Chapter 13: The Colony of Graywings

Marina first flew out of her roost and grabbed my wrists before we all set off towards another land. I hold on her feet while my both legs dangle in the midair. I glance down and saw below me a sea was calmer than usual after the storm passed. I couldn't help but gulped nervously, gripping her feet a bit.

"Are you afraid I'll drop you?" Marina asked as if she read my mind.

"Y-yeah," I answered. "I'm just afraid I won't survive swimming in this huge sea. I'll drown."

She laughed. "Don't worry I won't let you go until we're on dry land," I nodded, wanting to believe her but the storm memory never left me. The thoughts about me falling into a cold sea while the lighting was dancing before my eyes including the noise of thunder. It scared me, even though I love swimming I'll die due me being tiny and the storm made it much worse of my confidence.

"I thought I would never leave that island," She sighed, with her eyes closing. I glance up again to see her talking. "You do remember what the island is Shade? Body of land? Surrounded by water," All we hear from him was his grunting and panting, trying to catch up with us.

I smiled a little. "You're doing great Shade keep it up."

"For a Silverwing, "Marina muttered.

I frowned at her and she only shrugged.

"Don't worry about me guys, "Shade smiled back, panting heavily. "I'm uh enjoying this."

"Come on it will soon be sunrise," She said.

"Thanks for the update," I head Shade snorted. I chuckled but then we all hear some squawking like their laughing. I glance up and saw a seagull flying down and float alongside us.

Shade frowned not liking his amused and asked. "What's so funny?"

"You two have been working way too hard! He laughed. He continues to cackle and flies up until he vanishes into the clouds. Marina uses her echolocation and I heard there were three seagulls above us.

"Marina, are you think what I'm thinking?" I asked. She smiled and flies up through the clouds to meet the other seagulls. When we got up there I notice the three including the one we saw earlier all glance at me surprised to see me this tiny being held by a bat.

One of them flew by us that has grey hair with a curious look as I smiled shyly. "Um hey?"

"You look pretty tiny to be a human," He squawked. I chuckled and quickly explained to him how I got this small by a shrinking ray.

"You didn't tell me how you got shrunk, from a shrinking ray?" Marina looked at me funny.

I shrugged. "Yep it happens," She hummed and then notices how seagull's wings are not flapping but were floating gently through the wind as if they're riding on them. She did what they're doing and let the wind take her.

She sighed smiling. "Ahh, that's much better." I looked down and thought this could help Shade too.

"Hey Shade come up here!" I called. A couple of seconds later he rose up from the clouds still panting heavily. Then all the seagulls were circling around us laughing as he glared at us.

"You brought me up here to watch feeble bird tricks?"

"No, just fold your wings out," Marina instructed. He looked at her funny but did as he was told but was dropdown. He quickly flaps his wings up.

"Wait until the wind catches you," I added. Shade nodded and waits for the wind to carry him. He spread his wings out when the wind catches him, and floats along gracefully.

Oh, this is so much easier," He sighed happily.

"Yeah its was pretty clever of me," Marina smirked. I chuckled and then looked back at the seagulls. Another idea came to me.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" I called one seagull that talked to us. The seagull that has grey hair flew over by us and wait for what I need. "Um, do you mind if I can get a ride from you, my friends might need a break from carrying me,"

The grey-haired seagull smiled his beak. "Why of course your friend could use a small break!" I felt relief he didn't say no as she carefully places me on his back and I cling on his feather. I sighed softly finding this very helpful and smiled at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Seagull."

He shook his head. "Oh whoa wait, Mr. Seagull is my dad's name. Name's Harry." He introduced.

I blinked. "Um okay then, my name is Ashlie and this is Shade and Marina."

"Please to meet all of you, where are you three heading off to?"He asked.

"We're off the Mainland to catch up with Shade's colony," Marina replied. His eyes lit up and grin. "Hey, I know that place! My friends and I always go there to see if their's any garbage for us to eat." Shade. Marina and I looked at him funny for a second until I broke the silence.

"Can you take us there?"

He nodded. "Of course. I'm on my way there to meet the rest of my friends anyway." All four of us begin to make our way while Harry takes the lead. Shade and Marina were both enjoying the wind over their wings as they were twisting and twirling around the sky.

"Wanna race guys?" Shade challenged.

"You're on!" Marina agreed.

"Count me in!" I added, then look at Harry." Wanna help me win the race?"

He nodded excitedly. "Oh yes, of course, I would love that!" I grinned and cling on his feather and start counting.

"Alright, guys ready? one.. two...THREE!" With that, Harry took off with a speed leaving some clouds behind.

"HEY!" Both Shade and Marina exclaimed and flew fast.

"LAST ONE THERE IS A ROTTEN EGG!" I laughed, as all three of us raced through the sky towards the Mainland. About three hours later we saw bright lights ahead of us and tall buildings. Wow, so that must be the Mainland." I thought. All four of us quickly flew down to the beach and Marina was first to land before Shade was second. Harry and I were the third ones to land.

"Whoo, I won I won!" She yelled happily.

Shade panted heavily with a disappointed look on his face." I..almost had you."

I shrugged. "Well the second place is not so bad," I slide off Harry's back. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime new friend, " He salutes and flew off leaving Shade and me behind. All three of us waved while we watch him join his companion.

"So what's the plan guys?" I asked, finishing my waving.

"Simple," Marina replied. "We'll go to the main city and find a roost where his colony is at tomorrow night." Shade and I nodded agreeing while he yawned. Both of them flew up to roost above the ceiling of the cave to sleep. I went down by the mouth of the cave and saw some dry up seaweeds that can be a good use for bedding. I pull them up close to the mouth and made myself a bed.

When I got that taken care of I snuggle myself on it and ignore the stench of sea salt. I pray to God thanking him for having us brought here safe and keep us safer through our journey. I watch the sky turning light blue before hearing the morning choir before I went to sleep, with my heart sank not to enjoy the day as I used to.

Third's Person POV

In the city not too far from the cave were two pigeons chatting on the roof of the building behind the air vent while the hear sirens going on and cars driving.

"And so the next thing, flamo! He flew right to the bird again," The pigeon laughed, telling his friend what happened with the other pigeon. None of them knew the two bats that escaped from the false jungle were sneaking up the entrance. One of the bats use his clawed hand to stop the fan and the other quickly went out, sneaking behind the two pigeons grinning hungrily.

The pigeon that was telling the story laughing having his wings over his head. "A..and then it hits me, I said Its a mirror! Oh boy, he feels stupid…."He notices a shadow looming over him and he turns around. His eyes were wide as a saucer gasping to see a huge bat.

Before his friend could even coo the bat snatch him with its deadly claws leavings feathers behind and sink his fangs in his neck. The second pigeon screamed in pain leaving a stunned one with a bad scratch on his neck. He watches in horror as his friend is being killed slowly by some kind of monster.

When the second pigeons took its final breath and went limp in his mouth. The giant bat notices him still standing with his wing cover his wound, looking more petrified than usual looking too scared to move. The giant bat dropped his victim and chuckled darkly, grinning at him with blood on his muzzle.

"Hola." He greeted smoothly, with his native tongue. The pigeon realized there's another giant bat sneaking behind him, having the same look staring hungrily at him. He let out a huge terrifying scream and took off fast as his wings can carrying him leaving two giant bats laughing and eating his friend.

Ashlie's POV

I muttered softly and begin to have my eyes slowly open. I blinked and looked and notices the sun setting by golden light fading away gently. I mumble softly and blinked to get my tiredness out before I perk my head up. I got up to turn and saw the sun setting down on the ocean creating a beautiful view of warm orange colors with a hint of light purple. I continue to watch the sun slowly setting on the horizon and my heart almost sank with it. Not wanting the sun to go, I wish it to stay longer to enjoy every moment before dark welcomes me again. I watch the sun slowly sinking down to the sea until I didn't see it anymore and feel the cold night on me. I stretch my arms out and glance back and notices Marina was already awake stretching her wings out as well.

"Evening Marina, "I smiled, walk in and up to where she was roosting.

Mmm Evening Ash," she yawned.

"Is Shade up?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, he's still sleeping," We look over and saw Shade still roosting, with his wings wrapped tightly around him. "We should wake him up." I nodded and jump on another large rock that is close to him. I gently rock him.

"Shade, come on its time to wake up," I spoke softly. He muttered and snuggle close to his wings still didn't have his eyes opened. I hum to think of a way to wake up but then smiled sneaky with an idea, lean on his ear and screamed. "SHADE THE OWLS ARE HERE!" He screamed in startled and falls out of his roost and flaps his wings from falling. Marina and I laughed off his startled. He frowned at me.

I smirked playfully. "Evening sleepyhead,"

"What did you do that for?" He grumbled.

"What? I need to find a way to wake you up," I chuckled. He shook his fur as he grumbles more and flew out from his roost and landed by Marina. "Alright, I'm up."

"Well check on your sound map and check on your colony migration roost," She said. Shade, on the other hand, looked unsure as I slide down from the tall rock.

"…I never actually call the sound map,"

"Yeah right, quit playing games," Marina chuckled, thinking it was a joke. He didn't laugh along and she stops.

"You're not kidding, are you? Ash please tell me he's kidding." I give her my not kidding look with shrug added. She groaned, looking at both of us in annoyance and hop over to us. "Holy sunlight Shade now your telling me this?"

"He never really got a chance to use it before we got separated," I replied. She sighed heavily and looked back at him.

"Close your eyes and try to remember what your mother sang to you." Marina and I watch Shade closing his eyes and begin to think. He hummed while he thought of locations connection but seconds later he cried holding both ears tightly as if this was giving him a bad headache.

"Shade..?" I question, worrying this could be hurting him. He yelled in startled made me jump a bit. "Are you alright?"

"Overload," He answered, breathing heavily. "I can't process." He glances over at Marina. "Why don't we try your sound map?"

"Genius idea Shade if we're finding my colony," She rolled her eyes.

I sighed and said to him. "Try again, you really don't have to tell us the whole map just part of it." Shade close his eyes once more and concentrated hard.

"..I see human cities nearby.."He manages to say. But then Marina interrupted him before he can be finished cutting his sound map off.

"We'll start there!" She smiled and lift herself up and grabbed my arms.

"Hey, Marina wait..!" I called. It was too late as she soared out of the cave while Shade follows. I huffed of her being impatient. We begin to make way towards the city nearby and then I notice in corner of my eyes many bats were flying. I gasped softly with thought it could be them.

"H-hey it's them! Shade it's your colony!" I beamed. He and Marina both looked over. He used his echolocation over and sure enough, they really were Shade's colony. He smiled happily while Marina sighed in relief.

"Alright come on!" He zooms past us and we followed him.

Marina then gulped nervously. "I hope they like me,"

"I think they will." I give her my comfort smile and she smiled back. And Marina begins asking me these questions out of nervousness.

"But how can I greet them? Should I say hi I'm a new friend of a bat who got your roost burn down ..no how about greetings Shade's colony I come in peace! No, that not good..um maybe like hey I'm Marina that helped Shade.."I laughed, cutting her off.

"Marina how about you just say hello to them?"

She chuckled. "Okay, that'll work, whatever you say."

"Hey, over here it's me Shade!" He yelled out.

"Hey, we're back! Wait for us!" I added. One of them notices us and flew over while the rest followed. I breathed with excitement but I notice their colors were different when we got closer.

I realized this wasn't his colony, it wasn't even a Silverwing. Instead, they were greywings having luxuriously fur on their chest. Even their ears were rimmed smoothly. Their leader was a male that looked decent having molted grey fur along silver mane and has dull grayish hair along the beard making him look like the elder.

He flaps his wings over to us and suggests Shade to follow him down on the sandy beach. The rest of his colony flew down and Marina landed me before she lands in front of me. The leader glance at Shade and Marina.

"Sorry we thought you were his colony," Marina apologized. He nods taking her apology.

"Where are you two headed?" He asked.

"We're looking for my colony, the Silverwing s." Shade answered. "Have you gotten a chance to see them?

He shook his head sadly. "We came from the northwest. We saw a few other colonies but not the silverwings sorry."

"I understand," He sighed heavily with disappointment.

"Which way they're headed?" The leader asked.

"South down the coast, towards the city." Shade replied. He hummed and look over at the city.

"Probably not far ahead of us, then. Do you two got lost?"

"Well two nights ago in the storm," Shade replied.

"Bad luck," He tsks. "We're trying to avoid the city and I suggest you two do the same."He then smiled at him warmly. "You and your friend are welcomed to join us for a while if you like. Until we can find your silverwing colony." I looked behind him and saw mothers with their pups and see they look pretty nice and welcoming.

"That would be great thank you.."I came out from Marina behind smiling in greeting but then all of sudden all the greywings gasped in horrified. "..W-what is it? What's wrong?"

"A human." One of the colonies hissed. I saw now many mothers holding on to their pups for protections and their leader turn his face from warm to cold.

"You didn't tell us you have a human with you, that can understand our language,"

"Wait she's not that bad…" Shade tried to explain.

"How can she understand our language and shrunk to our side?" He demanded. "Some dark magic perhaps, a demon power?"

"Wait what? No, I'm not a demon. I'm just a normal girl," I walk to him have my hand out for him to take and let him sniff, but I flinched my hand back when he let out a snarled.

"Don't you dare come near me and my colony demon," He threatened. "I will not risk getting them having the mark of certain death."

"Hey don't talk to her that way!" Marina snapped, standing up for me but accidentally show her band off to them, which made it worse.

"Oh, great Nocturna she banded her!" One of the graywing mothers cried.

"She brought very bad luck on her!" The other added.

"Now that human will bring her doom along all of us!" Those hateful words from them stabbed me deeply that I didn't know they hated humans this much.

"No that's not it.."Shade tried again to explain but the leader cuts him off.

"You can come with us, but those two won't be." He glared at us coldly. I breathed and watch Shade look at both of us and at the leader having thoughts. He then sighed heavily and looked at him.

"..If they won't come, I won't too." He answered. The looked at him like he was crazy and my thought he was going to convince him to come, but instead, he closed his eyes.

"Very well, but if I were you I should ditch them for your sake." He spread his wings out and soared up in the sky while the rest of his bats followed. We watch them headed over towards the beach until we didn't see them anymore. I rubbed my arms sighed heavily.

"Hey, you okay?" Marina asked I felt her hand placed on my shoulder gently.

I shook my head. "I'm fine, let's just find his colony before the sun comes up." She nodded and lift herself up to grabbed me as I grabbed her feet. When he and her both took off with me I have more thoughts on how these bats reacted to see me. I sighed silently with a sad tone and looked down, watching ground passing by.

What did my people ever do to them? We just tagged them, are were really that bad..?

Author's Note: How was that one so far? Hope everyone likes where this is going but

if not DONT READ AND REVIEW IT! DX Well Marina isn't the only one that dislike humans before she warms up to her. / Stay tuned for more! ;D I don't own any silverwing characters except OC. Enjoy! XD