^Sam^

     Tears blurred my vision.  Ash was gone. She was at the school.  After two years of protection, she gets captured on a grocery run.  I have never felt so powerless.  Looking behind me, I saw there specs in the distance.  It must be Vivi.  I couldn't tell who the others were so I waited.

     I was sad to put it lightly.  Furious sounded bore likely.  Yelling, I punched a tree with all my strength.  Unable to control myself,I broke down sobbing.  Why couldn't it have been me?  I heard a fluttering of wings and I felt a hand on my shoulder.  It was Vivi.

"Shhh.  Its okay Iris.  We will get Ash back."Vivi said comfortingly.  I sniffled and looked up.  Their, in front of me, was the girl from my dreams and a boy that was the spitting image of Ellani.

"Who are you?" I asked.

The girl looked up at me with sad eyes and said, "I'm Max.  This is Iggy.  We found your flock and brought you to our cave."

"Oh"was all I could say.

"Look Iris." Vivi said.  "They want to help us.  We have to get back to the flock."

Willing tears from my eyes, I got up and opened my wings.

"Wow! You have huge wings!" Max said.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Iggy half yelled.

"Sorry Ig.  We're near lake Mead to er...  Pick up and bring Iris back."

I looked into Iggy's eyes and noticed he was staring into nothingness.  He must be blind.

"Let's go.  I- I'm fine." Max, Iggy, and Vivi took into the air with me and I lead them back to lake Mead.

     When we got back, Ellani was sleeping on Sam's lap.  I grabbed a blanket from her pack, picked her up, and gently layed her down on the floor with my windbreaker as a pillow.    Feeling she was comfortable, I left and sat down with Max's flock and handed out some snacks.  

"Hi!  I'm Gazzy."  an eight-year-old kid with blonde hair said.

"Iris."

"I'm Nudge."  A series of names were called out.

"How did you escape?"  Fang asked.  

"Well, two years ago, a man named Jeb Batcheldor brought the six of us to Nevada.  Me, Sam, Vivi, Ash, Ali, and Ellani."  I looked back at the flock to see if they were paying attention.  I was surprised to see that there mouths were open in shock. 

"Shut your mouths.  You could catch flies in it."  Sam said with a smile.

"J-Jeb Batcheldor?"  Max asked.

"Yah.  That's him.  Why?  Do you know him?" Ali said.

"He helped us.  Escape four years ago.  

"We lived in Colorado."  Iggy began.  "Until... Until Angel was taken.  We've been looking for her for about a week.  She's at the school."

"They took Ash, Ali's twin.  We-"  I was cut of by Ellani's  voice.

"Iris?  Where are we?"  Ellani stumbled out with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.  A few feathers could be seen under it.

"Holy-"  

"Gazzy!  No swearing!"  Max interrupted.

"Come here Ellani.  Their safe.  Their like us."  I said.  Ellani slowly walked towards me and gave me a hug. I gave her my trail mix and she sat on my lap.

"What?"  I said accusingly.  Every one was staring at me.

"She's a spitting image of Iggy."  Nudge said in awe.  Vivi, Sam, Ali, and I looked back and forth at Ellani then Iggy.  

"Ellani, can we see your wings?"  Max asked.  Ellani looked at me and I nodded.  Slowly, Ellani opened her ten foot wingspan. 

"Can I see everyone else's?"   Nudge squealed.

     Shoving a few more almond into my mouth, I extended my black wings.  Vivi, Sam, and Ali did the same.  Sam's wings were pure white.  Vivi's were carmel colored and Ali's were grey.  Like Ash's.

     Max's flock compared their own wings to ours.  Fang, Max, and Iggy's wings were all the same length of Ali's.  Gazzy's wings were the same as Ellani's.

"Okay everyone.  Ali, Ellani, bed.  Now.  It's midnight.  You should have been in bed hours ago." I said.  Grudgingly, they got out blankets and layed down.

"I think everyone should go to bed actually."  Max said.

"But, I don't want to-"  Max cut Nudge off with a single glare. 

"I agree."  I said.  Handing out blankets to every one, I layed down and pulled my wings into me close, enveloping my body.  I shut my eyes and went into a dreamless sleep.

A/N  How did you like that?  

Question of the day:  Guess what I look like.

If you vote, I'll give you a cookie.

If you comment, I'll give you Dr. Martinez's homemade cookies.