Celebrations are in order {Harvest Festival!}

[Lan]

Chydyn was a hub of activity this day. The nut harvest had come in and things were going well for the small town. So today had been planned to be a day of celebration. Stalls for a market were put out, a stage was erected in the center of the city, and all over there was good food, good drink, and good company to be found. Musician had been invited from all over to practice their craft and dancing would certainly be an order of the day. Even some of the guards were taking the day to "let their hair down" so to speak, although inevitably some were on duty to make sure the festivities didn't get out of hand. There were even rumors of races... and not just horse races, but Simourv races. That could have very well been the gossip of children, though.

Black Alianph drifted in a softly sloping spiral from where he had been flying high above the trees. From his elevated perch, G'len could see that the city itself had been decorated for the occasion. Banners with symbols representing the city's main commodity were hung from every shop door, it seemed, and all over the city seemed to be filled with color as people dressed up for the occasion. He hoped that, in his last clean tunic and his clean-est pair of trousers, he wouldn't be under-dressed for the occasion. Alianph laughed at him mentally. You look fine. You are usually not one to worry over looks, G'len-love. He came in for a landing and crouched to let G'len off. As soon as he dismounted, the Commander was greeted by the guards who were standing watch.

"Take care, friend." He patted the large black on the leg. Alianph nodded and took off to allow another simourv to land. You too. He replied.

G'len, after a brief conversation with the guards on how things were going, made his way into the city to check out what celebrations were going on there. It was a great honor that the Eyrie had been invited to their Festival. He only hoped that more members of their small family would show up. Every so often his eyes rose to the sky to check who else would be coming. Had he arrived too early? He had never been one to judge best what "fashionably late" meant. Punctual, always working, even in the midst of special occasion there was a good chance that he would find some way to be doing his job. Still, perhaps mingling with the citizens of Chydyn and seeing how their lives were going was part of his job.

Still, the day was beautiful. A few benign clouds in the otherwise blue sky, but over all it seemed that the sun would hold out throughout most of the day. That distinct autumn chill placed a briskness in the air, but that was forgotten in the warmth of a multitude of human bodies in the city of Chydyn that would be out and about this day. A light breeze had even decided to show its face, so that even when there was no music to be heard there was a faint rustling in the trees to keep one's ears company.

[zeis]

It was a fine day for a festival. K'huna had been looking forward to this day for a while now, though it was an anticipation he kept to himself and Canph. Part of it was pride for his home town, part of it was excitement to have the Alpha class on their first outing, and part of it was just simply because it meant a day off. For all his students, and himself. After all the recent work they had put into learning hot to fly, both the red-rider and his red thought they deserved it.

The Wingletmaster looked back over his shoulder from his perch on Canph's back, as the red descended into the forest of branches. The chicks of the Alpha class had indeed mastered flying, but as of yet they had not yet had their first manned flights. The time where the Winglet pairs would fly together was quick approaching, but as it was... not today. The chicks still needed to perfect their flying form. He had forbidden the Winglet's from crossing the forests to Chydyn aboard their own beasts, and instead informed any Winglets who wished to come to hitch rides either on his own Canph or any of the other adult simourv who were attending. So as it was, he had a fair few of his own students safely strapped to Canph's harness as passengers, as did other adults. The fledgling chicks had been instructed to fly behind and between the adults, where they could be watched and aided in case their wings tired.

Time to land! Careful you don't knock anyone off! Canph called out to those following him, as he spread his wings wide and beat them to slow his descent. The great red landed lightly and neatly on a huge branch near the guard heights, designated and designed for simourv arrival and dropping off passengers. He laid down carefully on the branch, and curled his long feathery tail under it, twisting and writhing like a red serpent. The simourv swiveled his head around to chirrup at the Winglet's aboard him. All is well, you can dismount now. He offered with amusement, but in a carefully reassuring tone. It was strange flying with so many humans aboard him at once, but not too hard. They were so small after all.

"Alright, Alphas. Welcome to Chydyn. Enjoy yourselves, just don't wander out of the city limits." K'huna instructed his class as he dismounted himself, dressed in full riding gear, more utilitarian than fine. Canph at his mental urging, repeated this message for the arriving simourv chicks, who were still flying in. "Today is yours to enjoy, so make the most of it." The wingletmaster smirked at them, and offered a playful salute of dismissal. "Now if you excuse me, something smells delicious..." He stated plainly and with obvious hunger, before taking his leave of them. K'huna's first order of business was to sate the growling of his stomach, and then he'd enjoy himself at a more leisurely pace.

Isn't Chydyn pretty? It's a good place for a simourv. Canph chatted idly, while he waited waited patiently for each of his passengers to have their feet safely on the wide solid branch. He craned his neck to trill at K'huna, and then cocked his head to peer at the ground and branches below them. Festivities were going on at all layers of the city it seemed. My K'huna told me that there are cooks down there on the forest floor that is making food just for us simourv. He offered a little greedily, and sniffed at the air. The crisp breeze of Chydyn carried a thousand scents with it, and quite a number of them smelled like meat. He turned his brown gaze on his students in an honest invitation. Who wants to go try it?

~~~

Akaturiaph flew behind Canph and alongside her siblings. She had remained silent for most of the long flight over here, but radiated a strong emotion sense of sullenness mixed with delight. The large green, like some others, had objected strongly when told she couldn't carry her K'ii here, but on that issue K'huna and Canph had been unmoving. It was either do as they were told or don't go, and K'ii very much wanted to go, as did Aka. She, like all her other siblings, had finally learned to fly competently some time ago. She had since spent as much time in the air as she could, though she and the other chicks weren't allowed too far from the Eyrie still. Their wings, though capable, were still prone to tiring now and then. This was the first time that she and the others were allowed to fly far from home, and whats more to see a real human city.

So she mentally grumbled, and occasionally snapped at a sibling's wingtip or tail that ventured too close into her flying space, and scoured the landscape below and around her with suppressed glee. Chydyn was a pleasing sight, all multiple tiers with places to jump and leap from. Festooned in banners, colors and lights with all sorts of smells and people. Though she didn't like crowds, it was hard not to let her own excitement mixed with K'ii's get the better of her. When the call came to land she carefully chose a spot further down the branch, away from where the humans were disembarking. Her golden eyes spotted K'ii still aboard Canph's back, and she flapped her wings and called out to him physically and mentally. K'ii, are you alright? If that red idiot hurt you, I'll-

I'm fine. K'ii replied with a small slightly nauseous smile as he clambered down the red simourv's side, moving carefully over the straps and feathers despite the red being quite larger than what he was used to. The flight over here had been his second simourv flight ever, and while the vertigo and the sight of the land whipping past them had not been entirely pleasant, he was fine now that his feet were on the ground. Sort of. He kept well away from edges of the impossibly wide branch, and leaned forward slightly to look down over Chydyn. I've never been here before. It is different from your Saiyaie. Akaturiaph said plainly, scrutinizing the boy's memory for his last images of the great city from before her time. Much higher. I like it. The green said matter of factly, before turning to listen to Canph as he spoke.

Are you hungry? The green questioned K'ii, scrutinizing him for signs of weakness. Her rider, still feeling his stomach rolling a little from the flight over, shook his head and started on the path down to a lower tier into the festival proper. Let's go explore. He offered, finding that a more settling course of action. Akaturiaph chirruped her agreement, and followed her bonded, flapping from one uninhabited branch to the next as they made their way deeper into the city.