"I'll show you," Amanda said with a smile. "First, we wait while Sandy turns back in to his alter ego..."
After waiting for any questions – there were none – he did just that, kneeling down so the two women could climb on. Amanda helped Domenica settle just behind Sandy's wings. "It'll feel strange, since he's big, even for a horse, and very wide. You'll feel every wingbeat, but it's soothing and rhythmic. Lean forward a bit. OK, now get a couple of fistfuls of Sandy's mane."
Her instructions were broken by Sandy turning his head to give Domenica a pained glance. Amanda fell silent for a moment, then went on. "Remember, you are pulling his hair, so try not to pull too hard. But don't worry about pulling it out. I don't think mortals can do that." With that, she climbed onto Sandy's back behind Domenica, and he stepped forward into the abyss. He stood there, unfalling, and with another nod and glance to Domenica, indicated that he was in complete control of his motion. Then he spread his great wings and began another circling glide.
Domenica nodded at almost every few words that came to her ears from Amanda. While she sometimes gave her a few glances that had a little more of her narrowed eyes than her usual glances had, the Filipina waited for Sandy to kneel down so she could climb on. She took Amanda's help at getting on, but hesitated to grab some of Sandy's hair upon seeing his pained glance. She was quiet for a while then she said, "Okay. I got it, thanks." Then soon enough, she took some of his hair, holding on firmly but not too firmly, closing her eyes as Sandy stepped forward into the abyss. She pressed her face into him a little and just held on until she felt the wings and the gliding. She opened her eyes, a silent gasp overcoming her.
And along the way, she seemed to hold firm, not on Sandy's hair, but on herself. She looked around, not looking like she could faint, but with what seemed like excitement for what was to be seen. And when they finally got down...
Sandy started to kneel down so Domenica and Amanda could get off, but one of his ears abruptly turned, and he looked in its direction, rearing up a bit to get a better view, though not so much that the women would fall from his back. He saw an immense figure in the distance, slowly walking towards them on the path. The figure towered over the wall, and even far off, looked like it had many heads and more arms. The heads seemed to be looking over the wall.
Domenica was about to get off, but quickly steadied herself again on him, hands still holding some of his hair. She looked at the figure as it walked toward them. She said no word. And when it was okay again to try getting down, she did so, looking around, patting over her clothes and her bag so she could get her writing instruments and a pad of paper.
And as Sandy and Amanda spoke again, she turned to them quickly. "So do we try and talk to the warden? Or do we do something else?"