A Conversation

The light of the Bright Circle poured in through the trees, illuminating Yarrow's aged body in a shower of warmth as he spread his wings wide, a proud and confident grin dancing across his beak. Many a times had he regaled the story of him and his brother's numerous adventures into the Mysterious Beyond, to the point he practically knew the entire tale by heart. Telling a group of eager yet naive young ones how he'd witnessed things none of them would ever believe unless they saw it with their own eyes, it was second nature to him.

As usual, Yuri took no part in the storytelling. He didn't have a flair for dramatics like his brother- he'd much rather sit the whole thing out and snack on some swimmers. This time was no different. He sat a little ways away from the group, his beak half engulfed by the babbling stream that gently curved its way around the forest. As he waited for an unsuspecting scaly swimmer to come moseying by, his scrutinizing gaze casually drifted over towards the two young bloods.

Illyria was absolutely enamored with Yarrow's tales of the outside world, dark green eyes beaming with exhilaration while she envisioned seeing it for herself. Orri's own thrill was a little bit more subdued, but make no mistake, it was certainly there. Deep within those thoughtful blue eyes, there was the slightest hint of wonder.

Yuri unconsciously smirked to himself at the sight of the fascinated pair, subsequently lunging forward and trapping the scaly swimmer in between his teeth. The poor, hapless creature attempted to wriggle free, as if he had a chance of escape. No more than a moment later all movement ceased, quickly followed by the flyer swallowing his catch in one swift gulp. The unfortunate swimmer was a prime example of the immutable fact that life could change in an instant, whether one was the hunter or the hunted. It was a valuable lesson, one that he was sure the two youngsters would never learn if they stayed isolated on the hunk of floating land they called home. Not that he wanted to be the one to teach them that lesson. He couldn't have cared less.

"...Well, I suppose that's enough of my rambling for one day," Yarrow concluded, assuming a more neutral stance as compared to his earlier, more flamboyant position. "You youngsters aren't even supposed to be here, are you? Both of you should leave before you get in trouble, but remember, you two will have to make a decision very soon. We figure it's for the best that we don't stay here for too long."

"Yep," Yuri agreed, "I was saying that we should leave right this instant, but the idiot over there wants to give you time to decide what you wanna do. In any case, we'll be gone by the time the Bright Circle rises tomorrow, whether you're coming with us or not."

Illyria grunted in both agreement and acknowledgement. They didn't have much time to decide on a course of action, but truth be told, she didn't need any. She would gladly leave this miserable island behind. Her only problem was figuring out how to break the news to Faris, but she'd worry about that later. As she turned to leave, she noticed Orri standing completely rigid, appearing to be in some kind of a trance.

The male's pupils narrowed into barely visible slits, every other muscle in his body seemingly frozen. He sniffed the air around him as if he were hunting for something, his sniffer fixated on a certain scent while he tried to figure out who or what the mysterious scent belonged to.

"Orri? Hey, Orri!" Illyria nudged him in the side in an attempt to get his attention, her tone being one of concern with just the slightest hint of annoyance. "What is it? What do you sense?"

"I don't think we're alone," Orri hissed through whispers, more afraid than concerned. "We should go."

"Duh. That's what I've been trying to tell you," Illyria quipped, pushing him forwards with her beak. She could sense Orri's palpable fear, and gave him another nudge with her forewing. "Don't worry. If we leave now, no one will even notice that we were gone."

"I can't believe this. It's absurd," Faris griped, "you raise a young flyer, you give and you give everything you can to them, and how do they repay you when they grow up? By going behind your back."

Aharon knew better than to interrupt while Faris was on one of his angry tangents, as he'd heard the same complaint from the older flyer many times before. The words were different, but the subject of his frustration always remained the same. It was always about something Illyria had done, and how he was determined to impose stronger restrictions upon the young girl. As always, Illyria got away with a warning and being confined to the nest for a few days before she rushed off to go against Faris' wishes once more. It was an endless and vicious cycle.

Faris shook his head. "I tell you, I think I've been far too lenient with that girl. I've always given her the freedom to run around and do what she wants, but I think that's done more harm than good. Of course young ones need freedom, but they need just as much structure and discipline. Don't you agree?"

"Huh?" It took the male a moment to realize that his superior was asking for his opinion. "O-Oh, yes, yes, of course! Structure and discipline are, uh... very important, sir."

A pleased grin spread across Faris' face, followed by a singular nod of approval. "I'm glad we agree. Then again, we see eye to eye on nearly everything, so it's really no surprise. You should know that's actually one of the many reasons I chose you to follow in my footsteps when I am gone. After all, great minds think alike, do they not?"

Aharon opened his mouth, prepared to agree with yet another one of Faris' statements, even if he wasn't completely sure what the old timer was talking about. "Of course—"

"Hold that thought," Faris interrupted, holding out his arm and keeping the male behind him from moving any further, should there be any danger lurking within the foliage. Cold, stern eyes remained on the thick bushel of grass that moved in steady waves, until a gentle rustle disturbed the smooth cadence. The elder stiffened, ready to go in for the kill if need be.

Even Aharon found himself waiting in suspense and anticipation. Despite his harsh and nearly emotionless demeanor, he did have a bit of a soft spot for the kids. They reminded him a bit of himself when he was younger, filled with optimism and hope. While joining the sentinels was a decision he'd made himself after he had already made peace with the fact he would never see the outside world in his lifetime, he had an inkling of hope that maybe, just maybe, it didn't have to be that way for the newer generation of flyers.

Aharon snapped back to reality when the grass finally parted and Faris unwittingly held his breath, releasing it when Orri and Illyria emerged from the green depths, the color nearly draining from both of their faces when they saw who was waiting for them on the other side. Faris immediately relaxed, only to tense up once again, the look in his eyes now more stern than defensive. He stepped forward, addressing them both.

"Sorry," Aharon mouthed to the two young flyers, briefly dipping his head in remorse before assuming a more stoic position.

"Where have you two been?" Faris demanded, pupils narrowing into thin lines. "...And don't even think of lying to me."

"Why are you so upset?" Illyria questioned, clearly having a death wish, "We were just... you know, exploring. Or something."

Right behind her, Orri could be seen smacking the palm of his hand against his forehead. For all her sneaking off and attempting to escape, he hoped that she would have been a better liar.

"Or something," Faris repeated, highly unamused. "And what do you mean by that, exactly?"

"I don't know," Illyria mumbled under her breath, "We were just wandering around, alright? Why does it even matter what we were doing?"

"Illyria..." Faris sighed, "just how big of a fool do you take me for? I know you went to go speak with the wanderer, even after I told you to stay away from him! Honestly, if you're going to blatantly disobey my wishes and then lie to me about it, the least you could do is put some effort into it."

"Well, there's actually two of them," the female pointed out, "and if you already knew where I was, then why bother asking? Do you just enjoy playing mind games?"

This couldn't be happening. Orri's was quite literally living through his worst nightmare. While Faris and Illyria went back and forth, Orri closed his eyes in the hope that this was just a sleep story and that when he woke up, everything would be back to normal. When he opened his eyes, the first thing that caught his attention was how angry Faris looked. He seemed so furious, like he might pass out from the amount of anger that currently coursed throughout his body. No one will even notice, Orri repeated in his head, recalling Illyria's words from earlier.

"I expect this sort of insubordination from you," Faris snarled at Illyria, "but Orri... you've always had some sense, at least!"

Orri wasn't going to lie and act like Faris' words didn't wound him, especially since Faris was one of the few flyers in the flock who actually treated him like he was worth giving a chance. But when he looked at Illyria, who still stood unfazed and unwavering, Orri thought about all the times she'd taken the rap for him. For his mistakes. Her reputation in the flock definitely preceded her, but it wasn't entirely her fault.

"But they're really not that awful, sir," Orri spoke up, not stuttering even once. "They just want to settle down, and live a safe, peaceful life like all of us. With all due respect... doesn't everyone deserve that?"

Faris appeared at a loss for words, opening his mouth for a mere moment before the words died on his tongue. "...Well, of course they do, Orri. But I can't risk the safety of the entire flock for the sake of two flyers."

"You say it's for the safety of the flock, but this seems pretty extreme," Orri argued, shocking Illyria into a glimmer of respect, "it makes me wonder if you're actually doing it for us, or you're only doing it to control us."

"Mind your tone, shortbeak," Faris warned, voice dripping with malice, "what would your brother think, hearing you disrespect an elder like that? I doubt he'd be happy."

"Well, you don't know my brother," Orri replied, surprisingly calm despite the threat, "he doesn't see things the way you do, and he wouldn't just get upset without at least giving me a chance to explain myself."

That last part wasn't fully true- Vali sometimes did get upset if he was worried for Orri's safety, but the young male wasn't about to falter in front of Faris, as much as the rational side of him wanted to.

Faris' eyes widened, his entire body tensing up. For a moment it seemed as if he might actually strike Orri, who braced himself for the oncoming impact.

"Stop!" Illyria screeched, her voice cracking with desperation. "Just stop it. Please. I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit, and I'm sure Orri will accept whatever punishment his brother decides for him. But you need to know that this was all was my idea. I put Orri up to it."

"Illyria, don't," Orri mouthed. He didn't want her to take the fall for him yet again. If she ended up in trouble anyways, then that brave facade he put on would be for naught.

Nonetheless, Illyria continued. "If there's anyone you should be angry at, it should be me."

"Very well," Faris muttered calmly, his voice carrying much less anger than before. If anything, he looked tired. "You, young lady, go on home. You and I are going to have a very long chat when I get back. As for you, Orri, your brother is waiting for you. And I don't doubt he'll want to have a conversation with you as well."

"Yes, sir." Orri bowed his head in submission, acting like a completely different flyer than before.

Aharon watched the two youngsters depart, a dejected sigh slipping out. Orri and Illyria had done nothing wrong, yet Faris was treating them as if they had betrayed the flock. Although, in Faris' eyes, even speaking to an outsider was probably akin to treason.

Letting out another sigh, he started to slink back towards the brush, hoping to slip away without being noticed.

"Aharon," Faris' voice echoed. From the corner of his eye he could see Aharon, making an attempt to retreat into the shadows.

"Aharon!" The elder's voice was firmer this time, and loud enough to shake some of the leaves off of their branches.

Aharon winced, reluctantly circling back to his superior. "I-I'm here, sir."

"Good," Faris nodded curtly, not even bothering to look the younger sentinel in the eye. Aharon didn't need to use his sniffer to tell that the elder was upset, the way Faris treated him like a youngling caught doing something they weren't supposed to was answer enough. "...Come with me. We need to talk."

As the day steadily drew to a close, the Bright Circle now began to gradually recede into the still waters below. The evening sky was covered in hues of orange, yellow and blue, fading into each other to create quite the fascinating mix of different colors. The rays of the Bright Circle barely reached the cliffside, the warm glow casting itself onto the form of two flyers, one laying about in the nest while the other paced from one side to the other, his movements reminiscent of anxiety and uncertainty.

Vali paced around in a circle, his movements somewhat matching the state of his psyche at the moment. He wasn't even sure where to begin- yelling at his brother would get them nowhere, but the same was true if he decided to simply brush the issue off. Or perhaps he was just reading too deeply into this. Orri was his brother, not his son. Vali had to remind himself of that fact an astounding number of times.

"Orri..." Vali released the tension that had built up in his chest with a sigh, perching himself beside his brother. "I just want to let you know that I'm not angry or disappointed with you. I'm just... I worry about you. A lot."

"Hm. You and everyone else," Orri responded through murmurs, no more responsive than he was when they got home. From where he sat, the light of the Bright Circle did not reach him, leaving his face to remain shrouded in darkness.

Vali winced, burying his beak in his hands. Others had always commended Vali, saying that he had a way with words, but he failed to see how. He couldn't even phrase his feelings in a way that didn't make his brother feel even more incompetent.

"That's not what I meant," he explained, "look, that came out wrong. What I'm trying to say is that yes, I do worry about you, but not in the way that you think. I worry about you because... well, you are all I have."

This seemed to draw Orri's attention from the ground, looking up to where he could see his brother smile briefly. Vali edged closer to the other male, joining him in the shadows.

"I won't lie to you, Orri. You're fragile. You always have been. I always worried for you and felt this intense... need to protect you, even before father left. But it definitely got worse after that. I mean, I still try to let you be on your own because I don't want to suffocate you, but I can't sit here and pretend that that concern doesn't eat at me everyday."

Orri's eyes softened, and he slowly closed the small distance between him and Vali. He listened to his brother lay himself bare, which was not something Vali did very often.

"Well," Orri started, "you're not like Faris, so I'd say you're doing a pretty good job at that."

Vali permit himself a laugh, despite the seriousness of the situation. While he tended to worry himself to death at times, Vali also had a rather unique sense of humor. It was one of the many qualities that Orri had come to admire about his brother.

"Oh, cut the poor lad some slack," Vali managed through bursts of laughter, "he's just trying to keep us all together. Sure, he may be a bit brash and unreasonable at times, but he does care about us."

"I know." Orri was well aware of that fact, but intentions alone weren't enough to sway him, nor were they enough to make him stay. Faris might have actually hit him, had Illyria not intervened. Orri had even purposely neglected to tell Vali about the altercation, knowing it wouldn't have done anyone any good.

Silence reined, and for a moment, neither flyer said anything. Orri was the first to speak up, his tone of voice more appropriate for delivering news of a death. "...I'm still going to leave, Vali. I know you want to stay and it's alright if you do, I'll understand, but... I just don't see any sort of future for myself where I'm still living in Blue Haven. I'm sorry."

"Hold on." Vali shook his head, utterly bewildered by what he was hearing. "What makes you think I want to stay?"

"I don't know," Orri muttered, followed by a light shrug of his shoulders, "you're always telling me how we're safe here, and how I should do as Faris asks and never even think of the outside world."

Vali didn't really have a good response to that. It made sense why Orri might assume his brother was among the many flyers in their flock who practically kissed the ground the sentinels walked upon, even if the reality was quite the opposite.

"I say that because I want you to stay safe," he clarified, "you know what they do to those who break the rules. I just don't want anything like that happening to you."

Orri felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, evident in the way every single ounce of tension seemed to disappear from his body. "So you're not upset...?"

"Of course not," Vali assured him, his voice so gentle it might as well have been a whisper. "Ideally, I would want you to stay here, where I know you'll always be safe. But if you absolutely insist on leaving, then I hope you realize that there's no way you're going anywhere without me."

The smile that graced Orri's face was so bright that it could have shamed the Bright Circle itself. His life had changed quite a bit in one day, but he was relieved to know that his brother would be there to help him navigate it. Delighted, he buried his face in Vali's chest, embracing the other male.

Vali gratefully sunk in, showing not even the slightest sign of hesitation as he touched his forehead to that of his brother's. "I love you, Orri."

While it was apparent to everyone else just how much his brother meant to Vali, Orri himself had never quite realized how much he longed to hear his brother say those words until he actually did. Even if the entire world was against him, as long as he had his brother's support, Orri was confident that he could weather his way through any storm. Feeling perfectly safe in his brother's company, he closed his eyes and leaned in closer.

"I love you too."

The male flyer's footsteps ricocheted off of the walls, rattling the very foundation of the nest. It felt just like the beginning of an earthshake, during those brief moments when the tremors weren't strong enough to deal any real damage but were enough to leave its victims with a feeling of dread as they waited for the earth to give way beneath their feet. The way Illyria felt, she might as well have been caught in the middle of a real earthshake. Her entire world was collapsing, and all she could do was sit there and wait for the worst of it.

The Bright Circle had just about completed its cycle across the sky, slowly retreating behind the horizon. The dim and dusky light just barely reached his face, allowing the girl to get a decent look at how infuriated he was, even if just for a second.

"Of all the foolish and idiotic things you've done..." Faris growled, "this is by far the most foolish!"

Gritting her teeth so tight that she felt they might crack, Illyria refused to look at her adoptive guardian in the eye for fear that she might burst into tears if she did. She couldn't say that his words didn't affect her even just a little bit, but she would rather keep her feelings hidden inside than ever give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to her.

Faris was moments away from launching into a litany of protests, when he noticed that the target of his lecture wasn't even looking at him. He shouldn't have been surprised- lately, trying to talk any amount of sense into Illyria was no different than talking to a rock.

"Illyria," he inhaled sharply, "are you even listening to me?"

"Obviously not," she retorted with a scoff, "come on. I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"You are out of line, little girl," Faris warned, his outraged glare practically burning a proverbial hole in the female's forehead. "You are speaking to an elder. Remember that."

His warning was only met with indifference. He raised a claw, shaking it in her direction as his roars echoed reverberated through the cave. "I'm being incredibly lenient right now but next time- the next time I hear you take that tone with me, I won't let it go!"

"Whatever," Illyria deflected, offering an apathetic shake of her head before wrapping her wings tightly around herself, trying to ease the shaking sensation that currently plagued her body. "...You know I'm not afraid of you, don't you? Your empty threats never stopped me before, and they sure aren't going to stop me now."

Faris wanted to explode. He wanted to unleash all his anger, his rage and frustrations out onto the girl. But he didn't.

He sighed, his anger finally dissipating into acceptance. He nodded his head several times, greatly exaggerating the gesture. "Well, you know what? I've done all I can, Ria. I don't really know where exactly I went wrong with you, but what I do know is that I've tried to raise you as any good father would..."

"Two mistakes," Illyria cut in, her beak quivering at the memories that were dredged up when he used his old nickname for her, "first, you're not my father. I've never seen you as my father, and I never will. Second, even if I did see you as my father at any point, you were never a 'good' one."

Faris' breath hitched slightly, the harshness of her words having a physical effect on him. He was never particularly expressive, but anyone who truly knew him could see that he definitely took the words to heart, despite his attempts to conceal it. Having known the older flyer for much of her life, the subtle changes were not lost on Illyria. But as it would turn out, she could no longer spare another ounce of her energy worrying about his feelings. Besides, he'd never took her feelings into consideration before, so she was simply returning the favor.

She expected another boring lecture or for him to raise his voice at her again. Instead, all she got from him was a sigh of complete and utter defeat. He didn't even seem angry. Just disappointed.

"...I can respect that," he choked out, "I understand I'm not perfect, and I'm sorry that I let you down. I suppose as a guardian figure, I can no longer stop you from from doing what you want. Though ancestors above know I've tried."

He chuckled wryly, almost amused by the entire situation. Illyria's priorly resentful gaze drifted up towards him, constantly trying to blink away the newly budding tears that threatened to spill over. She hugged herself, knees drawn close towards her chest as she trembled with fear. What she feared exactly, she didn't quite know.

"I'm leaving, Faris," she practically whimpered, "tonight, and you can't stop me. I'm an adult now. It's my choice." There was a hint of desperation in her voice, like she was trying to convince herself of it just as much as she was trying to convince him. Even now, after everything, a part of her still wanted to cling to him.

"I know," Faris responded in a soft, gentle voice. "Again, as your guardian, I cannot stop you from leaving. But as the leader of the sentinels, I can. By fraternizing with those no-good wanderers, you're putting the future of the entire flock at stake."

He stepped in closer, lowering his head until his pale eyes were staring directly into her darker, more fearful ones. "I say this to you not as your guardian, but as protector of this flock- I am warning you one final time to put an end to this nonsense. You might even get a lighter punishment. However, if you choose to betray us, then you and whoever else leaves will be deemed enemies of the flock, and you may never return to Blue Haven." He stepped back, holding his head high in a display of superiority over her. "...The choice is completely yours."

He looked down on Illyria, both literally and figuratively, giving a slight and formal bow of his head. "Think about it," he urged, turning his back towards her and flying into the night.

Once he was far away enough that Illyria could no longer hear the flapping of his wings, the female released the air trapped within her chest, gasping for breath as if she'd just managed to resurface after nearly drowning. Her entire body trembled, the tears she had tried so hard to hold back now flowing freely. She felt uneasy, so much so that she felt like she might end up regurgitating the food she ate, a bitter taste lingering on her tongue.

A stream of tears fell from her glistening verdant eyes, blazing with a painful rage that she'd never known. She felt her still-beating heart sink down into the pit of her stomach. While her emotions ran rampant, Illyria was suddenly bestowed with a bit of clarity, several realizations hitting her all at once. The most important one of all being her sudden awareness of the fact that Blue Haven was not her home, and it never had been.

To her, home was meant to be a place where she was loved for who she was, not a place where a single step out of line would earn her the title of a traitor. Blue Haven seemed like a wonderful paradise, but it was truly just a trap. One that she'd had the misfortune of being born into. She knew she could very well die out there, beyond the horizon, and she had made her peace with that. She'd rather her life be cut short while exploring the world's wonders instead of dying old and having accomplished nothing of any substance.

Still heaving and gasping for air, Illyria ambled towards the entrance of what she once considered her home. Moist and puffy eyes looked out towards the sky, where the blue haze of the daytime had completely fallen to reveal the billions and billions of twinkling stars that stretched on forever, with no obstacle blocking their path.

Even as she let out a calming and steadying breath, Illyria's chest still ached. Her head still hadn't stopped pounding from the force of her sobs, but for the first time in her life, she was thinking more clearly than ever before. Surprisingly, she found that she held no ill will against Faris. She was actually rather grateful to him. After all, by treating her like the enemy for simply desiring a better future, he'd made her decision that much easier.

Annnd there we have it! I'm honestly quite surprised at how quickly I was able to pump out this chapter, but then again, it is a fairly straightforward one and it was already in the works by the time I started Chapter 2. I'll admit it was pretty lax in terms of action, but it is still a vital part of the narrative, I promise! Luckily, the next chapter will definitely be a bit more action packed and I will finally be able to actually get the ball rolling with this story. Next, on a smaller and less important note, I might go back and revise/fix a few spelling errors I noticed in the previous chapters, because I honestly don't believe I'll be able to stop thinking about them until I do, haha. It's always those tiny errors that you somehow missed while proof-reading that drive you absolutely insane once you actually notice them. :P

Anyway, that's about all I have to say for this chapter. I hope to see you all in the next installment to discover how our main flyers get out of their current predicament, whenever that may be! And as always, I look forward to hearing everybody's thoughts! :)

-Jassy