Working Out or Running Away?

Linaeve didn’t question much when they didn’t move on quickly from Torre. Sidra and Sulien seemed to be waiting for Voyeur, who was doing his best to avoid everyone.
So Lin spent most of her time after the somewhat disastrous health food buffet avoiding Evaline and Sirona.
The day had dawned bright, and the others were busy. So Lin and her familiar, Sweetsong, found themselves traveling through the plains in search of… something. Adventure, perhaps?
“Where are we going?” Sweetsong sang, and Lin smiled, pleased to hear her familiar’s gentle song in the breeze.
“I’m not certain,” Lin replied. “Sort of just enjoying the breeze and sounds of nature.”
It was a reawakening. The time in Torre had been good for her. Most of her foalhood was spent in the Icy Region, traveling between her fathers lands, so full of wildlife and peaceful, to the comforting island home of her mother, surrounded by their makeshift family. The few trips to Radiance’s bustling home had made Lin quickly realize something wasn’t quite right. Especially when she had begun to reply to others thoughts instead of their words, or speak about secrets she had overheard in thoughts. She hadn’t known then that she possessed Telepathy, and after the embarrassment she had quickly learned to keep her mouth shut.
But here in Torre, with her magic well trained, she had discovered her gift for music and song, and had met her Nightingale familiar. She had found a regional form, and while she didn’t yet know how to fly well, she had tried a few times with Sidra and Sulien’s help. And when she had awoken one morning to hear voices, she hadn’t been afraid. Instead, as she woke to find her familiar already chatting to her about the wonderful sunrise, and realized she heard the voices of the animals around her, she had been overjoyed. Sulien had helped her learn that magic, and she felt an even stronger bond form with the other deity-blessed Quirlicorn.
So with renewed confidence, and a sense of peace, Linaeve faced the day.

A few miles away from Torre, Linaeve caught the sound of voices ahead.
“Another Quirlicorn! And… oh!” Sweetsong chirruped in surprise. The reason for it was quickly revealed as a Quirlicorn that Lin knew by description was revealed over the next rise, accompanied by another familiar face.
“Is that…” Linaeve gasped, and the sound caught the attention of the two ahead.
“Oh, hello there!” the great stallion said, turning to face Linaeve.
“Are you…. Are you Jagmeet?” Lin said in surprise.
Jagmeet dipped his head in agreement to her question with a gentle smile.
“Linaeve?”
Lin turned, and realized why the other Quirlicorn was so familiar.
“Sonnet!” Lin exclaimed.
Memories stirred swiftly around in her mind, and she quickly pulled her thoughts back, wrapping them tightly and hiding them behind her metal walls.
Sonnet’s presence was as calm and comforting as it had been when she had visited with Xenon. As a foal, Lin had seen him as a spot of calmness and silence in the chaotic world of all the minds and thoughts around her. A bit older now, Lin realized he must have been protecting his thoughts.
Another realization came to her then, one she had never quite put together when talking to Sidra. Sidra, Sonnet, Minuet. The prophesied foals that her mother had spoken of, Khaalida’s foals, and of Radiance’s bloodline. Why Lin had never put it together until now…
Jagmeet cleared his throat, and Lin realized she had just been staring in shock.
“It's uh, good to see you!” Lin said with a slightly awkward smile. “What brings you to Torre?”
Sonnet gave a slight laugh. “I could ask you the same thing,” he pointed out.
“Oh, uh, we came for the Equinox, and well. I stayed for a while, and well just kept staying and met some Quirlicorns who I’ve been learning from and uh,” Lin rambled, before shaking her head. “You never answered my question?”
“Oh!” Sonnet replied. “It’s Jagmeet’s birthday, and I brought him a cake! But uh. Apparently with the long winter and all… Well cake isn’t healthy.”
Jagmeet gave a gentle snort. “It isn’t, and it’s past time everyone started getting back into tip top shape,” the deity agreed.
Lin was quickly realizing this wasn’t where she wanted to be. After all, it has been Jagmeet’s suggestion that led her to choking down that foul mix of ‘health food’ that Sirona had insisted on.
“Er well, happy birthday Jagmeet! And great to see you Sonnet, but I’m super busy and must be on my way,” Lin gave an awkward wave as she tried to back away but a look from the deity stopped her.
“Surely not too busy to enjoy a workout with me?” Jagmeet said, and Sonnet winced behind the deity’s back.
“Oh of course not, I didn’t realize I was invited!” Lin quickly tried to recover.
Jagmeet nodded, seeming a bit smug.
“All right! Then, what do you normally do for your workout routine?” he asked.
Sonnet and Lin exchanged a look.
“I’ve been, uh, learning how to fly?” Lin suggested, and Sonnet nodded.
“Yeah, flying!” he agreed.
Jagmeet seemed to consider it. “Well, as I don’t have wings, we should start with some stretches!” he decided.
Jagmeet proceeded to start showing different forms of stretches, Lin doing her best to copy his poses. Not even five minutes into Jagmeet’s demonstration, Sonnet collapsed dramatically on the ground.
“Nope, no thanks! I don’t know how you bend that way but I can’t make my body do that!” Sonnet exclaimed.
Jagmeet and Linaeve stood over Sonnet, and exchanged a look. While Lin knew she wouldn’t be able to do half of what Jagmeet just did properly, she at least had a better handle on it than Sonnet.
“Come on Sonnet,” Lin urged, then sent him a quiet telepathic message.
‘I don’t think we have a choice’, she mind whispered to him.
Sonnet let out a groan, struggling back to his hooves.
“Jagmeet sir, I’m not the best at flying, and no offence, you don’t have wings. Wouldn’t it make more sense for Sonnet to lead me through some wing exercises?” Linaeve suggested, shooting Sonnet a glance.
Jagmeet considered it, then nodded. “That seems logical,” he agreed, and stepped back to let them have room for their wings.
Linaeve let her regional form come forth, and her delicate fae wings fluttered in the breeze. Sonnet’s own wings came forth, and he flapped them a few times experimentally.
“I am not entirely sure what to do with your wings, but this is how I stretch mine,” Sonnet offered, and Lin smiled.

About a half hour of their feigned workout later that consisted more of just opening and closing and examining their wings, Lin nodded slightly to Sonnet.
“Are you ready to fly?” Sonnet asked, and Lin nodded.
“I think I am!” Lin replied. She turned to Jagmeet next. “Thank you so much for supervising and helping with those stretches! I will definitely use them in the future when I get ready to fly!” she grinned at him, and Jagmeet gave a satisfied nod at her recognition of the logic of his stretches.
“We best keep working out!” Lin said, and took off with a grin.
Linaeve wasn’t quite confident, but she began to climb higher and higher, her delicate wings seeming to catch the wind and lift her higher. Soon, she glided among the clouds, and looked around in awe. It was higher than she had ever gone while practicing with Sidra and Sulien!
“I’m doing it!” Lin said with a grin, looking back to Sonnet, who was lagging behind, and then to Jagmeet, watching from the ground below.
‘Quickly Sonnet, let's get out of his sight before he decides to make us do more stretches!’ Lin said, mind to mind, and dipped in and out of the clouds, doing her best to quickly get away from Jagmeet. But she couldn’t deny the pleasant burn in her muscles as she got used to flying, nor her joy at having her familiar and Sonnet with her.

When they landed, Lin was panting, but had a grin. Sonnet immediately flopped on the ground, groaning.
“You think we are far enough away?” Sonnet asked, and Lin looked around.
To her surprise, she saw Jagmeet coming their way and Lin winced.
“I think we better get flying again,” Lin said, and Sonnet quickly scrambled to his hooves again as he noticed Jagmeet as well.
“How does he move that quick?!” Sonnet exclaimed, before taking off. Lin quickly followed him back into the sky again.


Jagmeet gave himself a pat on the back as he watched the youngsters take to the sky again. While this had not been his original plan, making sure they flew and used their muscles was turning into a good workout, as was keeping up with them.
Pleased with the outcome, Jagmeet continued to follow the pair as they flew above.