Zatch shifted again, compressing himself to make more room for other flock members. He watch Arlori grab the snake cautously, and let out a little sigh of releif as she let it go. He could appreciate the creatures, but snakes themselves were weird to Zatchine. How could they move with no limbs? Nearly every being in the world had four, prey for insects and arachnids. Well, then again, there was the flock, too, each with two arms, two legs and two large wings. They were a freak of nature, but as Ember sat on his other side and smiled at him, Zatch decided that he wouldn't have it any other way.

He smiled back, letting out a breif, light hearted laugh while somehow being quiet enough not to wake Raze. He looked at the flock, his spirits higher than they usually wre. There was Arlori with her love of animals, finaly free enough to see the creatures she cared so much for; Raze, asleep and lightly twitching n the couch behind him; Tess, so young and innocent, whos oportunistic outlook gave Zatch hope that one day she might live a normal life; Then Ember, who seemed there only in spirit. Her body betrayed her happy, almost eager ex
pression as if she was in total bliss.

Zatchine could only smile. He had never considered himself a flock leader, didn't even aknowladge that he might have leadership skills. To him, he hardly dared to dream for anymore that this- his flock in the now in their happy state. Couldn't every day be like this one? Well, leave it to Zatch to hope for something more stable.

Arlori looked at Zatch. He just seemed to be sitting there, smiling. She got up and walked towards him, plopping back down onto the couch next to him. She thought that he was thinking about the flock, as usual.

"Isn't it nice?" Arlori asked. She knew an indirect question would confuse him, so she waited for his reply.

Ember quickly snapped out of her daydreaming and rose to take the bear from Dusk. She gave her best smile and said, "I'll fix it for you, honey. You go have fun with Zatchine, okay?" She then lifted her gaze and gave Zatch a look that said, "You take care of her or I'll kill you." She then turned away and went to find her thread and needles. She also remembered seeing a few buttons in her kit....

---

Raze let loose a loud snore as he shifted onto his other side, but he quickly quieted down again, returning to whatever world he was dreaming of.

[[I'm just waiting for Morgain to post xD Bryce has nothing to do T_T]]

((Sorry, I've been forced to be social this week.))

Zatch looked at Arlori, more than a little confused by the indirect question as they usually did. He looked around the room, wondering what, exactly, she was asking about. He finally decided that their very life style, existance and freedom was what they where talking about. He turned to her and opened his mouth to speak, but was mauled to the ground by a plane. Dusk Airlines was apparently officially open to the public.

The boy had to spread his wings akwardly as Dusk ran into him, but Zatch quickly got over his temporary shock and pulled the girl into a hug, laughing and letting his hair fall into his face. He released Dusk as Ember took the teddy bear, letting Dusk run outside. She called to him as she flapped her wings to gain altitude, now barely visable through the open door. Zatchine could only laugh as Ember shot him a 'fly or die' look and he pulled himself up. After all, how could he possably say no?

Zatchine walked to the door, a smile wide across his face. He turned back to Arlori and said calmly, "Yeah, and I wouldn't change it for the world." he turned back around, half expecting another flock member or two to join them. "Hey, wait up, Dusk!" He opened his wings the seccond he was beyond the barrier of the door, ran a few steps, then let the wind catch him.

"Whoops!" He tumbled playfully into Dust, catching her in the air as his frail wings carried him twards her, then setting her back in the air current the cooled off the heat of the day. This was what he lived for: Not just the sun on the back of his wings or to feel that air that brushed past him in a way humans could never imagine, but his flock. That was all his life counted on, what he needed to survive. Without them, well... No, the day was to happy and the air to light to think of such dismal and dark topics.

Before the bear had even fallen to the ground, Ember was by Dusk's side, her wings surrounding the girl as her protective side kicked in. With a fire in her eyes, she called out to all of the younger flock members,

"Get whatever personal things you can, we're leaving; NOW." The sterness in her voice was there on purpose, it belied the true fear she felt but it served its purpose. Several of the youngsters dashed away to thier rooms, though thier eyes were still stricken wide with fear.

---

Raze's wings snapped open the moment he cleared the door. Dusk suddenly flashed past him and he immediately knew his fears had been confirmned. he flew to hover next to Zatch and demanded, "what do we do? They'll overrun the cabin with sheer numbers, we can't fight them off." He glanced back as he added, "Ember and Arlori are probably already getting the youngsters out... Zatch?"

Liya stood up at dragged Nylax (?) inside. She watched as Ember rounded up the younger generation and opened her blue wings. If they had to fight she would, she had a dagger and she wasn't afraid to use it...

-------------------------------------------

Dusk sobbed into her wing and then dried her tears. She stood up ,grabbed the teddy bear from Ember and stuck it in her little bag. She took a sketch book, a book, a few pairs of shorts and a pencil. She grabbed the picture of them together and then zipped up the bag. "I*m ready." she said, rubbing her eyes with her hands...

Zatch had hovered, his mind froze itself in an attempt to keep from panicing. He locked eyes with one of the Erasers below, and didn't notice when he began to slowly fall twards them, but Dusk's cries brought him back to reality. He pushed off with all the weight of his wings so quickly regain altitude and noticed that Ember was already as the scene and Raze was now next to him. Zilla was running out the door, too from wherever she had been hiding. He was deep is thought, panic or an odd blend of both, and he only half- heard Raze's question.

He turned to him, then curled his wings to make an quick ungracefull decent back to touch ground. He blinked slowly, not wanting to admit anything to himself, let alone break the news to the rest of the flock. "Ember's right." He turned to Raze again. "We might be able to hold our own, but they'd only come back with tripple numbers. We don't stand a chance."

Without really thinking, Zatchine stepped closer to Dust and patted her head, giving her a playful shake. "It's okay, I promise. One day there won't be a School and there won't be and Erasers."

This was a promise Zatch was more than intended to keep. He smiled as brightly as he could muster, and found it hard even for him to let out a warm chuckle. He was willing to protect his flock the best he could and die to obtain this promise. What was a bird without a flock, anyway? Both in the mental and phystical sence, dead. "One day we won't even have nightmares about them."

(sorry for late post, internet was rebelling yesterday)

Ember glanced around, counting heads. Once she had made sure three times that everyone was there, she nodded to Zatch and said,

"Everyone seems to be here, we should leave... like right now." Though she was keeping a calm composure, her body was a tense as a stretched rubber band, ready to snap at any moment. She was now counting on Zatchine to lead the way, she was at her own limit already.

---

Raze followed Zatch back to the ground, though he kept his wings spread in case he needed to quickly take off again.