Ninjagaësia

To Fly

That morning they all woke up bleary, aching with purple splotches all over. While breakfast was being cooked, Lloyd eagerly helped get the saddles on the dragons alongside his mother, barely finishing in time to eat. After that, the others reluctantly helped switch their bags from the horses’ saddles to the dragons’.

Misako helped boost Nya into her saddle as Kveykva crouched his slender form low enough for Jay to reach. Stenskul had to lay down for Cole to get on, Lloyd already on Fírnen's back and buckling himself in by the time the others sat up straight.

“Remember.” Misako began, going around to check all their straps once they were done. “Stay flat on their backs, and grip with your knees. Stay calm, and nothing will go wrong. You are each others' halves.”
With that, she backed away towards the horses, openly smiling with pride.

“I am not ready.” Cole muttered, gripping the edge of the saddle with white knuckles.
“Me neither.” Jay agreed, laughing mirthlessly as he tried not to grip the golden mane too hard. Nya was lightly pinching the fin on Nainvaer's neck, smiling shakily. “This is fine.” She lied.

“You guys are being wusses.” Lloyd snarked, blonde hair glittering in the sunlight as he wriggled in place.
“Now c'mon! Let's go!” He pleaded impatiently. Fírnen snorted, crouching low before he leapt skyward, Rider whooping with glee.

“I changed my mind, I can't do this, let's stay on the GROUND-” Jay screamed as Kveykva removed the decision from the table, winding into the air.
“You won't do that to me, right Stenskul?” Cole asked nervously. Her gold-flecked, chocolate eyes flicked back towards him with amusement, Nya staring upwards as the blood drained from her face.

“You're sure these saddles will- NO-” She shrieked as her dragon took off, circling low but still steadily climbing. “I think I'm gonna faint.” Cole gasped just before Stenskul galloped forward and jumped.
Indeed, Cole did in fact faint about five seconds into flight.

Thankfully, unlike the last time they had all flown together, the dragons were more than large enough to comfortably carry their weight, calmly wheeling about amidst the clouds to get their Riders accustomed to the air. Cole woke back up with a gasp, initially wrapping his arms around Stenskul's neck in a death grip before slowly easing up.

Despite being so openly terrified in the beginning, Jay was the first to relax, staring at the specks that were trees far, far below them. Lloyd was laughing freely, letting only his saddle keep him connected to his dragon. His eyes were outright glowing as he smiled up at them, Fírnen circling just below the others.
“Isn't this great?” He shouted up at them through the wind.

“I think I'm starting to get it!” Jay called back, sitting up to feel the wind in his face. Electricity was sparking off Kveykva's scales and onto him, and it didn't bother him in the least. He yelped when the dragon tilted into a spin, hanging on as they flew upright again.

“Okay so maybe it's not so bad.” Nya admitted, almost inaudible through the breeze. Nainvaer hummed contentedly at that, falling into a shallow dive. “Or maybe not!” She cried, clinging anxiously as they dipped away.

Cole eventually started looking around, taking deep breaths so as not to start panicking too much. He still didn't let go, but he dared to lift his head and look around. “This.. is okay.” He breathed shakily.

Jay started getting into it by then, having fun as Kveykva flew up and down, looping and spinning and even briefly flying upside down before getting into faster movements aided by his still weak element. Fírnen flew along with him, the two boys laughing together.

Soon Nainvaer was diving and flying back up in large, slow loops, Nya easing into flight more and more. The two of them flew through a few clouds, before all the dragons contacted each other for an interesting decision, spurred by Stenskul as she continued flying evenly for the sake of Cole's anxiety.