Chapter 13: Much to learn
In the forest close to the Silverwings resting place, stood General Brutus, on top of a broken tree stump, impatiently tapping his claw on the wood. Flanked by two of his owl soldiers, he listened with annoyance to the requirements of a small red cardinal in front of him.
It was the exact same red cardinal, who earlier allowed Frieda and her colony to rest and hunt in his hunting area.
''Ok, I'll tell you where the Silverwings are,'' he haughtily said, ''if you give me exclusive mosquito hunting rights for the whole valley.''
Brutus stared at the smaller bird, silently raising an eyebrow at his demand before bending down to him with a glare, causing him to immediately feel less confident in himself.
''Ok, half the valley would also work, yeah,'' he said, ducking away from the Generals intimidating glare.
''You'll lead a squadron of my owls to the water tower,'' Brutus commanded, definitely not being in the mood of discussions, ''We'll talk about hunting rights after the entire Silverwing colony is annihilated!''
The cardinal gulped at the General's strict words but didn't dare to object. Instead, he just nodded nervously and waited for a sign for him to lead the owls to the clueless bats.
During the next few nights, Zephyr taught us a lot about the stars, orientation by the signs of nature and all kinds of herbal remedies we might need on our journey.
At the end, he tested us a little to see what we had memorized so far.
To my joy, I recalled quite a few important things but Marina could recap much more. However, Zephyr was proud of both of our achievements. Even with Shade's who didn't answer much of his questions. He was still a little sulky that they had to learn all this boring stuff not understanding what this all had to do with learning to perform echo projections.
As we stood and roosted there in the gargoyle's mouth, Zephyr picked up a leaf and showed it to us. ''Stinging needle,'' I instantly called out, recognizing it by its shape and jagged border.
''H-hey! I was going to say that.'' Shade protested but Zephyr just smiled, ignoring his outburst and continued with the test. ''Used for what?'' he asked turning to the Silverwing roosting next to me. ''Shade?'' ''Aching joints,'' Marina quickly answered before him.
''Oh, that will come in handy,'' Shade grumbled, ''When I'm old.'' He turned his back on the three of us with his arms crossed. After a few seconds, he stretched himself with a yawn and started to complain again. ''We've been at this for almost two whole nights and you still haven't gotten around echo projection. Just constellations and boring herbs.''
''Shade you will need that knowledge for the journey ahead,'' Zephyr explained while poking some holes in a dried up leaf and showed it to him. ''What is it?'' he asked.
''A leaf?'' Shade replied with disinterest.
''And?''
The two bats and I looked at each other and the holes in the leaf, wondering what Zephyr meant to tell us, but then we all smiled and got an idea.
Marina took the leaf from the albino and held it into the sky so that the starts fit perfectly into the holes, drawing out the constellation.
''Well done,'' Zephyr cheered, ''You three are beginning to use your brains.''
''Now, can I learn echo projection?'' Shade eagerly asked.
The old bat smiled silently and motioned us to follow him back inside the spire.
''Alright!'' Shade beamed and bumped his fist into the air before flying after Zephyr.
I chuckled at his reaction and let Marina carry me back into the spire as well.
Back inside we three sat down on the wooden beams with Zephyr standing before us. With his thumbs and Forefingers pressed together, he instructed Shade what he had to do.
''Capture the object with your heart,'' he said, ''Listen to it form in your imagination. Once you can hear it. Sing it.''
Shade closed his eyes tightly and held his head while concentrating hard on performing an echo projection. Or at least tried so. Not that I could've seen it anyway but Marina seemed to see nothing as well according to her unimpressed expression. Still, Shade tried as hard as he could.
''Can you see it?'' he asked us.
''See what?''
''Ugh, ... a giant ... bat, like the gargoyles with ... ugh ... huge claws and ... and teeth ...''
''Eh, that would be a ... no.'' Marina answered briefly. I snorted quietly. Did he really think he could perform something like that right on the first try?
''Try something simpler,'' Zephyr recommended, ''Like uh... a leaf.''
Again Shade closed his eyes in deep concentration and tried to screen the picture of a leaf.
At first, nothing seemed to happen but then I saw Marina staring at the ground with surprise. However, her expression changed into a small laugh and Shade opened his eyes again, looking very exhausted.
''Well done, Shade,'' Zephyr praised.
But the Silverwing wasn't as cheerful as him. Instead, he looked rather disappointed in himself.
''I couldn't hold it,'' he said, ''It's gotta be longer and bigger and scarier.''
''You just need some practice that's all,'' I said, and the albino nodded in agreement and walked up to Shade, putting a hand on his shoulder.
''That and your emotions are getting in the way Shade,'' he said, making Shade sigh again. ''But like I said, for your first try you did very well.''
''I wish I could have seen it,'' I admitted, ''It's really too bad that we humans are unable to see echoes like bats.''
''Well, if I were you I wouldn't worry about that much. I surely believe that with some time and practice you will be able to see them.''
I blinked in surprise and looked up at Zephyr, who's blind eyes focused at me together with a warm smile on his face.
''Really? But how will that be possible? I mean how can I even learn to see them,'' I asked.
''Let's just say you will find a way. For now, I think you should take a break and stretch your wings! All of you.''
''But...''
''You can pick some stinging nettle for me. A patch of it grows in an alley not far from the cathedral.''
''Alright,'' I said and let Marina grabbed my hands with her feet before she flew out of the spire followed by Shade to gather the leaves.
As we flew through the city, I caught a sight of myself in the reflection of the buildings we passed by. I had to admit it looked kinda funny how I dangled under the Brightwings feet in the air like a puppet. Eventually, we arrived at the alley and quickly found the leaves Zephyr wanted.
''We pick, you stand guard!'' Marina said, pointing at Shade.
''What am I gonna guard against? The plant?'' Shade asked jokingly and started pulling the plant out himself.''
''Wait let me help,'' I said rolling my eyes at his remark and together we pulled on the plant
With a jolt, it was out of the ground and Shade and I tumbled backward onto our backs.
''Ouch, ... got it,'' I said, holding the plant up with him for Marina to see.
The Brightwing smiled at us in return but then her expression changed into horror and Shade and I quickly turned around to see what was wrong.
Strangely enough, I couldn't see any danger around but the young Silverwing made a dash with the stinging needle in his hands.
I was about to ask him why he hit the air with the leave when I heard a familiar laugh close to us and looked to my right. There I saw Zephyr dancing and clapping his hands joyfully on an old shopping card and I chuckled, getting what was going on. The old bat must have followed us and pranked us with one of his echo projections.
While the Silverwings roosted at the water tower, Chinook flew around through the forest hunting some bugs when two flying squirrels crossed his path. Apparently, they haven't noticed him yet so the young male quickly jumped into a nearby bush to hide. From there he could hear what the squirrels were talking about.
''Oh, how I hate this'' one of them complained. His companion nodded in agreement. ''Yeah, I know what you mean. It's harassment.
''I'm really getting sick and tired of being mistaken for a bat. Can't those stupid birds see the difference?''
''They seem to think just because we have fur and fly they can pull us over on a whim.''
The flying squirrel shook his head. ''Those owls. Instead of getting on our nerves they should rather protect us from these dangerous killing machines.''
Chinook frowned. ''What are those two talking about?''
''Are you sure the rumors a true'' asked the other one doubtfully.
''Well, not directly,'' his friend confessed, ''But I don't want to stay here and find out if a bunch of bats want to kill me or not. Seriously, if that's really what's going on then I'm more than glad that General Brutus closed the skies for all bats.''
Chinook was shocked. The skies closed for bats? Even at night? He had to get back to the others immediately and inform Frieda about it.
Anxiously he waited until the two flying squirrels continued their way then rushed back towards the water tower. There he noticed something flying in the distance and used his echolocation to see that it was a group of owls, led by a red cardinal.
To his shock, he noticed they were heading straight to the place his colony was resting.
Clenching his teeth together in anger, he recognized the little bird in front as the exact same one who offered Frieda to let her colony stay at the water tower in the first place.
After learning so much from the wise old bat it was finally time for us to go and to continue on our way to Hibernaculum.
''You can only hear the world around you with emotions that are calm and a heart that is open,'' Zephyr explained while we all stood in the gargoyle's mouth one last time together, staring out into the starry sky.
I sighed softly, wondering how the Silverwings were doing at the moment and if they were alright and such. Next to me Shade closed his eyes and called up his mothers sound map. As he opened his eyes again we heard the bells from the cathedral ringing. The sound echoing around us.
''Ugh, I doubt I will ever get used to that,'' Marina complained shaking her head.
I turned to Shade and was about to ask what our next destination was when I saw him perking his ears up as if he waited for something. The rest of us stood silent, not wanting to disturb him, but we surely wondered what Shade was hoping to hear.
Then, after the bell ringed for the seventh time, Shade flew up to the cross on top of the spire and ordered us to follow him.
After changing a confused look with Marina I let her grabbed my hands and flew up to Shade, followed by Zephyr.
''What are we doing up here Shade?'' Marina asked puzzled.
Before answering the Silverwing pointed at a bright star in the sky above. ''I figured out the next part of my mothers sound map,'' he said, ''We need to follow this star right there. My mother gave me the exact time and place where I'm supposed to be, so I can set our new course by the stars.''
''Well, that's great,'' I said, recalling the number of bongs we have heard. Seven. So the time was now seven o'clock. ''But how can we stay sure we are still following the right star? We won't have the bell rings to tell us what time it is as soon as we are out of the city and I also don't have a watch.''
''You must learn to measure time in your head,'' Zephyr told us as we landed back on the gargoyle, ''Your bodies know very well how much time has passed with each wingbeat. The stars move at a fixed rate. Once you know that, you'll be able to check your course through the night using that same star up there as a guide.''
''Oh, sure. I get it,'' Shade said.
''You will manage it,'' Zephyr said, his blind eyes focusing us all, ''All of you. Just follow your star.'' He looked up as a shooting star suddenly flashed by causing us to gasp in awe by the sight of it.
''You can hear a star?'' Shade asked.
''Hear? Hehe no. But I can sense it.'' the albino said, smiling.
''Can you sense if we reach the colony?''
Zephyr frowned in concentration and perked up his large ears, trying to catch the tiniest sound. With a sigh, he opened his wings as if that could help him to catch the sound better.
As we watched silently, I thought to see the underside of his wings darken and blinked wondering if I was just seeing things but the wings definitely seemed to turn black and sparkled a little. Then Zephyr wrapped them over his head, cloaking himself.
''Your journey will be like all journeys. Difficult and not like you expected,'' he said, his voice sounding distant and uncertain, ''You'll meet unexpected allies, but beware of metal on wings. And ... you will find Hibernaculum.''
My heart leaped and Shade and I looked at each other with a grin on our faces but Zephyrs voice was far from joy as he continued. ''But others are searching for it too. Powerful forces and I can't see who will reach it first or whether they bring is good or bad.''
Zephyr stopped and his head reappeared. He quickly folded his wings back together and told us that there wasn't more he could hear. ''The echoes are so faint and confused.''
''Thank you anyway Zephyr,'' Marina said with a smile.
''Yeah, thank you very much for everything,'' Shade said while I smiled at him too.
''No problem. Now goodbye my children and good luck.''
We said our goodbyes to him as well and continued our way while I hung on Shades feet.
And as we left the cathedral more and more behind, I couldn't help myself but already started to miss the old bat, hoping to see him again someday.
As we flew through the city Marina suggested we should fly low so the owls wouldn't be able to see us and looked around for any signs of danger. Luckily everything seemed fine and the moment.
I tightly hold on to Shade's feet and thought about random things to get my mind off the fact that I was technically dangling several feet up high in the air. I would probably never get used to that.
Suddenly I heard something and looked around to see what it was.
''Something wrong Vanessa?'' Marina asked looking at me.
''I'm not sure but I thought I heard wing beats around.''
Shade looked around as well. ''I don't see anything. Are you sure you heard right?''
''Yes, I am sure. Though it sounded faint, I have to admit.''
''Well, let's take no risk guys and hurry. The sooner we leave the city behind us the better.''
I nodded and let Shade carry me through the air until we finally arrived at a forest with more places for us to hide in case of danger.
Even though we seemed to be safe, I couldn't help myself but felt like someone followed us.
Eventually, we took a short break and landed on a branch of a tree.
''Dang it,'' I exclaimed suddenly remembering something I had totally forgotten.
''What is it?'' Shade asked.
''I forgot to ask Zephyr if he knew a way to turn me back to my old size.''
''You think he would have known a way to help you with that?'' Marina asked and I shrugged.
''I think so. After all, Frieda had said she wanted me to meet a good friend of hers on the way who might be able to help me and I'm sure she meant Zephyr.''
''Uh, well. If you want, we can turn back and ask him.''
''No Shade,'' I said shaking my head. ''We shouldn't lose more time than we already have. Besides, we have more important problems to think about first.''
''Holy Nocturna,'' Marina gasped, ''We totally forgot to tell Zephyr about the closed sky for bats.''
Shade and I looked at her in shock.
''That's right. We should have warned him,'' I said.
''Alright, that's it we are going back.'' Shade soared up and hovered over me to grab my hands.''
''Wait a second,'' Marina said thoughtfully, ''Maybe he already knows about it. I mean he has so much stuff in his storage that he probably won't be needing to leave the tower, so he should be practically safe.''
Shade didn't look very convinced. ''I don't know. Maybe we should ...''
''WATCH OUT!'' I cried out, just seconds before the owl could impale Shade with its sharp claws.
With none of us knowing, a white barn owl had spotted us from a hidden place and attacked.
Screeching furiously it charged on us again. So I hurried to grab Shade's feet to get the hell out of here but the bird was faster and grabbed my hood with his beak.
''HEY! LET GO!'' I demanded and struggled in its grasp with my feet wildly kicking the air.
Marina and Shade tried to help me by attacking the bird but accomplished nothing. With one stroke of its big wings, it sent Marina back to another tree while Shade tried his best to avoid the owl's talons while trying to reach me.
Suddenly something big hit the owl from the side, causing it to look around in annoyance.
Confused about what was going on I looked up and gasped. Not believing what I saw.