Heeding Dad’s Call

A single eyelash
Honey
The sound of a flute off in the distance

Bruce stared awake from his nap. He must have been far more tired than he thought. The fireplace was dark and cold and from the light outside it looked as though the sun was just going down. He was still half asleep and he looked at the shaft of candle on his mantle that was still blinking when suddenly it stopped blinking and stayed on a bright white.

Bruce came fully awake and jumped out of the chair where he fallen asleep. The candle resonated to a sonic pulse and when it stopped blinking and stayed on steadily he knew that either Yvonne or Barcuda was less than 5 minutes away and due to pick him up.

Bruce then realized that the sun was not setting but that he has slept through the remainder of the day yesterday and all night long. The sun was rising again. He had no time to pack, had no time to say goodbye. He ran out back, past the barn, and into the field to what was the designated pickup spot. Out there was a small pond that was visible from the air and the space was clear all around it. Neeka kept the grass quite well trimmed with his browsing and Bruce stood nervously in the open area.

He then remembered he didn’t have to say goodbye to Neeka, he could simply mindlink to him.

“Neeka, you awake?” Bruce thought and an instant reply came,

“Sure am sleeping beauty. Been up for over an hour. What’s got you up so early?”

“Dad’s called. Emergency call. I’m being picked up.”

Bruce could feel the humor behind the thought as Neeka asked,

“Bat pickup?”

“I assume so.” Bruce thought reluctantly. “I really hate this but there’s no other way to get there.”

“Well, Armageddon and I will look after the place while you’re gone.”

Bruce started, not sure he still wasn’t half asleep. “Armageddon?”

“Yeah,” Neeka replied, “He’s been traveling all night. He’s almost here. I can feel his thoughts and he’s very concerned about something.”

“Oh great! He’s concerned, Dad, has an emergency. What else can go wrong?”

As Bruce was thinking that a sound like rolling thunder rolled over the field where Bruce was standing and in a beeline a gigantic purple bat, the biggest Bruce had ever seen and far, far larger than Bruce himself flew over the house and directly towards him. The house was not far away but it took several wing beats for the bat to fly from the house to Bruce and every beat sounded like thunder to Bruce’s ears.

The bat swooped low to the ground and kept coming at Bruce. Bruce had only a second and stiffened involuntarily seeing he bat coming at him at full speed. The bat swooped and Bruce saw the fine netting that was strung between its hind feet. Just before the bat got to Bruce he jumped as high into the air as he could and the bat splayed out its back feet bringing the netting wide and almost to the ground. Bruce was neatly caught in the middle of the netting and the bat carefully closed its claws around Bruce and stretched out its legs so Bruce was carried directly behind, sheltered from the wind whipping by at the speeds with which they were going.

“See you in a few days Neeka.”

“Take care Bruce. Say Hi to your Dad for me.” Came the instant reply.

“Going somewhere Bruce?” Came another mental voice, deeper than Neeka’s and seemingly farther away. He recognized Armageddon instantly.

“Emergency Armageddon. My Dad signaled me and I’m going to see what he needs.”

“Any idea how long you’ll be gone?” Came the instant question sounding much closer now.

“No, not really. Probably not more than a few days though. Why?” Bruce asked while looking from his unusual perch behind a gigantic purple bat caught like a bug. He looked around and far below him he saw the gigantic Wolf striding purposely towards Bruce’s home. Bruce thought, “Up here.” At the Wolf.

Armageddon caught the thought and looked up. There, far above was a huge bat and behind the bat, caught in its talons was a figure that Armageddon could just make out as Bruce. Normally Armageddon wouldn’t bat even a single eyelash at an unusual sight. He had seen so many over the years in his dealings with the Faerie Fur. However, this was even beyond anything he had ever seen before and he just gaped in awe. He felt the laughter behind Bruce’s thoughts as the mental voice came to him,

“Close your mouth Wolf. You’ll scare the neighborhood showing those teeth and being 40 feet tall.”

Armageddon did just that and started chuckling as he thought back, “Unique way to travel Bruce. Why not in a kangaroo pouch or riding a dragon?”

Bruce laughed as he replied, “Ewwww, kangaroo pouches would be way too warm and I’d probably get motion sick and the dragons never leave my father’s place. Too cold up here for them.”

Bruce was just a speck in the sky above the far horizon and the thoughts were getting harder to “hear”.

“Will you be around when I get back?” Armageddon could faintly make out and quickly replied,

“Yes, I’ll wait until you get back.” There was no answer and Armageddon wasn’t sure Bruce caught his last response. Mindlink worked over a few dozen miles and no more. Bruce was traveling at a fantastic speed and was quickly out of touch in the short conversation they had.

Armageddon shook his head in wonder and continued on towards where he knew Neeka was. All Faerie Fur could locate one another once they met. That’s how he knew exactly how to find Neeka. He was still unnerved about what he had heard and the coldness of the mental voice and he had to talk to Neeka as a start to find out just what was going on.

“Morning Bruce!” came the voice from the bat and Bruce slapped his hands over his ears in pain.

“Not so loud Barcuda!” Bruce spoke softly as he watched the ground race by far below. They were headed straight north and already they had covered quite a distance. The landscape below them was becoming covered in grasses and the trees were more evergreen than the maples and birches common to Bruce’s area.

“Sorry Bruce.” Came the more tolerable, but still loud reply. “Been so long since I’ve had to speak to anyone not batfolk that I’m out of practice.”

“No problem Barcuda.” Bruce replied softly knowing that even if he whispered Barcuda could pick up the sound with his tremendous hearing. “Must be a big emergency for Dad to have sent you.”

“It is Bruce. Big emergency. Everything we know is in danger and even the Dragons have no idea how to stop this.”

“What’s going on?” Bruce asked concerned.

“Can’t say for sure Bruce. Our world is heating up. Big time. Your Dad is scared and even the oldest Dragons say they don’t remember anything like this. They have checked their written histories and in all of that time they say there’s no mention of anything of this magnitude. Yeah, it’s bad.”

Bruce was worried. Dragons lived a very long time and kept written records on everything. Everything. They were meticulous scholars and their written materials filled caves for miles and miles. For them to have no written record of anything like what was going on was troubling indeed.

“Mind if I catch a little nap then before we get to the entrance? It’s been a rough couple of days and I apparently am more tired than I knew.” Bruce asked quietly then recalled his manners and quickly asked, “By the way, how’s Yvonne?”

Yvonne was Barcuda’s mate and another large purple bat. Most bats that Bruce knew were of the same species as Barcuda and Yvonne. They were distant relatives of the insect eaters that lived and roosted in Bruce’s barn but evolved and became the sentient thinking beings that Bruce was familiar with. Only Barcuda and Yvonne were purple for some reason. All of the others that Bruce knew were darker colors of black, or brown.

“She’s fine. Had a healthy pup earlier this year which is why you have me as transportation and not her.”

“Well congratulations you old dog!” Bruce laughed and slapped Barcuda on the leg “How many is that now, 8, 10?”

“Fifteen Bruce. You’ve been away quite some time. His name is Drac.”

Bruce started to say something when Barcuda interrupted.

“Yes, yes, stop right there. Horrible name for a bat. We already have heard all the jokes. You’ll understand when you meet him. And in answer to your question, sure, feel free to nap. It’s a long trip and I believe you’re going to need all your strength if you can help at all.”

Bruce chuckled at the name and cozied up in the netting and the balled up feet of Barcuda. It actually wasn’t uncomfortable. Bruce could take some of the loose netting and use it for both a pillow and blanket in the hollow of Barcuda’s foot and it kept him both warm and most of the wind was kept out. Bruce was glad of that since the air was taking on a distinct chill and he knew it was going to get colder before they got there.

Bruce dozed off and on. He couldn’t quite sleep having slept all night but couldn’t stay awake either having been drained with his battle with Macor. So he drifted in and out of sleep as they kept their beeline flight north. The day had passed and Bruce looked to the north, past the powerfully beating wings of Barcuda and saw the Northern Lights streaking across the sky. He looked down and saw a village far below with a large bonfire burning in the center and small specks of what must have been villagers dancing around it in celebration of a special day or a successful hunt. He could barely make out the sound or a flute, or several flutes in the far off distance and rhythmic drumming of the celebration. He listened and caught the melody and then drifted off to sleep once more.

“Bruce, wake up. We’re here.” Came the loud voice. Bruce started and for a moment was disoriented. Everything around him was black. Then he remembered where he was and looked up and saw the Northern Lights brighter than ever and the half moon in the sky.

Bruce asked, “We’re here already?”

Bruce heard the high pitched squeal that amounted to a chuckle from a bat as Barcuda replied, “You’ve been out for hours my friend. I wanted to make sure you were awake for the dive. You know how tricky this is and I don’t want you tossing or turning at just the wrong moment. You ready?”

Bruce said, “As ready as I ever am.” And wrapped his arms around one of Barcuda’s curled toes and held on for dear life.

“OK, hold on and,” Barcuda said quickly, “I apologize in advance. I know this is going to hurt but I have no choice until we’re through the opening.”

Bruce nodded, knowing what was coming and held on even more tightly.

Barcuda beat his wings powerfully and Bruce felt them start to gain even more altitude. His stomach felt like it was going to drop out of his feet they were gaining altitude so quickly. Then, in a lightning move Barcuda balled up, Bruce pulled tightly to his body, spun 180 degrees, stretched out his body again and dove towards where the ground had to be.

Bruce couldn’t see anything. It was pitch black and they were hurtling straight down and Barcuda beating his wings furiously to gain more and more speed. Bruce tried looking for the spot on the ground and, fortunately, the moon glowed over the snow covered landscape. He could make out vague whiteness rushing up at them at alarming speed and hen, there it was. A black spot in the middle of the whiteness. From this height it looked impossibly small but it was their destination. In the far northern wastes, far from population was the entrance to his dad’s world. One spot on the face of the world could be used to get to where his dad lived and this was it. It was rushing up at them at a suicidal pace.

Suddenly Bruce felt as though his head were going to explode. The entrance to his Dad’s world was very small. Barely larger than Barcuda himself. Barcuda needed to use his sonic sight to make sure they didn’t hit either side of the opening and this was painful to someone not at all used to the power and volume of Barcuda’s kind. While Bruce couldn’t actually hear the sonics involved he felt them in every bone in his body and his head screamed. His entire body was vibrating in resonance and then Bruce felt an enormous whoosh and Barcuda folded his enormous wings against his body and bulleted through the small opening.

Almost as soon as it had begun, the pain stopped and Barcuda said, “Sorry Brice. I really have no choice. I have to hit that perfectly or else we both become grease spots on the ground or on the walls of this drop.

Bruce drew a deep breath and said, “I do understand. Thanks for the warning. It helps. By the way, is there meal service on this flight? Even tea with a bit of honey perhaps?”

Again the high pitched squeal of the bat’s chuckle but this time it hurt just a bit since Bruce was still smarting from the sonic blast he had just endured as Barcuda replied, “Bruce, had I brought anything I’m sure you would not like to share one of my meals.”

Bruce thought about it for only a second and said, “You’re right.” He laughed weakly, “Dining on raw Terrorsaur or Bloodbeetle just isn’t my idea of a fine meal.”

“Stop that!” Barcuda laughed, “You’re making me hungry and it’s been a long flight. I’m going to need to feed as soon as we arrive. Fortunately it’s not far now.”

Bruce looked left and right and knew they were diving at incredible speed straight into the earth. When they passed the opening in the ground above the shaft they were plummeting through opened slowly. It wasn’t quite a cavern at this point but it was more than the small hole and shaft that they had had to dive into. Barcuda opened his wings just a little way from time to time to keep them from hitting the solid rock walls Bruce could hear them rushing by.

Bruce could also feel the air slowly warming as it rushed by. No longer did it have the artic chill to it that it had only a short while ago. Now it was getting warmer by the minute. They were still rocketing down the shaft when Barcuda said,

“We’re almost here Bruce. I need to break speed so hold on. This won’t be too bad.”

It was still almost pitch black around them and Bruce felt Barcuda open his wings fully and heard the leather like membranes that were his wings almost sing as the air streamed by them. Barcuda made little movements of his wings and those movements reduced the rate at which they were falling. Bruce looked and far below them, off to one side, he could see a bright spot. The shaft they were falling through had opened up considerably and the light from below allowed Bruce to see that the walls of this shaft were rapidly expanding away from them as the shaft quickly opened into an enormous cavern. The walls sparkled with reflected light from below but whether the reflection was from minerals or water Bruce couldn’t tell. With the room to maneuver Barcuda stretched his wings fully and flattened out his fall into a series of lazy circles. He didn’t need to flap his wings as they were still falling but now in an ever widening slow downward spiral.

Bruce saw the bright spot below as a large opening in the side of the cavern. Light was pouring through it and the opening in the wall of the cavern was simply enormous. Barcuda made one last circle and headed straight towards the hole in the side of the cavern through which all of the light was pouring.

“Here we are Bruce.” Barcuda said and power glided through the opening.

But that’s a story for tomorrow.