The Chronicles of Hototo, The Blood's Hearth

Chapter 4

The wind exhaled a heavy breath as a group of owlets splayed their wings. It's been less than a week, and the class of owlets have already grown their flight feathers. Most of them still had plenty of downy, though. Hototo's back was all fluff, but the superiors decided he had enough feathers on his wings for flight. Today was the day he would learn to fly.

All he could focus on was how fast his heart was beating as he felt the wind. They were all lined up on the edge of the cliff, flapping to ready themselves as the older owls prepared to teach them. This is an important day for many owls, as it signals their start of an independent life. Soon, they would be hunting, scouting, and most importantly, fighting.

The owls were chatting among themselves, talking about how fast they would fly, or what kind of mouse they would catch if they could hunt after.

"I'm so nervous," breathed a voice. Hototo was so intent on flying that he jumped. It was Aiyana.

"Oh, y-yeah, me too," he said quietly. He felt so out of place, being one of the smallest owls to start flying.

Aiyana gave an excited chirp. "I can't wait until we get to fly! Oh, can you imagine?" she said wistfully, swaying on her feet. "to be up in the sky and see the moon from up there..."

Hototo understood. He had many dreams of it. "Yes." He looked up at the sky. The moon was blazing, showering them in its pristine glass. I want to dance in the sky.

"Alright, let's begin," boomed a voice. The owls shivered in anticipation and stopped flapping. A slender owl with cream feathers walked up. He looked tired. "You need to know the basics of the flying. Don't go anywhere you're not told to go. You could get sucked up in a high draft. Don't dive from high heights, our lungs can't handle that force. The basic formation will all be learned in time, depending on your skill. Now," He opened his wings and faced the class.

"I want you to hold your wings like this when you jump." He kept his wings straight, slightly bent forwards. "but, how you will fly depends on yourself. You go on instinct, okay?"

The owls shuffled nervously. Fly based on instinct? Hototo's heart rate sped up. He preferred learning from books or instructions.

"Get ready," the instructor said, and walked behind the group. "don't wait. Just jump."

No one moved forwards. They just looked at each other for a while, not sure what to do. Until, one brave owl, unfurled his wings and jumped off into the abyss.

Hototo's stomach lurched. But then, the owl came back up, screeching in manic delight.

"I did it!" he yelled, doing a little loop. He dropped a bit and then continued flying.

"Yes, good work!" the instructor called. This gave the owls more courage.

One by one they jumped, all of them coming back up eventually. Some were more graceful, where as others needed an extra flap to keep them aloft.

"Come on," Aiyana whispered. "you can do it, okay? Besides, if you fall they catch you. I've seen it," she said in an even lower voice. "I watched my brother."

This made Hototo feel a bit better. "Okay." he heard himself say.

Something red came into view. It was Askook. "Hello, Other Lover," he snarled. Aiyana looked away, hissing quietly.

"I'm not an Other Lover," she said, facing him. He chuckled and rolled his wings.

"Yeah, right. And I'm a bat."

Aiyana scowled. "Whatever. Why don't you go kiss some guard's tail feathers?"

He froze, feathers fluffed out. Aiyana ducked, laughing. "Come on," she giggled at Hototo.

He stepped up by the ledge. This is it. Everything an owl wants. You can do it. It's no big deal. You won't die, he added. He took in a deep breath. Go.

But he hesitated. He teetered dangerously over the edge, feeling like he might faint. Hototo felt a wing on his shoulder.

"Count to ten, and we jump at the same time," Aiyana said. "and we'll tell each other's name, okay?" Hototo nodded. She smiled.

"One...two..."

Three...four...five... He felt himself let go of the ledge. Air whipped around him. His eyes shot open, and he couldn't breath. A blurry shape dove after him.

"MY NAME IS HOTOTO!" he yelled as he plummeted to his death. if I die, at least she can laugh at my stupid name.

"Mine's Aiyana!" she said, but it sounded far away.

Hototo closed his eyes and awaited death. But suddenly, he straightened and his fall was slowed. His wings were moving- he was flying!

He heard giggling. Aiyana glided down to him, gasping fro breath. "We're flying!" she whispered, mouth opened in glee. Hototo laughed.

"We're flying!" He flew up and did a little spin, feeling dizzy with relief. His wings beat harder as he rose up, the wind gushing in his ears. Aiyana followed as they soared above the low clouds. He stalled mid air and gazed at the moon, its serene glow spilling over the clouds. He was mesmerized. I will dance on the sky.

"...Hototo..." a faint voice said. He turned slowly, eyes still on the moon. Aiyana looked scared.

His face fell at the sight of her. "What?"

"Hototo! Aiyana!" an angry voice shouted. They looked down. The instructor was flying up to them, fuming. "What did I say?"

They looked at each other. Hototo wanted to look at the moon again.

The instructor flew in between them, stirring the clouds. "I said don't fly high! You fly, do a circle and come back!"

Hototo's stomach sank. "Sorry."

As they landed back on the ridge, the instructor was grumpy, parting the talkative owls as he spread his wings. "You all better listen to me. Because if you act like Hototo," he gestured with his wing. "you won't have any useful jobs. It's important you learn to follow rules."

Hototo tried not to feel ashamed as he walked beside Aiyana. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't listen to him. My brother never listened, and he's one of the top soldiers."

"Who's your brother?"

Aiyana looked ahead, standing behind a pale yellow owl. "His name is Ahiga."

He tried to think if he's ever heard that name.

"Hototo, are you even paying attention? After I just told you off for that?" the teacher grumbled, exasperated. Hototo clicked his beak in embarrassment.

"Sorry," he said, smiling. The teacher frowned again.

"My name is Dichali. I will be teaching you your flying lessons until you're old enough for your skill to be chosen." He stood up straight and ruffled his feathers. "Now, you've all learned for yourselves how to fly. I will teach you the proper strategics and the flying formation..."

His voice droned as Hototo started to think about the moon.