The Thrill of Flying

---

He sits there waiting for the thrill he knew was soon to come

He feels her body tense as she prepares for the jump

Grasping the two rounded tines in front of him, he braces himself

In one swift move, she launches into the air, her long neck reaching for the sky

The force of her mighty leap presses him down, where he sits on her rigid back

She spreads her leathery wings to catch the air as she swiftly ascends

Her wings billow as they fill with air, like sails on a ship

His heart jumps into his throat as they climb into the blue

He composes himself as the thrill of flying builds inside him

They fly up to meet the fluffy white clouds as they flow across the sky

Her wings beating as she climbs higher and higher

She levels off above the clouds and flies over the land below

Her tail is her rudder, helping her maneuver, guiding her side to side

The thrill of being there, on her back, flows through him

He looks down to see the land below as it flashes from scene to scene

A lake, a field, and a forest all look like they belong on a children's board game

People in the fields scurrying around like ants on an ant hill

She rides the warm air rising from the ground, gliding on its currents

Her wings were barely moving now, tilting a bit forward, then back

She holds a level course listing her wings, letting the wind slip by

It seems she is not moving up or down as she adjusts to the changing updraft

She enters a cloud, and the mist clings to his clothes, forming droplets on exposed skin

When they pass through the moisture-laden cloud, the sun pierces his eyes

Looking down to avoid the glair, the ground far below rushing by

She glides easily onward, considering her substantial weight

She dips from the cooler air as she flies over a large body of water

The sudden drop caused his heart to jump into his throat again

She levels off and pushes forward toward her goal, the towering mountains

The mountains seem to rush toward them, growing larger with every second

The red dragon uses her massive body to maneuver toward the opening

From a distance, the small opening in the wall of stone appears to be too small

Turning enough to line herself up to the tunnel entrance

The doorway to the dragon's lair that would take them home

From where he sat, the doorway looked too small for her to fly into

She does not falter as she rushes forward, the opening growing larger

She uses her wings and tail to guide her to where she wants to go

He relaxes as the mountain grows ever closer; the opening grows ever larger

She enters the tunnel with room to spare, navigating the long-curved corridor

As she enters the cavern, she back wings to reduce her speed

She stops and hovers just above the stone floor, her wings barely moving

Scarlet gently lowers herself to the stone and folds her wings

The thrill of riding a dragon is over for now,

But tomorrow is another day