From the plains far beyond the mountains comes one of our more unusual students, a jovial, ever laughing gryphon-kin named Frida. In truth, for I must be truthful in these accounts, she is not the best flier – adept, but not quite brave enough to really tackle the more complex tricks.

Nevertheless, she has enjoyed the experience here and has grown to be more of an assistant to the Masters than a student. She speaks several languages, too, and often helps translate for some of the students who are, like her, far from home.

When this year comes to an end, we will be asking her if she would like to stay at the academy for a while, to perhaps learn how to be a teacher herself. Flight is not all we teach at the academy, though that is how it earned its fame; she is an excellent fish catcher and can spot a rabbit in the grass from her steady flight among the clouds, and build the most secretive of nests. All vital skills that no fancy flip or dive can replace.