dinohigh, no humans allowed!

The burning in my legs was too much to ignore. I'd pushed myself long enough, and with the school buildings finally in sight, I gave up on pedaling. I flipped on the bike's motor, letting the engine kick in with a satisfying growl. The rumble beneath me was a welcome relief, propelling me forward the last few blocks.

Up above, a shadow passed overhead. I glanced up and saw a girl gliding down, wings spread wide as she coasted alongside me. Her descent was slow and deliberate, but there wasn't a lot of space for her to touch down safely.

"You think landing in the middle of the street is a good idea?" I called out, raising my voice over the hum of the engine.

She glanced around, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the crowded area. "Not a lot of options," she called back. "Unless you know of a runway I missed."

"Fair enough," I muttered. She was running out of time and space. Still, landing in the middle of a road wasn't exactly ideal.

"Hey, could you ride ahead?" she called again, a hint of tension creeping into her voice. "Just make sure I don't get hit by a car?"

I sighed. Not exactly what I wanted to be doing, but I couldn't just let her crash and burn. "Alright," I called back. "But I'm not responsible if you screw it up."

I accelerated, the motor whining as I surged ahead. As I sped up, I calculated how much room she'd need for a clean landing. Most people would struggle with that kind of thing, but it came naturally to me. As a pterosaur, judging speed and angles was instinct—something ingrained in my blood. It's what we were made for.

As I weaved through the street, I let my mind drift. Our kind had been shoved out of the dinosaur group ages ago, but that didn't stop us. In fact, we thrived. We became the best in aviation, military development, and sciences. They tried to forget us, but we made sure they couldn't.

But despite all that success, I couldn't help but feel that weight. The taxes, the laws—they were designed to keep us down. To limit what we could own, where we could go. But they didn't look like us, and honestly, we didn't need them. We'd do just fine without them.

Shaking off the thought, I focused back on the task at hand. The girl was starting her descent now, and I could tell she'd need space. I stopped at the end of the road, swinging my bike around to block the path. I glanced back and saw her fighting against a gust of wind as her glider's wheels hit the cobblestone with a rough thud.

I watched her recover, but something felt off. Her smile was tight, like it didn't quite reach her eyes. I leaned on my bike, trying not to think about it, but it gnawed at me. People always seemed to smile like that around me—like they weren't being real. I couldn't help but wonder: was it my money? My family's status? My looks?

A shiver ran down my spine. Was that all anyone saw? I wasn't angry at them—I was angry that it seemed like that was all people ever wanted from me. Wasn't there more? I had my own thoughts, my own ideas, but no one seemed to care. It was frustrating. Maybe I was just selfish, expecting more.

I hugged my arms around myself, trying to shake off the feeling. That's what Mom always said—everyone just wants something, and you'd better be ready to give it if you want them around. Maybe that's why she made me wear those ridiculous, revealing outfits. I hated them.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I spotted a car turning onto the road. It was an old, beat-up sedan with a huge water tank strapped to the roof. Nothing about it screamed 'normal' to me. "What's with the water tank?" I muttered, waving my arm to get the driver's attention.

At first, the car slowed down like it was going to stop, but then the engine roared. Before I could react, the car sped straight toward me.

"Shit!" I jumped off the road, diving for cover behind a lamp post and fire hydrant. The car roared past me, the tires squealing as they hugged the road, and I felt the rush of air from how close it had come. If I hadn't moved in time, I would've been toast.

"What the hell was that?" I yelled after the car, my wings twitching in agitation. My heart was racing, and I couldn't help but wonder—was it because they saw my wings? Were they pissed I had something they didn't? That I could take to the skies whenever I wanted while they were stuck on the ground? The land-dinos always had a way of making everything into a competition.

As I watched the car barrel down the road, something clicked. It wasn't just driving erratically—it was heading straight for Auzr.

My heart skipped a beat. I waved my arms, screaming, "Auzr, move!"

But she didn't see me. Her face had gone pale, and her eyes were wide with fear as the car closed in. She yanked the glider's controls, trying to swerve out of the way, but it was too late. The glider skidded off the road, crashing into a row of bushes with a sickening crunch.

"Dammit!" I swore, abandoning my bike and sprinting toward her as fast as my legs would carry me. "Auzr! Are you okay?"

I bolted toward Auzr, my legs pumping hard against the ground, the wind from the near miss still whistling in my ears. My wings twitched with each step, desperate to take flight, but now wasn't the time. I had to stay grounded—keep my focus on Auzr.

Her glider lay tilted in the bushes, one wing caught awkwardly in the branches. I could see her figure slumped against the seat, her helmet askew, and her face pale. She was breathing, though, her chest rising and falling, but it wasn't a relief just yet. "Auzr!" I yelled again, sliding to my knees beside her.

She groaned, her eyes half-lidded as she tried to sit up. "I'm fine," she muttered, though she didn't sound convinced. "Just... just a little shaken."

"Shaken?" I scoffed, trying to keep my voice calm but failing miserably. "You nearly got flattened!" I glanced back at the road. The car had disappeared around the corner, leaving only the screech of its tires echoing in the distance. What was wrong with that driver? And more importantly, what was their problem with us?

Auzr winced as she tried to unbuckle herself, her movements shaky. I reached out to help, and she reluctantly let me assist her. "Thanks," she muttered, her voice a bit more grounded now. She glanced toward her glider, frowning. "I thought I had the landing under control... but that wind—"

"Wasn't your fault," I interrupted. "You did fine. That car came out of nowhere."

She looked at me, her eyes dark with doubt, but she didn't argue. Instead, she gingerly pulled herself out of the glider, testing her legs. When she stood fully, her wings unfurled slightly, stretching as though trying to shake off the crash. They were impressive—bigger than mine, built for long-distance flights rather than short sprints. Her feathers rippled in the soft breeze, the sunlight catching on the dark reds and browns.

"You okay to walk?" I asked, still a bit breathless from the scare.

"Yeah," she said, her voice more steady now. "I just need a minute." Her gaze turned back to the road where the car had vanished. "What the hell was that about?"

"I don't know," I muttered, my wings twitching again. "But I'm pretty sure it was deliberate."

She frowned, her brow furrowed. "Because we're flyers?"

I shrugged, though the answer felt obvious. "They don't like us. Never have."

We both stood there for a moment in silence, the tension of the situation still hanging in the air. It wasn't the first time I'd faced that kind of aggression, and I doubt it would be the last. Being a flyer—especially one that wasn't technically a dinosaur anymore—put a target on your back. We weren't part of the land-dino crowd, and we didn't fit with the true reptiles either. It left us somewhere in between, and that made people uncomfortable.

"At least we're still alive," I added, trying to break the heaviness of the moment. Auzr gave me a weak smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. It was the same distant look I'd seen on her before, and it gnawed at me. Why did everyone feel so distant?

Before I could dwell on it further, a sharp cry echoed from above. Both of us looked up, startled by the sudden noise. At first, I couldn't see anything—just the bright blue sky and the towering buildings around us. But then I spotted them—three massive figures gliding overhead, their shadows stretching across the ground.

"More flyers?" Auzr asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"Yeah," I muttered, narrowing my eyes. "But not like us."

The creatures circling above were larger—far larger than any pterosaur I'd ever seen. Their wingspan was immense, easily double that of Auzr's glider, and their leathery skin glistened in the sunlight. They weren't true dinosaurs either, though they looked like something out of the distant past. Pterodactyl-like, but bulkier, more predatory. Their heads were sleek and pointed, with sharp, beady eyes that scanned the ground below.

"Don't tell me those things are after us too," Auzr murmured, half-joking but with a nervous edge to her voice.

I wasn't sure. Flyers like them didn't typically roam this far into the city, but then again, the world was changing. Territory disputes were becoming more common, especially as land-dinos continued to expand their control over the urban areas. It wasn't uncommon for us to be caught in the crossfire.

"They might just be passing through," I said, though even I wasn't convinced. My wings twitched again, an instinctive reaction to the threat looming above. I hated feeling grounded like this, exposed and vulnerable. It made me itch to take to the skies, to meet them head-on if need be.

One of the creatures let out another shriek, its voice cutting through the air like a blade. The others followed suit, their cries growing louder, more aggressive. They weren't just passing through—they were hunting.

"Auzr," I said, my voice low and urgent. "We need to move."

She glanced at me, her expression shifting from confusion to understanding. "You think they're coming after us?"

"I don't think they're here for a chat," I muttered. "Come on, let's get to cover."

We hurried toward the nearest building, ducking under an awning as the creatures circled lower. I could hear the rush of wind as their wings flapped above us, powerful gusts that rattled the windows and sent dust swirling through the streets. They were close now—too close.

"What the hell do they want?" Auzr hissed, her wings twitching in agitation.

"Does it matter?" I shot back. "We just need to stay out of their way."

But as soon as I said it, I knew that wasn't an option. The largest of the three creatures swooped down suddenly, its massive claws extended as it aimed straight for Auzr's glider. I barely had time to shout a warning before the beast slammed into the wreckage, tearing through the fabric and sending pieces flying.

"Shit!" Auzr cried, stumbling back as the creature let out a deafening roar. It lifted its head, its beady eyes locking onto us with a predatory gleam.

"Run!" I yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the alleyway behind the building. We sprinted down the narrow path, the sound of the creature's heavy footsteps pounding behind us. My wings fluttered in panic, desperate to take flight, but the alley was too cramped, the walls too close.

"First day of school, and I'm already running for my life; is this what dinohigh is like for everybody?

A voice came on the intercom. "Welcome children to the first day of the rest of your lives; try not to die; class is in session; first lesson; practical social skills."