It was really starting to look like Sparky wanted to stop flying and land, and Toby sooooooooooo badly wanted to let him. But he also knew that this sort of flagging during the flying was probably totally normal, and Thompson wouldn't have set out fifteen whole hoops if he didn't think the little creatures could handle it.

"C'mon, boy. Just a few more to go, and then you can rest. Incendio!" Toby cast the fire spell towards the dragon's underbelly again, to encourage him to stay up and keep flying, and Sparky seemed to get something of a second wind, his confidence bolstered. "That's it! Atta dragon! This way!"

Toby didn't need to cast 'Incendio' again this time, because Sparky changed course on his own, leaning and veering towards the next shiny silver hoop. Toby beamed with pride and trotted alongside him as he soared straight through it, then suddenly picked up the pace, ROCKETING through the next two.

"Hey, you're getting the hang of this!" GO SPARKY! WOOOOOOOO!

They - or rather Sparky - had gone through NINE hoops now, which meant only SIX more until they were done.