Despite his solemn warning, Alcippe ignored her partner's silent head shake and turned to the Soveris with menacing eyes. "Not bad, birdbrain. You're not as slow and clumsy as I thought you would be," she complimented, but Koralia wasn't interested in accepting praise from a Paragon who spoke only empty words.
"Thanks. I could say the same," Koralia replied simply, withdrawing her wings but without tucking them away. They were warmed up for a real race; tucking them away would make the Soveris comfortable, and she couldn't afford to let her guard down.
Alcippe narrowed her eyes at the Soveris bouncing the words right back at her, but her anger turned to cocky confidence as she grinned and turned the other way. "Fine. Have it your way, birdbrain. See if you can manage this flying course," she said as she motioned towards a bunch of trees and rocks up ahead, all layered over the few plateaus that were outstretched far ahead and which turned all around the mountain, starting at its left and continuing all the way around the back. The obstacles had clearly been put there by Paragon, with different trees of varying breeds and sizes littering the course, together with rocks of different colors and sizes, some of them stacked one on top of the other. The point was probably to race across the terrain without getting your wings caught in the trees, and without careening straight into a tower of rocks.
Alcippe flew just a few inches above the ground as she settled herself right behind the starting line. She looked over her shoulder at the Soveris with a dark grin. "First one to clear three laps around the mountain wins, birdbrain," she explained, keeping the rules clear and simple; just to make sure the newbie could understand them. "Think you can do it?"
With her back still turned to him, Juro continued to shake his head at Alcippe from afar, his teeth now gritted in frustration. Why was she being so stubborn? He was trying to keep her from embarrassing herself, yet she kept going against his advice.
Koralia, as for her, was ready to put the Placid in her place. She flew up to the starting line, her green wings outstretched and ready to do what they did best. "I don't think so: I'm sure," the bird answered, the insult going right over her head. If anyone had a birdbrain between the two of them, it certainly wasn't her.
Alcippe grinned with pearly white teeth, and as she turned to face the course, she gave the starting signal. "Then fly!"
"Thanks. I could say the same," Koralia replied simply, withdrawing her wings but without tucking them away. They were warmed up for a real race; tucking them away would make the Soveris comfortable, and she couldn't afford to let her guard down.
Alcippe narrowed her eyes at the Soveris bouncing the words right back at her, but her anger turned to cocky confidence as she grinned and turned the other way. "Fine. Have it your way, birdbrain. See if you can manage this flying course," she said as she motioned towards a bunch of trees and rocks up ahead, all layered over the few plateaus that were outstretched far ahead and which turned all around the mountain, starting at its left and continuing all the way around the back. The obstacles had clearly been put there by Paragon, with different trees of varying breeds and sizes littering the course, together with rocks of different colors and sizes, some of them stacked one on top of the other. The point was probably to race across the terrain without getting your wings caught in the trees, and without careening straight into a tower of rocks.
Alcippe flew just a few inches above the ground as she settled herself right behind the starting line. She looked over her shoulder at the Soveris with a dark grin. "First one to clear three laps around the mountain wins, birdbrain," she explained, keeping the rules clear and simple; just to make sure the newbie could understand them. "Think you can do it?"
With her back still turned to him, Juro continued to shake his head at Alcippe from afar, his teeth now gritted in frustration. Why was she being so stubborn? He was trying to keep her from embarrassing herself, yet she kept going against his advice.
Koralia, as for her, was ready to put the Placid in her place. She flew up to the starting line, her green wings outstretched and ready to do what they did best. "I don't think so: I'm sure," the bird answered, the insult going right over her head. If anyone had a birdbrain between the two of them, it certainly wasn't her.
Alcippe grinned with pearly white teeth, and as she turned to face the course, she gave the starting signal. "Then fly!"