Heading after the child had kind of seemed like a bad idea, but not as much as staying to meet those soldiers, especially with Julien a ways from at his best. He interprets the sudden white and lack of ground as falling and spreads his wings automatically. "Aaron?"

It hits that he's not registering any moving air. Not... falling? His friend is there. There doesn't... he's not flying, but he moves his body like he is, or like he's underwater, trying to get closer.