My mouth dropped open. I sat there, gaping at my little sister.
So were Iggy, Fang, and Nudge.
"What do you mean, Angel? I asked nervously, hoping that I had heard her wrong.
"Nope, you heard me right. I can read minds."
"But? How?" Nudge started, at a loss for words for the very first time in what must have been ages.
"It was once said that the descendants of the Flock Leader had special powers... Max? Do you know who your parents were?" Fang asked cautiously.
"No.. My mom died when I was 9. Jeb, my dad, is certainly not Avian," I whispered, thinking hard. "But they were just rumors, right?"
"Mommy told me a lot about where we came from. We're special, you an' me, Max. More special than any other
Avian on this planet. Mummy said-" Angel started, but was muffled when a tall man came from behind her and wrapped his huge hand around her mouth. He started to lift her out of her seat. His eyes were a golden color. I immediately jumped into action.
"Follow him!" Fang yelled, starting to run. Nudge guided Iggy as we ran.
Screams rung out through the mall. Tables were flipped over as we tried to catch up with the man, who was heading outside. Security guards tried to stop us, but were unsuccessful. The hair on the back of his head started to become grey and grow shaggier. I'd make sure that every single inch of it rotted in hell, for stealing my sister.
The guy ran outside and into a small car, where more tall men awaited. The car started to speed off.
Nudge opened her huge wings, not paying attention to the people watching, and took off forwards the car. Iggy repeated her actions.
Fang also took off, snapping open his black wings. I opened mine, and tried to lift off. I could barely fly when dropped from dozens of feet high, so flying off from the ground was just about impossible. I quickly folded my wings back in, looking at the sky.
Fang remembered that I couldn't fly, and turned around to swoop me into his arms before taking off again.
"ANGEL!" I yelled, pain coating my voice. I watched as the car sped further and further away into the wilderness.
All of a sudden, Nudge and Iggy halted in front of us, suspended in midair. Fang did the same.
"What the heck are you doing?! They're getting away!" I shrieked, going a little bit mental. I could only imagine what my eyes could look like right now.
"We won't get to them this way. We aren't fast enough. They've taken her, obviously for some special reason," Iggy explained.
"Well then what are we going to do?!" I begged, clutching Fang's shirt tight in my fists. Not Angel. Dear god, not Angel. Not my poor, sweet, innocent Angel.
"Well, we have to go back home and think. Think, brainstorm, and plan our next move carefully," Fang said, thinking.
Right then and there, I broke down into sobs.
"Well, the Wolves obviously want to draw us out for some reason. They're taunting us." Fang said.
After a long and embarrassing sob-fest, we had finally arrived back at my house. Right now, we sat in my room. I laid on my bed, feeling broken.
"Why would the Wolves do that? It's as if they're... Taunting us," Fang said angrily.
"It's almost like they want to draw us out. I think we're the only Avians anywhere nearby. But why would they choose to pick a fight, start a war?" Iggy said, eyebrows furrowed deep in thought.
"Maybe they just want to finish us off?" I suggested weakly. I didn't know much about the Wolves yet. I didn't really know them personally.
"That's a good point... But why now?" Nudge asked.
"I dunno. I think I've heard of some other cross-species dealing with the same trouble. Having their young stolen away from them," Fang said through gritted teeth.
"Why don't we speak with them then? Maybe they know something about where they took Angel," I spoke out. I was desperate to get Angel. Logic was the only thing keeping me from running out the door and searching the entire globe.
"Good idea... I know a couple Foxes and Raccoons... They're most common in this area. Some Deers live nearby too," Iggy explained.
We landed on the forest floor, crunching leaves as we started to walk. Fang released me from his grip, and I looked around.
"Well? Where are the Foxes?" I asked. I didn't see anyone besides us.
Just then a red-haired girl seemed to crawl out of a invisible tunnel in the ground. I sucked in a breath as I took in the sight of her. She had bright, piercing green eyes, pointy canines, tiny claws, and two fox ears pointed out of her fiery red hair. And most surprising of all: a bushy red and white tail swished behind her.
"Guys, this is Phoenix. Phoenix, this is Fang, Nudge, and Max," Iggy introduced.
"Why are you? I thought shifting was-" I started, confused. I thought that cross-species looked human when not shifted.
"Some of us like to live it natural. Being constantly shifted includes that. Living in tunnels like foxes does too," Phoenix explained, indicating the huge entrance to a hidden tunnel.
"Anyways, Phoenix, Max's little sister was taken by some Wolves. You told me that the same thing happened..." Iggy started. Phoenix's face visibly dropped, before becoming angry.
"Yeah.. My little bro. He was taken mysteriously one day by the Wolves too. I don't know why. I haven't seen him in months," Phoenix hissed.
"He was just... Taken?" I asked.
"Yeah. We were out hunting some rabbits, when a Wolf swooped in and snatched him away. I tried to chase after them, but they got into a car and drove off. He screamed the entire time..." Phoenix whispered.
"That's exactly what happened with Max's sister! But at a mall. In front of lots of people!" Nudge said, getting excited at making the connection.
"In public? Are you sure? The Wolves don't like to mingle in with humans very much. They don't like to attract attention to themselves!" Phoenix exclaimed.
"Thats what I was wondering too..." Fang said, scratching the back of his head.
"Well, I propose an idea," I stated out loud.
"What?" Fang, Iggy, Nudge, and Phoenix all simultaneously asked.
"Well, I say we give them a taste of their own medicine. Take one of their kind. Maybe we can get a few pieces of information from him/her too. Learn more about what they plan to do. And get Angel back."
Wow! Nearly 60 reviews! Sorry I haven't updated in a while... I had a busy holiday break.
Sorry the chapters so short... Hopefully I can work out where this story is going and post the next (longer!) chapter soon.
~Falcon