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Azrel was startled from her sleep by the sounds of crashing
trees and terrified screeching. Being only a week old and barely able to fly,
the frightened little cloud Pteri began to cry for her mother. But nobody came,
she remained all alone in the nest, while all the world seemed to come crashing
down around her. She saw other Pterii flying all around above her as the crashing
continued, all of them far too panicked to come to the young one's aid. Finally,
a spotted Pteri landed on the side of the nest; it was Caero, her older brother.
"Caero, what's happening? I'm scared!"
"I don't know, but come with me! I'll help you
stay in the air!"
She flapped clumsily into the air, helped by
Caero. Together they flew among the scores of other wings, and Azrel saw what
was happening. Huge green things were cutting down the massive jungle trees
that the Pterii lived in with red beams of light. Others threw nets into the
air, entangling many Pterii and causing them to plummet to the ground. There
were so many of the birds in the air that each net easily caught as many as
three at once. Several times Azrel and Caero only just avoided being snared.
At last they broke free of the chaos, but found a line of the green things waiting
with more throwing nets to catch those who tried to get away. Quickly, they
veered back into the circle. There was no way out; the canopies of the trees
were so intertwined and tangled now that they prevented escape into the open
air, and the green things had them completely surrounded.
"C'mon, sis, land! I've got a plan!"
The little cloud Pteri had few qualms about
this; her tiny wings were all but worn out. They almost crashed into the lush
foliage, then quickly concealed themselves within a bush. They were both exhausted
and breathing heavily. Caero told Azrel to keep quiet and stay still until he
said so. After a short time, all of the other Pterii had been captured and the
green creatures were gathering all of the nets that lay on the ground. And they
were getting horribly close to the two's hiding space.
"Okay, it's time," whispered Caero, "I'm going
to lead them away from here. As soon as they're all chasing me, you are to run
along the ground as quickly and as quietly as possible until you're away from
this place. Whatever you do, don't look back."
Azrel nodded silently; she knew that it was dangerous,
but this was Caero. He could do anything. The things were getting really close;
they looked so big and scary. Then Caero burst from the bush, shrieking and
soaring low to the ground. That was her cue; she hop-skipped along the ground
as fast as she could. None of the things noticed her; she was tiny and they
were busy with her brother. She kept going until she reached a little spring
that was far enough away from her former home to worry about the things. She
lay down among the ferns that grew all around the tiny spring and fell asleep.
***
Caero was giving the things one heck of a chase. Out of the corner of his
eye he saw a small streak of cloudy feathers that was his sister, but it soon
disappeared into the jungle. Now he could concentrate on these creatures. He
swooped around at their head height, laughing as one of them threw a net at
him but caught one of its fellows instead. All of the Pterii in the nets were
cheering him on as he dodged the clumsy attackers. His overconfidence was his
downfall. He was so sure of himself that he chanced a high swoop, but was instantly
entangled in three different nets. He hit the ground hard, and it knocked the
breath out of him. One of the bigger creatures picked him up and held him at
arm's length as it carried him over to a big metal object. A ramp slowly came
out of the side and a tall, imposing figure strode out of it and came towards
the creature that held Caero.
"It took all of you fools to capture this one
Pteri? And a young Pteri at that. I need to get some smarter minions. Stupid
Grundos can't do anything right. Well, load them all into the shuttle so we
can get back to Virtupets, and step on it!"
"Yes, Sloth," all the creatures said in unison.
Caero looked back once more at the spot where
his sister had vanished, and hoped with all his heart that she would be all
right. He murmured to himself as the metal door sealed him off from his jungle
home forever, "Goodbye."
***
When Azrel awoke, she was very confused for a few seconds. Why was she on
the ground and where was her family? Then the events of the previous day hit
her in full force. Her home had been destroyed, all of her family had been captured.
But where was Caero? She knew that he would come for her; he was her big brother!
He had to have escaped! She would wait for him here, and he would find her no
matter what. With that settled in her young mind, she drank from the tiny spring
and clumsily flew up into the branches of one of the smaller trees. He would
come, and she would be waiting for him when he did.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months,
and still the little Pteri faithfully waited for her brother. She never went
far enough away from the spring so as to lose sight of it. She became a much
better flyer; darting among the trees like a dragonfly. One night, she stayed
awake to watch the full moon rise; as is the custom of all wild Pterii. It slowly
climbed among the stars, a perfect silver orb surrounded by twinkling diamonds.
Suddenly, it was blocked out by a swift shadow that was soon gone. She wondered
what it had been and looked around for it.
"Hey, girl," said a voice from the darkness
beside her. For a few seconds she thought that it was Caero at last, but instead
she found herself looking into the crimson eyes of a fire Pteri, "Whatcha doin'
out here all alone?"
"Watching the full moon rise."
"Don't you have a flock to watch it with?"
"No, I live alone."
"Would you like to come and join my flock?"
"I can't. I have to wait for my brother.
"How long have you been waiting?"
"A long time. But he will come for me, I know
he will. Someday."
"Girl, I don't think he's gonna come back. You
just have to move on sometimes."
"No. He will come."
"How do you know he still remembers you? Or
even cares?"
Azrel was silent, her sapphire eyes closed.
The fire Pteri shrugged and flew off. Azrel simply sat there for a while, then
looked up, the stars reflecting as sparkling jewels in her eyes. She traced
the path of a shooting star, and her unspoken wish echoed throughout her soul.
She answered the question, even though the other Pteri was long gone.
"Because he's Caero."
The End
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