Learning to Fly

Chapter three: The first dive

Zelda stood on the wooden platform with several other students. Mr. Horwell announced that they would be learning to jump off and call their loftwings today. They were in groups of two for safety. One person in each pair would be jumping and the other would be there to swoop in and catch them if they were unable to call their bird.

Jumping off the platform would be scary the first time, Mr. Horwell had said. They past couple days the lessons in class had covered the correct techniques for diving off the platform. After jumping, whistling immediately was key. Or easier, you could just whistle then dive. It was understandable if the free fall terrified you the first couple times. Mr. Horwell assured that there was nothing to be ashamed of if you didn't get it right away. There were also a couple of Skyloft guards at the lesson for emergencies.

"Once you jump, whistle, then spread your arms and legs and let the wind carry you until your loftwing is beneath you."

When it was their turn, Link went first. He walked up to the edge and waited for the instructor to tell him to jump. Zelda stood near the edge watched as he took a deep breath and put one foot forward before diving off the edge. A moment later she heard his whistle and his red loftwing swooped down. Link landed on its back almost perfectly. A minute or so of watching them fly and he gave the "ready signal, a wave, the class was using to say they were ready for the next person to go.

Zelda walked slowly to the edge of the platform and looked down. The white clouds were so far down. It seemed impossible that you could actually fall all the way down there. This thought made her feel a little better.

Still she was afraid to jump. She planned to whistle before jumping.

Zelda took several steps back and took a deep breath and let it out. I can do this. She thought.

She took a running start and leaped off the platform headfirst, arms spreading as she quickly descended. A spike of fear flooded through her body. She had forgotten to whistle first! The fall took the breath from her lungs as she fell.

"Whistle Zelda!" She heard someone shout. In her peripheral vision she saw a glimpse of red feathers. Link. He must have been the one who shouted.

Quickly Zelda forced herself to take a breath and whistled. She hoped the noise was louder than it sounded. Not even a second later she saw a flash of blue from her left and then Starry was beneath her. She grabbed onto her bird and landed quite roughly on his back.

She squeezed her eyes shut a moment and then opened it's okay. You did it.

She sat back on Starry and let out a small laugh. Really it wasn't as bad as she was afraid it would be. The fall was actually far less terrifying than she'd imagined it.

Starry flew straight out from the island and then upwards. Zelda turned him back around as Link and Crimson glided nearby. The two birds flew about twenty feet from each other.

"Not bad!" He said grinning, giving her a thumbs up. Zelda laughed and returned the smile.

Zelda waved at Instructor Horwell back at the platform they were jumping from. From the short distance she saw the unmistakable red pompadour of Groose's hair. Zelda watched Groose leap off the platform next. She heard him let out a yell after his loftwing swooped in and picked him out of the air. A loud "Yeah! Wooooo!" followed his first shout. Zelda looked to Link and the two shared a laugh.

Zelda watched the rest of the kids jump. Today was the first time for a couple of the others as well. A few kids had looked as nervous as she did but they did fine. Nobody had to be saved.

After everyone had gone Professor Horwell whistled and called his own loftwing. He had everyone bring their birds in and fly in a circle around him. Zelda couldn't stop grinning as she and Starry flew together with everyone. The birds flew in a rainbow of blues, purples, and greens.

She noticed Link's stand out from the rest. Most loftwings were green, blue, purple, or white. But Link's was red. In fact, the only red loftwing she had ever seen. His name was Crimson. Zelda's father had told her that that red loftwings were very rare.

"Very good everyone. I'm impressed with you all. Now, you will all be landing on Skyloft with your sailcloth. Fly your bird directly over the island and ready your sailcloth, then jump down. I will be going first to demonstrate so first-timers watch closely."

With that, Professor Horwell swooped up out of the circle of students and made his way above Skyloft. Everyone followed behind and watched, returning to flying a large circle in the sky.

Nervousness rushed through Zelda. It shouldn't be too hard, right? Landing was supposed to the easy part. It wasn't like she had to jump and dive again. Although, Zelda wasn't afraid to do that again. Many times Zelda had watched her upperclassmen and the adults land with their sailcloths. It looked easy.

Professor Horwell untied his sailcloth and readied it in his hands. Almost gracefully, he jumped off his bird's back and brought the sailcloth up. Zelda watched as he slowly floated downwards and landed.

One by one the professor called out each student's name. They all took turns jumping and floating down to the island. Soon it was Zelda's turn.

Zelda untied her sailcloth and readied it. Counting to three she jumped off Starry's back and held her sailcloth out. The wind caught beneath the fabric immediately and tugged her upwards momentarily. Zelda almost lost grip on one side but held on tight, heart thundering in her chest. Slowly she drifted downwards and her feet met the ground softly. Letting out a grateful sigh she took a breath.

"Great!" Professor Horwell called to her before telling Link it was his turn.

A few moments later Link touched down twenty feet from Zelda. She rushed over to his side.

"That was incredible!" She gushed excitedly.

"You did great." Link said holding his hand up in the air for a high-five. Zelda brought hers up and slapped her hand to his.

"Thanks."

The duo watched as the rest of the kids landed one by one onto Skyloft main square. Professor Horwell called everyone over to him when every one was safely landed.

"Great job today. I'm proud of each and every one of you. Congratulations to the couple of you who took their first leap today. That's the biggest step. I'm especially impressed because all you managed to land on your loftwings on your first try. This is the first class I've taught where nobody needed a rescue. That's all for today's lesson. I'll see you all in class tomorrow."

As everyone dispersed and the loftwings went flying off Zelda sat on the ledge near the windmill farthest from the academy. She stared out at the clouds and watched the many colors of birds flying around.

Zelda spotted Starry flying near Crimson. She smiled. She hoped their birds were great friends like she and Link were.

Behind her she heard footsteps. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Link. She smiled and greeted him.

"Hi Link. You were right. It wasn't really that scary after all. It was fun! Flying!"

"I told you it would be." He said smirking. Link sat down next to her.

"Starry and Crimson are over there." She pointed.

"They fly together a lot."

"Really? That's good! Do you think that means they are friends?"

"Of course."

Zelda gazed out at the clouds and watched their birds fly. A couple more loftwings joined theirs and Zelda heard a few whistles in the distance as they danced around each other in the sky.

Looking down she saw the endless white clouds. It seemed stupid that she was afraid of jumping off the island a week ago. Now all Zelda wanted to do was call Starry and jump off. She wanted fly as far as she could and back.

"Hey Link, Do you wanna go flying together?"

"Sure."

Link got his feet first and held out a hand for Zelda. As she accepted it Link pulled her to her feet. Link whistled for Crimson and jumped off the island without hesitation.

Zelda called Starry and dived off without fear a few seconds later. Her landing on her companion's back was much more graceful this time. Zelda ran her fingers along Starry's neck and cooed to him. The loftwing whistled happily.

Link swooped down and soared along side Zelda.

"So, want to give me a few flying tips? I know you and Crimson have been flying together for quite some time, Link. Even before you started loftwing training."

Even from the ten feet gap she could see his face flush after a quick look of surprise.

"Dang. You know about that? I thought I had been careful."

"Not careful enough." She said sticking out her tongue. "Any tips?"

"Sure, I'll teach you what I know." He said with a smirk.

The two flew over the tiny islands as Link taught Zelda new flying techniques he had figured out. He knew a couple of things you could teach your loftwing. Like doing a spiral in the air, or diving to go faster.

Zelda's favorite thing he taught her was how to make her loftwing dash through the sky. Holding tight to Starry's saddle handle she tried. The new speed took her by surprise. Link zoomed past her a few seconds later, his loftwing nearly only a blur of red. He was so fast! Maybe it was because the two had repeated the maneuver so many times? Or maybe Crimson was just that quick. Either way Zelda was taken by surprise.

When she finally caught up to Link and his magnificent bird she shouted out to Link.

"I hardly even saw you zoom by!"

Link laughed. "Well, Crimson is something special. Professor Horwell told me once that red loftwings possess unique abilities. Your father told me once that it was a million in one chance that a crimson loftwing would come when I whistled as toddler. That day, Headmaster Gaepora suggested his name. It sounded good at the time, and I think it fits him."

"Me too."

"Why did you pick the name Starry?"

"I don't really remember. Maybe because he is dark blue like the night sky and that made me think of the stars? I think it's a pretty name."

"Agreed. I think we should head back now. The sky is getting darker. We'll get in trouble if we are out past sunset."

Zelda looked around and realized that the sky was turning orange and yellow. The colors reflected off the white clouds in lovely way. She hadn't even realized they had been out flying that long. It had been several hours since their lesson. Starry and Crimson had to be tired.

"Okay."

The two returned to Skyloft. They hopped off their birds above Goddess Island and it wasn't long till the loftwings joined them on the ground. They really must have been tired, as both beautiful birds sat down on the ground to relax.

Zelda took a seat at Starry's side. She leaned against him and hugged his neck gently.

"I hope so didn't push you too hard. Today was really fun." She murmured quietly.

Starry cooed happily and rubbed his head against hers as if to say: "Are you kidding? I'm good." Zelda giggled.

"Thanks for the tips, Link."

"No problem. You're a quick learner. I'm gonna go in for the night. I'll see you tomorrow, Zel." Link said.

"Night Link."

"Night."

Zelda sat with Starry for a while longer looking out at the evening sunset. A couple loftwings flew in the distance. She smiled, content, and happier than ever.

Flying really was the best thing in the world.

Hey there. I actually wrote this chapter a week ago but I didn't like how it was written so I had to write it again. My first draft kinda started going off topic. I had some ideas I was going to add but I decided that they would be better for a different story.

I think that this is the last chapter of this story. I really don't know how I could continue from here. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. I'm iffy on this chapter but I couldn't come up with any ways to make it better.

I have a few of ideas for new LoZ story. I was going to add them to LtF but I decided against it since they had nothing to do with this story's main focus. When I get around how to start and incorporate those ideas into a working plot I will share it. I don't know when that will be...but I'll try my best. Hopefully the couple of you that followed this story will enjoy it too.

By the way, I posted a Wolf Link/Midna story as well if you haven't read it yet. It has some cute-ish stuff (I think). So if you haven't checked out "In a Snowy not-Wonderland" yet, please do! I want to know how people like it. Please review that story if you have the time. I would be very grateful.

Thank you for reviewing chapter one/two if you did. It makes my whole day when I get a nice review. I seriously can't stop smiling for a while. :D I'm glad that a few of you enjoyed it a lot.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Tell me what you thought!