Chapter 36

Now that the cadets had returned from their glider training, their instructor said that they could now attempt flight as long as the cadet and skybax felt ready.

Tristan watched the sky early that morning, anxious to spot Twilight. His backpack was hooked over his shoulders, bearing the weight of the sketchbook inside and the training saddle he'd been given sat on the ground by his feet. The other cadets each waited with their saddles and flight gear ready. The wind up at Pteros seemed irritated, clawing at the sage brush, rattling the dry scrub bushes, whining over the rocks, and yanking at the clothes of the anxious cadets.

Did the wind really feel this way, or was it simply Tristan's nerves that made him interpret it this way? He closed his eyes and listened, trying to relax, taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out, but the wind tossed dust into the air, making him cough. He glanced toward Bix who came to see the cadets take their first flight. He remembered her words about the castaway battling the choppy ocean waters and this was the first moment he truly felt a connection to the scenario. He knew how to swim, but would unexpected circumstances cause him to drown? In like manner, he knew how to fly, but would unexpected circumstances cause him to fall?

Bix saw the anxious cadet looking her way. She raised a foot toward him, sending him a silent wish of goodwill. Tristan managed to send a smile back to the dinosaur.

The cadets glanced at one another, wondering who would take the first flight and whose skybax friend would show up first. Dawn spread a red hue across the sky, tinged with darker shades of violet which later softened to lavender followed by a blush pink.

Then the first two skybaxes approached: Wind Song and Grey Mist. Mathias and Jamin both tensed, recognizing their skybax partners.

Tristan tried not to look disappointed. This meant that Mathias would be in the saddle before him once again.

After the two skybaxes landed, both the cadets approached their partners, greeting them fondly. All the cadets missed their skybax partners while they were gone to skybax camp for glider training.

Will advised them to go one at a time and gave them each last minute instructions. Surprisingly, Mathias held back and allowed Jamin to go first. Everyone watched in anticipation as he approached the flight platform and saddled the great pterosaur. Jamin put on his helmet over his black curls, pulled the goggles over his eyes, and climbed into the saddle on Grey Mist's back. Just before they took off, he turned and sent the master pilot a quick salute, a sign of respect and gratitude to his instructor.

Will returned the salute. "Fly High!" He called.

Then Grey Mist flapped her huge wings and pushed off of the flight platform. The rest of the cadets cheered as they watched their fellow cadet take his first flight.

Jamin did well. He kept the flight short, obeying Will's advice. Short flights were recommended at first, allowing both skybax and rider to adjust to this new stage. Grey Mist proved to be smooth at landing so Jamin was not jarred too much and slid out of the saddle, breathless, even though it was Grey Mist who had done the work of flying. After thanking the skybax, he removed the saddle and joined the other cadets where he was heartily congratulated by everyone. Tristan took note of how wobbly Jamin seemed even though he put on a tough front.

Mathias went next. He and Wind Song took off with a confidence that indicated that they'd had some experience in flight together already. Their confidence in each other displayed a strong bond and Tristan had to fight the negative feelings that rose in his chest. He felt excited and happy for the rest of the cadets, but somehow Mathias's success didn't give him the same warm feeling. Tristan mechanically took his obligated turn to congratulate Mathias upon his return. Neither of the boys had spoken on friendly terms since their last argument. They'd only spoken when absolutely necessary and kept conversation short and businesslike. Mathias couldn't resist sending a look of triumph specifically in Tristan's direction. Tristan swallowed hard to keep his emotions under control.

Aerial arrived next and Taddeo took his first flight, returning with a look of sheer joy and wonder on his face. Tristan could tell that his friend was holding back a flood of words to describe the experience, but it would have to wait until later, after the first flight ceremony.

Tristan nervously looked to the sky. Only he and Fira were left now. What if Twilight didn't show up for some reason? What if she somehow found out about Dark Wing before he had time to explain? What if their bond was not strong enough and the time spent apart during the hang glider training dulled her interest in the bond?

A bold screech filled the air. Tristan's neck was aching now from tilting it back for so long while looking up at the sky. Twilight was not a noisy skybax. She rarely screeched her announcement upon arrival and if she did, her call had a different tone.

Swift, Fira's skybax companion came into view. Tristan's heart dropped and he couldn't figure out if it was in relief, or simply a different level of anxiety. He was standing next to Fira and sensed the girl's rising excitement as they watched the skybax approach the flight platform.

"I guess this means you're last." Fira said to Tristan. "I kind of hoped I would get the grand finale honors." She added in a teasing tone.

Tristan managed a nervous smile. "Yeah, well, I'd switch with you if I could. This pressure of waiting is about to kill me. I guess Twilight is carrying out her name."

"The time of twilight comes last in the day." Fira said. "She lives up to her name in many wonderful ways. You must know her well. I think you'll do great, Tristan." Fira said, giving him a quick squeeze on the arm. "From the short time I've known you, you've proved to be anything but a quitter. I believe even raw fear won't stop you."

The girl stepped away before Tristan could respond. He felt surprised by her rare words of encouragement. He'd never glimpsed the soft side of this girl who usually put up a tough front. Maybe this uncertain moment just before flight had a way of opening the girl's dusty vault of compliments.

Mathias hugged her and she didn't push him away for once. Jamin smiled and nodded his head to her, and Taddeo actually seemed to struggle with his words for once. "B-b-be careful, Fira. Fly High and, and…come back." Though he did not hug her as Mathias did, he grasped her hand as she passed and his dark brown eyes were filled with emotion.

Fira paused, giving him a puzzled look. "I will." She said.

Will, the instructor, took an involuntary step toward the girl as she passed him. Tristan looked at the man's face and was surprised to see how unsettled the he seemed. Will's lips were pressed in a tight line and his brow was furrowed in a deep frown of worry. He clenched and unclenched his hands by his sides.

Fira shook her head slightly as she passed the instructor and raised a finger to her lips. Tristan made a mental note to ask the girl later what that was all about. When the girl and the skybax took off, Will paced the flight ledge with a manner of anxiety higher than when the other three cadets had flown.

When Swift and Fira returned, the cadets and the others gathered at the flight platform to watch, cheered, waving their hands in excitement and triumph for the girl and skybax.

Fira dismounted with a skill and air of confidence that either matched or pushed past Mathias's earlier performance. The cadets surrounded her and engulfed her in hugs and words of congratulations. Will looked relieved, wiping sweat from his brow even though the wind was cool that morning.

Finally, Twilight came. It was just as well that she'd waited until last. Then Tristan wouldn't feel as pressured about taking longer to show her the sketchbook and find out what her reaction would be. It would determine whether they would take flight together or not.

Tristan took a deep breath and stepped forward, carrying the sketchbook instead of the saddle.

The other cadets looked at each other, murmuring among themselves, not understanding Tristan's 'out of pattern' approach. Twilight crooned softly and stretched out her neck, wanting him to rub it. She seemed happy to see him. Tristan apprehensively reached out and ran his fingers along her neck. Twilight immediately took note of the boy's nervousness. She leaned forward and wrapped her wings around him and he hugged her neck, though stiffly. Then he lifted the book which he held in one hand and showed it to her. "I have to tell you about Dark Wing." He said softly, relieved at the distance between him and the other cadets. He didn't want them to hear anything that he might say to Twilight.

His fingers shook as he opened the book and showed the skybax the first page.

The skybax cocked her head to one side, looking at the page, and then at Tristan. She hummed softly, knowing it had a calming effect on the boy, but it didn't seem to affect him this time. He turned each page slowly, allowing the skybax time to look and contemplate each picture. He said nothing until he'd shown her every picture. When finished, he closed the book and made himself look into her large amber eyes. He stood so close that he could see his own reflection in her eyes. His reflection looked strangely thin and ghostlike and very small. What was the skybax thinking? She stood so still, looking at him intently.

Tristan hugged the book to his chest and sank to his knees, bowing low in a similar fashion as he had done to Dark Wing on that moonlit night at skybax camp. His heart pounded as he waited for her reaction.

Then he felt the weight of her beak upon his shoulder. Excitement surged through

him. She lifted her beak then and he looked up, hope shining in his eyes. Twilight cooed again signifying that she was not upset. Tristan just stared back at her in shock. But why? Why was she not concerned? Did she not understand the pictures? But no, he knew she understood the pictures. He'd depicted the meaning of them clearly. And yet, here she was seemingly not upset at all and urging him to rise. Tristan rose to his feet shakily and returned the book to his backpack. All the other cadets sent him puzzled looks, but Will motioned for them to hold their questions.

Tristan picked up the saddle and approached Twilight. She readied herself by the platform and he put the saddle on, moving in a daze. Then, for the first time in his life, he climbed into the saddle, lowered his goggles, and tapped Twilight's neck to let her know that he was ready.

Twilight lifted off the platform and dove down into the canyon. Tristan gasped, almost choking on the sudden rush of air that blasted against his face and it felt as if his stomach jumped into his throat. The downward motion at which Twilight flew was faster than any of the hang glider experiences. Instinct told him that going down that fast only meant a crash waited at the end.

"Easy! Not so fast!" In his excitement he shouted, forgetting that the skybax could hear him very well considering how close they were.

Twilight cringed at the noise and fought irritation toward the boy. She screamed back in response and even though his helmet flaps came down over his ears, Tristan's hands automatically flew up to his ears in an effort to muffle the shrill sound. Then he realized that he wasn't hanging on anymore with his hands. This alarmed him and he brought his hands down again, grasping the front of the saddle. Once the ringing in his ears finally dulled, he braved a motion of reaching out, further up the skybax's neck and rubbed it gently, apologizing for his noisy shouting. They were still plunging downward at a rapid pace. Tristan reached one arm out to the side where the skybax could see in her side vision, and showed her a thumbs up sign, signaling that he wanted to go back up.

Twilight understood. She spread her wings out fully and banked to the right, slowing the downward plunge. Then she flapped her giant wings vigorously, gaining altitude once again.

Tristan simply concentrated on hanging on, unable to relax and enjoy the scenery which blurred past him. Twilight could feel his tension, but she was excited to have a rider and eager to show him what she could do. After rising back up out of the canyon, she climbed even higher, toward one of the upper stone pillars, aiming for the wisps of clouds lingering just above the stone.

Somehow, Tristan thought the clouds would suffocate him and he took a deep breath and held it, but when they passed through the filmy shrouds, he felt nothing but cool moisture against his face and his goggles fogged over. With one hand he let go of the front of the saddle and pushed the goggles up, realizing that he didn't need them anyway.

Then he remembered Will's instructions to keep the first flight short. He tapped Twilight's neck again, signaling that he was ready to return. The skybax responded by finishing her climb with a cork screw motion, making Tristan feel dizzy.

They plunged back down again and Tristan urged her to take it easy for his sake. During their time of getting to know each other prior to flight, Twilight had always displayed a sweet and easygoing temperament, ready and willing to please. But now that they were in flight together she made it clear that she was the one in charge.

As they neared the flight platform, Tristan braced himself for landing, hanging on tightly. But Twilight proved to be very smooth at landing, gracefully holding her wings out for balance. Tristan had no trouble climbing out of the saddle other than the fact that his legs felt shaky. He thanked Twilight and bowed in respect before the rest of the cadets engulfed him in a shower of congratulations. Even Mathias shook his hand dutifully.

Tristan glanced back at Twilight again, still confused as to why she hadn't seemed concerned about him communicating his meetings with the nocturnal skybax and still allowed him to fly with her for the first time. Twilight merely cooed gently in farewell before taking flight again.