~Chasing Stars [By: CrazyAnimeArcher]

Flock Day

I hope you enjoy!

The ringing voice of my lovable identical sister calls to my attention.
"FLOCK DAY!" She bursts open the the small wooden door to throw a hair brush at me, hard.
"Ow." My face remains poker as a dramatically and sarcastically fall onto my back with a hand pinned to my forehead. "Oh-no...It turns out me and Dusk won't make it to the ceremony today." Dusk, the dark purple wyrven standing next to me, uses her snout to shove me onto me side. "Urrgh....."
Before I can get up, Indie is already jerking at my arms like jello. When she drops them, I sit in the upright position so she can comb my jet black hair into its shoulder length braid. "Where's Ivy?" A yawn escapes my mouth.
"She's on her way, I sent her to find Brock." She slaps the finished braid onto my shoulder when she stands up. "Ah-There she is."

A pale green wryven lands next to a sky blue wyrven that landed a minute before. The energetic and eleven year old Brock, jumps off of the wryven's back.
"Can we go now? Pweaaaase?" He makes a childish face that reminds me of duck. Indie half slaps half pats the flat end of the brush on his head. Brock whimpers.
"Sounds good to me!" I swiftly mount Dusk's back and she lets out a hearty sigh. "We should find a spot in the meadow before the others get there."
"I thought you didn't want to go." Indie uses her 'Sarcastic Sassy' face with a hand on her hip.
"It's a bitter sweet moment." My hands grip the handles attached to the saddle as Dusk leaps up into the sky.
Luckily, the spot under the lone tree in the meadow was available, so we all sat up against the trunk as we watched the grassy plain slowly fill up with wryvens and riders.
I look around for anyone I recognize getting flocked today, a few people I'm able to name but nothing else. Bird, the sky blue wyrven, playfully nips Dusk's tail, causing her to wack her with the end. "Bird!" Brock whines. "Shtaaap!" He slaps at her leg, and then her lazy tail is dropped heavily onto Brock's lap. "Oof." A deep chuckle rumbles from her chest.

"It's about to start!" Indie claps along with everyone else in the meadow as Matt, the field's leader, flies down from the cliff on his brown and white wyrven.
The crowd settles back down into their scattered spots among the field. Since most of the flocks have work assignments later, Matt wastes not time. He takes the scroll from the saddle bag of the brown wyrvern and begins to read it.
During the entire reading, his face is brightened with a smile. He names off Masters, Deputies, Medics, Scholars, Navigator and a few free riders. A few weeks in advance, everyone attending the ceremony today had to go through a series of tests that rank you in a flock. Tests include Herbology, Zodiac and star quizzes (Which I suck at), Air Exercises, and a written test on real life situations. That week was a real trouble maker. Dusk got grumpy because I couldn't fly with her, but I made it up to her by jumping off a cliff. Which is not the best thing to do for a first impression of myself. It honestly scared the living crap out of me, but she really enjoyed watching me fall...And then catching me. Even though air stunts aren't my thing, I really tried for the Free Rider position. Free Riders dont exactly have a job, but are skilled in the air usually with a weapon. Everyone in the meadow has been given a weapon of their teachers choice. Some decide to change their choice, but most stick with the professionals choice.

Matt calls out a name that comes to my attention. "Trevor of Comet."
A velvet wyvern with black markings all along its face makes its way towards Matt on the open patch of grass. A boy with black hair walks along with it. His face is poker.

"Trevor and Comet, you have been chosen as the leaders of the Rose flock." Matt announces, before stamping the top of his hand with a velvet Rose brand. The ink used is a perfect match to Comet's, as intended. It's also permanent. "May the wind carry you, Master."
Trevor and Comet dip there heads to the gesture before standing off to the side, waiting for the rest of the flock.

"Cliff and Aura." The wyrven that walks along the blonde boy is swirled with blues and greens. As they walk, he pulls his glasses off his face and cleans them in a careful manner.

"Cliff and Aura, you have been chosen best as the scripture and mind of the Rose flock." A proud smile tugs at Matt's lips when he stamps his wrist. "May the wind carry you, Scholar." Cliff bows.
Cliff jumps right into meeting Trevor, both carry smiles on their faces as they engage in friendly conversation. When I look back towards Matt, I realize that there aren't many more people in the meadow. Maybe a flock or two more.

"Brock and Bird." Bird instantly stands at the mention of her name and Brock does the same. When he walks, his body stature is confident. A smile crosses my face when my chest warms up. I'm proud of him.

"Brock and Bird, your age will not betray the fact that you are a talented shadow." Matt kneels down so he can stamp a bright blue rose onto his shoulder. "May the wind carry you, Apprentice." Brock bows deeply, before dropping his proper stature and sprinting his way to Cliff and Trevor, (Who look very confused). Since Brock is under age and has no other family besides Indie and I, Matt allowed him to be flocked so we could take care of him.

"Indie and Ivy." They both half walk half run up to Matt, who chuckles at their excitement.

"Indie and Ivy, you have been chosen to heal the ill and mend what is broken." She turns around so that he can stamp a green rose onto her shoulder blade. "May the wind carry you, Medic." Ivy bows with her.

I shift uncomfortably in me spot.
I'm next.
Will I get Free Rider? Am I going to enjoy my flock? After my name is called there is no changing.

"Mary and Ark." My heart drops dead. The worry was soon replaced with a stronger fear that I would be placed in a different flock.
As siblings we aren't supposed to be skipped unless I was put in a different flock. Dusk nudges me with a purr when I pat her head.
"Mary and Ark, you have been chosen to read the sky and follow the sun." He stamps a silver rose on the chest beside her shoulder. "May the wind carry you, Navigator." She bows deeply. I half cough half gag when she walks with a sway in a seductive manner towards the others. Indie catches my eye contact and then looks at Mary with and 'are you seeing this' expression. I only shrug at her with a grin.
Cliff adjusts his glasses with a friendly smile towards her while Trevor's expression is perfectly poker if not frowning.

Matt clears his throat. "There are no more Free riders on the selection." I internally cry.

"Contessa and Dusk." Dusk shoves me off her side when she stands up, her tail flicks with amusement as I land with my hands on the ground. I quickly recover to follow her up to Matt. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Indie and Brock waving there hands in a very....crazy-hey-we-are-embarrassing-you gesture. Cliff laughs.
"Contessa and Dusk," Matt smiles with a nod at me, which slightly comforts me. "you have been chosen to take charge as the strength and second command of the Rose flock." I turn around and move my braid to the front of me. He stamps the back base of my neck with what I'm sure is a dark purple rose. The cold ink quickly seeps into my skin. "May the wind carry you,"

"Deputy."

((I KNOW, I KNOW. This chapter is only a bunch of formalities and repetitive sentences for the ceremony >.< But hey, its late, I'm half asleep, and hence this story was born. I apologize for such a short chapter.))