Short one today, sorry! Thanks for topping!

Day Two, Part Two

The CBers finished eating and jumped up, eager for a distraction. Queen Agabba waited a second then started to talk loudly, instructing them to get dressed in the clothes that would be on their beds. 

The guests changed into thick boots, cotton T-shirts, heavy-duty jeans and jackets.
Queen Agabba gave them all a coil of rope and a backpack, then opened the doors.

Soon they all filed outside, following Queen Agabba. She led them through the gravel courtyard, then past the garden and the oak tree, which everyone avoided looking at. 

At the base of the cliffs, the CBers stopped to gather their companions. Tomru was sniffling in his too-big jacket, staring at the ground unhappily.
“Alright, who’s ready to climb?” Queen Agabba asked, then thumped her staff on the thin grass and rose two feet in the air. The guests cheered slightly, then found the marked rocks and began to study the cliffs. Queen Agabba conjured grappling hooks on the ends of everyone’s ropes. Emekittycon K started by swinging her rope in circles then throwing it up, up, up- the hook latched onto a boulder. Em gave a tug to make sure it was steady and then placed a foot against the rock, leaning back and gripping her rope tightly. NoOneKnows had ditched her rope and was wedging her foot into a crack, grabbing a small rock and hoisting herself up. Zahava Shira was a fast climber- she had scrambled halfway up the rock and was trying to figure out her next move. Alex had her foot in between two rocks and was gripping her rope tightly, knuckles white.
Arithmancy had found a ledge and scrambled up on it, her rope dangling loosely by her side. Abcde was next to Shaow, the two AEs cautiously moving up the cliff. PygmyOwl was gripping a rock that was rather loose, her face clearly panicked as it shifted under her hand. Dolphin, on the far side, was quickly scrambling up a series of boulders sticking out like shelves, grinning wildly as the wind whipped through her hair. Strawberri had found a small section that sloped upwards and she was adventurously hanging from a ledge. Luminescence was currently clinging to the middle section of the cliff, wondering how she got there. Kiwi was perched on her head, and as Queen Agabba watched, the little sugar glider jumped onto a boulder sticking out like a beach ball in the sand (if that makes any sense). Blaze, having no way to climb, was trotting around at the base of the cliff, snorting impatiently. Then Zahava bounded over, her pink tongue smearing slobber over Blaze’s fish tail. She seemed to say, ‘Cmon!’ as she ran off, then back, her tail wagging. Blaze followed. The two wound around the side of the cliff, past Dolphin, then Zahava disappeared.
A little face poked out from behind a rock, Zahava’s dark eyes squinting at Blaze, who was just staring. Zahava barked, then disappeared again. If Blaze was human, she would’ve shrugged. Then she followed Zahava behind the rock, where there was a small, sloping path lined with scraggly grass. The two trotted up the cliff, reaching the top just in time to hear the scream.
Down below, PygmyOwl was falling, falling, falling, her screams getting tossed around in the wind as she hurtled downward. Abcde tried to reach for her CBer and almost fell herself-but suddenly the wind stopped. The air was still. And PygmyOwl was no longer falling.
Instead, she was floating on a patch of condensed air, the last tendrils of wind supporting her. Pygmy looked so surprised it was slightly comical.

Queen Agabba rushed over, Pygmy floating ten feet above her.
“What happened?” she shouted, and Pygmy responded;

“I-I don't know, I just thought about wind catching me for some reason and-and it did…” The other CBers grabbed their companions and rushed over, having left the cliffs to see what was happening. Pygmy closed her eyes and concentrated- then she was floating downwards slowly, but suddenly, she lost control and fell. Luckily, she was only half a foot above the ground and Queen Agabba stopped her fall with a pile of gravel. Pygmy clambered off the pile and ran over to Abcde, who was clutching to Shaow’s hand so tightly her knuckles were white.
“A-are you okay?” Pygmy answered her AE’s question with a nod, smiling shakily.
“Good- also I wanna fly. How come you get to fly and I don't?” Abcde demanded, wanting to stomp her foot but deciding against it- Shaow was still next to her.
“I dunno.” Pygmy said. Then she felt a tug on her hand and looked down- Tomru was looking up at her, his eyes big.
“=Cannn Iflyy?=” they asked softly, and Pygmy smiled. How could she resist? 

Five minutes later Tomru was squealing loudly, holding tightly to Pygmy’s hand as she swooped over the CBers, staring up at her in awe. They couldn't see the wisps of wind flitting around Pygmy, they couldn't see the pocket of air she was secured in, but Queen Agabba could, and she was filled with joy-one of her guests had found their powers. And Queen Agabba knew that Pygmy was only the first- there was more magic to be found, and soon.

An hour later, the guests were staring out at the beautiful scenery stretching beneath them- a forest of birch trees, leaves fluttering slightly in the soft breeze. They were standing on the top of the cliff- well, most standing. Tomru was lying on their back, fox tail waving slightly as they dreamed of flying again. Pygmy had climbed halfway then started to fly, practicing her control. 

They all were so so so so so so tired, but the view was worth the climb. Queen Agabba was studying the guests, watching for telltale signs of magic. She saw a flicker of silver wind around one of them and smiled. 

The guests decided to go back down, but found it hard to remove themselves from the view. Finally, Alex yawned, signaling the end of activities. PygmyOwl flew down with Abcde and Shaow, then came back up and took Tomru and Zahava. After supporting two teenagers, one toddler, and a dog, she was exhausted and let the rest climb down. Alex stayed back to catch the view for a while, watching the setting sun paint the sky pink and orange. 

She should have headed down. 

The murderer raised their dagger and looked away as it plunged into Alex’s back. She slumped to the floor, bloody but still alive, and started to shout. The murderer, wanting to keep shadowy, kicked Alex off the cliff. Two down, thirteen to go… 

-=-

get ready for more ski-lodgey stuff! hahaha

PygmyOwl you'r notebook will be included next part, thanks for posting it!