The Land Before Time > LBT Fanfiction

Soaring Across Azure Skies

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jassy:
Sharptooth flyer = Ornithocheirus

A note: Italics inside quotations indicate emphasis on words, while italics outside of quotations indicate thoughts.

FF link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13940589/1/Soaring-Across-Azure-Skies


Prologue, Goodbye
The island was completely quiet, save for the melody of the ebbing waves gently dribbling onto the sandy shore. To anyone else, the roaring tide might have been something to fear. But to the island's denizens, the sound of the Big Water was quite welcome. To them, the echo of the foamy water crashing onto the sound was like the presence of an old friend who had been there through thick and thin, like the relief a nesting mother felt when she came home to hear the laughter of her young ones, knowing they were alright. The presence of the Night Circle was a welcome one as well, as its gentle glow was a sign of the arrival of a more peaceful time, during which the flyers could shun their worries and responsibilities for a while. The Night Circle could have shone anywhere, but on that specific night, it chose to cast its light on a nest within a steep cliff laying a little ways from the shore. Nestled safely inside it were two sharptooth flyers, not even old enough to have developed proper use of their wings. One youngling slept peacefully in a carefully crafted nest of leaves and grass, but the other tossed and turned so much he slept just a few feet from his brother lest he accidentally injure him in his sleep.

Then, at the edge of his consciousness, the latter flyer heard a voice. A whisper.

"Orri." A nudge, "Orri, wake up."

Orri stirred slightly, the thick cover of sleep yet to wear off of him. Before the interruption, he had been in the middle of quite the interesting sleep story, and it took him a minute to realize he wasn't in it anymore. He grunted sleepily, blue eyes almost glowing in the darkness of the cave. His dark pupils briefly transformed into narrow slits, his vision taking a moment to adjust.

"Mm... papa? What-?"

"Shhh," the male brought a talon to his beak, scooping the tiny youngling into the palm of his hand, "let's talk outside. We wouldn't want to disturb your brother now, would we?"

Orri looked towards the sleeping form of his brother, who was curled up in his usual protective position. Vali could sleep through just about anything, and didn't move in the slightest. From an outsider's view, it would seem like a typical night for a typical flyer family, save for the fact that there wasn't anything typical about them at all. After Orri and Vali's mother was taken by The Great Storm less than a season ago, give or take a few cycles of the Night Circle, their father was the only family the two boys had left.

The older gray flyer brought his groggy and still confused son to a ledge just outside their nest, the night circle illuminating their faces in a cool, pale light. He assumed a more stoic expression, refusing to let his son catch onto how he truly felt.

Unfortunately, contrary to what his father wanted, young Orri picked up something he didn't quite recognize on the elder. A scent, one of uncertainty and fear, which made the youngling feel the same.

"Papa? What's going on?" he inquired curiously, surveying his surroundings, "What are we doing out here?"

"You've made me very proud, my boy," his father crooned, "Don't ever forget that. And... make sure your brother knows too. I know him and I don't exactly see eye to eye, but I'm sure he'll listen to whatever you have to say. All I ask is that you tell him I'm proud of him."

Orri noticed the tears glistening along the corners of his father's eyes, a feeling of fear washing over him. He recoiled suddenly, like a hapless creature being backed into a corner. "Papa, I-I don't understand. Why are you acting like this...?" The question came out as a painful, choking sob.

"Listen to me, Orri," his father continued despite his son's obvious fear, "I... damn, how do I put this?" He muttered, rubbing the nape of his neck before sighing in resignation. "The reason I'm saying all this is because I have to leave Blue Haven. Tonight."

"No!" came the youngling's immediate, horrified response, "you can't! Please!"

The male didn't even make an attempt to hide his tears, as his scent already gave away exactly what he was feeling. He once again brought a claw to his beak, trying to placate the young one. If anyone, more specifically the sentinels that guarded the island during the day, were to awaken and hear them... everything would be ruined.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I really wish there was more time for me to explain all of this to you."

"But I don't understand!" Orri squeaked, his voice lowering to a quiet whimper, "Mama left us... why are you leaving us too?"

"Trust me, I don't want to." He touched his beak to that of his son's, trying to show his sincerity. But goodness, was it difficult. It was a near impossible task, coaxing his son into trusting him when he was in the process of abandoning both him and his brother.

"I'm doing this because I want what's best for you and your brother, okay?" His raspy voice quivered as he spoke, his words followed by a heavy sigh, "I'm going to find a new place. A safe place, beyond the Big Water, where we don't have to worry about The Great Storm wiping us all out. That's what your mother would have wanted for you. I know it is."

Orri felt something damp on his cheek, then felt his father's talon gently wipe his tears away. The boy hadn't been entirely convinced that he wasn't still asleep, up until now. When he felt his father's touch, he had no choice but to acknowledge the bitter reality.

"...Will you ever come back?"

"I will. I'll do everything in my power to come back for you two, and that's a promise."

That reassurance helped to ease Orri's worries, but it failed to sway him from wanting answers to the many questions that still weighed heavily on his mind.

"If you are leaving to find a safe place, then why can't you take us with you?"

His father nervously shifted his gaze towards the night sky, covered in far too many stars for him to count. Just above the horizon, he could see the faintest tint of light purple reflecting against the water. The Bright Circle would be rising soon enough. His time was running out.

"I'm afraid it's too dangerous," he explained, speaking slowly to mask the slight irritation that plagued him, "you and Vali are still very young and weak. You two barely know how to flap your own wings, let alone fly, and I don't even know what kind of dangers will be waiting for me out there. If something happened to either of you, I don't know what I'd do. But don't you worry. You'll be safe here, far safer than you could ever be with me."

He then leaned in close, his warm breath gently brushing against Orri's scales. "It will be difficult, but I know in my heart that what I'm doing is for the best."

"But papa—" Orri started, but his protests were quickly muffled as his father spoke over them.

"I have to leave now before anyone else sees me, but I promise we will meet again one day. Either in this world or the next. Do you understand me?"

Orri at first refused to meet his father's gaze, but was soon forced to look at him when he felt his beak being tilted gently upwards. "I... I understand," he finally responded, unable to tear his eyes away, even when his sobs began to hit him with full force.

"Good." The other brought his hand closer towards his beak, decreasing the distance between them so that he could give his son a parting embrace. A proper one. "You've been blessed with exceptionally strong instincts, better than any flyer I've ever seen, and I mean that. Use them, and listen to your brother. Watch out for each other."

"I will," Orri promised, sniffling while his father guided him back to the safety of their sleeping area, offering a pleased nod at his son's vow.

With a heavy heart, the lone flyer then took to the skies. He soared past the Big Water, engaged in a battle of wills with the unrelenting waves that were equipped with a mind of their own, the violent current threatening to throw his fragile body against the rocks. It was a battle he'd barely managed to win. Once he had though, he didn't dare to look back. He feared that if he did, he wouldn't be able to fight the urge to return and all would be lost.

Orri watched his only remaining parent disappear into the night, his form blending in perfectly with the night sky as if he had never truly been there at all. While the fact remained that his young son would eventually forget this moment before long, the constant and gentle lull of the Big Water served as a reminder that there was someone out there who would never forget.


Yeahhhh I realize this isn't Across The Seasons, but it is another OC centric story!  :taunttroll I've unfortunately seemed to hit a bit of a roadblock with ATS and where I should go with the next chapter, which is why I've set that aside for now. But this is another story I've had in the works for a bit, only my perfectionist self never really deemed it good enough to publish up until this moment. I'm also working on this in hopes that I'll be able to write a fic with more planning and world-building than my previous works. Finally, this is yet another sharptooth narrative of course, but with flyers! I've never actually written many lengthy flyer-centric stories before, so I'm sure it'll be interesting! In any case, I hope you all enjoy this tale of love, survival and adventure, and I hope to see you all soon in the next update.  :rainbowwave

-Jassy

rhombus:
Now this is certainly a promising beginning!  :) I like how you immediately bring us into the story by catching a glimpse of the main characters during a difficult moment, which provides us with both immediacy with an initial plot development and a dive into the characters so to speak.  In this case it appears that we have two young flyers who are safe on an island or other enclosed area, but who are far too young to be on their own. All the while their father must (temporarily, he hopes) abandon them for their own good. It will be interesting to see how the two flyers adapt to this loss and also to see why their father feels the need to make this journey.

All in all, this is quite a good introduction and hook for the story.  :)

jassy:
Hey everyone! Before I get the ball rolling with this chapter, I'd just like to attach this mini glossary of sorts. It contains various flyer slang that you'll hear throughout the course of this story, as well as their definitions. I'll most likely end up defining the terms as they come up, but do let me know if there's something I missed! I also know I'm later than usual in crossposting this chapter to the GoF, so that's my bad. I'll be sure to respond to any reviews in the upcoming chapter since this one's already up and published on FF.net :PLoofah

Sharptooth Flyer = Ornithocheirus

Scaly Swimmer = A fish.

Shortbeak = Often used by older flyers to reprimand younglings, implying that their beak is still as short and stubby as it was when they first hatched. It can also be used to do some friendly teasing as well. Depends on the context, really.

Wisehead = An egghead. Someone who's a stickler for the rules and doing things the 'right way'.

FF link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13940589/2/Soaring-Across-Azure-Skies


A New Dawn
The waves of the Big Water felt cool and soothing against the gray flyer's scales- like a gentle, ticklish sensation. The current rolled towards him, soaking the tips of his wing membranes before retreating back into the depths, as if being pulled back by some unseen force. Above him, multitudes of flyers soared effortlessly through the murky air. But rather than observing them and trying to piece together how they achieved such grace in their movements, his deep blue were lost in the torrent of water and foam. Just looking at the vast expanse of blue brought back some vague yet unpleasant memories, but Orri couldn't tear his eyes away. He couldn't shake the feeling that something about the Big Water was alive, and was calling out to him.

Perhaps a small part of him actually wanted to go beyond those invisible boundaries, like his father before him. Blue Haven was... wonderful, but it left much to be desired. Life was always the same: fly, eat, sleep, fly, eat, sleep. On their little 'patch of paradise' as many called it, they were free from airborne predators, and had convinced themselves that they were the masters of their own fate. That was the sad part. A decorated trap was still a trap and Orri knew it, even if no one else did. He knew that a life where one couldn't even wonder about a better world was no life at all.

"Orri!" A distance voice echoed, barely reaching his ears. Oh, wonderful. Now I'm hearing things, he pondered silently, deciding not to give the imaginary voice the time of day.

"Orriiii!" The voice was closer now, but Orri still refused to acknowledge it. He was sure it was a figment of his imagination, and his imagination had a tendency to run away from him and do more harm than good in the process. He couldn't even count the amount of times he sensed something, was called crazy, only to be proven right later on. The worst part of it all was that it didn't matter if his instincts were right or not. To the rest of the flock, he'd always be seen as someone who would only drag them down.

He closed his eyes for a moment in an attempt to silence the voice in his own head, only to let the most undignified scream when he opened his eyes again.

"AHHH!" He stumbled back, falling over onto his haunches. It was then that he realized the source of his fear was none other than Vali, his brother.

"Finally," Vali sighed, exasperated, "Do you realize how long I've been calling for you? If the Circle of Life gave you ears then you should use them."

"My bad," Orri said apologetically while getting back up onto all fours, shaking the particles of sand and water off of his scales, "I actually heard you calling me, but I thought the voice was in my head."

Vali seemed confused for a moment, but quickly decided it wasn't worth questioning. He gazed into his brother's eyes, his own softening at the other's appearance. They were both the same age, but Orri might as well have been seasons older, as far as appearances went.

"Are you alright?" Vali questioned, visibly concerned. "You look... tired." He tried to be delicate, but he couldn't deny that his brother did indeed look worse for wear.

"I'm fine," Orri answered, once again shaking his head to clear his mind, "I think I might just be hungry. I don't believe I've eaten yet."

Vali narrowed his eyes, shooting a rather doubtful look towards the skinnier flyer. "Right, and I'm a rampaging threehorn. You're my brother, Orri, not some stranger. Now why don't you tell me what's really wrong?"

"It was worth a shot," Orri said in slight jest. He looked towards the horizon and then back at Vali. "There's something strange about the Big Water lately. It sort of feels like it's calling my name, like it wants me to follow it... or like it's warning me. I know that sounds crazy, but I really do feel it."

Vali pondered his brother's words for a moment. Orri's instincts had seldom been wrong before, but he was also susceptible to such cryptic intuitions when he neglected to look after himself properly. He remembered his father advising him as a boy that even the sharpest of senses could go awry if the body was not taken care of. Of course, their treacherous father had also left them to fend for themselves, but it was a good lesson all the same.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Vali assured him, placing a hand to his shoulder, "the Big Water is strange and mysterious, which is why we must never go beyond it. We are safe here, except for when the Great Storm comes, but even then, we can see the signs days before it happens and prepare ourselves in advance..."

He caught himself rambling and realizing that he was probably boring his young brother to tears, shook his head. "Listen, my point is that sometimes, our minds can trick us into worrying ourselves sick over absolutely nothing. It happens to the best of us. Even more so when one doesn't take the best care of themselves, like when they forget to eat, for instance."

Orri couldn't help but beam in admiration of his brother, despite the evident jab at him. He was always so strong, so logical, and so kind. He'd certainly make a great leader one day, if he was ever given the chance. "Well, if you say so, then you know I'm with you."

"There's a lad!" Vali exclaimed, playfully nudging the other male with his beak, "Now, you said you were hungry? I'll go and fetch you some scaly swimmers. Stay here, and try not to get carried away by your own thoughts." He scurried off and Orri went right back to overthinking, despite his brother suggesting he do the opposite.

At least, he was planning on doing so until Vali reappeared in front of him, stretching on all fours with a gleeful smile, torso facing the sky. "Look. We're both upside down."

An old fail safe that Vali often relied on to lift Orri's spirits when they were both younglings, Vali was both surprised and disappointed to see that the only reaction he got from the male was a half-hearted smile. Whatever was bothering Orri must have really been eating at him. Even if he wasn't feeling the best, that stupid 'upside down' joke always managed to pull a laugh out of his brother. Realizing there wasn't much else he could do, he decided to cut his losses and gave the other a loving nudge on the shoulder before setting off to find some food.


A single green eye peered through the bushes, the dark hue perfectly concealed by the shadow of the foliage. The eye's narrow, black slit trailed the area, dilating when it landed on two flyers who appeared to be engaged in a friendly conversation. Upon closer inspection, Illyria realized that she recognized the bigger one of the two, a flyer with a faded gray hide and harsh verdant eyes that looked down upon the newcomer.

Faris. As the head of the sentinels, he'd forgotten more about fighting than she'd ever know.

As for the other flyer, Illyria didn't quite recognize him. He was smaller in stature, but he carried himself in a way that told the disgruntled, older flyer that he wasn't about to back down. Scarlet eyes practically bore a hole through Faris' forehead, letting him know that his intimidation tactics were of no use, and that he'd be better off saving his breath.

"We have no place for wanderers here," Faris reiterated, repeating the exact same thing he had yelled in the other's face mere moments ago.

"No place? This island has enough room for another flock!" The wanderer exclaimed incredulously.

"That's precisely why we have no place for the likes of you. We have a peaceful life here, and we can't let every flyer that passes by eat up all of our food. They might spread word of our home, or worse, they might try to seize our land for themselves."

The smaller flyer frowned. "Well, that's not the least bit fair, is it? And you know, that sort of narrow mindedness will only end up causing you all more grief in the long run. You can't hide yourselves forever. It just won't last."

"I don't think you're in any position to be giving me a lecture," Faris hissed, "and you want fair? Well, tough shit. If you don't like how we run things, then you're free to move on. But if you insist on staying, then I can allow you to go further inland. Stay on the far side of the island, where you can't bother anyone. A fair warning though, you'd better be gone by the time the bright circle rises over the mountains, or else I'll make you leave."

With a huff and a snort, the newcomer decided to take what he could get and headed off in the other direction. Faris hummed in satisfaction, resuming the most important task of feasting on some freshly caught scaly swimmers.

A wanderer? We've never had wanderers before, Illyria wondered. It had just occurred to her that the reason behind Blue Haven's lack of visitors could very well be Faris turning them all away. Trying to visualize all the things the wanderer must have seen, it made her shake with excitement just thinking about it!

Unfortunately, in her excitement, Illyria also gave away her hiding spot. A rustle from the bushes caught Faris' attention, after which he sniffed the air and caught wind of the young girl's familiar scent.

"Come on out, Illyria," he sighed, "I know you're there."

A younger, more inexperienced Illyria would have continued the charade. However, she knew by now that trying to hide from Faris once he had her scent was a losing game. She emerged from the bushes, head hanging low in guilt and embarrassment.

Faris sighed, trying to withhold the frustration that gave itself away when he shook his head. "Illyria," he began, "How many times have I told you not to eavesdrop? It's rude, and makes a flyer seem untrustworthy."

"At least a few times every season, since I was a youngling," Illyria responded matter-of-factly, making no effort to hide her annoyance. "Many apologies, oh wise one. I think my curiosity just got the better of me."

"I know," Faris agreed with a nod, his expression more indicative of defeat rather than anger. He was no stranger to the girl's sarcastic attitude, nor did he let it get to him. "It's not your fault. You've never seen newcomers before, so I suppose it's only natural that you'd want to find out more. But I assure you, outsiders are forbidden for a reason."

"I understand," Illyria responded, nodding along to each point he made. The quicker he finished his lecture, the quicker she could leave. "So, um... is it alright if I go now?"

Faris eyed her suspiciously, slanting his head a few inches to his right side. "Well, that all depends on you. Can I trust you to keep your distance from the wanderer?"

"Of course. I promise I won't even look at him." Every word she spoke was a lie, but she'd had seasons upon seasons to master the technique of lying, specifically to Faris.

"Very well. Be careful," he reminded her, finally letting his guard down as he turned his back and gave a wave of his arm, letting her know that she was free to go.

Illyria grinned, quite satisfied with her brilliant performance. She looked back once more as extra insurance that Faris wasn't watching. Sure enough, he was busy snacking on those scaly swimmers of his. She slunk right past him, briefly making eye contact with the lone sentinel that stood watch at the entrance of the forest, right where the vegetation grew denser. The female pretended not to notice him, and the guard even seemed to do the same, much to her pleasure. Soon, she disappeared entirely, using her sniffer to follow the trail that the mysterious wanderer had generously left behind.


A cacophony of various screeches and cries filled the air, every single sound and pitch muddling together to the point that Vali couldn't tell them apart or tell what each individual flyer was even saying. However, the background noise did serve a purpose— it helped him direct his attention solely on his catch by blocking out the more sudden, raucous sounds that would usually disturb his concentration. Dark blue eyes focused intently on the water, watching and waiting for even the slightest movement...

SPLASH!

His pupil narrowing as he whipped his head in the direction of the sound, Vali watched a single scaly swimmer break the surface, leaving behind a growing trail of ripples in the water. Vali lunged forward to catch his unsuspecting prey, fully confident in his ability. It was one of the bigger ones, too. Vali couldn't believe his luck. Surely, this would bring Orri out of that slump!

SWISH!

Before he even had a chance to react, a gray-blue blur zipped past him, sweeping up the scaly swimmer in one swing. Instead of some food, all Vali got a mouthful of bitter tasting water. An obnoxious laugh echoed off of the cliffs, prompting Vali to look up at the swift thief, despite being fully aware of who the culprit was. This wasn't the first time he'd been down this path, after all.

"Gale, you slimy thief!" The male squawked, "That was for my brother! Why don't you catch your own food for a change?"

"Too bad, wisehead!" Gale guffawed from the air, the scaly swimmer still trapped within his beak, "You should have been quicker! But don't worry! You know what they say- there's plenty of scaly swimmers in the sea!"

The flyer's cackles sounded through the air as he headed towards the share, presumably to enjoy his unearned meal. Vali watched him leave, scowling. From the corner of his eye he caught sight of another scaly swimmer leaping across the water, and caught it by its tail. The creature was remarkably tiny, with practically no fat on its pathetic little body. Even a hatchling wouldn't want it. Vali released his hold, letting the swimmer retreat back into the water to live another day.

A minor setback, but he wouldn't let that discourage him. He was going to find a good, appetizing meal for his brother, even if he had to circle the water until the Cold Time arrived. Shrugging off the lingering annoyance with a small huff, he reassumed his previous position, eyes watching the water for any sign of life. Only this time, he also made sure to keep an eye out for any no-good, thieving flyers as well.


Somewhere within the thicket of trees, a twig snapped. Not long after, a pale brown blur could be seen leaping from one tree branch to the other, the seemingly elusive creature using her own momentum to propel herself forward. She may not have been the strongest or the biggest, or have any redeeming qualities that would be of any use, but Illyria prided herself on how sneaky she was. Her body was so light that she could move without making a single peep, instead of lumbering around everywhere like some of the larger flyers in her flock. It was a shame that her only true skill was rendered useless, unless she actually felt like sneaking off somewhere in the dead of the night without the use of her wings.

Busy with reciting her mental monologue to no one but herself, Illyria hadn't even noticed she'd lost sight of her target. When she looked down, the alleged wanderer was nowhere to be seen. Eyes widened in surprise as she whirled her head from one end of the clearing to the other, unable to spot him. She must have been truly incompetent if she already managed to lose sight of someone who had been there mere seconds ago. The thought of looking behind her didn't even cross her mind until it was too late.

"May I help you?"

"Woah-!"

The voice that suddenly made itself known from above caused her to lose her footing, squeezing out a yelp from the female as she slipped from the branch she had been perched on. She barely managed to prevent any serious injury with a quick flap of her wings seconds before she touched the ground.

Craning her head, she turned to meet her unknown assailant. At least, she assumed they were there to kill her. The one immutable law of the outlands was to either kill or be killed, and she knew that. She looked up, meeting the curious gaze of a male sharptooth flyer. The wanderer.

"Are you alright?" The male inquired, landing right in front of her.

"Fine," Illyria answered curtly. Aside from her bruised ego, she had not a scratch on her.

"Don't feel bad," the other chortled, "It was quite clever, using the branches to launch yourself forward instead of relying solely on your wings. You just need to figure out a way to not make as much noise. I could hear you before I even saw you."

Illyria was inclined to believe that the flyer was only saying that out of pity, but one whiff of his scent suggested otherwise. "Thank you. I'm... still working on it. Clearly."

"Well, in any case, the name's Yarrow. What's yours?"

"I'm Illyria. At least, that's what everyone calls me." As a flyer who grew up without any parents, she simply had to trust that what others called her was actually her real name.

"Illyria," Yarrow repeated to himself, a wistful look in his pale eyes, "a beautiful name. So, Illyria, you look like quite the curious young flyer. Why did you feel the need to follow me, if you don't mind my prying? Don't worry, I'm not upset. I'm just curious."

"Seems to be a lot of that around here lately," Illyria remarked under her breath, earning a slight chuckle from the elder. His reaction brought upon the faintest hint of a smile on her face, as well as an increase of confidence.

"I saw Faris chew you out," she proceeded to explain, "before you, I actually never saw another outsider. But now... I'm starting to think we get more visitors than we actually know about."

"Faris?" Yarrow tapped his beak, racking his memory for a moment before he finally remembered. "Ah! You mean that savage brute? Yes, I've certainly come across his type before... always set in their ways, and trying to reason with them is about the same as talking to a rock."

Illyria snorted at the blunt yet fitting description. "Yes, that's him. But that's not the only reason I'm here. You see, I've been raised by that 'savage brute' my entire life. When I was younger I would ask him about the outside world, but he usually ignored me or he would yell at me. Either way, I never got anything out of him. So, I was wondering if you could tell me what it's like...?"

Upon seeing the almost childish gleam in the young one's eyes, the male smiled fondly. He remembered his youth well, the memories of being a swift young flyer with an insatiable sense of curiosity. He understood exactly where the young female was coming from. In fact, he even saw a little bit of himself in her.

"Well," he began, "it's quite difficult to put into words, but I will say that if you were to see it for yourself, I don't think you'd be let down. Out there, you'll see mountains that spit fire from their tops, and entire lands covered in nothing but ice, with winds that could freeze your beak off."

Illyria instinctively covered her beak, green eyes wide with amazement as she listened to each and every word he said. Faris could only imagine capturing her attention as completely as Yarrow did.

Yarrow thought he had finished listing all that he could off the top of his head, until his eyes widened in realization less than a moment later. "Oh! How could I forget? You know of the Big Water, yes? Well, believe it or not, it actually goes on forever and forever."

"What? No way, you're making that up," Illyria shook her head, narrowing her eyes in suspicion, "if the Big Water really is that huge, everyone would have sipped all the water up seasons ago."

"That's the thing, shortbeak. The Big Water is so huge, it never runs out. And it's not filled with just scaly swimmers. There's all sorts of creatures living down there in those depths! I'm telling you, it's like an entirely different world."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll believe that when I see it. " It wasn't that she didn't want to believe him, it was just that it sounded too good to be true. She'd hate to venture out there herself, only to be disappointed.

"It's the truth, young one," Yarrow insisted, "I've seen it with my own eyes. You've lived quite the sheltered life here, so I don't blame you for being skeptical. Actually... maybe it would be better for you to see it for yourself."

Dark green eyes were as wide as the Night Circle at its fullest, Yarrow's statement prompting the gobsmacked female to meet his gaze. "You mean... I could be there?"

"Well, why not?" Yarrow shrugged rather indolently, "Everyone has to leave home at some point, don't they? And in my opinion, there's no better way to make your mark on the world than setting out to see all that it has to offer."

The gleam had returned to her eyes, even if just for a fleeting moment. With the tip of her beak in her palm, she mulled over the possibility. Going beyond the Big Water? That would be an adventure for the ages, no doubt about it.

She looked up to meet Yarrow's gaze once more. "I'll be right back," she told him before tapping the lower part of her beak with her talon, "...will you still be here?"

"Of course," Yarrow affirmed, nodding his head.

Great. That was one less thing to worry about. Illyria flashed a quick grin and turned back the way she came, unable to contain her excitement as she swept through the vegetation.

As soon as she was gone, another figure drifted down from within the shelter of the trees. A flyer. He had concealed himself at Yarrow's behest, but now that the girl was gone, he could finally give the other a piece of his mind. "Damn it, we're wasting too much time. Why don't we just grab her?"

Yarrow was unable to repress an utterly exhausted sigh. "Because that would be abduction, which is frowned upon in many places, Yuri. Even if we did take her by force, three flyers don't exactly make a flock. And more importantly, I would never stoop as low as holding someone against their will."

"Y'know, I can't tell you how annoying it is when you talk like that, acting like you're the pride of every flock just 'cause you're so smart," Yuri grumbled, "I mean, every time you open your mouth, I just think to myself 'who does this guy think he is?' I mean, everyone looks up to you for no real reason except that you talk good. And you know what? You do talk good. But that's all it is. Talk."

Yarrow drew an inward breath, looking up towards the sky and wondering when his brother would get to the point. After an entire lifetime with Yuri, his long-winded rants had simply become a part of their daily routine. "Are you finished?"

"No," Yuri spat, "But there's no use in talking to you about it, so why waste my breath? Besides, what I'm more annoyed about is the fact that there ain't shit to eat here."

"I can see that." Yarrow sighed again, massaging his forehead, "Listen, I know that we don't really have a whole lot of time, but all I'm asking is for you to trust me. Once we have a decently sized group we can get out of here. We'll settle someplace safe and later on, when we're old— well, older, we can laugh and reminisce about this moment. You have my word on that."

There was a long silence after that, during which Yuri managed to scoop up a scaly swimmer maneuvering its way through the stream. Then, with the swimmer in his mouth, he gave his muffled and unimpressed response. "...Yeah, sure. Whatever."

jassy:
A good night to enjoy the sweets of the land = A sort of secret code among rebellious younger flyers, used when they want to sneak off and do something forbidden without any elders catching on to their plans.

FF link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13940589/3/Soaring-Across-Azure-Skies


The Outsiders
It took several grueling attempts and a few painstaking moments of making an absolute fool of himself, but Vali soon returned to his brother, clasping a few scaly swimmers in his beak. It wasn't exactly his best work since the swimmers were small and not very fattening but the fact remained that large, decently sized swimmers were rare in the shallow waters that surrounded them. I'm going to kill you the next time I see you, Gale, he swore to himself.

Vali landed in a patch of sand, plopping the scaly swimmers down in front of the other male. He pushed the meal towards Orri with his beak, giving him an encouraging nod. In response, Orri merely looked down at the rather unappetizing swimmers.

"I'm sorry I don't have the kind you like," Vali sighed, lowering his head apologetically, "Someone else beat me to it, I'm afraid. You know Orri, sometimes I feel like clearing out of this forsaken island altogether."

Orri glanced at his brother, tempted to weigh in with his opinion but quickly deciding against it. It wasn't often that Vali voiced his dislike for their current lifestyle. If anything, he usually defended it, but his complaints were starting to become more frequent. Not wanting to upset his brother any further, Orri reluctantly took a bite out of the swimmer. He knew he shouldn't complain- food was food, after all. The unfortunate majority of creatures who lived in the outlands were lucky if they came across a meal at all.

Vali noticed the other's hesitation and sighed inwardly, lowering his head in exhaustion. "If you can't eat it, that's fine. You don't need to pretend to like it."

He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice for his brother's sake. The last thing Vali wanted was for Orri to feel like a burden. No one had ever called the young male a liability to his face, but actions often spoke louder than words. No one needed to tell him he was seen as dead weight, as he could tell by the way most flyers went out of their way to avoid him, and the way he could feel the weight of their scrutinizing stares on the back of his head. Even when they acted polite, Orri's sharp instincts could often decipher the truth behind the smile.

This was no different. Despite his brother's attempts to hide it, Orri still picked up on Vali's agitation. He crouched towards the ground, lowering his head in a submissive position, apologizing for his offense. "It's alright, Vali, really. I should be more grateful. I mean, it is food, isn't it?"

Vali frowned, having picked up on the quivering of Orri's voice. His brother wasn't the only observant one in the family. Having been thrust into the role of a carer as a youngling, Vali knew him the way a father would know his own son.

"Don't start, Orri," Vali warned, "it's alright. I wouldn't exactly want to eat this either, especially if I'm looking for an actual meal."

He scrunched up his beak before touching his beak to his brother's in a display of affection. "I'll go try and find some better ones for you. You are a growing flyer, after all. And with your health, you're going to need some proper sustenance."

"I'm guessing Gale took all the good scaly swimmers for himself again?"

Vali turned to see the tall and slender golden-brown form of a male flyer right behind him. He sat upon a moss covered rock, practically losing it over his own joke- which wasn't even all that funny to begin with.

"Afraid so, Scud," came Vali's utterly exasperated response as he braced himself for the oncoming headache.

"What I wouldn't give to see him choking on one of the scaly swimmers he stole," remarked Scud with a shake of his head, "the Circle of Life bites everyone in the ass at some point or another."

Vali rushed to cover his brother's ears, hissing at Scud to be quiet. "What's wrong with you? I've told you before to curb that foul tongue around my brother."

"I know what 'ass' means, Vali," Orri sighed, wriggling free of his brother's grasp, "I'm not a hatchling anymore."

"That's the problem with you shortbeaks," Vali scolded, "you all want so badly to be grown up but when it finally happens, you wish you were young again."

Scud cocked his head towards the side, hazel eyes glazed over in thought. "Wait... aren't you two the same age?"

"Now that you mention it... yes, we are. Vali just likes to act older than he actually is." Orri craned his head to look at Vali, an uncharacteristically smug grin on his beak.

"I still hatched first," Vali huffed, "but if that's how you're going to be... well, then I suppose you can bid those scaly swimmers goodbye."

Orri's eyes widened in horror. "No! Come on Vali, don't be like that, I was only joking!"

"Got you, shortbeak." The slightly larger flyer winked, laughing while tracing a claw over Orri's chest, causing the other to burst into laughter.

"S-Stop it!" Orri managed through fits of giggles, "Vali, I'm serious! Cut it out!"

"Who's your favorite brother?" Vali added another hand to his barrage of tickles, "Tell me who your favorite brother is and I'll stop."

While the two brothers were curled up into a heap of laughter, Scud spotted Gale making his way down towards the shore, ready to feast. Curious eyes watched the male swallow his unearned catch, only for it to get caught in his throat.

"Alright, alright! It's you!" Orri cackled until his stomach began to ache, tears flowing from his eyes. "It's you! You're my only brother- just let me go-!"

Scud couldn't help but laugh at the display of absurdity. "Vali, look. The Bright Circle's barely risen and already Gale's had more than he can handle."

Vali tore his eyes away from his brother, granting him his freedom. Dark blue eyes softened in a show of sympathy towards the currently choking flyer. "Poor Gale. I suppose somebody should help the lad before he chokes to death."

Both Orri and Scud showed their agreement through affirmative murmurs and nods, despite not budging from their current positions.

Vali rolled his eyes. It was already clear exactly which one of them would end up shouldering the responsibility. "Well, don't everybody fly off at once."

While Vali made his way over and proceeded to chastise Gupta for swallowing the scaly swimmer tail-first rather than headfirst, Orri decided to busy himself with staring at the clouds.

"Orri! Orriii!"

Orri whirled around to see Illyria darting towards him, her hyperactive movements inadvertently causing her to kick sand all over the place.

"Ugh," he winced, spitting out a few bits of sand that he'd accidentally inhaled, "why are you shouting?"

"Sorry," Illyria apologized, making room for herself right next to Orri, "But there's something important I have to tell you. It's a matter of life or death!"

"No offense, Illyria," Orri started, scratching the area behind his ear with his leg, "...but I think you and I have two different definitions of 'life or death'."

She opened her mouth to defend herself, only to close it mere seconds later. She definitely had a tendency to overreact, she'd grant him that much at least. "It's serious this time, I promise you." She lowered her voice to a whisper, "I... I talked to a wanderer."

Orri straightened up almost immediately. "I really hope this is your idea of a joke," he responded with just a glimmer of concern in his eyes, "wanderers never come here. And more importantly, anything about the outside world is forbidden, remember? You could get in serious trouble."

"Ancestors, not you too." Illyria rolled her eyes, "Just listen, alright? The wanderer's name is Yarrow. From what I could gather, he's probably looking for more flyers to join him before he takes off again. Safety in numbers, you know? And he suggested that younger flyers like us should join him!"

Orri drew in a gentle, quivering gasp, basically beaming. "We could know what it's like firsthand...!"

"...A good night to enjoy the sweets of the land?" Illyria peered knowingly at her friend, a mischievous grin laying upon her snaggletoothed beak.

To the adults, specifically the ones that had lived through more than several cold times, it might have seemed like the female was merely spouting nonsense, but Orri recognized the secret riddle. "No," he mouthed, "we shouldn't."

"Oh, come on," Illyria groaned, "You just said you'd like to witness it yourself! Don't be such a shortbeak."

"What are we talking about, kids?" Scud butted in. "Up to some mischief, are we?"

"No!" Orri and Illyria exclaimed in unison.

Scud laughed, thoroughly amused by how quick the kids were to cover up any evidence of their schemes. "Oh, don't you worry. I'm no blabbermouth. I can't say the same for that one over there, though."

He pointed a talon in the direction of Gale, who was too exhausted by his ordeal to even think about eating. Vali was still occupied with lecturing him about proper eating habits, although Scud was sure Gale would have preferred choking to death.

"If you two want to sneak off then by all means, go ahead. You just haven't lived unless you've done something that's against the rules at least once in your life." He gave them both an encouraging nudge, urging them forward. "Go on. I'll cover you."

Fresh out of excuses, Orri sighed defeatedly before following in Illyria's footsteps. "I used to be such a sensible flyer..."


They approached the thicket of trees, where surely enough, one of the sentinels was standing guard. The same one from earlier, in fact. Illyria smiled and walked right past the dark brown flyer, hoping that he'd let her pass through another time.

"Hold it." He blocked the pair's way in with his left wing, "Orri, Illyria, where do you two think you're going?" A pause. "...those are your names, right?"

Orri nodded affirmatively while Illyria did the talking, surprisingly chipper. "Good day, Aharon! How are you?"

"Cut the crap," he hissed, "I know you're on your way to meet the wanderer. You realize I saw you sneak off earlier, right?."

Illyria winced, clenching her fists while cursing herself for being so careless. The sentinels were loyal only to Faris, and no one else. She knew that. "...You're not going to tell him, are you?"

"Well, I didn't tell him the first time I saw you, so I won't tell him now since I'd like to keep my head on my shoulders." He bent over, looking Illyria in the eye. "So long as you two don't get caught. But I have to warn you, if Faris realizes where you are, there's nothing I can do. I'm sticking my neck out for you shortbeaks, but I'm not about to put my job on the line. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Orri answered, his body as rigid as a stick.

"Loosen up, son. Just Aharon is fine." Aharon then lowered his wing, stepping aside to let them through while scanning his surroundings. Once all was clear, he nodded to signal that they could go on ahead.

Illyria and Orri scampered into the foliage, Orri briefly circling back to the lone sentinel. "Thank you for this, Aharon. We both really appreciate it."

"Yes, yes, you're welcome," Aharon mumbled impatiently, "Just hurry and go before anyone else sees you."

"Right." Orri dipped his head respectfully, sauntering back over to where Illyria was waiting for him. Before long, both flyers had disappeared into the verdant forest, leaving not a single trace except for the very discernible footprints that were now embedded in the soil.


"Ah, I see you've brought a friend." Yarrow stepped out into the clearing as he saw Illyria approach with another flyer in tow. A welcoming smile on his face, he made his way over to the newcomer. "My name is Yarrow. What's yours?"

"Orri," he answered, still not able to muster the courage to look right at him just yet. Meeting new flyers always made Orri feel smaller than a buzzer.

The young one's nervousness was not lost on Yarrow, who chose not to acknowledge it for Orri's sake. "It's wonderful to meet you, Orri. Are you interested in seeing the outside world as well?"

Orri felt his heart drop, crouching lower and lower towards the ground. He was sure this was a trap, somehow. "Well, not really..."

"Come on, Orri," Illyria nudged him in the side, prompting him to let out a nearly comical sounding 'oof', "you can be honest."

"Vali will kill me if he finds out," Orri stated, still visibly afraid.

"Don't be so dramatic," Illyria laughed, "I mean, he goes into a tizzy if you have the smallest scratch on you! Look, I know you hate disappointing him, but you have to start living for yourself at some point."

"That's exactly right. There's really nothing to be afraid of, young one," Yarrow assured after directing an approving nod in Illyria's direction, "all we have to fear is fear itself."

"Here we go." Yuri glared scathingly at Yarrow, turning around to eat so he wouldn't have to listen to another one of his brother's cryptic riddles.

"I see you've now met my brother," Yarrow said in breathless exasperation, reciprocating the glare with one of his own, "his name is Yuri. He talks a big game, but he's harmless. Mostly."

"You kids should turn back right now if you don't wanna be bored to death," Yuri advised the two young flyers, not even making the slightest effort to be discreet about his lack of support for the other's plan.

Yarrow scowled at his brother and craned his neck to look back at Orri and Illyria. "Anyways... I figure I should explain myself a bit, just to clear the air, hm? If we are to survive in the outlands, or the Mysterious Beyond as many others call it, we must learn to trust each other first."

Orri couldn't help but feel like that comment was directed at him. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, taking shelter behind Illyria's forewing.

"My brother and I have been on our own for quite some time," Yarrow continued, "We chose to leave our flock, right about when we were your age, actually. We were young, eager and overconfident. What we had yet to learn was that the beyond does not discriminate. It can and will swallow you whole, regardless of how old or young you are. That's just the truth. We've seen so many wonders and we hope to see many more, but we're also looking for a place to settle down. Maybe a high, lonely place with enough water to sustain us. We were actually thinking of this place when we saw it, but... well, Illyria can tell you just how smoothly that went."

Illyria let a shrug roll off of her shoulders, a light but awkward chuckle escaping her beak. "Mhm. Faris doesn't exactly take too kindly to others encroaching on his so-called territory."

"It's just how things have always been done," Orri reasoned, coming to Faris' defense, "He's only trying to keep us safe."

"Just by that sentence alone, I can tell you have a kind heart," Yarrow pointed out, unfazed, "make sure you keep it that way, Orri. It's rare to find a soul in the Mysterious Beyond that hasn't been embittered."

"Yep," Yuri agreed through a mouthful of water, "the Mysterious Beyond will chew you up and spit you out a hundred times over. If you can keep that same attitude after all that crap, even I would be impressed."

Yarrow nodded his head, concurring with his brother's statement. "If you lose hope, then you lose. You'll just become fodder for the Mysterious Beyond, just another name. I know it sounds sappy, but hope is what kept my brother and I alive. Of course you can't survive on hope alone, but believing you can is already half of the journey."

Hope. That wasn't something Orri ever had much of, and perhaps that was exactly the problem. He dared to dream of a better place, but never dared to hope of one. With an optimistic glimmer in his eyes, he finally summoned the courage to look directly at the elder. "...Please, can you tell us more?"


Outside the thick cover of green, Aharon diligently stood guard, sending anyone who even glanced at him wrong fleeing in the opposite direction. Or at least he was prepared to do so, if it ever came to that. As someone who'd ventured off on many escapades as a young flyer, he understood what it was like, wanting the slightest taste of thrill and adventure.

Suddenly, a faint rustle from the grass caught his attention. His pupils constricted, his entire body poised to attack as he sniffed the air, trying to gauge the supposed threat. When he saw Faris emerge from the thin blades of green, Aharon felt a sense of relief, only to resume panicking less than a second later. Anyone else he could handle, but not Faris!

Regardless, he masked his panic and dipped his head respectfully. "Greetings, sir. What brings you here?"

"Have you seen Illyria?" Faris inquired, "Or Orri? Vali informed me that he turned around for a moment and Orri was gone. I wonder where they could have gotten to..."

"I'm afraid I haven't seen them, sir, I've been standing here this whole time, and they haven't passed through." Aharon remained stoic and stony faced, hoping that his superior wouldn't see through his act. If Faris found out he lied... Aharon didn't even want to think about it.

Faris paused to sniff the air. "Strange... Illyria's scent is still fresh. I know because that girl rolls around in the dirt all day, and she has a very strong scent." A hearty laugh escaped his beak, Aharon laughing along with him to guarantee that he stayed on the older flyer's good side.

The laughter came to an abrupt and sudden end when Faris' eye caught a footprint, mere inches away from where Aharon stood. Crouching over, he took a whiff of the soil. Although the footprints quickly disappeared, he could see a trail of leaves directly ahead of him. "That's Illyria's scent, alright. Looks like she went further inland..."

The realization dawned on Faris, and it took all of Aharon's willpower to remain calm and collected. The leader of the sentinels was no fool, there was no doubt that he'd already put the pieces together.

"That little... she went to talk to the wanderer! She probably roped poor Orri into it too," Faris fumed, "Aharon, follow me. I'll need my strongest sentinel in case those murderous outsiders want to try any foul play."

"But sir, my shift is nearly over," Aharon protested. He was looking for any excuse to keep the other from following that trail.

"What about it? The next flyer knows what to do when he gets here. Now come!" He began to advance forward only to stop in his tracks before letting out a high pitched screech, shouting out a single name.

"Nightwing!"

A dark blue flyer, a bit runtish in stature but a swift flyer nonetheless, swooped down. "I'm here, sir. What is it?"

"Nightwing," Faris began, addressing the other flyer by name, "Listen to me. I need you to go find Vali, tell him to come here and to wait for me. Got it?"

Nightwing nodded, setting off to carry out his orders. Left with no further delays or excuses, Aharon had no choice but to follow his superior, and to hope that Orri and Illyria had already cleared out of the area before they arrived.


Thank you all for your patience! I know this chapter took a bit longer to get released than it should have, and I do apologize for that. This semester has been incredibly hectic but I only have about two months left so I hope to get some writing in! There's not much happening in this chapter which was intentional, since it's intended to act sort of like a bridge between the previous installment and the one that's to come, and I hope you all are looking forward to that and seeing what'll happen to our hopeful, young flyers. Now with all of that out of the way, it's time to respond to some reviews!


The Rhombus:

Thank you for your helpful feedback as always! :) Your assessment of Vali and Orri was pretty spot on, haha. But I'm glad to hear that it kept your interest, and I hope it'll continue to do so.

Loire:
Amazingly written Jassy! good job! It is kinda late for me here, so I only had the energy to read the prologue. And it got me hooked! your description of how to express the surroundings and characters in written words are very poetic and eloquent, which is so lovely. As for the plot, it would be as Rhombus said a very solid introduction. The sacrifice the father had to make is very touching and a good build up for what is coming next.

I'm not really a fanfic writer but rather a person who gives his OC additional background stories and is comfortable being in that place and level of writing. While reading your fanfic I realized I could learn a lot from your writing style to improve mine, very inspiring I would say. Anyhow, Keep up the work, you are doing great!   :yes

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