LESSON 9: Double Trouble (Teddy!)

[neeuqtar]

The past few months had been the best ones for Adaityth, S'vil reflected as he ducked under her neck to double-check the new set of combat straps. The dragon was practically vibrating in anticipation of practicing the aerial moves they had been introduced to in class, but S'vil took his time checking every buckle and seam. With some of the things they would be doing -- tumbles, flips, and clover drops in particular -- it would be very, very bad for a strap to fail. Falling would end in black for the both of them.

I think I would catch you, the dragon offered, snaking her neck around to poke S'vil in the butt. He jumped with a squeak, smacking her fondly on the nose in rebuff. I am just a green dragon, but greens are fast? she added tentatively.

"Yes, greens are fast," the weyrling concurred, pulling one of the girths a hole tighter before hoisting himself up onto the dragon. He didn't quite make it the whole way and tried to squirm awkwardly onto her back, over shooting a roll as Adaityth tried to shrug him on and falling off of her back onto the fur-clad stone ground below with a sound more befitting a small girl upon her first introduction to runners. Adaityth's response could only be called a giggle as S'vil slowly sat upright, with the most dramatic pouting face he could manage.

"Owww," he whined, punching her on the shoulder. She pranced away gaily, her tail swishing around in the pair's weyr. "I think I broke a nail~" S'vil bemoaned, examining a hangnail.

You did no such thing! Adaityth said, indignant. There is fur there! Fur isn't hard. Even greens know that! The weyrling rolled his eyes and got up into a runners crouch, eyeing Adaityth.

Hold still, he commanded mentally, making the green freeze in place, wings half-up, one hind foot in the air, and his roommate's old metal birdcage dangling from her mouth. "Bang!" he yelled, taking off in a sprint and leaping at her, sending another of the floor's furs skidding as he made his target, scrambling onto his perch as Adaityth tried to keep her balance without actually moving. She managed to hold the pose until S'vil was almost finished with his straps, before flailing her huge wings for balance and stumbling.

My tail cramped, she informed S'vil. I am sorry!

"No, you did a good job!" he assured her. "Even longer than last time! You're getting better, little lady." She crooned and pranced in a circle, the birdcage still dangling from her mouth. "Now set down our friend's nice cage there, and let's be off."

Hmm? Oh! This cage! Delicately, Adaityth set down the cage on the floor, before waltzing in her awkward hopping gate out of the Barracks. She shivered with delight when they got to the 'Bowl, launching herself into the Weyr's air to scythe across the still air. S'vil barely managed to keep up with her motion, still not used to how a dragon moved in the air. He'd been a passable rider -- all Beastcrafters learned how to ride and train runners -- but dragons were a different sort altogether.

"Do you see our lovely friend?" S'vil asked Adaityth as she swooped about in the 'Bowl. The dragon responded by listing to the right in a slow arcing turn to head towards the other greenpair, backwinging gracelessly to land heavily near them. She was beauty in the air, this green, but get her near land and suddenly it was like riding a burdenbeast...

[dragon]

We're not supposed to be here. Aikelyth pointed out as Isori continued to rub pigment into the green's hide. It wasn't much, but just a slight change in color making her mottled all over in different places. By just a little bit. What it would do was hopefully make the weyrling green a tad harder to recognize from afar. Like say ... the ground while flying.

"I know." Isori answered, quickly stashing the pigments into a harness bag, out of sight. It was hard to tell up close, and Isori had her doubts about whether or not it would work at all anyway. But it was worth a try and far better than being stuck on the ground for forever. "And you know that I know."

So .... shouldn't we be following orders in hopes of getting back in good graces? Aikelyth asked, eyeing the approaching greensister. Adaityth is coming.

Isori snorted. "Sel'n can't take anything more away than he has already, and he certainly isn't going to give anything back. What could he possibly do to us now?" She commented. "I have no reason to do anything of the sort. I see no reason why I shouldn't do what I want to do, at this point. Really now." Grabbing a hold of the harness, Isori vaulted up onto the young green's neck, settling into place nicely. She took a moment to get herself situated comfortably, but had no compunctions what so ever in riding in her current condition. It wasn't like she was all that big or they would be betweening. Shards, they didn't even know how to between.

Aikelyth minced in pace uncertainly as her sister landed nearby. Greetings, sister!! she said, happy to take the distraction from the disturbing thoughts Hers was having. Moving closer she touched her snout to Adaityth's for a moment. Mine is ready to go. She said. Isori waved from where she was seated, rather pleased that someone was willing to share what happened in class even though Isori had been banned from attending.

She would learn one way or another, shardit.

[neeuqtar]

S'vil wiggled his fingers in a wave at Isori as they landed. It was early morning still -- before dawn yet (though just after morning curfew), and on a day without lessons, at that. That was as much for S'vil as it was for Isori: she and Aikelyth weren't allowed to fly, period, and S'vil was pretty sure that they weren't supposed to be practicing maneuvers outside of the 'Bowl without permission. But though Adaityth was willing to obey and do her drills in the Weyr, out of sight... S'vil wanted to see what they were capable of. And that required open skies unbounded by stone. He knew Isori wouldn't tattle, and he wasn't in the mood to get held back in lessons.

"Hail," he said cheerfully. S'vil did a slight double-take at Aikelyth, noticing the pigmenting. She hadn't been that color when he'd last seen her... "Did... did you rub dirt on her?" he asked, his voice aghast though his face looked rather more calculating. "Honey, that's going to take forever to get off her hide!" Adaityth, meanwhile, met Aikelyth's nose-touch with briefly blue eyes. She wasn't particularly fond of the company of other greens, but much to her dismay, she was a green, and thus it was only proper for her to associate with other lowly creatures.

Good morning, sister, Adaityth replied pleasantly. Privately, she sent to S'vil, Aikelyth says that she and hers are prepared.[/color]

She and hers are dirty, he shot back, before tucking a piece of hair escaped from his french braid behind his ear.

"C'mon, let's get through the tunnel before dawn breaks and head out aways," he said, loudly enough to be heard but softly enough not to carry far. "Adaityth and I were out last month. There's a nice valley a short flight from here, though we'll have to come back by land so nobody sees us, eh?" S'vil flashed her a grin, then put his flying goggles and helmet on. He signalled Adaityth with a light jab of his heels, and the dragon leaped off of the ledge, sideways for a few moments before gliding to the exit tunnel they had taken before.

She landed without backwinging, simply tucking her wings back at the last second and taking off at a loping run. I am slowing down, sister, she called back to Aikelyth as she slowly decreased her pace. The access tunnel was winding, and it wouldn't do to run headlong into a wall because she was going too fast. It only took a minute or two to get through the tunnel before they broke out into the cool morning air outside of New Selenitas. Adaityth cleared herself from the entrance and snorted lightly, tasting the air.

When Aikelyth and Isori came out of the tunnel, Adaityth launched herself, going from ungainly ground-creature to a flighted wonder once again. Her large wings moved her through the air quickly, though she was careful to try not to outpace Aikelyth, who didn't have the experience of carrying a rider. They didn't go very far -- merely travelling up the Burimyu River before turning off on a small tributary and following it in until the narrow valley changed into a wide lake with narrow shores. It was at a higher altitude than the Weyr, but protected from sight by high peaks all around. All in all, a perfect little illicit practice area...

[dragon]

Isori started to put her helmet on, and then paused a moment to give S'vil a very strange look. "No, I didn't rub dirt on her. It's pigment. Perfectly clean, I promise. I just didn't want to get spotted from the ground and recognized is all." In fact, she had carefully studied the similar-sized greens, and had patterned the marks as closely as she could after one of the others. Masquerading as someone else was nothing new to Isori, though this was the first time she was having her dragon do it instead of herself. Plopping the helmet on her head she fastened it securely and then pulled her goggles down off the helemt's brow to cover her eyes. Grabbing a hold of Aikelyth's ridges, she held on tight as the Green leapt into the air after Adaityth. Cruising easily on outstretched wings, she followed after her clutch sister all the way to the tunnels. Landing as gently as she could manage given her relative inexperience, Aikelyth walked with an easy rolling gait that tipped from side to side as she went. I can see you, sister. I won't tread on your tail, I promise. she answered. Smarter than the average green, Aikelyth was already calculating and thinking and planning, figuring out what she could well before she actually got there.

One of the things she was most concerned about was Isori, and just how much activity was good for her. Isori wouldn't admit to when she was spent, but Aikelyth was planning for that contingency - even if it meant acting like she herself was done well before she actually was. Ambling out of the tunnel, Aikelyth paused where she stood to look back and up at the mountain that concealed the entire Weyr.

Why they couldn't fly out of one of the upper openings, she wasn't sure. But neither was she going to ask or complain. Just that anyone was willing to share time and knowledge was good enough. Isori was silent for a moment as she considered S'vil's return plan. She had no problem with returning after the fall of dark - she couldn't hardly be slapped for anything more than she already had been. But S'vil had curfew to worry about. "You'll have to start back really early if you plan to walk and make it back before curfew." Even dragons that were agile on the ground weren't terribly good at ground locomotion.

Aikelyth leaped into the air after Adaityth, quickly winging up to follow close in her wake. While she didn't have the same hours of experience that the rest of her clutch did in the air, Aikelyth still kept up fairly decently. Following in the ripped air of Adaityth's wake helped a lot, as did sheer determination to be just as good. While Aikelyth practiced her flight in general, warming up for the drills they'd be doing in just a little bit, Isori watched the scenery travel by with some awe.

Cruising over wild country was impressive enough. To do so in the chilly air as the sun rose casting everything in blushing colors was breath taking in the extreme. Isori loved every moment of it, marveling at the view and the experience of cruising up the valleys and along the river. Emerging from over forested mountain slopes to a broad upland lake, Isori let out an excited whoop, both hands held aloft over her head while a big grin split her face from ear to ear.

She could remember cruising with M'kai and Futh before she'd impressed. Possibly to somewhere along the same river they'd just passed over. Where she'd found Thunder tangled up in his vine. But cruising on someone else's dragon was definitely not the same as cross-country flying on her own. This ... this was freedom!

Infected by Isori's enthusiasm, Aikelyth swooped low with her wings spread wide, causing the trailing edges to thrum thunderously with the rushing air. Dropping her feet, she raked her toes through the still surface of the water before arcing back up into the sky and executing a roll as she pulled her wings in briefly. Coming upright again she snapped her sails open once more and swooped low again. This time only creating wind-ripples on the water's surface instead of dunking her talons in the icy cold water. How did you find this place?! This is a very nice place!! Aikelyth praised, beating hard to climb back away from the water after the second swoop and dip.

[neeuqtar]

“We don’t have to walk the whole way back,” S’vil replied. “I mean, technically Adaityth and I could fly back in, so long as we come from concealed areas and check for the all-clear from the watchdragon. But we’ll land out-of-sight near the hot springs so you can take the straps off of Aikelyth. That way no one will know you’ve been out flying with me!” Adaityth was trying hard to remember that Aikelyth was behind her, with minimal flight experience, and was showing quite a large amount of restraint in not swooping about as she was prone to in the air. When they reached the lake-valley, Adaityth tucked her wings close to her body in a barrel-roll, pulling out of it into a reverse dive before throwing her wings wide and turning speed into altitude once again.

We go exploring sometimes in our free time at night Adaityth replied. Other dragons do not look for us, but the night is no barrier and we fly upstream sometimes. We don’t want to get in trouble, she said, a little embarrassed. Even a green knew better than to break the rules, but S’vil was not always entirely keen on being ruled by someone else, even when it might mean staying safer. The lure of the freedom of the air was too strong to resist sometimes – the cold wind whipping along their bodies, the crisp scent of night air, and the dim light in the sky washing everything in violet. Truth be told, even Adaityth was happy to break the rules for the joy of flying.

The green dragon soared over towards the mountain, flapping heavily to gain altitude. There were no thermals yet, for the sun was just coming over the horizon as they arrived, and much of the valley was yet in shadow. Soon stone would warm enough to give off the powerful columns of heated air, but not yet. How is your endurance, sister? Adaityth asked at S’vil’s prompting. It will be hard flying until we get thermals. Like flying in the ‘Bowl. It is not good to be tired, be cause some of these maneuvers are hard to do. Hard, at least, for young and inexperienced dragons. They’d only learned them over the past se’enday, and though Adaityth spent as much of her waking time as physically possible in the air, she still had trouble with some – and she was a natural at flying.

S’vil signaled Adaityth to land, and the dragon obeyed with only a touch of reluctance, backwinging to a somewhat-clean landing on a large outcropping relatively high up the mountain. Could you land? she asked Aikelyth politely. Mine would like to go over a few aerial maneuvers with you and Yours, and then we can try them out as the earth warms up to give us thermals.

[dragon]

Both Rider and Dragon were a tad shocked at what they were hearing, but for the moment kept their astonishment to themselves. Leveling out, Aikelyth followed Adaityth to the mountain shoulder and backwinged into a gentle landing next to her sister. I don't know. I've never flown until I got tired. Barring my very first flight of course. she answered, as Isori shoved her goggles up onto her helmet and gave S'vil a most perturbed look.

"Did you seriously just tell me you've been night flying?" Isori asked, clearly surprised by the very idea. Dragons just didn't see very well at night, and everything she'd ever read or been told strongly advised against it. But ... apparently it could be done after all? "How can you see to night fly? I am told perception is way off at night. Especially depth perception." This was something she really wanted to know more about. Night flying!!! Who would have thought? "You're going to have to come get me next time you go out, I want to see." She demanded, pointing a finger at him commandingly. But it was all in enthusiasm and not in any kind of maliciousness, for a grin was splitting her face again.

I would like to try that, I think. It would be a significant advantage to be capable of night-flight when everyone else cannot. They would be watching for Whers on the ground, not Dragons in the sky. Aikelyth pointed out. Not only her curious, knowledge-absorbing side showing, but also her inherently intelligent tactician side. I will follow your lead, Adaityth. I am here to learn from you. Anything you have to teach, I will learn. Tell me what I need to do, and I will do it.

"I'm not concerned about flying back into the Weyr." Isori mentioned finally. "I won't follow you in, I don't want to get you in trouble. But I really have no reason not to fly. Really, what else can Sel'n take from me at this point? Maybe he'll yell at me a bit for flying, but pft." She shrugged, pulling her goggles down again and grinning. "Yelling never stopped anyone from doing anything. I am not going to spend the next turn and a half with my dragon sitting on her wings."

That was her story, and she was sticking to it.

[neeuqtar]

We will just be careful, then, Adaityth said to her sister after a moment's silent conference with S'vil. Us greens are not known for our endurance, of course, and pulled muscles are not very comfortable.S'vil idly scratched Adaityth's neck with one hand while using his other to yank his goggles down to dangle around his neck like a necklace. The straps were comfortable enough, putting him into a crouching position with his weight spread across his soles and shins, onto a wide area of the green's back. It was a nice design he'd seen some of the other riders using, meant to allow the rider to do more than be a navigation system strapped to their dragon's back, but to be able to help balance and add weight for maneuvers.

"Yeah, we've been out maybe a half-dozen times," S'vil said cheerfully, with just a touch of pride seeping into his voice. Discovering that Adaityth could see well at night had been a delightful surprise. "Adai's always been able to see at night. She just closes her first eyelids, and somehow it alters the light and she can tell depth just fine." He tried using his hands to demonstrate something Adaityth had never really been able to explain to him in the first place. "You know, like squinting makes things easier to see far away."

He grinned back at her, feeding off of her enthusiasm. He liked being the center of attention! And that it was something interesting that he loved to do, well... I do not know why all these people say that seeing at night is so difficult, the green said privately. It is easy enough that even a green like me can do it...

"Honey, I'll take you night flying anytime," he said with a wink and a salute. "But that paint job you've done on your dragon is a fashion disaster! Can't have the starry host wearing camo!" Mentally, he said to Adaityth, Of course you know how. Don't you know that greens have intuition? You can do things nobody thinks to do, just because you don't worry that it's an impossible thing to do like those stuffy metallics.

It is not hard, Adaityth said after a moment of hesitation and urging from S'vil. When it is dark, shut your eyes once. It is still dark, but you can see where things are around you. It is the whole world of the day written in black and gray, and what we cannot see, Ours can. She paused, a little embarrassed. It is easier when the moons are out. I can still see when it is fully dark, but everything shades to black.

"He could have the queens Command Aikelyth to the ground," S'vil replied. "It's good to at least try and hide that you're disobeying commands, instead of flaunting it and trying Sel'n's patience, yaknow?" He grinned at her. "That being said, it's warming up! Our greens are still warm enough from getting here that we can jump right into maneuvers. The easiest one to start with is a wingover. We'll fly straight, and then list to the side--" He demonstrated with one hand.

"A heavy wingbeat will lift us up higher, so we move laterally in a hump, like so." He demonstrated again, with both hands, making a 'flap' to show the motion. "Wingovers are used to move short distances laterally, usually in Threadfall, or in long flight to catch a thermal. I'll talk more about thermals when we get some!" S'vil wiggled his fingers and mimed being swept up into the sky by a thermal. "After trying wingovers, we can do wingtip turns, which are basically green-only moves. It's a similar start to the wingover, except that instead of just listing, your dragon is going to list, and than flare her inside wing down and forward, catching the air and basically spinning her sideways. Wingtip turns are usually followed by altitude changes -- often a dive, but occasionally a climb. So we'll do wingovers, wingtip turns, and then a wingtip-turn dive combination to start. Ready?" S'vil put on his goggles while waiting for a reply from Isora.

I will demonstrate first, so you can see how my body moves, Adaityth told the duo, for the first time including Isora in her words. It was simpler that way, than relaying through her sister Aikelyth, and after all she didn't have the hauteur of a gold to defend, much to her sorrow. And then I will watch you, so I can give you advice if you need it.

[dragon]

You lead, I follow. If I have problems, I will let you know appropriately. Aikelyth answered simply, paying attentive attention to detail as things happened. Isori and Aikelyth listened with interest as S'vil and Adaityth outlined the whole flying at night gig.

Almost without prompting from Isori, Aikelyth gave that a try right then and there. Closing the lids she normally closed for sighted swimming, she took a look at the world then. It failed to render the world into shades of grey as Adaityth had described and it left Aikelyth completely puzzled. Maybe my lids are dysfunctional? she asked Isori with some concern. She only laughed in pure mirth for a moment. While she didn't understand the science of it, she did know that things were always in color during the day, and shades of grey at night. This knowledge was passed to her dragon, explaining that the shades of grey could be expected after Rukbat went down. Appeased momentarily by this thought, Aikelyth set the thought aside. She would try again later.

Isori, for her part, only smiled slightly at S'vil when he agreed to take them night flying. "Not so much fashion disaster as an attempt at a cameo. It's not our fault the closest adult dragon in color and size was an ugly twitch." She pointed out. "If it works, it works. Our goal right now is not to be fashionable. But once we're all graduated I'm sure Aikelyth would be pleased to let you show her some fashion tricks."

I would? Aikelyth asked, mystified.

Queens. The thought made Isori's blood run cold and all the tiny hairs on her skin prickle upright. The thought of them had not occurred to her before. But now that it had ... shardit. The last thing she needed was her green permanently grounded on the word of some golden bimbo. The last thing they needed was the Queens irritated at them too ... and Sel'n just might do it too. Blowing a long sigh, Isori decided that she didn't want to chance it. "Alright. You have a point. We'll walk in and out." Sometimes ... it was just good to have friends. Or, at least, people who had as much interest in your goals as you did.

Isori was not at all sure what in the world S'vil was trying to explain with his twisting hands, but she was pretty sure that Aikelyth could handle it once she saw. "Okay, let's get this show on the road then!" She agreed, re-situating her own head gear as Aikelyth headed for the lip of the shelf she was standing on. The Green hesitated just long enough for Adaityth to precede her into the air, and then launched after her.

You lead, I follow. Aikelyth repeated simply, quite excited and ready to try anything out at least once. I want to get it perfect. she admitted, giving her sister free reign to be just as criticizing as she cared to be. That said, she beat her wings quickly to follow her sister out over the slowly warming waters of the highland lake. Show me! she encouraged, trusting her well-endowed sister to be able to perform flawlessly.

[neeuqtar]

"Alrighty then!" S'vil declared with a salute. "We're off!" He put his goggles back on and re-wrapped his scarf, tucking the tails down his jacket, before leaning forward and giving Adaityth the signal to take off. The green, who really would rather be in the air all the time anyway, leapt off the stone outcropping without further ado, her winde wings outflung and beating hard to give her altitude. She glided for a moment on the wind, then directed her thoughts back to her sister.

This is a wingover, she announced to the duo. The green dragon rotated her body to the right, sending her sideways in addition to her forward momentum. A heavy beat of her wings lifted her higher in an arcing motion, before she leveled out and started flying again. It is relatively simple once you get the right tilting angle, Adaityth commented.

The green beat her wings against the heavy air steadily, gaining altitude so that she was above her sister, in order to get a better view. Well done, love, S'vil commended her. Adaityth thrummed softly, barely a vibration felt through her chest. No matter that it was a simple maneuver -- she had only known it for a week and she was still capable of performing it well. Adaityth was truly made for the sky.

Now you should try it, sister. I will give you advice if need be.

[dragon]

Aikelyth watched with interest and fascination as Adaityth performed the wingover maneuver. She continued to cruise on outstretched wings as her clutch sister rose higher into the sky afterward. Fascinating! Mine, we have to practice this until we get good at it. I can see all kinds of u-

Yes, yes. I know. You silly beast. Give it a try then. Isori interrupted. Before suddenly squeaking and grabbing for her harness as the Green plunged into her first attempt at a wingover that was more dive than wingover. But she did manage a twist that brought her wings around like a wingover would. The only problem was they were headed down. "PULL UP!!" Isori squalled, knuckles whitening for her grip on the leathers.

Thankfully, pulling up was something Aikelyth was particularly good at. Bringing her head back and up again, her body followed right along in a streamlined arc. Wind rushed and thundered over her sails as she pulled out of the dive, speeding back into the sky again. Let me try that again. she mentioned discreetly to her sister, a bit embarrassed that that hadn't gone quite as well as she'd planned. Adaityth had made it look so easy.

"Faranth take me!" Isori gasped, feeling as if her heart was going to thunder out of her chest at any moment. "It's a good thing we're over water, even if at the speeds you tend to go it would hardly be any softer!"

You have so little confidence. I would not crash. Aikelyth answered, a touch miffed.

[neeuqtar]

S'vil bit back a surprised laugh as Aikelyth plunged into a diving version of a wingover, apparently taking Isori by surprised. Oh my, Adaityth exclaimed in surprised, before continuing privately to S'vil I did not expect that! May I try? The dragon was intrigued by the possibility of learning a movement that they had not yet been taught in class. Surely not every movement was mapped out by the Weyrlingmaster!

Sure, S'vil replied after a moment. The dragon plunged down as Aikelyth pulled back into the sky, listing into a wingover as she plummetted through the air. Adaityth waited until she was much closer to the water than Aikelyth had been to pull up into a climb again, her tail-tips skimming across the still waters of the lake and the wind of her passage stirring up eddies.

Do not worry, sister! Adaityth replied, almost breathlessly as she climbed again. Whatever it is that you did -- a diving wingover, perhaps? -- you did it well! And it is fun! It is only a mistake if you believe that you have failed. S'vil smiled slightly as the duo rose into the sky again, for Adaityth was repeating the reassurance he'd been giving her since she was a small hatchling. At least it had taken root...

[dragon]

Aikelyth thrummed deep in her throat in a semi-pleased and semi-bemused fashion as she witnessed her sister try that out. Apparently I didn't do anything terribly wrong? she mused to Isori, who was still trying to get her air back after that adrenaline rush. Craning her head and neck around as she cruised on outstretched wings, she watched as Adaityth skimmed the water before coming back up. Bravo!! Beautifully done! Aikelyth praised as Adaityth headed upward again.

And then she promptly tried the original maneuver again, this time paying closer attention to where her head was going in the process. Isori still clung to the harness like the lifeline that it was, knees gripping her dragon's neck as gravity and inertia did all kinds of awful things to her senses. Or more particularly, her stomach. "Ohhhhhhhh." She groaned unhappily as Aikelyth came upright again, leaning down over her dragon's neck.

I did it!! Aikelyth practically squealed, before changing topics abruptly. Are you going to be okay, Sorimine? Do you need me to land for a moment?

"I'll be okay. I think. I'll be oka...." She stopped talking for a moment in an effort to keep her breakfast down. Finally she sucked in a deep breath. "I'm okay. Just ... uh. Let's take it easy on the upside downs for now. Okay?"

Okay. Aikelyth agreed before turning her attention back to Adaityth as the other green rejoined them at altitude. That really does sound like something the 'master would say. She commented, happy colors swirling in her eyes despite Isori's battle with her stomach. She was having a grand old time after all. If only her Rider was more ready for this, she was pretty sure she could do this all day. Or so she thought while she was still fresh!

[neeuqtar]

You look so beautiful when you fly! Adaityth complimented her sister with a croon, at a bit of mental prompting from S'vil. If your rider is okay, then we can try wingtip turns! They are my favorite because they are so fast. Adaityth swooped out over the lake at a high altitude to demonstrate. She listed slightly, then flared her wing down suddenly, sending her into a sharp turn where the tip of her flared wing barely moved at all.

About to straighten out, a sudden gust of wind sent her tumbling wing-over wing in a roll. She yelped, an inglorious noise, as S'vil grabbed onto his strap handholds, helping Adaityth to balance herself. Well, the dragon said sheepishly once she had gotten her flight under control, That was a wingtip turn until the wind came. I'm afraid I wasn't quite ready for wind...

You did just fine, S'vil hastened to assure her. I'm sure you looked just fine. We just haven't learned tight rolls yet. Once we learn I'm sure you'll have no trouble, love. You're the best flier in the class. Regardless of the truth of that, S'vil knew that in order to keep Adaityth from spiraling down into beating up on herself in a despairing moment of comparison with the "higher" dragons, he had to be her instant reassurance. And it worked. Adaityth snapped out of her reverie.

Here, let's try again~ she said to Aikelyth, catching a young thermal and gaining some more altitude before diving down into the valley, where winds couldn't catch her. Looking like a swallow, she beat her wings swiftly, first making a sharp turn to the right, and then to the left, followed by a brief climb and another wingtip turn so sharp that the went briefly upside-down, startling a whoop. With a trill of delight, the green dragon soared back to the thermal and circled, catching altitude once more. Would you like to try, sister? Or would you like me to try and explain it with words?