plates. Suddenly she shut her eyes and groaned, muttering, "Ah, crap."

"Your orb matches your shirt in color. Once you find it, take it to the roof of the painter's hut." She pointed. "There is one rule: If you find another graduate's orb, DO NOT MOVE IT. This will result in immediate expulsion. Oh, and injuring your fellow graduates is highly discouraged. Are we clear?" She walked to the tree line and, turning to face the graduates once more, said, "Cheating is not acceptable behavior. Don't get any funny ideas. Go ahead and start anytime, but remember: I'll be watching you." She smiled, but in the weak forest light, she looked frightening. Then she spun on her heels, and seemed to fade into the shadows.


POV Lyall

Lyall closed his eyes, desperately trying to recall exactly what the flight teacher had said. First, picture yourself with wings. Lyall frowned in concentration. That didn't seem hard. He pictured a random pair of wings and mentally stuck them on his back. A few seconds passed with nothing happening. Lyall was about to try again, when he felt a sharp pain slice through his back.

He flinched, opening his eyes. Well, that failed, he thought dryly. Then he saw Azizah's face.

Her eyes were big and staring, and her mouth hung slightly agape. "What's wrong?" He asked her. When she didn't answer, he followed her gaze, turning to look behind him. Then he saw what she was gaping at. "Oh." He said meekly.

Where there had been nothing but air before, a huge white wing had extended from his back. He stared at it, not quite sure what to do.

Behind Azizah, Ravyn had extended her wings without even closing her eyes. They were smaller than Lyall's, and a deep shade of violet, almost black. Her wings matched her face paint, which had fully changed color.

Ravyn started at a walk, her wings slowly lengthening. As she began to run, she leaned over, and jumped, and her wings fully extended, carrying her out over the southern forest.

Think of the wings as an extension of your body, another limb, the teacher had said. Lyall thought about his wings extending, and they shot out, nearly decapitating the princess. Luckily, she dodged at the last second.

"What, are you trying to kill me?" She demanded, brushing herself off. By now, she had extended her own wings. They were mid-sized, with a silvery sheen that made them sparkle in the sunlight. She had about a 13 foot wingspan, while he had about a 15 foot.

Something occurred to him. "Hey, Azi."

She was busy admiring her new wings. "Yeah?"

"You owe me 3 kaytos."

POV Ravyn


Ran through the trees, going full steam, closing off all her senses except for her ears, listening for enemies as she sped across the forest floor. Ravyn loved the forest; it was where she grew up. She was on her turf. But, at the moment, it seemed as if her turf was on their side.

I can't hear them, she thought, but I know they're there. They're always there. Especially here, in their territory. She leaped over a fallen log. Why can't they just stay in their territory?

She picked up someone's scent. Stopping in her tracks, she flattened herself against a tree, and listened for a sign of movement. It wasn't hard, whoever was making the noise was really clumsy. Probably wasn't an enemy. She took a deep breath through her nose, sampling the air, and let it out in a sigh of relief. Human. The scent is human. A graduate. She bit her lip. They're making so much noise. I bet every creature in the forest can hear them.

Especially the enemy.

How could Conan allow this? She thought angrily. The graduates are sitting ducks, out here in the southern forest. They're so loud, a blind man could find them.

Ravyn picked up the pace, ears open for any sign of the enemy.

She was looking for something far more dangerous than blind men.

More action is coming, I promise. Review please! (this means you, Riley! lol)