…Hi everyone, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I realize that may have started the story with a lot of intensity. Here's a little something lighter with Pterano. Next up, I think we will go back to Hyp and his father. Enjoy and review!...

Chapter 2: Tomorrow…..

Pterano

The great flyer should have been in the Great Valley by now. His sentence had ended this past cold time. But he was holding off; no one wanted him there. He wasn't trusted. Not even by his own sister. And who could blame her? In the eyes of the others, he was a criminal. And that was something serving out a sentence of five cold times could never make up for.

He wanted to change, really. He was more than willing to settle for a common life in the Great Valley now. Despite all he was raised to believe, he just a common flyer. But believing that himself wouldn't be enough by now. Petrie probably would never fully trust him again.

The Bright Circle shone bright in the sky, but Pterano stayed in the shadows of the home he had made for himself on the edge of a cliff sticking out from the wall of the mountain, pressing his hands into the wall as far as he could to suppress the horrible memories. He did this nearly every day, clutching at the wall while the horrific sounds of growling, screaming, and tearing accompanied the faint images of a dying herd. It was as if the herd he had led astray in search of the Great Valley all those cold times ago had been attacked only yesterday.

The memories passed…eventually. The calm peace of mind that following the relaxing of his body brought great relief. He opened his eyes as he released the tight grip he held on the wall of the mountain.

Am I still sane? He couldn't tell anymore. The flyer sighed and turned just in time to see the setting Bright Circle turning the barren landscape pink and purple, causing the image of the familiar pink flyer he still love to cross his mind. Pterano blinked, half stunned by a memory long pushed behind the dying herd. He reached out to the mountain wall once again. To support himself.

"Oh, Britta….."

…. "Pterano, are you listening?"

The young, nearly grown flyer forced himself out of his daydreams at the agitated sound of his father's voice. "Umm hmm…"

"If you are going to be leader of the flyer one day, son, you have to listen to me!" His father was the mirror image of himself, only slightly bigger with a darker color and a cold look in his black eyes.

I've been listening since the Bright Circle rose! It all boiled down to the same thing. Like his father he was strong, wise, fit, etcetera, etcetera. He knew all that. Right now, he just needed to Bright Circle to inch a little more to the right…..

"Pterano!"

When he caught sight of the concerned faces of his mother and sister, who had just flown in behind their father with beaks full of tree stars, the young flyer stood a little bit straighter. "Of course." He knew to keep his tone cool and submissive.

His father sighed, he was persistent but he wasn't stupid. He continued nonetheless. "You have to remember that wit and strength are everything to a leader…."

"And Pterano has all those." The cheerful, spirited sound of his best friend's mocking voice turned the corners of his beak up in a smile. Everyone looked to the dark brown flyer that he just taken it upon himself to land in their home.

"Tim!" Pterano's eyes softened when his sister cried out in surprise her sweetheart was here. Pterano gave Tim the "where's mine?" look.

Time didn't miss a beat, just continued with the show. Even their father couldn't deny that he liked the cheery flyer. The dark brown flyer marched up to Pterano and put an arm on his shoulder. "He's smart, strong, handsome….."

Pterano clutched his friend's arm when he caught the mocking tone. Tim shook hands with their father and handed their mother a small bud as he continued. "A good fighter, intelligent, brave…."

"Amazing!" Tess laughed when he picked her up and spun her around. "And conceited enough for the day!" Tim finished with a triumphant grin, making Tess and their mother giggle.

This earned him a cold look from Pterano, but he had already turned his attention back to their parents. "Now that Pterano's head is as big as the Bright Circle, why don't I take these two off your hands while you two enjoy those nice tree stars?"

Pterano exchanged a look with Tess. What could he be up to? There had to be at least another hour left before the flyers met with the teacher for their session.

Their father chuckled and crossed his arms, letting his great wings drag the ground. "I am afraid they will still be hungry, Tim."

"Them? Nah!" Tim was already pulling Tess by the hand. "Britta was clever enough to find breakfast for everybody before our meet."

Britta! Pterano didn't notice that a soft smile turned up the corners of his mouth until he noticed everyone staring a few moments later. "What?" he asked, innocently as he could manage.

Their mother came to his rescue when she crossed over and placed a hand on their father's arm. "I think that sounds nice."

Tim went with it. "Yeah, there we go!" He gestured to Pterano, who couldn't stop his gaze from drifting to the direction he wanted to go. "Besides, Pterano's attention is shot anyway."

Within moments of a few more last minute convincing, they were off, with Pterano flying slightly ahead of Time and Tess, who he could have sworn were flying slow on purpose.

He spotted the group from high in the clear sky. All the young flyers seemed to be there, hooping and scrounging among the huge pile of tree stars they had managed to gather. Rinkus was laughing as he chased Leah around the tree, who was easily managing to fool him by just flying around and around the tree. Jena, the flyer everyone watched out for because of her frailty and sweet innocence, was just flying in. Sierra's cold yellow eyes softened when he saw her coming. He reached out and caught her hands as he pulled the pretty purple flyer into a soft landing. Pterano didn't bother to watch the rare sincere smile that only came around Jen light up Sierra's face. He had his own sunshine to find.

He found her shaking the few tree stars that were left to the ground for the other young flyers. The beautiful light pink tone that shamed anyone, the small grace, the dark blue eyes….it was her. The dark blue eyes lit up when she spotted them flying in. Pterano pulled her into a gentle hug when they landed on the ground at the same time. He nuzzled her, paying little attention to the other flyers as they cheered and whistled at them for fun.

Britta blushed before turning her attention back to him. "He let you come!"

Her warm voice left him speechless at first, as it always did. Pterano took her hand in both of his, but was interrupted as he prepared to answer.

"Yeah, all thanks to me!" Tim pulled Tess into a graceful landing as he glared at Pterano with a mocking, cold stare. "Thanks for waiting up, Pterano."

When neither Pterano nor Britta acknowledged this, his attention shifted to the huge mound of tree stars. "Breakfast!"

He dove into the pile, straight between Pterano and his sister, who just blinked at him before embracing again. Tess hugged Britta and Jen before helping herself to the food.

Jen sighed in her quiet way. "Too bad it's almost time for out session…."

"Hey! Watch your mouth." Tim's mouth was still full as he scolded her.

Sierra brushed a leaf off his shoulder. "Yeah…. Bet I failed that green food identification thingy yesterday."

Tim stretched out on a bed of tree stars. "Man, if you failed that thing, we're tied!"

Everyone chortled at this because it was no secret that Time and Sierra had a competition going over who could manage to fail the most tests.

The familiar screech of their teacher made them all wince. A few flyers slowly started to fly off. Tim eventually rolled out of his makeshift bed and turned to Tess. "Tess, if I fail this and die when I get home I just want you to know that I love you."

Tess smiled warmly at her sweetheart, but before she could say anything Rinkus, oblivious to the whole thing, approached innocently. "Are you gonna eat that, Terenita?"

Everyone's eyes widened, including Pterano's and Britta's, as they slowly shifted warning glances to Rinkus, who had only been referred to the uneaten tree star in the little blue flyers hand.

She turned on him within seconds. "DON'T….CALL ME…..TERENITA!"

Rinkus shielded his face, but Tim had already pulled Tess away with a cautious smile at Rinkus, who look frightened and confused.

Britta laughed lightly as she picked up a tree star and handed it to Rinkus. "Call her Tess."

Rinkus looked even more confused. "What?"

"Her name." Pterano could sense an edge in his voice at the other flyer's incompetence. "Call her Tess. She'll respond better."

"Oh…." said Rinkus innocently, "Well, alright." And then he flew away with the others.

Britta snickered a moment as Pterano turned away from the other flyer in irritation and nuzzled her. "Tomorrow night?" she asked.

Pterano smiled. It was the only night out of seven days that he set aside especially for Britta. And this time, they were flying downriver with Tim and Tess. Their days consisted of constantly watching the Bright Circle now.

"I would never miss it." They exchanged quick smiles before flying off to meet their teacher…..

Pterano sighed, feeling a deeper stab in his heart than usual. At last, he knew he couldn't stay here any longer.

"I will set out for the Great Valley tomorrow," he told no one in particular since he was alone. And then he busied himself with preparing for the long journey ahead.