Back To Krypton

Chapter 5

Kara and Lena have very different reactions to the chilling sound coming from outside the tent. Kara jumps up, kicking her sleeping bag away and dives for the zip of the tent whilst Lena stays dead still, afraid to even breathe.

Kara leaps out of the tent, meeting Alex outside. They are the only two who had the instinct to come right out and see what made the sound, preferring to face danger head-on.

Their eyes begin the search, scouring every inch of their surroundings for whatever could have possibly made that noise.

It happens again, the screeching roar is somehow further away. Kara lets her icy blue eyes wander skyward and that's when she sees it.

Not it...them.

Two flying creatures. One is black as the night, only visible because it is circling the other red bird in a dance made exactly for them.

Red isn't really the best way to describe the other flying creature. Its feathers are a mix of reds and oranges and yellows, all scattered in such a way that should the mighty beast be aiming downward it would resemble a flaming arrow.

"I can't believe it." Kara is in awe, she never could have dreamed of actually seeing the legend in the flesh. "Guys, get out here now!"

She startles the others enough that they clamber out of their respective tents. They see the two dragon-like creatures in the sky, moving around each other like planets circling a sun.

Esme looks a little nervous but Kara coaxes her to come over to her.

Kara lifts Esme up onto her shoulders when she is close enough. "The red one is Flamebird and the black one is Nightwing. They're a legend in Kryptonian history and their very existence has been debated for centuries." Her voice is clouded by awe.

"They're magnificent." Lena stands beside her, and the others surrounding them too. All of them crane their necks up, not able to look away from the truly incredible vision in the sky.

Watching the two legendary birds soar through the sky stirs emotions that they didn't even know they could feel. Esme asks a million questions and Kara answers each dutifully, to the best of her knowledge. The parallel of the information passing from aunt to niece doesn't go unnoticed.

Kara had disclosed to the team on many occasions how she was close to her aunt as a child, having been taught all about Krypton's history, legends and constellations by her own aunt and that she would love to have that kind of relationship with Esme.

Everyone keeps their eyes locked on the birds until they eventually swoop out of view over the canopy of the trees, except for Alex and Kelly. They were watching the heart-warming interactions of aunt and niece.

Esme is still perched on Kara's shoulders, her little hands holding onto Kara's head and her eyes alight with exhilaration. "I want to see them again Aunt Kara!"

Kara jiggles her shoulders, Jostling the little girl enough to make her giggle. "Me too, bud but they're super duper rare so it might not happen. It was really special wasn't it?"

"Yes!" Esme raises her little hand above her head, a grin etched onto her face.

Taking the cue of the Flamebird and Nightwing, Alex and Kelly direct everyone back to bed, after all, they truly are the moms of the group.

They are up bright and early the next day to keep on walking, finding it much easier now they aren't walking on sand or under the beating rays of the red sun.

The next few days go by with no more unexpected visitors or anything exciting really. They get up, walk until they estimate that they have reached their daily mileage goal then spend the rest of the day resting before they sleep and do it again.