Chap. 268 Joy ride

“I saw part of your presentation yesterday, K’ndar,” Elene, Landing’s Chief Librarian said. “It was so very interesting. What was the rain forest like?”

She’d joined him for breakfast in the dining hall.

“Thank you, ma’am, but I didn’t think it was that good. I was so nervous.”

She laughed. It was such a gentle sound. He was immediately reminded of Hazel, the woman who’d served as his guide at Singing Waters Hold.

“I don’t believe it, but if you did, you hid it well” she said, “I thought you made a very solid case for your name for that animal.”

“Do you know what they chose?”

“Yes. Your scientific name was chosen by the majority of the group. However, oh, I shouldn’t gossip, but after everyone else had left, Fleming cornered Raylan in his office. He argued quite loudly for his submission. Despite the pressure, Raylan held fast. “Moschusaur arboreal” is the Latin name, and Nangela’s ‘musk lizard’ was chosen for the common name. There were some silly ones, mind you. Spotted pig killer’’ was one.”

“Spotted. Pig. Killer,” he repeated, not having any doubts who’d submitted it.

“Aye.”

“Fleming?”

She grinned, her eyes rolling.

“Not too imaginative, what?”

“On the contrary, VERY imaginative. But not at all scientific.”

He laughed. He’d never had a chance to just chat with the woman on a non-business basis. A few years ago, he thought, I’d never have taken the time.

“You’ve not turned in a notebook in a long time, K’ndar.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. You’re right. I’ve been so busy, I do have the roughs, my field notes are always messy, almost illegible even to me sometimes! I just don’t seem to have the time or the motivation to write up a neat copy for you. That, and Raylan, and Jansen beat me up regularly to put my data into the database, rather than just a notebook.”

She sighed. “I understand. They don’t realize that even rough drafts have significance for history and science. Redundancy, K’ndar, saves. Always have more than one or two copies of your data.”

“Yes, ma’am. That does make sense.”

Inwardly, he groaned. I should turn in neat notebooks, after all, she was the one who got me started with a couple of free ones. What a treasure they were, then, and now, almost forgotten-but still safe and sound on his bookshelf. How fast things are changing! I have so much to do! But I owe her. I can be forgiven, I seldom get a chance to just talk with her. I owe her something, I remember promising her something. What?

A memory surfaced, one from so very long ago, he’d forgotten it. He sent part of his brain trying to pin it down. D’nis and D’mitran were with him. Were they? I keep promises, somehow I let this one slip. What did I promise? I seldom get a chance to talk to her.

“Can you tell me more about the trees in the rain forest? I have never seen big ones.”

Suddenly, he remembered the day he’d paid for notebooks with the very first money he’d ever earned. He’d promised to take her out on Raventh to see the steppe.

I’d forgotten, completely, he thought. He wanted to slap his forehead.

“Ma’am, what seems two lifetimes ago, I remember you saying you wanted to see the steppe.”

Her eyes lit up.

“I do remember, K’ndar. It was the day you and D’nis and D’mitry? came to pick up equipment for your expedition surveying the steppe.”

Her memory was far better than his, he realized. That wasn’t so unusual, everyone her age had lived a long, long time with nothing more than hides to read and store data. Teaching songs never covered science. People memorized everything, from a recipe to the number of blocks on a ship’s rigging.

He had been trained to memorize from childhood, but now the memory muscles in his brain were slackening due to disuse. I just scribble in my notebooks now, and put data into an electronic thing. I don’t know where it goes after that. It’s not on my bookshelf, that’s for certain.

“D’mitran. Yes. I remember, now, and forgive me, but I promised you a trip to the steppe on my dragon. I said, “Just say the word.”

She smiled. Her heart beat a little faster. “Is today a good day for a word?”

He looked at his day’s schedule in his mind. Part of his daily work schedule was allotted solely to caring for Raventh. Partly to calm his nerves after yesterday’s symposium, he’d given Raventh a good grooming after a bath. So he had all morning.

Want to go flying?

With that nice person you’re talking to?

Yes.

Where?

“My lady, yes. I have the time. Where would you like to go first? Because I can take you several places. The steppe? It’s fairly dried up right now, but that’s the best way to see the wildlife. The rain forest? Woochick beach, if I can find out how the tides are?”

“Francie told me about Woochick Beach, but if I may, I think…oh, I feel like a little girl at Turnover, so many treats to choose from!”

This, again, is what a grandmother must be like, he thought. His grandparents had died long before he was born, he wasn’t sure how or from what. I know so little about my background, he thought, and people like Lord Dorn and his grandmother Hazel can probably trace their pedigree back hundreds of years.

“I think, I think, K’ndar, if it’s doable for someone my age, that I’d like to see the rain forest. I walk every day, K’ndar, and even work weights.”

“I have no doubt you do, ma’am. We’ll let you call the score, if it’s too much, why, we can always return, or perhaps, find an easier place.”

“Thank you. I will, if I get tired, I’ll say so.”

“Have you ever ridden on a dragon?”

She laughed. “If you can believe it, no. Not once. That’s another thing I would like to try.”

“It will be my and Raventh’s pleasure to take you on your maiden flight to the rainforest.” He smiled. “If you will, please meet me at the dragon meadow, with sturdy boots and a light jacket, because it gets cold between. I’m going to go sign out at Flight Ops and meet you there. 2001 Belior, that’s my address and it’s right by the dragon meadow.”

“Put my name down, please? I’ve never signed out at Flight Ops before, you know.”

Getting up, he smiled. This was going to be fun.

Francie was in Flight Ops, perusing the slate board with every dragonrider’s name on it.

His mind was busy with the coordinates.

Do you remember where the clearing was?

I do.

Doubt assailed him. Do I dare that narrow opening in the canopy?

I remember seeing a larger one further south. I shouldn’t have any trouble.

The only thing he could remember was “Rain Forest South of Rand’s clearing, Southern Hold”. He chalked it in after his name on the board, and added, Passenger: Elene.

Francie looked at it.

“You’re going back there? Now?”

He grinned. “This is for fun. Long ago, I’d promised Elene a ride on Raventh, she wanted to see the steppe. But today she said she wants to see the rain forest trees, the big ones.”

“Oh, that sounds like so much fun.”

She paused, looking wistful. He knew what she was going to say.

“Do you want company?”

Yes, he thought, he did want company, but he wasn’t sure why. He nodded.

“I plan on going to the original clearing because I have the coordinates. Then we’ll go on to a bigger clearing that Raventh saw, but we’ve only seen it from the air.”

“Can two dragons fit?”

“In the first one? Not a chance. But we’ll look at it so we can get bearings.”

That big clearing? Enough room for you and Motanith?

Raventh was quiet for several moments, measuring in his mind.

I only saw it from the air. I am not sure, but Motanith is insisting on coming with. She says he started to laugh, she says she’ll check it before I land. She says to let her land first, she can land better than any big brown. It’s the first time I’ve been called ‘big.”

Francie started to giggle. “Motanith…”

He laughed. “Yeah, I know, Raventh told me. Greens!!”

_____________________________________________________________

They popped out of between over the clearing Raventh had picked him up from.

“Here it is! See that log down there? It’s solid,” K’ndar called. Francie dropped below Raventh and put her Motanith into a tight circle over the clearing.

Elene, securely harnessed behind K’ndar, did a rapid calculation of the apparent width of the clearing, against Raventh’s wingspan.

I’ve never been on a dragon before. It is too small. There’s hardly room enough to swing a cat! She gulped, involuntarily tightening her grip on the harness.

The launch had been a surprise. She had no idea the power of a dragon’s launch. Now she appreciated K’ndar’s insistence she be buckled in securely and Don’t Let Go of the straps!

Between had been cold, black, and airless for the count of three. It was over before she could fear it. But this circling was far different. Beneath her, she could feel Raventh’s back and shoulder muscles powering his wings. They stretched skyward, then the down down strokes sending volumes of air atop her head. His great rib cage expanded with every inhalation, always on the upward stroke.

Fear tightened her throat. She was so high up in the air, nothing around her but sunshine and the breeze from dragon wings, without any means of support other than the suddenly insignificant straps!

Her grip on them tightened. She swallowed hard.

The trees surrounding the clearing seemed to grow until their tops were just below her feet, ready to tear her off Raventh’s back.

Yet K’ndar was seemingly unconcerned. Even more, Francie was below them. How odd to see dragon and rider from high overhead! Unencumbered by a passenger, Motanith was circling so tightly her wings were almost vertical. Elene could see Francie leaning over her green’s left shoulder, scanning the clearing beneath them. She’s going to fall off!

But no-Francie’s expression was one of concentration, without a shred of fear. Motanith was scanning the ground beneath, apprising the same site.

They were fearless, K’ndar and Francie. They were part of their dragons.

Was it training, or was it because K’ndar and Francie had been Impressed by their dragons? It had to have been both. It was something instinctive, like being a born horseman.

They weren’t afraid. They trusted their dragons. I asked for this, she thought, and I should just relax and enjoy the trip.

But we are so high up and yet so low to the trees.

She felt a feathery whisper in her mind. It wasn’t a voice. It was just a gentle, reassuring touch, the mental equivalent of a steadying hand on her shoulder. Her nerves stopped jangling, almost as if she’d had several draughts of fellis. It was only later that night, as she lay in her bunk reliving this first ever flight, she realized that it was either Motanith or Raventh who’d reached out to her. Dragons don’t do that, she knew. They seldom, if ever, talk to anyone but their rider.

How kind, which ever dragon it had been to reassure a frightened old woman.

How I wished I’d been Searched. How I wish I could have had…that.

Motanith spiraled upward, light as thistledown.

“You landed in THAT?” Francie called once they were level.

“Yes. Raventh did, and we launched out of it. It was pretty small, but Raventh knows his limits. And it was an emergency, kind of,” K’ndar called.

Francie whistled in appreciation.

Please. No, let’s not land, Elene thought. Not in that tiny space, please.

“I dunno, K’ndar. Is it worth the risk?” Francie called.

“Not really. It was hairy, I’ll say that. Raventh says there’s a larger clearing a few kilometers from here, but I have no idea what’s in it.”

“I’d rather check that out, this looks pretty small, even for Motanith. I have to say, you cut it awfully fine. I’d rather not chance it.”

She shouldn’t worry. I am Raventh!!

Francie and K’ndar both laughed as Motanith passed Raventh’s sentiment on.

They flew towards the larger clearing.

Elene forced herself to look ahead, rather than the nerve wracking view below.

She could smell the rainforest, a mix of green and damp, of fruit and flowers. How like the ocean it looks, a solid carpet of green stretching unbroken to the horizon.

The tops were full of brilliantly colored birds and somberly colored wherries, singing or screeching. She saw something leap from one tree to another. A quorl? Or what?

This isn’t what I thought riding a dragon would be at all like, she thought. What a wonderful feeling!

See it? Raventh asked.

I do, K’ndar said.

They circled over a much larger clearing. There were no fallen trees in it. Tall walls of trees formed a palisade around it, almost like a weyr’s bowl. In between gaps in the canopy, he saw a few openings into the forest.

What was keeping the forest at bay, he wondered. It was obvious it had never been cut with machetes, or saws, and there were no signs of burning. There was a haze of vegetation, but it looked to be sparse and short.

Their dragon’s shadows scudded on the ground below them. A small animal bolted. Keeso, one of Francie’s fire lizards, screeched and all four fire lizards launched. They dived to catch the animal. It darted into a crack in the surface. The four landed, but the prey had vanished into lithic safety.

“Lizards! Oh, they’re after something. The landing’s solid, K’ndar, Coora says it’s rock end to end. Lots of room,” Francie called.

“You’re right. It’s almost bare. It looks almost man made,” he called, excited. Was it really pavement?

Siskin flew back up, wheeking, disappointed.

“I’ll land, then move for your Raventh, but it looks like we could land half a wing here,” Francie called. Motanith closed her wings half way, spilling air, and spiraled downward, a little too quickly, showing off. She landed with a bounce.

Hey! Stop being a showoff! Francie admonished.

It’s not showing off if I can do it. I have to show the brown I’m better than him. Besides I knew you were tight on my back. You’ve never fallen off. Neither has Raylan.

Okay, Sassy Showoff. Raylan and I both have ridden horses all our lives, and Raylan knows your little tricks. But we can’t do that to passengers, okay?

It’s just you.

I know. I’m just telling you, it’s not polite to bounce. Any time.

Motanith gave the dragon equivalent of a non-committal shrug.

Elene felt a thrill of fear. She was getting used to be being up in the air and the launch had been okay, but the landing looked to be rough. Her hands tightened into a death grip. I don’t want to fall off. Please don’t hop, please, Raventh.

Land, please? Don’t you dare bounce. She didn’t have to do that, and we have Elene.

Of course not. Have I EVER bounced? No. I’m not like Motanith. She did that to show off.

“Hold on tight, Elene, we’re going down.” K’ndar said.

Motanith. Let a brown show you how a landing is done Raventh said.

Elene watched, fascinated, as Raventh’s shadow began to grow bigger and bigger. The shadow’s wings seemed to shorten and lengthen. Raventh leaned into a shallow curve with graceful flicks of his wings. Swirling downwards, he slowed almost to the stall point. When he judged he was This Close, he backstroked to brake his speed. He reached downward as far as his hind legs could reach and the moment he touched, he flared his wings to stop. His hindlegs absorbed what little shock there’d been. Holding his entire front end up with amazing strength, he allowed himself to rock forward until his forelegs touched the ground.

“Oh, perfect!” Francie whooped, startling Elene into releasing her breath.

Whoa, Raventh, that was beautiful! K’ndar said, a chill running up his spine. What a perfect landing!!

Raventh looked at Motanith.

Well, green? THAT’s how a dragon lands. And I had a passenger. She was afraid.

True. I would have been more careful if I’d had one. But Francie knows how to ride. And I can still out maneuver you.

Huh. Greens, he snorted.

“Well done, lad,” K’ndar said, more for Elene to hear. He stroked Raventh’s neck, his heart swelling with pride.

That was incredible. Not like our very first landing. Remember?

Raventh laughed.

I do.

“My compliments, K’ndar,” Elene said, “When I saw Motanith’s landing I was afraid. Raventh’s was so soft I didn’t know we were on the ground!”

“Motanith,” Francie said,apologetically, “was being a brat. She likes to show off how supple she is.”

K’ndar smiled. “No need to fear, ma’am, if Raventh could talk, he’d tell you, he’s the best.”

I am.