Chapter 4 - Sky

Crest, or actually, Crestwood is very easy to learn. Well only the alphabet though.

Shine had showed Rav which feathers you're supposed to use as 'A' and 'R,' but when he tried it he couldn't pinpoint the feather and lit up all of them by mistake.

"No no no!" Shine stopped Rav. "You were just about to say something offensive."

Rav puffed up all his feathers, which looked like they weren't even there in the darkness. "Then how do I do this?"

"Just repeat your abc's and then when your comfortable with it you start doing combos," she made a point, saying all that. It was snowing again, bad, but good because the air felt delicious.

Yes delicious is how Rav described it when he came out of the to-warm sleeping courters.

Bad because Rav is the smallest in the Crescent Tribe, and he could easily get drowned in this snow. That's why it's bad to live just some way away from the Spirit Butterflies' home, the Taigas.

He hadn't seen anything regarding the war yet, but frantic apprentice squadrons came back with whole stories of it.

Now they had another problem, Space Bird sighting on Fallen Angels' land.

"They must've came here to negotiate!! They might attack! Everything!"

"Rav please copy me." Shine's right cheek glowed pale blue, and she simultaneously made the others spread aside as she said 'H.'

Oh no not this again, Rav thought as he predicted the next four letters Shine wanted to say.

'E R B S.' Rav lit up the four others on his left cheek with certainly. "Yea the only words you taught me is 'Herbs' and 'Aster-Fate.'"

"Well done! Just say your letters one by one, don't rush it and you'll soon say-"

As to demonstrate, her front short feather and the three on her left cheek all glowed, lighting up the place just a little.

"That means 'herb,' but it's just saying it casually."

"Why is it so hard when it looks easy?" Rav asked when he tried again, which now he didn't even get 3 right.

"Well-"

"HEALERS! ELDERS! SPACE BIRDS!" the frantic scream of Night alerting everyone set Rav and Shine on edge.

**

Space birds?! "Space birds!"

"Space birds!" Their glittering black wings and flicking tails that are annoying as well! What do they want, do they really want an alliance with Fallen Angels? You can't get it then! There's no leader for that!

Flame was sitting with Feather, discussing some matters regarding squadrons with Hua and Depressed listening on until Night's alerting scream made even Hua turn.

Sage-Onyx was the first to appear from the sleeping quarters and flapped her wings madly into the forest. To chase them off but it's not going to work with only her!

Feather immediately went after her, soaring with her wings close to herself, which meant she was probably going to disappear, since she was named after that.

In the matter of seconds she did, and Flame felt the urge to go after her.

"C'mon, Depressed, Flame! We have to bring the others to safety!" No! For what reason!??

Actually he had no right to question Hua, but really..

"I want to go after them," Flame said calmly dispite the situation.

Hua's indecision face made Flame panic, but he nodded and Depressed questioned nothing, flying away.

Those both are Warrior Apprentices trying to warn, but it makes sense since they've never been in a real battle. Hunters are most likely a lot braver.

Well, my foolish thinking of course, Flame shook himself and spalyed out his wings, then gave torque, applying speed as he started to glide through the packed trees.

A flash of two pairs of wings startled Flame as Night and Depressed surprisingly shot past, now Flame felt embarrassed even though nobody heard his thoughts.

**

This is suspicious, and now I'm investigating this, Night's usual thoughts of training hard turned to detective work as she shot past Flame, and hearing the crashing of branches she knew he didn't expect her.

The remaining seafoam colored leaves rushed past her and she dodged other branches she knew she couldn't just go into, but had to slow down as voices rose.

Snow glittered on the ground, but that wasn't the main focus as a flash of black whirled in her field of vision, its panicked, ruffled look wilting as another tree pas-

"Shhh, land," a whisper from behind her made her turn as she also almost crashed herself.

'Oh, jeez,' Depressed twitched his feathers as he lightly descended upon a branch right above her, 'didn't mean that.'

'Don't do that again,' She made her feather tremble violently, as to just show a warning to Depressed, of course.

"WE HAVE COME IN PEACE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??" 

The space birds! She threw back her wings so it won't disturb the snow and leaves, then watched from a distance, still quite fearful but it's the thing she could do until there is something wrong.

Sage-Onyx and Feather were seen from her perch, they were facing off 4 Space Birds.

All of the Space Birds literally looked the same, the same face fluff with the fluffy feather wings. Their eyes sparkled with stars and a glittering tail accompanied them all.

There was one that was bigger than the others, but a different Space Bird stepped up, staring at Sage-Onyx and Feather, examining them.

It opened it's mouth, hesitant but firmly then said, "h-hello."

Sage-Onyx stepped back a little, which Feather did the same.

"Hello," the elder said with a calm tone of voice, "what are you doing here, this deep in this jungle-forest?"

The Space Bird's eyebrow raised. "We come in peace," it said, looking less fearful. "And I assume you know exactly why we are here?"

Sage-Onyx slowly looked over all of the Space Birds, maybe checking for weapons or dangerous things. Besides, Space Birds aren't exactly fully known to Fallen Angels, they live across the lake and the end of the lake isn't exactly.. visible to us.

"Yes," she proclaimed. "I know you want to have an alliance with us."

"Good. You just saved me from explaining things."

It slid it's fluffy tail over the ground, which Night followed with her eyes.

They might have tricks, she thought. It didn't exactly do anything, but she made sure check it every once in a while, JUSTT to be sure.

"My friend," the Space Bird dipped it's head. "What is your name?"

"I'm Sage-Onyx and this is Feather," Sage-Onyx introduced her and Feather, patting the apprentice's lilac-gray wings so it stopped showing obvious aggression.

"I'm Jetka Pinewood."

"Je.."

"Jee-ka. Something like that. It's written with a T but it's pronounced with no t."

That sounded fake, and they really have their voice forced. They were mimicking the Crescent Tribe's accent.

"As you know, I- we have come to make an alliance. Just some small details," Jetka closed her eyes, seemingly thinking hard. "Since we are-"

"Wait," Sage-Onyx raised her hand in a 'stop' motion. "Stop right there."

Jetka's eyes widened in surprise.

'..ight. Night...' Night finally noticed a blue spark from the corner of her eye. 'Night. I think they are up to something.'

As Sage-Onyx startes to decline Jetka's and the Space Bird's alliance, Depressed was clinging to a tall tree's branch, when with it wet.

'Ok, so let us pay attention to it,' Night replied. 'What else do you want us to do-'

"Are you already making an alliance with the Spirit Butterflies or Half Dragons?" A different Space Bird that had tangled face fluff and small glittering eyes said with suspicion.

That's probably a male, Night thought as she looked back.

"Jetka, they might already made an alliance with someone," the male said with distrust. "And we don't even have any allies yet, so do you know what this possibly means?"

'They might attack,' Night told Depressed suddenly. 'Glow-Tunnel once said that they are greedy. I don't know, but they reallyyy might attack.'

'Attacking because someone doesn't agree or comes with them?'

'Hm.., yes. Or just attack because of how we are quite tall and we both don't have that much knowledge about each other. It can pose a threat if you leave someone with the possibility of...

She waited as a unidentified Space Bird shot a glance towards the trees where Night and Depressed were perched at.

With the possibility of harming you alone and letting them be. If it was me, I might too attack.'

Just as she finished the last flashes, hoping Depressed got that, Jetka's face relaxed as a storm of wing beats suddenly filled the air.

It was tense! And she wasn't even stranding her voice, it might've been her nerves! No wonder the male sounded completely different, he was the relaxed and observate one!

Night's eyes instantly went to Sage-Onyx, and she had taken off, propelling herself with Feather dumbfounded in her arms.

Feather ain't slow, but she can be easily shocked from some minor things.

The opposite trees from Night were mass producing Space Birds, which she didn't know they were that much.

What... A stinging like sensation tingled with her feathers.

"GET AWAY!"

Her wings quite quickly found air as she made herself take off to the air. The masses moved like one, flying after Sage-Onyx and Feather.

Then as they spotted Night, there was a hesitant movement, but it didn't last long.

Jetka Pinewood was still on the ground, she grabbed her light colored clothes and looked like she was struggling to breath.

The other two Space birds weren't seen, but the male who had basically summoned a force of Space Birds stared at Jetka with concern.

No time to know whatever is happening with her now, Night thought with slight panic as she attempted to lose a small group of 3 Space Birds.

These black winged.. her hair got in the way. She dove down at a seemingly small hill which were between two large trees, but it's really a small cove.

She had no idea how it got there, wither by nature or pure intention, but it rather looked like the best place right now.

"Pinewood ville!" A distant shout echoed within Night's ear.

Pinewood ville? Um doesn't this seem like it's not the time for useless information-

"Follow the old.. fallen angel, don't focus on the little ones!"

She landed and stole a glance at the sky, and oh.. oh no wonder.

...

Oh my goodness.