She’d woken later than usual this morning, having spent the late evening exploring some of her old childhood haunts in the Jungle. It had been a strange, nostalgic experience. She hadn’t visited some of those hideaways in years. Not since, well, not since her mother died.

Once awake however, she’d marched straight off to one of the Jungle’s more popular clearings. She’s making an effort these days to be a more present member of the Jungle. Though she’s always done her duty outside of the kingdom, in the past she’d kept mostly to herself while within the Jungle’s borders. And that will not so. Not if she wants to rise in the ranks. She needs to get to know her sisters better.

And today, being in the clearing pays off. She’s quickly approached by a mare she recognizes from the recent journey to the Falls. The mare (her name starts with a T?) had been the one to take Scorch’s kid under her literal wing, for which Lyris had been grateful. She hadn’t been particularly keen to deal with the bawling child.

Now though the child is nowhere to be seen. A rather more practical task is at hand. The jaguar spotted mare unfurls her wings, and asks for help in learning how to fly. Lyris can’t help but grin. Her mother would be flabbergasted to think of people coming to Lyris for teaching. “I’ll do my best.” She eyes the mare, trying to wrack her brain for whatever the mare’s blasted name is. T, t, t … Taunt? Taint? Definitely not. She’s just going to have to fudge it for now. “First things first though, show me what you’ve got. I gotta know what I’m working with.”

Lyris

I’ll burn this whole city down

At least they’re not doing anything at the moment that actually requires her to know the mare’s name. There are no other sisters around, no meetings to be called, no one she needs introducing to, just simple flying lessons. She doesn’t need to know … T-something’s name for that … right?

She watches in interest as ‘T’ spreads out her wings and flaps, to little effect. She almost sniggers, but she holds it in. She knows what it’s like to be in ‘T's’ hooves - wings don’t come naturally to horses, especially when they aren’t born with them. Her first attempts at flying with wings hadn’t been pretty. Still aren’t pretty. She’s far better with using the winds. “Well, you’re off to a start, that’s somethin’. But what you’re missing is a running start. Or, at least that’s what I use to get going.”

She turns and backs up then, until her butt is rubbing against the foliage at the edge of the clearing. It’s not an overly large clearing. This is going to be a close one.

She shoots a quick grin at ‘T’ before starting. “Now, full warning - my flying ain’t pretty.” Then she starts to move, building up to a canter, then finally a gallop in mere seconds. Her wings flap, pushing against the air. Metres from the other side of the clearing, she leaps into the air, taking flight and nearly missing a kapok tree. Oops.

She flies around the clearing a few times, alternating between flapping and soaring. Then, finally, she comes to a running landing, ending up in front of ‘T.’ “It’s important to remember to run and flap. Really use your shoulder muscles to push down against the air. Oh, and a little jump to take off seems to help me.” She stretches out her wings, then tucks them back into her sides - the muscles are already feeling a little sore. It’d be great if she could get rid of the damn things yesterday.

She eyes the clearing around them, considering. “Might work if we start somewhere you have more space to run about.” Her eyes return to ‘T's’ face. “Any preferences on where?” Bloody hell she wishes she could remember the name. Titillate? No, NO, that’s not it. Torture? No, that’s definitely not it either. She huffs quietly. What the hell is wrong with her memory today?

Lyris

I’ll burn this whole city down