When Birds Fly

-

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.

RaeRob one-shot set after "Birthmark." Gaze into the future; where the only birds are winged terrors, black with burning eyes. But here, in the present, we see a Robin and a Raven, flying together. Flying towards home, or flying away from a faceless horror? Only one thing is certain, when birds fly, doom has been foretold.

Drop me a review if you liked it. Thanks. Enjoy.

-

Birds perch fleeting, for they have no home

When birds fly, the treetops shake

The groundwork of their lives falling like leaves

In the bygone eras, people foretold warnings from the birds

Silent birds meant suffering was to come

Fleeing birds meant ruin was to come

When birds fly, it is an omen of death.

-

"I…just want to get home before tomorrow comes…" Raven said quietly, lifting off and giving Robin one last look, knowing he would understand, before she disappeared.

As she sped off towards the brightly lit beacon that was the Tower, she heard Beastboy's bewildered cries about "tomorrow" before he was silenced by Robin.

Slipping inside the Tower like a shadow, she went to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of tea. Sipping it slowly, she ascended the stairs. In her room, she made her way to the bed as she chanced a glance at the clock. Quarter 'till midnight. Sighing, she set down the steaming mug and picked up the clock as well as a book and made herself comfortable for what would undoubtedly be a long day.

-

A quiet sound startled Raven, who only just realized she had dozed off. Eyeing the clock in the gloom, to her dread, it was midnight. Carefully making her way down to the foyer, she saw someone walking towards the living room. A flick of the light revealed it to be Robin. He turned from the lamp and obviously spotted her.

"Oh, hey Raven," he said, and stared at her. Or so she thought; she could never truly tell with that mask.

A few moments passed. She looked away first, "I thought you went out for doughnuts."

"They did. I didn't feel like getting any," he said, leaning back against the wall, his gaze never leaving her.

The flirtatious thought that he had remained behind just for her entered her mind; only to be brushed away.

The lamp suddenly went out, giving one last feeble croak.

By the time Robin had stumbled over to turn on the other light, Raven had gone.

-

Early in the morning, Robin awoke to a very hushed yet undoubtedly animated argument downstairs. As he passed by Raven's room, he stopped at the door and listened. She was still awake. Hadn't she slept at all?

"Is it really so?" Starfire asked excitedly, yet dubiously.

"Yes! For the last time, I'm sure of it!" Beastboy was just about dancing with joy.

"But BB, I can't believe you just hacked into the off-limits area of the computer! Robin never even let me—"

"Eep!" Starfire cried as she saw their leader scrutinizing them closely from the doorway.

"Ahem…"

"…erm…"

"…yeaaaaa"

They mumbled.

"Tell me what you're doing," Robin ordered.

Cyborg and Starfire pushed Beastboy forward.

"Um, well, today's Raven's b-day. And we're going to have a…surprise party…for…her?" Beastboy gulped.

"A surprise party is a bad idea," Robin answered, turning around and leaving.

"Okay… let's get to work!" Beastboy cried as if he had not heard him.

-

Five hours ago, Raven heard the other Titans rush to and fro, their loud voices becoming whispers as they drew near her room.

Four hours ago, Raven lost all concentration for reading.

Three hours ago, Raven heard the T-Car pull out of the garage and screech away somewhere.

Two hours ago, Raven fell to staring at her clock.

One hour ago, Raven heard them return and started smelling strange odors from the kitchen.

Thirty seconds ago, Raven heard Beastboy and Robin arguing about something.

"Six PM. Just six more hours and it'll be over. Just six more," Raven sighed, clutching her clock and falling backwards.

-

"What do you mean I have to get her?" Robin snarled at the green changeling.

"Well, duh! You didn't help at all with this surprise party," Beastboy said as Robin grumbled protests about the party still being a bad idea. "And, naturally, you're going to be the sacrifice! We're willing to sacrifice you in order to get Raven, here." Beastboy smiled.

Starfire hummed from the kitchen where she was preparing some weird meat thing.

"Wait, Rob, what BB means is that you're the only one Raven won't kill," Cyborg said, getting some noisemakers ready.

"Just so you know, Raven'll kill just about anyone," Robin said sarcastically.

"Not you though," Beastboy said, "Have you noticed? She yells at everyone except you, now go before Star's…meat-crown gets cold," he finished, pushing him out of the living room.

Robin stood in the dark hallway, sighing and shaking his head. His feet took him in front of her room, and he stared up at her name, writ in metal. He paused for a minute, listening to her grumbling about "six more." Robin raised his fist, and knocked loudly once before retreating into the shadows stealthily. He heard her gasp and open the door, "Hello?"

Her voice echoed around the corridor as she began walking down the hallway from where he'd came. He followed her. And he felt like a lover on a wild chase, in the inky dark. She paused at the intersection of two passages, and Robin took his chance to slip in front of her. She made up her mind and turned, headed for the living room. Robin walked in front of her, feeling like he was guiding her forwards, towards him. Her violet eyes glinted with suspicion as she eyed the shadows playing on the walls; she must have sensed his presence nearby. Raven came closer and closer. Robin felt there was only one word that could describe this situation, this pursuit between two people, and it was a silly little word: seduction.

-

Raven's eyes scanned the room, feeling that something was amiss—

"Surprise!"

Raven screamed and disappeared through the floor.

"Uh…Raven?"

"It is merely us, your friends! With warm wishes for the day of your birth."

"I told you a surprise party was a bad idea," Robin repeated, wondering if she could even hear them.

Beastboy turned back towards Robin, who wore a "I-told-you-so" look.

A small black circle appeared from the ground and Raven materialized behind Beastboy.

"How did you know it was my birthday?" she snarled, obviously surprising him. She chanced a look at Robin. He wouldn't have told them. But he was the only one who knew, on account of he was the one who had entered it into the computer; but he promised he'd but it in the off-limits section.

"Remember last night when you made that big deal about tomorrow? So we started wondering what tomorrow was, so we did some snooping," Beastboy cringed as three more pairs of angry eyes rested on him. "Okay," he admitted, "So I did some snooping. And I sort of found a restricted file on the off-limits area of the Titan's computer. It sorta…had your birthday on it." Beastboy nervously prodded two fingers together.

Cyborg and Starfire hurried forward with their food items, shoving them in front of her. Raven looked at Robin.

"I hope this is okay," he stated, stepping forward.

"No, it's not," Raven regretted her harsh tone and tried again. "Look, I really appreciate what you're trying to do here, but I'm not interested."

Starfire rushed in front of her as she turned away from the bright decorations and hanging signs. Cyborg followed, holding up a disgusting looking replica of Beastboy. "We even got a piñata shaped like Beastboy…you know you wanna hit it."

"I said no," Raven said, her voice dangerous as she eyed the strange effigy.

Beastboy walked up behind her. "I know you hate fun, Raven, but today's your birthday. It's special." He put his hand on her shoulder, "You can't let this day end without—"

He was touching her.

"NO!" Raven's eyes turned white and all the food and decorations exploded, most of it landing on Beastboy.

She disappeared through the doorway.

-

"Raven…what's wrong?" Robin's voice halted Raven in her flight. She felt him behind her, giving her the room she obviously needed.

"I just, don't like parties," she said, and it was the truth. Mostly.

"It's more than that, I can tell," Raven cringed at his words. Why was she naked in front of him? Couldn't her façade fool him as well? "We have a bond, remember? You've been inside my mind." Oh yes, that. Even to this day, Raven still wasn't sure what had possessed her to enter his mind. Even if it had saved his life, Raven felt that there was something that ran deeper than just a teammate helping out another teammate.

"Let me inside yours." Why did he have to be so damn caring? If it were anyone else, Raven would have yelled at him, sent him crashing through a wall, screamed that he didn't understand her, he didn't care about her, and she didn't care about him. But with Robin, it would have all been lies.

"Robin, you know me better than anyone. You should know there are placed in my mind where you can't go. Where no one should ever go," she tried to hide her conflicted face from him.

"I'm willing to try if—"

"I can't," have you get hurt. She finished in her mind.

"Tell me what's going on," he persisted gently.

"Just…trust me. If you knew anything about the day of my birth, you'd know there's nothing to celebrate." It was hard, but she walked away from him, telling her heart that she was keeping him safe.

-

Robin moped back to his room, a little crestfallen that Raven didn't want his help. He spent the next three hours doing little pointless things to distract his mind.

He cleaned out all his utility belts, counted all his birdarangs, polished them, ironed his capes, took stock of all his extra weapons, and ordered more bo staffs. He had just slipped the last freeze disc back into his utility belt when he heard a wretched cry from Raven's room.

He slammed through his door and bolted down the corridor, skidding to a halt, he knocked hurriedly. The metal slid aside quietly, revealing Raven, who looked up at him after a moment's hesitation.

"I heard you scream," he started, his hands poised on either side of the doorframe. An alert sounded and Raven swallowed. "Trouble," she said.

-

Neither Robin nor Raven were in the mood for Cyborg and Beastboy's banter. The Titans padded through the factory, and naturally, Robin saw him first. The shadow leaning against the railing. Raven could see everything about Robin change, his muscles tensed, his face grew hard and he seemed to be suddenly full of intense hatred.

Slade started with his usual sarcastic statements, seeming to find pleasure in the attention he was receiving.

"That's precious, Robin. But I didn't come back for you," so saying, an insignia on his forehead suddenly flared to life. More fire burst from his hands, pursuing Raven as everyone else scattered. Phasing through the wall, Raven regrouped with the rest of the team.

"Titans, go!"

Robin attacked first; freeze discs tracing their way up the pillar of fire that Slade had erected, encasing the masked villain. For a minute it looked like it might be over, and the jail would have a new ice sculpture for decoration. But the whole building rumbled, and Slade burst out, the ice crystals flying everywhere. Raven swept her hand down and up, sending the shards at Slade, who back flipped away with ease.

Raven flew around, trying to get in a position where she could help, but only had Cyborg crash into her. She turned to the fallen robot, trying to wake him.

"I just want this day to end," Raven said looking down sadly.

"I think we both know this day is far from over."

Raven turned around, had Slade defeated Robin?

"Hello, birthday girl."

He knew. He knew.

"Ready for your present? I have a message for you."

There was no doubt about it now, her Father had brought him back just to deliver some message. She clenched her left hand, shooting out a black wave of magic that sent Slade slamming into a giant gear.

She flew up after him, and rubbed her temple, she was starting to develop a bad headache.

He unexpectedly appeared again, "I have a message for you."

She balled her left hand into a fist again—but he grabbed her wrist, and she had a quick snapshot image of fire billowing out of buildings, like blood flowing from a fatal wound.

Raven held her arm in her other hand, looking in awe and trepidation at the symbol burned into her flesh. It panged unpleasantly. Raven looked up from where she had fallen. Slade seemed to smirk. "It has begun."

His fingers flexed out, and electricity starting shooting everywhere, causing havoc in the factory warehouse. Raven watched as her teammates straggled together and ran towards the exit. Robin, who was behind Cyborg, halted for a minute, and looked back for her before he noticed an enormous cog bearing down on him.

He tried to run, but it destroyed the flimsy bridge he was on. Robin looked up at his approaching death.

Raven looked down at Robin, about to be mangled by a runaway piece of metal.

"Stop!" she cried, when it was only a foot away from him. Raven closed her eyes and put her hands over her head. And everything was dead silent.

Raven opened one eye carefully, speaking aloud her confusion. "How did I…"

She looked at everything hanging in the air, unmoving, Starfire, Beastboy—mid-transformation, and Cyborg, running, stationary. Raven looked at Robin, his mouth opened in surprise, one hand raised against the metal gear.

"You might be able to stop time, birthday girl, but you can't stop me. You can't stop any of it, really."

Raven spun around to see Slade, now with a yellow light surrounding him, walking towards her, pushing things out of his way casually.

"I have to say Raven, when I found out the truth I was very impressed. All this time I had no idea the power lurking inside you. The glorious destiny that awaits. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?" he chuckled.

Moaning, Raven clutched her ears, and ran around a corner, his haunting voice floating after her.

"But honestly, did you think you could just blow out the candles and wish it all away? Today is the day it begins. You've known this all your life."

Raven found her way blocked by a fallen piece of the wall. Turning, she pressed her back against it as Slade's face inched towards hers. "It is going to happen. And no matter what you wish... no matter where you go... no matter how you squirm... there is nothing you can do to stop it." He sounded positively pleased. Raven shot him a dirty look before turning into a shadow and simply walking away.

She flew down to where Robin lay, unmoving. Raven gently touched the "R" badge on his shirt, and he gasped as he came back to life. Raven absentmindedly patted his chest, grateful that he was no longer frozen in time.

"Raven?" he asked, straining his neck to look at the girl.

She looked up at Slade, who leaned against a pole and gazed down at them like they were naughty kids. Frowning, she swept her cloak up over both of them and they disappeared.

-

Raven's way of teleporting was very singular, and it was meant for one person. But if you wanted to teleport another, then you would have to be in contact with them. Close, physical contact.

Raven flew—as a bird—towards higher ground. She was having difficulty suppressing her emotions at the minute, however, because of the fact that with her was Robin. And not just with, but intensely close together, their full bodies were touching in the confined space. Just as Raven knew she was going to lose it, she braked, and shoved Robin out before reverting back to her normal self. Damn, she'd only gotten two streets?

"What is going on? Why is Slade back? Where did he get those powers? And how did you stop time?" Robin asked, picking himself up as Raven gazed at him. He gestured at the unmoving birds. Raven pondered with the idea of them with human faces—contorted in fear of the unknown, halted in their desperate struggle to escape.

"I…I'm not sure," which was the answer to all those questions. "I never wanted this day to come, and when it did, I just wanted it to stop. I guess I got my wish." Raven turned away, nursing her arm. To her relief, the mark had faded.

"What is happening?" Robin asked, wonder filling his voice. There was something oddly spiritual about being trapped in a time-stopped world with a young sorceress. If Slade hadn't been about, Robin might actually have enjoyed the time, or rather, stagnant time he was sharing with Raven.

"It's my birthday," Raven replied as Slade jumped from the top of a building.

-

"Raven, run!" She heeded his command, and sprinted towards the other end of the street as she heard Robin skidding in front of Slade, blocking his way to the exit, and to her. It was only after reaching her destination and swerving to the right did she hear a pained grunt from Robin, who was covering her escape. She whirled around, and a jet of fire burst forth from the street, sending a flaming car into the air to crash a few yards from her. Raven dashed back, only to see a wall of fire. And a figure, Slade, walking through it.

"I have a message for you."

Raven summoned the nearby debris to wrap him, as if she could contain him, then she could contain the cryptic message.

"Skies will burn, flesh will become stone," Raven brought the heels of her hands together, flinging objects at him, any attempt to make him stop speaking the inevitable.

"The sun will set on your world…never to rise again," he disappeared in a blaze of embers, and reappeared behind her, gripping her upper arms as she turned around, surprised.

Raven yelled in pain as the symbols burned onto her flesh. For an instant, inhumanly tortured screaming drowned her hearing out. She fell away from him, touching the tender spots.

"Time won't wait forever. You can't run away from who you are," Slade took a step.

"I can try." Raven's eyes were white as she glared back at him, the asphalt of the street lifting up on either side of him, and slamming together. She stood and ran, panic in her voice as she called out, "Robin!"

She pushed over a boulder, and moved a few away with her telekinesis. "Ungh…" a rock fell away as Robin forced it aside with his remaining strength. Raven was at his side, supporting him as they both fled.

-

The door creaked open as two shadowy figures entered. Raven struggled with Robin's weight as they staggered up the aisle. If it were any other time, she probably would have laughed at the irony: a demon-girl running to a church for sanctuary, bringing with her the one man she cared about most. His strength giving out completely, Robin fell to the floor, his hand lingering as it slid off her shoulder.

"I should never have dragged you into this," Raven said with regret as she cradled Robin in her arms, kneeling beside him. A ghostly blue light filtered through the stain glass windows, shining on Robin's pained face.

"Any of you," she added as an afterthought.

"But you're in and you need to know. I need to tell you. On the day of my birth, they looked into my future. Today, the anniversary of my birth…something bad is supposed to happen. Something very bad," Raven paused, listening to Robin's shuddering breaths.

"That's why I didn't want to celebrate," she admitted, "But just because you don't have a party, doesn't mean it's not your birthday…"

Robin sat up a little, his face close to hers. "The…symbol on his forehead…what does it mean?" he gasped out. His hand encircled around her left wrist, and to her surprise, the burning pain lessened a little.

A jet of fire barraged through the doors and ripped through them, forcing them apart. Raven thought she heard Robin's body thud into something.

"It's just you and me now, kid," Slade whispered, crouching in the middle of the inferno.

Raven slammed through a side exit, hellfire close behind her. She turned, only to see a wall of flame.

"You're making this much more difficult than this needs to be. The message must be delivered," Slade said, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice.

-

Raven braced herself, gazing at the fire-controlling man. Turning into a phantom bird, she flew through the fire, and zoomed away from him in her regular form. She was shocked when she realized he was—he could—follow her. She flew faster, and he kept pace. He sent out two fire hands, and they lurched forward, intent on capturing her. She dodged, and blasted one with her power before slipping in the small area between two large buildings, setting her trap.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" the buildings moved together just as she rocketed out of the way. Dust crept out of the crevices of the two buildings that had jumped together to hold back Slade. Raven closed her eyes. It was over. But her headache had grown worse.

He burst through the two buildings as she looked up in shock. His hands were mauling her back as they slammed into a building. She saw Robin in her mind's eye. And she heard him gasp in pain. And his eyes were blue. They were bright, and beautiful, until they dulled in death. And from his fallen body, Trigon emerged. She tried to stumble away, the image fresh in her mind.

"What you have concealed, you shall become!" he cried, ripping away her cloak and revealing the symbols etched deep in her back.

"You have no other choice."

"NO!" she cried, struggling to her feet and lunging forward, black energy encompassing her now exposed body.

He grabbed her wrist, the magic wavering and disappearing. She struggled, her fingers twitching, wanting to circle around his neck, squeeze, and never let go. "The message will be delivered." Her other hand attacked him, only to be restrained in the same way.

"Your destiny shall be fulfilled," Slade announced.

Raven's migraine peaked, and her whole head seemed to explode with pain. She screamed, red light shooting out of her eyes.

As her cry came loose, the angry script ran throughout her body, the firebrand markings eating away at her leotard—the fabric strips falling away.

Raven wished it could stop.

But it continued. Her hair lengthened; days and night flashed by.

How she longed for Robin. But he was half-dead in a burning cathedral. Because of her. How foolish she had been, thinking it would have been a safe haven away from Slade, an incarnation of the devil, when she herself, a demon, had entered it so easily.

Her vision blurred and blackened at the edges, curling inwards like burning paper. And as she opened her eyes, all she saw was despair and death. Hell on Earth. And the city lay in ruin, like a paradise lost. The sack of Titan's Tower. Broken and submerged in lava, the rust dulling its former shine and glory.

And the only living lifeforms, the eerily cawing birds. Black as coal, with quad fire eyes, they lined the branches of dead trees. They looked down upon stone statues. The people, the Titans, no longer alive or made of flesh, but carved of stone. Raven's eyes were drawn to one figure, separated from the rest. It was Robin, straining forward, towards something—someone. Her. She doubted any artist could have sculpted it as masterfully. Shock, anger, and anguish were inhumanly embedded in the rough granite. And it would remain that way for all eternity. Raven wondered if he was still alive under the rock, if he could still see out of those agonized eyes, if he could see his town destroyed, but unable to move. She wondered if he could see her, held high up so high above the wreckage, the lone creator of this misery.

"No," she whispered.

"Yes. Look at it. Drink it in. Behold the world you are destined to create."

"No, I won't do it. This is just a vision," Raven clasped her head, hoping that the apparition would stop.

"This is the future," Slade grasped her arms, stopping her wild thrashing. "Your future. It began the day you were born. And nothing can stop it."

Raven felt his fingers, cold, metal, and they hurt. Like his words. Like the edges of a knife.

"This will come to pass." Raven continued to stare at the rubble.

"I will make sure of it." Raven looked back at the stone Robin. There was some little part of her that said he would spring to life, fly up to her, and they would disappear away together, happily. But that was wishful thinking.

"You're going to destroy the world, Raven," Slade cooed gently in the shaking girl's ear—a lover's whisper, "It's written all over your face."

"No!" Raven's eyes turned white and the giant black bird that had been projecting the vision cawed once, before returning to Raven's limp body. And returning time to its normal flow.

The frozen birds flew with vigor once more, their wings a-flurry, as if a bullet had cracked through the air. A lingering cry, strangled and echoing wavered through the night; giving life once more, but itself extinguished.

-

He held her limp body, reveling in the pain he had caused—and the pain to come. "We'll be in touch." He smiled derisively beneath his mask and released his hold. Raven's body plummeted forward, fighting against gravity. "Oh, and happy birthday," he remarked.

Robin saw her fall from afar; a bird clipped of flight, with the ground rushing upwards. He sprinted along the rooftop, seeing Slade vanishing in the distance. For a damnable instant he was torn between Raven and Slade. His heart lurched painfully as he saw her slender body continue, precious moments lost in his hesitation.

He fired his grappling hook at a viable target and swung across. She had saved him, more than once, had entrusted him with her burden—when she fell, he would be there to catch her. As light as she was, the impact of Raven against his side as he swooped directly into her path sent hurt radiating up from his ribs. Completely letting go of the grappling hook, he dropped to the ground, making sure he suffered the brunt of the fall. Robin supported Raven's head from the concrete, looking wonderingly at her now full-length hair. She stirred and looked up at him. Her eyes tortured.

Robin's smile came out strained as he said quietly, "Let's go home."

He lifted her so one arm was behind her shoulders, and one arm under her knees. And he began the long journey back.

Her leotard wavered in the breeze, freshly torn and revealing. Robin was suddenly aware of her feminine figure, and her white collarbone that rose with every breath she took. Raven shivered, and curled closer to Robin, taking shallow breaths that exposed her anxiety. He held her closer, her each heartbeat was like a gentle flutter of wings, fragile like crystal. She eventually dozed off into a fitful state of sleep, muttering and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt in distress.

Finally arriving at the Tower, Robin barely managed to reach Raven's room in his weakened state. He laid her on her bed gently and set about changing her into a fresh set of clothes.

As he finished and adjusted her hood beneath her hair, she was looking at him; awake once more. Any other time he might have turned red, stuttered, fell down dead, but he was too exhausted and worried. He tucked a strand of long mauve hair behind her ear, trying his best to smile. Raven sighed and closed her eyes. Robin took this as his cue to leave.

But just as he reached the door, she heard her voice, insecure and afraid.

"Will…you stay, with me?"

Robin turned around to look at her, but her face was obscured.

Raven felt him slowly walk back by her bed. He collapsed on it tiredly next to her.

"Thank you," she whispered.

There was nothing to say, so he merely nodded.

"For everything," she finished.

They lay next to one another for awhile; Robin thinking Raven had recovered from her ordeal already before she began to cry softly.

Robin shifted closer, holding her convulsing body close. He gently tried to soothe her, the feel of her long hair still bewildering.

In his arms she could be the self-doubting teenager. In his arms she could be a demon-child. In his arms she could sob. In his arms she could be Raven. Because he would understand. Because in his arms she belonged.

-

Each tiny snip hung in the frigid air, the sound almost tangible enough to be held, captured. The strands of hair fell slowly to rest, like floating feathers, never to be airborne again.

-

After her second "surprise" party, Raven lay in bed. Unmoving, almost terrified to sleep. Afraid to venture too far into dreams, where maybe her Father would be able to find her. The door hissed open as the shadows continued to play tauntingly before her eyes. Someone padded slowly over towards her bed. She stayed still, hoping it would go away. Raven felt a hand gently caress her cheek. The moonlight streamed in. It was only Robin.

A sigh, "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to hear you breathe. Make sure you hadn't truly slipped out of my arms. Making sure I really did catch you," he spoke to her turned back.

Raven bundled up protectively inside the cloak she still wore, "Do you sleep with your mask on?"

The moonlight wavered slightly and fell on Raven's face. Her eyes were tired, shadows and fire lurking beneath the terrible visions witnessed.

"I'm not wearing it now."

A beat of silence.

Raven slid to the side, making room for him. She felt the brush of hand as he climbed next to her. He wasn't wearing gloves. So he probably wasn't wearing his uniform.

Raven gently traced the features of his face, closing his eyes with a delicate hand. Robin wanted to watch her more. Decide if she was the Raven he'd known, the Raven that had entered his mind, or the older Raven, with long flowing hair, doomed to bring about the Apocalypse.

He found her hand in the dark, and squeezed it gently. The moon disappeared behind a passing cloud. Plunging them into the dark of night. But they knew no fear.

And from outside, there was a fluttering of wings, as the birds flew.

-

When birds fly, they shed their feathers

Leaving them naked in the dark

But when birds fly, they fly in hope

Leaving the darkness behind

And headed for the light

Together.

-