the current to guide him. He forcedhimself to stay still a moment and wait for the water’s tug. This way. He didn’t have much breath left, and all he could do was hope the current would bring him out somewhere soon. And that Marina was still close by.
His chest felt as if it might explode. He wanted air. He tried to row with his wings, but it was slowing him down more than helping. He felt his body start to panic. Air. He knocked his nose against the roof of the tunnel, hoping for a breath. His thoughts splintered and danced in his head. Air. Which way? Can’t. Hurry, hurry, please.
Suddenly he was gasping and choking, his head above water. Rivulets streamed down his face, his fur plastered against his body. He turned clumsily, blinking water from his eyes, to see Marina splash up nearby, spluttering and sucking air hungrily.
“Another great idea from the master,” she said sarcastically when she’d caught her breath. “Thank you, Shade.”
They had spread their wings to keep themselves afloat and were drifting down a stream lined with willows. They were in another forest—so familiar-looking that for a moment, Shade wondered if by some trick the tunnel had simply returned them to the same place. Spreading around them was the same lush mix of conifers and leafy trees; far overhead the same glass roof, the same sun. They drifted lazily down the stream.
“Maybe this is where they take the bats,” whispered Marina excitedly.
Impulsively Shade drew in breath to call out his father’s name, but Marina smacked a wet wing across his mouth. “Are you crazy? We don’t even know what’s in here yet!”
Shade scowled, but nodded. Cautiously, he swept the trees with sound, searching beneath branches for the telltale shape of roosting bats. Nothing so far … just leaves … moreleaves … and then something moved, something much larger than what he’d been looking for. He’d been searching only for bats, his focus tight, but now he pulled back in alarm and saw a huge, feathered head with horned ears.
Heart hammering, his echo vision skittered along the branch, and then into nearby trees.
The forest was teeming with owls.
“Marina …” he breathed.
“I see them. Good thing you didn’t call out.” He’d never seen so many owls in one place before, and he doubted any bat had, since the rebellion of fifteen years ago. He’d already counted three dozen. They were all sleeping, it seemed, and Shade wanted to keep it that way. But what were they doing here—in an identical forest right beside their own?
“We’re going back,” Marina said in a tight voice. Shade nodded, but with a shock realized how far they’d already drifted down the stream. The tunnel mouth was out of sight around a bend. Stupid! He’d forgotten how fast the current was. He clumsily paddled with his wings, but wasn’t doing much more than treading water.
“This is no good,” hissed Marina. “It’ll take too long.”
“We’re going to have to fly,” Shade said. Marina grimaced, and Shade didn’t like the idea, either. To fly was to risk being spotted by a restless owl. But once airborne, they could probably make it back to the tunnel in less than a minute.
“This was a bad idea, wasn’t it?”
“Definitely,” said Marina. “Let’s climb out.” Stealthily, they hauled themselves up onto the bank, quietly shaking water from their fur and wings. Shade knew they should really wait until they were dryer, but they didn’t have the time. He just hoped they weren’t too waterlogged. With a clumsy leap,he was airborne, heavy and flapping hard. With Marina, he flew low, streaking back through the forest to the stream’s source. There it was.
They settled on the bank. The water burst from the tunnel, frothing at the sides. He hadn’t realized how fast it was. They’d nearly drowned coming through, and that was
with
the current. There was no way he could imagine them getting back alive. His stomach shifted heavily. He
His chest felt as if it might explode. He wanted air. He tried to row with his wings, but it was slowing him down more than helping. He felt his body start to panic. Air. He knocked his nose against the roof of the tunnel, hoping for a breath. His thoughts splintered and danced in his head. Air. Which way? Can’t. Hurry, hurry, please.
Suddenly he was gasping and choking, his head above water. Rivulets streamed down his face, his fur plastered against his body. He turned clumsily, blinking water from his eyes, to see Marina splash up nearby, spluttering and sucking air hungrily.
“Another great idea from the master,” she said sarcastically when she’d caught her breath. “Thank you, Shade.”
They had spread their wings to keep themselves afloat and were drifting down a stream lined with willows. They were in another forest—so familiar-looking that for a moment, Shade wondered if by some trick the tunnel had simply returned them to the same place. Spreading around them was the same lush mix of conifers and leafy trees; far overhead the same glass roof, the same sun. They drifted lazily down the stream.
“Maybe this is where they take the bats,” whispered Marina excitedly.
Impulsively Shade drew in breath to call out his father’s name, but Marina smacked a wet wing across his mouth. “Are you crazy? We don’t even know what’s in here yet!”
Shade scowled, but nodded. Cautiously, he swept the trees with sound, searching beneath branches for the telltale shape of roosting bats. Nothing so far … just leaves … moreleaves … and then something moved, something much larger than what he’d been looking for. He’d been searching only for bats, his focus tight, but now he pulled back in alarm and saw a huge, feathered head with horned ears.
Heart hammering, his echo vision skittered along the branch, and then into nearby trees.
The forest was teeming with owls.
“Marina …” he breathed.
“I see them. Good thing you didn’t call out.” He’d never seen so many owls in one place before, and he doubted any bat had, since the rebellion of fifteen years ago. He’d already counted three dozen. They were all sleeping, it seemed, and Shade wanted to keep it that way. But what were they doing here—in an identical forest right beside their own?
“We’re going back,” Marina said in a tight voice. Shade nodded, but with a shock realized how far they’d already drifted down the stream. The tunnel mouth was out of sight around a bend. Stupid! He’d forgotten how fast the current was. He clumsily paddled with his wings, but wasn’t doing much more than treading water.
“This is no good,” hissed Marina. “It’ll take too long.”
“We’re going to have to fly,” Shade said. Marina grimaced, and Shade didn’t like the idea, either. To fly was to risk being spotted by a restless owl. But once airborne, they could probably make it back to the tunnel in less than a minute.
“This was a bad idea, wasn’t it?”
“Definitely,” said Marina. “Let’s climb out.” Stealthily, they hauled themselves up onto the bank, quietly shaking water from their fur and wings. Shade knew they should really wait until they were dryer, but they didn’t have the time. He just hoped they weren’t too waterlogged. With a clumsy leap,he was airborne, heavy and flapping hard. With Marina, he flew low, streaking back through the forest to the stream’s source. There it was.
They settled on the bank. The water burst from the tunnel, frothing at the sides. He hadn’t realized how fast it was. They’d nearly drowned coming through, and that was
with
the current. There was no way he could imagine them getting back alive. His stomach shifted heavily. He
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