Wow my writer's block actually didn't lost that long this time,,, anyway, hello! I managed to finish this chapter about a day or two before I go back to school, so this may or may not be the last update for a while (I will try to squeeze in a chapter when I can though). Also, this story will occasionally change focus. Meaning that each chapter will not be about the same character, and will switch every now and then. For example, this chapter focuses on Pterano, and so will several chapters later on in the story.
With that said, I hope you all enjoy and leave feedback. Thank you!

Five cold times. Five cold times, Pterano hadn't seen his family. Truthfully, it had been much longer since he'd seen his mother and father, but it had been five long and harsh cold times since he'd talked to or even seen his sister, and his darling nieces and nephews. Often times, he would find himself gazing at the stars spilling across the night sky as he wondered, did Tress miss him nearly as much as he missed her? Did Petrie?

But despite his anguish, there was no one Pterano could put the blame on. This was entirely his doing, and he was serving his well-deserved punishment. In fact, he felt that this penance paled in comparison to what could have happened him had he not assisted in the rescue of the children when that mysterious stone of cold fire emerged.

On the bright side; at least Pterano would like to think of it as a bright side, his sentence had officially ended. But he was hesitant. He wasn't quite greeted with a warm welcome the last time he was in the valley. Rather, he was greeted with distrust and hostility. Who was to say that had changed? But...who was to say that it hadn't? There was only one way Pterano could find out for certain. He prepared to fly, but was unable to lift his feet, planted firmly on the callous ground. He did not wish to make a decision out of haste; he needed more time.

If Pterano did decide to stay, he would be able to spare himself the emotional pain caused by the harsh treatment he knew he would receive. But there was nothing for him here in this barren wasteland, nothing but never-ending loneliness. There was little to no food, and an abundance of sharpteeth. And maybe, there was a possibility that whatever was left of his family still loved him.

Ultimately, he decided to leave. Since food was so scarce, he took a drink of what little water he could find before taking to the sky. The journey was tiresome. Everywhere he looked, he was reminded of the life he once had. A happy one.

A mother longneck gently pulling her children out of the mud, placing them in a nearby puddle to clean them, it brought back memories of when he was a mere hatchling. Whenever given the chance, he would get himself filthy. And his mother would scold him, and then make sure he was clean once more.

The clouds seemed to steadily shift so that they formed a group of flyers; even the bright circle reminded Pterano of a flyer he once knew.

But none of these things stopped him on his journey. He continued soaring through the skies, until he saw it. His old home. Although much of it had eroded away, and had become a home for fast biters, Pterano still remembered clearly how it used to be. Tall, intricate, with rock formations that touched the sky.

He nearly got distracted as memories flooded his mind, but refocused on the task at hand. He took one last glance at the remnants of his old home as he flew away. Even as he continued on, he still thought about it.

... The flapping of wings echoed through the air as Pterano glided gracefully, eventually landing on a ledge which led to a small cavern of sorts. Several flyers sat in different parts of the cavern, conversing among each other, or keeping to themselves.

In a corner sat Tress, a flyer of a dark blue color akin to the night sky, with lighter blue accents. She was Pterano's sister. Quite honestly, he didn't think her to be too easy on the eyes. He didn't think her to be ugly, just nothing above average. To him, she had an intimidating and condescending aura; along with dark eyes and a mouth that always seemed to be curved into a tight frown. Her personality however, was something to marvel at. She was headstrong, and had no problem telling anyone off if she was annoyed by them, regardless of who they were. Many females in the herd looked up to and admired her for her strong and independent demeanor. Some males even attempted to befriend Tress to impress a girl they had their eyes on, or simply to win Tress over, but Randy soon won her affections.

Randy was a handsome young flyer, although he looked far younger than he actually was. His finely toned golden color radiated brightly like the sky when the bright circle was about to set, giving it a gleaming golden hue. Juniper green eyes shone forlornly as he gazed into the distance. His chin was tilted upwards as he tried to assume a graceful posture, but instead looked like he was trying to unsteadily balance something on the tip of his beak. This was exactly the reason why Randy often became an object of ridicule among flyers his age. He always tried to put on a facade of strength, only for it to backfire in some preposterous way. But as of late, he'd come to accept himself for who he was, rather than trying to be something he was not.

"Randy," complained Tress, strained eyes glancing upwards. "You're blocking the view, dear."

Randy was almost surprised into an apology, but quickly caught himself. "Mm, that's a shame. But it's even sadder that you don't know that I am the view." His voice was loud, practically booming. However, it held a childlike innocence which made it less startling than it had the potential to be.

Tress gave him a certain look, her charming face masked with a look of polite discontent. But when she saw that shreds of confidence were showing themselves, she offered a knowing smile before turning on her side. Randy followed her actions, thrusting himself on top of her.

Pterano could see that if he tried to make conversation, he would only be brushed off due to the two flyers being completely immersed in their own little world of romance and laughter. He looked in the opposite direction, where two female flyers were balanced upon a stump. Their colors, periwinkle and lilac, seemed to compliment each other in the most perfect way.

The periwinkle flyer, Danielle, was petite and small. Gentle azure eyes shimmered like a watering hole on a bright day. Her beak was slightly open, slender arms wrapped around her delicate figure. According to the older flyers, she was ideal. Beautiful and calm. Demure and polite.

What set her apart from other beautiful females in the herd was her tail. She lacked the flap at the very end of it which would help her fly powerfully and make turns. Therefore, she was a rather lacking flyer, although her other qualities helped make up for the shortcoming. In spite of this, she never felt good enough. Even after she formed a relationship with another flyer, Sierra, she lived in a constant state of self doubt.

The other flyer was still somewhat of a stranger to Pterano. What he knew of her was that her name was Alexandra, and that she and his good friend Rinkus spent a good amount of time together. Alexandra, who preferred to be called Alex, was slightly more built than other girls she knew. She was pleasing to look at, with her gentle lilac color and blazing ice blue eyes which were as the night circle itself. When those bright eyes peered into someone else's, they held the promise that there was no one she wanted to see more, and that she would offer her full attention. She gave off an aura of fierceness, and yet, she seemed highly approachable and friendly. Being the daughter of the leader of the guard, she was used to having to converse with others. Including those she hardly knew at all.

"Pterano," she called, extending a single hand as she made an attempt to rise. "Is that you?"

Pterano's attention had been previously occupied, as he had been silently summing up the two flyers from afar. He almost didn't hear Alex call his name, but her voice was a certain kind, with an arresting fascination that would immediately grab someone's attention. He blinked once, eyes hardly widening as a polite smile appeared on his face. "Alex," he responded. "Greetings."

"You seem lost," Alex pointed out bluntly. "What are you thinking about? What are you hiding, Pterano?"

Pterano looked at her, confused. "I don't...I'm not..."

"I'm just kidding! I don't care," Alex intervened with a slightly condescending chuckle. "Bye." She redirected her attention back to the smaller flyer sitting beside her, seemingly forgetting all about Pterano.

Pterano prepared to leave, but then it occurred to him that he'd come here for a reason. "Have either of you seen Kyra?"

"Oh, she's off with Kiara," answered Alex. "Something about singing with someone who'd appreciate it."

Pterano felt slightly offended. There was a clear passive-aggressiveness in Alex's voice which the female flyer hardly bothered to hide. "Is she still angry...?"

Alex looked Pterano directly in the eye, and scoffed. Danielle, however, stood up. "What do you mean 'is she still angry'? Of course she is, and she has every reason to be. You insulted her singing!"

Unfortunately, Pterano had yet to realize his mistake. "I just said that she shouldn't get too invested," he argued. "She has a beyond beautiful voice, but she is going to be a healer. Isn't she?"

Danielle stormed over to him, stopping inches away from his face. "But is that what she wants? She may know a great deal about healing, but she also enjoys singing. And if you cared about her, you'd support her in that."

Pterano was speechless. Danielle had shut him down so quickly, he was at a loss for words. Alex simply chortled in amusement. It had never occurred to Pterano to view the situation from that perspective. "Well, what should I do then? I would like to apologize, but would she even forgive me?"

"An apology would be a start," stated Danielle, "but whether or not Kyra forgives you is completely up to her. And if she doesn't, you should respect her decision."

As much as he loathed to admit it, Danielle was right. In fact, she'd already made several valid points. Pterano looked away, thinking hard. "Do you two have any idea where she might be?"

"Try the waterfall," suggested Alex.

Pterano blinked once, and then twice. Despite being vexed at him, Kyra still chose to be at the place where she and Pterano spent the most time together. He looked towards Alex and Danielle, smiling gratefully. "Thank you." With that, he flew off.

The waterfall was a tranquil and serene place, where the sound of water roaring and rushing blocked out any intervening noise. Right near where the water emptied into the lake was a large rock, upon which two flyers sat. One was a small and scrawny flyer the hue of the clouds when the night circle was high in the sky. Her eyes, although and somewhat stormy and the color of the river, twinkled with a turquoise colored light akin to the brightest star. She held the hand of a flyer who was about two heads taller than her. "I know that we can last forever," she sang, "and ever and ever, and more..." Her voice was delicate, like tiny droplets of sky water.

The taller flyer watched with endearment and amazement as the other harmonized beautifully. She was a bright yellow, a hue similar to that of the bright circle. Her eyes resembled the color of wilting tree stars which had lost their moisture, and were now crumbling away. "Oh Kiara," she exclaimed, absolutely ecstatic. "That was beautiful. Your voice is so beautiful. You're so beautiful!"

Kiara offered a light laugh, beyond herself in happiness and delight. "Thank you, Kyra. But you're just as beautiful. Remember how every male in the herd wanted to be with you?"

"Yes," agreed Kyra, suddenly becoming more serious. "But you're beautiful on the inside. You were always there for me whenever I needed you, and you made a lot of sacrifices for others. You are too good and kind for anyone in this entire herd, even Charlie. Either way, I just want you to know that I love you. You're my best friend. Don't ever forget it."

Kiara's features softened, and she shook her head. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm glad I did it."

"My word, that's so sweet," interjected a voice.

Kiara and Kyra turned around to see Pterano, foot deep in the water. Kyra exchanged glances with her friend, who prepared to take off. "I should leave you two alone."

"Wait," insisted Kyra, "you can stay!"

"I can't," Kiara countered. "You two need to resolve this. And you'll need your privacy. Besides, I'm supposed to meet up with Charlie. I'll see you both later." With that said, she spread her wings and took to the sky. Once she was out of sight, Pterano occupied her spot on the rock. He gave Kyra a good-natured smile, but the female flyer averted his gaze.

Seeing that small gestures wouldn't get him anywhere, Pterano decided to cut straight to the chase. He edged closer to Kyra, taking a deep breath. "Kyra, dear...listen. I'm sorry."

Kyra still refused to lock eyes with him. "For what?"

"You know what," replied Pterano. "What I said about your singing was wrong. I thought that I was doing what was best for you, but really, nobody can know what's best for you except for you. If singing is what makes you happy, then by all means, continue. I just want you to be happy." He went silent for a moment. "And it's completely your decision if you want to forgive me. If not, I understand...I am quite foolish, after all."

Kyra winced, a sigh escaping her before she finally looked at those dark but gentle eyes. "You're not stupid, Pterano," she began. "It's just that I take your dreams seriously. I support you, no matter what they may be. Because they make you happy. I just wanted the same..."

Pterano nodded his head. "I know. I should have been more considerate. But if singing makes you happy, then I'll support you. No matter what anyone else says."

Kyra flashed a tearful smile, burying her face in his chest. "I love you."

Pterano rested his head on her shoulder, coiling his arms around her in a loving embrace. "I love you too."

Soon, they flew back towards the cavern. Many of the flyers had left, leaving only the ones Pterano was familar with. Moments later, a flyer of Alex and Danielle's kind swooped in. He was bright pink, with a timid aura surrounding him.

"Alexandra," he exclaimed, approaching Alex with open arms. His heavily accented voice was smooth yet unsteady and rough.

Alex however, simply stood up and stretched before walking right past him. "I'm not listening to a word," she spat, wearing a sly grin.

He shook his head, giving a smug smile of his own. "Alex," he repeated, placing emphasis on the shortened version of his girlfriend's name as he swept her off of her feet.

Alex laughed, letting out a small snort. She placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter, but it escaped regardless. "Rinkus," she giggled, "put me down. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Yeah," agreed Randy. "We don't want a repeat of last time. Whoever you fall on top of this time might not let you off so easy."

Tress, who had her arms wrapped around Randy, permit herself a chuckle. The male flyer was certainly not the brightest one of his age, but he always managed to make Tress laugh. He had such a good outlook on things, and radiated positivity and happiness. Tress couldn't help but love him.

Rinkus scowled at Randy. "Not to worry, I've been working on my strength."

Alex briefly looked down at Rinkus' rapidly trembling arms. "Okay," she said flatly.

While the other flyers were distracted, another swooped in. He was a dusty light brown with piercing yellow eyes that almost always conveyed a feeling of rage. Danielle hadn't been paying much attention to the others, nervously fiddling with her talons as she stared at the cavern wall. Despite her timid and frail appearance, she was quite talkative and sometimes outspoken, preferring to have her attention occupied by something or someone.

The flyer approached her from behind, under the assumption that the element of surprise was on his side. However, Danielle saw his shadow loom over her. Startled, she turned around suddenly, her arm accidentally smacking the brown flyer in the face.
"Sierra!" Her eyes were wide with surprise, but she seemed thrilled. Then, she realized that she'd accidentally assaulted him. "Oh- I'm so sorry!"

If it were anyone else, Sierra would have lost his already short temper. But he could sense the sincerity in her apology, not to mention he could never stay angry at her for very long. "It's fine. Ya didn't even hit me that hard." He looked towards his friend Rinkus, who was struggling with keeping his balance. "What's gotten into him?"

"I think he wants to prove a point," said Danielle, taking his hand into her own. "Anyway, how are you? Is everything better at home now?"

Sierra ran his free hand over his shoulder. "Yeah," he mumbled. "My ma wasn't hurt too bad, she only got bruised a little bit. She ought to kick that pathetic blowhard she calls her husband out, for her own good. And for her kids." He smiled at Danielle, caressing one side of her face. "Thanks for asking. I needed to get that off-"

Just then, Rinkus fell over, bumping into Sierra.

"Hey, watch it!" Sierra reprimanded him with a scowl.

Alex was now lying on top of Rinkus, a knowing look in her eyes. "I told you so," she cooed, shaking her head. "Although, I kind of like this better."

"Get off of me!" Rinkus laughed, pushing Alex off of his stomach. The two often engaged in such playful antics, providing a source of entertainment for their friends.

Pterano, who had been watching the entire thing unfold in silence, turned to Kyra. "Can you believe these are the flyers we're friends with, dear?"

"I'm still trying to figure out how," joked Kyra. "...But where's Kiara? And Charlie?"

Randy was the first to attempt to answer her question. He repeatedly intertwined his fingers, making several kissing noises, giggling childishly.

There were many occasions on which Kyra failed to understand her brother. This was one of them. Instead, she looked to Tress for answers.

"Charlie told us earlier not to look for him," Tress began to explain. "He said he wanted some alone time with Kiara, so they could be making babies right now. But Charlie also seems like he'd just want to talk to Kiara without anyone else there...so I don't really know for sure."

"I wonder if they'll have children before us," Kyra mused as she glanced over at Pterano.

Pterano smiled. "Have patience, dearest. Our time will come. I know it will."

... His reminiscing was suddenly interrupted by a large cliff, which he almost rammed into. However, he snapped out of his trance in the nick of time, and quickly evaded the rock.

Pterano returned his attention to his flight, letting out a dejected sigh. Those bittersweet memories were from days long gone. Those days weren't coming back, and Pterano had accepted that saddening truth. He would now have to make a new life for himself, and leave the old days behind. He looked back once more before continuing on his journey. He would now have to step dwelling on what was, and focus on what could be.