The Early Mission [Top Wing Fanfic]

10: Rover's flashback

A/N: Rover is my OC. More information will be in the upcoming chapter/s

If you're on the Top Wing discord, I put this there already (not sure if you've seen it), You could skip if you've read this, although I've practically rewritten it since then
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Rover's flashback

! ! "Rover!" ! !

I was ten years old at the time it happened.

Night time. It was dangerous to go out at this time in Hummingbird Peak, especially near the forests. Night time was when the dodo birds were active, and whoever encountered them wouldn't be guaranteed they would return back home.

But that night, I did.

I was walking towards the forest, with my little brother Robin holding onto my wingtip.

"Ro-ber, where are we going?" He asked in his little voice.

I frowned. I didn't know why I was there, or why I was taking him. I think I had a reason to, but I don't remember.

All I knew was that, that day, I'd taken him out late evening and stayed outside after the sunset. Back then I didn't think the dodos could get me that easily.

Robin was three years old, and as much as I didn't want to admit, I favoured him most among my siblings.

So why was I taking him to the forest that night?

The dodo birds that lived in our island. It must have been their doing. They must have... hypnotized me or something. Because I didn't feel like myself.

Robin couldn't walk as fast as I could, so I picked him up and carried him. There were trees around us, but they weren't thick enough to be called a forest... yet.

When I reached the woods, I stopped. I looked around. I could see a figure nearby... and then another one.

Robin gripped my neck tighter. He moaned. "R-rober? Let's g-go back..."

There were more figures now. I noticed they were approaching us.

Looking back, I would have been scared as hell if my mind wasn't being controlled.

At least, I think I was being controlled. I would never have done that in real life. But I can remember how I felt that night, and I had been calm about what I had done. Stupid, stupid.

A dodo bird emerged from the trees. I knew they lived in the forests of Hummingbird Peak, but I'd never seen one in person.

The dodo was a female. She held a scythe in one hand.

Hand, yes. The dodo birds had hands, not wings.

The next moments seemed like a dream - completely unreal, I'd forgotten part of what happened, and it didn't make sense.

The dodo birds took Robin from me... and I let them. That was how he disappeared. And according to what I've been told, I was supposed to disappear then too.

But then, like I said, I don't remember what happened next. I remember a familiar voice calling my name. I think I was rescued, because after that, I remember waking up to the blinding sunlight at the hospital.

My Mother sat next to me holding my wing. Compared to other mothers, she had a young appearance - like someone you wouldn't expect to be a mother when you see them.

As soon as I woke up, she hugged me. "Oh, Rover, I'm so glad you're okay..."

She cried. I didn't know what to say.

When she released me, I frowned and looked around. "Where's Robin?"

I already knew the answer, but I waited. My Mother looked into my eyes, searching for words. My heartbeat quickened.

"Rover... Robin has disappeared." She looked down. "You went into the forest last night."

She said it, then left it hanging like a question. 'Why?' Why did I take him to the forest?

I know now that I was really lured in there. But back then, I didn't. Thankfully my Mother didn't become upset with me. Either she knew I wasn't me at the time, or she was just too relieved to see me after the dodo encounter.

Either way, I would never be trusted with little brothers ever again.
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A/N: a parallel between my OC and Penny! They both had a bad experience concerning one of their little siblings. What do you think?