As soon as Ivan took flight with me hanging off his back, a tiny furry creature with long claws flew after us. At first, I thought it was a bird, and I turned my head back to look at it more closely, when it opened its mouth and it let out a wail that was a cross between a child's cry and a wolf's howl.
My ears complained instantly, and I tried to cover them with my hands, but I risked letting go of Ivan and falling down to my death. There was nothing but woods underneath us, as far as I could see, because it was dark out. But I felt that if I didn't cover my ears, I was going to die or permanently lose my hearing.
I let go of Ivan's neck and I covered my ears with my hands.
And suddenly I was falling downwards off of Ivan's back, but at least the pain in my ears had subdued.
“Nevena!"
