Training
Chapter 11 - Day Six


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Notes/Disclaimer: This fic is based solely on the Dinotopia movie, NOT the series. I apologize for any inconsistencies with the books. I don't apologize for any inconsistencies with the series because it bit. I don't own the movie, or the series, or the books. Thank you.
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That night David's dream went a step further. He was drowning in a smothering heat by the time it came, an intense pleasure/pain that left him completely breathless. He cried out, grasping at Sebastian's arms and clutching him so tightly that he wondered that he did not draw blood. He whimpered, unsure of how this was supposed to continue, but knowing only that he wanted, needed more.

He managed enough coherency to gasp out Sebastian's name before he was caught up in the movement, in the incredible ecstasy of being taken...

When David awoke, it was all he could do to breathe, let alone move. After a few seconds of gulping air into his lungs, he forced himself to calm down, to take deep breaths. His next problem was dealing with the uncomfortable state of his body.

He closed his eyes, trying to think of anything but the dream. Oh God. Think of... drowning. Think of being wrecked in that plane, sinking towards the ocean floor. Think of the despair when you thought Dad was dead. Think of cold, water closing in over your head...

Finally, he felt his unruly hormones beginning to subside and breathed a sigh of relief. It was early yet; it looked as though it would still be dark for another half an hour or twenty minutes, at least. He rolled over onto his stomach.

With a deep, gusty sigh, he buried his face in his pillow. His face was hot with embarrassment. Why is this happening to me? he thought miserably. I don't want to be lusting after my teacher! Even if it is mutual. If possible, that thought made him blush even more.

What am I going to do? I can't keep avoiding this. It's only a matter of time before I start talking in my sleep or something. Jesus. What a mess.

Resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get any more sleep, David stood and began to stretch in preparation for the exercises of the day. His muscles were less sore than they had been most other mornings, no doubt thanks to Sebastian's little massage the previous evening. David didn't even want to think about that.

By the time Sebastian got up, David was wide awake and composed enough to face him. Sebastian smiled sleepily at him as he dug a little food out of his backpack for breakfast. David had already eaten.

They started on their dawn flight around the canyon without having spoken a single word to each other. David smiled at the now familiar but still appreciated beauty of the rosy colors lighting up the stone and water. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen a sunrise before coming to Dinotopia. That plane crash may have been the best thing that ever happened to him.

The sun rose, and David could tell right off that it was going to be another scorching day.

When they returned to the campsite after their usual morning flight, Sebastian surprised David by instructing him to wait while he took off once again. He stood nervously, trying not to fidget too much, until finally Cliffdiver reappeared with Sebastian. Clutched in the Skybax's talons were several enormous hoops, probably at least seven or ten feet in diameter.

David stared as Cliffdiver dropped them on the ledge before setting down himself. Sebastian slid off his mount's back and grinned what David was beginning to be able to distinguish as the, 'I'm about to make you do something difficult' grin.

"Where did you get those?" David asked. "And what are they for?"

"These," said Sebastian, lifting up one of the huge rings, "are kept in an alcove further down the rock face. There are some at every training site. They're called hoops. They're made of a light wood found, as far as we know, only in Dinotopia. It's supple enough to be bent into rings and so light that I can pick up one of them and hurl it off this cliff if I need to. Which I will be doing shortly."

"...And we have to catch them?" David hazarded.

Sebastian's grin widened, making David distinctly nervous. "Nope," said the White Rider. "In fact, you may notice that these rings are just wide enough that if your Skybax folds his wings, he can fit through it."

"Oh no," moaned David, closing his eyes. "You can't be serious."

"Indeed I am," said Sebastian. "If you hit the hoop in a dive at the proper angle, you'll shoot right through it. That's what you're aiming for. If you happen to miss and get tangled in it, you fall and hit the water. Unpleasant, but not exactly deadly. Think you're up for it?"

David took a deep breath. "Does it really matter if I'm not? What the hell. Let's go for it."

Sebastian clapped him on the back. "That's the spirit! Okay! Mount up and let's get started!"

Though David was nervous about it, the drill proved to be easier than he had anticipated. After a couple crashes that left him and Freefall drenched, he finally got the hang of it. It wasn't hard. It was all about timing, and knowing how fast Freefall could move. After a while, he even came to enjoy it. Eventually they became so good at it that after they had passed through the hoop, Freefall could flare his wings and then catch the falling ring in his talons. Sebastian was ecstatic at this new development, and when they finally set down for lunch, he gave David an enthusiastic hug.

"You're amazing at this, David!" he crowed. "I just knew you had it in you to be a proper flyer! You're going to put all the other trainees to shame when the test comes, just you watch!"

David flushed at the praise, pleased that Sebastian had such confidence in him.

"And as a reward," Sebastian continued as he sat down and pulled food from their packs for lunch, "I'm giving you too the afternoon off."

David sat down, surprised. "Really?"

"Actually, no." Sebastian grinned. "But I am giving Freefall the afternoon off. You are getting an afternoon of strategy instead of physical training. Sometimes they ask you questions about it in the test, and just in case, I don't want you to be left behind in that area. Although-" and here Sebastian threw him a amused look, "-from what I heard, you could actually teach me a thing or two in that department."

And so for the afternoon they settled down on the rocks and went over battle formations. In the beginning it had taken David a while to realize that the Skybax squadrons never actually fought other winged formations the way two armies would. When they fought at all, it was generally against flights of Pteradons, or some other flying predators. Occasionally they battled terrestrial meat-eaters as well, but in all cases it was only to defend, and they never aimed to kill. It made strategy a little different, but it was simple enough for him to adapt what he had read of military history to these new guidelines.

If the hoops had been easier than he expected, then the strategy session was much more fun. In addition to getting to exercise his own love of the intellectual side of flying, he discovered that Sebastian was actually amazingly intelligent and a crafty general. And he hadn't been joking when he had said that he wanted to learn from David. He probed and prodded, asking so many detailed questions that David had to reach down to the very depths of his knowledge, pulling up things he hadn't even remembered knowing. And Sebastian would challenge him on things, sparking lively debates as each of them tried to defend their own position.

A large part of it also consisted of Sebastian throwing hypothetical situations at him and requiring David to come up with his own response to them. David immensely enjoyed stretching his own creative mind, trying to work with what was in front of him, devising schemes, flight patterns, and throwing in as many unorthodox tactics as he could. Many times in the course of their lesson - though maybe discussion was a more appropriate word - Sebastian looked genuinely impressed with his skill.

It was only when Freefall finally returned from his afternoon of gallivanting in the river with Cliffdiver that David finally noticed how late it had gotten. He had been so wrapped up, he hadn't even noticed that it had gotten dark.

Apparently, neither had Sebastian. "Whoa, I guess it's kind of late, isn't it?" Sebastian said, sounding surprised. "I'll light a fire and we can eat, and then we should get some sleep. We'll have to pack up and leave tomorrow evening."

Had it been that long already? David felt as though he had only arrived just yesterday. "Wow," he said, almost to himself, "is it already time to leave?"

Sebastian smiled softly at him as the fire sparked to life under his care. "I know what you mean. It feels like we just got here, doesn't it?"

David nodded and leaned his back against the rock wall of the canyon, taking a bite out of his supper. To his surprise, Sebastian walked over and dropped down next to him - usually his mentor sat on the other side of the fire. "It's been fun," Sebastian said softly.

"Yeah," David agreed. He suddenly realized with a pang that it was possible that he would never see Sebastian again after the test. Once they were placed and the White Squad left... the thought sent an unexpected wave of cold dread through him. So much so that he found himself speaking out loud without consciously deciding to do so.

"So then, tomorrow may be the last day that I ever get to see you, huh?"

Sebastian looked over at him, his eyes serious. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, unless I get into the White Squad... I mean, you know, you'll be leaving and all that..." David was finding it very hard to keep calm with Sebastian so close to him.

"You will get into the White Squad," Sebastian said with such conviction that David was startled. "I know how skillful you are, and you will be in the White Squad. I promise you that."

David looked over at him, wishing he could be as certain of himself as Sebastian seemed to be. He moved forward slightly to where his pallet was layed out and lay down. "I guess we ought to sleep, huh?" he said and heard Sebastian make sounds of agreement behind him.

A moment later David gasped as he felt Sebastian lowering himself to a resting position behind David, slinging one arm over his waist and up across his chest. David tried to say something, but found himself speechless.

"Please," said Sebastian. His voice was soft and sadder than David had ever heard it. "After tomorrow you'll never have to see me again if you don't want to. I know this is really selfish of me, and I promise I won't do anything, but please, just once-"

"It's okay," David heard himself say, hardly believing his own words. "I understand. It's alright."

'Idiot,' David thought at himself, but there was no conviction in it. Because he did understand. It was possible that he would never see Sebastian again even if he did want to. And a part of him was finally starting to accept that this felt really good. Somewhere along the way he had stopped fighting himself and just given in to the inevitable. After all, he had been dreaming about this and more for a week now, hadn't he?

David closed his eyes and fell asleep feeling the comforting warmth of Sebastian against his back.

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