Chapter 12: A Lonely Brightwing
Third's Person POV
"Shade! Ashlie!" Ariel cried. She was lowing herself towards the ocean to look for those two. She searches around in desperate after she watches Shade and her both plunging down towards the cold sea. Ariel looks for any signs of alive in the sea.
"Ariel!" She looked up and saw Mercury flying towards her. "We need to keep moving before dawn comes again,
"Not without my babies!" Ariel retorted, still searching for them. "I know they're out there we need to find them!"
Mercury flew over and went in front of her and said to her. "Ariel I'm sorry but we need to get the migration moving and some strong flyers are getting worn out from the storm. Their's nothing we can do now but hope they survived." With no other choice, she nodded in lament.
He nodded sadly and flew over while she followed him. Ariel glance back at the sea one last time couldn't keep her tears in her eyes. One drip down her cheek. If her son and her adoptive daughter both survive through the storm she prays Nocturna to guide them through migration. And hope they can catch up with the colony all safe without any harm comes to them.
Ashlie's POV
The orange bat flinches back to her hiding after we both screamed. Shade flew down and I got up to his level and saw her peek her head out from the giant pole she was hiding.
I can tell it was a female bat due to having facial feminine and was more slender than the male. I realized she was a brightwing due to the bright orange colors she has along with her long blonde hair and a thick brown mane.
She casually comes out of her hiding and walk towards us and stop near my giant pillow.
"…Are you a human?"
'Um yes," I answered.
The brightwing glance at Shade and me couple times and then looked at me. " You can understand my talking? And you're supposed to be bigger like there rest, but you're small as him."
"Its really kind of a long story," I got off the pillow and landed front of her.
"Who are you?" Shade asked.
She then frowns at us and said. "Not so fast! I answer the questions around here, who are you two?"
"I'm Shade and this is Ashlie, and you are?" He asked again. She gives us a strict look like she was being suspicious of us and asked. "And what are you two think you're doing on my island?"
"Your island?"
She said in sass tone. "Um yeah, this is my territory human I own this place." Oh great another one claiming their place.
"We were blown off the coast," Shade jumped off from the pillow and landed beside me.
"Look we didn't mean to come to your island," I explained. "We didn't have a choice after the storm came by and this is the shelter we can find to sleep during the day," I notice Shade was staring at her fur in awe. The brightwing notices as well and glared at him.
"What are you looking at?"
"…What's wrong with your fur?" He questions. I cover my mouth trying to prevent my laugh and she was taken back as an insult and looked at her fur.
"Wha..what do you mean? There is nothing wrong with my fur!"
"Its..so light,"
"Shade, she's a brightwing," I helped him a bit. "Not all bats are silverwings,"
He nodded finally understood. "I didn't know there were different kinds of bats,"
The Brightwing looked at him funny. "Where have you been living? Under the rock?"
"No, a tree." He sighed in embarrassment. She then glances at me and asked him. "So how do you get separated from your colony?" Did they um, banished you because of her?" We both look at her shock but I was even more than him of what she said about me.
"What no, we were blown off coast remember?"
"Really? Sure your wings were big enough to keep you on the coast?" When she spoke she spread her wings that were quite bigger than he was. Okay now I know she was just being mean and saw Shade looking irritated.
"We don't need this come on Ash lets go,"
"Yeah sorry we trespass your territory it won't happen again," I added. We were about to leave but then the brightwing stops us.
"Hey wait minute where you two think you're going?"
"Anywhere you aren't," Shade answered coldly.
I nodded and said to her. "And we promise to leave asap if Shade and I get enough food in our stomach for the journey."
"Well, I might let you two off the hook of coming to my island as long as I tell you which one is mine," I realize she was speaking right to Shade instead of us.
"Don't do me any favors," He muttered.
Then she smirked more. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Marina, in case if you don't know."
I smiled. "It's a pretty name," I then asked after I realized my clothing was in bad shape. "Um I wonder if this longhouse has any mini size clothing do you mind if I can…?"
"Oh sure go ahead, there's a box over that that has some human dolls clothing. Go knock yourself out." She points to the huge box that is by many worn-out dolls.
I nodded. "Thank you I wont be long." I ran over to the box to where she pointed at. I used my strength to push the box over and the the rest dolls pile down. I hum and scan through some dolls which one I should wear during migrations. I need something very warm like a heavy coat and boots for me to survive this harsh winter. Then a cute Eskimo outfit hoodie caught my eyes that has deerskin colors and blank boots. It even has two black mittens. "That'll do." I smiled and grabbed the doll and took it with me to inside the box for privacy. I quickly stripped my white dress but was careful with my wound so I won't get hurt.
"Sorry but I need this," I muttered, to the doll and took off her clothes. "This is an emergency I hope you understand." Before I can put it on I use more of my old worn-out dress to cover my burning wound nice and tight. I put the Eskimo on and surprisingly it fits like a glove along with my mittens. I brush my hair out and look down at myself.
"Cute," I mutter to myself. When I'm all set I walk out to greet Shade and Marina but to find out there weren't here.
"Um Shade? Marina?" Hello?" I glance around the longhouse to find them but I see they weren't inside. Did they ditch me? I rolled my eyes and walk out of the longhouse and begin walking to look for them and call out. "Hey, guys! Hello!" I walk on through the woods until I found them flying above me.
"Hey guys wait for me!" I ran waving my arms out to get their attention. Shade notices me and swopped down and he plucks me up, holding my both wrist as if I was a bug.
"Thanks for ditching me, "I joked. He panted while trying to lift himself up with me and chucked. " Marina thought you can catch up with us after you got done changing."
"Oh really?" I hummed, not sure if this bat is just saying that or else she's trying to get rid of me. She even thinks I was responsible for banishing him. Then Marina came down to our level and smiled.
"Hey I haven't shown you more of my island," She notices me. "Oh, you made it."
I smile friendly. "Of course I did. I don't want to miss out excitement you two are having,"
"I see." She said I realized her tone was little icy this time. "Just don't hold him down furless." I huffed of her calling me that and Marina flew up as Shade catches up with me but panted.
Soon after she begins to tell us which it's hers and ironically everything she says it's hers. Then all four of us flew across the shore and I gulped silently. I hope Shade didn't get tired and drop me over the water.
"You have all this to yourself?" He asked.
"Pretty much," Marina replied.
"Wow, you're surrounded by water."
She rolled her eyes. "Well duh! That what the island is."
"Don't you ever get lonely on this island?" I question.
She sighed. "Yeah, sort of. But some creatures around here keep me company, unlike some others that ruined your life." I tip my head, not understanding what is her problem whenever I try talking to her. Then all of the use heard a whale sound. We looked down and I gasp with amazement to see three huge Orcas swimming.
"What are those?" Shade breathed.
"Their Orca's Shade," I beamed. "We need to get a closer look." He flew down with me as Marina followers behind towards them. When we reach there we flew just over one and it blew out their water from their blowhole to get some air.
I laughed when I felt a cold breeze on me and shivered." Oh, brain freeze!" Shade laughed and then Marina flew over and went up ahead and Shade panted and tries to catch up with her.
She laughed and said to him. "Can't handle the pace guys?"
"What?" Shade gasped. "I'm just uh, getting my barrings." Marina shook her head after she saw how tired he is due to carrying me and small. "Look your obviously too small to get back to the mainland and she's slowing you down,"
"He's trying his best," I said.
Marina rolled her eyes. "What I'm saying is furless, he should never mind catch up with his colony so...
"I don't care!" Shade interrupted her. I looked up at him on his outburst.
"What?"
"We're not going back." My eyes lit up.
"You can hang with me..wait you don't care?" Marina went in front of him and look at him in puzzled. "What's that about?"
I swallowed softly and Shade told her. "I broke the law, I looked at the sun." She gasped in horrify and then Shade flew down fast into the woods. He landed me down on one branch before he roosted by me. Marina catches up with us and roosted another side of me.
"You looked at the sun?" She chuckled, thinking this is some kind of joke. "You pulling my wings."
"No he actually did, "I reply truthfully. "I told him about it and the owls found out and destroyed his home."
"And it's my fault," He sighed sadly, closing his eyes with shame look. "The colonies are better off without me."
I looked at him and shook my head. "No Shade don't say that. This is mostly my fault the colony doesn't blame you. They should blame me for it." I sighed softly.
"Perhaps the owl should've taken me maybe that could've saved your colony." He shook his head and said to me. 'Ashlie I don't want that happen to you lets just live here from now on. No one will bother us anymore."
"But..what about my dad?" He closes his eyes don't know how to response. Marina looked at both of us with sympathy look and then jump from her roost and landed by me.
"Hey it could've been worse," She smiled, trying to cheer us up. All of sudden Shade and I notice and surprised us she has a silver band like Frieda's gleaming on her left arm.
"You got a band." Shade points at it.
"What band?" She looked at her tag. "Oh, you mean this band. Both got a problem with it?" She glared at us.
"What no," Shade answered. "Should we?"
"Don't you know..its cursed." She hissed through her teeth.
"Cursed?" I blinked. "No Marina that's not true…"
"I don't want to hear anything from you after what your kinds did to me!" She snapped. "They ruined my life, I have no friends and family anymore."
I looked at her even more shocked, now finally understanding why she was treating me badly. I let her finished.
"When your kinds trapped me in their huge net they banded me right there." She sighed sadly. I looked at her, feeling sorry for her of what she's been through.
Shade couldn't help to ask. "Then what happened?"
"I flew home. But when the other brightwings saw me with this band they banished me."
"Why would they do that?" I asked.
She huffed and looked at me coldly. "When your kinds tagged us, you give us a mark of certain death."
I gasped. "Marina no that's not how it works!" I protest. "If you let me explain why we do this…
"I said I don't want to hear any more from you!" She interrupted.
"Marina please..!"
"Why don't you leave my island furless and never bother me again! When you leave sooner the better Shade and I will be. Your kinds are nothing but bad luck. "She storms out into the woods before I could talk more.
I felt my heart heavy and sat down on my knees but I felt Shade wrap his one wing around me after he did the same.
"Ash don't listen to her. She's just upset about what your kinds had done."
"I know but what if she's right? What if I am bad luck?" I asked. "Think about it, I was the one that told you about the sun leading your home burned down. And now you and I were separated because of a storm came over." I couldn't hold my tears anymore letting them run down my cheek. I felt him pull me close let his other wing wrap around me to embrace me.
"I don't think you the bad luck," Shade smiled, "At least we both survived through the storm so that's good. And you even saved me in time while I was caught in the net before the sun rises."
"Yeah, that's true." I sighed sadly. Then my stomach rumbled a bit and he heard it.
"Why don't we grabbed some food, and leave this island? We can go to the mainland and stay there for a while until we can find your dad," I nodded like that idea and he grabbed my hands with his feet and flew down towards the ground.
We manage to find some blackberries not too far away before he flew up to get some bugs. I pluck some out that is good enough to eat and pray to bless this food before I ate some. They were pretty good, better than the bugs that are for sure.
Right after I got done eating my breakfast I walk out to find Shade hoping he's done eating so we can make our journey towards Mainland. Then I saw him and, Marina flying ahead. I sighed heavily and run to catch them up through the woods.
Maybe Shade is trying to convince her about me, maybe even trying to tell her Frieda has one too. I stopped when they both flew over the ocean and swopped down on them. I watch Marina went to the blowhole and Shade did the same and laughed.
I can't help to giggle a little of their fun, wishing I have my own set of wings. I can even use them to fly away from this problem. Then I saw Shade got on a dorsal fin like he was sufering.
"Whoo alright Shade!" I cheered. All of sudden I saw one of the killer whales charge behind Marina and open its mouth wide.
"Oh no MARINA BEHIND YOU!" It was too late, the soon she turns her head the orca opens its mouth and devours her. The orca then plunged down in the water. I gasped and looked at Shade fast while he has the same expression.
"Shade wait until that orca rise and cover its blowhole until it opens it mouth!" I screamed. He nodded after he heard me and waits for the orca that ate Marina to resurface. When it did he swopped down and use his wings to cover his blowhole.
"LET HER GO!" He grunted, clutching on it. I watch as the orca's eyes lit up and begin to twist and turn to get him off. Shade was still clinging on him like glue and the orca even tries to drown him. I held my breath and pray Shade was holding his breath long while holding on.
When the orca resurfaces once more it looks tried and beaten. It didn't have a choice but open its wide mouth for air and Marina quickly came out having all saliva all over her fur. I sighed in relief and saw Shade released and he was shot up when the orca finally blows for some air. The two bats flew back to where I was and landed.
"Are you alright Marina?" I asked. She only nodded in response and shook her fur to get some saliva off. I quickly back up not to get anything on me and Shade grabbed me with his feet and took off. He panted but he manages to reach the totem pole and landed me on the set of the wing. He and Marina both landed by me.
"Shade, you saved my life?" She breathed.
He shook his head and looked at me with a smile. "No need to thank me, thank her for giving me an idea." She glances at me and looked surprised.
"You told him your idea? But…after what I said.."She bites her lips. "Why did you do that?"
I shrugged my shoulder. "Hey even if your words hunted me I still can't let you get eaten by a whale." She looks at me for a second and them smiles a little.
"Well thanks, thanks a lot." I smile back.
Although," We both turn to Shade as he was looking at Marina.
"Although what?" She asked.
"You didn't let me finish what I was saying about the band,"
"Oh that," She glum, closing her eyes.
"Frieda, the elder has a band like yours," He said.
Her eyes lit up and looked at her band. "An elder? Banded? Like me?"
"Well not exactly alike…" Shade started.
"And she's old,"
"More like ancient," I added.
"Maybe the band doesn't mean death,"
"Well you survive the orca while I'm still here," I said.
Marina beamed and said."Then I'm destined to be an elder,"
"Elder Marina, I like the sound of it," Shade chuckled. Then I remember I still need to tell her about her band to get her to understand why my kinds are doing this, hopefully, she'll listen this time.
"Marina, I know you don't want to hear me but you need to understand. The tag...I mean the band your wearing doesn't mean its cursed."I explained. "It means that we're helping you. The band that you are wearing it's a tracking device to help us to know where you are with the others. Your colony is probably the rarest bat and they're making sure you and your other species won't be on the endangered list." Marina looked at her band for a moment after I'm done talking and then glance at me.
"So your saying is, your kinds are helping my species not going extinct?"
I nodded. "Yeah, something like that." I watch her form a smile on her lips. "My colonies were wrong your kinds are helpful." I sighed in relief and looked at Shade who has the same expression and her.
"You see some humans are not evil,"
"So when do we leave?" She questions, excitedly.
"Leave?" Shade blinked.
"Yeah to join your colony and I can meet this Frieda." She added, looking more excited.
He shook his head. "I..I can't. I can't face my colony after losing the tree haven." He closes his eyes looking ashamed all over again. I walk up to him and gently place his hand on his shoulder.
"Shade please this isn't your fault, its mine as well. But we both need to let this go and continue on, I'm sure a few bats will be very happy to see you alive.
"She's right and at least they didn't banish you." Marina helped out.
Then Shade turns to her and said. "I wish you could've seen the tree haven, Marina. It was the biggest hollow oak ever with gnarliest roots and all kinds of chambers and roost and and..
"Come on."
" Huh?" I saw her fly above me and grabbed my wrists.
"Whoa, what..?" She soared in the sky with me and Shade took off and follow us behind.
"You could've warn me about this," I said.
"If I did it I'll spoil a surprise." She winked down at me. I tip my head in puzzled.
"What surprise?"
"Where are we going?" Shade called behind.
"Just a little further," She sang, having a grin look on her face and she was right. Right ahead of us was another hollow oak tree and this one was bigger and doesn't have any leaves like the old on. Shade and I were amazed to see the appearance and it was bigger than the old tree haven.
"Well, what you think? Its big, hollow, gnarly." She beamed. We all look around to get a better look and even Marina went inside with me to see how big it was. Inside of it was amazing. It has so many rooms that it can have many chambers and it can fit hundred of bats or more.
"Its perfect," Shade answered, joyfully. "This can be our new tree haven."
"Aright!" I yell happily. "The colony will be so happy to have a new home." After we're done exploring we went up to the branch by the ocean. Marina drops me on a branch before she roosted above me while Shade did the same on the other side.
"I got to let the colony know about this." He smiled at the brightwing. "It seems like your going to meet Frieda after all."
She beamed and confessed. "Then it settles. We're head for the Mainland. All three of us together."
"But, which way is the Mainland?" I asked. Answering my question she pointed to the open sea and smiled. Shade and I looked out and we held our breath. This is going to be a long flight. I thought.
Author's Note: How was that one so far? Hope you guys like where this is going but if not DONT READ AND REVIEW IT! DX Man like the old one this chapter was long to write X_X lol Well now their off to set for the mainland stay turn to find out what happens next ;) I don't own any silverwing characters except OC. Enjoy XD