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Kara smacked him lightly on the shoulder, unable to suppress a grin. "Cut it out, Pascal!" she laughed, throwing her napkin - which was streaked tan and pink from her makeup - at him.

Rue returned the look, while picking up the napkin off the floor. "That was a pretty accurate imitation," she admitted, teasing Kara further. Kara stuck her tongue out at Rue, who grinned in return.

When Lark was finished cleaning Pascal's face, he crumpled up the napkin and dropped it on the floor. We're not going to be here anyway. he thought. "Well," he announced as he walked over to where Rue's backpack was resting. "If we're all ready, we should hit the road."

Pascal dashed back up the stairs, grabbed his hiking pack (which he dropped when running downstairs when he heard the scream) and threw it over his shoulder, running back downstairs. "All set." he chirped.

Rue looked at the napkin, then back up at Lark with a raised eyebrow. She didn't press him to pick it up though. She knew what was going through his mind; something like, 'We aren't going to be here, so it doesn't matter.' She slung her pack over her shoulder instead, moving towards the door. She flung it open. "Let's go, then," she said.

Kara followed Rue as she walked out the door. Her wings were already unfolded partway, and the sun felt wonderful on her tawny feathers. Kara couldn't suppress a grin. Sure, they were on the run now, hunted by Erasers, trying to escape the place that had haunted Kara's nightmares....but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy this one, peaceful moment.

Lark secured the backpack straps over his shoulders, making sure it wouldn't get in the way of his wings. As he stepped off the edge of the doorframe, he opened them slightly and ruffled his dusky gray feathers that progressed into a darker gray around the edges. The sensation of flying tingled his nerves every time he merely unfolded his wings; maybe because it was his favorite thing to do. Lark's father, Iggy, was blind, and Lark could only imagine what it felt like to be flying with your eyes closed, the wind wrapping around you like a cocoon... I'll try it sometime. He thought.

But not now. Now, all that mattered was that keeping their family alive. Lark realized he was slightly grinning, but when he remembered the mission, he turned serious again. He had to be strong. He had to be strong for his family, for Rue, for his own survival.

Once in the air, Rue couldn't hold back a smile. There wasn't really a sensation quite like flying. Her wings, though flesh and blood, were as light as the air when flying, lifting her higher and higher. No wonder people dreamed about flying. It was amazing.

If she didn't think to much about what Pascal said, that is. That made her feel worried and stressed. This must've been how Max felt most of the time, when she was still trying to complete her mission with her Flock. At least I don't have a Voice, Rue thought.

Lark had to jump to begin flying, or at least get a running start, so he sprinted a few steps, then moved his wings powerfully to lift him into the air, behind Rue. "Do you know the direction the cave was in?" he yelled to Rue before he caught up to her. The wind whipped through his auburn hair and gray feathers as he spoke, and there certainly is no feeling like that. Flying made Lark feel like he can do anything, and having wings for all his life made him rather good at it.

Pascal hopped and flapped his speckly white wings, but the second he did, searing hot pain slashed through the nerves of his left wing. Just then he remembered how the Eraser grabbed his wing and sliced it, but he could still move it slightly, so it wasn't broken. He began to panic, frantically flapping his right wing to at least get him into the air, but doing that only brought him about a foot off the ground and lead him to fly in circles. He noticed the only one left who didn't take off was Kara, so he called out to her. "Kara!" Pascal squeaked, "I think the Erasers did something to my wing..."

"Rue! Lark!" Kara said, dashing towards Pascal. She had been about to take off, and her unfurled wings slowed her somewhat. "Pascal can't fly!"

The wind was fairly strong, and paired with the distance she had already gone, she barely managed to make out Kara's words. Once she did, she immediatly turned around, brown eyes concerned. She skidded to a halt, barely managing to avoid falling face-first onto the dirt.

If you never thought it was possible to skid to a halt in midair, believe it's true, because that just what Lark did when he heard Kara's cry above the ringing of the wind in his ears. Without questioning what had happened, Lark landed on the ground on one knee, then rushed over to see if Pascal was alright. before he began to check the wing, he glanced at Kara, knowing she was the kind of person to bring a first-aid kit. Lark said quietly, "Open your wing a little more, Pasc."

Pascal obeyed best he could, and opened his fragile, white wing. There were streaks of orange from dried blood, but the cuts were deep and still open. "It's really not that bad..." Pascal assured, determined not to worry the others. "I'll be fine; I just need to stretch it a bit and I'll be fine. Really!" Pascal backed up from Lark, then tried his best to get off the ground. Despite his wing bones being on fire, he was able to flap it like the other one, lifting him a few feet off the ground. "See?" he managed, trying to look as painless as possible. "I'm fine."

Kara's first-aid kit was already open, sitting beside her. "Get down so I can bandage it and stufff," she said. "You don't have to act all macho. You can barely fly." It was weird, being the one in charg, even for a little bit. She was used to following Lark and Rue, not giving orders herself.

"Kara, I'm okay!" Pascal argued, climbing into the air a little higher, staring down at her harshly. Suddenly, he flapped once too hard in an effort to fly higher, and the nerves in his wing felt like they'd exploded. He gritted his jaw and grabbed the point of pressure on his wing, and that left him to fall like a rock for about three feet, landing on his bottom. There's no hiding it now. thought Pascal. "Fine!" he snapped. "Just a band-aid and I'll be perfect."

Lark wasn't buying it. He crossed his arms, gave Pascal a look, then grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him onto his feet with one sharp tug. Great. he thought. Pascal's wing is damaged, and we have to leave right now! He gently moved the feathers away from the tear, making Pascal wince. "It's deep," said Lark, without emotion. "It'll be fine tomorrow, when it heals. I'll just carry you for now. You're light anyway." With that, he nodded to Kara, letting her know that Pascal is well. He looked in Rue's direction and informed, "It's just a scratch."

"I'm still putting antisepctic on it!" Kara insisted. When she was little, she had referred to it as "stingy stuff". Seeing how big Pascal's cut was, it was going to sting pretty dang bad. After she had placed some in the cut, she placed a bandage over it.

Rue nodded at Lark in reply, then grinned at Kara. She was acting a bit like...well, Rue.

Pascal squeaked a little when he felt the buzzing antiseptic on his wing, but then, it really did feel better. He used to always get cuts when he was younger, so he should be used to the sting by now. "Thanks, Kara." he said gratefully. He spread his wings out as far as he could, then began to take a short running start. "I'll be able to fly now!"

"Oh no you don't!" Lark scolded, grabbing Pascal's arm. "If your wing gives out again while we're 3,000 feet in the air-" he stopped, not even wanting to think of it. With that, he pulled him back, then swung the boy around his side and onto his back. He didn't weigh a thing. "Just hold onto the backpack, okay?" Lark instructed, to which Pascal gave a nod. He looked over at Kara. "Good idea bringing a first-aid kit, Kara." praised Lark.

Kara flushed, a mixture of surprising modesty and happiness at the praise. "Someone else would've if I hadn't," she muttered, spreading her wings out.

"No need to be so modest, Kara," Rue said. "I would've forgotten." She smiled at the younger bird-kid, then hurled herself into the air. Hovering only 10 feet in the air, she waited for the others to join her.

Before Lark took off, he stopped to grab Pascal's hand. "You sure you're gonna be okay?" he asked, glancing down at him, spreading out his vast wings.

Pascal squeezed Lark's hand back. "I'm sure." he answered, his soft blue eyes looking up at Lark trustingly.

"'Kay." Lark replies, almost a whisper. He knew Pascal was in excrutiating pain, but he wasn't going to hold everyone else up. He would tend to his wing when they get to the hawk haven. Still clinging to Pascal's tiny hand, Lark leapt into the air, allowing the currents of wind to caress his hair and feathers.

Pascal followed Lark's example, leaping into the air, but every time he moved his wing, it felt like it was being pulled on the end, stressing the muscles and making it harder for him to bring it back up again after each flap. But the little boy still made no noise; he didn't want to worry anyone, especially when they were giving up their cushy lives to live in hiding. But after only 30 seconds of flying, he didn't know how long he could last. He clung onto Lark's fingers tighter. "How long will it take to get there?"

Rue glanced at Pascal, her face creasing with worry. Pascal looked a bit pale, and his flapiing wasn't as smooth as it should of been. His wing was obviously bothering him. She was reassured by the fact that no blood had seeping through the bandage yet, but concern still lingered.

She drifted as close as she dared, careful not to get their wings tangled. "Pasc? Are you sure you're okay? I can carry you if it hurts." She knew it was likely the kid would refuse, and she was prepared to grab him anyways. She hated to see any of them in pain. Besides, he could easily make it worse.