The next night, Nyctllr was up early. She seemed to anticipate the waning sunlight playing across her eyelids, and was startled to notice that the stripe of light had yet to reach her perch when she opened her eyes. But Nyc did not object. When a body is inclined to rise early, it has some sort of chemical-psychological rationalization, and Nyc therefore found no need to wonder why her last hour of sleep was cut short, nor did she attempt to catch those few minutes. She figured she knew what was on her mind. Nyc padded to the exit of the cave and was struck by more light than she usually ever saw. Discouraged, she returned inside, setting another task for herself while awaiting the softer light of evening.
Those who eat much tend to sleep hard. Llewtcy was no different than the standard member of this class. And this evening it was NyctllrÕs turn to bring her friend back into the world of the conscious. Nyc was less subtle even than Llew in her practices as a wake up call. Though her step was light, the flat of her wing fell heavily on the exposed curve of LlewtcyÕs stomach.
ÒHey! ThereÕs plenny of room for breakfast in there without you knocking the rest out!Ó Llew rubbed her stomach and glared at Nyc.
Nyc smirked. ÒMy intent wasnÕt to make room for anything. My intent was to wake you up so you can follow me. But knowing you, youÕll be hungry anyway.Ó
Forgetting the smack, Llew beamed. ÒIÕve been told I could out-eat a hare!Ó
ÒItÕs a wonder you stay aloft.Ó Nyc beckoned toward the door.
ÒWhere are we going?Ó
ÒYou should know soon enough.Ó
And she did know soon. The moths, true to their relationship, were key. Llew ate them, but Nyc observed the flight patterns in the swarms, and deriving wind direction from that information soon confidently led them to their destination.
ÒWhat do you think causes the Windburn?Ó Nyc asked of Llew, the both of them riding lightly along the swift stream of air, wingsails spread wide.
ÒI dunno,Ó Llew shrugged, content to take the air just for what it was. ÒI never thought much about it. I think I heard some stories, though. Some legend-thingummy, I think, about this great huge bat stuck in something, and he keeps on beating his wings to try and escape, but he never does. And I guess he never will.Ó
The wind carried them swiftly but gently toward a tree. Nyc swerved out of the current and Llew followed, continuing to backtrack toward their starting point.
ÒI think thatÕs where the word ÔwindÕ comes from,Ó Llew added as the two swung in to ride again. ÒYou know, it sounds a bit like Ôwing,Õ like the wings of that big bat.Ó
Nyc grinned at her friend. ÒIÕve never heard that one before.Ó
Llew shrugged again, shoulder easing into the wind. ÒWhatÕs wrong with it? What do you think?Ó
Eyebrow raised confidently, Nyctllr adopted a vocal tone that could rival the top lecturer and hypothesizer in the field of the natural sciences. ÒWell, we are quite close to the coastline, and I know there are special winds that always come with the ocean, so maybe those try to blow inland, but they hit the mountains and become the Windburn instead.Ó
Llew blinked vacantly. ÒWhere did you get that? Makes no more or less sense than mine!Ó
ÒI never said I was right,Ó Nyc responded. ÒI was only thinking, and even that doesnÕt matter. The Windburn is here, whyever so. ItÕs just here.Ó
Those who eat much tend to sleep hard. Llewtcy was no different than the standard member of this class. And this evening it was NyctllrÕs turn to bring her friend back into the world of the conscious. Nyc was less subtle even than Llew in her practices as a wake up call. Though her step was light, the flat of her wing fell heavily on the exposed curve of LlewtcyÕs stomach.
ÒHey! ThereÕs plenny of room for breakfast in there without you knocking the rest out!Ó Llew rubbed her stomach and glared at Nyc.
Nyc smirked. ÒMy intent wasnÕt to make room for anything. My intent was to wake you up so you can follow me. But knowing you, youÕll be hungry anyway.Ó
Forgetting the smack, Llew beamed. ÒIÕve been told I could out-eat a hare!Ó
ÒItÕs a wonder you stay aloft.Ó Nyc beckoned toward the door.
ÒWhere are we going?Ó
ÒYou should know soon enough.Ó
And she did know soon. The moths, true to their relationship, were key. Llew ate them, but Nyc observed the flight patterns in the swarms, and deriving wind direction from that information soon confidently led them to their destination.
ÒWhat do you think causes the Windburn?Ó Nyc asked of Llew, the both of them riding lightly along the swift stream of air, wingsails spread wide.
ÒI dunno,Ó Llew shrugged, content to take the air just for what it was. ÒI never thought much about it. I think I heard some stories, though. Some legend-thingummy, I think, about this great huge bat stuck in something, and he keeps on beating his wings to try and escape, but he never does. And I guess he never will.Ó
The wind carried them swiftly but gently toward a tree. Nyc swerved out of the current and Llew followed, continuing to backtrack toward their starting point.
ÒI think thatÕs where the word ÔwindÕ comes from,Ó Llew added as the two swung in to ride again. ÒYou know, it sounds a bit like Ôwing,Õ like the wings of that big bat.Ó
Nyc grinned at her friend. ÒIÕve never heard that one before.Ó
Llew shrugged again, shoulder easing into the wind. ÒWhatÕs wrong with it? What do you think?Ó
Eyebrow raised confidently, Nyctllr adopted a vocal tone that could rival the top lecturer and hypothesizer in the field of the natural sciences. ÒWell, we are quite close to the coastline, and I know there are special winds that always come with the ocean, so maybe those try to blow inland, but they hit the mountains and become the Windburn instead.Ó
Llew blinked vacantly. ÒWhere did you get that? Makes no more or less sense than mine!Ó
ÒI never said I was right,Ó Nyc responded. ÒI was only thinking, and even that doesnÕt matter. The Windburn is here, whyever so. ItÕs just here.Ó
