Of Birds and Wolves

Within a few minutes, Leara was out in the night sky under the moon light. Her arms were covered in goose bumps and she felt sick to her stomach. She already knew something was definitely wrong; that was a fact when she began to lose altitude and fast.

As a cold touch grabbed her elbows and pulled her up, a familiar voice tickled her ear, “No sunset this time...”

Leara gasped, but settled as she saw it was Fang that had pulled her up. He frowned as he felt her skin. He placed a hand on her cheek then on her forehead. “You're running a fever... Where'd you go?"

Not wanting to tell the truth, she just looked away and didn't respond.

"C'mon," he said. "Just say it. Max was hoping you found the Institute."

Remembering the word all over the place she had just been, her eyes widened and she looked him straight in the face. "I did."

Fang lead Leara into the deserted old building they were staying in for the night. Of course, Max looked everything but happy to see her.

“Long time no see...” Max muttered, barely audible. “I thought I got rid of you...”

Fang shot Max a glance and she seemed to recoil. Fang cleared his throat. “Good news. She found the Institute.”

Max's eyes widened to their fullest extent. “Why didn't you say so? We have to go! We have got to go there now!”

As Max jumped up, Fang put a hand against her chest. “No, Max. Look at the younger ones; they need to sleep. We all need some rest. Especially her; she's running a fever...”

Max raised her hand to slap her forehead, but decided not to. “Fang, we all run a high temperature you idiot.”

Fang shook his head and grabbed Max's hand. He placed it on Leara's forehead as both of the girls flinched. Max brought her hand back to her side. “Yeah, I get it now. Okay, we'll sleep for tonight. But tomorrow, Leara, you have to lead us to the Institute.”

Leara nodded as Max crawled over to Angel, muttering things like, “Don't know why you got to find it... I'm the one saving the world...” and such. Her rants made her sound like a lunatic.

Leara laid down a little ways away from the flock as Fang lay down near Iggy. She could hear them whispering, but they were very quite. Too quiet for her to eavesdrop. She decided to give up and rested her head on her hands. She partially curled up like a cat and soon fell asleep.