-v-

*Rhombus pokes story with a stick*

Alright, it turns out this story is still alive. :p The necessary inspiration to continue this story has finally returned to me so I am glad to report that this tale and Mender's Tale will have priority for the remainder of the year. :) As I mentioned before this story is both an experiment and a challenge for me as I am doing two things which are outside of my comfort zone: address religion in a story (albeit one that is basically LBT canon to some extent) and use Petrie as a main character in a story. As such I welcome any feedback that you may have. And, as always, thanks for reading!

This chapter also constitutes my entry for the December 2018 Gang of Five Fanfic Prompt Challenge. This challenge entailed using any one of the following:

One word prompt: Belief (x)

Dialogue Prompt: "Some things you see with your eyes, others you see with your heart."

Major Prompt: Religious or not, we all have beliefs or certainties that sustain us, even in our most desperate moments. Write a story showcasing a character relying on his/her beliefs, morals, or philosophy to overcome an obstacle or hardship.

Chapter 2: A tentative peace

"Little did I know that today was only the start of everything getting very, very much worse."

― Gabrielle Williams, My Life as a Hashtag

The flyer groaned as the warm moist air of the swamp settled into his nostrils, blanketing his beak and body under their opaque haze. Like a cloud overtaking the Bright Circle in their wake only obfuscation remained. But as the expansive void of the evening gave way to the faintest light of the dawn, their appearance only served to delay what on any other day would be a welcome sight: the coming of the Bright Circle.

The flyer's breathing became heavier, more labored under the shapeless forms that obstructed the air. With each inhalation of breath the sound of gasping became more and more pronounced. Until finally something spasmed deep in the elder flyer's chest.

Knacker rose as if kicked by an unseen attacker as his beak opened wide in a silent scream. To any outside observer it would have appeared that the elderly flyer were imitating a hatchling begging his mother for food, a flyer's first tentative steps into the race of life. But as his chest heaved twice in silent agony, the truth showed itself as if mocking the cycle of life itself. For this was not a hatchling entering life, this was an elder preparing to leave it.

A final heave of the chest finally broke the silence as wet gurgling finally echoed from his body, followed by a pained wheeze. This was followed by another heave of the chest and the sound of strangled breathing, giving way to pained coughs. Each one garbled as if coming from a bellydragger under the water's depths. Finally, after a tolerable amount of phlegm had liberated itself from his lungs, the flyer could collapse and allow himself to resume his pained respirations.

Knacker lay there for several minutes. Only his pained breathing and his racing heart were there to keep him company.

Or so he thought. As the pained breathing gave way to his usual labored respirations he became aware of a shadow lingering over him. Heh… guess the Night Circle decided to save me the job. Could've been considerate and got Knacker before all of that!

But as the shadow did not say anything or move, Knacker gave it a closer look. The clear elongated forms of two wings and a beak confirmed to him that the Night Circle was not here to take him away.

His eyes finally focused when several sweet bubbles were deposited in front of him. This allowed him to take a look at his companion's concerned face.

"It's not catchable if that's what yer worried about!" he spoke in a ragged voice, though filled with mirth, "It's one of those old flyer sicknesses that eventually off us. Coughin' sickness, head sickness, sharpteeth…" as if to punctuate his point he was overtaken by another coughing spell, which this time was mercifully less violent.

"Momma said that her momma died of head sickness. Well, she would have if she not do her final flight."

Knacker spit up the last of the obstructive fluid from his beak as he nodded. Aye, kid. You know what I'm doing then.

Knacker cleared his throat. "Don't tell the young 'uns, but I plan to make mine tomorrow."

Silence fell over the duo for several moments as the pronouncement seemed to take on a finality that it hadn't had before. The old flyer had known exactly what he was doing on this flight and so did his nephews, but he had never decided upon the hour of his doom. The odd calmness that suddenly fell upon him gave him pause. It was as if knowing when his body could quit gave it the resolve to keep on going until then. Its labors would be done soon enough.

When Petrie did speak it was on a totally different topic.

"Petrie already get the others up. We got these sweet bubbles for you…"

It was then that several things became apparent to Knacker in rapid succession: Number one, Petrie was doing his best not to meet the old geezer in the eyes; number two, if the sweet bubble juice of his beak was any indication then the others had already eaten; and number three…

"Oh, Tarpits and Sky Fire! You young uns' should've woke old Knacker up! No reason for all of you to wait on me!"

Petrie rubbed his head as he looked at the sky in the distance. "It no problem, Petrie used to getting up early… me think Knacker want to talk with nephews today."

Knacker's eyes fell upon the other flyer one more time as he noted the clear signs of fatigue already present. Petrie had sacrificed a longer sleep period for himself to benefit the others. A manifestation of piety in a challenge that was in itself a test of that quality.

Looks like I chose well.

"Thank you, Petrie. But don't you go worrin' about Knacker tomorrow! Unlike old Knacker here you want to live through this thing and that means gettin' sleep. Because no one gets sleep on the way back," he placed one wing over the younger flyer's shoulder, almost entirely covering him, "You understand what Old Knacker is saying?"

The younger flyer merely nodded, not daring to speak. Knacker removed his wing in understanding of the younger flyer. It was hard enough facing one's mortality when another openly proclaimed it. But for Knacker the dedication and respect was enough.

"Uncle Knacker, you're up!"

The old flyer turned to greet the newcomers before giving Petrie a finally knowing nod. A confirmation of the secret and the bond that now extended between them.

It's too late for old Knacker; you worry about these young uns', young un.

Several hours later:

Petrie allowed his wings to fully extend in the late morning air. In the radiant light of the Bright Circle he could feel the warm air greeting the underside of his wings like a silent promise. A gift from his benefactor, allowing him to persist in the air without the single flap of a wing.

But his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

He allowed his eyes to focus on the group in front of him. Though still mostly a stranger to them, the five young adults were the closest thing to similarly aged companion that Petrie had on this flight. They were obviously a few years older than him, but still young enough to be rough around the edges.

And then there was Knacker.

The old flyer had obviously lived a life that made Petrie's still brief foray into the living world a brief afterthought in comparison. A life that more than likely involved mates, children, and many migrations to lands that Petrie had only heard about at this point. But that life was now flying to the end of its course. Part of Petrie's mind morbidly speculated about how such a thing was done. Did one merely intentionally run into the ground at full speed? Did one tempt a sharptooth? Despite his mind's speculations, Petrie really did not want to know. He just wanted to be sure that Knacker's end, when it came, was quick and merciful.

No one deserved to go through what he had witnessed that morning.

"You seem awfully quiet today."

Petrie did not turn his head, but instead allowed his eyes to shift towards the flyer who had slowed down enough to catch up with his glide. It was Verpos, one of the older flyers.

"Yeah, um… me just thinking."

The elder snorted as he shifted his wings slightly, allowing his velocity to again match Petrie's.

"The pursuit allows a lot of time to think. But one must be careful not to get too lost in them. Regrets are no use out he..."

"Petrie regret nothing," he responded in a cold monotone, even catching him by surprise. In the resulting silence Petrie decided to clarify his response. "This something Petrie had to do."

The elder's right eye locked onto Petrie's for one moment before the head slightly bobbed. "Of course. When the Bright Circle calls us then it is not for us to reject its summons. It is just surprising that it called one so young."

"Careful wastin' energy on talking! You can't blab your way back home!" one of the other flyers mocked playfully before doing a rolling maneuver around the entire group of flyers.

Verpos snorted as he gave Petrie a nod and then repeated the rolling maneuver. "Doesn't mean that I can't try, Ulan!"

"Joy for us," Knacker deadpanned as several of his nephews laughed. Despite the slight annoyance on display, the maneuvers were a clear sign that morale was high. Petrie knew that they would need it for the days ahead. Especially the three-day long retreat from the Bright Circle. It was easy to hold one's head up high when one had sleep and food.

Petrie suppressed a sigh despite sharing a smile at the antics of the others. As a younger kid he would have imagined doing this journey out of pure devotion to the Bright Circle. But it was amazing how fast things could change over a few years.

Two years ago:

The sweet bubble appeared to stare at the flyer, its red skin shining in the Bright Circle like a round gem. Its enticing appearance and sweet fragrance appeared to mock the small flyer as he flapped his wings just to maintain his hovering near the target. It was enough to make the flyer click his beak in annoyance.

You not get away from Petrie!

Narrowing his eyes, Petrie again slammed himself into the stubborn sweet bubble. He forced his wings to flap like he was fighting against a strong gail and practically imbedded his beak into the fruit to forcefully dislodge it from its arboreal prison, but yet it refused to move.

That was when everything suddenly lurched as the sound of Sky Fire erupted around him. He barely had a moment to celebrate the realization that the fruit had finally been dislodged until he realized a problem that he should have foreseen: he was still attached to the fruit.

With panic building he pushed his wings against the fruit, struggling to dislodge his beak from his adversary. But it was to no avail. The sweet bubble would have its revenge against the predator that had taken it down. In the end Petrie couldn't even give one final scream.

It was at this point that he landed on someone's yellow hide.

"It looked like you needed some help so I rammed the tree."

Petrie barely registered the voice as his vision slowly cleared. As it did so several things became apparent. For one, most of the sweet bubbles that had previously been on the tree now had fallen to the ground below. And second he was now entirely covered in red goo.

So much for Petrie finally getting sweet bubble. Me just not strong.

"Great. Now Petrie look like something Chomper want to eat."

He felt the resulting 'hrmph' as much as he heard it. "Petrie, I think you always look like something Chomper wants to eat."

Petrie merely groaned as he rolled over like a fallen treestar upon Cera's back. "That not really make Petrie feel better."

In response Cera blew at the flyer as he promptly took flight and gilded right back onto a sweet bubble as a perch. Maybe they would serve him better as a perch than an adversary. Besides, he had a meal to attend to.

"Why don't you just eat them in place if they are too much trouble to knock off?" Cera inquired.

The flyer looked up from his impromptu meal, looking like something out of a weird sleep story. A flyer with a blood red head and eyes gleaming in the sunlight.

"Well, um…" the flyer hesitated, suddenly self-conscious, "Petrie need to grab them sometime. So Petrie practice being strong!"

Cera closed her eyes as she muttered under her breath. "Ancestors give me strength..."

Petrie grumbled silently as he cautiously cleaned his wings of the sticky, yet tasty, innards of the destroyed sweet bubble. If Cera was going to mock him then he would give her the silent treatment. The foolishness of this course of action only became apparent when another lurch of the tree sent him careening towards the threehorn. He barely had time to glide to a soft landing.

"We need to talk," the threehorn said simply as she began to walk away from the tree taking her unexpecting passenger with her.

The flyer responded by crossing his wings indignantly. "Why not talk at sweet bubble tree? Petrie was eating."

Though he could not see it, he could hear the threehorn roll her eyes in her response. "Exactly, you were eating. And you were paying as much attention as Spike does when he eats."

Petrie opened his mouth to protest, but his beak promptly closed with a click. Cera not normally talk like this. Is something on her mind? What could...

"We need to talk about your Sky Ball."

Petrie blinked for a moment. Sky ball? Sky...

"Hey! It is Bright Circle!"

Cera snorted. "Yeah, the Bright Circle. As opposed to the Night One." Her voice then suddenly softened in a transition that made Petrie's annoyance shift into confusion. "So… this Pursuit of… what did you call it? ...Endless Day? This is a big thing for you flyer's huh? What is it supposed to do exactly?"

The flyer was stunned into silence for a few moments at the genuineness of her question. Gone was the sardonic humor or the acerbic wit. There was concern and interest here. Well, as concerned as Cera would allow herself to show.

Petrie thought for a moment. "Momma explain it to us like this: flyers who follow the old ways do it to prove they are big flyers. It normal flight for three days, with sleep and eating at night, but then last three days there no stopping for rest."

Cera stopped and turned her head. "You flyers don't stop? Like, at all?"

Petrie shook her head. "Mama said we have to glide like Guido."

Cera sighed and shook her head. "Petrie… do you want to know something?"

Petrie looked around uncertainty at the sudden question from the threehorn. If anything hearing Cera sound concerned and nice was freaking him out more than thoughts of doom. He reluctantly nodded.

"We threehorns have a lot of 'growing up tests'. A lot of ways to prove that we are strong enough to help the herd. Threehorns are like that. We need to be."

The corner of the eye which she had facing him seemed fixed upon him like a beam from the Bright circle. Unrelenting and all-encompassing.

"But we threehorns have nothing like this. Our herds would be dust if we lost half of us in some stupi…" She stopped herself at Petrie's sudden glare. "...damn it, Petrie! What else am I supposed to call it?"

Petrie stared at his friend in shock for several moments as her exasperated question hung over him. It was not contemptuous in any way, nor condescending despite the words used. What does Petrie call this?

Finally he opened his beak, not sure of what he was going to say until he actually said it. "Me guess it is stupid. But if it what Bright Circle wants…"

She stomped the ground in irritation at this answer. For once Petrie understood her irritation.

"Me not like that either… and me not sure if Bright Circle still want it." He rubbed his head crest with his wing as if trying to think hard. "Me not sure what Petrie decide when it my time in five Cold Times."

Cera jerked her head in his direction so fast that he nearly fell off of her due to the jolt. "In five Cold Times?"

Petrie blinked, uncomprehending for a moment. But as soon as the words registered in his mind her let out an amused laugh. "You not think Petrie stupid enough to do it now? Me die! Pursuit of Endless Day is for adults."

Both dinosaurs stared at one another for several moments, with Cera's head and body cocked at an awkward angle in order for the flyer to be visible on the edge of her back. Finally though, the impromptu staring contest gave way to a sudden rising and falling of his friend's back. It wasn't until she shook him off into a patch of tall grass that he heard the audible laughter.

"So we have five cold Times to make you see sense then! Hmph, it might be enough time!"

Petrie couldn't help snorting as well though he maintained an annoyed expression at her good-natured insult for the sake of his honor. But he knew genuine concern when he saw it. And it was really only then that a chilling thought entered into his mind.

Me really scare them with this…

He looked back towards the sweet bubble tree as the Bright Circle began to fall to a position right above it in its inevitable dive towards the horizon. Me not know what Bright Circle want, but me know it not want to make others scared or sad.

"Petrie."

Petrie ignored the threehorn as he was focused on the bright orb. What would it want him to do in this situation?

"Hey, beak-face!"

He jumped into the air in something between a takeoff and a jump as he glared at the threehorn. He was greeted by Cera's cheeky grin.

"Just don't keep this stuff between you and your Bright Sky Ball, will ya? We may not get your crazy flyer stuff, but we can listen."

Taking Cera's invitation for what it was, Petrie gave her an understanding nod.

"Petrie will do that. And Cera?"

Cera paused and nodded for him to continue.

"Thanks."

Still in the past; A few days later:

"Okay, children, we are going to be doing something different today."

No kidding. Grondo thought to himself as he carefully kept in formation with his siblings. Notwithstanding Petrie's innovation with the Great Day of the Flyers, he was not about to break formation and be as much of a fluff-head as his brother. Keeping formation was now the least of his concerns, however, as the protective rock wall of the Great Valley disappeared behind them. What is Mom testing us on now?

"What are we doing, Mom?" Valaria's voice called out.

Grondo grimaced as his face burned in remembrance of his sister's recent smacking of his beak. Oh, quit sucking up, sis!

Volant appeared to be unaware of the bad blood between the siblings as she turned to her side in a slow, circling motion. It was a classic holding pattern which used the thermals to maintain altitude without flapping.

Grondo opened his wings wide to join into the change in formation, nearly crashing into an annoyed Brasko in the process. Finally. My wings want to fall off.

Volant allowed for an entire half-circle to elapse before she spoke to her children. In the meantime they had all settled into the unofficial hierarchy of the family flock within their classic V-formation, with Volant at the head, Brasko and Valaria on opposing sides of their mother, Grondo and Altair behind them, and with the others following behind. Petrie, as usual, was fine with bringing up a place in the rear with Valo.

"In the last season we have worked on survival skills. Children, can you tell me what you have learned?"

There was silence for a moment before Valo answered. "Um… how to find our way home at night without the Night Circle."

Volant wavered in her flight in a gesture that was the in-flight equivalent of a nod. "Good, what else?"

"We learned how to fly in formation on a windy day," Brasko offered.

"And how to make alert calls when we see threats!" Valaria called against a sudden gust of wind. They all quickly put the previously aforementioned skills into action as they maintained their formation with minimal disruption. Even Petrie did not waver.

Grondo snorted. Only took him five days… but could be worse. He picked that up faster than the Day of the Flyers stuff.

"Grondo?"

Upon hearing his mother's voice the flyer swerved back into formation as if he had been struck. The laughing of several of his siblings made his blood boil at the humiliation at being caught out of formation. Part of him wanted to rage at the flyer who had invited his loss of focus.

But Petrie was silent and merely widened the V-shaped formation in order to allow Grondo to resume his previous spot with minimal difficulty. Any immediate anger at him died with that gesture.

"Today, children, we are going to be doing something different. This is something that the other younglings of nine Cold Times have been doing this season. And now it is your turn."

All of her children kept their focus on their mother as they closed in the formation around her.

"Today all of you will be flying back home alone."

As if to make her point she widened her wings and came to a rest on a nearby cliff. But as Valaria tried to land she let out a squawk making her abort her landing and take to the air once more. The rest of the formation, now confused and frightened, scattered into a several broken circles of young flyers, each circling their mother from a distance as if to wait for her to announce this was a joke.

"You can't be serious, Mama!" Petrie squawked, "What if big flyer eat us?"

Volant made a shrugging gesture before folding her wings. "Did you see the other flyers on the bluffs, children?"

The circling flurry of young flyers began to slow as they all looked back towards the line of bluffs. It was obvious that they had not seen the other flyers.

"That's what I thought. Well, let this be a lesson, children. Some of the other adults will keep the skies clear, but it will be up to you to get back to the Great Valley before nightfall… unless you want to be grounded to the nest for five days…"

The reaction was unanimous from the little flyers. "Five days!?"

Volant nodded. "Five days. I take it that you all have been keeping just as good attention on the path that we took to get out here?"

Grondo hesitantly looked at the other wings and beaks whizzing by him. Each one representing one of his brothers or sisters. But as he did so he noticed the same reaction each time. The same look that merely said 'you paid attention to how we got out here, right?' It was exactly at that moment that he knew how the night would end.

Crap.

"We should go this way, Brasko! That can't possibly-"

"Oh, give it a rest, sis! You said yourself that you don't know the way! What makes you think that this way is wrong?"

"Well the mountain in our way should be a clue, crest-for-brains!"

Petrie remained in formation as his sister Valaria argued with Brasko about the best way back to the valley. As a result the group of young flyers went from a V-formation to something like an overly stretched line. As the two would-be second in commands argued over the best path forward they both went further apart. Soon their argument turned almost inaudible as they had to yell at one another over the winds.

Why do brothers and sisters have to be like this? If both not know way then admit it. We probably grounded anyway.

He looked towards his left and then his right, catching the expressions of his siblings. To his left there were his other two sisters flying close to Valaria in a show of support against the arrogance of Brasko, whereas to his right were four of his brothers showing at least superficial support for his brother's suggestions. Poor Valo, meanwhile, was shifting from one group to another as if uncertain about the best course of action.

"If you keep flying over Petrie you make him dizzy." Petrie jested earning a double beak-click from his brother, the rough equivalent of sticking one's tongue out. Petrie merely chuckled at this though as the gesture was not mean-spirited.

The same could not be said about two of his other siblings, however.

"Well, my sisters and I will get home without being grounded! Have fun, boys!"

"Yeah? Well us guys will show you!"

It was at that point that Petrie closed his eyes despite being in the middle of flight. His sisters were prepared to follow a ravine that he was sure they had never seen before, while his brothers were prepared to fly towards a mountain for reasons only the Bright Circle could understand. He, meanwhile, was left with the realization that even if his siblings knew where to go he would have rather gone anywhere else at that moment.

He opened his eyes.

The desolate landscape below him reminded his vision that he was still in the Mysterious Beyond regardless of the mindless assurances of his siblings. To his left was the ravine leading to places unknown, and to his right was the mountain leading to… the mountain.

Seriously, why brothers want to go that way?

He shook his head and swerved into a making a long circling motion with his flight, letting the thermals lead him higher and higher. He had to stay focused.

How do friends find their way in the Mysterious Beyond? Others sometimes get lost, but…

His eyes twinkled with recognition. But not Ruby! How she do it?

He examined the landscape again. This time with a focus on the other aspects of the terrain. The sort of thing that a fastrunner who lived out in the Mysterious Beyond might focus on.

A dusty haze encapsulated the landscape below him, coating the entirety of the terrain in a thin covering of dust. This dust appeared to be easily displaced down below as wind gusts caused it to rise from the ground into odd patterns and even into small dust devils. The only places that seemed to escape this fate were some areas closer to the ravine that his sisters were eyeing.

So brothers being stupid, but are sisters right?

He shifted his circular holding pattern into a momentary dive which allowed him to pick up speed before engaging with another thermal. Soon he was again in a circling pattern, albeit closer to the ground.

Petrie did not notice his brothers and sisters circling well behind him oddly. They had all gone silent as they watched his maneuvers and his odd focus on the ground.

"What is he-"

"Shush, Valo!"

But Petrie was quite distracted from his siblings' antics as he looked at the terrain again. Dust not as loose over there… that like when we go to Big Water. Water and air with water smell have less dust. So if valley that way there should be sign. What did...

An image of threehorn peak and saurus rock suddenly appeared in his mind.

Petrie smiled. Me follow until me find those! And then me home free!

He finally circled back as he broke out of his previous pattern. He doubted any of his siblings would listen to him but maybe Valo or his sisters would follow. When he did finally circle back, however, he saw an odd sight. Both groups, his sisters and his brothers, were likewise circling in formation as if waiting for him to follow one of them. But he knew better.

Petrie's eyes narrowed. Sure, follow Petrie and take all credit for yourselves!

The little flyer's mind shifted its focus from the terrain to his siblings as he made one last circling in the open air. He could feign ignorance right now and then follow his sisters before telling them the secret. This would result in his brothers being grounded, sparing him of their nonsense outside of the nest for a good five days. Or, another part of his mind suggested, he could pretend to not know which way to go and then be the only one to get to the nest in time! That would show them all! But…

He followed the little wisps of dust on the ground as they shined with the reflected radiance of the light above. The light that allowed him to see the way back home in the first place.

He sighed. Bright Circle not show me this to be selfish… me just wish siblings not be selfish too!

Petrie did not say a word as he increased his altitude to that of the bluffs around him. Then, breaking out of his circling, he merely gave an alert call to his obviously watching brothers and sisters.

None of us be grounded today!

He did not see his mother watching the scene from the bluffs with a pleased expression.

"I told you there was a mountain!"

"Oh, buzz off! That rock was not the mountain you idiot males were going for!"

"Was too!"

Petrie willed himself to not say anything as his eyes rolled as far as they could manage. No matter what his brother had to have the final word. But the important thing was not what was said, but what was done.

He landed on the rocky cliff with a satisfying click of his feet. It was only then that he looked behind him and towards the fading light. Still a small sliver of the Bright Circle greeted his gaze as if it were smirking at the scene.

Made it.

"If it wasn't for us girls, you boys would have flown to nowhere!"

"Oh yeah! Well you girls-"

This worse than when adults argue. Petrie decided to give himself and everyone else the gift of silence. "You both right, there was mountain and we follow ravine. We all only remember part of way."

Petrie did not look back at his siblings as he kept his focus on the scene outside. As a result he did not see Brasko's beak hang open for a moment, nor did he see Valaria look as if someone had wing-swiped her. In the end all Petrie heard was Brasko's hasty offering of 'Yeah, I guess we all did some good."

Petrie closed his eyes as awkward silence then followed. Finally Petrie can hear self think even though Petrie too tired to think! He only had a split second to enjoy his small victory, however, before a shadow suddenly appeared over him and the rest of the kids causing them to scatter to allow the newcomer to land.

"Indeed you kids did. In these decadent times it usually takes young ones several times to pass this test. The newer generations are soft."

Petrie was a bit too distracted by making sure he wasn't landed on to take offense at the adult's words. Brasko, on the other hand, had quite a bit to say.

"Soft? We are not soft, we are…"

The elder male flyer merely chuckled with amusement at the other flyer's words. "The fact that you felt insulted is a good sign. We flyers are nothing without our pride. Perhaps that pride will make some of you consider the Old Ways one day."

Petrie felt something tug at him as the elder male spoke. The Old Ways… does he think we are ready for that? And why not Mama telling us this? Me thought she said…

"They will decide that when they are out of my nest."

Petrie did not have time to move out of the way as Volant landed between him and his siblings and the elder male. An outstretched wing from his mother gave the silent command for them all to assemble at her side as a sign of respect for an elder. As Petrie did so he was left with an odd sense of confusion at the conflicting signals. She commanded them to respect this elder while she was openly defiant to him.

The strange male tilted his head for a moment before nodding his acquiescence.

"Of course, Volant. Your nest is yours to rule. But I hope that you can forgive an old timer like me for noticing talent when I see it. At least one of the younglings from this ninth Cold Time passed the Test of Direction on their first pass." The male's eyes briefly locked on to Petrie's as the smaller flyer's mind went blank. He then turned his focus back to the other kids and Volant. "So… to see an entire group do well is a pleasant surprise."

Petrie blinked. He mean me! So they notice Petrie… um...

Volant gave the male an expression that none of the kids could see. But it was enough to make the male put up his wings in a placative gesture.

"Very well. I am here to announce that due to the special circumstances of your clutch passing the test it is the judgment of us elders that with some practice your children will pass the usual trials… and if you change your mind about the rest… you know who to talk to."

Volant then slowly lowered her head in a bow before waving her wing for the children to repeat her gesture. "Thank you, Elder. I trust your judgment in this."

The male merely smiled. "You trust my judgment in some things. In any case… goodnight, Volant, and congratulations, children."

And with that he took off. If he could hear any of the children saying goodbye his upward trajectory gave no sign of it.

Volant let out a deep breath that made some of Petrie's sisters look up with concern.

"You all did good work today, children. You ended up working as a team, which you should have done from the beginning…" She looked at Valaria and Brasko who averted their eyes from her gaze, "But what is important is that you succeeded in the end. We will practice this test some more and I think you children should make sure that you understand how Petrie figured it out before you do this alone."

"We have to do this alone!?" came several voices at once.

Volant nodded with a smile. "Mhm… so you might want to thank a certain someone and listen to what they have to say." It was now her turn to glance in Petrie's direction.

Petrie cringed as he attempted to fade into the darkness of the cliff face that served as their nest. For once he wanted to be unnoticed which was his usual fate with his brothers and sisters. But the reaction was not expected from the small flyer.

Grondo stepped forward and put a wing on Petrie's smaller shoulders. "Thanks, Petrie. You helped point us in the right direction."

It was then that the others joined in and proceeded to offer their thanks as well as Petrie tried to both comprehend the change in tone and his siblings being nice to him for once. His mother, on the other hand, had something else on her mind.

Later that night:

Petrie's eyes flew open.

Oh no!

With growing horror the small flyer pushed off with his hind limbs and wings in order to go airborne without a second thought. It was only when he saw the rocking outcropping that was his nest disappear underneath him that he allowed the sensation in his body win against his self-control.

He sighed with relief before circling back towards the nest. Me forgot to go before going back to nest. Me have to stop doing that.

He carefully inspected the nest before guiding himself on a return trajectory. His brothers and sisters all appeared to be asleep so his late night diversion caused no harm. The last thing he wanted was to invite ridicule as "Petrie the night shitter" again. But the lack of discernible movement confirmed that he had been spared that fate tonight. Instead there was another absence from the nest.

Where's Momma?

He aborted his landing as he looked at the adjacent bluffs. At first he could not see anything out of the ordinary to indicate the presence of his mother. But then a very small part of the bluff began to wave like a flyer's wing. It took him only a moment to realize that it was his mother and she was waving for attention.

Uh oh… now Mamma probably thing Petrie try to go on adventure. Just great!

Sighing, he carefully adjusted his altitude and made a landing beside her that was as silent as he could manage under the circumstances. As a small click reached his ears he realized that he had succeeded in his maneuver.

Petrie looked down as if he had been caught doing something wrong and then looked up towards his mother's face. It was only when she offered him a small shake of the head that he realized that he was not in trouble.

"All of your friends are asleep so I know it is not one of your friends' adventures, Petrie. Relieving yourself at night is hardly something to be ashamed of."

Petrie's eyes went wide. "You…"

"Yes. We parents check to make sure that none of you are sneaking out," Volant said in a sarcastic monotone at the incomplete question, "When one of you goes out we know that all of you go out."

Gone was the shame from Petrie's demeanor, and in its place was embarrassment as he rubbed his head with his wing. Guess we found out.

Volant snorted before giving her son a playful rub of the head with her wing, causing him to giggle at the gesture. "Stop, Momma!"

Volant snorted. "I will stop when you kids quit going on adventures!"

Petrie playfully resisted the assault. "Adventures harder now that friends getting big."

The tickling abated as Volant nodded at her son's answer. "I would be lying Petrie if I said that the longnecks and Topps were not relieved by that. Littlefoot will soon only be able to sneak out if we all go deaf and blind. Adolescent longnecks are not subtle." She then smiled at him sadly. "Soon enough you all will have your own adventures as adults. Those may seem boring to you kids, but they can be no less dangerous."

Petrie blinked at the change in tone.

Volant sighed as she looked towards the night sky and raised a wing. "In some ways it is more dangerous for the land-walkers as they lead their herds, but even we flyers are not immune from our own dangers. Both from outside threats… and from ourselves. Part of what you kids have learned lately is how to deal with those. How to avoid getting lost. How to out-fly the few sharpbeaks that go after our kinds. How to find food… but I cannot protect you children from yourselves. That is something that will be up to all of you."

Petrie swallowed. If anyone else were talking to him like this he would try to pretend like he didn't exist and avoid the situation, but this was his mother. "You worried about what we do when out of the nest? Like… the Old Ways?"

His mother looked at him a long moment before nodding. Her eyes never left his, however, making Petrie feel like she was staring into his very thoughts. "I'm not sure some of your brothers and sisters understood what the Elder was talking about tonight. But you did, didn't you?"

Petrie swallowed and nodded. "The Pursuit of Endless Day?"

Volant began to nod. "Some of the Elders think that the newer generations are soft because they take longer to learn certain things. Some blame the valley. Some blame that the times are not as hard as they once were. And others, like me, think that as long as the skills are learned before they leave the nest then we have done our duty. The Pursuit of Endless Day is only one of those things. There is other practice that leads up to it. Otherwise almost no one would survive it."

Petrie contemplated this. So there other Old Ways? Like… what we learn so far only harder? But Momma not want us to do this so why she tell us about it?

"What do you think, Petrie?"

The little flyer looked at his mother with confusion. "What?"

Volant looked down at him. "What is your opinion?"

Petrie opened his beak for a moment as if he did not understand the question. You already tell Petrie what to think. Why is Momma asking me?

Volant sighed before looking down. "Petrie, you and your brothers and sisters have learned a lot over the last few Cold Times. And you and your friends, as much as we parents would have preferred not, have gone on your own adventures and learned things as well. But there are certain things that I cannot teach you. And there are choices in life that only you can make."

Petrie looked down slightly as he took in his mother's words.

"Do you want to do the Pursuit of Endless Day?"

Petrie's breath caught in his throat as the question was suddenly broached like a rock crashing through what had previously been still water. Despite the lead up to the question Petrie felt as if something were choking the life out of him to force an answer.

"Me…" Petrie made a sour expression and shook his head as he oriented his head towards where the Bright Circle would rise in the morning. "I do not know. Pe… I do not know what Bright Circle wants."

He was not sure what to expect when he gave his answer. His voice had been scratchy and hesitant as he made sure his words were clear in case the Bright Circle had woken up in the middle of the night like him and his mother. But several seconds of silence was not one of the possibilities that entered his mind.

He looked up hesitantly only to see his mother staring in the exact portion of the sky where Petrie's gaze had been earlier.

"I know how hard talking like that is for you, son, so I know who you said that for. Rest assured if you can't see it, then the Bright Circle is asleep." Volant smiled though her expression had a bittersweet quality to it. "All I can tell you is that though some do not believe… I do. And I can only tell you what it told me. The Bright Circle may tell you something different."

Petrie tilted his head. "But the Bright Circle only has one path that it takes. That is what Elders say."

Volant nodded as she turned back towards him. "Yes, but it leads the clouds and winds in different directions. They listen to their instructions, and we must listen for our own."

Petrie nodded slowly. "So it kind of like how Chomper have to leave valley sometime, but we all stay."

Volant nodded. "Yes, he has his own path. And some of your friends may decide to leave the valley and follow herds… you never know. Only the Bright Circle knows. But it never leads us astray if we listen to what it is saying."

Petrie nodded but then clinched his wings in annoyance. "Me wish Bright Circle could just talk! But me guess if it get too close it burn Petrie up."

Volant snorted and rubbed Petrie's head playfully. "And don't try flying so high that you catch it!"

Petrie's eyes lit up. "You can do that?"

Volant laughed. "No, silly! You will get to where the air is too thin and your wings will get tired."

Petrie blinked. "Oh."

She wagged her wing at him playfully. "The Bright Circle already has thought of that. That is why in the Pursuit of Endless Day no one ever catches it. The important thing is that we follow its example and listen, not that we try to take its place."

Petrie rubbed his head where his mother had messed up his head fuzz, but that did not stop her words from registering in his mind. The important thing is that we follow its example and listen, not that we try to take its place… "So my brothers not want to do it for right reason?"

Volant sighed and nodded. "Exactly. And many of those who do it for glory and to impress females are the ones who fall. Sometimes I think the only reason your uncle survived the ordeal is because he was too stubborn."

Petrie blinked. "Uncle Pterano went for the wrong reasons?"

"Your uncle went for his reasons. But the Bright Circle spared him anyway, so perhaps those were the right reasons for him. Just make sure when you make your decision, Petrie, that it is for the right reasons."

When Volant embraced him Petrie did not fight the gesture. Though he was more confused than ever about the right path for him he was confident about how he would find out his path. Me just listen and Bright Circle tell me for sure eventually. Though…

"And you still not let Petrie do this while in nest, right?"

Volant chuckled.

"Not unless you want to be grounded until the day I kick you all out of the nest."

Petrie laughed as well. That what Petrie thought.

The present, end of the second day of the pursuit:

Petrie back to awareness jerked as a familiar wing slammed into his back.

"You're daydreaming worse than ol' Knacker here and I have an excuse being old and frail."

"And loud!" another flyer, Ulan, interjected.

"Knacker's just showing you young un's how it's done. Bright Circle knows that…"

The old flyer descended into a series of violent coughs with all of the suddenness of a fastbiter ambush. Where once was a happy and boisterous flyer was now an elder trying to reach for a breath that might not be there. Within moments the circle of assembled flyers on the bluff shifted formation as Knacker's nephews half-ran, half-flew to him.

Petrie rose and kept a hand on Knacker's wing as if willing some of his energy to the elder. In the fading twilight Knacker's shadow appeared longer than usual as if he were being dragged away a day earlier than he had planned.

That was when a wet gasp could be heard. And then a cascade of desperate coughs.

Petrie gave him a pleading look. You can do it.

In the span of a few seconds which felt like an eternity there was nothing, but then came the most welcome sound: another gasp. And then another. And another.

It was only then that Petrie pulled away from the elder. "Give him room!"

The nephews took a moment to obey but eventually they did as Petrie has authoritatively ordered. Ulan, from the other side of the circle, tilted his head at the sight of a young flyer commanding the others but he said nothing.

Within a few moments Knacker appeared to breath somewhat normally again though his nephews looked upon him with grave concern.

Knacker took as deep of a breath as he could manage.

"There…" he cleared his throat before spitting out some phlegm off of the bluff, "are three reasons why we all do this. Some do it to confirm if they are worthy of sucking down air…"

Knacker took another breath while one of the young flyers pulled on his wing. "It's okay, uncle! You can stop and rest!"

Knacker shook his head. "...must say this… some do it to confirm if they are worthy of sucking down air, some do it to thank the Bright Circle, and some do it as a final flight." With that he gave each of his three nephews a long look with an expression that Petrie could not see from his vantage point. But the look of shock on their faces, followed by sudden dejection and sunken shoulders, told Petrie all that he needed to know.

"Now don't get all slobbery on ol' Knacker! I'm doing a good enough job as it is!" he declared as he gestured at the disgusting former contents of his lungs, "But I think it is time for Knacker to sleep so that I am ready at my appointed time."

All three of the younger flyers showed grief on their faces as they covered their eyes with their wings at the mention of what he planned to do. Petrie did not understand this gesture but upon seeing Ulan do the same he replicated it.

Knacker smiled sadly. "And this is why Knacker did not mention this before…" He then sighed. "Young uns, would you mind guiding me to the sleeping spot?"

Petrie actually took a step forward as if he were being instructed by the elder flyer, but as the nephews quickly offered their assistance he realized that this was meant for them. It was both a request for help and a chance for final words to be exchanged. Just in case the Bright Circle decided the appointed time was tonight. It only took them a few moments to disappear from sight. In their wake they left the circle of assembled flyers in a dead silence which was only broken a few moments later by an elder landing in the middle of the circle and silently counting the assembled items. It was only when he counted that each flyer present had the indicated item to confirm their travels for the day: a blue water flower, that he went on his way.

Only one more item test remained the next day and then would come the flight back. A flight back that they all knew meant that some of them would most likely join Knacker's fate.

Ulan coughed, which caught Petrie's attention.

"It was obvious that the guy was here for one final flight, but often family do not see what they do not want to see. Have to admire his effort though. Most flyers would choose an easier final flight."

Petrie nodded. "He want to make sure his nephews did well."

Another flyer to Ulan's side, Verpos, murmured approvingly. "Regardless of if he did this before or not the Bright Circle honors sacrifice."

Ulan sighed. "Death is kind of a shitty reward."

Verpos rolled his eyes. "Not when one is suffering. And we have no idea what the Bright Circle offers us in death. Maybe we come back?"

Ulan seemed to mull this over for a few moments before he turned his attention back to Petrie. It was then that he covered his eyes with his wing again.

Petrie looked back and forth as if uncertain, but then quickly replicated the gesture.

"Alright, stop, Ulan! You made your point," Verpos interjected which made Petrie drop his wing in confusion. What was going on?

Ulan had some mirth in his expression but upon seeing the concern on Petrie's he gave an apologetic nod. "Sorry, lad. It was just obvious. You don't know what that was about, do you?"

Petrie shrugged a bit put out. "No. Me guess it has something to do with death?"

Verpos nodded. "It is a final flight thing. A show of respect for those who are about to fly for the last time."

Ulan nodded. "It is usually taught as part of the Old Ways, but sometimes things get rushed. Not unexpected in the case of someone as young as you."

Petrie glared at him. "You suggesting Petrie not belong out here?"

Ulan smiled as if pleased by the biting response. "No, you deserve that. You are anything if not serious. But I suspect there is a reason why one so young is here so early."

The other flyer looked at Ulan with annoyance. "That is between him and the Bright Circle, and no one else."

Ulan waved a wing. "Of course, of course, but it is curious. That's all. Not even the harshest of us send them out until the fourteenth Cold Time."

"Ulan, just stop. He might be small but that does not mean…"

Petrie rolled his eyes. "Me eleven Cold Times old."

If the stunned silence from the other two flyers did not communicate volumes then their agape beaks certainly did. It was another flyer that finally broke the silence, however.

"Eleven?"

"Magical spiketail shit, kid!"

Ulan rubbed his eyes for a moment. "Okay that… okay, so your training was rushed."

"No shit, Ulan!" Verpos muttered.

"How… how did that happen exactly?" Ulan finally asked.

Petrie sighed as the realization that the others would not look at him the same hit him like a hailstone. He was in no mood to break the formality of the journey thus far with the details of his past. "That a long story; and it time to sleep. After end of tomorrow we not sleep anymore until we land back in valley or die."

Ulan rubbed his face. "For someone who doesn't say 'I' you have a way with words, kid. Alright, we can talk about this tomorrow. But tell me this, if you don't mind. Please tell me that you are doing this because the Bright Circle demanded it and not because of ego or a female or something."

Verpos cringed and put his head into his wing. "For fuck's sake, Ulan. The kid is eleven."

"Yeah, and if he told me right now he had a mate somewhere it would only be the second most fucked-up thing that I've heard tonight." He looked over to where the Bright Circle had set as if to make sure it did not hear his language before finally taking a deep sigh as if to collect himself again.

Petrie kept his expression neutral. "Me do it because Bright Circle demand it. It and elders think that Petrie have something to prove - not to myself but to others."

Ulan opened up his beak to ask another question but Verpos glared at him and raised a wing. "Petrie is right. We sleep now and we can talk about this tomorrow."

Ulan glared back but then looked at Petrie and nodded. Oddly the mocking demeanor was now gone from his expression. It had been replaced with a distant anger but Petrie could tell it was not directed at himself or Verpos. "Night, kid. May your wings carry you safely."

Petrie blinked and bowed respectfully. "May your wings carry you safely."

And just like that some of the other flyers nearby took their leave as well. It was as if none of them wanted to be part of whatever decision making process had allowed a child to be part of the most dangerous flyer tradition. It did not take the largest leap in logic to deduce that Ulan was angry at whatever elder has permitted this to happen. In any case the end result was a distance between himself and the others. A distance that could not be breached without them going through the same life and events that he encountered.

But, unlike them, Petrie knew that their anger was misplaced.

Me wonder if this what Pterano felt while exiled from valley.

Sighing deeply, Petrie lowered himself to sleep. Only now that part of his secret was out did the full weariness of his body weigh upon him. It was not only a reminder of what they had been through over the previous two days, but also a foreshadowing of what was to come. But nothing compared to the burden of what had put him out here in the first place.

He closed his eyes as he willed sleep to take him.

Petrie not like exile either.

A cliffhanger? Who could have guessed? :p Stayed tuned for next month's installment which will answer the inevitable question: what is Petrie doing out here?