The air went still and quiet. Far too quiet for my liking. As I was trying to ease my eye there was a sound that I couldn't bear to hear. It sounded like a painful cry or a wail from one of the nurses. I had to be strong, so I stood tall while repeating that name in my head, over and over again. Right when I started to fly, it was Molt who nearly rammed into me.

"Molt! Damn…. Are you okay?" I croaked, still in pain.

"Ah!" he shuddered, shaking his head in a tearful panic. "H-hop! Hopper… I-it's… Ya gotta come! It's Flitter!"

"What!?"

That was what I never wanted to hear. If she had ever gotten hurt…. I — I couldn't think about that right now.

"We got them t-to the burrow but one of 'em followed us…. I tried, Hopper… I really tried, but she wouldn't listen to me!"

Internally panicked as well, I had to grip both of his arms, tightly but securely so that I could look him straight in the eye.

"Molt. What. Happened?"

He began to sob….

"He got her…. He stabbed her…."

The stuttering grasshopper was right. We got back there as soon as we could. The soldiers were gathered, strangely, at the base of the tree. A part me yelled for me to not get close… but I had to. The sight we all were seeing was agony, so much that it made me sick. I didn't want Molt to even look at this.

Out of everyone, only one nurse had fallen while trying to protect her babies. One hornet chased them. This was probably all due to me… Grasshoppers were a decent dish for them. The flock hovered and landed around us as we all saw Flitter laying crooked against the blades of grass. I was speechless when I saw that she couldn't breathe. Her head was bent backwards, painfully, which was trying to hide the source of her agony. Her wings were spread out and frozen and her entire frame was shaking. Molt shuddered and I just stood in pure shock.

Emerald soon landed, after trying to keep her awake with the gusts from his wings, but nothing was working. She was completely immobilized. Emerald looked angry and crushed. But his eyes softened when he focused on us.

"You risked a great deal by doing that, Hopper." he hoarsely spoke. "Many more of us would have fallen."

I gazed up at him, with my eye bleeding still. Tears were stinging both of them. Before the Prime leader, Molt and I humbly bowed, begging permission to come near Flitter.

"Emerald." my voice shook for the first time.

I could see Emerald shaking with rage, but I kept my head low. Emerald clenched his eyes shut, having to listen to her gasp.

"Em — Em…" she tried to speak, wanting something.

He seemed to understand. Overprotective, he unwillingly granted us permission.

"… You two. Come."

"O-Oh…" Molt tried to hold back sobs as we slowly approached.

"Flitter…?" I whispered, cautiously, hoping that she could see us.

She was looking right at us. She tried to open her beak but it was too hard. I had to keep her from shaking. She knew how much we loved her.

"Hey…" I tried to smile, but I spotted the injury under her feathers, at the back of her neck. There was blood.

She swallowed and tried to smile. There were tears in her brown eyes, but she wanted to say a lot. I could tell. After a long time, she was able to see us together as the brothers we were. Softly, I stroked her along her throat. Molt did his best and hugged her….

"You're okay, hon. You're okay…" I began to whisper.

That was a lie. This was what those thorns did. Those stingers. The sting of the hornet…. I knew the worst was just a wing beat away. I didn't want it to come. Molt was shattered to pieces and telling him the same was just as damaging. We could all see it.

Flitter was dying.

"Flitter … I-I … I'm sorry…" Molt sobbed, in full regret.

Her eyes held more life than anything. She looked happy… Compassionate, just like on the day she found us. And defended us. Her body tensed… and suddenly, the shaking stopped.

"Mummy…?" wept Speckles who was kept away from the scene.

"Don't!" Emerald ordered.

I was left confused. Flitter wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing…. She couldn't be!

I stroked her again and Molt gave a broken cry.

"Flitter…? Oh, please don't…" I shook my head in denial.

"Mum!?" her babies began to cry in the distance.

I had to stand as they came and wept on her stuck wings. Many soldiers solemnly flew off, knowing the worst was over and done, but the nurses stayed for the sake of Flitter's young. I still couldn't believe it. Was this my fault…? Or was there no chance…? More of us would have fallen, Emerald said. I tore away from the scene, completely feeling a mess of things, from failure, confusion, anger and desperation. Above all, there was pain…. My head felt so watery and heavy that I had to rest against a nearby blade as cries filled the misty morning air. I winced, trying to shut my hurt eye. I had to keep remembering that name, of the one who did this. I couldn't forget. I will never forget it.

Emerald came back to me, who witnessed me curling down and embracing my head in my claws in agony. I was in a world of pain, inside and out. Flitter was our mother! I growled which prompted him to come near.

"You're hurt." he spoke behind me.

I rose my head up but I didn't turn.

"Sir, I … I tried to do. I — damn…" I felt a huge pang in my head. "I tried! And I failed you. I'm a grasshopper. No soldier. I don't know what else to say!"

"You are my soldier. You did a great deal! Flitter was the only … casualty." Emerald struggled.

I turned, focusing my good eye on him. My face spoke many things to the Prime. He could tell that I was grieving too.

"Can you see?" he asked, concerned.

"… barely." I choked, looking away.

"It's not deep. It will heal but it will scar."

"I don't care. You said I'm… still your soldier?"

"If you didn't distract those seven and their captain, we would have lost more. None of us could have predicted who was going to die. "

"I wish no one had to die!" I angrily replied.

"You cannot stop that! None of us can. It's only nature's way."

"I know his name…" I slowly said, thinking out loud.

"What?"

"His name, one of them yelled his name."

"You speak of their leader…."

"Yeah."

I turned back to him with another idea in mind.

"Blade. That might be a lead."

Emerald narrowed his eyes at me.

"What is on your mind…?"

"Sir, I know I'm just a soldier, no hummer… but I do hope that this might work. You need to leave. Now. Go and find a safe home."

"I know what you are proposing. You're staying here. Aren't you?" he stood tall and firmly.

"It's the only way, that I can think of, to keep them from following you. And … to give you my gratitude. I thought you would never speak to me, let alone make me a soldier… Even to let Molt nurse. This is … the least I could do."

"Hopper." he stepped close, heartbroken. "You and Molt were the first bugs to ever trust us this much. I was only worried for my flock, just in case. But now I know who exactly to look out for. You were never a threat. Flitter knew that long before I did. I am ... sorry."

I listened and completely was numb to the pain in my eye. I was confident now that he trusted us.

"So … what are you going to do now, soldier?"

The sun touched down on the land and our ruined tree. The birds were humming around, searching for water and flowers. I could already feel the coming heat.

"I'm sure there's a problem in this meadow. I think I need to follow where the sun sets." I softly spoke, climbing up the blade to see where the sun was rising.

"Fly with Pride, Hopper. I wish you good health and strength, which I know you have."

Emerald opened his wings, his translucent feathers shining in the light before he began to hover.

"You two are with us and will always be welcome."

"So… this is it?" I dreaded to ask. "After all this time…?"

"For now. If we both survive this season." Emerald managed a sad smile. "You've found your wings."

That was the deal in the first place. When we would learn to fly, he expected us to leave. Today was that day, only not what I expected. He knew his age was getting to him and I was seeing it too. It was only morning and it was already something I would never forget. This may be the last talk I'd ever have with him. I wanted to say thanks, but the words got stuck in my throat. My eye distracted me.

"Thanks. Sir." I nodded to him, respectfully.

"Thank you. Soldier." Emerald bowed his head. "Take care."

He opened his wings and began to fly back to the tree to gather his numbers. Flaps and Speckles reluctantly followed him, barely hovering at first. My first objective was finding Molt. I knew for sure he was messed up. So was I. I was able to see a little better, so I took off, not wanting to see Flitter again….