Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of its characters. I do, however, own my own character and plots.

Chapter 7

"Vulca-Bats. On their way... here?"

"...yeah."

Vulca-Bats weren't uncommon, but they were unbelievably hard to deal with when in the safety of their colonies. If the Raptors didn't leave soon, they'd be done for. The Bats would eat their rides for starters, since they loved metal, but that wouldn't be enough. They'd take pleasure in drinking the Raptors dry of their blood, relishing the metallic scent and taste. That was one of the more morbid sides of those beasts.

As much as Repton didn't feel like running, and as much as he felt like killing everything in sight, he followed his better judgement. Growling one last time, he backhanded the air. The others flinched, and at first didn't think it was a gesture to get their attention.

"Spitz and Hoerk: move it. The storm up past the cloudline hasn't calmed, so you'll have to fly down here for a while before climbing up. Leugey, your ride is over there. Get on and we'll get out of here before the Vulca-Bats get on our trail!"

Each brother nodded and saluted, a little relieved that this predicament distracted Repton from their punishment. Spitz and Hoerk hopped onto their rides and sped off, heading in the opposite direction of whence they came. Leugey looked in the direction Repton pointed, and when he spotted his bike in a heap, he ran toward it. Repton mounted his own already-activated Bonewing, and found himself looking up into the cave again. Nakoto hadn't flown off yet. If she didn't do so, the Vulca-Bats would find her instead.

Leugey came around the corner with his Bonewing, ready to go. Repton was still looking up, so when his brother stopped at his side, he looked up as well, trying to find whatever his leader was looking at.

"What's the matter, Repton?"

The leader turned his eyes away and bore his teeth. It was up to her to get out.

"Nothing. Come on!"

While I was trying to get everything ready for takeoff, I heard a hint of Repton's voice on the wind. He was angry. Really angry. I assumed that his brothers had caught up with him, and that could only mean that Finn and Radarr succeeded. So, my new friends on the Condor were now safe. I wondered if Piper got to her room at this time, and if she saw the letter I left for her. I'm always fond of writing and receiving letters from friends.

Once I was finished latching things secure, I heard the roar of their vehicles, and outside the mouth of the cave, I saw Spitz and Hoerk fly past, indifferent to where I was. I waited a few good moments, and soon, Leugey followed. Bringing up the rear was Repton, which I found strange. He usually lead the way, or at least I thought he did. Was something different this time?

Their engines were drowned by volcanic activity after a moment, and I waited a little while longer before venturing to the cave's mouth. I looked out, and saw their shrinking figures flying north, not quite toward the cloudline yet. They would've been struck by lightning if they rose, and I had a feeling that Repton considered this. For the time being, they had to leave. There was one thing that made the corners of my mouth drag down in puzzlement, though. Why were they going north, and not west? I would've thought that Repton was intent on getting back on "Maia"'s trail.

I was right to think something was wrong. I was lucky to distinguish a certain sound on the air, and I retreated into the shadows of my haven just in time. For a long moment, I held my breath.

Leathery wings beat the air as Vulca-Bats soared by me. Their screeches were shrill, their mouths opening and clamping shut, housing teeth meant to shred steel. The wind they caused made the sand and rocks in my cave shift in a mini-sandstorm, and I had to close my eyes against the debris. When everything calmed, I opened my eyes, and their passing had ended. They hadn't noticed me. Neither the scent of my wound nor Cloud Nine tipped them off, and for that, I was glad.

But they seemed really intent on something. As if they were hunting something, as if on their way to a feasting ground. I didn't know what metal the Vulca-Bats got down here other than the fallen Skimmers from Sky Knights and Talons...

As I skimmed through the possible treats for them in my head, I realized something. I looked around the corner after them, seeing their disappearing forms... heading north.

Repton had a lot on his hands. He realized the danger and evacuated himself and his brothers immediately, in whatever direction they needed to go. It was rare to see a Vulca-Bat colony together, and it just so happened that the Raptors had to encounter one that day. If the Vulca-Bats got to them, then there was no telling if I would ever see the Raptors again.

Truthfully, my life would have probably been a lot more easier if the Raptors disappeared. That was another complication I could erase from my future, if I had just left. But I couldn't do it. I didn't know about rogues, but I had my own codes, and I never wanted to leave my kind behind. I had already done that before, and I regretted it. I also didn't hold that large of a grudge against Repton. He could have killed me if he wanted to, but I could never kill him. And besides... I couldn't leave him in trouble when he helped me out, as subtle as he made it look. I needed to help them out of this mess, if they really were in trouble.

The thing was, I didn't have the slightest idea how. What could I...?

"I've noticed you're wounded," Repton smirked darkly. "You wouldn't want that to open. Sky Sharks and Vulca-Bats can smell that blood from all around..."

I reached up and clutched my shoulder firmly.

"What are you doing, Leugey? You're slowing us down!"

"I don't know what's going on, Boss!"

Repton was looking back at his brother, watching him lag in the air behind him. Something was wrong with his Bonewing. Repton couldn't have possibly broken it when he jumped off of it. He refused to believe that. He was about to ask an impatient question when, the moment he thought it, he knew what was wrong. Don't you have any fuel crystals to use?

He, in fact, used them all when he rushed to the Wastelands in pursuit of Maia. Leugey had no fuel crystals to spare, and that's why his engine was failing him. Repton accepted this as his fault, but he was never going to admit it out loud. He instead fished into his crystal inventory and grabbed a handful of his own fuel crystals. He slowed his Bonewing down and held out his closed fist to Leugey.

"Hurry up and use these!"

Leugey clumsily held out his own hand to collect the crystals, and he only caught a few as the rest of them tumbled down into the fires. Repton had no time to scold him for that. He could hear the wingbeats. Leugey was able to put some in the hatch on his dashboard, but by that time, the beasts had already focussed on them. Repton could see their eyes, ablaze with hunger. They beat their wings harder, faster.

Repton, upon seeing them, didn't feel the fear he should have at that moment. He wasn't going to run from them. He intended to outrun them before, but now seeing them, face-to-face, he wanted to slaughter them all, and bring himself a trophy for all of his trouble. He reached for his boomerang and held it out for battle, making it combust into its deadly light. Leugey, amidst all of this, was frozen with fear, and the fuel crystals he still had remained in his hand.

"Move!" Repton shouted at him. "Put those crystals in! After you do that, it's either you run or fight! I don't care what you do, but at least do something!"

"I-I won't leave Repton here," Leugey stuttered, but he held onto the fuel crystals as if he forgot about them. He was about to continue, but the Vulca-Bats were only a few meters away.

One of the lead beasts charged forward, aiming for Leugey. He cried out in alarm and steered his Bonewing to evade it. The creature changed its course with ease, and it was about to chew up Leugey's tail when Repton's weapon collided with the base of its neck, wounding it. It screeched in pain and fluttered in a frenzy, trying to detect the source of the attack. But the boomerang rose in its arc and started to spiral back, aiming for the beasts backside. Again, the Bat had no chance in avoiding it, and the weapon sliced through its flesh once more, in the same place, deepening it. With a wound that severe, the wings ceased to flap, and it just fell down to the fire. Repton caught his boomerang and smirked; one down...

But how many to go?

The rest of the colony started to circle them, making the whole area just a sea of wings and fire. Repton and Leugey had to stop into a hover to keep their distance, and Leugey's ride manage to stay up, now that it wasn't moving forward. Many of the beasts shot down and latched onto Repton's ride, and he slashed at them as fast and as accurately as he could, to prevent them from dragging him down or damaging his vehicle. As things progressed, he realized it was a lot harder than he imagined. Running away was something they inevitably had to—

He couldn't face it. He wouldn't run.

"Repton!" Leugey sounded genuinely afraid. For someone who could wrestle against a single Sky Shark, he didn't know what to do in the swarm. "We-We have to—"

"Show some backbone!" Repton retorted back. "Why are you still here if you don't want to fight? Move!"

Claws raked the top of his head, dragging from his temple, as a Vulca-Bat flew over him. The force had him dazed, and he was sort of confused at first. It was hard to concentrate, and doing so in a swarm of beasts while both flying and fighting didn't help. He didn't acknowledge the blood that seeped down the side of his head and down his neck, but he should've. The Bats screeched out even louder, catching the scent they'd been searching. He knew he was in trouble then, when he heard their dastardly chorus. Their circle around them grew tighter and tighter, until it seemed that they weren't in the Wastelands at all. Just in the middle of a leathery storm.

The blood stung his eye, making it crinkle a little. He held his boomerand high, ready to slash down anything. He didn't want to give up. He was going to die a fighter if he had to. Leugey could die however he liked... but deeply, Repton would have preferred him to just run like a coward. At least then he'd be alive.

Repton had no idea what would become of Bogaton if he himself died, but falling in battle seemed more important to him. There was no Sky Knight to claim him, and he was glad of that. Soon the end would come.

A deep hum crew in crescendo, above the rapid wingbeats. It was the hum of a weapon.

Suddenly, three scars of light pierced through the colony. Many Bats spun out of control, having their wings clipped or their bodies maimed. Others scattered away in confusion, and through this momentary opportunity, a Skimmer plowed in over their heads, causing a stir. It twisted and dipped downward, rushing some beasts and bumping them out of the way. By the way this method was exercised, Repton could tell this wasn't an expert flyer. The one exhauster booster that remained blazed intensely on overdrive, supporting the Skimmer on its own. The rider's right hand was raised in front of her, fingers rigid. The claws of that defected hand glowed faintly, a neon violet. Repton had difficulty breaking out of his confusion. What was she? It was like her hand was powered like a crystal. Questions thundered, but the current situation forced itself back into his mind.

"Don't interfere!"

Nakoto looked like she hadn't heard him. There was another thing that he noticed differently about her, aside from the glow of her bio-weapon. The bandages on her shoulder were gone, and under its wake was a deep, fresh scar, still trying to regenerate over with scales.

In the seconds he took to notice it, Nakoto's claws rose up, and he couldn't even utter a shout before they pierced into her shoulder. She bore her teeth (which also glowed faintly) at the pain, and the bloody trickled down quickly, as if ecstatic at the freedom. She pulled her claws and whipped her arm out, splashing some Bats in the face with her blood. They responded with a frenzy, crazy over the taste and smell.

"Get going!" she shouted down at Repton and Leugey. She took full control of her Skimmer and dove out of the colony's circle, and to Repton's astonishment, they dove after her in hysteria, desperation. Was her blood any more special? She was born different, that much was certain. Repton watched, his pulse speeding, as Nakoto levelled just above the sea of fire, speeding off with a swarm of insane Vulca-Bats trying to overtake her. Wherever she thought she could fly to, he had no idea.

It was like Repton and Leugey were totally forgotten. He had at least expected one or two beasts to have stayed —after all, the remaining Raptors were an easy meal— but they were all interested in the new treat. He knew this was Nakoto's intention. Why else had she purposely injured herself? It was a noble move, but Repton was annoyed. She saved them.

Repton does NOT get saved.

"Hurry up and use those fuel stones!" he roared at Leugey. "Join with the rest. I'll meet you up there!"

"But where are you going?" Leugey was completely confused, and his desperate, perplexed voice could tug at any kind person's heart. Repton pointed in the direction the rest of their brothers went.

"Just go, damnit!"

Leugey looked like he was going to disobey, but the look Repton gave him made him choose otherwise. He opened the hatch in front of him again and dumped the crystals he managed to hold onto inside. His engine thundered in response, and Leugey flew off.

Repton immediately turned his Bonewing and fixed his eyes on Nakoto, who continued to evade the Vulca-Bats. He scowled and shifted the handles on his ride, activating his own exhaust boosters to overdrive. He shot forward in pursuit.

I don't know why I did that.

My shoulder hurt. A lot. I bet I tore the muscles even more, and frankly, I couldn't move that arm at all without an excruciating pain threatening to sheen my sight with black stars. But that was the least of my problems. I had a whole colony of Vulca-Bats who wanted to devour me. I didn't know how long I would last before Cloud Nine died on me. I mean, after a traumatizing fall, taking her out for an intense joyride wasn't a good idea.

I felt some of the Bats gaining on me. Some of them were close enough that they tried nipping parts of my ride behind me. I couldn't turn around because my shoulder would scream at me and I'd probably lose control. If I couldn't turn around to protect myself, what was I to do? I had no clue. I looked around for some kind of escape. My blood circulated faster in my head, adrenaline taking action.

Up ahead, I saw a colossal canyon, with rocky walls rising up at both sides and a fiery pit down below. Columns of lava spurted up at random intervals, and there was no telling when a Magma Beast would decide to swim up and take a chomp out of anything that flew over. It was suicide, to decide and fly into there, especially with my next-to-amateur flying skills.

I felt daring.

"Come on, baby," I cooed at Cloud Nine, and I accelerated toward the canyon. The Vulca-Bats followed without question, eager to claim me as their prize. If I was going to die, I would at least have the time of my life before I left.

At first, everything was easy. The farther I went from the entrance, the walls grew more narrow, and it was here that it was difficult to navigate away from the geysers. I was lucky to avoid them by the width of a finger, keeping my wings free from scorches. Some of the beasts behind me weren't so fortunate. I was beginning to think that maybe I just needed to lose them all to the fire, but their numbers were far from dwindling.

The canyon closed into a cave at the end, but I saw a small light at the other side. Did I dare go inside and try to get out through that hole? Would I lose the Vulca-Bats? Would I even fit? I had nothing to lose. I bolted forward into the dark space, the only light being emitted from the lava below. Stalactites hung down and proved to be tricky to navigate around, and the Vulca-Bats probably had an advantage over me, but I tried my best. I was coming up to the end of the cavern, and I realized that the opening was smaller than I thought. My wingspan would never get past it. The Vulca-Bats behind me had no chance of fitting either, but so what? I'd crash, and they'd crash on top of me. I'd probably be pudding after the whole colony got off of me, and then they would have a merry time drinking up the blood already prepared for them.

The end of one wing clipped against a stone column and the tip crumpled a little, making me stray from my path. I freaked out and straightened it out again, but I realized something. If I recalled correctly, I watched a recording crystal Atmosia had on the Storm Hawks. In one of these recordings, Aerrow was flying in a cavern similar to this, minus the lava. What had he done to get out? He folded the wings! That was what I was supposed to do. I decided on it. The screeches of the beasts behind me motivated me more into the decision. Now, it was pushing it, because Cloud Nine had a hard time deploying her wings back out on the other side, but I really couldn't argue with things then.

I counted mentally, from five to zero, according to the distance between me and the end. My heart beat faster, my muscles tensed, and my breath grew shallow and sparse.

Five... four... three... two...

One!

I pushed the handlebars forward with a heave and my wings folded themselves. For a second, my stomach made a flip, because I thought I would descend too quickly. My wheels wouldn't even clear the bottom of the crack if that was the case. With my breath held, I kept a firm hold on Cloud Nine, and although I shouldn't have, I closed my eyes.

It was exhilarating, to burst out of the heat of the cavern, free. I heard the loud, unhappy shrills of the Vulca-Bats, and I looked over my good shoulder, as much as I could. I could have laughed out loud— the crack was a cooking pot of wings and eyes, all of which belonged to bodies that couldn't fit. I made it.

Not yet. I had to deploy my wings. I pulled the handlebars, and my heart dropped to my stomach when they didn't respond at first. I had started to make an arch downward, and I dropped for some time before my wings spread once more with a screech. I whooped in happiness, and I curved upwards, up to the cloudline. I had nothing else to do here. I was bound home to safety.

Cloud Nine lurched.

"Oh no," I whispered, looking over my shoulder. I knew that I couldn't get far with only one exhaust booster, but I didn't think I'd kill it so soon. I should've powered it with my blood or something, but I didn't think of it... It was stupid of me to think it would live long enough, especially after that fiasco. The exhaust booster sputtered, its burning-crystal light flicking on and off. I didn't have enough juice to get myself out of the Wastelands. I had a choice to ride level, but where would I go? I had to fight it.

I kept driving the booster to madness, and it started to fail me. I started to sink backwards; down, down, down. I was so deep in a panic that it didn't occur to me to empty the trunk of everything, like my sleeves, my collar, and my mail bag. Even if the idea came to mind, I don't think I would've done it anyway, what with so many letters undelivered. Call me crazy, but I looked at my job in high regards. But I digress... I was about to plunge right back down. Wherever I landed, if the the crash didn't kill me, the Vulca-Bats would.

Just when I lost all hope... I nearly jumped out of my skin when something smashed into me. The collision wasn't severe, but it stopped Cloud Nine from sinking any further. The sound was metal against metal, which stunned me. I ducked, because a part of the mass that hit me came really close to where my head was. It didn't take me long to distinguish this thing as a Skimmer, and the thing above me was its wing. I then realized it wasn't just any Skimmer.

Repton had driven his Bonewing against Cloud Nine, supporting me. Where was he during my scandal? Watching from above the canyon? And why was he...?

I wanted so badly to ask Repton for an explanation, but I had to focus. I crushed the clutches under my fingers and pressed my ride to her fullest. I knew Repton was doing the same, activating the capacity of his own boosters. With his help, I started to ascend. It was an amazing feeling, to rise up, faster and faster, with a newborn hope of escaping this place. We reached the cloudline within seconds, it seemed, and I felt like I could gasp in as much cold, fresh air as I could, and it still wouldn't be enough. I would miss the warmth of the Wastelands but freedom was crisp, and I was willing to take it like that.

We surfaced above the cloudline. It looked like the edge of the ongoing storm I'd been so acquainted with, and I was glad we weren't in the middle of it. Disregarding everything, I took a moment to rest. I turned my exhaust booster off of overdrive and let it cool down as I cruised. Repton had immediately retreated from me when we surfaced, and I almost forgot about him while I rested. I turned to him when I realized my obliviousness, panting a little.

He looked pretty much the same, despite the gash at his head and the blood that cascaded down from it. Truthfully, it unnerved me to see him like that. Aside from that, he looked fine, and didn't seem the least bothered by his wound. He did have a deep scowl on his face as he looked at me, as if I had done something wrong and he was going to punish me for it. What did I do?

"Why...?" I started, but then I saw his eyes shift down to my right hand. With a sinking sensation, I thought for the worse. He saw me use the potential of my Dragon Claw, and I betted he wanted to know how I could do that. I couldn't tell him I was a living crystal. He wouldn't let me out of his sight, and he'd most likely abduct me and take me to Cyclonis. Since he lost both "Maia" and the Condor, he had to show up with something, and if he brought me, it would fix all of his problems. The next best thing. If Cyclonis got her hands on my blood...

He steered his Bonewing closer again, tilting. He came in pretty close, and he leaned out. I craned my neck to keep some distance.

"I don't fall into debts," he told me lowly. I was confused at first. So he wasn't going to kidnap me? Well, I was able to count my blessings for the time being. I was wondering in what context he meant. What debts?

He considered my puzzled expression, and his face inclined to the side. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you think I helped you out because you needed it?"

Well, what other reason did he have? He leaned back onto his Bonewing and directed his sights forward, the same way I was facing. As it were, we were flying, side by side. "You interfered with my battle," he growled, staring into the distance. He inhaled through his nose deeply. "And as much as I don't want to admit it, you... saved my and my brother's lives."

I tried looking off into the distance as he did, but it was very hard not to glance at him in bewilderment. I didn't ever expect him to do something like this, and like he said, he'd never admit anything good about his intentions.

"But just because you did that doesn't mean anything now. I've repaid you, and now we're back to square one. I don't fall into debts, so don't ever do something like that, if we cross paths again, got it?" He looked at me on cue, and I nodded my head instantly, growing accustomed to his impatience. He didn't look satisfied. "Don't think that helping an enemy of Atmos will turn us. We'll always be the way we are, and most won't be inclined to return any favours."

I was about to ask him why he decided to return a favour, but I figured he explained it already, in his own obscure way. He just didn't want some rumour spreading that someone else had to help him in a situation. He had no real intention of helping me out of compassion. I wasn't too surprised, and I smirked slightly, nodding.

"Thanks for the warning. I'm still working on my naïvety. I'll be sure to leave you to bite the dust next time."

For a moment he just stared. Then he snorted and turned his face away from me. "I have a feeling you won't."

I laughed. "We've only just met and you can read me like that? I'm flattered you paid so much attention to me."

Repton rolled his eyes, grimacing. "I don't know wherever the hell it is you came from, but I suggest you go back there. Your tribe should look to your wound."

A sharp pang stabbed at my stomach, and I didn't feel well for a moment as the thought managed to fester. Repton assumed that I had a tribe of my own, since I didn't live on Bogaton, but... I no longer had one. I was almost alone, almost the last of my breed. The loneliness sometimes got to me if I thought about it too much, but I brought my full attention back to the purpose of his sentence. I tucked a hand into my pocket and pulled out Piper's Time Pulse. Once it adjusted, I figured in which direction Terra Atmosia was. It was far, but if I coaxed Cloud Nine enough, I would make it. Night was falling too, so I doubted I'd be spotted and attacked any time soon. I'd arrive there in the morning if I went non-stop.

"I'll do just that," I said to him. I shrugged my shoulders, although the wounded one hurt like hell. "I guess it's time to say goodbye."

He grunted. "Just don't do anything stupid."

He banked off, directing himself in a totally different direction, probably off to meet his brothers. He was letting me go. I could've sighed out loud with relief, but decided against it. It seemed like a very unfitting departure to me, so I called after him, half teasingly, half gratefully:

"Praise, Lord of Bogaton!"

His broad shoulders stiffened, but he didn't turn back. His figure started to shrink, and I grinned to myself. For a few moments, I just watched him, until I told myself I had something else to do. I returned my eyes to the horizon in front of me. My side was getting sticky with my blood, and I had to conserve myself. I would get to Atmosia before I collapsed. I just had to.

I started my journey back to Atmosia, and I didn't realize Repton, too, looked back at me.

End of Chapter

A/N: Aww. :D

I really hope Repton stayed in character, because honestly, the dialogue took me longer to come up with. Oh well, maybe I'll be able to get away with something here and there, as long as I explain it well enough ._.

I hope you liked it! And give me any feedback, so I know what to explain later or something. And it gives me great joy to know that you enjoy reading this story :)

~Vixen