Chapter 9: Reunion and Birth
It was not long before the remaining males of Stone Hold arrived at Tree Haven. Griffin landed on the ground first, staring up at the powerful tree with great concentration. The other males landed behind him, not making one move until Griffin would do something. Cassiel and Chinook walked up to Griffin, who was still deep in thought.
"Griffin, are you sure that Zephyr had spoken to you?" Cassiel asked.
"I wouldn't be reacting like this if he hadn't." Griffin said curtly, not even turning his head to look at his grandfather. After a minute, Griffin finally turned around. "It is too quiet. Something tells me something bad happened here." He turned around again and flew off onto the edge of the tree's knothole. The first thing Griffin noticed was a thick scent. He peered into the tree and stood as still as a statue, his body cold with shock.
From below the tree, the males stood, looking around nervously and chattering with each other quietly, wondering what Griffin had seen. Griffin just stood at the entrance of the tree, looking inside without moving a single muscle. Most of the Silverwings guessed that Griffin had seen something horrible. Soon enough, the males could not take the silence any longer. In groups, the males lifted off and dove into Tree Haven from both the entrances – the top and the knothole. From the knothole entrance, Griffin stood, his face pale with grief and shock. He took absolutely no heed to the males who were flying into the tree beside him. Eventually, the inside of the tree was filled with the screams and sorrowful weeping of some of the male Silverwings. Blood was shed across the inner walls of the powerful oak walls of Tree Haven. Many female Silverwings and newborns lied dead across the inside of the Silverwings' nursery roost. Some of them were mangled, some were shredded up, and some were even decapitated or dismembered in a grotesque way. The air all over the inside of Tree Haven was filled with an unsettling energy and the scent of fresh blood. A lot of the male Silverwings had unfortunately found their mates and children murdered in a heap, embracing them with tear-matted faces. Griffin's face grew grim. He bowed his head down, trying his hardest to keep his own tears from shedding. This was something he had never wanted to see in his life – the sad, cruel fate of others and their loved ones by their side, bitterly crying their hearts out. Griffin slowly sat down, sniffing loudly and placing his claws gently on his legs. He wanted to leave the Silverwings alone, but for some reason he did not have the will to do it.
Cassiel and Chinook appeared right beside Griffin. He could hear Chinook gasp heavily, putting his wing across his mouth. Cassiel sighed sorrowfully, bowing his head and shaking it. Immediately, Chinook flew all around the inside of Tree Haven, searching to see if his own mate and child had been a victim of death as well. He swiftly returned to Cassiel and Griffin, a look of relief on his face.
"Thank Nocturna, they are not here." He said.
"Yes, I did notice that most of the mothers had gone missing." Cassiel added.
"They probably took refuge." Chinook said.
"But where?"
In the midst of all the sorrowful cries across Tree Haven, a familiar voice sounded from the peak of the tree.
"Everybody, up here!" The albino shouted out. Griffin looked up, surprised that the old bat could shout as loud as he can. "I am sorry that a lot of you had lost those dear to you, but do not think that all hope is lost! Those whose mates are missing, do not worry, for they have indeed taken shelter in a large cavern under the forestlands! Follow me, all of you, and we will take refuge there! Quickly now!" The Silverwings, even the ones who had wept over their mates' and children's carcasses, unfurled their wings and immediately followed behind the albino as he gracefully flew off into the north. Cassiel knelt beside Griffin.
"You need any help?" Cassiel asked him.
"Grief counseling maybe, but other than that I'm fine."
"Come on, Griffin, we have to go." Chinook said. The burly bat was obviously excited that his mate was still alive. The three bats flew with each other behind all the other Silverwing males. Griffin turned his head, taking one last look at Tree Haven, the once peaceful and serene nursery roost of the Silverwing colony.
Soon enough, Zephyr had commanded the males to stop flying in a certain spot in the depths of the Northern forests. They all landed, watching Zephyr walk about the ground, his head up high as if he was searching the foliage above. He bowed his head down and looked back at the males.
"It's safe for now. Come along." The albino said. Just when he turned his back, Janus came toward the old bat.
"Zephyr, the colony has suffered greatly. What has done this to us?" Griffin was amazed. He had no idea so many bats knew the old albino.
"Creatures deadly beyond our imagination. All will be explained when we are inside. Tell the males to follow me. I do not believe I have the ability to command your colony." Zephyr said with a meek smile.
"No, I believe you are able to help us, Zephyr. Do what you please."
"If you insist. Alright everybody, follow me! I will direct you to the underground cavern where the remaining Silverwing mothers and newborns reside!" Zephyr shouted to the mass of Silverwing males.
A couple of minutes later, Zephyr once again ordered the males to halt. He began to crawl on his belly, sweeping around the dead leaves on the dirt ground and sniffing around the floor. Eventually, he reached the base of a tree and started to dig against the bark furiously, sending leaves and bits of debris flying about. A hole formed from where Zephyr dug. The hole was big enough for about two Silverwing males to crawl into. Soon, all the males were lined up in two rows, crawling into the dark tunnel below and nervously singing out echo waves. Griffin, Cassiel, Chinook, and Zephyr stayed behind, closely monitoring the line, making sure that it was orderly. After a while, all the males had gone into the caves. Cassiel sighed and bowed his head.
"It pains me to think about this. There are those who had lost the ones they loved, and yet there are those who will reunite with their mate and child. I don't know whether to be happy or not." Zephyr slowly walked over to Cassiel.
"Maybe you should not be thinking about it at all. Yes, this is truly a tragic turn of events, but there are those who die young and there are those who live to their heart's last beat, and it's just a common thing of life that we all must understand and get used to. Let us go now." Zephyr turned around and paused for a second. He looked at Griffin. "Griffin, I think Luna will need you more than ever from here on." Griffin nodded. He wanted so badly to cry his eyes out – his mate was alive, and he did not have to suffer like so many of the other males had. He rushed into the hole first, crawling through the rough dirt tunnel, his heart beating ferociously. It had not even been two months, but it seemed like forever since he had last seen Luna. He knew that his child's birth would come very soon, and he had to stay by his mate's side no matter what the cost. He would give it his all to protect her from anything, even the "Halfwings" which Zephyr had talked about.
Griffin emerged from the tunnel's mouth and entered the huge cavern before him. The ceiling was crawling with intricately shaped roots. Each of the four walls of the underground dwelling had deep burrows in which a large group of bats could easily huddle into. There were many of these burrows, and Griffin was determined to search every single one to find Luna.
Luna could no longer perch on the ceiling. Lately her stomach began aching so bad that she had to sit on the floor. Above her, the female elders were deep in conversation, always keeping an eye on her. Marina, however, spent most of her time next to Luna, helping her with every ounce of her strength. She noticed a figure flying towards the burrow she was in and she sang out a few echo beams to identify who it was. Luna breathed a sigh of relief. It was Mia. Her child was clutching tightly against her breast as the Silverwing nurse beat her wings hard to get to Luna. She landed gracefully on the burrow's floor, breathing heavily.
"Luna." She said hoarsely. Luna nodded to her with a big grin.
"I'm so glad you made it out okay." She said happily. Mia smiled back to her.
"Just barely made it. I'm glad you are doing fine as well." Mia stated.
"Well, I could be doing better. My stomach is really hurting and…I can't help but think about Griffin." Luna said quietly. "What if those creatures are out there, waiting for them?" Mia laughed. Luna made a confused face. "What did I say?" Mia lifted her child up and breathed deeply.
"Oh, well, about that." Mia trailed off and just jerked her head behind her, grinning from ear to ear. Luna and Marina leaned to the side and both of them felt their hearts rise. The Silverwing males had just arrived at the far end of the caves. A lot of the males were swiftly flying around the caves, calling out names frantically and gathering with their mates jovially. Luna smiled at the sight and knew that Griffin would be coming to her at any time. Her chest swelled at the thought of her mate finally reuniting with her again. She could even almost feel a kick from inside of her, causing her to be even more excited.
Surely enough she eyed a silhouette in the distance, flying around the burrows close to her own, calling out her name. Luna felt like she could cry. She felt so fortunate to be one of the females still alive after the horrific invasion. Luna closed her eyes, smiling the biggest she could. With Griffin here with her, she felt like she could do anything. Luna felt a soft breeze of wind brush up against her face. She slowly opened her eyes, seeing her mate standing over her with a look of relief on his face. Mia and Marina shuffled away to make room for the two bats. Griffin knelt down beside Luna slowly and they started to nuzzle each other's faces lovingly. They let go of each other and looked at the other in the eyes, saying nothing. Luna's eyes began to water and she looked down at her belly. Griffin looked down as well. Without a word he sat next to Luna and shuffled next to her so that they pressed against each other. Luna closed her eyes and sighed as Griffin cuddled his cheek against the back of Luna's neck.
"Griff." Luna whispered out. Griffin grunted and looked at her wonderingly. "I'm so glad you are here." Griffin responded with a hearty smile and leaned over to nuzzle Luna again when suddenly, Luna yelped, causing Griffin to leap back in fright.
"Luna??" Griffin said, his head spinning in shock. Luna was breathing heavily. Her expression gave the impression that she was suffering pain. Griffin crawled quickly over to Luna. He wrapped a wing across Luna's back and whispered to her. "What is wrong Luna? Tell me." Luna shouted.
"You know what is wrong, Griffin!" Griffin's face grew pale and he started to bellow.
"Who here is a nursing bat of some sort!? Speak up!" Mia quickly went over to Luna and knelt beside her. Luna started to gasp in pain and she threw her head up screaming. She reached her claw outwards and forcefully grabbed Griffin's arm.
"Griffin, stay with me, please!" Luna shouted in between gasps. Griffin embraced Luna, trying his hardest to comfort her.
"I'm here, Luna. I'm always here with you now." Griffin said to her.
"Good!!" Luna screamed, tightening her grip on Griffin's arm. He could hardly believe it – he would be one of the only fathers to see the birth of his child before his eyes. From all around the cave, the Silverwings watched intently, some of them crowding around Griffin and Luna, watching the scene with fascination.
Minutes later, Silverwings all around were chattering excitedly. Within a circle of a tight crowd sat Griffin and Luna who were cuddling against each other, a newly born child clutching against Luna's breast. A lot of the Silverwings were cooing as they watched the scene. Many of them were smiling in satisfaction and were happy for Luna's successful birthing. Mia wiped off sweat from her forehead and stood up, shooing away the crowd.
"Hey, now! Don't you understand how much these two need their privacy?! Go on! Get away from here! Yes, that means you too! Scurry along now!" Griffin and Luna could never be any happier with their newborn child. Luna was finally free of all her troubles and all the dark thoughts cooped up in her mind. She was finally at peace, and now that Griffin was with her, she felt she could be content even in the situation that the Silverwings were caught in. Marina, Zephyr, and the female Silverwing elders landed next to the two mates.
"What will you name him?" Ariel asked with a bright smile on her face. Luna looked at Griffin.
"Lucius. Lucius will be his name." She said as Griffin gave her a kiss.
"Then his name will be Lucius." He replied.
