"Then let us raise our banners and find you a steed."

"A wolf?"

"If you'd like. There are other options, of course - stags, great cats, and a lucky few have convinced dragons to bear them..."

"I don't think I'm a wolf person."

"You strike me as a cat person, truly. Or someone who would rather learn to fly."

"How perceptive of you."

"I'm not sure we have any cats going spare... You could ride with me for a time, or I could explain flight now, as best I can?"

"Explain flight, how about?"

"It's hard, as far as most are concerned, but I think you'll get it - it's rather like any other Heartful magic. You must care very, very deeply. Except to fly, you must continue to care."

"Either that, or turn yourself into something natively capable of flight. People vary in which they find harder."

Shade prefers not to mess with self-transformation. She also does not want to share a ride with this fairy who was trying to kill her five minutes ago. She wants to fly.

She'll be able to get a light, floating feeling, like gravity just blinked in shock, but her feet won't leave the ground quite yet.

Yeah, keep your eyes shut, gravity. She's leaving you behind.

This fortunately seems to be a 'very reluctantly rise' type of experimental flying than a 'rocket upwards.'

Once she gets her feet off the ground, it turns out to be rather challenging to balance.

That is not how she desires this to work.

She'll be able to, with enough concentration and stubbornness, maintain a pleasant float!

Good.

She might not be much for conversation until she really gets the hang of this.

The Yew Queen will climb back onto her faithful wolf, who pads along at a speed Shade can keep up with, until then.

How considerate of her.

Maybe she will get a cat.

The Yew Queen just laughs.

Yeah, whatever.

"You're flying very well!" she says, cheerfully. "Do you want to try getting somewhere clear, and racing?"

"Not really."

"Aw. It'd be good practice, but I suppose you can do that on your own time..."

Shade really, really doesn't understand this woman.

She stretches out over the neck of her wolf, tangling her hand in the thick fur. "Do you have any questions of me?" she asks.