Lesson Twelve: Dreams of Falling (Alpha Winglets)

[zeis]

K'huna and Canph sat perched on the lip of the canyon, watching Eyrie life begin their morning chores and duties beneath them. It was early, and the morning chill promised to be biting and make their job today difficult. The red simourv was equipped for combat, harnessed and equipped with a variety of weapons the Alpha class was now more than familiar with. Sword, glaive, spear, bow, and arrows. K'huna was similarly dressed for battle, wearing thick riding leathers, with his coat pulled close for warmth, and the morning sun reflecting off his goggles. Almost an hour or so ago, Canph had sent out a wake up call, instructing the Alphas to eat hearty, and prepare themselves similarly with their practice weapons and flying gear, before reporting to this same canyon wall, high above the ground.

The Wingletmaster nodded at each of them as they winged in, and when they were all assembled pulled down a tightly bound scarf from around his neck. He didn't speak immediately, but looked over them appraisingly. The Alpha simourv were huge mature beasts now, a far cry from the scrawny mewling hatchlings he first saw years ago. Their riders too had transformed from unprepared, frightened civilians into well, perhaps equally frightened but now thoroughly tempered soldiers. Canph radiated a quiet and proud sense of approval at them, particularly his feathered kin. When his rider finally spoke, the red echoed what he said mentally, to be heard over the bitter wind. "Alphas! Listen up! You've done well so far, but today is going to be long, and from the feel of it, cold as hell." He snorted, and his breath puffed around him in a warm mist. "Today we start formation flying, and aerial combat. So I hope you've been listening, and practicing."

"Formation flying is tricky. You all have to pay attention, and know exactly where every other pair is." K'huna stressed, looking over them sternly. "Keep your minds open, and listen to each other. Simourv, feel for your siblings thoughts, and mind your damn wings and tails. Not paying attention and bumping into someone on ground might cause bruises, but you're going to end up a hell of a lot worse off if you crash up there." He gestured upward, then pointed I'dou and Laraph. "I'dou, you're on point. You'll be the spearhead, and squad leader for today. Everyone get into travel formation behind her, and take off row by row. Once everyones in the air and in place, we'll swap to attack formation, and dive."

If you haven't dived before, you take a deep breath, and fold your wings. Canph instructed with a whuff, folding his wings to demonstrate. You can keep them open just a little, and use them and your tail to angle where you fall. Its a fun, and scary! To see the ground hurtling up at you, almost like you're dying... The red intoned ominously, and was rewarded with a 'what the hell are you saying' look from K'huna. Oh, but you don't! You spread your wings as you near the target, and curve back up after striking. "... Right. For you riders, your flights with your simourv until this point have probably been level and fairly calm, maybe because they've been trying not to upset you. Combat won't be like that." He raised his voice, his tone a promise and a warning. "You will need to move fast, turn, twist in the air, and to be honest you may spend half your time side-ways or upside-down. You riders are going to need to get used to it, and whats more be able to wield a weapon while in the air."

"For now though, we'll start of slow. When Canph gives the order to Laraph to dive, she'll pass it onto all of you. Flatten yourself against the harness and hold on unless you want bruises. Try not to pass out or throw up either... Or get yourselves killed. Theres no target this time, just execute the maneuver, then level out row by row, and wait for further instructions. Questions?" He paused, looking them over. "Then you know what to do, get in the air and wait for the signal."

[winged]

The evening had forewarned of the bitter morning to follow, clear skies and a crystalline silence as everyone had clustered inside for warmth and company. I'dou had taken part in neither, preferring the company of Laraph's scaled foreleg as a perch and the warmth of the gray's bulk behind and beneath her as she drifted off sometime past midnight.

Only to rise again a few short hours later, Canph's prodigious voice ringing in the yet foggy chambers of her inner mind. Laraph was even more loathe to rise, a grating yawn escaping the massive simourv as I'dou rose mechanically to wash and dress for yet another day's instruction of tomfoolery. The last gathering had certainly been eye-opening. Oh, I wish Canph wouldn't be so loud. He is so very enthusiastic, and I still want to sleep. Despite said personal wishes, the gray rose and stretched through preliminary stiffness, careful not to bump into the quarters that had grown so very much tighter in the past year.

"Could be worse," was the muffled response, as I'dou rinsed the rather unpleasant taste lingering in her mouth from the evening prior. Already dressed in the well worn scraps of clothing she'd hedged together for combat/riding attire, she had only to tug on her boots and lace them up before heading out. I suppose you're right. Well meaning as always, Laraph took a moment to privately admire how very nice her rider looked in semi-matching attire, before turning to preen a rebellious feather back into its appropriate place whilst I'dou fastened on the last few odds and ends.

"All right, ready." Stamping her now boot clad feet to be certain they were secured tightly, I'dou tugged a scarf more tightly around her neck, tucking its ends into her jacket before moving abreast of Laraph, leading the way outside - there was no way she would be able to mount indoors, with Laraph nearly scraping the walls as it was. Her first steps outside confirmed the bitter cold she'd suspected, and I'dou clamored more closely to the warmth radiating from Laraph before grabbing hold of the harness, hoisting herself with some effort into place between the simourv's shoulderblades, fastening herself in place before giving the mental nudge that had the gray leaping aloft, wings beating powerfully, gaining altitude before settling at a comfortable medium, gliding to the assembly point.

Crooning a greeting to all, the gray settled a comfortable distance away before settling to hear what K'huna had to say. Canph's contributions were, as always, remotely amusing and entirely toeing the line that his rider strived to keep. They had all been through this before, and fortunately the material behind the shenanigans promised plenty of reward to reap.

Well, at least for those acclimated (or drawn) to flying, and a certain degree of adrenaline. I'dou's face, while very nearly frozen as a stray gust blustered past, was slowly cracking into a very small, but very bright grin. Flying was an activity both simourv and rider participated in with much enthusiasm - it was one of the few things that required full and unrelenting cooperation from the two of them. Now there was a sense of dire circumstance to liven up the routine. Or at least some purpose, which I'dou saw as a very fortunate thing.

Being saddled with the role of acting as squad leader didn't seem to phase the woman any more than diving to potential peril had. With a jaunty little salute to K'huna, which she was uncertain if he could spot or not, I'dou tapped (which amounted to a rather heavy pound of her fist) on Laraph's shoulder, the simourv giving an assenting chirp before happily taking flight once more, a once ungainly build gone sleek in the passing months. Once aloft Laraph did well by K'huna's instructions, carefully eyeing her other siblings with concern for their whereabouts, while I'dou stared clear ahead, fingers roughly grasping the harness and stroking it idly in anticipation. She wasn't so much concerned for herself - she felt much more at home here, in the skies, than she did lounging in, say, the caverns. But the others...

She shot a pointed glance at Ri'ley for good measure. He was an absolute oaf with weapons, and he'd proven quite poor at a good many other things their training regimen had required (he hadn't even been able to shrug M'rion off). How would he fare here, now?

[Kat]

Dionyph had been practicing, almost every second that was not occupied with spending time with Ri’ley or eating. He had started practicing his flight, even, while Ri’ley worked in the infirmary, which opened up long periods of hours to hone his skills in the air. Dionyph disliked being far from Ri’ley, but because he no longer fit well in the infirmary, and since he could do nothing to help Ri’ley there besides watch, he started filling his time with more important pursuits. The black simourv needed to fill the time away from Ri’ley, and Dionyph did so by practicing flight. The simourv was perfectly comfortable in the air, and while Ri’ley started the flying lessons absolutely terrified, he worked enough with Dionyph by now to be rather steady in the air himself, even if his stomach fell with anxiety as soon as Dionyph left the ground. Even though flying made Ri’ley nervous, as he fought the images of his smashed body on the ground whenever he entered the sky, the man hid the nerves well underneath a stern professional demeanor and a rather fair aptitude for the air. Both simourv and man listened to the winglet master attentively, and when the Alpha’s were told to line up in formation, Dionyph took his place behind and to the side of Laraph, who he shot a confident, proud, and adoring look. Ri’ley took the left wing, leaving the other side to the other black rider, G’ry and Rixasileuph.

Dionyph waited for Laraph to take off before he lifted himself into the sky. He had to wait for his lady to fly before he did so; Laraph would always be granted precedence over him. It was polite to wait for ladies one admired. Ri’ley banished the images of crashing which entered his mind as Dionyph sprang into the air. K’huna’s warning about simourvs hitting each other only provided more ways for Ri’ley to imagine his demise.
You need to trust me more,
Dionyph insisted, as he left the ground, and while Ri'ley trusted Dionyph with more than his life, the black rider could not keep the images from his mind.
I do trust you.

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Ri'ley muttered, and even though Dionyph could not see him, Ri'ley smiled as if he was attempting to convince himself or someone else of the trust he did feel. Laraph flew with a sleek gracefulness, and in contrast, Dionyph flew not with grace, but with power. He was only now starting to fill out his frame, and while he lost some sense of slyness, of litheness and sleekness, he gained a form made of tight, bulky muscle which made his movements exude a certain sort of strength and groundedness. Even in the air, Dionyph appeared heavy, and not in a way which detracted from his actual speed in the air, but only the appearance of speed. His wings pounded against the air, and he flew with the confidence that he had complete control over his body and his environment. Ri’ley’s unusually large size only made him appear awkward, as if he was too small mentally or his body, and as if he was terribly ashamed of that fact. Dionyph, compared to his rider, used his size to exude power, pride, and self assurance.

Ri’ley noticed I’dou’s glace, and he returned it, fixing his expression into one which appeared more confident then he felt. Dionyph felt extremely sure of his skill, which meant that for Dionyph’s sake, Ri’ley would show the confidence he did not feel himself. Dionyph worked hard, and he deserved to appear well practiced and skilled in this lesson, and Ri’ley wanted to give Dionyph everything the creature deserved. Ri’ley nodded in I’dou’s direction. The nod was short, and it was more of a salute than a nod. Ri’ley would have saluted proper, but his hands still gripped his riding harness. He lacked the confidence to release one of his hands, despite Dionyph’s ability.

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