Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel

his sails unfurled forcefully.
    “We should all heed this saurian as a warning,” Nova said, spreading her own sails as if in response to a challenge. “We can’t live in isolation any longer. Now is the time to take up our obligations to the Pact once more. If this was a she-saurian, there will be a nest. A nest means eggs. I suggest we send a group to the mainland to confer with other colonies.”
    “What happens on the mainland is not our concern,” said Icaron. “A crossing would be extremely dangerous. Have you forgotten?” He paused, and Dusk thought his eyes strayed to him and Sylph. “Nonetheless, to reassure us that we and all our children are safe, tomorrow I will organize an expedition to see if there is another saurian or a nest on the island.”
    “It is extremely unlikely,” Sol told the assembly.
    “That is a start at least,” said Nova. “But what of going to the mainland?”
    “No,” said Icaron. “There is no need.” Barat and Sol nodded their agreement.
    “And if we should find eggs here on the island,” Nova asked, “what will your course of action be?”
    “There will be no eggs. But if we were to find any, you know my answer. Saurian eggs are not to be harmed.”
    “Even in our own home, our own forest, you would allow these eggs to hatch?”
    “We are here because we made a vow to abstain from the destruction of the eggs,” Icaron said. “To destroy the eggs now would be a terrible hypocrisy. I will not tolerate it.”
    “That is not the decision of a leader.”
    Dusk’s eyes widened as his father reared back, chest thrown out, and pounded the air with his sails, battering Nova with a wind that made her fall back, cringing.
    “I have allowed you to speak your mind, Nova,” he shouted. “Do not make the mistake of thinking your words carry any authority! I will decide what is best for the colony and will continue to do so until the day I die.”
    Dusk stuck close to his father for the rest of the evening. He felt safer that way. Moving about their nest as they prepared for sleep, he shadowed Icaron so tightly that his father almost tripped over him. Icaron looked at him sharply, but the annoyance in his face quickly faded.
    “Everything’s all right, Dusk,” he said.
    “Are we really safe?” he asked.
    “Stop being feeble,” Sylph said, but he noticed she too was watching their father, waiting for reassurance. “Yes, we’re all very safe,” Icaron said. “This was the first saurianI’ve seen since leaving the mainland. I doubt we will ever see another.”
    Though his father no longer stood upon his leader’s perch, Dusk was aware of his power and authority as never before. While he felt protected within its aura, he was also a bit afraid, because he’d never seen Dad so angry and fierce. He hoped that temper would never be turned on him. He had a question, as insistent as an itch he couldn’t scratch, but he almost couldn’t work up the courage to ask.
    “Dad? I’m just wondering …” His voice faltered. His father settled down beside him. “Go on.”
    “Why didn’t you ever tell us about the Pact?” Icaron looked briefly at Mistral and sighed. “So many reasons,” he said. “When we came to this island, we truly felt we’d found some kind of paradise. There were no saurians, and it seemed we might never see any again. Why did our children need to know about the old world, with all its dangers and sordid history? We wanted to keep our children safe here.”
    Mistral nodded. “The heads of the four families all vowed to keep it secret,” she said. “If we’d talked about the Pact, there always would’ve been a few fiery tempered chiropters who wanted to go back to the mainland and see the saurians, and maybe hunt them. But no one wants to see their own children harmed or killed. Even Nova, you’ll notice, has chosen to spend her life on the island. And until tonight, she kept her vow of silence.”
    “Why did Nova even come,” Dusk wanted