Things are Different

I was being dragged across the ground, not a pleasant feeling when you're as bruised as I am.

"Ouch Iggy, that was a rock," I moaned.

I heard a whisper followed by a nervous titter. Okay, so this wasn't the Flock. Then I heard a cough, Fang's cough. I know, I know it's kinda weird that I know my wingman's (literally) cough, but I do. Fang was here, no mistake. So where was the rest of the Flock? Did this mean Iggy might still be on the verge of bashing his brains out falling off of a mountain? Probably.

"Fang?" I asked weakly.

Nothing.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you wouldn't even reply to your leader," I exclaimed sitting up, then falling over. I squeezed my eyes shut. My head reeled and I felt like I was going to puke my guts up since that was the only thing left.

"Whoa!" Someone exclaimed.

"Slim it and get me some water, I'm not sure what's wrong with it exactly."

Someone pressed a cold glass of water to my lips, normally I don't drink water, or anything, form strangers but I was on the verge of death (it felt like that okay?) so I took a big swallow. It felt so good I gulped some more. That didn't go so well with my stomach and I was heaving it up again. When I had gagged everything out of my system I leaned back on my elbows my while my stomach finished its last few dry heaves.

"That didn't go to well," Someone remarked, curse you.

"This shank has one sensitive stomach alright," the first one agreed.

I opened my eyes. The blond dude from before was looking down at me. He was a pretty muscle-y kid although a bit pale. A small kid, a bit pudgy, with brown hair, peered cautiously around his shoulder. I coughed and retched some more. The little kid covered his ears.

"Lalalalalalalalalalalalala," he yelled.

I wiped my mouth.

"Hi my names Newt, and this guys Chuck. Who are you? And do you know this guy?" Newt asked jerking his thumb in Fang's direction.

Fang. "Fang!" I exclaimed.

"I'll take that as a yes," Newt said crossing his arms over his big chest muscles.

"I-I'm Maximum," I said weakly nearly falling over. A lot of movement wasn't going to do me a lot of good.

"Do you think these two are some of the ones we're supposed to kill?" Chuck whispered.

"If they are we ain't gonna bloody do it!" Newt roared and Chuck looked hurt.

Newt grabbed what looked like a half of a gourd and held it out to me. I took it in a shaky hand and sipped some water out of it. I waited for it to settle then took another sip. I thought about drinking more, it was so good but decided not to risk it. The dizziness started to recede after a few minutes and I sat up.

"You want something to eat?" Newt asked gruffly.

"You have food?!" I exclaimed. My mouth started watering and I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd spit all over Newt.

If I did Newt was good at ignoring it and handed my something tightly wrapped in a leaf. I opened it revealing three rolls. It took all my strength not to stuff them into my mouth leaf and all, but I slowly nibbled one.

"Better not eat too much," Newt advised. Thanks, I'd only just come to that conclusion myself. I almost threw it up again though and Newt took the bread from me only giving me a piece every minute or so.

"Do you know Minho and Thomas?" I asked when I'd finished it. I still wasn't close to full, but it would do for now.

"Yeah-"

"Have you seen them? Are they okay?" Chuck interrupted.

"Yeah since last time I saw them," I said massaging my head.

Hope filled Chuck's plump face. I realized he must have been worried sick over his friends. I felt bad for him; he had lost his flock too.

"Were they friends of yours?" I asked.

Chuck nodded.

"Listen, I've got something to tell you and I think you might have a bloody similar story." Newt said sitting down. "We don't remember much of who we are, but we do know that this corporation called WICKED they're experimenting on us….so they can…..save..the…world." Newt said the last part very slowly emphasizing every word turning it over in his mind before dropping it like a bomb.

"I have a story to tell you. When we were young, just born, scientists put bird DNA into us. They kept us in cages, experimenting us, treating us like we weren't even human, we were saved by a whitecoat who we thought was our friend but it turned out he was a traitor. We have…..special abilities and we were made to use them to….save the world."

Newt stared at me intensely, like he was staring into my soul.

"I don't think you're lying," he said.

"Why would I be?" I shrieked. "Wings don't lie." I spread my wings to their maximum length flapping them slowly.

Newt's mouth dropped open and Chuck almost fell out of the tree he was sitting in. I flapped my wings experimentally, then winced. I looked over my shoulder my wings were crusted with blood and dirt and feathers were all out of place. This isn't going to fly, literally!

"Newt, is there some place I can wash this stuff off?" I asked.

Newt pointed in a vague direction behind him. "Do you need any help?" he asked as I shakily got to my feet.

I gave him a thumbs up because I was afraid if I opened my mouth I'd lose my lunch and food was too few and far between to waste. I stumbled into a clearing with a stream running through it. I barely made it the last few steps without falling over, but when I hit the water it was like an adrenaline rush making the blood pump a little bit faster supplying extra energy. I flapped my wings in the water then tried to scrub the crust off. Yucko I was a mess, a bloody, dirty, filthy, mess. My feathers were all stuck together and my hair was a rats' nest. After I got 'clean' (meaning I was still a mess but didn't look like a walking dirt ball) I heaved myself out of the now filthy stream and walked back to the others