Chapter 8: Dream Forest
Griffin dreamed once again that he was in a beautiful, peaceful forestland. He was perched on a branch, looking out into the bright landscape before him. Ever since the end of the pyramid incident, Griffin began to remember his dreams more often, and actually felt like he was in that dream as if it was reality. He was aware that he was not actually in the real world. It was almost like this was his own personal world away from the cruel world that he knew. He wanted to stay in the forest forever, but he knew that that time would have to wait.
Griffin looked below him and at a glistening stream. Spots of light were rippling across the surface of the water as the river flowed gently. He had been in this very spot of the dream forest for so long and he never got tired of the beauty his mind had created. He never knew that he had such an imagination built inside of him. He wondered whether his father or mother carried this ability.
His eyes trailed around, a smile planted on his face. He knew that at any moment his father would appear.
"Hello." A voice sounded out from behind him. Griffin looked back at his shoulder and smiled when he saw his father's figure perched just beside him. They embraced, their faces brushed up against each other. Shade whispered in Griffin's ear. "I heard your speech." Griffin's eyes widened as he let go of his father.
"You did? How was I?" Griffin asked. Shade smiled down at his son and ran his wing playfully across Griffin's head.
"How do you think you did?"
"I'm not sure. The words just came out."
"Then you did well." Griffin smiled back at his father and rested his head against his chest.
"I don't want to leave you. I want to be with you forever." He said quietly.
"Be patient, Griffin." Shade replied. They perched on the branch in silence for several minutes until Griffin spoke up.
"Dad, how is Mom and Luna?" Shade's face grew grim.
"Dear Nocturna, I haven't checked on them for a couple of days. I never thought I would forget to do that."
"Well, they are busy aren't they?" Griffin said, smirking at his father. Shade looked at him and laughed.
"Yes. Soon you'll have a family of your own." Shade said. There was silence once again.
"I really hope Luna is doing okay." Griffin said. "I just feel so nervous every time I think about her."
"I'm sure she and everybody else is doing okay. Should I check just to make you feel better?" Shade asked. Griffin scratched his chin, thinking for a while. He sighed.
"Yeah, I think that would be good." Just after he finished his sentence, he noticed something on the ground. A section of the air started to become blurrier and formed a figure similar to a short bat. The blurred figure started to twist and transform – thin hairs, wings, and very large ears started to become visible. Griffin's jaw was open wide as he stared at the figure. Shade noticed it too and wrapped his son in his wings with no fear showing on his face at all. In a matter of seconds a bat with pure white fur stood on the ground, looking around as if he was amazed with the scenery. His white fur shone brightly against the sun, making it seem as if he was just a figure made purely of light. The albino bat suddenly started to chuckle.
"I don't know how you do it, sonny, but this is by far the most pleasant dream I've ever laid eyes upon." The bat said, not eyeing the two bats above him.
"Unbelievable. Is that really you, Zephyr?" Shade asked in astonishment. Zephyr looked up at the two roosted bats with a grin across his face.
"Indeed it is." Zephyr said. He flew up to Griffin and Shade and perched right next to them, his eyes trailing across the forestlands. "Griffin, I'm impressed." Griffin scratched his head.
"Why?"
"Why do you think? I've never seen a dream forest this beautiful!" Zephyr stated excitedly. "I do say, Griffin, you must have received your imagination from your father!" Shade laughed.
"Oh no, not me. I wouldn't be able to imagine something as beautiful as my son can imagine." Shade said, nudging Griffin playfully. Griffin blushed and coughed.
"Yeah, I guess so." He said quietly. The three bats perched still.
"But, I haven't come here simply to see what one would be dreaming about." Zephyr said, his voice growing dark. Shade and Griffin perked their ears, listening to the albino. "There is great trouble ahead, and I must warn you before it is too late."
"What is going on, Zephyr?" Shade asked firmly.
"The Silverwing colony is trapped and in serious danger." The albino stated. "They are pinned down by a group of rogue Vampyrum called Halfwings. If we don't act soon, every single Silverwing will be killed by them."
"Luna!!" Griffin shouted. Shade and Zephyr twitched in fright.
"Griffin, calm down!" Shade exclaimed. Griffin's eyes watered as he looked at his father with a desperate face.
"I knew something was wrong, Dad! I just knew it! Luna and all the others are in danger and I never did anything about it!"
"Griffin! You did not know!"
"But I could have! Dad, you could have gone to check on them, but you forgot!"
"Griffin, I – "
"Dad." Griffin whispered out in the most disappointed voice he could muster.
"Griffin, I am sorry."
"It is too late for that now. Zephyr, what can we do??" Griffin asked the albino bat.
"You must bring all the males to Tree Haven. I'll direct you to their hiding place from there."
"Al – alright then. Zephyr…is – "
"Yes, Griffin, Luna is doing fine. She is still pregnant with your child and – "
"What??" Griffin shouted. "She should have birthed the child already!"
"Yes…she should have." The albino said wonderingly. Griffin winced in anger and swung his claw at the branch. A surge of pain trailed across his arm and he pulled it back in surprise.
"What if…the baby…" he said to himself. Shade nuzzled his son.
"Griffin, don't worry about it. Everything will be okay." It was the first time Griffin actually rolled his eyes at his father's words. He felt guilty that he was treating his father this way, but he was in no mood for pretty much anything.
"I have to go. I have to go quickly." Griffin said, not looking at his father. Zephyr looked with pity at Shade, watching his son fly away and into the depths of the dream forest. Shade could not look at Zephyr, his back facing towards him. His body started to vaporize – his fur, his wings, everything started to disappear into the air in a speckled pattern, his body eventually turning into beads of light, drifting away into the foliage. Zephyr looked around him and saw the forest starting to vaporize as well, the entire area turning dark and lifeless, just what Griffin's heart was becoming.
Griffin Silverwing woke up in the warmth of the cavern's inside. He looked around groggily, not remembering exactly what happened before. Eventually it came to him and he shook his head. He was suddenly burning, not because of the heat, but because of the anger and despair that filled his spirit. He flew off his roost, landing on the soft ground below. Cassiel was awake before Griffin and noticed his figure on the ground. He strained his eyes, confused to what Griffin was planning.
Breathing in deeply, Griffin bellowed out. "Everybody wake up! This is absolutely urgent and you must wake up now!" His voice greatly startled Cassiel and around him the Silverwing males were shuffling around, groaning and speaking in confused voices. As they began to wake, Griffin still shouted loudly. "It is extremely important that you wake up now and listen to me! Something really terrible is happening and we must solve it!"
"What is the meaning of this!?" The leader of Stone Hold, Janus, said as he flew from his roost and landed next to the crazed bat below. Janus was a fine figure, perfect for a strong leader. His chest was almost always puffed out, his back straight. No matter how similar he looked to the other bats, his posture would be a dead give-away to his leading position. "What has gotten into you? Can you not see that we have to rest for the – "
"Elder Janus, I understand that, but we cannot do this anymore. I have extremely important news I must sound out to everybody."
"Whatever it is, I assure you that we will take care of it!" Janus replied, referring to the leaders of Stone Hold. Griffin ignored the elder and shouted to the bats perched above.
"Your home, your mates, and your children are in danger! If we don't do anything we will never see them again!" The males were stunned and started conversing with each other nervously. The entire cave was filled with hundreds of voices. Janus was outraged.
"What in the world are you talking about!?" Griffin ignored him once again.
"We cannot rest here doing nothing about it! Zephyr has spoken to me through my dream and told me about how the Silverwing mothers are roosted in a tight space with no other place to go, waiting for their stalking predators to take their lives!" The males grew even more confused and afraid of Griffin's words. "We must go back to Tree Haven!"
"We will do no such thing!" Janus stated. Griffin eyed him darkly.
"Listen to me. If we don't do anything to help the colony, they will be eaten by whatever things are chasing them around. We are going back." Griffin responded, his eyes clearly showing signs of anger. Janus stood speechless, not making a single move. "We are." Griffin turned his head back up to the Silverwing males. "Everybody, follow me back to Tree Haven! We will meet with Zephyr there and we will protect our loved ones!" Griffin flew out of the mouth of the cave, the males lifted off of their roosts and following behind. Cassiel and Chinook flew together, amazed that Griffin was able to wrest the entire colony out of the cavern. Chinook looked behind his shoulder and saw Janus and the other leaders flying in the very back.
The Silverwing males were not prepared for this sudden journey back to Tree Haven. Along the way, some males even went back to Stone Hold, giving up on Griffin and making remarks that he was only bluffing. The elders still stayed behind the line, closely watching Griffin as he led the males deep into the Northern Forests.
The air around the forest was quickly starting to become cool – winter was going to arrive soon. This caused more of the males to go back to Stone Hold, stating that this was a "blind journey" that may have only been merely Griffin's imagination. But many Silverwings still sided with Griffin, caring dearly for their mates and children, hoping that the worst had not come to them.