Hey everyone! Before I get the ball rolling with this chapter, I'd just like to attach this mini glossary of sorts. It contains various flyer slang that you'll hear throughout the course of this story, as well as their definitions. I'll most likely end up defining the terms as they come up, but do let me know if there's something I missed!

Sharptooth Flyer = Ornithocheirus

Scaly Swimmer = A fish.

Shortbeak = Often used by older flyers to reprimand younglings, implying that their beak is still as short and stubby as it was when they first hatched. It can also be used to do some friendly teasing as well. Depends on the context, really.

Wisehead = An egghead. Someone who's a stickler for the rules and doing things the 'right way'.

A New Dawn

The waves of the Big Water felt cool and soothing against the gray flyer's scales- like a gentle, ticklish sensation. The current rolled towards him, soaking the tips of his wing membranes before retreating back into the depths, as if being pulled back by some unseen force. Above him, multitudes of flyers soared effortlessly through the murky air. But rather than observing them and trying to piece together how they achieved such grace in their movements, his deep blue were lost in the torrent of water and foam. Just looking at the vast expanse of blue brought back some vague yet unpleasant memories, but Orri couldn't tear his eyes away. He couldn't shake the feeling that something about the Big Water was alive, and was calling out to him.

Perhaps a small part of him actually wanted to go beyond those invisible boundaries, like his father before him. Blue Haven was... wonderful, but it left much to be desired. Life was always the same: fly, eat, sleep, fly, eat, sleep. On their little 'patch of paradise' as many called it, they were free from airborne predators, and had convinced themselves that they were the masters of their own fate. That was the sad part. A decorated trap was still a trap and Orri knew it, even if no one else did. He knew that a life where one couldn't even wonder about a better world was no life at all.

"Orri!" A distance voice echoed, barely reaching his ears. Oh, wonderful. Now I'm hearing things, he pondered silently, deciding not to give the imaginary voice the time of day.

"Orriiii!" The voice was closer now, but Orri still refused to acknowledge it. He was sure it was a figment of his imagination, and his imagination had a tendency to run away from him and do more harm than good in the process. He couldn't even count the amount of times he sensed something, was called crazy, only to be proven right later on. The worst part of it all was that it didn't matter if his instincts were right or not. To the rest of the flock, he'd always be seen as someone who would only drag them down.

He closed his eyes for a moment in an attempt to silence the voice in his own head, only to let the most undignified scream when he opened his eyes again.

"AHHH!" He stumbled back, falling over onto his haunches. It was then that he realized the source of his fear was none other than Vali, his brother.

"Finally," Vali sighed, exasperated, "Do you realize how long I've been calling for you? If the Circle of Life gave you ears then you should use them."

"My bad," Orri said apologetically while getting back up onto all fours, shaking the particles of sand and water off of his scales, "I actually heard you calling me, but I thought the voice was in my head."

Vali seemed confused for a moment, but quickly decided it wasn't worth questioning. He gazed into his brother's eyes, his own softening at the other's appearance. They were both the same age, but Orri might as well have been seasons older, as far as appearances went.

"Are you alright?" Vali questioned, visibly concerned. "You look... tired." He tried to be delicate, but he couldn't deny that his brother did indeed look worse for wear.

"I'm fine," Orri answered, once again shaking his head to clear his mind, "I think I might just be hungry. I don't believe I've eaten yet."

Vali narrowed his eyes, shooting a rather doubtful look towards the skinnier flyer. "Right, and I'm a rampaging threehorn. You're my brother, Orri, not some stranger. Now why don't you tell me what's really wrong?"

"It was worth a shot," Orri said in slight jest. He looked towards the horizon and then back at Vali. "There's something strange about the Big Water lately. It sort of feels like it's calling my name, like it wants me to follow it... or like it's warning me. I know that sounds crazy, but I really do feel it."

Vali pondered his brother's words for a moment. Orri's instincts had seldom been wrong before, but he was also susceptible to such cryptic intuitions when he neglected to look after himself properly. He remembered his father advising him as a boy that even the sharpest of senses could go awry if the body was not taken care of. Of course, their treacherous father had also left them to fend for themselves, but it was a good lesson all the same.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Vali assured him, placing a hand to his shoulder, "the Big Water is strange and mysterious, which is why we must never go beyond it. We are safe here, except for when the Great Storm comes, but even then, we can see the signs days before it happens and prepare ourselves in advance..."

He caught himself rambling and realizing that he was probably boring his young brother to tears, shook his head. "Listen, my point is that sometimes, our minds can trick us into worrying ourselves sick over absolutely nothing. It happens to the best of us. Even more so when one doesn't take the best care of themselves, like when they forget to eat, for instance."

Orri couldn't help but beam in admiration of his brother, despite the evident jab at him. He was always so strong, so logical, and so kind. He'd certainly make a great leader one day, if he was ever given the chance. "Well, if you say so, then you know I'm with you."

"There's a lad!" Vali exclaimed, playfully nudging the other male with his beak, "Now, you said you were hungry? I'll go and fetch you some scaly swimmers. Stay here, and try not to get carried away by your own thoughts." He scurried off and Orri went right back to overthinking, despite his brother suggesting he do the opposite.

At least, he was planning on doing so until Vali reappeared in front of him, stretching on all fours with a gleeful smile, torso facing the sky. "Look. We're both upside down."

An old fail safe that Vali often relied on to lift Orri's spirits when they were both younglings, Vali was both surprised and disappointed to see that the only reaction he got from the male was a half-hearted smile. Whatever was bothering Orri must have really been eating at him. Even if he wasn't feeling the best, that stupid 'upside down' joke always managed to pull a laugh out of his brother. Realizing there wasn't much else he could do, he decided to cut his losses and gave the other a loving nudge on the shoulder before setting off to find some food.

A single green eye peered through the bushes, the dark hue perfectly concealed by the shadow of the foliage. The eye's narrow, black slit trailed the area, dilating when it landed on two flyers who appeared to be engaged in a friendly conversation. Upon closer inspection, Illyria realized that she recognized the bigger one of the two, a flyer with a faded gray hide and harsh verdant eyes that looked down upon the newcomer.

Faris. As the head of the sentinels, he'd forgotten more about fighting than she'd ever know.

As for the other flyer, Illyria didn't quite recognize him. He was smaller in stature, but he carried himself in a way that told the disgruntled, older flyer that he wasn't about to back down. Scarlet eyes practically bore a hole through Faris' forehead, letting him know that his intimidation tactics were of no use, and that he'd be better off saving his breath.

"We have no place for wanderers here," Faris reiterated, repeating the exact same thing he had yelled in the other's face mere moments ago.

"No place? This island has enough room for another flock!" The wanderer exclaimed incredulously.

"That's precisely why we have no place for the likes of you. We have a peaceful life here, and we can't let every flyer that passes by eat up all of our food. They might spread word of our home, or worse, they might try to seize our land for themselves."

The smaller flyer frowned. "Well, that's not the least bit fair, is it? And you know, that sort of narrow mindedness will only end up causing you all more grief in the long run. You can't hide yourselves forever. It just won't last."

"I don't think you're in any position to be giving me a lecture," Faris hissed, "and you want fair? Well, tough shit. If you don't like how we run things, then you're free to move on. But if you insist on staying, then I can allow you to go further inland. Stay on the far side of the island, where you can't bother anyone. A fair warning though, you'd better be gone by the time the bright circle rises over the mountains, or else I'll make you leave."

With a huff and a snort, the newcomer decided to take what he could get and headed off in the other direction. Faris hummed in satisfaction, resuming the most important task of feasting on some freshly caught scaly swimmers.

A wanderer? We've never had wanderers before, Illyria wondered. It had just occurred to her that the reason behind Blue Haven's lack of visitors could very well be Faris turning them all away. Trying to visualize all the things the wanderer must have seen, it made her shake with excitement just thinking about it!

Unfortunately, in her excitement, Illyria also gave away her hiding spot. A rustle from the bushes caught Faris' attention, after which he sniffed the air and caught wind of the young girl's familiar scent.

"Come on out, Illyria," he sighed, "I know you're there."

A younger, more inexperienced Illyria would have continued the charade. However, she knew by now that trying to hide from Faris once he had her scent was a losing game. She emerged from the bushes, head hanging low in guilt and embarrassment.

Faris sighed, trying to withhold the frustration that gave itself away when he shook his head. "Illyria," he began, "How many times have I told you not to eavesdrop? It's rude, and makes a flyer seem untrustworthy."

"At least a few times every season, since I was a youngling," Illyria responded matter-of-factly, making no effort to hide her annoyance. "Many apologies, oh wise one. I think my curiosity just got the better of me."

"I know," Faris agreed with a nod, his expression more indicative of defeat rather than anger. He was no stranger to the girl's sarcastic attitude, nor did he let it get to him.
"It's not your fault. You've never seen newcomers before, so I suppose it's only natural that you'd want to find out more. But I assure you, outsiders are forbidden for a reason."

"I understand," Illyria responded, nodding along to each point he made. The quicker he finished his lecture, the quicker she could leave. "So, um... is it alright if I go now?"

Faris eyed her suspiciously, slanting his head a few inches to his right side. "Well, that all depends on you. Can I trust you to keep your distance from the wanderer?"

"Of course. I promise I won't even look at him." Every word she spoke was a lie, but she'd had seasons upon seasons to master the technique of lying, specifically to Faris.

"Very well. Be careful," he reminded her, finally letting his guard down as he turned his back and gave a wave of his arm, letting her know that she was free to go.

Illyria grinned, quite satisfied with her brilliant performance. She looked back once more as extra insurance that Faris wasn't watching. Sure enough, he was busy snacking on those scaly swimmers of his. She slunk right past him, briefly making eye contact with the lone sentinel that stood watch at the entrance of the forest, right where the vegetation grew denser. The female pretended not to notice him, and the guard even seemed to do the same, much to her pleasure. Soon, she disappeared entirely, using her sniffer to follow the trail that the mysterious wanderer had generously left behind.

A cacophony of various screeches and cries filled the air, every single sound and pitch muddling together to the point that Vali couldn't tell them apart or tell what each individual flyer was even saying. However, the background noise did serve a purpose— it helped him direct his attention solely on his catch by blocking out the more sudden, raucous sounds that would usually disturb his concentration. Dark blue eyes focused intently on the water, watching and waiting for even the slightest movement...

SPLASH!

His pupil narrowing as he whipped his head in the direction of the sound, Vali watched a single scaly swimmer break the surface, leaving behind a growing trail of ripples in the water. Vali lunged forward to catch his unsuspecting prey, fully confident in his ability. It was one of the bigger ones, too. Vali couldn't believe his luck. Surely, this would bring Orri out of that slump!

SWISH!

Before he even had a chance to react, a gray-blue blur zipped past him, sweeping up the scaly swimmer in one swing. Instead of some food, all Vali got a mouthful of bitter tasting water. An obnoxious laugh echoed off of the cliffs, prompting Vali to look up at the swift thief, despite being fully aware of who the culprit was. This wasn't the first time he'd been down this path, after all.

"Gale, you slimy thief!" The male squawked, "That was for my brother! Why don't you catch your own food for a change?"

"Too bad, wisehead!" Gale guffawed from the air, the scaly swimmer still trapped within his beak, "You should have been quicker! But don't worry! You know what they say- there's plenty of scaly swimmers in the sea!"

The flyer's cackles sounded through the air as he headed towards the share, presumably to enjoy his unearned meal. Vali watched him leave, scowling. From the corner of his eye he caught sight of another scaly swimmer leaping across the water, and caught it by its tail. The creature was remarkably tiny, with practically no fat on its pathetic little body. Even a hatchling wouldn't want it. Vali released his hold, letting the swimmer retreat back into the water to live another day.

A minor setback, but he wouldn't let that discourage him. He was going to find a good, appetizing meal for his brother, even if he had to circle the water until the Cold Time arrived. Shrugging off the lingering annoyance with a small huff, he reassumed his previous position, eyes watching the water for any sign of life. Only this time, he also made sure to keep an eye out for any no-good, thieving flyers as well.

Somewhere within the thicket of trees, a twig snapped. Not long after, a pale brown blur could be seen leaping from one tree branch to the other, the seemingly elusive creature using her own momentum to propel herself forward. She may not have been the strongest or the biggest, or have any redeeming qualities that would be of any use, but Illyria prided herself on how sneaky she was. Her body was so light that she could move without making a single peep, instead of lumbering around everywhere like some of the larger flyers in her flock. It was a shame that her only true skill was rendered useless, unless she actually felt like sneaking off somewhere in the dead of the night without the use of her wings.

Busy with reciting her mental monologue to no one but herself, Illyria hadn't even noticed she'd lost sight of her target. When she looked down, the alleged wanderer was nowhere to be seen. Eyes widened in surprise as she whirled her head from one end of the clearing to the other, unable to spot him. She must have been truly incompetent if she already managed to lose sight of someone who had been there mere seconds ago. The thought of looking behind her didn't even cross her mind until it was too late.

"May I help you?"

"Woah-!"

The voice that suddenly made itself known from above caused her to lose her footing, squeezing out a yelp from the female as she slipped from the branch she had been perched on. She barely managed to prevent any serious injury with a quick flap of her wings seconds before she touched the ground.

Craning her head, she turned to meet her unknown assailant. At least, she assumed they were there to kill her. The one immutable law of the outlands was to either kill or be killed, and she knew that. She looked up, meeting the curious gaze of a male sharptooth flyer. The wanderer.

"Are you alright?" The male inquired, landing right in front of her.

"Fine," Illyria answered curtly. Aside from her bruised ego, she had not a scratch on her.

"Don't feel bad," the other chortled, "It was quite clever, using the branches to launch yourself forward instead of relying solely on your wings. You just need to figure out a way to not make as much noise. I could hear you before I even saw you."

Illyria was inclined to believe that the flyer was only saying that out of pity, but one whiff of his scent suggested otherwise. "Thank you. I'm... still working on it. Clearly."

"Well, in any case, the name's Yarrow. What's yours?"

"I'm Illyria. At least, that's what everyone calls me." As a flyer who grew up without any parents, she simply had to trust that what others called her was actually her real name.

"Illyria," Yarrow repeated to himself, a wistful look in his pale eyes, "a beautiful name. So, Illyria, you look like quite the curious young flyer. Why did you feel the need to follow me, if you don't mind my prying? Don't worry, I'm not upset. I'm just curious."

"Seems to be a lot of that around here lately," Illyria remarked under her breath, earning a slight chuckle from the elder. His reaction brought upon the faintest hint of a smile on her face, as well as an increase of confidence.

"I saw Faris chew you out," she proceeded to explain, "before you, I actually never saw another outsider. But now... I'm starting to think we get more visitors than we actually know about."

"Faris?" Yarrow tapped his beak, racking his memory for a moment before he finally remembered. "Ah! You mean that savage brute? Yes, I've certainly come across his type before... always set in their ways, and trying to reason with them is about the same as talking to a rock."

Illyria snorted at the blunt yet fitting description. "Yes, that's him. But that's not the only reason I'm here. You see, I've been raised by that 'savage brute' my entire life. When I was younger I would ask him about the outside world, but he usually ignored me or he would yell at me. Either way, I never got anything out of him. So, I was wondering if you could tell me what it's like...?"

Upon seeing the almost childish gleam in the young one's eyes, the male smiled fondly. He remembered his youth well, the memories of being a swift young flyer with an insatiable sense of curiosity. He understood exactly where the young female was coming from. In fact, he even saw a little bit of himself in her.

"Well," he began, "it's quite difficult to put into words, but I will say that if you were to see it for yourself, I don't think you'd be let down. Out there, you'll see mountains that spit fire from their tops, and entire lands covered in nothing but ice, with winds that could freeze your beak off."

Illyria instinctively covered her beak, green eyes wide with amazement as she listened to each and every word he said. Faris could only imagine capturing her attention as completely as Yarrow did.

Yarrow thought he had finished listing all that he could off the top of his head, until his eyes widened in realization less than a moment later. "Oh! How could I forget? You know of the Big Water, yes? Well, believe it or not, it actually goes on forever and forever."

"What? No way, you're making that up," Illyria shook her head, narrowing her eyes in suspicion, "if the Big Water really is that huge, everyone would have sipped all the water up seasons ago."

"That's the thing, shortbeak. The Big Water is so huge, it never runs out. And it's not filled with just scaly swimmers. There's all sorts of creatures living down there in those depths! I'm telling you, it's like an entirely different world."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll believe that when I see it. " It wasn't that she didn't want to believe him, it was just that it sounded too good to be true. She'd hate to venture out there herself, only to be disappointed.

"It's the truth, young one," Yarrow insisted, "I've seen it with my own eyes. You've lived quite the sheltered life here, so I don't blame you for being skeptical. Actually... maybe it would be better for you to see it for yourself."

Dark green eyes were as wide as the Night Circle at its fullest, Yarrow's statement prompting the gobsmacked female to meet his gaze. "You mean... I could be there?"

"Well, why not?" Yarrow shrugged rather indolently, "Everyone has to leave home at some point, don't they? And in my opinion, there's no better way to make your mark on the world than setting out to see all that it has to offer."

The gleam had returned to her eyes, even if just for a fleeting moment. With the tip of her beak in her palm, she mulled over the possibility. Going beyond the Big Water? That would be an adventure for the ages, no doubt about it.

She looked up to meet Yarrow's gaze once more. "I'll be right back," she told him before tapping the lower part of her beak with her talon, "...will you still be here?"

"Of course," Yarrow affirmed, nodding his head.

Great. That was one less thing to worry about. Illyria flashed a quick grin and turned back the way she came, unable to contain her excitement as she swept through the vegetation.

As soon as she was gone, another figure drifted down from within the shelter of the trees. A flyer. He had concealed himself at Yarrow's behest, but now that the girl was gone, he could finally give the other a piece of his mind. "Damn it, we're wasting too much time. Why don't we just grab her?"

Yarrow was unable to repress an utterly exhausted sigh. "Because that would be abduction, which is frowned upon in many places, Yuri. Even if we did take her by force, three flyers don't exactly make a flock. And more importantly, I would never stoop as low as holding someone against their will."

"Y'know, I can't tell you how annoying it is when you talk like that, acting like you're the pride of every flock just 'cause you're so smart," Yuri grumbled, "I mean, every time you open your mouth, I just think to myself 'who does this guy think he is?' I mean, everyone looks up to you for no real reason except that you talk good. And you know what? You do talk good. But that's all it is. Talk."

Yarrow drew an inward breath, looking up towards the sky and wondering when his brother would get to the point. After an entire lifetime with Yuri, his long-winded rants had simply become a part of their daily routine. "Are you finished?"

"No," Yuri spat, "But there's no use in talking to you about it, so why waste my breath? Besides, what I'm more annoyed about is the fact that there ain't shit to eat here."

"I can see that." Yarrow sighed again, massaging his forehead, "Listen, I know that we don't really have a whole lot of time, but all I'm asking is for you to trust me. Once we have a decently sized group we can get out of here. We'll settle someplace safe and later on, when we're old— well, older, we can laugh and reminisce about this moment. You have my word on that."

There was a long silence after that, during which Yuri managed to scoop up a scaly swimmer maneuvering its way through the stream. Then, with the swimmer in his mouth, he gave his muffled and unimpressed response. "...Yeah, sure. Whatever."