Ferinix the Night Fury

Chapter 3

On my second winter, my parents and I went to the cliff face right outside of my cave. I went here a lot to take in the view and explore a bit more. Today was different however; today was the day I learned to fly!

I was so thrilled to fly for the first time I almost fell of the cliff and started the lesson early! My father instructed me to, "Jump as far out as you can and then spread out your wigs really wide and flap them in strong, slow beats".

"Like this" my mother chimed in as she exploded from the ground and started flying out far away from my father and me until she gracefully spun around and started hovering. Then she roared, "Now it's your turn!"

My father saw that I was very nervous about the long drop and purred, "You'll be fine. I was nervous my first time too. Just follow your instincts".

I said back to him, "Okay, okay".

"Atta girl!"

I unfurled my wings and jumped of the hard, cold stone and did slow, powerful beats just like my father said. But my father left one key thing out, balance! I didn't know I had to balance myself in flight so once I stopped falling I continually wobbled around till I was popped out of the sky like those moths I shot at months ago and started plummeting to a large clearing below me. The ground was getting closer and closer then I lifted my head and closed my eyes instinctively, readying for impact. That's when I felt my mother's wings curl up around me and together we hit the ground her wings absorbing the shock when we thudded on the grass. Mother unfolded her wings and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine"

"Hop on"

She bent down and lowered her head then I jumped onto her back and gently gripped her back ridges to keep myself from falling off. She raised her wings and leapt into the wind beating her wings and rising to the cliff where my father waited as he let out a sigh of relief.

My mother landed as I hoped off her back and trotted towards him and he said "Sorry Ferinix! I forgot to teach you about balance!"

"Yeah you did!" I roared.

"Well use your four tail fins as your primary source a balance."

"Okay is there another source?"

"Just use your tail and wings. And remember to put your legs right against your belly so you're more aerodynamic."

"All right. Are you sure you're not leaving anything else out this time?"

"Not that you need to know as of now. Now go."

I spread my wings then sprang from the ground and soared being extra careful to balance myself properly in flight. Cautiously positioning my tail then spreading my fins and wings just right, and before I knew it I looked back at my parents to see them almost out of sight and taking flight to me so they can help me if I need it.

Once they were within earshot my mother said "Wow you are learning fast!"

"Indeed you are" my father said. "Now try to tilt your whole body to the right".

I did as he said and found myself turning to the right! I started leaning to the left and I was turning left! "Nice work Ferinix! Now point your body up a little and keep flapping towards the ground," said my mother. I did that and I did notice that I had to beat harder and more often but it took me a bit to notice that I was going up but when I did I flapped even harder and faster. Then pointed my body down and I had to beat my wings less often as I descended to the ground below me.

After doing a bit more flying around father said, "Enough playing. Time to learn how to land." I followed him back to the cave and mother said; "Now hover as close to the as you can ground then let yourself fall. Like this" she slowly hovered then landed. "Go on" he said. I carefully followed her instructions and landed somewhat clumsily on the ground.

"Okay my turn to go hunting" she said as she took to the air and flew to the forest.

"Let's go inside while we wait for your mother" father said as I followed him back into the cave.

For two winters I perfected my flying so I could do tricks like loop-the-loop and barrel rolls and I loved to fall through the misty clouds of the sky. Here and there I would try to play with a squirrel in a tree but they always bolted to some thick leaves before I got too close.