The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Mini Dungeon 8 - Skyloft Flying Course

...before landing on the platform. Rito jumped back to make room, taking to the air to hover over Shade as the Loftwing landed. Link slid off onto the landing, letting Zelda situate herself on Shade's back.

"What is the meaning of this?" A Rito asked as he landed beside them, large and bulky like Ptar, but a deep brown. He was more like a hawk, but not a quite hawk. Probably some kind of eagle. Link admittedly didn't know much about birds.

"These two want to try to beat the flight course!" Taka answered, louder than Link would have liked. He already felt like there was too much attention on his back. A crowd of Rito began to gather around, eyeing Shade up and down. Most of them landed, but a few hovered overhead to watch the scene.

The large Rito folded his wings. "Oh? And how do they plan to do that?"

"We let those tree sprites use propellers," Sagi pointed out. "They should be able to use a mount as well."

"Can't both use the same mount. Besides, we wouldn't want to wear the beast out here."

"I am a spirit given corporal form. The sun will sooner die than my wings tarry."

"He can do it," Link answered in a hurried voice.

Again, the large Rito eyed Shade. The Loftwing raised his wings, the feathers over his chest puffing up. Zelda shifted awkwardly back in the saddle, gripping tightly to hold on. Holding the bottom of his beak, the large Rito asked, "Against the rules. You can't use the same equipment."

"I'll ride bareback," Link stated quickly, hopping to hurry this along. "I've wrestled enough farm animals I think I can handle your course."

"That is no farm animal."

"And the ground is a little further away."

Link swallowed hard, trying to keep his face stern. "At least let her try. Decide what you will after she's done." He made a note to stop from saying the princess's name. If the Chieftain didn't want Hyrule to know about this threat, rumors weren't going to help them here.

The Rito looked up at Zelda. She smiled back, bouncing a little as she scooted back up in the saddle. As Zelda waved towards him, the Rito let out a sigh. "Alright. You're up next. Don't expect this to be easy."

"Oh, don't worry, mister, I won't," Zelda replied, still waving politely.

A chill ran through Link's spine. Beside him, the Rito's feathers ruffled. Link barely heard the instructor list off the rules as that pleasant voiced challenge resonated in his head. And Link felt himself grin a little as he watched the princess and Shade dive off the platform. Moments later, the crimson Loftwing reappeared from his dive, Zelda poised on the bird's back like a show rider. It was then Link realized what Zelda had done while she and Shade had slipped out of sight. The princess was going to beat this course.

Side saddle.

There was no particular advantage to the position. In fact, it made holding on a lot harder with most of her weight shifted one way. Unphased, the princess asked Shade on.

Link raced to edge, despite the protests from the Rito around him. He watched as Zelda urged Shade to fly faster, carefully perched on his back. She barely ducked as they passed by the obstacles. At last, Zelda rounded the bend back to the landing platform. Before Shade had even entirely stopped, she hopped off with a bounce and grappled into Link to slow herself.

Stumbling back a few steps, Link smiled as the princess giggled in his ear. "How'd I do?" She pushed back from Link, smiling politely at the instructor. "Well, how'd I do, sir? Pass?"