Daniel leaps!
The hind legs braced into the front, coiled in preparation. Noise, zipping cars on the left and leaves on branches reaching out to snag from the right. Wings spread, the paws lift off the ground, and with the hurricane force gale she’s taken to the air and glides her way forward. Another flap, then another, looking down to see the strange and annoying little car pull up behind Charley’s truck as if space to maneuver was a crime against nature. She could see it for the first time now, a shimmering green color with pictures of a pyramid in the back window. The driver leaned his head up to the side of his own view and peered out, peering up, to look at the sphinx overhead. Soft features, a slight mustache, rounded glasses that were taped together at the center.
Another flap and Daniel was over the treeline while still keeping speed, the wings spread wide and her paws arched out in all directions. Tail acting as a rudder and her face swiveling to watch for obstacles. No more crashing through trees, she refused.
“Eeee-we’re FLYING!” Angel squeals. The tone reminiscent of someone who’s just seen a mouse, or maybe a fashionesta who was overly excited to see a new clothing catalogue. Even the keen ears of a lioness weren’t able to pinpoint if this was a sound of terror or happiness.
“I’m flying.” Daniel corrected. “You’re just along for the ride, so hold tight and I’ll try to keep us level.”
She gulped nervously, it was bad enough trying to prevent injury to herself. The added responsibility of another to care for, someone who probably wasn’t in a body anywhere near as durable as that of a mythical beast of legend, did not sit well.
“You’re hardly off the grou-eeeee! I can see the lodge from here! Looklooklook, to your right Daniel. Over by the lake, see it?” Angel leaned to one side and pointed frantically.
“Hands and legs inside the wing space at all times until the sphinx has come to a complete stop.” But even while panicking over every movement the girl on his shoulders made, she couldn’t help but smile at the wooden hotel structure set up next to a peer. Through the trees, from this angle, she could see a parking lot and a basket-ball court. A well polished pool being actively cleaned by some man wearing loose shorts. The trees blocked much of the upcoming view, but the road curved a looping right towards the lakeside property and it was clear where everyone was heading.
“Or what, are you going to flip back and do loop-de-loops. Oh! Please oh please tell me your going to start doing flips, this is so awesome I’m actually flying and wheee!ahahaha! Everything looks so small up here!” Angel’s voice was clear as the sky. Which is to say about half-way, there were too many clouds overhead.
“Maybe later, I promise. Trying to keep track of the road here, and I think it’s harder to keep up speed when I’m trying to gain height.” Daniel replied.
“Bit too high to dive I guess. Do your best and I’ll be cheering you on!” Though Angel was noticeably missing any pom-poms.
Looking down the annoying green car that gave her so much trouble suddenly turned into oncoming traffic without so much as a signal, sped up to a ridiculous degree passing in front of Charley’s truck, then swerved directly in front of him. Daniel could only frown as Charley and Keth were forced to slow down to avoid a crash themselves, though everyone could only stare in muttered confusion as the green car speeds along much, much faster than the actual speed limit. It vanished around the corner as fast as it had come up.
Wings still sore, feeling the strain and pull of her previous injures being tested in the exertion, flying was so much more exhausting than it was to run. The lungs working overtime, the heart pumping like mad, to run was simply moving yourself forward but to fly, in a body this size, was like running while carrying your own weight overhead using only one hand. The wings had to supply enough force for everything.
“Aawww, are your coming back down?” Angel pouts when she notices the sphinx level off and swoop into an easy glide. Angling back towards the road and coming down at speed, always keeping behind Charley’s truck.
“We’re almost at the lake and I need to land anyway. Can I offer to take you flying when I’m more rested?” Daniel pleads, and already her feet touched onto the road and she was back to that fast, looping run.
Angel snuggles herself into the back of that tawny colored head.
“I’ll hold ya to it big girl. First time I’ve ever ridden something that could jump a car at full gallop. This is soooo much more fun than sitting around fishing.” The woman announces, loudly as was necessary to overcome the turbulent winds.
“Not a girl, and you aren’t alone in new experiences Angel.” Daniel shouts back, keeping her eyes on the road and folding her wings back lest oncoming traffic zip under them.
“Just because you keep saying that doesn’t make it true.”
“How about this then, if you were suddenly turned into a winged lioness what is the first thing you’d try to do?”
“Make funny cat videos staring myself, as the grand flying Rymelady who roars at anything that gets too annoying.” Angel answers without hesitation.
“Videos? What you mean like dancing on camera or trying to juggle balls with your nose?”
“Exactly! If you wouldn’t mind doing a few embarrassing things for me even I’m sure we can work out a deal.”
“Stick to your piggyback rides, I’m going to turn back to normal and then forget any of this ever happened.”
“The best laid plans of mice and men?” The human says in a sing-song, taunting voice.
“Now what’s that supposed to mean …”
Written by Arbon on 09 October 2016
