Idril stared around her, wide eyed and perplexed as the dust settled on their clothes. They all stood on a rough circle of rock that was only big enough for one of them to lay down. Cramming themselves in the middle, they linked arms to keep from slipping and falling four hundred feet down onto the jagged rocks below. 

"What do we do?" Mayabelle squeaked in a panicked high-pitched voice. 

"Don't worry," Idril's voice shook as she tried to calm her shivering friend, "we- we'll figure something out." 

"I've never had a bigger need to have wings or-"

"Wings!" Ember suddenly exclaimed, "That's it! Ceaser's big enough to ride now! He can take us one at a time!" 

"But..." Mayabelle stammered wringing her hands fearfully. 

"Mayabelle, what's wrong? It's the only way we can get out of here!" Idril looked wildly for a glint of silver in the sky.

"I- I'm scared of dragons," Mayabelle admitted with a shameful glance at her shoes.

"Hey," Idril said, carefully crouching down next to the gnome, "I know you can do it, you're so brave, and Ceaser won't hurt you, I promise. Please, we have to get out of here!"

She nodded resolutely, still trembling a little. 

Ember put her whistle to her lips and blew hard. The tone rang through the mountain, and in a few seconds the wide wings of Ceaser appeared around a cliff. He swooped forward to hover confusedly in the air next to the three. 

"I'll go first," Ember said. She took a long leap and landed on Ceaser's back. He sank slightly with the extra weight, growling in protest. Ember situated herself on the scaly back. Taking a firm hold around his neck, she whispered instructions in his ear and he swooped away behind the nearby cliffs. In a minute, her other whistle rang out, alerting the others to her safe landing. 

"I don't want to be last," Mayabelle said nervously. Idril nodded and stepped back slightly as Ceaser came swooping back. Taking a deep breath, Mayabelle collected herself for the jump. As her feet left the rock, Idril could see she wouldn't make it on her own. 

Using a small burst of wind, Idril propelled her little friend up. 

Mayabelle clutched fearfully at the dragons neck, flattening herself as much as she could against the shimmering scales, closing her eyes and shuddering. Ceaser took off gently; Idril guessed ge could sense the fear racing through the little gnome. In a minute, both whistle blasts sounded and the dragon came swooping back for his last passenger. 

Idril took a firm hold of her pack, heaved three breaths and launched herself off the small bit of rock. She landed hard, the dragons hard shoulder blades and heavily beating wings knocking the wind out of her. She pulled herself carefully onto the tough reptilian back. She took a firm grip with her legs and held on tight around his neck. 

Suddenly he swooped forward, causing a small scream to issue from Idril's mouth, then a thrilled laugh. The trees blurred green beneath them as they sped closer toward their destination, the cold wind ripping at Idril's long black hair. The ride left Idril's stomach back on the rock and replaced it with airy adrenaline. She let out another, more controlled, melodious laugh. She felt as though she could touch the clouds. 

In a few moments, they had touched down on a much wider path. Idril slid off Ceaser's back, windswept hair now tumbling into her eyes. The others were waiting for her, both with smiles, although Mayabelles looked more terrified than Embers.

Soon, the three had set off again after a short lunch of dried meat and bread. Idril had already began to formulate the words of a poem that she would sing that night, a poem about a dragon ride.