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water, he soon realized, had a hard, metallic edge to it. Craggy stone cliffs—it felt like real stone, he’d checked—bordered the forest on all sides, rising up to the glass roof high above the tree line. He’d discovered numerous small portals, just like the one he’d entered through, but they were all just as tightly closed and impossible to move.
    But he wasn’t about to give up. There had to be a way out. He wasn’t sure he would use it yet, but he wanted to know it was there, anyway.
    Now he skimmed beneath the roof, straining for a draft of cold air, anything that might lead him to a crevice, a vent, any possible exit. Nothing, as always. He looked across the forest. He knew it would take him months to scour all of it, and even then he could miss something.
    If only he had help … but everyone else just wanted to sleep, and when they weren’t sleeping, they were hunting lazily and combing their fur. Ariel would invite him to roost beside her, or hunt, but he stayed away. He had things to do, and it made him angry she didn’t feel the same way as he did. She didn’t say anything, but he knew. She was happy here, like everyone else. Even Frieda spent most of her time on a favorite stone by a pond, warming her old bones in the sun’s path. Why wasn’t she more upset about the others back at Hibernaculum? And what about the owls? She should’ve been trying to get out too!
    Marina had made friends with a group of Brightwings, and when she wasn’t with them, she was always with Chinook. It was unbelievable. When he heard that tinkly laugh of hers he wanted to bite through rock. At first she’d asked him to join them, but he always made excuses, and now she didn’t even ask anymore, just gave him a quick, tight smile and flew off with the others.
    All around him, everyone was happy, and he felt like a soggy leaf.
    “Still looking?” Marina had flown up behind him.
    “Hmm,” grunted Shade. He glanced at her quickly, unsure whether she was just being friendly or quietly mocking him. But he was happy to see her, especially without Chinook trailing after her. He hadn’t seen her alone in nights.
    “So how’re you enjoying Paradise?” he asked, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice.
    “It beats getting eaten by owls,” she said with a smile. “Come on, Shade, take a rest. If anyone’s earned it, you have. This place isn’t so bad.”
    He wanted to believe her and, for a moment, felt himself relax. Maybe this was the end of the journey after all, and why shouldn’t he fold his wings up and have a good, long sleep? Itwould be so easy. A tiger moth fluttered inches from his nose, and he frowned.
    “You know where the bugs come from?” he said distractedly. “These tiny little holes in the cliffs. They’re all over the place. Look, there’s one right over here.” He flew closer and jabbed with his wing tip. “Look at this. The bugs just shoot right out. Can you believe it?”
    “Shade, what does it matter?”
    “They don’t even taste that great.”
    “You’re complaining about the food? You’d rather be out scraping frozen fungus off a tree?”
    “Admit it, Marina. The bugs don’t taste normal, and they all taste the same. The beetles don’t have the same crunch to them. You must’ve noticed that.”
    She scowled. “Maybe I have, but is it so bad?”
    “Too easy to catch,” he muttered. “Even the tiger moths are dopey. I haven’t missed one yet. Tiger moths should put up a bit of a fight….” He trailed off, feeling childish. Together they fluttered down to a tree and roosted side by side, saying nothing for a few moments.
    “I’m sorry about your father,” she said.
    “I just don’t understand how he can’t be here. It makes me think, I don’t know, this isn’t the right place, that we made a mistake.”
    “Doesn’t feel like a mistake to me,” Marina said. “Why are you so suspicious? I see you flying around, looking for ways out. Why can’t you just enjoy