Alex's screams were lost on the winds and at the last possible moment, Ashton pulled up, correcting their dive and skimming the water with his wingtips and Alex's feet as he shot across its surface, whipping up a spray in his wake. He rumbled with amusement and curved his body like a wind snake that gained altitude again, only to continue to curve until he performed a backwards air somersault that made them hang in the air for a suspended moment before gravity pulled them again.
Ashton leveled out and trumpeted out a brassy sound, startling some night time scavengers that were investigating a picnic area on the shore for snacks left behind by humans.
The dragon doubled his speed and soon they were over the ground again, skimming rocks and an occasional tall tree until he'd arrived at his cliffs again where he took a sharp turn upwards with his human burden and crested the ledge. Only there did he come to land, rear claws digging for purchase and scratching marks as he settled, wings beating, and easing Alex down to the rocks. He preened and sat proudly, satisfied that he'd taught the human his lesson.