Unable to really say anything to that, Ava just huffs out a breath and settles down, closing his eyes as the other boys stroke and pet him. He fluffs his feathers a bit, trying to settle his heart and not worry.. quite so much.

A bit later - after some relaxing and a short snooze by Avalon, the three find their way back out to the main living area as Sunsinger announces that dinner is ready. Avalon's mother is out - and it's quite apparent who he favors the most strongly.

She stands and goes to meet them, wrapping her arms around her winged son and gives him a tight hug. Without even blinking an eye, she looks to Henry and then Josh, and says "You will all do well - I know this to be true. You must simply go and do the rite." Pulling back, she takes a hard look at Avalon, then says softly "All will be well. Do not fear will cause you pain."

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"I'll make sure he makes it," Henry promises her.

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Josh nods firmly. "I won't let them get hurt," he adds. "And we'll do it."

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She doesn't even blink, "I know you will. There is no question." she says. Turning her attention back to Avalon, she gives her son a smile and says "You need to have more faith."

Avalon just gives his mother what can only be described as a long-suffering expression of vexation. He draws a deep breath in, and then says carefully "I'm not one to try and stand behind your knowledge of the future, Mother." he glances to Henry, "Henry has taught me that."

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"The future can always be changed by our actions," Henry points out. "Or else, what's the point of trying?"

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Josh just shifts awkwardly. He keeps quiet, not wanting to offend.

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She just blinks at Henry like what he's saying is a completely alien concept - just like Avalon did the first time Henry tried to convince him of that concept.

About that time, Sunsinger intervenes, his smile wide as he wraps an arm around his diminutive wife and says softly "Remember honey, not everyone is as powerful of a precog as you.. They actually like not knowing the future.. it makes their lives fuller and richer. Kind of like how the Dreamtime makes your life richer?"

Avalon seems quite thankful for his father's words, he offers the man a wide smile and nods his head. "I know that all will be well, Mother. I just worry.. And I don't want to know what is supposed to happen or not, for I would rather the future be what it's supposed to be. Whatever that is as it happens."

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"If the future can't be changed," Henry points out, "then there's no point to even try. I can see precognition giving the most likely possibility, but not something that's set in stone."

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Josh feels a bit silly but he still speaks up. "A woman that could tell me the future once told me I would spend the rest of my life alone and wandering the streets but I found Henry and Avalon," he murmurs softly. "So...something changed," he says, not mentioning it was just a fortune teller.

"Umm. Okay...I feel embarrassed for asking this but...what does a Feartail even look like? And it's reptillian, right?"

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Avona just.. looks dumbfounded. Really. This is all such a crazy concept for her to wrap her head around that she is speechless! Sunsinger understands though, and he rubs at his wife's back, his expression gentle as he looks at her. "It's okay honey." he says softly. "It's just a difference of cultures, and one we should respect."

Looking to the boys, he then offers them a place to sit as he says "And yes, Josh, the Feartail is reptilian. Much like what you call dinosaurs on Earth only.. not prehistoric."

While they all get settled and are served a meal, Sunsinger goes over what is known of the Feartail, reviewing the favored territories and food, and habitats and habits for the boys.

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Henry pays close attention during the description, asking occasional pertinent questions and noting thoughts on strategies.

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"I'm sorry," Josh squeaks quickly when he sees the reaction from Avalon's mother. He edges slightly behind Ava and shifts from foot to foot.

The healer pays close attention to everything Sunsinger tells them. He's still a little uncomfortable about the whole thing but he doesn't let it show. "So a really big, flying lizard..." he murmurs, looking up thoughtfully. That makes it slightly easier to find.

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Really, Avalon's parents are rather easy to get along with. Sunsinger is gregarious and friendly and a wonderful storyteller, while Avona is mostly quiet and seems to live with her head off in the clouds. Even though Sunsinger doesn't have any powers (like his wife or son) he seems to be a good reader of people and does what he can to put Avalon's friends at ease as much as he can. Really, there is only so much information that one can learn in a night, and even with the cooking hearth burns low, and Avona has gone on to bed, he stays up with the boys, trying to settle their nerves. Avalon's especially. Then again, Avalon is the one who looks like he might jump out of his own skin with anxiety at any moment.

The ight draws long and eventually he sends them to bed. Day and night run longer on Starhaven than they do on Earth, and so the boys still have plenty of time to rest - and they will need it. He doesn't even blink when all three end up back in the small cozy room that Avalon long ago claimed as his own.

Once within the room, Ava locks the door behind them and starts stripping off his clothes, uncertain that he will be able to sleep but knowing that he needs to. He doesn't bother with dressing again, and crawls into the bed and pulls the covers up to his chin, watching Josh and Henry with big owlish eyes.

"All will be well." he says softly to himself, repeating it again, clinging to the core statement of his Corps to keep his heart from hammering out of his chest.

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Henry throws his arms around Avalon, holding him tight against his chest.

"We'll make all be well. Because if it isn't, we'll kick its ass into shape."

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Josh does the same from the other side.

"Yeah," he chirps in. "We'll do it, Ava."

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Ava just burries his face in whomever is closest and closes his eyes, hiding from the world. He's shivering, though not badly.. just now and again. "I'm so glad that I have you guys. I think that I'd be so scared I'd be crying right now if I was having to go this alone.." he confides. "When I was fifteen I wasn't this scared, but then again when I was fifteen I didn't have so much to loose."

He draws in a deep breath, then tries to explain "By passing this rite, you both can become part of my family.. And I want that more than anything. It's really important to me, and I know it's kind of silly for it to be so important.. but it is!"

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"If it's important to you, then it's important to me," Henry states simply. "Betting the same is true for Josh. So we'll do this."

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"It is," Josh confirms. "Rest, Ava. Sleep. You too, Henry," he says.

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It takes a bit more snuggling and a couple of kisses here and there for Ava to finally settle down and drift off to sleep. Once he does however, its the deep, dreamless sleep of pure exhaustion - and it's a good thing too. There's no telling when the three of them will have another good night's sleep until this is all said and done with.

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Henry waits until Ava's asleep in his arms. He gently strokes the Blue Lantern's hair, then looks up at Josh, nods softly, then settles down and closes his eyes.

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