Lesson Nine: High Hopes (Alpha Winglets!)

[zeis]

WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! Canph shrieked with delicious schadenfreude in his sleeping rider's head. He watched with satisfaction as the man jumped awake, slammed his head against the headboard, and spouted some particularly colorful and interesting language the red had never heard him use before. The simourv allowed his beloved partner little time to nurse his wounds, and snatched the harness from his hook and jangled it insistently with discordant sound of banging buckles. Help me get this on and lets go!

"What the hell is wrong with you?" K'huna snarled as he gingerly touched the injury he'd sustained, checking his fingers for blood. He realized he could barely even see his hand, and looked out toward Canph and his ledge. "The sun isn't up yet. No one gets up this early, not even me." He observed, gaining quick control of his flaring temper as he fixed Canph with a long suffering and suspicious look. "Did you even sleep at all?"

Nope! Couldn't. Canph answered dismissively, as though that were of little importance. He drew his beak back slightly and hurled the harness in at his rider's eyling, sending it skidding across the smooth stone floor toward him. I was too busy looking forward to today, which is here now, so you should, you know, get up, get dressed, and fit me for flight. K'huna stared at him in the pre-morning dark, relying more on Canph's vision and seeing himself staring from the simourv's keen point of view. The Alphas are all still asleep. So let's wake them up then. Here, I'll do it right n-

The hell you will. K'huna interrupted with a snort, and pushed himself out of bed to stride over to where the harness lay. He crouched down briefly to snatch the heavy contraption off the floor, and carried it over to where his red crouched looking at him with cool amusement. They're going to need their rest for today. He reasoned bluntly, locking his yellow eyes with Canph's brown ones and engaging in a brief staring match. How well do you think they're going to fly if they fall asleep on the wing?

Well... Canph dithered, fluffing up the feathers on his neck irritably as K'huna raised an eyebrow at him expectantly. The simourv broke eye contact first with snort of air through his nose, and a lash of his tail. Fine! Fine! I'll wait, excuse me for wanting to teach the chicks the most important thing they have to learn ever. You're excused. The red-rider shook his head, and after a moment began the process of getting Canph harnessed. He sighed as he clambered up and down his partner's side. "I'll sit up with you, if you can't sleep..."

That at least, smoothed the red's ruffled feathers.

~

K'huna in the end managed to stall Canph from making the announcement that would rouse the Alpha class from sleep to an hour after sunrise. Still early, but early begun was soon done as far as he was concerned. The day was partly cloudy, but sunny and promising to warm up comfortably, but still be cool enough to be a respite from the heat. Oh, Alphas! Its a perfect day, wouldn't you say? Canph asked with mock politeness as he landed with a slightly overexcited and ungainly crash just outside the Winglet Barracks, as was his custom. He folded his wings and strode boldly inside, uttering repetitive fond but urgent chirps down the echoing hallways and large simourv sized rooms. Yes, a perfect day... for flying.

The red let that sink in with a warble that may have been a laugh, and peered inside a barrack room at random favoring its occupants with a playful whuff. But you all probably aren't interested in that. Class is so boring, after all, isn't it? He considered teasingly. Still... I suppose I should give at least a few of you a chance... Hm.. The sunning rocks is a nice place to learn how to fly. How about a race? I'll teach any chicks who can beat me there. He removed himself out of the barracks, and ducked his upper body down into a play bow, waving his long tail high over his head. To those who did accept the race, the red did not go his full speed but matched his gate with those of the chicks who were still at least mostly smaller than himself. He was still soundly beaten in the end.

The sunning rocks were a formation of natural rock near the base of a canyon wall, placed where they received the most direct sunlight throughout the day. They were wide flat stones arranged in tiers almost like many layered steps, traveling almost halfway up the canyon wall. The lower tiers were easily traversable by adolescent simourv, and by humans as well with some effort. The ground below and around the steps was a lush hilly field, currently unoccupied save for a small flock of sheep that were being tended a distance away upwind of the class. It was easy to see why this place had been chosen for a flight lesson, with both the hills and the rocks capable of being used as start off points. The arriving students would glimpse K'huna perched on the first tier, leaning on his knees watching their approach with a half amused half exasperated expression.

I didn't think they'd all be so fast. Canph confessed melodramatically as he dragged himself with mock tiredness toward the rocks. The red labored up a few tiers and turned to face his class from on high with a resigned sigh. Very well then! I will teach you the secrets of flight... Until you master them, you should fly without your rider. But if you pay attention, you'll be flying with yours soon enough. The red promised solemnly, and spread his wings expansively. Now, when you're just learning how to fly, its a lot easier if you can get a running start and jump off something. Leaping into flight from the ground will come later, right now start small and not too high.

Build up speed then start to open your wings, and as you get close to the edge start beating them. He backed up nearly until his rump was against the wall of the next tier and took some lunging running steps, gradually unfurling his wings and beating them as he neared the edge. When you hit a good point... Jump! Keep beating your wings and try and get air. Thats the hardest part. Keep your claws in front of you to catch yourself if you fall. Once you get the lift, spread your wings wide and let your muscles lock.

The red leaped off the edge of the stone tier as he spoke with a powerful jump, and a thundering of wings. He sailed easily and cleanly over K'huna and the rest of the class to a grassy hill just behind them. And you'll glide! He called back to them as he landed with neat little prance, turning his head back to look at them. He slunk back toward them, speaking with honest encouragement. Don't be afraid to leap, or to lose control. Because sometimes you will, but you'll get better. He nosed affectionately at a few of the chicks, and then cocked his head to gaze speculatively at the sheep off in the distance.

If you do a good job, I'll teach you how to catch lunch. Canph added, his tongue darting out to lick the sides of his beak. He paused for a moment, before turning to look at K'huna. I think that's it? "That's it." K'huna repeated, having watched the whole lesson with a smirk. This was Canph's area of expertise after all, not his. His simourv turned back to the class, and bobbed his head. Try it out, then!

[Vanman]

H’Kan

The crisp breeze of the morning, he knew it all too well. For years he had been waking up to the feel and smell. The aromas were different but the feel still the same, the feeling saying ‘get off your but you have work to do’. He had woken up like this for several months now, and was quite used to it. The past couple months had been quite odd. They just flew by so fast. It was as if last month they were only learning to see with each other and this month they were learning to ride in formation. It all seemed surreal to him. After lesson five it was all a blur. He had learned the stuff, how to ride horses, how to shoot while on a mount, how to ride in formation. He knew all the information but it felt like he was lacking something very important. So there he sat, looking out the window of his lonely room. He wasn’t completely lonely though, he still had his Gaoph.
He looked to his left where he saw his big red simorv laying there, as peaceful as can be. Long ago were the days where they could sleep in the same bed. He missed that. That was the time that H’Kan needed Gaoph the most. He was excited, he was ready, but most of all…he was scared. With this simorv, he started a journey that only one group of people had done before him. He was bound to screw up. He took out his cards and started to fiddle with them. He looked at his red puff of confidence and saw him, still sleeping, on a bed made of his own feathers. He had given most of the down back to the eyrie for sale but he kept the ones he needed.
A gentle breeze blew through the window, and ruffled his hair. It sent chills down his spine. This is what he would feel soon, the wind rushing through his hair, lifting his shirt, and creating the watery eyes feeling he got when he rode. Except this time it would be amplified by ten. Every time he saw someone flying he began to think what it would be like to fly. He moved over to pet his Gaoph. Soon, real soon, we will fly together.

Gaoph

Such a peaceful dream he was having. It was as if he were gliding over mountain tops without a care in the world. Atop of him sat his, his friend, his brother. No matter what way he looked at it H’Kan was his and he was H’kan's. This false reality made Gaoph so happy. It made him quite mad when he was awakened from his sleep, but in that anger happiness was soon restored. At the mention of the word flying by Canaph, Gaoph was racing out the door. He had no clue where he was going but soon he would find out. He ran in a mad dash towards the rocks that they used for sunning. They looked like a great place to jump from. Turned out he was right. He slowed down to let Canaph pass but as soon as the bird did he sped up again.
It seemed simple enough when Canaph did it in front of him, get a running start, start to flap your wings, and then jump. But all that seems easy on paper is horrible in practice. He started to try to fun and jump to practice, it didn’t work. In fact he almost fell, but he didn’t. He ran anyways, ran as fast as he could. And there it was the jumping point. He had it locked in his eyes and in his brain. That’s where I jump. That’s where I flap. That where I FLY. He bolted for the rocks. He got to about 200 feet away and started beating his wings. 100 feet, he ran faster. 25 feet, here we go! And he jumped
It took a second but he realized he wasn’t falling. He shouldn’t have, this should be natural. He flapped his wings and started to gain a bit of altitude. He decided he would just glide for now. If only mine could see me now. I don’t even know if he’s out here. He will be here someday soon though. and then he approached for a landing, but for some reason something didn’t feel right.

H’Kan

If his thoughts were able to be broadcast on loudspeaker, they would sound something like this, “HOLYSHITHOLYSHITHOLYSHIT…” so on and so forth. the reason for this would be best explained like a timeline. We’ll start at the point where Canaph says flight. There he, H’Kan, is petting Gaoph after a long heart filled silence between himself and himself. Canaph says flight and Gaoph bolts out the door. Unfortunately, H’Kan along for the ride. His hand got caught in a jumbled mess that is Gaoph's feathers as he raced down the eyrie. H’Kan was confused as could be but he knew that if he stayed there on the side of Gaoph, it wouldn’t end pretty.
He made his way up to the top of his bird and held on for dear life. Canaph had just passed Gaoph and shown him what to do. Just got to stay calm. That’s the key to this. This is candidate lesson stuff, how to fall. I can do this. I’m going to fall in three…two…and there’s no more ground to fall on. which was true. Gaoph had leapt to the skies and was now gliding through the air. Once again. If the thoughts were broadcasted they would sound somewhat the same. It was obvious that Gaoph couldn’t feel him. The big bird probably couldn’t feel anything else except the wind in his feathers. So H’Kan decided to do the same.
Just like riding the horse. He sat up, first at a hunch, then at a straight back. His hands still dug into the group of feathers on Gaoph back. But then, there it was. The wind rushed past his ears, it ran through his hair, but most importantly, he was teary eyed. It was at that moment he knew exactly why he had been searched, why he was bonded, and why he belonged here.


P.S. Great to be back

[zeis]

K'ii still slept late when he could, and relished the few hours his Wingletmasters graced him with that morning. He was sprawled rather comfortably on his bed, throwing a bit of modesty to the wind in order to beat the head. The room was blissfully silent except for his own breathing, the light snoring of N'pis, and the steady breathing of Akaturiaph and Tiaph. He groaned when Canph started speaking, and head a scrape of talons on stone as nearby the two green chicks roused themselves for the lesson. Reluctantly, he rose sleepily from his bed, and smiled a little dopilly at his simourv, who stretched languidly, and nosed him with passive businesslike affection.

They both froze when they heard the content of the lesson, and Akaturiaph viewed her bonded with narrowed eyes. Flying lessons. A want and a desire that had manifested itself in her with the final growth of her flight feathers, but had gone unspoken to anyone since. She didn't need to voice the longing to know it was shared. She'd spotted her siblings often enough gazing up at the sky, while beating experimentally at their wings. Now the day was here. The red very well could have been serious. Would he only teach those chicks who beat him there how to fly? Her rider wasn't even dressed yet! The shiftless boy probably couldn't even get her harness on in time before the chance was gone. She clacked her beak with decisiveness, and rose at once, half turning toward the hallway and fixing her rider with her stern yellow gaze.

I'm going ahead because you're too slow. You should either follow me, or stay here where I know you're safe. She commanded, causing K'ii to frown and nod a little uncertainly. The boy resented the command a little, and had a well hidden inkling that he wasn't going to follow it, but when face to face with his no nonsense green it was better to agree first and change your mind later. The chick nodded in satisfaction, and snapped with mildly playful irritation at the smaller Tiaph to get out of her way as she raced off.

Akaturiaph was not the first chick to the sunning stones, but she raced ruthlessly. She did not interfere or snap at the others, but it was clear she was taking it way too seriously. Her claws tore at the soft grass and scrabbled over stone, and when she finally reached their destination, still ahead of the lagging Canph, she puffed up with unconcealed pride. Her ears pricked at the elder red began speaking, and she listened with rapt and greedy attention as he laid out their training process. She was a little scandalized to find out he was teaching everyone, and huffed and snorted irritably whenever she could make herself heard in his pauses. Then it was their turn.

The green clambered up one of the steep grassy hills near the stones, and backed up awkwardly, eying her running space hawkishly. She was momentarily distracted by the soaring form of Gaoph, who had mastered the glide on the first jump. He even has his rider with him, what a show off. She watched him sail in to land with a combination of awe and jealousy. She could do that too. She could meet high expectations and fly on the first jump. That should be enough. She shook out her wings, and charged the highest point on the hill, beating them frantically as she made the leap. The green flapped her wings madly, but the loft that her red brother achieved alluded her and she fell with a squawk and a puff of green and yellow feathers down onto the grassy slope.

Hissing, she scrambled back up the top, and took another running start. She leaped... and fell. The green began to repeat the process who knew how many times, a comically angry whirlwind of flapping falling feathers that glared death at anyone who stopped to stare or approach her. This. Wasn't. Fair.

~

K'huna and Canph meanwhile as the chicks began their first efforts, called out corrections in stance, encouragement, and advice. Mostly Canph, as he was the flyer. The red-rider was content to watch him teach with a small and cautious sense of pride. He knew the red was invested in their class, but it still felt a little strangely dreamlike to see him acting with such responsibility and concern for other people. He kept these feelings and thoughts tightly to himself, not wanting to spoil his bonded's good mood.

Both parts of the red pair had their gaze caught by Gaoph, who was the first of the class to actually get any air. A great swelling sense of joy radiated from Canph, and K'huna himself smirked at the young red's wobbly but impressive glide. That was when he and Canph both spotted H'kan astride the red's back. The Wingletmaster's expression turned instantly into his accustomed scowl, and he yelled across the field as the young red-pair came in to land. "H'kan! Get the hell off Gaoph and let him do this by himself. Do you know what could have happened if he'd lost control?"

You could have ended up hurt or worse. Canph answered the question for him, eyeing the smaller red and his rider with some artificial disapproval, and sincere amusement. Of course a red would be the first to fly, that only made sense. And of course he would manage it with his rider. Perfection on the first try. It was his turn to keep these notions hidden from his rider as the Wingletmaster agreed with a shake of his head. "Or dead. Since you want to participate so bad, you can drop and give me forty push-ups."

[Lan]

E'an-love! We must go quickly! I am to fly today! Kaslimeph all but pulled his rider out of bed until she hit the floor with a undignified thump. E'an groaned irritably, swatting at the blue feathered face that could very well have bruised her ribs with that unscrupulous action. Fine! Just get off'a me so I can get dressed. She thought to her counterpart, vocal chords still stiff from disuse. Kaslimeph snorted at her in disgruntlement. He was not pleased. He was not pleased at all. The others would get there first and then he wouldn't be able to show them how a real simourv flies! How desperately the blue wanted to be first...

I don't need you. I can go on my own. Kaslimeph started toward the door in a huff, giving E'an an affectionate whack with his now very long tail as he turned around. Only in her underthings and half-way through putting a shirt on, the brunette shivered as feathers collided with bare skin and shoved her tunic down hastily over her torso.

"Damn it, Kas." She muttered, recovering from the tickling sensation for a moment before thrusting her feet into the legs of her trousers. Before the blue had left the room, however, she called to him slyly, "You wouldn't leave me, would ya? Not if you want me to see you fly for the first time." Jamming feet into boots, she grinned impishly up at his bulky blue frame. Kaslimeph stopped short, talons clicking in thought on the stone floor. It seemed she had stumped him.

You are right, he conceded Are you ready yet?

"Yep." E'an called and then dashed off to join her partner.

---

You would think a red would be smarter. Kaslimeph commented upon seeing Gaoph and H'kan take off in reckless abandon. Still, his tail twitched in excitement as he wished HE was the one that would have thought of it. Oh well. There was still plenty of time to show off his mad skills. He stood attentive and alert, watching the next simourv, green Akaturiaph, with feigned interest. He wanted to go! Her failures were mere mockeries compared to the greatness of his wings!

I could have been first if you had not been so slow, little one. The blue scoffed at his rider, yet his tail was still curled around her protectively. Then, in a blue flash, he was off away from E'an and preparing to do a leap of his own. Crouching on his haunches, he took two breaths before taking off in a sprint and spreading his wings. Now was his time to show what he was made of! Feeling the wind beneath his wings he made a leap, swooped down to feel the air and... fell directly to the ground. Not expecting that wound to his ego, feverishly he tried again. Crouch. Run. Leap. Beat wings... fall. Well, maybe a third time. Crouch. Run. Leap. Beat wings... Upon the third failure he let himself collapse to the ground in a defeated lump of dust and feathers.

You all right, Kas? E'an asked, part of her actually feeling sorry for the mound of self-deprecation in front of her and part of her morbidly amused at the wound to her counterpart's ego.

I don't understand! Gaoph could do it, and he's just a stupid red! He took great care not to say stupendous, which he had recently learned was nothing like stupid. Standing up, he shook himself off and stood off to the side in a huff. He would figure this out! Even if it killed him!

[Kilnarak]

Teimoph reclined as he did most mornings, his massive bulk partially draped over (and thus pinning) his sleeping rider. The young red was not sleeping, however, instead he was carefully grooming his sharp talons, cleaning away tacky streaks of blood from his last meal. N'raan had grown used to sleeping thus pinned and no longer woke when Teimoph shifted or rose to stretch; he had not awoken when Teimoph had, early before the sun had risen, and he had not awoken when Teimoph departed for the feeding pens to take an early breakfast, nor when Teimoph had returned to his accustomed position. Teimoph was pleased enough with this development - he had learned to watch His' mind for hints of wakefulness, when to return so that N'raan would not leave. For the past handful of months, the growing red had learned and learned quickly how to keep His in line.

N'raan would have likely been inclined to sleep the rest of the morning away; the taloned paw Teimoph had draped atop him was heavy, but the weight was warm and somewhat comforting - a scaled blanket, and the red had learned quickly to be careful with his claws. The youth would have been perfectly content to sleep thus until he awoke on his own, had Canph's voice grated in his skull. The dark-skinned winglet stirred beneath Teimoph's sprawled leg, furrowing his brows and groaning as he buried his face in one of his pillows - Teimoph put his ears back and growled deep in his throat at the intrusion; his talons quivered briefly atop His, but they did not clench and did not draw even a drop of blood.

Where N'raan was not yet awake enough to fully comprehend what Canph had said, after his initial prickling at the intrusion Teimoph understood. The young red's interest even perked, however it conflicted with his general annoyance with Canph at the moment. The red wanted them to run to him? No, no, Teimoph did not think that would do. Besides, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out - really, it should even come naturally. Teimoph had seen the elder simourv fly often enough, and had even tried mimicking them in the past - but his wings had not been large enough, strong enough, his feathers had been wrong. It had been at least a month since his last attempt, and he had indeed grown some since then. It should be easy now.

With these thoughts in mind, Teimoph did not rush out like a fool to chase after the elder red. He rose and moved about at his own leisure, preening his wing-feathers into order, and then wuffing at His' hair. His merely mumbled something inarticulate and burrowed deeper into his blankets - N'raan gave off a sense of annoyance, although it was not near so sharp as Teimoph's own, and his thoughts were muddled with sleep. It was good enough, really, if His slept here, Teimoph would not need to worry about what trouble he might get into. The young red nosed at His' hair with a possessive sort of affection, and carefully lifted his taloned limb from off the boy. Sleep, Mine, Teimoph's voice rumbled like distant thunder, coached quiet and in what he felt was a reassuring manner. His would sleep, and he would go. Yes.

Teimoph nuzzled N'raan's face one final time before making his way out of their eyling. He did not rush, and he did not tear off at a breakneck run like so many others of the Alpha class were doing; although that is not to say that he moved particularly slowly, he stalked toward the meeting place at a brisk stride. As such, however, Teimoph was among the last of the simourv to arrive, and he missed a bit of Canph's explanation - this did not worry him in the slightest, however, and he settled somewhat apart from the others, aloofly listening to the remainder of Canph's lesson. It sounded simple enough, just as he had thought. Run and jump, beat your wings then lock and glide. Simple. Easy.

When they were allowed to, Teimoph chose one of the steep tiers of stone and climbed up it - climbing wasn't difficult either, his legs were strong, and his talons sharp and durable; he had managed well enough on the day of his hatching, and now he had no trouble at all. Once he had gained the lip of the ledge, he leapt easily onto the tier itself, fanning his wings for a moment and gazing with a sense of determination at the space between himself and the lip of the ledge. It was enough, it should be enough - besides, if Canph could take off without the running start, surely he could do the same; better, even. Still, Teimoph began with the running start Canph had suggested, bounding abruptly into motion and beating his wings before making the necessary leap off of the ledge.

Teimoph soared! ... at least for a handful of seconds, before his bulky form brought him down in a flailing heap to the ground. Then he merely shrieked his frustration; hissing, growling, and snapping at any others who might get near him as he made his way back to his ledge to try again. Teimoph glared in loathing at his red brother, Gaoph, who soared so easily. Surely he was better than Gaoph, better than them all, and he'd be damned if he would let him win. Teimoph climbed onto his ledge again, intending to try and try again until he got it right, until he perfected the art of flying.

[zeis]

Canph turned his brown eyes on three wildly flailing figures in his class. Red Teimoph, blue Kaslimeph, and green Akaturiaph precisely. All had already attempted several jumps, and perhaps managed to obtain a few seconds of lift before falling. The failure obviously was putting them in a bad temper, and he chirruped at them, and spread his wings wide. Teimoph, get a longer running start. Kaslimeph? Try locking your wings like this at the top of your jump. He flared his wings to their fullest extent, long enough for the blue and other chicks to take note. His gaze then turned on the large green, who was still furiously jumping and leaping, slapping at the air with her wings. Calm down, Akaturiaph. If you flail so you'll just tire yourself out, or pull a muscle in your wing. Learning to fly takes time, and focus.

~~~

Akaturiaph whuffed impatiently at her teacher, and paced with her head, wings, and tail low to the ground. Her efforts had left her tired and her wings aching, and she breathed deep to ease the beating of her heart. It wasn't that she was out of shape, or ill-prepared for this exercise, but her temper had gotten the better of her and her tantrums were wasting considerable amounts of energy. Not that she would ever ever admit that to herself. She skulked over to Gaoph, and locked her red brother with a glare.

How did you do it? Show me. You must have cheated somehow. The green both demanded and accused, brought out of her normally withdrawn shell by frustration that was clear in her lashing tail and kneading talons. Suspicious, she took to pacing critically around her red brother, nosing at his wings and inspecting him for what she only knew. Something underhanded and sneaky. How could he fly so easily when she and others couldn't?

[Kat]

The room in which they lived was becoming smaller and smaller. The fact that Ri’ley had felt overwhelmed by its emptiness earlier, now surprised him. Retrospectively, he knew he should have enjoyed the space, because now Dionyph took up any room Ri’ley once had to spread out his stuff and to perform actions beyond those of basic living or comfort. Dionyph was growing so large, so fast, and even though Ri’ley was excited about their future as protectors together, he watched Dionyph grow with an sense of sadness and nostalgia for the past. He loved Dionyph, and he loved the way Dionyph grew, but it made him a bit mournful, in an ambivalent manner. At this moment, at the second that Ri’ley thought about Dionyph’s growth, the black heard Canph’s call, and he jerked upwards and straightened. Dionyph nudged Ri’ley, who was dressing himself slowly, and who rubbed his head against his rider’s cheek.

Canph summons me. We will all fly today, and I want you to be there to watch me reach my destiny. You are my support system, and I need your—“
I’ll be there. You don’t have to convince me.

But Dionyph felt Ri’ley’s hesitance, Ri’ley’s desire to remain in his room, because he was worried that Dionyph would hurt himself in flight, and Ri’ley did not want to have to watch anything happen to Dionyph. He still viewed Dionyph as a baby, his baby, the only creature who mattered to him at all, and the thought of having to watch Dionyph fall made Ri’ley feel physically ill. And yet, he felt Dionyph’s need for him, his love for him, and it was that emotion which made Ri’ley continue to dress.

Dionyph walked proudly out of their room. His chest expanded, and he held his beak rather high. Contrasting his companion, Ri’ley slouched lower than usual, his huge body curving so that his head bobbed awkwardly in front of him. For some reason, his stress manifested in this way, that, and the realization that the pair of them loomed so far over the other people and simourv in the Eyrie. If Ri’ley had been abnormally large before, and he had been, standing next to Dionyph only showcased their compariative size, as if the one large creature enhanced the other, and made the two of them impressive and stocky. Even though he loved Dionyph more than he could express, even though the hatchling represented everything that Ri’ley cared about in the world, he still found that the insecurities of his teenage years manifested. Dionyph thought that they looked good together, the two of them, that they fit together, and that together they looked like intimidating warriors. He strutted; Ri’ley slunk.

The two of them listened carefully as Canph spoke. Dionyph nodded his head at a few moments while Ri’ley nibbled nervously on his lip. He had to cover his brow with his hand so that he could see in the bright sunlight against the red rock. When Canph finished his discussion, Dionyph hesitated for a second before he picked a spot, and that second was enough time for Gaoph to take off with H’kan straddling him. The panic which built in Ri’ley at the sight of the human clutching the large beast threw Ri’ley into a tizzy, his mind flashing through horrible, gruesome possibilities. He thought of I’dou’s break, of her energy, and then his mind began to spin through worse and worse probabilities. Ri’ley had seen a lot of injuries. He could handle situations other people could not imagine, and he was usually fine under the worst circumstances, but his state now was before his state when he clicked into his efficient mode. Now, Ri’ley was stuck in his panic mode. Dionyph felt Ri’ley’s panic, and he turned his gaze worriedly to his brother. He did not say anything, but his large, white eyes danced with liquid concern.

Only when H’kan was safely on the ground did both partners relax. Dionyph, then, as soon as he ensured Ri’ley’s state, began to survey for a suitable ledge. He needed one that was longer than the other ones, taller, because he was the largest in the class besides Laraph. It was clear, even, that he would be larger than the other black, Rixasileuph, if only by a few small inches, maybe, probably less. Dionyph was proud of this; Ri’ley did not understand why. Finding a large ledge, rather far from the other fledglings, Dionyph surveyed it first, walking the length of it, with his head lifted. He looked pretty regal, actually, Ri’ley noted, even though he did not think of his hatchling as such. Dionyph, to Ri’ley, was just Dionyph, and he was as mundane and perfect as being a core member of Ri’ley’s life implied. After he walked the length of the stone, Dionyph moved to the end, and then he threw himself into a run, his large body snapping into a fast gallop.

Watching Dionyph run so quickly made Ri’ley begin to worry again. He knew what came next. He would have to watch Dionyph jump of the ledge next. It would be horrible. He hoped that Dionyph would manage. Ri’ley did not know what he would do if the hatchling failed to make the jump. Ri’ley’s hand dropped from his brow until it cloaked his eyes. Ri’ley peered desperately through the cracks between his fingers, where he could see only slivers of light and the black shadow of Dionyph. And then, Dionyph leapt into the air, and even though he had a running start, he immediately began to fall. Ri’ley noticed this action, and the man began to pace in place, making a small, desperate circle on the ground. His heart beat so quickly in his chest that he felt his lungs begin to constrict. The adrenaline was speeding up his heart, and his breaths began short and shallow. He knew the process; it was a panic process, a panic attack of sorts, or it would be in a few seconds, but the fact that he understood the process did not mean he could stop it. He really did not want to embarrass himself, and fainting would be embarrassing. Luckily, he doubted the panic registered too obviously on his body. His breathing was heavy, but that was all, a light increase to the hissing of air into his body. He was glad for that. L’nan would never let him live it down if he fainted.

And Dionyph felt Ri’ley’s panic, and his body began to register it, a desperate franticness which he had not felt before. Even though Dionyph had been the one falling, he understood that he would be alright, that he was not as fragile as his rider throught, but Ri’ley’s panic manifested in Dionyph, and he reacted to it. Even though he moved pretty gracefully in himself, in complete opposition to his rider’s awkward, strident gait, Dionyph broke his graceful movements as his wings began to pound the air thrashing, flailing, far faster than he needed to do so. Already, in only a few seconds, Dionyph began to feel his muscles tire. And yet—suddenly, the falling stopped, and the simourv’s massive body lifted into the air, only a few yards from the ground. His wings beat at least twice as fast as he should need, and the flapping continued until he was safely in the air and he felt the wind hiss under his wings and lift him higher and higher into the sky. It was thrilling; it was freedom, and the young simourv trumpeted his glee into the air. The sound expressed his relief at his flight, and as soon as Ri’ley heard it, his body began to relax. His shoulders fell; his face loosened, and finally, his hand dropped. The joy that Dionyph felt in the air radiated through Ri’ley’s body, and finally, his face burst into a large smile.
You did it, mine—you succeeded.
Ri’ley announced to his simourv partner, who only responded with the sense of exhilaration he felt in the air—the thrill—the joy—the jubilation. Perhaps, Ri’ley though, they could be useful yet, the two of them, at least as long as Dionyph existed to make up for the human’s many, many shortcomings.