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Peninnah is now five, and her wingspan should be sufficient to carry her aloft; she's just having a little trouble with the necessary coordination. Isabella has worked with her, and so has Rinnah, but Peninnah is impatient and has given up on both of them in favor of asking Damaris for help, on the poorly articulated theory that Damaris, at age thirteen, is closer to Peninnah's own size and might make more sense.
carillons
Damaris is happy to help! Or at least happy to try. Definitely happy to demonstrate proper takeoff technique.
campanas
Peninnah watches her intently. She tries. She does not get off the ground. "I dunno what I do wrong!" she exclaims.
carillons
Damaris tries to get it wrong the same way.
She succeeds in not leaving the ground.
She tries it the right way again, circles, then lands.
She succeeds in not leaving the ground.
She tries it the right way again, circles, then lands.
carillons
"I'm not sure," she admits.
She tries again. Wrong way: no liftoff. Right way: liftoff!
She tries again. Wrong way: no liftoff. Right way: liftoff!
campanas
"Dars, I already know you can fly and not fly whenever," complains Peninnah.
carillons
"I'm trying to figure out what the difference is!" she says. "You can try too, watch my wings!"
carillons
There is a difference in how she uses them, when she's taking off and when she's staying on the ground. It's hard to describe, but it's there.
campanas
Peninnah adjusts as best she can, and jogs and flaps. She gets a little lift, but doesn't get much of anywhere. This doesn't stop her from being excited about it.
campanas
Peninnah tries, gets aloft, and completely fails to correct for no longer wanting to ascend; she starts spiraling up and up and up.
campanas
Peninnah is initially very nervous about the concept of holding her wings still in order to accomplish anything in midair, but eventually she manages it, promptly loses too much altitude and has to flap wildly, and tries again to somewhat better effect.
campanas
Flap flap flap! Eventually Peninnah is making circles around the Eyrie. She even has updrafts figured out a little, from being carried in Mommy's arms.
Then:
"Dars, I dunno how to land."
Then:
"Dars, I dunno how to land."
carillons
"Glide slowly down to a terrace," says Damaris. "Watch, I'll show you."
She demonstrates an easy, safe landing.
She demonstrates an easy, safe landing.
campanas
Peninnah glides, and realizes at the last minute she's going to overshoot and crash into a wall, and brakes, and falls to the ground from four feet up and five away from the wall - she runs a few steps to keep her footing and smacks, mercifully hands-first, into said wall.
campanas
"I can!" And Peninnah has two more false starts, successfully takes off, and begins trying swooping sorts of tricks that are a bit too advanced for her and having to correct her course a lot.