Fugitive of the Sky

Chapter Forty: Larkhold

The mountain of Larkhold rose up in front of them, green rising up the sides even though it was still barely warm enough to be spring. Aqie tingled with excitement as she dipped around Strehmai and sped up to get a better look. This was the mountain where all the Larkwings gathered for the big feast.

"Almost there!" Umakai called cheerfully, even though it was obvious to everyone.

"Let's race!" Sardine popped out of nowhere and nearly crashed into Aqie as he zoomed ahead.

"No fair!" Aqie called after him as she regained her balance. "I'm not used to flying in groups like this!"

Rehmai ducked underneath her and flipped over just long enough to smirk as Aqie tried not to let their feet crash and tangle. "Then get out in front like us!"

Aqie narrowed her eyes and put on a burst of speed, dodging between Teréma and Umakai and heading straight for the mountain. Once she wasn't tangled up in the middle of the group, she pulled a sharp right and veered close enough to nick Sardine's arm. He squealed and dropped a little, giving her the time to get farther ahead. She checked over her shoulder that he was fine and nearly got a faceful of sparks from Strehmai's identiae.

"Hey!" She slowed and tried to push sunlight in Strehmai's face in retaliation, but all she managed was a bunch of bright flashes in the wrong direction.

"No showing off your identiaee, you two," Umakai said as he swooped by. "It isn't fair to the younger ones."

"It wasn't my fault she put sparks in my face!" Aqie shook herself and checked nothing had caught on her clothes, shoving away the frustration that her identiae hadn't worked like it should've. Strehmai only smirked and headed off to the mountain again. Aqie hovered as the others flew by, letting Strehmai, Rehmai, and Sardine get far ahead, and then as Ihmari took up the back she released a terrific burst of concentration. Shooting upwards, Aqie tucked in her arms and dove forwards, mind straining like the time she'd raced Mom and Dad to Wintai Mountain almost a year ago. The pain from the chasm twinged a bit, but she pushed it away to focus on summoning more speed.

Even if she was kind of awkward and didn't know how to play a bunch of their games, she could fly fast, faster than any of them. All that time running from the hunters had happened for a reason. Her concentration had to be better than any of them. She was going to win this race.

An opening loomed about halfway up the mountain and Aqie shifted course to aim for it. Uphill flight was hard and despite herself, she began to lose her momentum.

"That's the wrong way!" Umakai yelled up to her. "The main entrance is over there!"

Aqie flipped back to see where he was pointing. Everyone was heading to the side, where another, more hidden cave opening must be. Oh no! She'd be hard pressed to get ahead of them now. Aqie grabbed her concentration and summoned another burst of speed, shooting downwards and swinging around the corner of the mountain. Skimming over Strehmai's head, she flipped to lose some momentum and tumbled forward into the entrance of Larkhold.

Strehmai and Sardine landed a moment later, puffing as Aqie picked herself up from the floor. She grinned at them despite the bumps on her head and knees. "I win!"

"Now that was some entry!" a voice said from behind her. Aqie turned to find two Larkwings holding folded blankets standing a few steps away. One was smiling and had straight black hair like her, and the other one's blonde hair puffed around the startled look on her face. Both of them were taller than her and wore kapraee, so she guessed them to be almost old enough to marry.

Umakai arrived with all the others. "Hello Rumah, Sirae," he said with his signature smile as he caught his breath. "We're a bit early for the Feast this year."