Flying

[start_a_rumpus]

Max feels pretty sure that he's supposed to still be scared after Halloween, and he wouldn't tell Bill or another grown-up because he'd probably get into trouble, but it was kind of awesome. There was this giant toy clown and it was totally scary and it was totally going to eat him but then Wolf came and he was like a super hero. He was like Jason

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[hereand_now]

Wolf is sometimes scared, still, but not for himself. For the other people on the island, people who might get hurt if he's not around. Sometimes he's scared for Zoe and for Matthew and Cassie. Sometimes he's scared for Max, but not right now, not when Max jumps right onto his back and Wolf laughs.

"Max is jumping on Wolf, right here and now!" he says happily, then spins in a circle, hoping Max has a good hold around his neck and won't fall off. "How come you're jumping on Wolf?"

[start_a_rumpus]

"Because you're a dragon and now your under my control and you have to take me to the village!" Max exclaims, burying his face against Wolf's big back as he grins. He's never, ever had big kids that liked to play like he does.

[hereand_now]

Wolf loves to play and so he's happy to be Max's dragon. Hunching over a little so that Max can ride right on top of him, horseyback, he roars like he thinks dragons must roar. It's a loud sound, even now when he isn't a real Wolf and as he starts to run in the direction of the beach, there's a satisfied grin on his face. Even here he can be loud sometimes.

"Is the village this way?" he asks, running effortlessly through trees until he reaches the boardwalk.

[start_a_rumpus]

Max lets out a roar of his own with Wolf's and tightens his arm around his neck.

"Yes!" he whoops. "It's there and it's being attacked and we have to battle the other dragons. I have to jump on them, too!"

[hereand_now]

"I bet the other dragons are even bigger than me!" Wolf says as he runs. It's all imaginary, he knows that, but he doesn't mind. Imaginary adventure is sometimes better than real adventure, because then no one gets hurt for real. No one bleeds or gets hurt or dies and Wolf likes that very much.

"I see the village!" he says as a small row of huts comes into view.

[start_a_rumpus]

"You're right! It's right there!" he cries, pointing to the second hut. "Circle the house and I'll jump off and kill it! But we've got to time it just right, okay?"

[hereand_now]

Wolf does as he's told and circles the hut at a run. He doesn't know if Max is really going to jump off him, but he knows he won't be surprised if it happens. That's why Wolf likes Max so much, he's unpredictable and fun.

"Get it!" he shouts, laughing.

[start_a_rumpus]

Max can see the silver belly of the dragon as it swoops low; he has to time this exactly perfect.

"Here I go!" he shrieks, leaping off Wolf's back. The force of the turn sends him flying but he misses the building, landing in a grassy spot and finally rolling to a stop. "I did it!" he yells, laughing as he stares up through the canopy of trees.

[hereand_now]

"You did it!" Wolf echoes, then throws his head back and dances in the clearing besides the hut. He doesn't dance the way Shari taught him, but with complete abandonment, his arms flailing.

"You got the dragon, you sure did, right here and now!" he shouts.

[start_a_rumpus]

"I know!" he shrieks, pushing up and around onto his belly with a laugh. "That was awesome. I bet you could jump really high, huh? Like as high as a building."

[hereand_now]

"Not anymore," Wolf says, but he's trying not to be sad about it. Jack told him that sometimes things change and sometimes it's sad at first, but mostly it's for the best. "But I used! I could jump so high and run so fast!"