Aeroud's Descent

    He could hear everything, but dare not open his eyes, not in the Realm of the Wind's Breath. Gusts blew about Aeroud as he fell. He was pelted by debris constantly, but he had to keep his eyes shielded; opening them was an invitation for certain blindness.
    The gusts kept his downward velocity low, but once he exited the whirlwind, Aeroud had little time to find his bearings, and a Gnearond to cling to, to slow his fall the rest of the way.
    Through the many micro-collisions, he shielded his eyes and kept spatially vigilant for the exit.
    Falling. . .
    Whirling. . .
    Still falling. . .
    There!
    Aeroud opened his eyes and glanced all around. He was upside down. Need to right myself. He tucked and used his angular momentum to flip right-side up.
    The ground!
    Impact was moments away. Have to look around. Have to find a Gnearond.
    There!
    Aeroud spread his body as wide as he could slowing himself as much as possible and angled himself toward his right where he spotted a Gnearond. Just in time he caught the tail of the animal and in reaction its entire body puffed up, increasing its buoyancy.  Its fur unraveled and stuck straight out further increasing its air resistance.
    Aeroud held tightly but his downward momentum was great. His hand was slipping. His hand clenched. He didn't travel this far to die falling from the sky!
    Ground.

    His feet touched the ground, and he gradually let it take his full weight.
    Oh, thank goodness.  "Thank you, buddy," Aeroud said to the Gnearond as he let go of the mangled tail of the poor creature. It started floating back up, and when it sensed the commotion was over, it began releasing all the air through its lips, flying around uncontrollably with a comical buzzing.
    Aeroud chuckled, then turned to the North. Now the real journey begins.