a race along the wall

The horse seemed friendly enough and Zephyr expected that this was just a feature of their kind. Wolves were protective and fierce and crafty, birds were curious and playful and longing for adventure and fun, and horses were nice. That made sense. He continued to observe the thing as he spoke, tilting his head and vulture-like neck this way and back as he watched the horse's mane blow in the wind and his nostrils widen twice their size each time he gave a snort. Curious beasts, but Zephyr decided he liked them.

Balian had accepted his challenge and Zephyr was eager to get on with it. He didn't quite like being called 'bird' but then again, he did call the horse Horse, so fair was fair. After the fight, they could have their introductions proper-like. "I'm ready!" He called out, scrambling up the highest point of the crumbling wall once more so he could have a place to jump from and take flight. Out toward the east there were few obstacles, mostly flat cold land and tundra. Ice and snow, with the sparsest peeking of grass beneath. Would the horse slip and hurt himself while running? Zephyr glanced down at the powerful hooves as the horse stamped the ground, watching how the ice seemed to cleave beneath his feet. Nah, he'd be fine.

As the race was called, Zephyr took off. He extended his massive wings and jumped from the wall, catching the air and beginning a hard flapping flight overhead. Beating hard against the cold icy wind, he fought for the lead, eyes fixated upon the water in the distance and already calculating at what point he could turn and lose as little time as possible on his way back to the wall without cheating and cutting corners.