Chapter 17

Hello again! I am posting this chapter even though I'm one review short....*sigh*

But, I really want to finish this story. It will be sad to click the 'complete' button, but then again, I will have more time to work on my story under InkHeart.

So, enjoy while it still lasts!

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Flying back to those dreaded mountains was bittersweet. It felt good to be flying again, to be able to fly again, but those mountains held memories that I didn't want to remember. Memories of an exposed, helpless Max; memories of pain and starvation. The dream from last night was still haunting me too. The flock's bloodied bodies kept flashing through my mind, and all I really wanted was to put as much distance as I could between the flock and that forest.

We had loaded what food we could into our tattered backpacks, then taken off after making sure the campfire was out.

Now, we were approaching the edge of the mountains. We booked it there, in our fear for Fang's life. He had been gone too long; it was time for him to come back to his mobile home.

"Max, can we stop for tonight? My wings feel like lead!" cried Nudge, who was exhausted from the frenzied flying.

Angel set the bambi eye's on me, and Gazzy locked his eyes on the sky. My little trooper was never going to admit he was tired. Iggy was already spiraling downward. Whether I said we keep going or we could land, he was obviously going to go no further.

"Let's land and get some sleep," I shouted over the wind. I angled myself straight down and pulled my wings tight to my body. The wind rushing past me blocked out all sound as I went into a 90 degree dive. The ground rushed up to meet me faster than I expected. I quickly snapped my wings out to avoid being a big 'splat' but not quickly enough. First, I felt as though I might have popped my wing joints back out. Sudden wing snapping HURT! Second, I waited a bit late to snap them out, so I ended up meeting the ground a little harder than intended.

When I got back to feet and brushed the dust from my -guess what?- dusty clothes, I found Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel all staring at me again. With that funny expression that said, "OMG! Did that really just happen to her? Her???!!! It never happens to her!"

"Well, are you guy's ready to eat? Go find some wood for a fire," I ordered, trying to play off my crash landing nonchalantly. Gazzy's face seemed to be twitching from suppressed laughter as he went to carry out my order. Angel and Nudge just shook their heads, and went with Gazzy. Iggy, the great lump, was sitting on the ground, his face expressionless. A sure sign that something was up.

"Hey Iggy! What's up?" I asked, sitting down beside him. He turned towards my voice.

"You want to know what's up? I want a normal life! I want to stop running and start living!" Iggy exclaimed. My heart felt like it was bleeding. Bleeding for him, for the flock, for Fang.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Ig. I wish I could give you the life you want. But I can't. You've dealt with us this far, you can keep dealing," I said tiredly. My emotions were drained. Iggy's face softened when he heard the non-emotion in my voice. He nodded and I gave him a hug. Pulling out a bag of pizza Combo's from my bag, I split it with him while the rest of the flock built up a fire. Pizza was his favorite flavor.

We all ate quickly, then fell asleep on the spot.

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The next day, I rushed to the place where we had blown up some white coats.

Landing, (more gently this time), at the bomb sight, all we found was charred tree's and grass.

"There's nothing here. No bodies, no clothing. No broken bits of snow mobile. Some one was here!" Gazzy exclaimed. He was right. The place was devoid of bomb carnage.

"Wait! I think I found something! It looks like....." Angel exclaimed a few feet away, beside a half burnt tree. I ran over to her, closely followed by Gazzy, Iggy, and Nudge. Bending down, I pulled the black piece of plastic from the frozen ground. It was a name tag.

"A name tag. With little damage done to it. Jackpot!" I cried.

"Who does it belong to?" asked Nudge. I pulled out the little card from inside the plastic cover.

"Our survey say's....!" Gazzy exclaimed dramatically, pausing to read the name. He stared open mouthed at it for a moment, then, choking past laughter, said,

"Dewey Bob Smith!" We all burst into laughter. Dewey was the funniest name in all of history.

"Dewey? Dewey???!!!" cried Iggy, doubled over with laughter. I nodded, laughing, but not really into it. I missed Fang too much to be able to laugh freely.

"Does it say anything else?" asked Angel, taking the card from my hand.

"Itex Inc. 494 Wookly Drive," she read aloud.

"Sweet! An address! Alright, now that we know where to go, we can be making so progress," I said.

We took off again, heading for the nearest place we could find to ask for directions.

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Sorry that it was such a short chapter. It was probably my worst chapter yet... Ugh...

Anyway, review, or no next chapter. And your going to want the next chapter!!! I assure you!!

Here's a hint.

"I vill now eat nine Snicher's bahrs....visout bahfing."

Ring a bell? I hope so!

REVIEW!!! Bye!