Critical Condition

Chapter 9

Angel POV

I lay awake that night and listened to the night. The crickets chirped quietly, a small stream trickled far below the cave, and rain lightly fell against the rock walls. We were far back into the cave enough that no water could get to us, and the smoldering fire kept us warm. I rolled over onto my stomach and leaned my head on my hands with my elbows on the ground. The night sky was dark and no stars could shine through the thick rain clouds. I hoped that Dr. Martinez would be able to leave the hospital soon. The horrible smells and sights of that place were enough to make anyone queasy. I looked over at Fang as he lay on his side, one arm tucked under his head. His eyes were closed but his rigid frame told me that he wasn't asleep. His dark hair hung in front of his eyes and one wing lay draped over his side like a blanket.

'Couldn't sleep either?' I sent my thoughts out to him, and his dark eyes opened to look at me instantly. The fire's light danced in his pupils and I could just make out the different shade of the iris against them.

"You either, huh?" He said calmly and I shook my head. He groaned and opened his draped wing out to stretch, then folded it neatly back up. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, glancing out the entrance to the cave.

"The rain's nearly stopped." I observed, and he nodded. "Morning will be soon. Couldn't we just start now?"

"Might as well." Fang said and stood up, brushing dust and dirt off himself. He began stomping out the fire as I stood and moved towards the edge of the cave. I knew it was early morning, probably around 4 or 5. I was tired, but the anxiety and stress from the flock being in the school wouldn't let my mind shut down. Hopefully flying today would allow my system to reset tonight. I looked back at Fang as he walked towards me.

"Are we ready?" I asked but he didn't answer, instead jumping off the side of the cave. His black wings opened up and gently caught the rising updraft, gliding up high above me. I copied his moves and allowed the slightly warmer air to carry me higher into the sky. Fang moved his powerful wings to gain speed and soon we were coasting at over 90 miles an hour. If we were halfway through Arizona, then California was probably at least another days flight away. Death Valley would be in sight soon enough.

The rain had become a mere drizzle now, and the morning dew had begun to settle on everything, including us. Pretty soon were were wiping cold mist from our eyes and the water glided off our wings. My feathers were wet and cold, and so was I. The sun had finally come up, but it didn't yield much relief. The sky remained dark and cloudy, and the temperature only continued to drop. As we got closer to Flagstaff, the weather began to change. Instead of cold rain and mist, it now was becoming a frigid snow and sleet. My teeth were chattering and my fingers were growing numb as the water on my body began to freeze. Fang's black wings had ice beginning to form in his feathers and his damp clothes crystallizing. Scanning the ground revealed a small city just before Flagstaff; Sedona. The little town was surrounded by steep canyon cliffs and thick pine forests. To my amazement, the area had already been blanketed in snow. The reddish brown rock faces contrasted with the pure white snow beautifully, and all the pine trees were weighed down by the powder. Multiple houses below had smoke coming from their chimneys and I wished I were in front of a toasty fire.

"We're gonna land and take a break. Aim for the trees there." Fang pointed out a cluster of pines a half mile from the town. I nodded but he was already beginning to descend. It only took a minute to get close to the trees and begin back beating the air to slow down. Fang's 14 foot wings moved with ease and he landed in the thick snow. I landed next to him moments later. He knelt down and folded his wings in tight as he formed a handful of snow into a ball. I barely managed to duck as he chucked it at me.