The People of Avian: The Discovery

1| We Are the Avians

"Open your eyes and wings, slowly," she warned.

I opened my eyes and then my wings. My wings were brown, but covered in black and white spots like someone had splatter painted them with various chocolates. They were only 12 feet across then.

"Take your ready stances," she said as our positions shifted slightly. "Now I want you to take it slow. No rushing and no pushing!"

Mason groaned and rolled his eyes. I smiled at him lightly.

"Drop the attitude Mason unless you want to drop out of the sky," the instructor warned.

We all laughed as Mason crossed his arms like a little child. He definitely acted like one.

"On your mark," everyone spread out their wings. "Get set," leaning forward all eyes were on the sky. "NOODLES!" Everyone grumbled while Mason just stomped his feet, like a child, again.

"Alright Alright. Fugite!" The five of us shot up into the sky some slower than others, but I wasn't taking my time. My wings were aching to catch a breeze.

I just wanted to be free. I flew around whizzing passed everyone who was studying the movements they could make with their wings.

Adrian was closer to the ground having trouble gaining altitude. Banking my wings, I flew lower and found Brianna swirling around like a ballet dancer. It was undeniable that she had also been practicing in secret. I felt a little less guilty.

"This is amazing!" She cheered, continuing to twirl.

Our parents flew into the sky and joined us. Some were teaching their children how to do certain moves, but I was busy flying higher and higher. The wind was stronger and the air was colder, but it felt beyond amazing. It felt incredible.

I pushed down hard to keep myself aloft. I looked at my wings in awe watching as every feather worked together to keep me hundreds of feet in the air.

"Hey guys watch this!" I yelled before locking my wings to my sides and diving forward.

"Pandora stop! You'll kill yourself!" The instructor screamed.

Brianna and Mason who had stopped to watch were both now screaming at me as well, but I couldn't hear what the were saying over the wind rushing passed my ears.

Everyone was yelling. My mom looked hysterical. Had she forgotten that I had practiced flying in secret. The only one who didn't seem fazed by my sudden action was my dad. He was cheering me on and I grinned madly.

Alright wings, let's do this.

As it appeared the ground would flatten me like a pancake, I threw my wings open all the way. My wings found air like a sail, as I was hurled upward sharply, making my stomach flip.

Everyone below me gasped and I couldn't help but grin again. Today was too good.

I surged upward further before stopping and flying down slowly, slightly afraid by my the look on my mothers face.

Landing in front of the group they all stared eyes and mouths wide open, except my mom. My dad was smiling brightly. His grin was almost as big as mine. I think that's where I got it from.

"Do you have a death wish?" My mom yelled.

And now I'm starting to think I did.

*end of flashback*

That is only one of the rituals we have. There is of course the ritual that celebrates birth, the ritual that celebrates flight, the ritual that celebrates when you find your match or mate or whatever you want to call it, and lastly there is the ritual where you celebrate life, which is kind of like a funeral or whatever the humans call it.

For an Avian is common to find your match around the age of 20, but it could happen sooner or later. My mom and dad fell in love a little later, but I could tell it was meant to be.

You might be thinking that there is only a few people to choose from, but really there are 200 of us, and we're a growing population. We have 4 leaders, and my dad is one of them.

My walkie talkie beeped it's call from beside me, signaling my friend Brianna wanted to talk. Though Brianna has been my friend forever she can get really annoying, especially when Mason's around. They aren't related in any way, but they act as if they are, either that, or I'm just losing my mind. They laugh at all the same things, think the same things, and even say the same things. It's a little unsettling.

Maybe they should be together...hehe I should tell Brianna that, even if she'd kill me for it.

I clicked the call button on the walkie letting her know I had gotten her message and that I was coming. Then I pushed the PTT button telling her not to bring Mason. It was obvious she was trying to play matchmaker with him and I.

She must have pressed the call button because it beeped it's little time before falling silent, signaling an "okay".

Walkie talkies weren't the most efficient communication source, but it was efficient enough. My father used to tell me of the human world technology of cellphones and I wished I could have one, but I understood it would be hard to get cellular crevice in the woods for 200 winged people.

We got walkie talkies from our spies and suppliers. The spies are usually Avians would have smaller wings that can fit inside their coats or Avians who know a lot about the human world. Anything they can't get us we try to build or grow ourselves.

We have our own farms full of corn and tomatoes and carrots and any fruit or vegetable that can grow in New York soil. We also have a few pigs and goats and sheep and one cow. We were more vegetarians than omnivores because of our lack of meat, but whenever we had a celebration we would eat some. It was more of a special occasion.

Walking out of my room I leapt down the wooden stairs and into our large living room where my mom was sitting comfortably in her usual rocking chair.

"Hey mom, can you tell dad I will be back in an hour or so? I'm going to hang with Bri."

"Okay love bug but please be home before dark."

I hummed a yes and left through the front door. Unfurling my 13 foot wings, they had grown a lot recently, I made a running leap into the sky. I flew through the many trees until I came upon our special tree. It looked pretty normal except for the fact that Mason was sitting in my spot.

That was a big problem.