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I found myself standing in a state of shock as the small boy comes to siddle himself by me, standing rather awkwardly with my larger frame next to his small, painted form. His wing brushes against me, and for a moment I allow myself to stare at the juxtaposition of our wings together, noticing out the colors differed as well as the height. I am shy, and this causes me to become nervous and tuck my head closer toward my neck, looking out from behind my half closed lids to gaze at the jovial Cera. I am pleased that he has chosen to stand so close, but I am not particularly used to the feeling of one so close to me; well, at least anyone who was not mother or Eytan. I have a new friend, and he is small and precious. There is a growing feeling in my heart, and that is the urge to protect this boy who clings so close to my side. I hope that someday, I can become an able and worthy protector like Midas.
When the stallion speaks, I look toward his blackened face with a sudden lurch of excitement. Mother had never been able to offer me the lesson of the skies, and so it was a new experience for me, one that I had longed after for many months now. I smile sheepishly at Cera, uncertain of how to interact well as friends now instead of strangers. I felt the need to share the burst of excitement, but had not the tools to do so yet. His tiny body is already moving, though, a bustle of energy that I myself was feeling. My smile grows slightly more contented. I glance behind me toward mother first, making sure that it was alright to follow the painted stallion in this lesson. Her crimson eyes seem encouraging, and I turn my bitoned eyes forward, looking toward Midas as I take off forward with a scrambling trot.
I stop myself a few feet right of Cera, looking at him briefly before turning my undivided attention to Midas, whose usually warm golden eyes had taken on a light of serious concentration I was not used to seeing. One ear flicks back uncertainly, wings shuffling nervously as he speaks, but taking the words to heart. I unfold my wings like a dusty old map I was used to seeing, only with words written in a language I could not read. Now, with Midas's careful instruction, I look at the feathers with a new understanding. Taking turns looking at Midas an my own wings, I begin to smile. Truly, the one thing I loved in this world almost as much as mother was the ability to learn. I found joy in answering the mysteries of this world, one small detail at a time.
I flap my wings as Midas does, feeling a bit out of place, like a child waving about his head for no particular reason. It feels foolish, but I can certainly feel the muscles stretching about in the joint that attaches my feathered appendages to my frame. The true miracle of today is the brilliant clarity I receive as I watch Midas lift off from the earth. My eyes widen in surprise, as I had only seen pegasus leave the earth from a distance before, and that had been months ago when mother and I lived in the Throat. I almost forget to watch how he does it in my shock, but I gather my wits and watch with wistful eyes as he circles about off the ground. I wish for that freedom silently, lowering sad eyes to the earth for a moment until I hear the thud of Midas's golden hooves on the ground.
Cera is the voice that tugs my head up, and I look toward him with blurry eyes until I realize he is running, taking the chance to lift himself from the earth as his father had instructed. In this moment, I become immediately jealous of the courage shown by the smaller colt. I feel pathetic for one, painful second, until I realize I too can have courage. My mouth opens in awe as I see the tiny figure lift from the grass, soaring for a few brief moments from the ground. "Cera!" I call, alarmed by the sheer volume of my voice as it booms down the hill. For a moment, I stunned into silence by myself before laughing loudly, a sound that would one day grow into the boom of thunder like my father's, smiling at him. "You did great!"
Going with the renewed sense of joy in my heart, I begin to barrel down the hill, my bronze hooves fall upon the earth, my wings opening, and I push down and lift with my front end. For one, valiant moment, I am airborne. I can feel the rush of air pull at my silvery mane which grows longer each day. Wind pushes on my face. I am free.
Then, just as quickly as I had taken off, I begin to fall.
Panic raises in my chest and I squabble with my legs trying to catch myself, finding only that the earth is not as predictable as it is when I am standing upon it. The air does not offer me any resistance, and I fall flatly upon my front legs, muzzle hitting the grass with a resounding thud, a bruised nose awaiting me shortly. My back legs remain upright, rump hoisted rather ungracefully in the air, wings extended like extra limbs holding me up. I could honestly bury my head into the ground now and die of embarrassment. Instead, I struggle to all four of my legs. Lifting my head toward the sky, I begin to laugh. I laugh fully and heartily at myself, looking with joy at Cera and then back at Midas. "That was fun."
I continue to laugh so hard I'm afraid I might cry. I will learn how to fly. I am determined.
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