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CHAPTER 9
NIGHT OF THE SECOND DAY - DAWN OF THE THIRD DAY
Birds of a Feather.
Jace and Iris stared wide eyed at all Ilye had helped the Watarara prepare for supper on the table. Ilye continued "I was a pretty darn good chef back home if I do say so myself! Deku don't eat much, but there were other types of mouths to feed back in my village, haha."
"I'll say..." Iris muttered.
Jace looked impressed. Skits seemed curious about a lot of it, and tilted his head.
Chieftess Alowette chuckled "We're going to be eating well tonight." She sat down. Jace and Iris seated themselves, granted they needed books to raise them high enough to sit at the table. Ilye seemed excited, and instantly began preparing her plate with things she was capable of eating. Jace and Iris took notice today that apparently, Ilye loves to eat, AND cook as well... Iris began to fix her plate, not really getting much. Jace, though, didn't really seem hungry. Only thing he got was a glass of water and a few small things. As they all silently ate what they were able, occasionally talking of small subjects, Jace eventually spoke up.
"About our journey... You had some things to discuss with us, Chieftess Alowette?"
The chieftess nodded "Yes." she began "Hokubu has been very upset... He says Termina is in danger." She took a sip of water, then continued "He says a darkness has befallen parts of Termina's South lands and East lands. It slowly grows, and will eventually engulf Termina. He called it the Twilight Realm."
"I see I don't need to explain that much to you." Jace responded "It's true, though. Termina is in grave danger."
The chieftess began to think, before answering "Hokubu says you saved the South by returning the light to the Temple via the Light Vessel?"
Iris spoke "That's right, ma'am."
Alowette looked impressed "Quite a huge task for three very small people."
Jace seemed to get a slightly big head "If there's anything you need to know about deku, is that we're very stubborn, and you should never underestimate us for our size."
Alowette laughed "I see." She took a sip of her wine, then continued "... Minami of the South has told Hokubu of your coming. Lately, Hokubu's raging storm hasn't allowed anyone to pass into his temple. However, he has told me he'll make an exception and allow you all entry. I may not know exactly what's going on in our world right now, but I know enough." The chieftess stood, and put her plate away in the dirty dishes "Might I say... It's hard to believe that of all the heroes in Termina, that the Spirits chose you three to come into play in Termina's crisis. I'm sure you all have more strength than meets the eye. Besides, you all made it up here far North alive, that alone is a miracle. I've never seen deku scrubs here. Those who have been found, had died half way through the journey…"
The group found such information unsurprising, but still unsettling.
Alowette took one final sip of her water, before finishing. "I have some important news, however. Hokubu's Temple cannot be reached on foot."
"Wait, what?" Ilye stopped taking a sip of her soup, which was all over her snout and face… Iris saw this, and facepalmed, before throwing a cloth at her snout to bluntly tell her she was messy.
"For years, his Temple remained on ground. In the past, these lands were soft and calm, and he was open to visitors. Though, his followers became greedy for his wishes and began using him, so he rose the land up high to live his life in solitude, aiming to use this as a challenge to find out who was worthy. Safe to say, this isolation made people no longer willing to find find him, and over time, people stopped believing in him. This has made his light go stagnant and forced him into slumber. But he never concerned about this till recently, now that he is needed. He rests on a mountain top of ice, where it is surrounded by canyons. No one can reach there unless they fly… Or can climb really well… The latter being the less favorable of the two choices."
Jace thought "... So, like, do you guys have to fly us up there?"
"That's the problem... We are not allowed entry into Hokubu's Temple at the moment, so we cannot..."
Jace groaned "Well, shoot. Then how?"
"... Deku Flowers? We can fly like that..." Ilye suggested weakly.
"No, that definitely wont work..." Jace responded lowly. "We'd be like paper-bags in a hurricane,"
The chieftess sighed "I'll try to think of something... I'm sure there's a simple solution to our problem."
"And there's no way to climb his mountain?" Jace asked.
"It'd be a treacherous journey, neither of you could make it." Alowette sighed again. She then stood and began out "If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid this calls for some deep thought... If you should need me, I'll be in my room down the hall."
"Of course." Jace replied. When Alowette left, Jace spoke "Great... So now what?"
"I think Ol' Minami has the wrong heroes, that's what." Iris answered. She was looking better than she did earlier that day. Her eyes were bright and her leaves were returning to normal.
Ilye moaned, catching Jace and Iris' attention. She sunk down into her chair "I ate too much..."
Jace and Iris stared at her for a moment, before she continued "Y'know guys, I think I'm gonna go walk this off a bit, then go to bed..." She groaned.
Iris stifled a chuckle "Alright."
Ilye hopped down, then walked out, leaving Jace and Iris to talk alone. Ilye made it down the hall, before finding the front door. She thought about it, her laziness wasn't wanting to explore, but her adventurous nature was telling her to do so. Instead of following her first nature, she shrugged, and went to bed anyway. She laid down on her cot and sighed. "I wonder... Was it a bad idea for me to come on this journey? What if I screw something up?" She spoke. Ilye suddenly began drifting to sleep in the middle of her thoughts.
Not much happened that night... But the next day was soon to follow, as they all continued on to explore the town outside after preparing for the morning. Jace wondered off on his own to do his own searching. He gazed in awe when he stepped outside. There were homes built into the canyon walls high up on the cliffs, Watarara flying in and out of them. "Man, imagine living up there..." Jace muttered. He looked ahead at the buildings on ground, which weren't many. Watarara walked passed him with their young who yet knew how to fly, for right now it was the only way to get around was to climb stairways and ladders. A lot of the Watarara were working, though. Building more homes, carrying wood, and transporting other types of material for building houses. Jace suddenly remembered the gorons saying they often bought their materials from the Watarara race.
"Fresh fish, straight from the frozen lake!" One Watarara was calling out to get some attention for his shop.
"Warm baked bread, right here!" Another shouted. There were many stands open in an area, where they sold goods of all kinds. Jace wasn't interested though. He continued on. "I remember Alowette talking about a shaman to me this morning... If I heard correctly, she was right down here passed the markets- Ahh, wait, I think that's it."
A building came into view, it was built round with stones into the canyon walls. It was rather old fashioned compared to all the newer houses. It had a huge skull hanging above the doorway. To reach this house, you'd have to climb the huge stone stairway leading up to it. Jace stepped up on the huge steps. He had to put effort into the climb, which was long. He finally reach the front door and panted tiredly, bending down on his knees. He then took a deep breath and knocked on the door. He waited a bit, then knocked again. He heard clamoring, before the door opened.
"Naw, haw many times must I tell y'all hooligans to leave meh be!?" The old lady Watarara opened the door and looked outside. She wore an old tribal cloak with the hood back. Her beak was cracked and her eyes drooped. She was brown and white. She huffed "Where y'all go!? I'll give y'all a bump on the noggin somefin awful!" She waved her cane around, trying to look threatening. Jace stood below her, simply watching in confusion.
"Down here, ma'am..." Jace spoke.
She jumped, then looked around before looking down. She got down really close to Jace, making him lean back a little… Her breath smelled of old fish, making him hold back a gag. "Naw, yur no bigger than a little splat, you ain't all that threatening!"
Jace waved his hands quickly and almost went tumbling down the stone steps he worked so hard to climb, hoping he wasn't about to get whacked in the head by her cane "Please, I'm not who you're looking for! I'm a deku scrub, I've come to ask of your help!"
"And another thi-..." She stared at him hard, before going wide eyed "Why, I'll be, you are a deku scrub! Why didn't you say so? Come on in..."
Jace was a little afraid to, the old bat seemed to be missing a few screws and cogwheels... He walked inside anyway, stepping over old junk. The inside of the house was really shadowy and gloomy, and a real dusty mess... She must not have gotten out much.
"I thought maybe you were those kids who been prankin' meh, they come knock'n on mah door and leave before I can get 'em… Just last night, the little hooligans teepeed my porch… I've been waiting fer you, actually." The lady began.
"You don't say?" Jace responded lowly, before twirling his finger in a circle around the side of his head when she turned away, saying to himself she was crazy.
She laid her cane against the wall "Yup. Hokubu says he been expectin' some youths, two deku scrubs to be exact." She coughed a little, then continued "You must be Jake."
"Um, Jacon, or Jace for short..."
"Uh, yeah, Bacon."
Jace sighed and rubbed his hand through his bangs in frustration, him and kooky old folk just weren't a good mix lately. He then followed her through her home "So... If you knew of our coming, do you know what I came here for?"
"Of course I don't! What'd I look like, a mind reader?"
The blond boy shrugged his shoulders "Well... I spoke with the Chieftess, and she says Hokubu lives high up on the mountain between the canyons. She says only preferred way to get there is to fly, so she told me to visit you to see if you could help."
"And? Then fly there."
"..." Jace paused, before speaking loudly and paced his words, as if she can't understand him "I'm a Deku! I don't have wings!"
The shaman examined him "Oh yeah, you don't have wings."
Jace was quick to hold himself back from sounding short. "Ma'am, I just need to know if you have some kind of solution to get us up there… This is really freaking important."
"Don't get yur leaves in a tizzy..." She began to dig through books "I know the importance of yur journeh. Hokubu himself called fer ya, it MUST be important..."
Jace sat waiting. The Shaman finally found something, as she threw it down on the table. Jace waved his hand to clear the dust flying as he wheezed. He looked at it closely, it was a book written completely in Watarara...
"I remembered some flight spells in here." She opened the book "I've studied this fer a long time, just give meh a minute, Half pint..."
Jace sat back in the chair, twiddling his thumbs boredly. He waited silently as she read, his patience waning.
"Ah-hah!" She shouted. "Alright, I think I found ya somethin'!" She clapped her hands. "Alright, return to me with yer buddies or who ever's with ya in about an hour, and I'll have it all ready!"
"B-but... What is it?" Jace asked worriedly.
"No time to explain! Leave meh, I can't work when being talked to." She began to walk around, digging out different ingredients.
Jace sighed "Fine..." He hopped out of the chair, and walked outside. Once half way down the steps, he finally said "Gods, glad I'm out of there..." He rubbed his forehead. "I guess I'll go find Iris and Ilye."
Jace wandered around for a bit, until he found Iris and Ilye hanging around the market place. Iris, of course, was shivering like crazy even as she was wrapped up tight in her fur coat. Luckily, it wasn't cold enough to harm anyone deep inside this canyon village. Ilye was yammering on about the different items here. When Iris saw Jace, she met with him half way. Jace wrapped an arm around her "How are you doing?" He asked.
"G-good... Just freezing my leaves off..." She muttered. "You?"
"Well, I just talked with a crazy old bat who wants to practice her magic voodoo on us."
Iris grimaced "Mother of Nayru, what'd you get us into now?"
Ilye walked over as she heard them talking.
"Alowette told me to visit the village Shaman to ask for help. Apparently, she found something, but she wouldn't tell me what it does. All I know is it has something to do with getting us up on the mountain."
"Great, this is going to be awesome!" Ilye began. She paused, then said "Um- granted that she knows what she's doing."
Jace glanced at Ilye, then continued "I think we may need to inform Alowette... I'd like to be sure that I just did the right thing..."
"Um, yeah... I agree." Iris responded.
"The Shaman said for us to be back in about an hour." Jace added "I think that gives us enough time to go get the Chieftess and tell her about our plans."
The girls nodded. They all began back towards Alowettes place. Once there, they found Alowette busy working as usual, but she was outside.
"Chieftess?" Jace began.
She turned to the three. "Yes?"
"I found the Shaman... And she says she has a way to get us up there..." Jace responded.
"Good!" Alowette answered "How?"
Iris chuckled nervously "We don't know, she wouldn't tell him."
"Oh dear... Well, it wont be bad." Alowette chuckled, she could see the worry in Jace's face "She may seem a little senile, but she's wiser than you think."
The blond leaved deku gave a nervous chuckle of disbelief. But, his whole party had no other option but to hope that the old bat knows what she's doing. Alowette turned to a villager, and handed a letter to him, more than likely a mail carrier. She spoke to him "Please be sure this reaches the others in the North-West of here, it's vital."
"Yes ma'am." The mail carrier bowed, then spread his arms out. The deku all jumped, when those small feathers hanging from the carriers arms grew out and made a loud "Fwoosh!" noise. You suddenly couldn't tell the carrier had hands, because both arms completely became wide wings, with the feathers covering his hands. He ran, then took wing.
"What do you mean the others to the North-West?" Iris asked.
Alowette turned to Iris "We have others living out near sea. I've written a letter informing them of the dangers eating Termina."
"Ah, okay. I guess you guys are all over Termina?" Iris responded in question.
"Pretty much. We may not be seen by many, but we're definitely around." Alowette answered. She then looked to Jace and asked. "Now, about earlier. When was the shaman expecting you?"
"In about an hour. Well, maybe about thirty minutes or so now." He answered kindly.
The chieftess seemed interested in the shaman's plans. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she had faith in her that she can help. "When you all head back, I'll be going with you."
"What, to make sure she's not going to turn us all into frogs...?" Ilye responded. "Cause, uh, my Prince Charming isn't here to reverse the spell."
Jace stifled a laugh. Alowette chuckled "Dear, no, she wont turn you into frogs!"
"Pfft- I know, just joking." Ilye giggled "But, am I the only one of us excited?"
"Yes..." Iris and Jace both answered. "You're the ONLY one who ever is."
Ilye glanced at all of them, before putting her hands on her hips "Some adventurous spirit you guys have..."
"Hey, I have adventurous spirit, but I don't like the thought of being cursed, prodded, or even tested on. I'd like to know what's being done to me before it's done." Jace retorted. "She was looking through a spell book when I left, so she's doing actual magic on us. Y'know, potions and stuff, and all that crazy creepy voodoo?"
Iris shuddered.
Ilye smirked "Don't worry, this'll be fine!"
Jace and Iris glanced at one another, before giving Ilye weird looks.
That moment came when they all arrived back at the shaman's place, this time bringing Skits along, who'd been left to explore before. Iris was quick to hold in her remarks on how filthy the place was as Skits sat on her head, but the sight of spider webs up in the corners of the walls made her shake. Ilye was looking around curiously as she stared at all the interesting decorations on the walls. The Chieftess was leading them in, before she approached the table. The old Watarara shaman had her face in a book, when she looked up to see Alowette.
"Ah, Chieftess! Welcome!" She began.
"I hear you have prepared something for our guest's travel to Hokubu's Temple?" Alowette asked graciously.
The shaman snickered "Ah yes, I did come up wif somethin'! And it's a good one." She left in a hurry to a back room, before returning with a jug of something...
"..." The deku all stared at it blankly.
Iris said lowly "Are we supposed to drink that?"
"Yes." The shaman answered "Let me get you guys glasses... Um, that is..." She looked over Them "Can you guys even drink things with those weird mouths of yours?"
Iris wrinkled her face a bit, and Jace held in more frustrated groaning, "...Yes, we can..." Jace responded plainly.
Ilye looked at the jug "Is this gonna taste bad...?"
"Well, I don't know! I didn't test taste it... Who are ya anyway? Yur not Iris, are ya?" The shaman glared hard at Ilye "Hokubu told meh there will onleh be two deku..."
"Um... Maybe he mentioned me, and you just didn't hear him?" Ilye responded in an odd way, making Jace glance at her for a moment. Ilye continued "Or maybe you forgot about me?"
The old Watarara seemed irritated with Ilye saying such a thing "Young ladeh, I am the shaman! I talk with the spirits and what not, I don't forget!" She scratched her head "Naw, where did I put those glasses...?"
"Some memory..." Iris giggled.
"Here they are..." She sat them on the table. They looked dusty... Jace gave a silent "Ughh...". The shaman took a clean cloth, and at least wiped the inside of them out and rinsed them with some clean water. She sat them back down on the table, then poured the potion into each of the three glasses. Skits seemed grossed out at it's nasty-looking texture, and looked down at Iris, wondering if she was actually going to drink that.
Jace seemed hesitant, he wasn't feeling too brave about trying it "What does it do, exactly?"
"Well, it's supposed to make ya fly." She answered.
Jace picked up his glass "So you've made this before?"
The shaman answered "Nope."
"Well, I feel very confident in your skills then..." Jace answered sarcastically.
Ilye stared hard at her glass on the table, then picked it up hesitantly still staring at the gross texture of potion. Jace snickered, and elbowed her "Well, Ilye, since you seemed so excited, why don't you test taste?"
"Um... I dunno... This is a lot of trouble just to climb a mountain..." She swallowed "Iris, you go first."
"Heck no, how about Jace goes first? He's the one who had her make it." Iris chuckled nervously.
The shaman groaned "Just drink the dang thing, it's getting cold!"
It getting cold was the least of their worries. Jace finally sighed "Alright, on the count of three, we all drink it, okay!?"
"Okay..." Ilye and Iris groaned. They held theirs up.
"Okay... One... Two... Three..." Jace counted down. At the end of his countdown, they all grudgingly drank the potion.
"Yuck!" Iris groaned, as she sat her glass down. Jace and Ilye both groaned in disgust. Skits began to panic, and he flew off of Iris.
They all began to feel slight numbing in their bodies, Jace began groggily "Ughh, what's going on!?"
"Don't worry, this is to numb the pain." The old Watarara answered, watching in interest.
"Pain!?" they all yelled in question, except Alowette.
Jace leaned on the desk, feeling a strange sensation throughout his body. He closed his eyes, falling into a sense dizziness, like the room was spinning. Ilye and Iris were leaning against the wall.
"Jace, I don't feel so good..." Iris muttered.
Jace held his breath, the numbing was starting to go away and the pain in his body was terrible. It slowly began to stop, before all that was left was a headache.
"Ughh... Alright, lady! What'd you do to us!?" Jace groaned painfully as he stared at the shaman piercingly.
"Why, I helped ya..." She smiled innocently.
The Chieftess had her hands over her beak, and Skits was freaking out beyond words.
Iris sighed, as she rubbed her head. A strange texture between her fingers and on her hand made her eyes shoot open, and she looked at Jace. "JACE!?"
"What, what is it!?" He shot a concerned look to her, before his orbs looked over his fiance. Panic was boiling inside him, Iris no longer had a snout and her skin wasn't made of wood. She was tall and had a delicate beak, and her skin was soft and covered in feathers. She'd also gained tail feathers. Hanging from her soft feathery arms were long gown-like feathers. "Iris, you're a bird!"
"So are you!" She pointed.
"Oh my gosh..." Ilye looked over her arms, before squealing "AHHH, This is awesome!" She stuck her foot out, looking to her taloned toes.
Iris was breathing hard in panic, and Jace kept staring at her as he occasionally looked at himself. He glanced down at his feet, noticing that his shoes no longer fit him, his feet were too small for his shoes actually, regardless of his new height...
Iris was instantly embarrassed, seeing that she- nor Jace or Ilye- were clothed anymore. Not being a deku, it felt a bit awkward. She soon realizing they were covered from head to toe in feathers though, so they were all still covered in some form or way. Her feathers strangely matched the style of her clothing, though. She had feathers hanging around her waist like a skirt. Jace stared at his hands, before tensing up, causing his arm's feathers to burst out into wings. They knocked things off the table, as the shaman caught the jug and glass.
"Hey, watch the wings, kid!" She shouted.
Jace slowly began to smile "This... This is amazing..." He looked over his wings, as he used his other hand to feel of his feathers. "I'm a Watarara..."
"See? It's noth'n terrible..." The shaman spoke.
Alowette began in surprise "How long will this last?"
"Well, it should last the whole day..." The old Watarara answered.
"Well, I hope they can learn how to fly in less than a day..." Alowette looked concerned as she examined the trio.
The shaman responded after thinking about it "Yer right, I didn't think about that... In that case, I'll make some potions to-go. I'm sure today will be spent learning to use those wings of y'alls."
Jace nodded "It shouldn't be too hard, right?"
Skits literally fell off Iris laughing, his little bird-voice catching everyone's attention. He caught himself in mid-fall, then began cawing at Jace. Jace blinked, not understanding anything.
"The bird has a point." Alowette giggled.
"Is it sad that I'm the only bird here that can't understand him?" Jace groaned.
Iris giggled along "Skits says that flying isn't so easy. It takes a lot of practice and patience, you can't just grow a pair of wings and suddenly know how to fly."
"I never said I suddenly knew how to fly." Jace responded, before walking up to Skits "Alright, brother-in-law, care to show me how to fly?"
Skits flew a loop around Jace, before nodding.
"I can't believe I'm about to take flying lessons from a guay..." Jace put his face in his hands, as he followed Skits outside. Iris and Ilye giggled behind Jace's back. Alowette followed along, she knew they'd need Watarara help, not just pointers from a regular bird. She could tell this was going to be a long day.
"Alright, let's get training out of the way so we we can go see Hokubu..." Jace rubbed his hands together eagerly as he looked rather confident. "This'll be a piece of cake, flying can't be too much trouble."
Skits began to caw in a way that left Jace confused. Alowette smiled and chuckled, before stopping him. "Skits, why don't you leave this to me? I'm sure you can help out once we've got them in the air."
Skits groaned, but accepted. He stepped aside, letting Alowette begin teaching.
"Now, let's begin."
Iris and Ilye stood in an even line next to Jace. Ilye was still getting distracted by her feathers.
"This is something most Watarara have learned in their younger years, so if a child can learn it, so can you." She paused, then continued "The key to starting off is to take a running start. You're now built for flight and your bodies are fragile, so be wary of that. Your bones might even be more fragile now than they were when you were a deku. A Watarara's bones- or a bird's bones in general- are thinner and lighter to help keep them in the air."
Now that they were aware, Jace, Iris and Ilye all noticed how light they felt regardless of their growth. They felt about as light as they did when they were deku, just taller.
"In knowing this, training for flight can be tedious. Just be cautious and don't be reckless. Now, to start..." She looked over them, then decided she'd pick Jace. "Jace, why don't you be my first? I'm sure with your skills, you'll be a natural." She emphasized skills, poking at his arrogance. In all actuality, she wanted him to know that it all wasn't a walk in the park like he thought it would be. So it's now she decided to test his patience and see just how fast he learns, since he seems to think he'll get it right off the bat.
Jace seemed excited. "Yes ma'am!" He walked forward.
"Jace, I want you to come with me. Iris, Ilye, you may follow if you wish to get an early glimpse." Alowette began to walk through the village, the new Watarara following her. Iris, of all of them, seemed to enjoy her transformation the most. Now that she got to walk around and get used to her body, she realized how warm and soft she was. And most of all; The cold wasn't so deadly to her anymore! But it felt weird being a being of soft flesh and actual blood, rather than having skin-like wood flesh and sap-blood. And her hair wasn't made of leaves anymore, but soft feathers. Only thing that bothered her was that the scarring on her back kept feathers from growing there, so it was bald. Conveniently, her long hair kept her back warm and unseen.
On the way, Alowette had asked two larger Watarara to accompany her in her teachings, in case things went wrong. It was now that Jace started to get a little nervous. She was taking them up high to some of the highest canyon houses. He looked down, all the flock-villagers looked like ants. He gulped, and tried to cover his worry in forced confidence. Alowette stopped at a peak. Beyond there was a clear wide view of most of the flock's village. There was a lot of flying space here.
"Now, remember what you did before to release your wings?" Alowette asked.
Jace held his arms out and tensed up, causing his feathers to spread again. Iris was in awe now that she could see them, the sun beat down on his feathers and they gleamed in a gold-yellow hue. The tips of each feather was a milky white. Jace looked over them, too, before catching Iris' stare. He looked back at her and smirked smugly, which only made her shake her head and roll her eyes.
"Now, watch me." Alowette released her large wings, causing a wind to blow passed everyone. Her gown-like feathers spread out, revealing themselves to be her tail. She ran and leapt off the edge of the peak, then glided down before flapping and flying back up. She used her tail fathers to steer herself. She flew over the peak, and softly brought herself back down in front of them, all three of them wowing under their breaths. She smiled at Jace "Now, you try."
"Wait... You want me to just jump off?"
"Yes, didn't you say this would be easy?"
Jace kicked himself about saying that. "Well... Yeah, I-I guess..." He chuckled nervously.
Alowette smiled "I thought so. Okay, if you jump, you'll have a guard here ready to catch you if you don't make the flight. You can't get something perfect on your first try."
Jace sighed "Alright... I'm doing this for Termina..." He began to run, but he stopped on a dime just before hitting the ledge "I can't!" He glanced down, his stopping caused a pebble or two to drop from the ledge.
Alowette seemed unfazed "You can do this, Jace."
"N-no, I'm afraid I'll fall... This is insane, there is no way I'm jumping off this cliff!"
"You must take that leap of faith." Alowette spoke "Only then can you learn to use your wings."
"Leap of faith...?" Iris mumbled, than spoke up "Jace, this is no different from Ikana Canyon!"
Jace looked back, and asked "What're you talking about?"
"Remember when I fell in the river? You leapt off the cliff in after me. I'd have died if you hadn't. This is no different from that jump."
Jace looked a little freaked, holding a finger up in a matter of factly way. "Um, correction; There's no water to break my fall and I'm not jumping down to save someone's life! Just painful, agonizing, bone-breaking death!"
"It's not me who's in danger this time, it's Termina- our future and everyone who's in in! If we don't take this leap of faith and learn to fly, then Termina is doomed." Iris replied honestly. "C'mon, you can do this!"
"Wow, she's got a point..." Jace muttered "..." He glanced down, he suddenly felt like a little kid. A child learning to take his first steps, that's how helpless he felt as he saw the distance of the drop. What if a guard missed him? That'd be one painful trip. Fear caused him to back away a little, and his wings shrunk back down. "B-but..."
Iris sighed, realizing they weren't getting anywhere. She'd never seen Jace turn down a dangerous situation like this, he was usually very daring. She walked up next to him, leaving Ilye to watch silently. Skits seemed amused that Iris was the one holding Jace's hand this time.
"Listen, if I jump off with you, would you go?"
The Chiftess seemed shocked "But Iris, you're not afraid?"
"I am a little. But my brother is a bird, so I know a few pointers." She winked at Skits. "C'mon, baby... This is just another test for us, we can do this."
Jace was unsure, but he nodded. He continued peaking down the cliff...
Iris released her wings for the first time. It felt good, and she felt ready and willing to take that jump. She lived in a tree for sixteen years of her life before coming to Termina, and she jumped from that tree several times without getting hurt. She tried looking at this the same way. Jace watched as she stretched out a little, allowing herself to get used to the new weight of her wings. Her wings were an orange-y tan with hints of blond, white, and dark brown speckles, the ends of her primary feathers dipped in tan-white.
Jace released his wings, and watched Iris. Alowette was impressed by Iris' willingness to take the jump. Jace was, too… Though, he felt Iris would never let him live down this moment. Being legitimate fear though, she'd never aimed to make fun of him. It was scary, it didn't matter who you were.
"Okay, ready?" Iris asked.
Jace nodded nervously. Iris stepped back with Jace, before they both took off running. They leapt off that ledge, and it felt like slow-motion as their feet left the safety of surface. Iris didn't look down, she stretched her wings out, hoping maybe she'd glide. Jace did the same, and he realized they were gliding a little. However, they both began to quickly lose the air. Jace was the first to start falling, forgetting to flap. Jace felt quick talons grab his arms, and he was brought back up by a guard like Alowette said. Iris was sloppily flying, but she eventually began falling too. And she, too, was caught and brought to safety.
Iris was smiling with her additional panting, hiding how terrified she was for the moment "See, it's not so bad." She rubbed Jace's back, and he panted a little himself.
"T-thank you, Iris..." He smiled weakly, but honesty filled his tone. He felt a little shamed for acting like such a child, but Iris understood completely. She'd have been a little worried if he wasn't scared.
"Ready to give it another go?" Iris asked.
"Yeah..." Jace responded. He stood, before trying again with Iris. Each time, they got a little further. It took a long time, many tries, and many falls, but they were eventually staying airborne, flying out further and further. Ilye would take turns with Iris so she could get some training in, too. The day was already almost done by the time they were actually flying- it was poorly, but they were flying. Alowette joined in, as did Skits. They had been showing Jace, Iris, and Ilye maneuvers for flight. How to fly faster, slower, how to make sharp turns, and other basic airborne tactics. The training went on for a long time. It was by the time the sun started setting that they began to ease down and glide around.
Jace and Iris flew next to one another, as Jace eased over closer to Iris. He still wasn't the greatest flier, but you shouldn't expect much from a first-time flier. Iris and Ilye had their faults to work out, too.
"Thanks for the push, Iris. Someone had to do it..." Jace thanked honestly.
Iris smiled, feeling special knowing she had taught Jace something. "I'm always here. We're partners, and always will be..."
Jace carefully moved over to give Iris a kiss... He then remembered he had a beak. He tried to keep his wings from hitting Iris and messing with their flight pattern. She reached for his kiss, and they touched beaks. Jace stumbled a little, and he folded a wing in to keep from smacking Iris. A small shocked and high-pitched shriek came from him as he fell a little, before he hovered back up to Iris "I guess we can try that again when we're on the ground?"
"I think that's a good idea..." Iris giggled.
Jace sighed "Y'know, you look good in feathers."
"Thank you, so do you..." Iris smiled. "You look rather attractive."
Jace blushed "More so than my real self...?"
"Hmm..." Iris thought "Yyyeeaahhh-no."
The two laughed after. Ilye came zipping by them, scaring them both. She tried diving to increase speed, before slowing down. "C'mon, love birds! Enough with the sweet-tweets, and let's prepare to go see Hokubu!" Ilye chuckled.
"She's pumped up, huh?" Jace laughed, then shouted back to Ilye "I think we need to rest first, my arms feel like rubber-bands from all this arm-waving!"
To Be Continue...