Chapter 7 Talking about the Sun
"So what now guys?" I asked after I wipe the bug juice off on my dress.
"Well like what my mom says we can start teaching you our ways of living," Shade answered. I hummed and looked around the nightly forest and then rubbed my one arm nervously.
"I'm really not sure if I could do this,"
'What do you mean it won't be hard." Chinook said.
"But how it's going to be not hard?" I gulped. "I mean I'm not nocturnal like you guys,"
"Then we'll teach you." Shade answered.
"And how are you going to teach me?" I added and waited for his answer. I watched them fumble a little trying to figure out a suggestion and then Chinook eyes lit up and grab a giant leave and ripped a little piece and spoke. "I got it! How about we blindfolded you where we can teach you how we listen though dark," I bite my lips and look at our surroundings and where we're standing.
"You mean here?"
"Yep, all you need to do is stand and listen," Chinook flew over by me and cover my eyes with the leaves. "It won't be this hard I promise."
"We promise." Shade corrected sounding like he wants us to know he's still here. I can feel Chinook rolling his eyes while he made me move where I need to stand. "Well whatever runt, now the first lesson of our ways of nature is your hearing. Now, what do you hear?"
"Um, right now nothing," I answered dumbly.
"No no you need to hear it harder," He corrected. "You need to hear your surroundings." I took a deep breath and tried again and heard some critters running along crickets chirping, and a gentle wind.
"I hear some.. wilderness singing does that count?" I asked.
'Alright good now how about you come to my voice?" He added. I wimped not knowing if it's a good idea since we're on a tree branch high above the ground that I might slip.
"Chinook that is a bad idea.."
"Ashlie come on I promise nothing bad is going to happen, just follow my voice and walk straight," I took a deep breath, knowing I can trust him I slowly took one step and reach my hand out to make sure I'm not crashing into anything or them.
"That's it, a couple more steps." He encouraged. I nodded and follow his voice that is in front of me and took a couple more steps and reaches both hands out in the open.
"Chinook are you still there?"
"Yes I'm right here keep walking," I heard him reply and walk further and gasp when my hand touches someones.
"You did it Ash!" Shade cheered. I unfold my blindfold and saw Chinook have my hand, looking proud of my accomplishment.
I smiled and spoke. "That wasn't too bad," They both chuckled and then the larger bat grabbed my blindfold and blinded me again.
"Let's try it again but this time lets see if you hear us at a different angle?" Chinook tested. I nodded and brace myself to listen more with both ears.
"Over here!" I heard Shade called and I used my finger to point to where his voice is.
"You got it, now where am I?" I pointed towards the voice of Chinook.
"Now where I am?"
"Where I am?
'"Ashlie here."
"Over here!"
I points towards every directions I can hear and some I got right and few got wrong. Right as I finished the last I heard Shade's voice pointed towards that direction Chinook clapped his hands.
"Very good you got the hearing done you can take your blindfold off." I did as I was told taking it off and I blinked my eyes to adjust them to see clearly and glance at Shade.
"Well that wasn't too hard than I expected and less dangerous." I said chuckling a bit and looked at Chinook.
"Alright teacher, what's my next lesson?" I asked excitedly, wanting to learn more. He smirked proudly but shook his head.
"I would love to teach you more my tricks but the runt and I need to grab some food for our stomach so we have enough strength for our flight around more for the rest of the evening." I almost huffed in disappointment but I didn't want them to starve themselves so I nod. Chinook took my both hands with his feet and he Shade and I flew down from the branch and landed to where the raspberry bushes are and pound. He dropped me on the ground with my feet landed before he flew upright by Shade.
"We'll be back a minute just stay where you are," I couldn't help myself but laughed and said.
"Alright its not like I'm going to walk out further in the woods until I find a big ocean,"
"Come on Chinook she's can handle it she's not a pup." Shade chuckled flapping his wings by him. Chinook rolled his eyes and looked at me and smiled.
"Well whatever we'll be back and we'll bring some friends with us for you to meet, you'll like them." He winked before taking off fast while Shade followed behind.
"Hey wait up!" He called while they soared out in the sky night until I didn't see them anymore. After I was done waving I wrapped my arms around myself shivering a little from the cold wind and looked towards the raspberry bush. I decided to have a couple of bites to eat since I was still a little hungry from eating tiger moth but I need some fruits to keep me going. I walked over towards the bush I checked to make sure their not poisoned before I could pluck one. I smiled when I saw some blue raspberry and took couple of them out from their bush. I put them in a big leaf that is right by my foot. I then took my desserts and walked over to the pond where I can washed them before I eat. I let out a soft hummed in delight after I ate one loving the taste of the juice. I finished eating my third blue raspberry before I ended up all full and took a little drink from the pond after I make sure theirs no parasite or bugs swimming. I heavy sighed when my dad came to me and looked up at the sky. I wonder if he realized I wasn't in the tent last night? I thought and can't help to imagine he's calling the police by now and have them scout all over the woods but they won't have any chance to find me, with my clothes at the abandoned campground they will have their solve of me got killed in the forest by wild animal or worse some guy raping me before murdering me. Those words had made me worry more as I look down away from the sky and look at my reflection and saw my face was all dirty with my hair little greasy for not getting any bath since I came up to Canada with my dad. I close my eyes can't stop thinking of my father's worry sick expression until I heard someone landed.
"Doing alright child?" I gasp and look up and saw Frieda standing by me. I formed a little smile and shook my head trying to act like everything is alright and said.
"Yeah I'm okay just waiting for Shade and Chinook to come back after they done hunting,"
"You seem to look a bit of trouble, are you sure theirs nothing wrong?" I saw her not buying my excuse as I heavy sighed and looked up at the sky.
"I've been, thinking about my family including my dad," I answered sadly. Frieda looked at me sympathy and sat down by me with her both knees on the ground.
"I understand your missing your family very much but I assure you they know you're alright,"
"But how do you know they think I'm okay? It's not like you didn't see their face," I doubt it.
"Its because your family believes it in their hearts and has strong faith of your surviving," Frieda replied. I heavy sighed and looked down knowing she's right and is pretty wise for a old bat. Then I ask her softly.
"Frieda, can you maybe help me get home?" I watch her sigh heavily and said.
"I'll do whatever I can to send you home child. It wont be easy, when we reach hibernaculum we will discuss on that."
"I understand thank you," I sighed softly and tuck my hair behind my ear. Didn't want to worry more on my dad that I decided to change the subject and look at her silver tag.
"How did you get your tag?"
"My what?" Frieda asked, looking at me questioning.
"Your tag." I answered. "You know your silver one," She looked at her tagged and then understand what I was talking about.
"Oh you mean my band. I got it since your humans caught me in the nest when I was a young pup,"
"So you know that my kinds are good right?" I question hopefully. She shook her head and said. "I'm afraid I don't know they are or not, I can't tell by their facial."
"But most humans are not that bad." I said and then thought to tell her how humans are so she knows why they banded her in the first place. "Frieda the reason why they tagged you is that they want to track you to make sure you... I mean your colony doesn't go extinct." The old bat chuckled softly as she looked at her band reflecting her face.
"Oh my child I have some belief your kinds are one of the roles of Nocturna's promises."
"Wait what?" I asked. She turns to me and added.
"Our goddess has made a promise thousands of years ago for us to come out towards the sun from our darkest hours."
"You mean where you bats are forbidden to go out in day time?" I questioned, remembering Mercury telling me about it.
"Exactly." She answered. Before I could ask another question she uses her echolocation on towards the woods and to my shock, I can hear it too humming softly like its singing its music. Seriously when I felt her echo bounce back at us I could hear a small soft wing beat of a moth.
I can't help to stand up. "Whoa! Frieda did you hear, I mean.. we... I..did you hear that?" I stuttered.
"Of course child, we bats need to use our echolocation to see our surroundings." She replied.
"But I can hear it too!" I said. " I.. I don't know how I can. It's impossible." Frieda gives me her winkle soft smile and said to me.
"Anything is a possible child if you believe." I let out a soft breath and made a smile.
"Wow, that's incredible." Then we both hear wings flapping and we saw Shade and Chinook coming back with other two Silverwing pups that are male and female. The male one is a chubby light blue fur with orange hair and mane with yellow eyes and the female one has a light purple fur with lavender mane and blonde hair that also has light yellow eyes like the chubby one. When they all landed Frieda turns to me and said.
"I must return back towards the tree haven to have some meeting with the other elders about the migration. I sure hope your friends could teach you about our journey towards Hibernaculum." She bowed and soared off towards the sky. I waved a little saying goodbye before turn to the others.
"What you and Frieda were talking about?" Shade asked.
"We just talking about her band and I told her what humans are not bad like I did with you and Chinook, I hope she believed it." I saw a female silverwing came over by me and sniffed at my top head.
"I can't believe Frieda and the elders decide to let you stay with us, your very lucky enough you didn't get banished out or else you would've been owl's food." The female said.
"Yeah don't remind me," I muttered at the end. Shade laughed and introduce me towards the two pups.
"Ash this is Breeze and Todd, guys this is Ashlie, the human we told you about."
"Hi!" Todd waved his hand smiling.
"Hey it's nice to meet you two," I replied returning my smile.
"Her hair is so soft." Breeze spoke right after she touch my hair with her claws. I shivered a little from her touch and told her not to do it anymore.
"So you're a night species like us?" Todd asked curiously. I chuckled shaking my head.
"No my kinds are mostly day species where we wake up in the morning when the sun comes out."
"What's the sun?" Shade asked. I turn to him and smiled more.
"Oh the sun is very hot and it brings its shine all over the earth giving us daylight. It brings warmth and joy for us for the world and it also brings out all different bright colors like the sky turns light blue, the grass turns greener along with the flowers blooming their own different colors. And even the lake can even glitter from the sun's ray if it reaches its right moment." I explained and look at each of them. "You guys should see it yourself its amazing." I realized my forgetting after I saw them look disappointed.
"Oh um yeah.."
"We can't Ash." Chinook first to say. I nodded and added.
I know, Mercury told me about it, I don't understand why this law was made."
"We don't know," Todd replied. "None of us do, only the elders know.
"How long did that law last?" I couldn't help but ask felt a bit not fair for them not to see it.
"For a last thousand years, I guess," Breeze shrugged his shoulders.
"But that's unfair for you guys!"
"I'm sorry Ash but that's how our life is and it's not bad after you get to used it," Chinook added.
"But what about changing it?" I formed a smiled thinking more in my opinion. " I think maybe we or you guys should try to get this law removed and stand what is right for your freedom of choice." I saw them looking at one another, and then they laughed but Shade, however, didn't look like he's having his thoughts.
"Like as if. Any bat will be stupid enough to try that dare." Todd chuckled calming his laughter. I didn't want this to be a joke I try to protest.
"But.."
Come on we need to teach you more our ways before the sun comes up. Let's try teaching you about the stars reading." Chinook interrupted.
"You guys can read stars?" My eyes lit up, almost forgetting my freedom speech.
"Yeah, our parents taught us so if we ever get lost we always look up at stars to give us direction." Breeze replied and fly above. "I know a place we can teach, follow me." We begin to take off as Chinook flew over me to grabbed my both hands. Right as I grabbed them I caught a glimpse of Shade still have deep thoughts and was looking up at the sky.
"Shade your okay?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I was just thinking about what you said, about the sun." He answered snapping out his trance and then spread his both wings out and soared off to the sky following Breeze and Todd. I hummed when Chinook begin to follow behind while carrying me up with wondering what's going on in Shade's mind.
Author's Note: How was that one so far everyone? Hope you like where this is going but if not DONT READ AND REVIEW IT! DX anyway sorry for the long wait for the update on my silverwing, busy with life and trying to think big for this since its revising ' but now things will get out of control right after our OC tells them about the sun as Shade begin to have some thoughts about her saying. X3 I dont own any silverwing characters Except oc aka me. Enjoy! XD