the night before (jay)

I'd spent most of the day before the inspection training. Since I hadn't done that the evening of the zoo trip, because I'd been more interested in getting those creatures drawn, I'd spent most every day since then in the courtyard. This particular day I'd only taken one short break for lunch and another when Thia, Noaba and Sam came to join. When Sam comes, they decide they have to teach him a few things too, just so it's fair. Sometimes Noaba wanted to join too but Thai, being the youngest girl among us, still wasn't quite ready. The best she could do was a cartwheel and a backflip. She's been trying to do one after the other but hadn't quite got the hang of that yet.

The thought made me smile, sitting between the ears at the very top of the base, with the sun setting behind me and the city out in front of me, my sketch book resting on one knee. Ever since I first came up here, I'd wanted to draw the city from up here. I'd been snatching a few moments between training and dinner and bed but it was still pretty slow. But it was worth coming all the way up here for a few moments of sketching just to see the view from so high. Though I'd often get distracted while looking, just thinking about what happened during the day.

"I learned a new move today." I'd told the others eagerly when they came in. "The dodge roll."

Noaba laughed. "This isn't a video game, silly. You can't just learn moves just like that and know how to do them perfectly instantly."

So I'd tried to show them to prove it but had screwed it up the first time. The second time was a little better but still not perfect. That was when Thai had tried showing her cartwheel-backflip but she'd slipped at the last moment and, with a little squeal, ended up in a sitting position. She'd smiled about it afterward and I heard her mumble "One day I'll get that right."

I laughed out loud and looked back at my sketch book. It was less than half done but it was a big city. I didn't wanna miss out any details. I was almost glad it was taking so long. When I was finished, I wouldn't have a reason to keep coming back up here. When the sun sets, I won't be able to see as well anymore. I can get a little more done by then.

Even after that though, I still didn't go inside. When the sun had gone and the city lights had come on, I just lay back where I was staring at the stars. Inspections tomorrow I thought. Should probably get a good night's sleep. I sighed. What was all this about? Why was I feeling so…careless? Like I didn't care about anything.

Well, that's just not true at all I told myself. I care about my friends. I care about my family. Maybe I just didn't care about myself.

I sat up, tucked my sketch book under one arm and jumped down onto the nose. By chance, Noaba saw me coming back in from the balcony as she walked past.

"Oh, so that's where you disappear to when we can't find you." She said,

I shrugged. "Sorry if I worried you?"

She made a face then shook her head. "Not really. We all know you can take care of yourself." Does she know what I'm thinking? I wandered. "But seriously, have you seen the time! We have a big day tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting to bed."

I didn't sleep though. I had a feeling I wouldn't sleep at all that night. What was this inspection even for? What were we supposed to do? How long was it going to last?

"Sam," I whispered "are you awake?"

He groaned softly from the bed next to me.

"Have you ever…known an inspection before?"

"No." he turned over in bed "You should probably have asked James about stuff like that."

Why was I even so worried? It would probably be nothing. They'd come, they'd go and things would go back to normal. But who would they be?

I shook my head, not being able to take it anymore and headed out towards the central control room. It didn't particularly surprise me that James was there looking things over. "You're still up."

He looked at me. "Isn't anyone sleeping tonight?"

"I guess not."

He sighed. "Well, I have my reasons. What are yours?"

"I just wondered who it was coming tomorrow."

"Oooh." He leaned back in his seat by the control panel. "Well, I can show you that." And he beckoned me closer. Looking through the files, he pulled up an image of an official looking fella on the panel hollow projector. He sort of reminded me of one of those franvers we saw from the zoo. He didn't have any wings but he did look like he might have at least some small feathers. He did have a beak and small dark eyes that looked menacing and sharp.

"People call him 'The Falcon'." James told me. "We don't really know a lot about him. just that both Crugga and Maggie worked with him before coming here.

I tilted my head "So it's someone they know." I folded my arm's "Maybe it won't be so bad then."

"Maybe." James said. "I wouldn't count on it though."