Chapter 2: two years later
It was another beautiful night. The sun set itself down over the horizon to have her nightly rest as the moon rose over to replace her. Spring was immediately known when it came. Flowers blossomed, grass grew, the forest lifted its green foliage mass with pride, welcoming the moonlight as it shone over and painted their scalps with a bright white.
Tree Haven sat in its rightful spot in the middle of this peaceful forest. Mating season was over, and new mothers were welcomed into Tree Haven. It became the center of activity just after the grown males left for their first time to Stone Hold to be with their fathers. The females of the colony wouldn't stop talking with one another, and their excited voices rang out over the night.
Luna Silverwing looked around her as she perched alone on one of the ledges of Tree Haven. She felt at home being around all the anxious mothers, conversing with one another about various things. They talked about how much they would wonder about the heritage their sons or daughters will gain from the family or what they would be like in the future, or just plain "how would they look like? More like their father, or me?". Luna was anxious to know for her own son or daughter as well, especially since her mate was a half Silverwing and half Brightwing. He was at first, reluctant to go live in Stone Hold. He loved Luna so much that he did not want to go and wanted to stay with her for the rest of his life, but he eventually grew familiar to the customs and left, but not without breaking into tears. He did not want to wait – he wanted to stay and see his son or daughter for himself as soon as possible. Luna did not want Griffin to leave as well, but knew it was for the better to follow their culture. Besides, Griffin would get to live with his grandfather for a while.
Luna looked up and saw the elders talking as well. She always thought that whenever the elders conversed it was mysterious – they usually talked very quiet and hid in the dark from all the other bats. Most noticeable was Ariel, the chief elder of the Silverwing colony. She was always such a great elder, but Ariel herself admitted that the past elder was probably the best of the colony's history. She protected Shade from Brutus, general of the owl army in the past, when he was just a newborn.
The mothers of the females roosted in Tree Haven as well, even though they barely did anything but rest their bodies. Luna wished she could stay young forever at some points. She wanted to be active, always. In fact, she did not know what she was doing right now. What was she waiting for? She needed to go outside and fly around a bit. Before she unfurled her wings, Marina Brightwing swooped down and perched right beside her.
"How do you feel?" Marina said as she folded her wings, getting comfortable. Luna put on a puzzled face.
"What do you mean?" Marina lifted a claw and softly poked Luna's belly. Luna laughed in response. "Oh, the baby." She chuckled. "I am very excited to meet him." They both smiled at each other.
"So was I, Luna. Shade made such a handsome son." Marina said. Luna snickered and sighed, looking back at the crowds of females in midst of conversation.
"Will your son make a handsome son?" Luna asked.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. There's no doubt." Marina replied, seeming so sure of what she said. Luna smiled happily.
"Just wondering what you thought."
"Sure." Marina remarked apathetically. Silence followed.
"I miss Griff." Luna said quietly. Marina sighed and nudged her.
"He's doing just fine."
"No, I mean, I want to see him. I really do, Marina." Luna replied.
"Oh, yes, I know, but my heart ached as well when Shade went to Stone Hold. When I gave birth to Griffin, I hoped Shade would come as soon as possible. I wanted a united family." Marina sighed. "He did come back, but at a bad time. That's when you were killed and Griffin was sucked into that Underworld place." Marina looked away and breathed out raggedly. "Shade went into the Underworld to rescue my son and promised he'd return. When Griffin came back, Shade didn't, and I never felt so sad, but he did come after two years." Marina bowed her head and Luna looked at her with pity. "I know I'm being selfish. I had my son, but I still wanted my family to be unbroken." Luna put her hand on Marina's shoulder.
"Don't think that way, Marina. I would've known how you felt. I'd hate to be in a position where I could not do anything to help and I was forced to wait to see the outcome." Luna stated. "It's not your fault for thinking that way."
"I should think harder, and I should just accept and be thankful for what I had." Marina unfurled her wings and took off, disappearing out of the circular entrance to Tree Haven's interior and into the night. Luna bowed her head and rubbed her forehead in thought. She knew that Marina wanted to be alone right now to sort out her contemplations. She decided to rest in her spot for a few more minutes. She closed her eyes.
"Luna, I love you." Griffin said as he and Luna brushed against each other in embrace. In the distance just beside Tree Haven, the males waited. Luna put her lips gently on Griffin's cheek and gave him a soft kiss.
"Please, take care." Luna softly whispered to him.
"You too, and our child as well." Luna put her hand softly onto her stomach and smiled warmly to him.
"Of course." She said. Griffin gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then flew to the crowd of males, looking back to Luna once before uniting with them. She stood in her spot, not keeping her eyes off of her mate. She did not dare move a muscle as the males flapped their wings and took off to the sky, they turned to Luna's direction and flew in a straight line just over her head. She slowly turned around as the crowd grew smaller and smaller until they finally disappeared over the trees.
Roma, Luna's mother, landed beside her daughter and put her hand on her back.
"He'll be fine." She said softly. Luna nodded without moving her eyes away. The two bats eventually flew back into Tree Haven as the sun set over the horizon, the sky swirling with vibrant colors that promised a peaceful night.
Luna opened her eyes. It was just a month ago, and she still felt like it happened right in front of her. She desperately wanted to see Griffin's face once again – she wanted to embrace him and dig her face into his thick neck scruff just once more.
One month passed, and the end of spring was nearing. In just a couple more months, the pups would be born and a new generation of Silverwing bats would arrive. Of course, as months grew, so did the females' anxiety and conversation periods. Luna never knew that she would have to put up with so much activity and chatter. Sometimes she had to go outside forcefully after her ears hurt by being put under too much pain by the continuous talking. It was night, and the activity simmered down just a little. Luna once again roosted alone and looked down tenderly at her slightly swollen stomach. She could not wait to meet her new son or daughter's face, and she was even more anxious for her colony to reunite with the males in Stone Hold. Luna never thought that she would have so much patience sitting around and waiting as her child grew and grew inside her. Usually when she was excited she would always be active no matter what, but now she knew what kind of passivity that a mother held.
Luna did not feed as often as usual, learning that eating too much and flying too much at the same time with a baby in her womb would upset her stomach greatly. So, she waited and rested as much as she could, dreaming happily about being with Griffin.
A week passed and Luna was out hunting, as well as many of the females in Tree Haven. It was almost like she could not escape from them and their nonstop chatterboxes. She occasionally got to eat in peace, but she preferred if it was like that every time.
After he had eaten her fill, she perched on a tree nearby Tree Haven and closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze wisp past her delicate silver fur. He heard the soft rustling of the tree's leaves as they bowed back and forth, letting the wind take control of them. She wrapped her wings comfortably around her body. Marina told her that humming a song was a great way for any mother's unborn child to remain perfectly calm and for him or her to get a good idea of their mother's voice when they are born. As so she started to hum a song that her mother used to sing to her when she was a newborn. She was never good at singing or humming for that matter, but she did her best to keep the notes perfect for the child to take in. As she hummed the simplistic song, she thought she could feel her child moving around inside, comforted in response to her soft humming. She felt great and never knew she could relax so well after doing something she always knew she wasn't good at. Luna kept up her humming and repeated the song about four times, feeling a phase of peace she did not experience in her past. She had taken the responsibility for a child and now she was going to use all in her strength to keep him safe.
When she had sung her song a fifth time, she finally stopped and sighed happily. She looked up and noticed that the sky was turning brighter and the dawn chorus started to sound out throughout the forest. Luna was glad she did not live when the owls closed the skies. She had nothing to fear, and she almost felt guilty for it.
"Psst!" A voice hissed from behind her. Luna's heart jumped in surprise and she looked behind her to find a Crimsonwing bat roosted near her.
"Could you not startle me, please? I have a child you know." Luna stated in frustration. The Crimsonwing bowed his head in apology. Luna looked more closely at the Crimsonwing and found his face to be familiar. He was almost as old as she was and his eyes shone bright under the moonlight.
"Rigel?" Luna said, dumbfounded. Rigel smiled and then snickered against Luna's surprised expression. "You're supposed to be in your colony's Stone Hold with the males!"
"You seem to think you know too much. Our Stone Hold is actually nearby your Tree Haven!" Luna rustled her wings in fascination.
"I did not know that! Well, it's nice to see you again! It's been years!" Rigel scratched the back of his head shyly.
"It has been hasn't it? I wish I could see my mate right now, but I guess it'll have to wait for another couple months." He sighed. Luna smiled.
"I can't wait to see my mate as well. Being reunited with a new child is the only thing on my mind right now. I used to be so active and playful, but now I'm so concentrative on this business that it makes me a bit sick." Luna explained. Rigel stifled a laugh. "It's not funny." He immediately stopped.
"So, you say you want to return to your old self?"
"Yes, but I also want what's best for my child, so I have to just give it up. It is hard though."
"I understand…I guess. Anyway, I just came for a visit, you know, just to see how you're doing!"
"I'm glad I got to see you again." Luna said. Rigel turned and unwrapped his wings to take off for flight.
"Good luck with your child, and say 'hi' to Griffin for me!" With that, he lit from the branch and disappeared into the foliage in just a second. Luna looked up into the canopy for a while until the sound of his wings faded out completely.
A couple of months passed over, and spring had instantly changed to summer. Warmth hung over the air and the time of the birth of the new pups was soon to arrive. In just a few days into the summer, the mothers started to give birth to their children, and excitement rose greater than ever before. The sound of the jovial mothers naming their children rung out all over Tree Haven and the air was filled with joyfulness, but even this ebullient happiness was immune to Luna. Her belly was greatly swollen and she was waiting with a beating heart for her child to exit her body, but the feeling never came and the child stubbornly stayed in his place inside of her womb. Luna began to feel hot with shame as she saw the mothers all around her tending to their newborn, feeding them their milk. Was she the only one having this problem? Desperate, she held her breath and started to apply pressure onto her stomach, hoping fervently and constantly that she would give birth, but it never happened, and her attempt only seeped her energy. Tears forming on her eyes, she lit from her roost and went up to the higher sections of the tree to roost alone. She did not want to embarrass herself any longer. She perched on a ledge and started to sob bitterly.
"What is wrong, my daughter?" Luna looked up to see Roma roosted just beside her. Her face had a look of sorrow on it as she saw her daughter's tear-matted face.
"Well, look at me!" Luna shouted, unfurling her wings to reveal her enlarged stomach. "I cannot give birth!"
"Now, Luna, calm down. This is not something to get so worked up about. Sure, it is common for the mothers to give birth simultaneously, but maybe this is a bit different, so what?" Roma said, not revealing the sense of disbelief hidden in her. "You just have to wait."
And so, Luna waited. Hours and hours passed by and her child sat snuggly inside of her womb, refusing to want to come out. Hopelessness overtook Luna like a swift wind and she closed her eyes tightly, hoping to herself that she was only dreaming and she would wake up soon. As time went by, she thought horrible thoughts. She began to think that there was a genetic disorder in her body, and then worse of all, she thought her child died while still inside of her. This thought caused Luna's heart to start beating unnaturally fast, and she started to gasp in breath as if choking. She was feeling nauseous and her body felt sickly hot. She immediately lit from her roost and flew outside as fast as she could and flew far away from Tree Haven and roosted on a tree branch next to a river. She looked around to make sure no one was around and then started to bawl her eyes out. She never felt emotional pain this horrible in her life. Was all her anticipation and patience done in vain?
After hours of weeping, Luna finally thought it was time to go back. She hung still on her branch and then started to slowly rock her body back and forth, humming her song in hopes that it would make her feel better. Maybe she did have to wait for a little while longer before her baby would decide to come out. Her spirits lifted somewhat and she finally lit from her roost, flying back to Tree Haven to rest from her depression, unaware of the silhouetted figures that peeked through a bush just below her.