The Other-worldly Protector

Chapter 9: Take Flight

"Whiplash? You coming?"

Whiplash groaned in her slumber and lazily opened one eye. It was early morning: frost coated the grass and trees, and clouds scattered across the sky, glowing in the rising sun's rays, yet Kiara looked wide awake —not normal at all. It was her fourth day on dragon island and Whiplash had never seen her up so early. What was even more surprising was that she had completely packed up and was carrying a full rucksack on her back. Whiplash suddenly rose to her feet and eyeballed Kiara as if she was expecting to find something that was making her act funny.

"So... are you coming?" Kiara asked, her arms folded. Whiplash gave her a puzzled look. "To explore the island, of course! You weren't planning to spend eternity by this lake, were you?" Kiara said waving her hand around at the lake they had set up camp next to. Whiplash's mouth transformed into an excited grin. "Great! Let's hike to the top of that mountain," she said, pointing, "where I hope there'll be a perfect view of the whole island. And from there we can look for human settlements. 'Kay?"

Whiplash bounced around on her toes. Suddenly, she head-butted Kiara at the back of her knees and flung her upwards. "Ah!" Kiara yelped as she landed on Whiplash's back with a thud, the weight of her bag pulled her down a little harder than expected.
"Thanks, Whiplash... but really, it's okay: I'm used to hiking, I'll walk by myself," said Kiara, tapping her dragon affectionately on the head.

Whiplash turned her head to look up at Kiara and spread out her wings. For a moment, Kiara was mesmerised by the beauty of Whiplash's wings, before she realised what her dragon was trying to say. "What? You want to fly there? No! N-no no, no thanks," Kiara stuttered as she slid off Whiplash's back and landed on her feet, "Besides, you can't fly just yet: your wing's hurt, remember?"

Whiplash grumbled shaking her wing, then her bright blue eyes met Kiara's. "You're saying it's better... already?" Kiara traced her fingers across Whiplash's smooth scales to the bandage. She removed it to reveal a faint scar where the wound once was. "Wow, you heal quick. Well..." she scratched her head, "I suppose you can fly n—"

Before she knew it, Kiara was flung onto Whiplash's back. "Whiplash! Don't—" her breath was cut off by the swoosh of Whiplash slamming her wings downwards and lifting off. They shot upwards. An explosive scream erupted from Kiara's lungs as she clawed at Whiplash with both hands and feet out of sheer terror. "WHIPLASH NOOO!" she screamed not daring to open her eyes as they accelerated upwards with every mighty flap. "When I said YOU can fly —AAAH!" she hugged her dragon even tighter as Whiplash decided to twirl on her way up, "I didn't mean WE can fly!" 

Whiplash snickered at Kiara's reaction, a cheeky grin on her face, then stopped flapping. Kiara's stomach lurched at the sudden change in movement. "NO NO NO NO NO!" she shrieked as Whiplash pummelled towards the island whilst spinning like a propeller. Spreading her wings, she abruptly stopped and, with an amused chuckle, began to fly upwards, only faster. "NO! This is not fun! NOT FUN! Ya HEAR ME? STOP!" Kiara howled as she began to slip down the dragon's back, the weight of her rucksack and the force of the wind teamed up to drag her down. Dread crept through her body, stiffening every joint and muscle.

Suddenly, Whiplash looped up and backwards and the two were suspended upside-down for a moment with Kiara hanging on for dear life, fear having frozen her limbs in place, before Whiplash looped all the way around. She flew steadily from there.

"Please," Kiara whimpered, her cheek and chest pressed tightly as her heart thumped rapidly against the dragon's back, "I don't like it. Take me down. Please." 

Whiplash purred softly, making Kiara's eyelids flutter open. What she saw took her breath away.

Piles of clouds floated below them and huge fluffy tufts hung above. The sun beamed warmly, reflecting off the white clouds, making them glow like weightless pearls against the crystal blue. The dreamy clouds surrounding them swirled and danced with every flap of Whiplash's wings.