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WHO: Kain and ANYONE
WHAT: Just one prompt this time. The next stage in the griffon-riding training: actual flyiiiing!!
WHEN: Now, anytime in the month of Drakonis
WHERE: Skyhold, in the air, wherever they land (leaving that part open and up to the responders!)
NOTES: No warnings!

This is it. Kain has been taking all of Maja's advice to heart, when it comes to preparing for griffon-riding. He's been coming by daily to feed and groom Potato and just spend time bonding with her in general. Between him and Inessa, this is becoming one spoiled griffon. He's gotten a lot of trust from Potato over the past few weeks, and learned to trust her in return. Now it's time to start training in the air.

Kain mounts Potato with ease, getting comfortably settled on her. He feels much like a Warden of old when upon her like this, and he straightens with a touch of pride in his posture.

"All right, Potato... let's go!"

Up and away they fly! This is strictly for training purposes, of course, the same as he would do with any mount. But whenever he ascends skyward, Kain breaks out into a rare grin. Yes, this... this is where he belongs. Where he's always wanted to be all along, soaring through the air, wind in his face, with the ground so far below. Anyone observing from the ground will notice them circling through the air, practicing various maneuvers. After a while, they come back down to take a break somewhere in the area surrounding Skyhold... (or maybe even occasionally to perch on one of the taller towers).

Where will she land? Anywhere a griffon can go! Sometimes, it's a bit of a surprise landing, coming down right next to someone very suddenly. Sometimes, Potato catches a small animal on the run, swooping in to snatch it with her talons. Maybe she even comes in to slash at an enemy of some kind, helping someone in a fight. Anything is possible!

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Inessa is heading up the path to Skyhold alone, intent on some alone-time while Garahel hangs out with Ciri. She just needs a book and some tea to recharge, hopefully returning to a dog that hasn't decided to roll around in something awful. At least, that's the plan but hearing a griffon screech immediately gets her attention and she shades her eyes while glancing up. Is that...Potato?

One moment he had been taking a pleasant walk in the snow, the next he had his bandana snatched from the top of his head by dexterous talons. Needless to say, if there is one way for someone to be completely unimpressed with a griffon, that would do it. Now all the world would know his terrible secret; he wore the head scarf because he literally could not be arsed to do anything with his hair aside from hastily pin it up. The horror.

Still, he couldn't deny the creature had some grace to it as it landed. And he recognized the occupant from that time in the cave.

Checking to make sure the giant bird hadn't made off with the jeweled hairpin as well, he approached.

"...Hello again."

As had been his habit since his return, the Doctor had been alone wandering the outside of Skyhold. The problem: he hadn't exactly been watching where he was going. He had been too caught up in his thoughts. He had known there was a new family of mountain lion type creatures close by, but hadn't noticed just how close he had come to their den.

That is, until he heard a rather low sounding snarl. He slowly turned round. And that's when he found himself nearly nose to nose with the mama. (Well, nose to nose, she was actually about 10 feet away. But it was still far too close for his liking.)

"There are very good solid scientific reasons for being really quite frightened just now."

He had said that in a similar situation, he briefly tried to remember where... Until the mama growled again.

"Right. Okay. Mountain lions. Running is no good. Climbing trees is no good. I'm stuck out here without my sonic or my TARDIS. I have no meat to give her, other than myself. My chances are one in a thousand but one is all you ever need."

Just then he heard the screech of a Griffon. He looked up. And laughed. Because, proof again that one chance is all you ever need. He just hadn't expected his one chance of an outside source to be a Griffon.

He couldn't quite see that Kain was riding the Griffon, but no matter. He called out in a series of screeches, hoping his dialect was close enough for the creature to understand.

"If you've got the time, a little help would be nice...."

Kain is still reveling in the sensation of being off the ground, wheeling through the air. They can't help but show off a little before Potato suddenly gets excited about something and just as fast, she's switching course. Down they go, descending rapidly toward someone below...

"Inessa!" He calls out to her, just as Potato screeches in excitement. "No laps," Kain adds hastily, knowing well her little habit, but at least she seems to understand that plowing over a friend from above is probably not the best idea. Together, Potato and Kain come in for a landing. Potato, of course, rubs her head gently against Inessa. "We were just practicing... did you see us up there? It... it's incredible..."

Kain breaks out into a brief smile. His hair is all windblown, and he looks to be in brighter spirits than ever before.

It all happens so fast, much too quick for Kain to do much about it. At least Potato is coordinated enough not to hurt the man, he can give her that much credit. They're highly clever creatures, even if they're... a bit too mischievous for their own good sometimes.

Once they've landed, Kain glances over, wanting to be absolutely certain she did no damage. Looks ok, though, from what he can see. "So we meet again... and I believe I have something of yours to give you yet again?"

Kain pats the griffon. "Give him back his bandana, Potato." She screeches in protest at first, and he sighs. "Remember what we've talked about... if it's not yours, you can't just take it. It's not food, anyway." Ah, well, that at least seems to do it, and she lets it drop from her talons. Kain returns his gaze to the Medicine Seller. "My apologies for this."

From above, Kain had caught sight of someone struggling with a large animal below. It was hard to make out clearly from afar, but Potato already seemed attuned to whatever was happening down there. Perhaps it was her excellent sight and griffon-senses? Or maybe she'd heard something... Whatever the case, her attention is now fully focused below them.

"Are you ready to test your skills, Potato? Let's go!"

The closer they get, the more he sees what's going on. Looks like the Doctor can definitely use his help... that lion is ready to strike at any moment. "Go... attack!" Kain guides her much as he would a ground-mount, but he's pleased to find that she doesn't really need a whole lot of direction. The griffon soars downward to strike fiercely at the lion with her large, sharp talons.

The Doctor heard Kain's command saw the Griffon diving in and he rolled to get as much out of the way as he possibly could. But, the lioness was just protecting her children. So, the Doctor screeched out his own command.

"Don't hurt her. She has cubs."

He really hoped the Griffon understood that one. But just in case, he repeated it in the basic language for this place, so that Kain would understand if Potato - for now that the Griffon was close enough, he could tell it was Potato - didn't obey him.

With that, he continued to roll further out of the way, trying to ensure that the Griffon would end up between himself and the lioness.

And then he waited. He really hoped the Griffon wouldn't harm the lion. After all, she was just doing what any mama would do if she thought her younglings were under attack. It wasn't her fault the Doctor had wandered too close, she was just doing what nature dictated. And if the cubs ended up mummy-less, well, the Doctor would feel rather guilty about that.

Aw, Potato. Inessa happily rubs that head back, a little surprised when Potato doesn't try to claim her lap right then and there, but not ungrateful. She'd rather not be squished into the snow, after all. Looking over at Kain, Inessa pauses to notice the the effect flight has had on him. Seeing the normally solemn Reaver in such high spirits is infectious and she smiles back at him warmly.

"I did see, at least after that screech. Thank you for alerting me, Potato." They so need to nail down an actual dignified name for her, but that's a discussion that can wait. "Might I join you for said practicing? There's nothing I was planning that cannot wait."

"Oh... Maker's ass..." Kain grumbles under his breath, when he hears the Doctor call out about the cubs. He'd not seen them, of course, from his vantage in the air, and had only seen danger happening to one of their own. "Potato! Hold off!"

But he didn't need to say much, because again the griffon takes the hint. She definitely seems to have understood what the Doctor said, or so Kain is assuming. He leans just so, directing her with his motions as he shouts, "Just scare her off! No harm! Not a real foe!" Fortunately, the lion had been fast enough to avoid those initial swipes of her talons, or it might have gotten really bad. Potato dives down and screeches loudly, a fierce warning cry, before swooping back up, preparing to circle back down again. Their plan is just to make sure the creature is frightened off... and that the Doctor also doesn't get clawed, either.

Potato screeches happily, lifting her head in the air with excitement. She definitely seems to be eager to get back up there and spread her wings again, as she eyes her two companions closely. As for Kain, he also nods. It's purely a practical reason, of course, absolutely, they need to train to get a feeling for what it'll be like if they're in the air together. So he tells himself. He's also just really excited to have her up there with him.

"I'd love that. We would. Come on up, there's plenty of room. It's amazing how intuitive it becomes after a while... flying together... and how incredible. It's incredible. Ah, I guess I already said that." He's rambling, he's just in such high spirits, and eager to share his source of excitement with Inessa.

Honestly, it was the Doctor's thought too, only without the language. He stayed still and where he was. He waited until the lioness ran away and Potato landed. And now he had to act. Too many people had seen him get shot with that arrow, so he had to act like the encounter and his reactions to it had hurt the now-healed wound.

He rotated the shoulder a few times as he approached.

"Thanks. That was... the best timing."

He gave the Griffon a few pets and sent thoughts of thanks to the creature.

"Apparently the Dialect is close enough. Or did you hear me from way up there?"

That uncharaceristic rambling prompts a soft laugh from Inessa. "You sounded just like Your Trainer for a moment there. 'It is incredible.' But I won't just take your word for it; I want to experience this for myself. If I could have a hand up, please?"

With Potato as excited as she is, Inessa's not going to trust her to remain as still as a very slight elf will need in order to climb aboard.

Potato. No wonder the poor creature was acting out and snatching bandanas from innocent peddlers of medicine. She was called Potato. A tragedy.

"Not at all. Thank you."

He gave a brief bow, though whether it was directed at Kain or Potato was hard to say.

"Perhaps some scent got into it that she is drawn to."

He did work with a variety of herbs - perhaps there was something there that attracted griffons like catnip did to cats.

Or maybe the griffon just had a streak of mischief. He could relate.

"She is splendid. A griffon, yes?"

As they land, Kain glances over to watch the lion and her cubs flee the area. It's definitely not something one sees every day, one of the vicious predators running scared like that. He nods as he focuses back on the Doctor.

"You're welcome... I'm glad we happened to be out here too. We were just practicing some aerial maneuvers, when we saw you... and heard you once we were low enough."

Potato screeches to accept his thanks as well, one of her more enthusiastic-sounding screeches, Kain is sure. It seems like she's responded pretty well to the Doctor. "She likes you. Be careful now that you're getting friendly, she has a habit for trying to be a lap-griffon." He pats her fondly.

He feels so excited, so elated like never before... he's still up in the clouds. Right now all that matters is sharing his happiest moment with her. Potato has picked up on his enthusiasm for sure, and there's nothing more she'd love than taking her favorite people back up there together.

"It's something that must be experienced... come on." Kain moves to offer her that hand, ready to pull her up to join him on the griffon's back. Potato lazily flitters her wings, like an impatient child waiting to return to playing.

It is a tragedy, Kain would be the first to agree. But while he's been trying to use other names, ones that are far more dignified and fierce... none of them are sticking. She doesn't respond to anything but the name she'd unfortunately been given. And it's not a good idea to mess up her name while airborne.

"Perhaps so... who knows what might draw their attention?" He's still learning about their real behaviors himself. It's one thing to read all about them from Wardens gone by, quite another to have a real live one on hand. Kain nods. "She's one of the several griffons we have here. They're all magnificent, though... I've grown most attached to her. I'm lucky she's granted me the honor of flying upon her in turn. Have you ever seen griffons before? On your world?"

The Doctor smiled at Potato's reaction. "She's still young, wouldn't really expect anything else. But I'm glad someone likes me."

He hadn't really made many friends before being sent to the future. And he felt he had even fewer upon his return. That's what was nice about animals. They really didn't care and didn't change.

"I'm sorry I don't have anything for you, Potato. If I had, I wouldn't have needed your help. But, when we get back I'll bring a treat for you."

Oh wait. There's a human here too. Oops.

"How have you been Kain? It feels like months since I've seen you."

Which, to be fair, for the Doctor it had been, or at least felt like it had been that long.

At least Inessa is rather light, so it doesn't take much effort to hoist her up. She strokes Potato immediately afterward, offering reassurance. "Don't worry, I won't keep you from the skies. We need this as much as you do."

They need the practice, after all. Then she nods to Kain after settling in, holding onto him firmly. "I'm ready. Let us not keep her waiting!"

"Not in person," the Medicine Seller said, tying his bandana back into place.

"I have seen etchings, however."

He extended a hand for Potatoe's inspection. If griffons existed in his world (and he saw no reason why the shouldn't) then they must live somewhere off in Europe.

"They do not do you justice, Potatoe."

"Has it really been so long?" Kain says it flippantly, knowing it can't have been longer than a couple weeks or so. Still, there's always a lot of ways to keep occupied around here. That, and being in a whole other world entirely must make time go by more slowly. It must feel so disorienting.

He looks calm for the time being, even in bright spirits. It's not typical for him, but this has been a good month overall. "I've been very well. Mostly, I've been busy grooming and training Potato. Since I first noticed she took to me, I wanted to spend as much time with her... so we could get into the air. I've looked forward to this for as long as I remember. And you? Have you been well?"

"Hold on tight. It's a little... surprising, the first time it happens. But you get used to it." He grins again, unable to stop himself. "You never get used to being up there, the ground so far below, and... Here, let's try it. You'll see. My words can't do this justice."

So he adjusts, makes sure Inessa seems to be securely settled in, then all his focus is on Potato. "All right, Potato... we're ready... let's go!"

She doesn't need any more prompting than that. Waving her wings, she gives a loud screech, then lifts off from the ground. Powerful wingstrokes carry them up, up, far into the air... Kain feels that same thrill as always whenever he ascends, his blond hair whipping back in the wind.

Potato gives a screech that Kain has gotten to understand as a greeting of sorts, before she leans in to nudge her head toward the Medicine Seller's hand.

"I'm sure they wouldn't.... The images and tales that we've always had also don't truly show off their full majesty. I feel fortunate to be around for their reappearance." Kain pets her side from where he is, definitely feeling a lot of pride in his favorite griffon right now. "She's even more incredible in the air... and, as you can see, quite clever. I only wish I'd been able to choose her name."

But, well, such was the case for the whole crew of griffons and their (mostly) silly set of names.

"No, it hasn't actually been that long. A couple of weeks. But since I'm better at making friends with animals than people, things always feel longer to me."

Lies. But he's not going to get into his time away, if he can help it.

"Well, it would seem your efforts have paid off." He spoke as he nodded to the creature. Clearly, they were a special pair.

"Me? Oh, same a ever."

Which isn't saying much, considering how his life rolls.

For a moment, all Inessa can see is that stream of blond hair just above her. Perhaps she'll get him to tie it back for next time, but at least she's just short enough so that it's not right in her face. That's good enough for now, leaving her to focus on the unfamiliar feeling of flight.

Oddly enough, seeing how small everything is from above doesn't trigger that sense of dread as much as the initial take-off did. Her stomach dropped, and she suspects that if Kain wasn't wearing armor, she'd have left marks from holding him so tight. But once Potato levels out and soars with the wind, Inessa's nerves begin to calm and she can relax enough to enjoy the view of the landscape below them.

Kain nods, definitely understanding that answer, figuring it must be a strange thing to be here and experiencing all of this. He looks over toward Potato with a sense of pride. She may not be 'owned' by him, the griffons are far beyond being mere pets... but she's special to him anyway. "I'm glad to hear that... she is, as well. We have a lot of training ahead, but she's proving herself very capable. She has coordination unlike any flying creature I've seen."

"Then it seems you're adjusting well to life in Thedas? That's good..." Though from the sound of it, he's pretty sure this man is used to traveling into all kinds of strange situations.

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Hope this works, but let me know if not...

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it most definitely works for me!!

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