Chapter 5 Meeting the Colony
Ashlie's POV
"Chinook I swear if you dropped me I'll clip your wings off." I gulped nervously after I looked down seeing how far I was up from the ground.
"Aw quit worrying I won't let you go." Chinook replied. "It's like it's your first time off the ground." He glances down at me and smirked. I huffed not looking amused.
"No I have been off the ground with the plane or I mean flying machine but this, a girl got her sweep off her feet by two human sized bats is not every day normal,"
"Look Ashlie we didn't have time to explain when an owl is close to us." Shade flew right by me.
"Okay what's a big deal? Your species are both Nocturnal so you're both allies right?" I asked still not getting the picture. Shade only shook his head and sighed.
"It's not how it works." He replied.
"What what..?"
"What Shade means the owls are like law controller in this forest, if a bat break one law, I mean a single law he will be put to justices." Chinook answered. I swallowed nervously.
"So the word of justice you put means..?"
"Yep." Shade answered right before I could finish my sentence. "If we haven't left earlier that owl could've kill Chinook and I for breaking the law talking to humans, even he can kill you for speaking to us." I shivered felt my stomach sicken after hearing that, no wonder why they both are afraid of the owl coming, they're like aggressive police force.
"So um, where are we going?" I asked quickly changed the subject.
"We're going to our colony." Chinook answered. My eyes lit up.
"What?" I gasped. "I don't know this is a good idea for me to come along." I bite my lips in anxious, not knowing how their colony will react to see a tiny human and what is worse I can understand their language due that it's against the law.
"Don't worry Ash our colony will accept you as one of us." Shade reassured when he notices my worry.
"Yeah we can tell them you saved the runt life." Chinook added. Shade snorted having annoyed look to hear that word.
"But guys I'm a human and the three of us don't know how your species will react to see me like this." I protested. "They could see me as a threat or worse."
"Well let's find out then after we get there." Chinook answered. Shade gives him the look after he spoke before turn to me while flying.
"What he meant was they will accept you one way or another. You saved my life from the net they have to welcome you." I looked down a bit and took a deep breath.
"I hope your right Shade."
"It'll be alright I promise they'll accept you as one of us and a friend." He added. I turn my head a bit to see him smile acting like he swears they'll do it no matter what the cost is. I forced to smile back despite my heart hammering with nervous in my chest.
"We're here guys!" Chinook alerted us. I looked ahead and know he was right to see a pond with rock in the middle that holds a hollow tree with little few leaves left. I gulped and glance back at us and notice the sky is turning into twilight which means morning is going to come soon. Right as we reached there Chinook flew down and let me go after my feet touches the ground. Both he and Shade landed by me and I notices we're at the entrance of their home.
"Um guys I think I should wait outside, you know in case if I disturb their sleep." I back up a bit but Shade grab my wrist before I even could get a chance to take off.
"Ashlie come on I promise there's nothing to worry about."
"Don't worry you'll like it here, it feels very homey once you come in." Chinook said trying to help me. "And we need to get in fast before the sun comes up." I took deep breath after Shade let my wrist free and all of us made our way inside the tree haven while I prayed in my head they will.
My eyes lit up gasping after we walked inside, the tree hollow was incredible amazing and huge and saw many bats roosting and flying all over the place, I notices a few bats that we're roosting were looking down at us and have a shock expression when they saw me. I rubbed my arms nervously not liking how they were looking.
"Welcome to our home." Shade spoke out, like he's giving me a proper greeting. I only nodded and then saw three bats flying down at us, there were two females, one of them has deep purple fur with orange mane that almost cover her whole shoulder looking like the lion while the other female has light purple fur unlike the other one with pink mane with white streak on her and has same white color on her hair. The male one that's with them has light blue fur with cream mane but doesn't have any hair like them except has a dark blue goatee beard.
"Shade you made it." The orange mane one sigh in relief right after they landed she embrace him in her wings. The other female looked at both of them sternly.
"Where have you too been?" Chinook gulped looked down.
"We didn't hear the bird choir and lost track of time, mom." He answered. "We won't do it again we swear."
"Well you better will not or you will be grounded for a week Chinook, I would not tolerate to have my son in the owl's gasp…what is that?" She notices me standing behind him and the other adult bats saw me. Shade nodded and walk by me.
"Mom, Isis Mercury we want you to meet our new friend Ashlie." He introduced.
"Hi." I greeted smile a little and wave my hand a bit shyly. The male one named Mercury flew over by us and looked at me curious and sniff my hair a little.
"Shade, what is she?" He asked.
"She's a human." Shade answered.
"A human?" His mom gasped. Right after those word blurts out all the bats begin to mummer and I looked up to see their eyes lit up now look even more shocked than ever. Mercury took a step back and looked at me funny.
"Somehow I thoughts human would be...giants?"
"Well she was but we had an accident and she short of shrink." Shade replied.
"So can we keep her?" Chinook asked.
"Absolutely not!" Isis snapped. "She's not a pet Chinook and she doesn't belong here." Shade and Chinook gasp while I swallowed now felt scared.
"But that's not fair!" Shade protested.
"Shade!" Her mom stricted. He shook his head.
"She saved my life freeing me from the human net."
"He's telling the truth mom, she did save him. I didn't believe her at first but she actually did. Please let her stay mom she has nowhere to go." Chinook added.
"Well Isis if it weren't for her, our sons would be still out there and it's dangerous to go out during the day with owls in the sky. " Shade mom replied and looked at me and Shade. Isis snorted.
"Let them take her, and besides she made our sons broke the law never to speak to humans with our language, I will not have a lawbreaker in our home."
"No, I didn't mean that." I finally have enough courage to speak out. "I didn't even know it was a law to speak to them, honest! And I did help Shade free from the net. Please let me stay I won't cause more trouble or break any more your laws. And they're right I have nowhere else to go in this size please." I pleaded. Mercury inhaled and looked up before looked at me.
"I'll see if the council of elders decides on your offer." He spread his wings and flew up leaving me with the other bats. I sighed shaking but then Shade's mom came over to me and I glance up at her.
"You actually saved my son?" She asked making sure she heard it correctly. I nodded softly answering her. Then I saw her form a soft smile.
"Thank you for doing it, it means much to me."
My eyes lit up from her sudden kindness. "You're welcome mamm." She places her hand on my shoulder right as she notices how scared I am.
"I'm sure the elders will let you stay in our home." She reassured.
"Ariel she's a human! She will cause more trouble along with your son Shade." Isis retorted.
"A human that helped our son get back to our colony safety." Shade's mom named Ariel reminded her. I looked at Shade and saw him smiling at me giving me courage. Then seconds later Mercury came back and landed between me and Ariel.
"Ashlie the elders wish to speak to you immediately." He said. I breathed and looked at Shade and Chinook.
"Can they come with me?" I asked hopefully. He shook his head.
"I'm sorry but the newborns are not allowed to see the elders, only adults could go up."
"Then I'll go with her." Ariel volunteered. I looked up at her surprised to see her look at Mercury nodded. He nods his head in return as she looked over at Shade.
"Shade, go to your roost." She spread her wings out and flew above me while Mercury flew up.
"Mom don't let them kick her out please." Shade begged. Ariel sighed and I let her grab my wrist and we both soared up and followed Mercury. I looked around and saw bunch of bats of different color fur of light blue, green and purple staring at me while we flew up and I was forced to look down in embarrassed and scared still don't like how they glance at me.
Minutes later we arrived at the stump where the elders are as Ariel landed me softly on ground and landed by me. Mercury flew away and I turn to look up and saw five old female bats roosting above hiding in the shadows. The first one flew out from her roost and landed at the top of the stump while the others followed. She was far the oldest among the other four having grey wings with dull brown mane along her lightest cream fur matching her long white hair with two long bangs.
I breathed and realized she has a silver tagged on her left wrist shining out which that got me a little hope she had already encounter humans and hopefully she knows they're not bad.
"Step forward, human." She spoke gravely. I looked at Ariel and she encourages me to go. I did as I was told not want to disobey her order while I felt my heart pounding hard that I couldn't even breathe. I looked up to each other elders and the two ones were looking at me curious and wonder but the chubby grey elder one was the one that's glaring at me.
"Human, why did you save Ariel's son and understand our language?" She asked.
"I have a name, my name is Ashlie." I manage to speak out instead of answering her question with my head down. Which it was dumb for me to do that.
"Frieda why wasting our time with this creature? She will only cause more problems in our colony like her son. She can't even pick her head up, I say we leave her in the forest tomorrow night and act as nothing happens." The chubby grey elder bat with long lightest blue-grey hair along her light grey mane spoke rasp giving me a nasty look with her yellow eyes glowered.
"Bathsheba!" The oldest named Frieda snapped silencing her. Ariel walks up right beside me fast and touches my arm
"Frieda please she's only a child, she's scared and doesn't understand our ways of laws and nature." She said. "And she won't be able to survive out there when she's this small. "
"Ariel we cannot bring more problems in our colony." The chubby one named Bathsheba retorted. "We must stay our law ways and let the owls take her, they'll know what to do with her."
"No please Frieda, give her a chance." Ariel pleaded.
"Quiet." Frieda silenced both of them before she turns to me.
"Go on, Ashlie, you may speak your words." She spoke now kindly. With the last bit of courage, I glance up at them once more and explained everything that happened tonight and after I told them what happened I waited for them to the response. My heart was still pounding hard as if it wants to break free and run.
I watch each elder begin to mutter one another looking like their discussing if I should stay or not. Frieda then turn to me, she spread her wings out and flew over towards us gracefully and landed in front of me.
"Does Shade and Chinook trust you?" She asked. I nodded quickly.
"Yes, they do and if they didn't they would've left me in the woods." I replied. "And I have never done anything bad and hurt anyone." She has her hand on my chin to force my head up to have my eyes look at hers studying me. Then she has Ariel move back a bit for her to walk around me. When she stops in front of me she begins to have some thoughts of me staying or not, I prayed in my head she lets me. As if it has been hours she finally spoke.
"Ashlie?" I waited for her answer, taking a deep breath silently. "You may stay with us." I breathed and heard all bats let out gasping while she forms a soft smile. I sighed in relief and smiled back and looked at Ariel to see her having same expression despite a few bats begin to murmur and few of them didn't like that idea.
What?!" Bathsheba shouted. "But Frieda she can't stay she's a human!"
"A human or not she is welcomed here who is a friend of one of our colony members." Frieda replied.
"But she doesn't even know our ways of law and nature!" She snapped. Frieda only chuckled.
"Then we'll teach her how we live our ways,"
"Thank you Frieda." I bowed a little. "I promise I will learn your nature and laws I'm grateful for you letting me join your colony." Ariel came over to us and smiled at Frieda in gratitude.
"Frieda I promise she won't cause any trouble and will learn how we see the world."
"Ariel, I know she won't but remember it'll be difficult for her since she has human abilities and they are not nocturnal like we are." Frieda replied. Ariel nod softly.
"I understand." She turns to me. "Come on you can sleep with me and Shade." She flew up and grabs my wrist and we both took off from the council of elder's roost and flew over to where Shade is. He was roosting but when he saw two of us coming he flew out of his roost and landed. Ariel let me land first before she did and Shade glance at her.
"Mom, did they let her stay?" He asked, looking a bit worry. I nodded before she could answer and grinned.
"Yes Shade Frieda decided to let me stay with your colony." I watch Shade beamed.
"I told you they'll accept you,"
"And I shouldn't doubt that." We both laugh until his mom clears her throat.
"Shade, we need to teach her our ways on how we live and beliefs including the laws we must follow if she's going to live with us," Ariel said and nods her head.
He gives her a confident smile, "That won't be a problem mom, and she can tell us what humans do, her stuff is pretty interesting. "
"I think that's a good idea Shade, we can both learned each other and discover something." I chuckled.
"Alright we'll start by tomorrow night but now you two need to rest, it's been a long night," Ariel spoke and I yawned tiredly didn't actually know how sleepy I was.
"And Ashlie I'm sorry we can't go out to get some mosses for your bed, we'll do them tomorrow night," She added. I shook my head and reassured her.
"Oh no it's alright I can sleep here. It will do for now." She nods a little and flew up to roost above me while Shade did the same. I sighed tiredly and lay down on the tree stump and surprising enough it wasn't that bad beside its hard but it's less bad than the abandoned camp bed one. I silently pray to God to thank him for keeping me safe and have the colonies accept me here and pray for my dad not to get worried about me. I made myself comfortable as I can and lay my head on my both arms. Then a thought came to me and looked up towards his mom.
"Ariel?" I whispered.
"Hmm?" She muttered.
"I want to thank you for coming with me to talk to the elders," I replied. She opened her eyes and turns her head a little and smiles softly.
"Your welcome honey, I knew you were frightened on all this. I want to make sure you can stay with us. It's my way of repaying you bringing my son home." I smile more from her kind words and yawn softly. I snuggle myself to get comfortable and slowly close my eyes.
"Good Night Ariel, Shade." I fell fast asleep after hearing their response.
Author's Note: How was this so far? I hope you all like where this is going but if not…DON'T READ AND REVIEW IT! DX man this was the long chapter, its been a while since I done it X'D its relief Frieda lets her stay in colony but lets hope she'll learn their ways of living ;D I don't own any silverwing characters except OC Enjoy! XD