Can I have a do over?

Vi's father made a motion to swat the bird off of his head, but stopped, fearing that there might be some sort of retaliation for such an action. He lowered his hand and instead grumbled. "I take it your... animals have taken a liking to her?" he asked.

Pernas nodded his head. "Apparently."

Vi's father nodded. "And... Captain?"

"One of the cows." Pernas said. "I don't think you'd like him..."

***

Alar ruffled his feathers, peeping to himself a little. "I guess..." he mumbled.

The man was smart to lower his hand as Pip would have pecked his fingers off or at least that's what he liked the think. He next landed on Pernas's shoulder and puffed out his chest though his question was aimed at Pernas, "You aint gonna let that happen right?"

***

Vi smiled at Alar, "Do you know any good hiding places?" She figured asking a bird that could fly any where he wanted to could find a hiding place for a little human like her.

"Well?" Vi's father asked.

Pernas shrugged and sighed painfully. "Well, thing is, it doesn't matter what I think. I just don't see a way to do anything about it. To the best of my knowledge, there is no way off this island. None."

Vi's father's face went white. "You mean..."

"Yes." Pernas said sadly. "You're all stuck here."

***

"Uhh..." Alar said. "Up?" he asked, looking up. "Wait... I do know there's a glade nearby. Very rocky and steep, with a few crevices. The Captain doesn't know about it, and there's nothing there for him to eat there, anyway."

Pip seemed distressed though. He shuffled his feet and hopped on to Pernas's head then shoulder then head again. Over and over as if something else was supposed to happen, "Where's the other guy?"

***

Vi nodded slowly, "That could work. Though I don't think I would hide from Captain Carbonbuckle." She smiled, "Would you show me? I promise I wont tell him where your hiding spot is."

Vi's father sighed. "Ralph? He's still trying to get the radio working, but the blasted thing isn't picking up a signal."

"I told you." Pernas said. "Pip, what are you doing?" he said, briskly catching the bird in a firm grip in mid-hop.

***

"Well... okay," Alar said. "This way," he said, flitting off away. He led her to a glade, deeper in the garden. There was a stream of water coming down a rocky wall that was bare of vegetation. "In here." Alar said, flitting behind some of the rocks.

"I'll never tell you the truth!" Pip peeped but seemed to realize he was sounding crazy. He ruffled his feathers, "I just worried tis all." He felt locked in Pernas's fingers and his feet squirmed until he was perched on his fingers though Pernas still had a hold on him.

He began to nibble at Pernas's fingers now as if he were a human nibbling on there nails. Though it was soft and didn't hurt.

***

Vi looked up at the wall of rock. This was probably not the best hiding place but if she could get up past the water it would prove difficult for any one. Exept Pernas but he was a dragon. She dug her fingers in to a creves in the wall to star the climb up.

Vi's father blinked. "Truth?... You know, I'm just not going to ask..."

"Why don't you go inside and have some breakfast?" Pernas said. "You should be able to find food on the shelves."

"Sure..." the father said gruffly, turning to go. Pernas released his grip on Pip, placing the bird on his shoulder. "Well, good morning." he said, walking off in the direction that Vi had gone.

"I no like him Master Dragon," Pip stated as he ruffled up his feathers and puffed up so big he looked like a puff ball and no longer a bird, "Can I scare him off? All fear Pip! Rawr!" He started to twitter like he was trying to rawr as Pernas would when he was a dragon.

***

Vi reached the top and wipped her hands off on the dress. Leaving dark smudges, "Alar, where did you go?" She could no longer see him and she peered over the edge. Instantly she pushed her self back. It was a ways down and she didn't want to fall.

Pernas chuckled, stroking Pip's chin. "That won't be necessary, Pip." he said, smiling. "Now, let's find Violet." he said, walking off in the direction she had headed. "Must've gone and hid..." he muttered. He said. "I wonder where..." he said, looking.

By sheer chance, he decided to look near the glade. His mouth dropped open when he saw Vi, climbing up the rock wall.

"Vi! What are you doing!" He shouted. Alar shrank, realizing he'd done something wrong.

Alar didn't answer her and the wind seemed so much more formidable up here. It tugged at the dress and her hair. When she finally spotted Alar Pernas was walking toward her.

Vi! What are you doing!

His voice echoed around her and she leaned over the edge to see him. Though she spotted Alar again cowering among the stones.

"Hiding," Vi called down but smiled at him, "Sort of like Alar."

She had to pull back the wind was pushing around her and she was so concentrated on fighting it that when the earth gave out from under her she didn't realize it before it was too late.

Her fingers lost there grip and the loose rocks tumbled down. Luckily she wasn't hit by any as she turned in the air to watch the ground race toward her. It was like a roller coaster and she had waited to scream too late. Her throat was so clenched with fear that nothing escaped it.



Pip saw her too and his puffieness vanished. When she fell he flew as if to catch her but knew he was too small. Instead he landed on the ground and covered his eyes with one wing as if he couldn't bare to watch it.

"Your father just went inside to have break-" he called, but broke off when he saw her lose her grip.

However, rather than his characteristic "numb shock," he dashed forward, and jumped up after her, shifting into dragon form in midair.

He beat his wings, swooping up and catching her in his claws as she fell. Once she was safely in his claws, he glided back down to the ground, placing her on her feet.

"Alar?" he asked, craning his neck to look at the terrified hummingbird, who was cringing.

"I'm sorry..." he said, somewhat pathetically. "I only..."

"I don't care to hear it." Pernas said. "Vi? Are you alright? Please... don't do anything like that again."

Vi seemed dazed as the warm claw closed around her. Her fingers gripped it before she was set down. The large Pernas dragon was speaking to Alir. She shook her head. Being in fear and then not was a bit of a shock. She shook her head and grabbed it as it rang.

She looked up at him even as the wind began to pick up. Terrible wind that howled across the trees, "Yeah, just a head ach now. I'll be okay. I've climbed before. It was just this wind."

As if to answer it gave off a shrill shriek and the trees groaned in protest. Vi, head ach suddenly forgotten, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around one of his claws, "What is it?" On a magical island howling wind was not a good sign.

Pernas looked up.

"What? What is it?" Alar asked, apparently struggling not to get blown away (he's a small bird).

"It seems like a storm beginning." Pernas said quietly.

"What's a 'storm?'" Alar asked.

"That's right. There's never been a storm here before." Pernas said. Then the fact dawned. "This isn't good." he said, as the wind started to pick up. "We need to all get into the caves as soon as possible. It could get very bad."

Vi frowned and looked even more frightened as huge black clouds rolled in with such speed that there was no way that they could be real clouds. A fork of lightning shot down and hit the ground on some other part of the island and the clouds opened up. It wasn't rain or snow it was huge chunks of hail with sleet mixed in.

Vi shrieked as they rained down on her head. "Let's go then!" Pip was hit by one of the hail pieces and fell unconciouse. She picked up the poor little bird and held him close to her breast and tried to shiel them both by standing close to Pernas.

"Let's get to the caves!" Pernas said, spreading his wings to cover them. "Let's hope everyone else has that same common sense." he said, starting off towards the caves.

"I just hope it doesn't hurt the garden too much." he said quietly. "But we should all be alright. In here" he said, turning to one of the many entrances of the caves. A number of the birds and cows were following them, apparently with the same common sense.

"Pip's hurt." Alar said, landing on Vi's shoulder.

"Ohh..." Pernas said, looking at the bird. "Well, if he doesn't get better he'll just get born again. Though the birds aren't quite as used to that."

Captain Carbonbuckle was already there. His small calf form was the highest one up and standing on a pile of boulders he was preaching about the time has come for cows to rule the island and some such other nonsense. When Pernas appeared he started laughing hystericaly and fell right off.

Vi shook her head to get her attention off of the strange cow and moved farther in. Sitting down she petted the little Pip gently, "Pernas, what is happening? This is not a normal storm."

She seemed very worried as she gazed up at Pernas. The scar on her cheak seemed to stand out more and her violet eyes seemed brighter because she was extremely pale.

"It doesn't make sense." Pernas said, shooting a glare at Carbonbuckle. "There's never been a big storm on this island."

"Maybe it's changing." Alar suggested.

"Could be..." Pernas said. "But I don't understand why. First you come, then your father and the sailor, and now this." he said. "It doesn't make sense. If only father was here, he'd be able to figure things out."

Vi looked troubled, "Pernas can you call him or something? I have a cell phone so it might work if all this crazy stuff is happening."

She fished in her pocket for a moment and then turned on her phone before holding it out for Pernas to take. Trusting he would turn in to a human before using her phone.

When he took it she got up, "I know they come back after they die but I'm going to go check on Captain Carbonbuckle. He fell kind of hard. Alir maybe you can ask around and see how many birds made it in?" She wasn' so sure on giving orders and looked up at Pernas as if for permition.

"Okie-dokie" Alar said, flitting off.

Pernas shifted into a human, taking the cell phone. "Listen, I don't think this is gonna -"

RIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIIING!

"Uhh..." Pernas said, answering. "Hello?" he asked. Wow. Lucky first guess as to which button to push. "Father?" he asked. "How did you-? Uh-huh. Yes. Yes. Uh-huh. Oh? Uh-huh. Yes." a pause. "Yes, that one cow is still trying to poison me. Yes. Uh-huh. What? Okay. Right. Yes. Uh-huh. Yes, he is planning a revolution. Yes. I know. Uh-huh. Yes. Fine. Everything's fine. Well, yes, of course I mean aside from the storm. Yes. Uh-huh. Right. I know. Right. Yes. Yes. Of course. Okay."

As Vi couldn't hear the other end of the phone and couldn't follow the conversation she went in the direction of where Captain Carbonbuckle had fallen. She helped the little calf up but he seemed way too unsteady on his feet as if he had gotten drunk again.

He started giggeling insanly and fell over again. Vi shook her head and left the cow where he was on the ground giggling. She walked back to Pernas, "Any word?"

"Father called..." Pernas said. "Seems that the island's going a little screwy... he'll be coming along sometime to see what it is, exactly." he seemed a bit confused. "That's the first I've heard from him since he left me here."

Alar came back. "Not all the birds got here. Some got killed by the hail. I don't imagine as many cows got killed, but the thingy could get worse."

"It must be seriouse then," Vi concluded, "Aren't you excited that he's coming here though?"

Pip stired in her hands and he let out a cute yawn, "Pip on duty! Ouch!" He shook his head, "I gots me a bumb the size of a walnut!" He got free of Vi's fingers but staid perched on them, "What bloody hell hit me?"

"Well, hail," Vi said quietly to the bird.

"Hail? I'll teach Mr. Hail a lesson for hitting me when I wasn't properly lookin I will!" Vi caught him as he tried to make a break from her fingers.

"You can't teach hail a lesson it is like a leaf or a rock it doesn't feel anything," Vi stated though she was smiling at the little bird.

"I don't know. It's all very sudden..." Pernas said, sitting down. "Well, we should be alright in the caves. Not sure what to do about the animals that drowned."

"You could eat them..." Alar suggested.

"After rotting in the rain that long?" Pernas asked with a somewhat disgusted look on his face. "Eh, I'll think about that later. Not an appropriate topic of conversation..." he said, looking at Vi. "Well, we should find your father and the sailor."

"Pip is on duty, sir!" Pip did a bird equivalent of a salute and escaped from Vi's hands again landed neatly on Pernas' knee, "I can go fetch them. I'll take the passages and lead them back here."

Vi smiled at Pip but her gaze went to Pernas. Eager to let the bird prove him self and yet a little bit dreading the return of her father. He would probably be angry that she had "wandered off".

"Let's go." Pernas said. "And you." he said, pointing to a nearby cow. "You come along, I think I'll have you for lunch."

"Yes, sir." the cow said, a little glumly, following.

"Tough luck." another one said.

"The caves should keep us perfectly safe." Pernas said, leading them through the halls. "we'll just have to wait in here till it passes. "It's funny..." he said. "Down here, you wouldn't even know what's going outside. Not in this section, anyway."

They went further down to what seemed like a large parlour. Her father was sitting there. "Ahh, good, you're here." Pernas said.

"Hello, Violet." Her father said, in a detached tone.

"Er, say, where's the sailor?" Pernas asked.

"Ralph? Oh, he went up to try the radio again. Thought he could get reception from the top of the mountain." He said. "Why?" Pernas was stiff. Then he dashed up the stairs as fast as he could.

"Why?" The father asked. "Violet, what's he doing?"

"Well, there's a Stome or something." Alar said.