" Cub, I promise you, I will never drop you. Trust me please. How was he holding you?" asked Master Swoop.
" Bridal style. I still have the bruise on my back and shoulder." said Theo. " Oh Theo." said Master Swoop. He stood and Theo's head rested against his chest. Master Swoop walked to the glass door and walked out. He walked a little bit before stopping.
He slowly rose off the ground and Theo's arms tightened around his neck. " Are you alright?" asked Master Swoop. " Yeah. Thanks for being so patient." said Theo. He rose higher and shot off across to the lake. He stopped. " Theo." said Master Swoop. Theo moved his head from his mother's chest and rested it on his shoulder. He felt the wind in his face and relaxed. " I want to try levitating. Stay close?" asked Theo.
" Of course. We can do this slowly." said Master Swoop. Theo unwrapped his arms from around his mother's neck and rested them on his chest. Master Swoop moved his hands to Theo's waist. " You need to relax for this. I won't let go til you tell me to." said Master Swoop. He slowly floated away from Theo, but stayed close enough to keep contact. " Stop." said Theo. Master Swoop stayed where he was and Theo slowly let go of his shirt. " Please let go." said Theo. Master Swoop slowly removed his hands and Theo floated in the air in front of him.
" I'm going to grab your wrist and we'll fly OK?" asked Master Swoop. Master Swoop grabbed his wrist and floated over the lake. Theo kept up and relaxed. " I don't have the same mind numbing fear that I did with your other student. I feel safe levitating with you." said Theo. " Alright come back to me Theo." said Master Swoop. Theo found him and cuddled back into his chest. Master Swoop held him like a baby and Theo wrapped his arms back around his neck.
He floated over to the grass and landed. Theo mumbled something into his chest. " I'm sorry?" asked Master Swoop. " I said can we go for a run?" asked Theo. " Sure." said Master Swoop. Theo let go and stepped back. Master Swoop shifted and Theo did the same. Theo shrank down into his cub size and Master Swoop picked him up in his teeth. He shot off like a bullet and Theo relaxed. After awhile, he slowed down to a trot. " Um mom, I've never been swimming. Would you take me?" asked Theo. " Of course." said Master Swoop. He trotted over to the lake and stopped at the edge. " Can you go back to predictor size for me?" asked Master Swoop. " Your not letting go of me are you?" asked Theo. " No, but you need to be your regular size. You don't want to drown." said Master Swoop. Theo grew in size and Master Swoop never let go.
He waded out into the lake. Theo slowly relaxed and kicked his legs. " Can you let go? This is fun." said Theo. Master Swoop mentally chuckled and let him go. He felt as Theo waded out into the middle of the lake and swam in big circles. Theo came back ten minutes later. " Ready to get out?" asked Master Swoop. " Yeah." said Theo. Together, they swam back to shore and jumped out.
They shook out their coats and transformed back. Master Swoop felt Theo start to levitate and chuckled. " Feeling safer I see." said Master Swoop. " I am. I want to tell Master Lope." said Theo.
" Are you sure? He might judge you." said Master Swoop. " He won't. He wants to know genuinely. He doesn't want to use me like RJ." said Theo. Master Swoop growled. He then slowly rose and came to Theo's side.
They shot off towards Master Swoop's patio. They touched down and Master Swoop opened the glass door, stepping inside. Theo fallowed him and suddenly Master Swoop got an intense feeling of insecurity. The emotion was not his own. " Theo, what's wrong?" asked Master Swoop. " I want him to know, but I'm afraid. I don't want to be weak in front of him." said Theo.