The Beginning

Chapter 32

A loud roar interrupted Dlhithirk from his sleep. He blinked open his eyes and looked down at Riley. His friend was curled up beside him, her side falling and rising slowly as she slept. Dlhithirk got up and went to Ghitpethal. His sister was curled up beside Bericlau, who was mumbling in his sleep. Dlhithirk rolled his eyes. Leave it to someone like Bericlau to do something like that: talking in his sleep. What other weird yet common things does he do?

"Ghitpethal," he hissed. His sister woke up and rubbed her eyes, blinking at him. "Dlhithirk, what are you doing up? It's only dawn?"

"Did you hear that roar?" he whispered.

"I did." Flihkfhur was looking at him, his tail twitching with curiosity. "I wonder what it is?"

"Let's go check it out." His adventurous impulse made him go toward the sound. He looked down and saw his paws twitching.

"Dlhithirk, calm down," Flihkfhur said sternly, hopping down from the tree.

"We can just go over there and, you know, be back before they wake up," he said, nodding towards Riley and her friends.

"And worry them? I don't think so," Flihkfhur said, glaring at him.

Dlhithirk sighed, but he had a point. Riley and her friends were the only humans that raised them, and Dlhithirk knew that his siblings will love them all the same, no matter how old they are.

"Fine," he grumbled. He sat down and stared at the sky. He wondered where his father was, and what he was doing.

Huniklick and Bericlau woke up, stretching with their tail in the air. "Well, I had a good sleep," Bericlau said.

"I did, too," Huniklick said.

When Riley and her friends started to wake up, Dlhithirk became more alert.

"What was that sound?" Sam said, who alway observed everything.

Dlhithirk studied her. Her blond hair now fell loose on her shoulders, and her clothes were smudged with dirt. He wondered if she didn't mind looking dirty, or if she did but she pretended not to care.

"It was loud," Dlhithirk agreed. "I'm wondering if it was Jhaufyther or Haphmoun."

"We should go check it out," Carlos suggested.

Dlhithirk turned toward his brother, glaring at him. Flihkfhur's tail twitched with uncertainty. "I don't know, though. It might be something dumb."

"Says the one who got his head stuck in a log," Trihtleph commented.

"You really had to bring that up."

"To make a point, yes," Trihtleph said to Flihkfhur, hopping down from the tree.

Flihkfhur shook his head. "Fine. But we'll go on my lead."

"Of course, because that's what you're best at," Fhlotleph grumbled.

"Actually, I think Dlhithirk should lead," Riley admitted. He was surprised to hear her say that.

"Me? But-"

"You were the one who suggested it," Trihtleph agreed. His siblings agreed, except for Flihkfhur, who glared at him with stormy gray eyes.

"Do you disagree, Flihkfhur?" Dlhithirk asked, trying hard not to sound smug.

"No," he said.

"Then, let's go." He turned and jumped into the air, flapping his wings. He glanced back and saw his siblings and friends coming behind him. With worry, he didn't see Riley and her friends with them, but he sighed with relief when he saw Riley on Ghitpethal.