George held his breath and grasped the spikes tighter as Freedom leapt into the air. His wings swept down powerfully, but due to his bulk George had expected a more awkward start. Instead they rose quickly and steadily. It was dragon magic that chiefly powered the flight and not wings, he realized; he could feel it.
He had never been particularly afraid of heights, but he was at first uncomfortable to be thousands of feet above the ground. Soon, however, most of his fear gave way to wonder.
“YES, FLIGHT IS EXHILARATING,” said Freedom. “THIS IS MY FIRST LONG FLIGHT ALSO. MY PREVIOUS EXCURSIONS FOCUSED MOSTLY ON WALKING. BOTH WALKING AND FLYING ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN LIVING FOR CENTURIES WITHIN AN EGG, AND REQUIRE PRACTICE TO PERFECT.” The dragon radically changed direction, banking sharply, than did a stomach-shifting short dive and a dizzying loop-de-loop.
George hung on for dear life. “What happens if I tire and fall off you,” he asked, when the dragon had paused his aerial acrobatics for a moment.
“YOU HARBOR NEEDLESS FEARS; YOU SHOULD PRACTICE FLYING FOR YOURSELF,” said Freedom.
“What? I can’t fly!”
“OF COURSE YOU CAN. I CAN, SO YOU CAN FLY ALSO. YOU ARE