Now that the winter storms were letting up, travelers were coming in to trade with Skyward, and some brought their youngsters with them so that they could learn about other colonies. Nova, Noodle, and Sky were giving Dionysus, a youngster from WhiteRaven, a tour and some advice.

They had met him at the transport pad, earlier in the morning while the sky was still clear and there were only the barest wisps of clouds building. The amethyst tone of the atmosphere lent a dreamy tint to the mountains in the distance, and the ground was springy underfoot from the frequent rain and snowmelt.

As WhiteRaven was also from Rekes, they had only used a small shuttle, suitable for hopping between mountains and not much more. The groups waved at each other, chatted, and then Nova, Noodle, and Sky were looking down at a pair of wide eyes set into a brown face.

"Dionysus?" Noodle inquired, and the youngster nodded hesitantly, looking around uncertainly.

Nova smiled down at him warmly. "I'm Nova, and this is Noodle and Sky. Welcome to Skyward!"

He nodded up at them wide eyed, and followed quietly as they gave him a tour. Nova noticed him looking around curiously, and bent down to speak quietly to him.

"If you have questions, you can ask!"

He glanced up at him hesitantly, then asked, "Why do you live in caves? Didn't they take long to excavate?"

Nova nodded. "I think they did - let me ask Noodle, ze knows more about the early days. Noodle?"

Noodle paused and turned back, zir head tilted quizzically.

"Why'd you set up in the tunnels?"

"Oh! You see, we set up during winter, when the elements were rough, to say the least, and the ground was covered in snow. Setting up outside, on a meadow or such would've meant having to first clear the snow and ice, and then deal with the ground below. It would be frozen solid, almost rock-hard," Noodle clarified, seeing Dionysus' uncomprehension.

Understanding dawned on the youngster's face. "So if you already had to get the equipment… it made more sense to widen existing tunnels."

"Exactly!"

"And there were no aerobics at first," Sky sniffed, ruffling her wings. "Nobody to say 'hey, maybe building in the tunnels would be very inconvenient for people with wings.'"

The two aerobics shared something between them, and Noodle and Nova shrugged at each other. Probably had to do with smacking wings on the walls or something.

"It also allows us to take advantage of the bones," Nova continued as they began to walk again, nodding at the glowing swath of crystal in the wall. "Even when the day lights are out, we can still see."

Dionysus talked about his colony a little bit, coming out of his shell. About how they had to take into account the spring rains and floods…

Sky nodded sympathetically, remembering the ordeal of soaked feathers and fur. "Some days aren't fit to go outside."

That seemed to remind Dionysus of another question, and he turned to Noodle. "But how do you deal with if the tunnels flood? You can't lift tunnels up on supports."

Noodle nodded in agreement, and nodded at the entrance. "We've got some water systems that guide snowmelt and rainfall away from the entrances."

"The entrances are also up on slopes, so they don't usually flood," Nova agreed. "The water goes down the slope and away."

They talked for a while longer about hydrodynamics, and showed Dionysus the pump room that circulated water throughout their colony. It was loud in there, though, and they soon headed elsewhere - Sky showed him the wind tunnel they were building to allow aerobics and other winged people to practice flight when it was stormy or dangerous outside. As it often was, in the mountains, with the extreme air currents forming extreme weather.

Soon, Dionysus' stomach began to growl, and Noodle just laughed at his embarrassment and lead them to the kitchens. Nova was glad of the snack himself, and snatched the last pastry away from Sky much to her indignant noises.

Their colony inside the mountains of Rekes might not be the most normal construction - but it was home, and that was worth so much more.