Sailing on Air
The ship is smaller than you thought at first, or perhaps you've grown larger since you arrived. It's hard to tell without anything else for comparison. Either way, it looks like the ship could only hold maybe a dozen dragons your size. <br>
No one else seems to be on it, though. The wheel stands loose and unmanned. It spins and creaks softly in the breeze. If the ship has a destination, hidden somewhere in the clouds, no one's steering you there but the wind. <br>
Looking up, you see the sails - three wide sweeps of white cloth, billowing above the ship like parachutes. You can't tell what's keeping the ship in the air. The wind is blowing from behind the ship, not up, and it's obvious from the clouds that you're not falling, but the sails are stretched taut above the ship by something. Webs of thick rope connect them to iron rings around the edges of the hull. On the front of the ship is a small mast with another sail, this one blowing straight ahead instead of up. You assume it's for propulsion, since the overhead sails seem to be doing something entirely different. <br>
You fly up to take a look at the overhead sails, marveling at how easy it is. You barely have to think to lift yourself into the air. It's easier than swimming. The sails are heavy canvas, stretched tight enough that you can sit on top of them. It feels like sitting on a cloud. The ship is hidden by the billowing canvas, so all you can see are the clouds around you. The wind rustles through your wings. In the quiet and the warm sunshine, you start to fall asleep... <br>
You'll have time to sleep later, though. You still haven't finished exploring. <br>
There's not much below the deck; the ship is fairly small, and the few rooms are built to fit your size. There are four cabins with hammocks barely large enough to lie down in. A tiny kitchen (no, you correct yourself, a tiny galley) holds a small stove and cupboards full of dried things you can't identify, though they smell good. There's a cramped hold with nothing in it except a few boxes. That's all.
Written by Chrysalis on 07 July 2009
