Flight Lesson

Early morning under the shade of the Song forest canopy, the youngling wyvern and Lunabunny the young harpy were mingling around beside the ancient dead trunk, playing tag and hide and seek. The scent of the forest ground in the morning with dimmed sunrays shining through the tree canopies was the best one can have in the morning routine.The young harpy would fly up and hide in nearby premises. The youngling wyvern could only know where she was headed and look forward to it.behind a tree, under a log, inside the bush, among the foliage, in a nook and crevice, although the youngling wyvern couldn't fly he was still able to find wherever the young harpy hid.Lunabunny rested under a tall tree, she felt that her body changed more rapidly. She was easily tired and her feathers shed more often and it doesn't look like it will grow again soon.The youngling wyvern kept calling her to play hide and seek again, but she was exhausted— even flying felt like a heavy labor.The young harpy was very proud of him. This means that he would be able to hunt for food himself.The youngling ran and stood in front of her. He looked deep into her eyes."Kuwa!" The youngling wyvern raised his hand mimicking the firefox. He was telling Lunabunny to go to the human settlement. He wanted to play again with his new fluffy friend.Lunabunny smiled and later shook her head. It was a no. The youngling was disappointed. he walked closer and curled beside Lunabunny as if a grim ripper had taken out all of his spirits.Lunabunny caressed him. He had so much to learn in basic life just like she did and still does now.The youngling wyvern slipped under her wings and popped up his head."Coo~" He begged once again with a puppy face. He really wanted to go to the human settlement playing hide and seek again with the little girl.Lunabunny shook her head again.He sulked.Yesterday was fun and a thrill for the youngling wyvern. He and her harpy mom visit the human settlement for the third time. There, he met the young girl inside her den which looked like a white rocky mountain with many cavern chambers inside. The little female human was alone when he and Lunabunny met her.Her mother was nowhere to be seen. The human settlement was also quieter than the last time they visited there.He was looking for his new friend, the firefox. Alas, The red fluffy critter was nowhere to be seen, too. Probably the young girl was looking for it.She looked sad when they met so the youngling wyvern asked her to play tag around the human's den. The girl's cavern has two floors and many chambers.The cavern's interior was a mess, unlike the last time he visited there.The little girl was sitting on a ripped couch—sulking. furniture was scattered everywhere.The youngling wyvern paused for a second and thought to himself, that furniture was scattered everywhere.It was the perfect setup for an exciting game of hide and seek.The youngling wyvern eagerly asked the little girl to join him, his enthusiasm infectious despite their language barrier. She agreed with a bright smile, turning to face the wall and covering her eyes as she began counting.The youngling watched curiously as she mumbled the numbers, unsure of the purpose but recognizing the signal to find a hiding spot within the vast human den.Scampering off, he searched feverishly for the ideal concealment, his small form darting from one potential refuge to the next. However, his lack of experience soon became apparent as the little girl found him with ease, her delighted giggles filling the air.Unfazed, the youngling curled up and covered his eyes with his webbed wings, wordlessly indicating her turn to hide. The little girl sprung into action, dashing off to find the most challenging hiding place her home had to offer – a spot even her own mother wouldn't know.The wyvern sniffed intently, following her scent through the maze of rooms and corners, only to be thwarted by the familiar, overpowering aroma of his harpy mom, Lunabunny. Just when he feared losing the trail, his persistence paid off, and he discovered the little girl tucked away under a couch on the veranda.Their game evolved into a raucous chase, giggles, and laughter echoing through the den as they darted to and fro, reveling in the simple joys of play.But their merriment was cut short by the unmistakable beating of wings outside. Lunabunny leaped into action, venturing out to investigate the disturbance.It was her harpy sisters, their arrival casting a sudden pall over the carefree revelry.The young harpy glanced back inside, where the youngling wyvern and little Jasmine remained obliviously engaged in their game of tag, unaware of the potential danger their presence posed to one another.Lunabunny flew back inside, her expression grave as she urged them to resume their hiding game, her gestures conveying a sense of urgency and fear.Little Jasmine, ever the cooperative playmate, took the youngling wyvern's hand and led him upstairs to her room, guided by the harpy's insistent prompting.With a tenderness belying her stern demeanor, Lunabunny ushered them into a wooden box, her eyes pleading with the wyvern to remain silent and still.Though bewildered, the youngling played along, sensing the gravity of the situation through the harpy's actions, if not comprehending the true peril they faced.The door closed, encasing them in darkness, their only company was the sound of their hushed breaths and the muffled voices of the harpies beyond the thin walls.The young girl hugged the youngling wyvern tightly, her small body trembling with fear. The wyvern didn't understand the cause of her distress, but instinctively sought to comfort her, wrapping his wings around her in a protective embrace. He cooed softly, trying to convey that it was merely a game, unaware of the true peril they faced.Lunabunny slipped out of the room, leaving them concealed within the wooden box as she went to meet her harpy sisters. The youngling strained his ears, eavesdropping on the muffled voices that drifted through the thin walls. To his untrained senses, their communication sounded friendly, lacking any apparent hostility.Time seemed to crawl as they waited in tense silence, the young girl's shivers gradually subsiding under the soothing warmth of the wyvern's wings. At last, the sounds of Lunabunny's sisters departing reached their hiding place, signaling an end to the potential threat.However, their reprieve was short-lived as the telltale footsteps of two humans approaching could be heard. Lunabunny wasted no time, swiftly returning to usher the youngling wyvern out of the wooden box and away from the girl's den, lest they be discovered.With a heavy heart, the young harpy guided the wyvern back toward the safety of the Song Forest, leaving little Jasmine behind to be found by the humans. As much as it pained her, she knew the child would be safer in the care of her own kind, sheltered from the dangers that awaited her should the harpies discover her existence.As they made their way through the winding forest paths, the youngling wyvern couldn't help but glance back, his thoughts lingering on the little girl he had so quickly befriended. Lunabunny's gaze, however, remained resolutely forward, her mind already focused on ensuring their safe return to the sanctuary of their home, away from the prying eyes of humans and the ever-present threat of the harpies.⁕⁕⁕In the tranquil Song Forest, the youngling wyvern's face was etched with gloom and disheartment. His usual playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by a somber expression that tugged at the young harpy's heart.When he inquired about returning to the human settlement, Lunabunny responded with a firm gesture, forbidding him from such an endeavor. With careful movements and expressions, she explained that wyverns and harpies were not meant to coexist peacefully.Lunabunny then proceeded to recount the bloody history of the turf war that had raged a decade earlier between their kind and the wyverns. The harpies had numbered over a thousand strong, while the wyverns, though fewer at nearly a hundred, were formidable adversaries.Despite their abundant numbers, dwindling food sources had driven both sides to desperation. The seas were barren of fish, and the forests offered no prey. With each passing day, their territories encroached upon one another as the search for sustenance grew more frantic, until eventually, they found themselves hunting the same lands.The harpies were no match for the mighty wyverns and were driven away, forced to endure starvation as they sought new hunting grounds to no avail. The once-lush Stormsteps Mountain offered no respite, and harpies began to perish from hunger.Finally, the previous queen harpy, Mistysong, rallied her flocks, declaring it better to die in battle than to succumb to starvation.The clash between the winged creatures was inevitable, and the dark skies over the mountain range were illuminated by lightning storms akin to the ones they had witnessed in recent days. Massive tornadoes and whirlwinds filled the air as nearly a thousand harpies and a hundred wyverns took to the skies, locked in a fierce battle for territory that would rage for over a week.Casualties mounted on both sides and Mistysong herself fell at the talons of the wyverns. Wingclaw and Sunstreak, the current queen, stepped forward to take her place, their feathers forming a regal tiara-shaped crest as they continued the fight.The war ended in a stalemate, with both sides utterly exhausted and depleted of combatants. It was not until a year later, when the blessings of Mother Earth returned, replenishing the game and fish populations, that the conflict finally ceased, leaving no reason for further confrontation.In the aftermath, the stormwing wyverns and harpies retreated to their own territories, a fragile truce enforced by the memory of the bloodshed they had endured. Though animosity still simmered beneath the surface, neither side dared provoke the other again.The youngling wyvern's eyes widened as Lunabunny concluded her vivid tale, his expression one of awe and amazement at the harpy's storytelling prowess.Yet, she omitted one crucial detail – the part where her own mother had been torn apart by a wyvern. Lunabunny had been but a chick at the time, unable to stem the flow of tears when Wingclaw, her Alula – the adult harpy who had taken her under her wing – returned to their nest, the Great Roost, carrying the grisly remains.Alulas were the mentors and guardians of harpy chicks, imparting everything from flight and song to hunting and dietary knowledge. Each Alula could have a dozen or more chicks under their tutelage, assigned to them from birth.With the wyvern menace averted, at least for now, the harpies could turn their attention to a new threat – ridding the mountain of the human who had abducted dozens of their kind and left unchecked.⁕⁕⁕The next day after they returned from the little girl's place, Lunabunny tried to cheer up the youngling wyvern, she decided to take him on a thrilling activity —a flight lesson."Coo," The youngling wyvern cowered behind the young harpy's back on the branch of a tall tree.The young harpy wanted to teach the youngling how to fly. She flapped her wings a couple of times, telling the youngling to follow. She leaped from a rock and flapped her wings. glide down and climb up again higher than the tree before she made a circle around."Awrk!" the young harpy flew by near the youngling wyvern. She told the youngling wyvern to jump from the tree top.The youngling wyvern moved to the end of the branch. He looked down and shivered.Lunabunny giggled as she saw the youngling wyvern dashed back to the trunk and held it tight. She beat her wings and glided toward the youngling wyvern.She landed gracefully on the branch as if she had already done that a thousand times. She moved closer to the youngling who hugged the tree trunk as if his life clung to it.He shut his eyes tight.'Wark," She stroked the youngling's back with her delicate wings. Slowly the youngling wyvern opened up his eyes.Lunabunny remembered her first flight. Wingclaw would push her off the highest cliff. She fell and she spread her wings and let the wind guide her. It was not a pretty flight but it was somewhat successful as she landed on mud.There were no words or gestures on how to learn a flight. It all came naturally. She believed anyone who has wings can fly. All they needed was to trust themselves and let the wind carry them."Eek!" The youngling wyvern jumped off the branch. He closed his eyes and curled his body as he plunged down to the forest floor like a rock falling from the cliff.The young harpy quickly leapt toward the youngling wyvern before he hit the ground, it was going to hurt. She caught him with her back. They both landed on a makeshift cushion made out of branches and tree leaves, almost as comfortable as the ones in the little girl's den.The young harpy made the cushion just like she had back in the harpy nest. The bouncy and soft sensation of throwing oneself towards it after a long day was nothing to compare."Eek~" The youngling wyvern leaped towards her embrace. he was crying. he was so scared. shivered greatly.Lunabunny brushed his head and kissed him. She can clearly see that this was the youngling's first flight lesson.She looked at the youngling wyvern. Thinking of what went wrong. At his age, he must've known how to fly. Lunabunny expected him to glide away where she could lead him and landed safely but he couldn't even hover down the tree.She waited for the youngling to calm down."Kweh! Kweh!" she flapped her wings and asked the youngling to follow. Back to basic. Exercise his wings. The youngling must flap his wings more often.Unlike harpies that had to wait for their flight feathers to fully grow, the youngling wyvern already grew a pair of strong wings to generate lift and fly when he was born just like any other webbed wings creature. He had to exercise every now and then to condition his wings for flying, now he must build his muscle and strength at least to hover a while. that was for today's catch, to hover.Lunabunny bent her knees and launched herself into the air, flapping her wings to hover above the forest floor. With an encouraging gesture, she beckoned the youngling wyvern to follow.Rising to the challenge, the wyvern mimicked her movements, propelling himself skyward with a few powerful strokes of his wings. To his delight, he found himself hovering effortlessly alongside the young harpy."Waaa~" His joyful cry echoed through the trees, the achievement of sustained flight filling him with unbridled elation. Emboldened by his success, the youngling began hopping and flapping, maintaining his hover for extended periods.Lunabunny watched with pride, well aware that wyverns possessed far greater physical strength than harpies. It had taken her weeks of arduous practice and Wingclaw's patient guidance before she had mastered the art of hovering, her flight feathers finally developed enough to support her weight.Satisfied with the youngling's progress, the young harpy led him to a new tree, its branches reaching just above their heads – a spear's length from the ground. Should he fall, the height posed no risk of injury, allowing him to practice without fear.It was time for another lesson, the youngling wyvern must gather courage and start taking short hops and flaps out of the nest, tree branch by tree branch. These little leaps teach them control. The parents guide and encourage from nearby perches.The young harpy took a leap from one tree branch to another while flapping her wings. It was the same as hovering it just the youngling leap forward instead of upward.He followed through. He leaped forward and flapped his wings as hard as he could. He almost reached the other branch but fell and hit the ground. He grunted."Meep?" Lunabunny worried. His wings were too stiff, Lunabunny hinted from the other branch that he must relax his wings.The youngling wyvern got up and climbed up the tree again. His eyes looked determined. He didn't want to disappoint the young harpy.He must relaxed and yet still put some strength into his wings, it was two contradicting things. How could he be relaxed and strong at the same time? He didn't think too much of it.The youngling wyvern attempted the leap dozens of times, again, and again and again until he got the hang of it but it was too late he had to redo it again.⁕⁕⁕His eyes locked onto the other branch across the way, where the young harpy watched him intently. He prepared his wings, retracted his legs, focused on the distant branch, and leaped.With a relaxed yet powerful flapping motion, he spread his wings and propelled himself forward. He remembered the rhythm, the feeling – relaxed, strength, relaxed, strength. Before he knew it, he was soaring toward the other branch, extending his claws and landing with a thud, his talons gripping the bark.The youngling wyvern's blue eyes glinted with pride. He had done it. He had flown to the next branch, where Lunabunny awaited, and landed successfully for the first time."Wark! Wark! Wark!" The excitement was palpable as the youngling wyvern spun around on the branch, celebrating his achievement.His harpy mom bent down and gave him a smooch on the forehead, petting his scales affectionately. The youngling wyvern froze, shocked by the gesture that so closely mirrored the love of his deceased mother – a tender kiss on the brow.The validation and affirmation from Lunabunny meant everything to him, and he basked in her attention, his heart swelling with joy.But in his elated state, he got a little too carried away."Oowa!" With a startled cry, he slipped and tumbled from the branch, plummeting toward the ground below."Meep!" Lunabunny called out to him in alarm, but the youngling didn't respond.Panic gripped her heart as she continued calling for him, her cries growing more frantic. "Meep! Meep!"Still, he remained motionless, the fall appearing to have injured him.Without hesitation, the young harpy leaped from the branch, landing beside the unmoving wyvern. She shook his body, checking for any signs of life, her concern mounting with each passing moment.Just when she feared the worst, a sudden movement startled her."Bwa!" The youngling wyvern spread his wings wide, letting out a triumphant cry.He had been playing dead, a mischievous prank that nearly gave the poor harpy a heart attack."Khe khe khe," he giggled, running circles around her in a celebratory dance, reveling in his successful ruse.The young harpy pouted, unamused by his mischievous behavior. Perhaps it was his way of getting back at her for the stunt she had pulled on the beach.After the youngling wyvern had his fill of laughter, he scampered back up to the branch, determined to practice his newfound flying skills once more.The youngling wyvern spent the rest of the day leaping from branch to branch, honing his newfound flying skills with tireless determination. By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, fatigue had set in, his wings aching from the exertion.Seeking refuge, he nestled into the hollow of an ancient tree trunk, its gnarled bark providing a cozy sanctuary. It had been a long and eventful day, and the little wyvern's eyelids grew heavy with exhaustion.As he curled up to rest, the young harpy approached, a gentle smile on her face. Carefully, she lifted the drowsy wyvern, cradling him in her lap as she leaned back against the tree's sturdy trunk.With a soft, melodic voice, she began to sing a harpy lullaby, the soothing notes and gentle cadence weaving a tranquil spell. The haunting melody seemed to resonate with the very forest itself, a timeless ode to peaceful slumber.The youngling wyvern's eyes fluttered shut as the lullaby washed over him, his body relaxing into the harpy's warm embrace. The familiar tune had proven effective in the past, seldom allowing nightmares or restless slumber to disturb his dreams.As the last rays of sunlight filtered through the canopy above, the soothing lullaby enveloped the pair, lulling the exhausted wyvern into a deep, contented sleep. The young harpy continued her gentle crooning, her voice a beacon of comfort and security in the fading light.The forest seemed to hold its breath, respecting the sacred ritual of rest and offering its own silent lullaby through the whispers of the breeze and the gentle rustling of leaves.⁕⁕⁕