Page 52 of A Phoenix Reborn at Christmas
Leo took a few steps back, giving him space.
I am a phoenix. This is my body. And I can fly.
He must have flown before. A million times. He must have!
I can do this!
He stretched his wings wide. He waved them in the air, warming them up. His heart thudded against his ribcage. Ebony circled overhead. She cawed, calling out to him.
I can do this! I am a phoenix! And I can fly!
With a mighty flap of his wings, he took off into the air. A startled screech escaped his beak as he soared up and up. Adrenaline and panic flooded his veins. He flapped erratically as he continued to rise. And for a split second, he feared he might be scared of heights.
Leo waved at him from below, growing smaller and smaller. Percival cleared the rooftops, and Leo disappeared from sight.
He flew onwards. His wings wobbled. He jerked from side to side. He flapped, trying to keep himself steady as he let instinct and a bone-deep knowledge that had survived his rebirth take over his body.
I’m flying! I’m actually flying!
Opening his beak, he trilled. Ebony flew up beside him. But she gave him plenty of space as if worried he might veer suddenly and knock into her.
He soared above snow-covered buildings and streets where people walked. And as he flew, he grew more and more confident. With a flap, he rose higher still.
They passed over a crowded area filled with wooden stalls, glowing lights, and Christmas trees. The noise of the people, of laughter, music, and cries of joy, rose into the air. Was this the Christmas markets?
Then within half a second, they’d passed over them and they were gone. Percival glanced back.
I have to tell Leo I saw them!
They reached the city’s edge and soared above a forest. No lights glinted amongst the bare trees. They glided on the wind over a flat lake.
This would be a good place to practice his fire. Percival circled.
How had he made fire before? It had just happened. He opened his beak, this time trying to will fire into bursting forth. But nothing occurred.
Then he felt something inside him, the heat at his core. He focused on it, on drawing that up through his chest and into his throat. His body burned. Suddenly, fire shot from his beak, spewing into the air.
Ebony crowed, and Percival thought it might be with approval.
Percival opened his beak wide again, and flames of orange and red burst forth along with embers and ash. He trilled at his success. They did laps of the lake, and he kept practicing his fire, lighting up the sky with his flames.
After that, they flew around a little longer. He had the strength to keep going.
But Percival wanted to return. He wanted to go back to Leo. He wanted to tell him what it was like to fly and shoot fire. He wanted to speak of all he’d seen. He wanted to share this experience with Leo.
Dipping his wing, he turned around. Ebony followed.
For a second, Percival wondered if he could fly with Leo on his back. He wasn’t sure. He wasn’t massive in bird form. But he was bigger than Leo. It would be magnificent if he could share flying with Leo.
As they passed over more buildings, winding lanes, busy streets, and dark alleys, he realised he had no idea where they were going. He’d not been paying attention to their route.
Thankfully, Ebony took the lead. She seemed to know that he wanted to return. He followed her.
She swooped into an alley. Percival spotted Leo staring up at the sky. When Leo saw them, he waved.
Percival’s heart fluttered in his chest as he dived.
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