Chapter 3
The Journey Begins
Rachel did as Nicodemus had instructed and anxiously pushed the vent out as fast and hard as she could. After a few quick shoves, the vent came loose and finally gave way. She held onto the slightly heavy vent while exiting the artificial forest. Once she was finally out, the young goldwing closed the exit, and it shut hard to keep the colony sealed from the outside.
Feeling the cool autumn breeze through her hair, Rachel quickly turned to see an incredibly breath-taking view of the human city before her. Her eyes widened with amazement, as she gasped. She flew over to the edge of the roof to get even a better view. 'Wow,' she thought as the sun was setting. For the human city was truly an amazing sight to behold. However, while breathtaking from afar, the city was not what she was seeking. She had to find the Northern forest and meet up with a colony that would soon be migrating south for Hibernaculum. The only problem was, considering the lack of experience outside the conservatory… She had no idea on how to get there.
But Rachel was not going to quit now. There was only one person that she could turn to for help, and that was her good old friend, Ambrose. Ambrose has seen the Northern forest many times when he and Daria would go out to observe other bats in their natural habitat and watch them hunt. So, the determined Goldwing teen, Rachel, took off to the city to find Ambrose.
She searched and searched, to no avail. After two frustrating hours of looking, she was just about to give up, Rachel decided to stop and regroup for a little bit. She flew over to the window of an apartment building to rest. Little did she know, that this was the very same apartment where her friend Ambrose lived. Fate had intervened early on in this journey.
The sleeping orange tabby slowly woke up, purring while simultaneously detecting a very familiar scent. 'What-?' he thought. 'Could it be?' He took a look over his left shoulder, and to his amazement, it was Rachel! Here! At Daria's apartment! Out in the city! Outside the conservatory! 'Is this a dream!?'
"Rachel!?" he exclaimed, obviously shocked to see her out in the city.
"Yaaah!" Rachel shouted, startled. She then exhaled, calming down her heart; relieved that it was her old friend. "Oh, Ambrose. It's you."
"Yeah, It's me!" he continued exclaiming, looking concerned. "What are you doing out here!? What are you doing out in the city? Outside the conservatory!? Don't you know that it's dangerous out here? How did you even get out?" That last question he asked out of curiosity.
"Felt like getting some fresh air," the goldwing pointed out with a smile, and shrugged her shoulders with an attitude and a cheeky grin. "Is that really such a bad thing Ambrose?" She then quickly changed the subject, getting to the point. "And besides, I was looking for you."
"Yeah? Well you're lucky that Daria is not here."
"She's not home?", quizzed Rachel.
"No, she had just gone to the airport." Ambrose explained. "And a good thing too, 'cause if she knew you got out she would have a -" His eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait a second. You were looking for me?" he raised one eyebrow. "Why?"
"I need your help." She replied, coming clean. "I'm heading to the Northern forest hoping to join another colony that will soon be migrating south. And I don't have a clue on how to get there. And since you're the only one who's been there many times before with Daria, I hoped you could point me in the right direction."
"You're what!?" Ambrose was stunned, as he had never seen this side of Rachel before. "But why would you-"
"I want to experience my first winter migration," Rachel interrupted him. "I want to be free, Ambrose." She turned her body as she continued explaining. "For a long time, I've kept waiting in the wings for Daria to release me and my colony out there, somewhere in the wild. But she never did." She turned back to face Ambrose. "Besides I was sick and tired of being cooped up inside that artificial forest, like a bird in a gilded cage. It felt more like a prison than a home." Her face turned into a very sad, miserable expression. Her eyes showed such determination and courage.
Ambrose's eyes lit up, with astonishment, and he tried explaining to her hoping that she would come to understand Daria's actions. "Rachel," he began, "Daria only wants what is best for you and the Goldwings. She wants you all to be safe and happy. And by creating a safe and artificial world for you was only in your best interests and nothing more."
"Can anybody be happy if they aren't free?" she asked him.
As much as Ambrose wouldn't like to admit it, she did have a valid point. His eyes then turned warm and more understanding. "You really want to get out there, don't you?" he asked her sympathetically, even though he already knew the answer.
"More than anything," she replied with such longing desire and determination. Then, the free-spirited Goldwing started to give him the pouty-bat face.
Ambrose looked at her as if saying "really?" while he smirked. It was cute when she did it as a new-born, but now she was just being ridiculous. Then, came the swelling of tears in Rachel's eyes.
Ambrose couldn't believe what was happening right now. "Aww come on!" He complained. "Seriously, Rachel!? Tears!? That is not fair! Don't you dare-" Too late. The tears trailed down her cheeks right on que.
Finding no other way to reason with her, the orange tabby deeply sighed finally acquiesced. "Alright, kiddo," he began, "you win. I'll direct you to where you have to go."
Rachel got all excited and silently shouted "yes!", before she gave her friend a warm thankful smile.
"If you're heading to the Northern forest," he began, "then you'll have to fly straight…" He pointed his right front paw to his right. "… that way, past a small deserted island. No one ever goes there. Not even Daria." Rachel followed to where he was pointing.
"And it is true, I've been to the Northern forest before," Ambrose continued. "Usually, Daria and I go up there on our annual science excursion trip. Every night, we would sit by the campfire and we would watch a colony of Silverwings go hunting."
He then instructed Rachel on what she had to do. "Go down that direction, pass the island, and keep going straight until you reach the mainland. Once you're on the mainland, continue going straight until you have found the campsite. The campsite is several miles out from where the Silverwings roost."
"But Ambrose, how will I know where the campsite is? I don't even know what a campsite looks like." the Goldwing pointed out.
"You will find some big rocks formed in a circle, with a charred center inside the circle," Ambrose continued instructing her while describing the campsite. "You'll know in an instant that it is where Daria sets up the campfire."
"Right then," Rachel nodded and was just about to take off to her destination until…
"Ah buhh buhh buhh! Not so fast, freedom fighter." Ambrose stopped her in her tracks. "There is one last thing that you need to know."
Rachel could sense the cautiously worried tone in his voice, and she knew right away that there was a "but" in there somewhere.
"A word of caution. The Northern forest is filled with strange, wondrous, beautiful things, but it also possesses great danger. For all the bats, the owls are the worst. And there are a lot of owls in the forest that hunt bats. So, I advise you to be extremely cautious out there. Do you understand?"
"I understand," she replied. "I'll be careful."
"You'd better," Ambrose said, raising an eyebrow of concern.
"Alright! Alright! I will! Jeez!"
"Alright, go. Get out of here before I change my mind" he chuckled.
The young Goldwing began to flap her wings in preparation to take off into the air. But shortly before departing, she looked over her shoulder to take one last glance at Ambrose. Then she circled and gave him one last hug goodbye, taking him by surprise. He then hugged her back while purring. As they let go of their embrace, Rachel took off into the air, to her destination.
When she was a few yards away, Ambrose's warm loving smile faded into worried frown as he silently prayed for her safety. "You be careful out there you free-spirited little Goldwing," he whispered, "and good luck."
Rachel turned to the right and kept on going straight, in the direction that Ambrose had pointed her to. Gazing at the horizon with a smile on her face and her eyes focused, she felt the desire to sing about her life-long desire of the adventure she is now embarking on.
Seems like I've spent my whole life hoping
Dreaming of things I've never tried
Tangled in knots just waiting for my time to shine
As she flew past a few more buildings, Rachel's mind was so full of questions that she can't even begin to comprehend.
What if the doors began to open? What if the knots became untied?
What if one day, nothing stood in my way and the world was mine?
Would it feel this fine?
Her heart was pumping with so much excitement and confidence as she was passing the last few buildings, heading toward the docks. Then, her wings began to slowly illuminate as she continued to sing and she didn't even care.
'Cause I got the wind in my hair and a gleam in my eyes
And an endless horizon
I got a smile on my face and I'm walking on air
The young fearless Goldwing had never felt more ready than ever before as she continued singing, flying passed the docks.
And everything life oughta be
It's all gonna happen to me out there
And I'll find it, I swear with the wind in my hair
Once she was finally out of the human city, Rachel finally felt free. But freeing herself from the city was just the beginning, and she knew it. Flying across the sea, she felt even more excited about everything that she could think of once she reaches the mainland, and there was so much to see and do.
So many roads I've yet to travel, so many friends I haven't met
So many new adventures just around the bend
Plenty of mysteries to unravel, tons of mistakes to not regret
So much to see, and to do and to be
A whole life to spend and it doesn't end
Singing with a smile on her face, Rachel let out all of the happiness, excitement, confidence and joy she was feeling, as if she had never felt it before in her life. Soaring in the air like a real free bat for the first time.
And I got the wind in my hair and a song in my heart
And the fun's only starting
I got a skip in my step and I haven't a care
She then felt a really delightful breeze blowing into her wings, her face, and through her hair.
That beautiful breeze blowing through
It's gonna carry me who knows where
She then confidently sang out loud with a voice that is strong and free.
And I'll take any dare with the wind in my hair
The young free-spirited teen constantly continued on flying north until she spotted what appeared to be a small hill on the horizon. Her eyes then lit up, realizing that it was the small island that Ambrose had mentioned earlier.
So much excitement was taking over Rachel's body that she flapped her wings harder and faster with every ounce of her strength, like she was flying for her life, reaching for the island's shores. As she headed towards the shore, she spotted something in the water. She slowed down her pace and then stopped in mid-air to get a better observation. Little did she know that it was a pod of orcas swimming along the shore. Amazed as she was by the sight of these beautiful aquatic creatures, the young Goldwing didn't want to waste anymore time. Rachel had to continue on flying until she had finally reached the shore.
Once she reached the beach, Rachel flew past a beautiful looking waterfall, an old cedar tree, and some barnacle-covered rocks. It wasn't until over an hour later until she had made it to the other side of the island.
I got a smile on my face and I'm walking on air
She continued to sing while her wings simultaneously shine brighter than before. She then ended her song with her heart filled with so much hope while her wings continue to glow.
And everything life oughta be
But I know that it's waiting for me out there
And I'll find it, I swear with the wind in my hair
Once her song finally ended, the young Goldwing's glowing wings slowly faded away and Rachel calmly continued onward in her quest into the unknown.
Goldwing16's Note(s):
Hiya Guys! So here Chapter 3.
So as you can see, this is the part to where it all begins. This where our fearless, free-spirited Goldwing heads out to find the Silverwings. And we ALL know where that leads.
FUN FACT(S):
1. As a Beauty And The Beast reference, I used Belle's (Emma Watson) famous quote from the 2017 live-action film... "Can anybody be happy if they aren't free?" I thought it would make a valid point in this story.
2. The Pouty Bat Face... an idea I loved and used from Hotel Transylvania... But Rachel added actual tears as her secret weapon! Because real tears really sell it! Genius.
3. I thought the song Wind In My Hair (from Tangled: Before Ever After) fit perfectly for the beginning of Rachel's journey to Daria's campsite and find the Silverwings. Look it up on YouTube and type in "Wind In My Hair" to here how the song goes.
Stay tuned for Chapter 4. I'll be posting VERY soon.