Jack and his beast had separated from each other, and now each was falling free, tumbling end over end. Jack was frantically moving his arms and legs: he was either trying to slow his fall or discover the secret of flight, whichever happened first.
"Faster!" Fitzwilliam urged his flying steed.
It folded its wings almost entirely shut, dropping like a cannonball towards Jack.
The ground rushed up ever closer.
Jack continued to fall.
And then, just inches above the tree line, Fitzwilliam's beast broke into a swan dive. It gracefully caught Jack on its back. Leaves and branches thwacked against its curled-up claws as it skimmed over the jungle.
Jack held a hand to his heart and tried hard to breathe.
"Are you okay?" Fitzwilliam asked.
Jack's wild eyes looked at Fitzwilliam as he regained his breath.
Suddenly, Jack quickly reached his arms out to him. He grabbed him by his head and the front of his jacket and pulled the other boy in towards him. Jack sat up and pressed his lips onto Fitzwilliam's.
Fitzwilliam was surprised and nervous, but after a couple seconds, he loosened up and relaxed a little as he closed his eyes. Just as he thought how soft Jack's lips were against his, Jack let him go and immediately fell onto his back again as if nothing happened.
Fitzwilliam straightened himself as he stared at Jack speechless. There were a million things he had the urge to say, like "What are you doing?!" or "Are you mad?!" but all he could get out was a flat "You are welcome."