Chapter 2
Blake
My tiny black wings outstretched, I glide in the current of the cave. It's good to be in the air again after five hours but, I'm starving. We haven't eaten in what seemed like forever. We've been cooped up in our living quarters for long enough. For now, I try to silence my growling stomach and enjoy the freedom of flying.
The air currents are stronger in this passage which is why we can fly with our little wings and not have to use much strength. My left wings brush the tips of a Spearow's feather. My right is barely in reach of a Pidgey. Tailows, Hootoots, and even some Murkrows are scattered around, too. Then there's me, a little, black Starly. We're all tiny birds with tiny wings who will, somehow, grow up to be these deadly raptors that take the skies by storm. No pressure or anything.
Our superior, Sheetsu the Swellow, herds us through the air towards the main announcement auditorium. Our leader called us to a meeting there. It rarely happens and it's typically not very interesting stuff. We wish that they would actually tell us why we have to stay in our rooms every time the booms start. No one will tell us what's going on. We don't ask questions. Rumors have been going around that the booms that reverberate in the caves are the attacks of some sort of pokemon. I don't believe them, though. I think it's just some sort of avalanche that's been triggered outside the mountain. Our tribe is the strongest in the world. No one would dare wage war on us.
Our wings flap in unison to each other, unyielding and a perfect rhythm. My eyes gaze straight ahead at the tail feathers of those familiar Tailow feathers. One of the two long tail feathers has a gauze bandage wrapped around the middle. It was from our little barrel duo stunt from last week. It would have worked, but Sheetsu got in the way. We all came out banged up and ticked off at each other. I surge forward to flank him. "Yo, Ty! How's that tail?"
"Hey, Blake. It's getting better."
"Do y'know what this whole meeting is about?" I take a side-glance at him and try to read his expression. Like always, it's blank. He's still staring straight ahead, always in such deep thought.
"Not a clue. It's been awhile since we were called to an announcement like this." His green eyes concentrate on an invisible object straight ahead. I don't reply to Ty's comment. No use in trying to make small talk with him. I resort to focusing on the same imaginary object located somewhere far away. The only conversation between us is the repetitive flapping of our blackish grey wings. They seem to speak for themselves.
The cave grows wider as our flock flies deeper into the network. The main announcement auditorium is the core, dead center in our mighty mountain. Here, the caves begin to divide and form different passages. We know the way, though. We've lived here all our lives. Finding our way around the complex network of caves has become as natural as breathing. Our squadron moves as a unit, winding it's way, turning in unfaltering unison at every fork.
Left left right left.
The cave opens up high in a massive, dome-like cavern. Trees have grown into the walls of the rock. They were planted there for a purpose. To serve as perches for the Raptor Squadron and other pokemon with wings. Which are a lot.
I take a nice branch that's close to the exit. After this, I suspect they'll release us for dinner and I want to be the first in line. The cavern is alive with conversation. Flyers are chattering with other flyers up here. The other pokemon that can't fly yet are clustered on the ground. They consist of a lot of the Dragon squadron and most of the Special squadron, too. The Special squadron holds all the flyers that they can't place in Dragon or Raptor squadrons. I anchor my short neck to get a closer look at the crowd below. It's practically species-coded. You couldn't organize it any better if you tried. The Trapinch with the Trapinch, the Hoppips with the Hoppips, own kind with own kind.
Except for one. A Dratini, standing all alone. The only Dratini in the entire tribe. I've heard about her. I think her name was Dawn. There are other Dragonairs and one Dragonite but, she's the last Dratini that has yet to evolve. I've heard some say that she is cursed somehow and that's why she can never evolve. Others think she's secretly harboring and everstone which is illegal in our tribe. In our tribe, you must evolve, fly, and become a soldier, or you are of no use to the tribe. If you are of no use, well, most of us don't dare think about the results.
The three leaders enter the cavern and all voices stop in their tracks. They assume their positions on the ledges carved into the wall, specially made for this purpose. The three leaders consist of the mightiest pokemon from each of the three squadrons. Grayos, the almighty Dragonite and leader of the Dragon squadron. Kitiro, the fearless Pidgeot and leader of the Raptor squadron. Leyorra, the powerful Aerodactyl and leader of the Special squadron. The three are the head honcho's of our tribe, Skyborne.
Grayos steps forward from their ledge and speaks in his booming voice. "Pokemon of Skyborne. I speak to you today bearing what I should have told all of you from the beginning. Today, I speak the truth of the war against the Wings of Legend." My eyes widen a bit. What is he talking about? War? Who'd wage war on us, the powerhouse of the skies?
Grayos continues. "The events that have been happening outside the mountain walls have been kept classified between our most powerful pokemon that have battled with our enemies upon us. We have kept it classified to minimize panic within our tribe. A powerful group called the Wings of Legend have ambushed our home many times. They are not ordinary pokemon. They are legendary pokemon." He pauses once again.
Murmurs erupt in the cavern. Legendary pokemon were said to be close to unstoppable. Grayos holds up his arm to silence us. "So far, Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno have ambushed our home. It was revealed today that their higher-ups are Lugia and Ho-oh. The mountain, thank Arceus, held strong. However, we've lost many of our fiercest warriors today. I tell you this now because the three of us have come to a decision for what to do about this situation. In the past, pokemon were not made warriors until their final evolution. Today, we decree that all able-bodied first evolution and up will be enlisted as a warrior to defend our home. Only primary pokemon will continue in their training. That concludes this announcement. Dismissed."