Closing his eyes, Nix could feel the wind spread through the feathers on his face. He could easily trick his mind into thinking he was flying himself as the powerful flaps of Mabli's wings moved his own body up and down. He wanted desperately to open his own wings, to catch the air and lift, lift, lift…closer and closer to the sky. But Mabli's talons were enclosed around him, like a cage he'd grown so accustomed to.

"Don't take this as an offence," Mabli spoke as she panted, "but you're much heavier than you look."

"I think we're far enough." Nix finally opened his eyes and observed the land below them. They had passed far beyond the community border and the old growth.

Mabli eyed a somewhat bare tree at the base of a rocky hill, "I'll set us down there. Get ready." Nix braced himself for the landing, catching onto the branch as Mabli alighted down beside him.

They both exchanged looks after peeking down to the ground below. Mabli's eyes were slightly red and she blinked often to retain what little moisture there was left. The grief of losing her siblings and fighting with her parents had left her face heavy with emotion.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Mabli asked, regretting the question immediately.

"I've been ready." He gave her a nod and wink of assurance. "I'll go for that one first," Nix gestured to a nearby branch across and below; a good gripping size and clear of leaves or other obstacles.

"Alright, Nix. Go on." A smile came over Mabli's beak. It excited her to see Nix have his first real opportunity, his first real experience of freedom. Together they would make a magnificent raccoon hunting team. She was sure of it.

"I'll spare you the insignificant details." Mabli spoke. "Just let the air carry you. Your gizzard will tell you what to do, how to feel, how to guide yourself through the subtle movement of your wings."

Nix felt a strange sensation, one of excitement and hesitation as he stepped forth and raised his wings high above his head. Just as he was about to leap, they heard a shrill cry of another owl off in the distance.

"Stop!" the owl cried out. "Stop what you're doing, right now!"

Nix and Mabli turned to see Paddock, the small pygmy owl, flying frantically towards them from a distant tree.

"Paddock?" Nix tilted his head in shock and annoyance, "Did you follow us here?"

"You better not have told anyone!" Mabli's tone was threatening. "If they find out what we're up to-"

"I haven't told a soul." Paddock landed with a hop on the distant branch that Nix was targeting. "I just thought I'd follow you – make sure you two wouldn't do anything stupid and, by Glaux, what do I see here? Trying to fly again, Nix? Seriously?"

"You have no say in this." Mabli shot a talon towards Paddock.

"I believe I do!" Paddock shot right back, "Nix is just as much my friend as he is yours, and I'd rather not see him get killed tonight." He looked off towards the sky. The sun had set behind the thick layer of trees.

"Your friend?" said Mabli. "I think if you were any kind of friend at all, you'd be a little more encouraging."

Paddock hopped up and down in frustration, "Give me a break! It's his life that we're talking about here."

Nix raised his wings once more, his feathery brow locked in pure determination. He remembered last week at his examination. He remembered how he felt. He remembered how he failed, and this time he would not.

Paddock's eyes widened as he panicked, "Don't do it, Nix. I beg you!"

"Go for it. Leap!" Mabli countered.

"No! Think of your family! Your sister!"

"Remember the council. Remember how Radley treated you!"

"-and it's not worth it. I'm telling you, Nix. You're not ready!"

"-thousands of years, and you're a bird too! Remember-"

"-hundred feet to the ground will do to you your body? Come to-"

The voices trailed off. Nix could feel the wind all around him. He could feel the tingling sensations of flight. The wind was catching beneath his wings as he fell. He felt alive and at peace, just as he did at the council tree. But there was something wrong. The wind had ceased. As if easing from light to darkness, he slowly began to feel pain: Unbearable pain.

First, a blow to the left crushed his leg against his chest. A jolt from the right came soon after as Nix tried to protect his face and belly with his wings. Finally, after scraping against the tree's trunk, Nix rolled to a stop on the grassy floor below.

Unable to move, Nix focused on breathing. The ringing in his ears soon began to fade. The voices of his friends, so loud before, could not be heard. Perhaps he was imagining, but he could make out Radley's distinctive voice in his head. Is Radley here? What is he saying? Mabli and Paddock…were they still here? Did they see me fall? He couldn't put the pieces together. Nobody was around.

With a weak voice, Nix called for help. He managed to open his eyes, though the world was spinning as if in a dream. What went wrong?

Just as Nix was beginning to lose consciousness, he noticed a black silhouette flying towards him. The bird had enormous wings, much larger than Mabli's. More noticeable was the incredible size of its claws. The claws were spread open, soon giving off a shine from the moonlight. Nix felt himself being lifted, snatched from the ground by the ice cold claws.