![Image](https://i.imgur.com/gWDQPXX.png)
5th of spring, 521 AV
The drop didn't seem any less steep than the last time she'd stood there. Aster stared down at the ground below her, stomach twisting into knots. She knew if she ever wanted to learn, she was going to have to do it the hard way; but that didn't make it any easier. She reached up to grip onto Navi's tooth, the maledicted pendant dangling around her neck as it always did. It comforted her, but not by much.
Inhaling deeply, she squeezed her eyes shut, and then with a few running steps, she leaped. The feeling of weightlessness sent panic shooting through her; the image of dark, crashing waves below her flashed into her mind. But she had wings this time. Aster's eyes flew open at the same time that her wings snapped open, flaring out to catch the mild night air. The ground beneath her tilted nauseatingly as she flapped hard and veered up, away from it.
It was about as clumsy as the last time; Aster tucked her wings more easily this time to bank, feeling the wind gliding underneath them, whipping her hair around her face. She spread them as she approached the hilltop again, in an attempt to slow her descent, having only flown a few feet away before returning. Her feet managed to hit the ground first this time, but her momentum still sent her stumbling and then sprawling onto her stomach with a small grunt.
She was glad she hadn't brought Cressida this time; having anyone watch her pathetic attempts and failures at trying to fly would be embarrassing. It probably shouldn't be, since she was attempting to learn a new skill with body parts she still wasn't entirely used to; but it felt that way all the same, so she'd rather practice alone.
Her brief moment of gratitude was short-lived when she heard cackling laughter erupt from somewhere. Aster's head jerked up as she looked around, but there was nobody nearby; it was only then that she heard the flapping of wings, and looked up. Perhaps they'd been hiding, or she'd been so busy with her own attempt at flight that she hadn't noticed; but another winged creature was circling overhead, and they were laughing at her.
Aster flushed, pushing herself to her feet. The creature did a loop in the air, likely showing off, and then dove down; they snapped their wings out at the last moment to catch themselves, hovering briefly before landing gracefully on their feet. Closer up, Aster could see the bat-winged creature was a woman, naked save for a few adornments on her arms and neck and some straps on her legs. She peered curiously at Aster, opening her mouth, and let out a shrill series of shrieks and clicks.
Aster winced slightly, cocking her head uncertainly. The woman seemed taken aback at that, annoyance crossing her sharp, almost animalistic features. "You do not speak Zith?" She demanded, in perhaps surprisingly fluent though heavily accented Common.
"Uh," Aster said, eloquently. "No, sorry, I don't." The woman huffed, stalking forward, and Aster took a nervous step back. She didn't seem aggressive, but she was intimidating all the same, her movements full of feral grace as she stalked towards Asterope, her wings folding around her body loosely.
"Are your wings hurt? You don't fly," She pressed, reaching a clawed hand out and prodding at the frame of one of Aster's wings as she circled her.
Inhaling deeply, she squeezed her eyes shut, and then with a few running steps, she leaped. The feeling of weightlessness sent panic shooting through her; the image of dark, crashing waves below her flashed into her mind. But she had wings this time. Aster's eyes flew open at the same time that her wings snapped open, flaring out to catch the mild night air. The ground beneath her tilted nauseatingly as she flapped hard and veered up, away from it.
It was about as clumsy as the last time; Aster tucked her wings more easily this time to bank, feeling the wind gliding underneath them, whipping her hair around her face. She spread them as she approached the hilltop again, in an attempt to slow her descent, having only flown a few feet away before returning. Her feet managed to hit the ground first this time, but her momentum still sent her stumbling and then sprawling onto her stomach with a small grunt.
She was glad she hadn't brought Cressida this time; having anyone watch her pathetic attempts and failures at trying to fly would be embarrassing. It probably shouldn't be, since she was attempting to learn a new skill with body parts she still wasn't entirely used to; but it felt that way all the same, so she'd rather practice alone.
Her brief moment of gratitude was short-lived when she heard cackling laughter erupt from somewhere. Aster's head jerked up as she looked around, but there was nobody nearby; it was only then that she heard the flapping of wings, and looked up. Perhaps they'd been hiding, or she'd been so busy with her own attempt at flight that she hadn't noticed; but another winged creature was circling overhead, and they were laughing at her.
Aster flushed, pushing herself to her feet. The creature did a loop in the air, likely showing off, and then dove down; they snapped their wings out at the last moment to catch themselves, hovering briefly before landing gracefully on their feet. Closer up, Aster could see the bat-winged creature was a woman, naked save for a few adornments on her arms and neck and some straps on her legs. She peered curiously at Aster, opening her mouth, and let out a shrill series of shrieks and clicks.
Aster winced slightly, cocking her head uncertainly. The woman seemed taken aback at that, annoyance crossing her sharp, almost animalistic features. "You do not speak Zith?" She demanded, in perhaps surprisingly fluent though heavily accented Common.
"Uh," Aster said, eloquently. "No, sorry, I don't." The woman huffed, stalking forward, and Aster took a nervous step back. She didn't seem aggressive, but she was intimidating all the same, her movements full of feral grace as she stalked towards Asterope, her wings folding around her body loosely.
"Are your wings hurt? You don't fly," She pressed, reaching a clawed hand out and prodding at the frame of one of Aster's wings as she circled her.