It's Okay to Be Nervous

Music: Good News for Kokari
"Hey, Dad, where are we going?"

The older wolf smiled. "Ali, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you where."

...

Strong winds whipped around the two winged wolves as they stood on a rocky ledge, high up the mountain. The young wolf pressed her wings close to her body and crouched slightly, looking down at the trees below. To her they looked like tiny bunches of tangled grass. 
Seeing his daughter shaking slightly, her father smiled warmly down at her. 

"It's okay to be nervous. Your wings have grown strong, and you can do this."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." His daughter relaxed at his encouraging words, and he said, "I'll be here with you as you go. Let's leap off on three."

His young daughter opened her wings and smiled as she prepared to jump off the ledge with her father, confidence rushing through her.

"One... Two... Three!"

....

This is a just-because gift for of the pup version of her character Alari and her father, Alayis (my character). There are three scarlet macaw tail feathers on Alayis's head, held in place with a bit of pine pitch glue. These two wolves are among the Sky Paws, or the winged wolves. These wolves typically live high in the mountains, higher than most Land Paws could ever hope to reach, but they are sometimes seen soaring high in the clouds. Many legends have sprung up among the Land Paws about them, some hailing them as the only to directly stand up to the humans. 

Once a Sky Paw masters the high mountain wind, they receive feathers that indicate their graduation, Alayis's being scarlet macaw tail feathers. Here, Alari has yet to do that, so she has the parakeet feathers of a learning pup behind her ear. Later, she will receive a peacock feather from her father. 

Just thought I'd add a bit of history and culture to the wolves here. Hope you like it, Alari!