Learning To Fly Without Wings

by Melody Hewson

her eyes. “Yes... me too.” She replied softly. The smile swiftly returned, but it was forced and did not reach her eyes. “But what's been done can not be undone, so we must not look to the past for sorrow when there is plenty today. That's what Grandmother used to tell me all the time.”

  The elder frowned, sorry that he had brought up the subject of Taiyra's slain family. “Yes... That is what I used to say to her as well.” He said softly, extending a comforting hand to rest on her shoulder. “So let us abandon this sorrow to its place and turn our thoughts to happier things.”

  “Like learning to fly.” The doe replied, her cheerfulness returned.

  The elder chuckled softly, his weight leaning heavily on his walking stick. “Well, I'll leave that part of your training to Blackwing. First you must learn to take on and hold your shape. You can't very well learn to fly without wings.”

  “I understand, Elder Swiftclaw. And I promise to do my very best to learn everything you both have to teach me.” The doe said excitedly.

  “I have no doubt of that, lotha degahr.” The elder replied affectionately. “And I think I know something that will help you.” The elder's joints cracked with age as he turned and he let out a short grunt, pausing a moment before slowly walking back toward his unmade bedroll. The young doe frowned slightly as she watched his slow walk, his movements stiff and pained with age and the lingering chill of early morning. She wanted to offer him aid, but since he did not ask her for it, to offer would mean she saw him as weak and feeble, a grave offense.

  After a while he made his way to his sleeping place and Taiyra heard more loud pops as he bent to retrieve something nearby. When he returned again and settled himself a short distance from her, Taiyra saw that he had a small drum clutched in one hand. “Unburden yourself, young one, and then close your eyes.” He said after a moment. “Imagine changing into the eagle, and then will it.”

  Taiyra nodded and removed her cloak and light coverings, folding them neatly into her cloak. Until she was able to master her transformation, clothing would be a hindrance and a distraction. She then closed her eyes and imagined herself standing on the edge of a high cliff. When the first beat of the drum sounded, it startled her, but a rhythm quickly emerged. Following the beat of her heart, the soft drum beats soon faded from her attention even as they soothed her, and once more Taiyra was alone in her mind.

  She looked down from the cliff edge to the grassy plains sweeping out below her. A soft breeze sent ripples through the grass and occasionally sent small insects into the air. A glance at the sky showed a deep cloudless blue, the two suns shining down warmly. It was a perfect day, in a perfect land all her own. Raising her arms, the doe slowly leaned forward, then finally gave a quick push with her hooves.

  She was falling. The wind tangled her loose mane and stung her eyes. The cliff became a reddish blur as it raced past her. The swaying sea of emerald grass rose up swiftly to meet her. Her fingers stretched further as if trying to grasp the sky itself, and she tried to force them to become wings, but the rapidly approaching ground made it hard to concentrate on forming feathers. Still, she was determined not to fail. Only through challenging herself could she strengthen her weaknesses.

  She could see individual blades of grass as she fell, and fear darkened her perfect sky. Her heart raced and her determination grew as her survival instincts began to take over. Too late, the great golden eagle flapped it's wings before colliding with the ground.

  Taiyra opened her eyes, feeling an extreme soreness in her muzzle, and was surprised to see nothing but darkness. Disoriented, it took her several long seconds to realize that she had fallen over and her face was pressed flat to the ground. The drum had stopped and no sound came from the elder. Slowly, the young doe lifted her arms to push herself back into a sitting position, wondering what had happened, and looked around her, blinking away her confusion.

  The elder was the only one to have witnessed her embarrassment, she saw to her relief, as he sat with the small drum in front of him. His lips were struggling to hide his smile, evidenced by the twitching at the corners of his mouth.

  “I... I think I need to...” Taiyra began to speak, but her mind was in turmoil and she could think of nothing to say. Forgoing the politeness of a blessing to the elder, she fled from his tent and ran from the camp, needing to find a safe and quiet place to choke down her shame and think about what had gone wrong, and what she could do to improve it.

  When morning came, it found a shy and uncertain doe kneeling at the open door of the elder's tent. “Come inside, lotha degahr.” The elder beckoned. “Why are you hesitant to start your lesson today? Have you come to tell me you've given up on learning to fly already?”

  “Oh, no, Elder Swiftclaw.” Taiyra replied with a vigorous shake of her head. “Not at all! I still very much wish to learn, it's just that my behavior yesterday was...” Her voice faded as she tried to decide on the right words for her apology.

  The elder bull chuckled softly and waved his hand in welcome. “You let pride get in your way, but I understand, young one. It is something we all must overcome.” He watched patiently as Taiyra entered the tent and settled herself in the usual place, although he remained on his bed roll, an extra blanket draped loosely over his shoulders. The small drum sat before him. “I hope you will forgive me as well, young one, I'm afraid these old bones get tired so quickly these days. And the damp chill of morning never completely goes away anymore.”

  “I understand, Elder Swiftclaw. There are days that Grandmother has the same complaints. She says that a cup of sunreed tea often helps when the aches come if you would like me to fetch you some.” Taiyra offered helpfully.

  “Hm, I think that would be lovely. We shall both have some tea before the day's lesson begins.”

  Several minutes later Taiyra found herself standing again on the imagined cliff. The drumbeat of her heart sounded softly in her ears and the bright light of the sun warmed her patterned fur. The sky was again a glowing cloudless blue and the grass rippled in the gentle breeze. The young doe smiled as she looked around at the paradise she had created for herself.

  Determination steeled her resolve and made her feel like failure this time would be impossible. She leaned forward before pushing off the cliff, spreading her arms as she fell. She felt herself begin to change while the ground was still a safe distance away and grew excited, victory nearly in her grasp. Slight prickles ran along her skin as feather began to sprout, replacing the fur. The bones in her arms and legs began to painlessly shorten and shift. The world began to grow blurry before coming into much sharper view for her new eyes.

  Unfortunately, Taiyra became so focused on her transformation that she forgot to pay attention to the swiftly approaching ground. She gave a loud squawk as she crashed into the soil, her eyes snapping open to find herself again strewn across the floor of the elder's tent, her chin pressed tightly against her chest as her forehead attempted to borrow into the ground.

  The elder chuckled good-naturedly at her misfortune. “You did better that time, I could see it in your face before you fell.”

  Taiyra righted herself and bowed her head shyly, her tail swiping back and forth rapidly. “Thank you, Elder Swiftclaw.” She replied in a hushed voiced. “I think I almost understand.”

  “Would you like to try again?” The elder asked, pulling his blanket tighter around his shoulders.

  “Yes, Elder Swiftclaw, I think I should.” Taiyra replied. “It's the only way I'll learn.”

  Collision followed collision and for several of the following days Taiyra found her frustration and soreness growing as she woke to find herself laying splayed on the floor. The elder bull offered what encouragements he could, but the young doe knew that her success depended solely on herself. She refused to give up nor let the growing clouds of doubt to fill her brilliant sky.

  Taiyra was near exhaustion when she decided to give one final attempt before ending the day's practice. As she leapt from the cliff, she closed her eyes a
nd felt the familiar tingle of her body changing. When the change was complete, she gave a hard flap of her wings, expecting as always to crash anyway. Instead she felt a tremendous pull, and then she felt a rush of wind. Opening her eyes, Taiyra saw that she was flying several feet above the endless field of waving grass. She was flying! Opening her beak to give a cry of victory, her own voice sounded.

  As she came back to herself, Taiyra was surprised to find herself standing. Her arms were lifted above her head in celebration and the elder was beaming at her proudly. She began to lower her arms when she realized that they felt strange. Turning her head to look, she was surprised to find wings in their place, the perfectly-formed feathers outstretched and reaching. Excitement and pride filled the young tarin, even as the feathers began to fade away, replaced by her own hands.

  She had done it. She had changed.

  “You have done it, young one!” The elder exclaimed, reaffirming her thoughts. “That was a complete transformation into an eagle!”

  Taiyra threw herself forward and hugged her mentor's neck, excitement making her giddy. “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, Elder! This is so wonderful! I must go tell Grandma immediately!”

  “You have been working hard, young one.” The elder replied,