Chap. 43 The egg hatches

Chap. 43  The egg hatches

The egg is rocking and making noise

K'ndar was jolted out his concentration on the book he'd been reading. The fire lizard egg, settled on a bed of heated sand, was rocking. He could hear the lizard inside cheeping.

Shards!! He had nothing for it to eat!

Do I have time to get some fresh meat?

He wanted to kick himself. He'd been so busy with family, seeing them off to their cothold, then getting deep into the book, that he'd forgotten to get something for a possible hatching. But, he consoled himself, there was no place in his weyr one could store meat, without it being eaten by the wild creatures- or attracting insects.

I'm not sure. I will call Zeta to come and check.

In a few moments, Zeta, Lindea's gold, arrived.

She looked at the egg. She'd never laid one, but she WAS a gold. She folded her wings and gave Raventh the impression that it would be a while, yet.

I think it will be a little later. I think you have time.

I better take it with me, just in case.

He reached for the egg…and Zeta hissed at him, mantling over it possessively.

Whoa! He thought. Like a mare, protecting her new foal.

She doesn't want it moved. 

He sighed. He shoved a pair of boots on his feet and headed for the dining hall.

Lindea met him, with a bowl of raw meat in her hands. 

"Here," she said, shoving it into his hands, "I think your egg is about to hatch."

"Thank you, thank you. How did you know?" he gasped.

"Zeta was here with me, gave me a picture of an egg, and suddenly took off."

"It's rocking right now and I can hear it peeping."

"I think you have about ten minutes, then. Did you have Raventh call her?"

"I did. He knew right away it is about to hatch," he said, "can you come with me, in case I do something wrong, or do I have to be rude and run off?"

She looked around. "I can't, I'm sorry, but I have some bread in the oven that is about to come out. I doubt you'll do anything wrong, you've impressed dragons at least once! But come by later on when it's asleep. It will probably wake up again this evening, wanting more. Good thing  it's only noon,  you're going to be a bit busy."

"I was going to bring it with me but Zeta hissed at me!"

"Really! I don't think she'll hurt you, though, I think she's just discovering that she's a gold and that's what golds do. Now run."

He did. Zeta had moved aside from the egg as it was rocking quite hard by now. She saw the bowl of meat, but made no move towards it. She began to croon to the egg.

She feels better now. I think she was angry that you had nothing for the hatchling.

But how does she KNOW? She's never bred. Yet. Oh, wait. I think I know. It's called "instinct". I read it in the book I'm reading. 

Instinct. I will remember that. A way of knowing without having to learn?

Exactly! Smart dragon!

He remembered the day when he and Raventh met each other for the first time, when the cracks in the egg resounded in his ears. He remembered the feeling when they first met eyes and Raventh entered his mind. 

I remember, too. I was so little. It was so…bright. So different. And then I saw you and I knew it was going to be wonderful.

Hasn't it been!

Crick! said the egg. It flopped over, the cracks spreading instantly. There was a slight bulge, a flake of eggshell fell, and, with some anxious peeping,a tiny head poked out. It looked around.

He is…surprised. Just like me. It's so bright, outside the shell. So bright. What is this thing in front of me, he sees you, he is wondering what you are  

K'ndar reached forward and pulled pieces of shell off the tiny lizard.

It looked at him.

And impressed. 

It wasn't like the emotional and mind filling impression he'd had with Raventh. It was more that of an acknowledgement, a sense of appropriateness. 

It is a different sort of impression.

Not like us. But he sees you and you are…you are something he loves? I can't explain it.

Like a parent?

No, something different. Like a...leader. But not…not like us. 

Raventh had snaked his head into K'ndar's room, filling the opening. He was as fascinated by the lizard as K'ndar.

The hatchling pushed to exit the egg. Its forelegs exited, pressing on the ground. It opened its  tiny wings, causing the pieces of shell over them to fall. It attempted to stand up, still half in the egg, and fell over on its face. It squeaked in protest. K'ndar removed the rest of the shell and re-arranged its feet,so easily done,this time, being in miniature.

I remember doing this for you, setting you on your feet

I don't remember that

It's about all I remember. That, and you were so hungry.

The fire lizard stood shakily on four feet. 

Was I that small?

Oh, no. Not even close. Not even as an egg. 

The hatchling shivered, its wings drooping on the sand. It looked up at him and squeaked again.

I know what that means, little thing. Are you hungry?

Oh, he is hungry, enough to eat an entire wherry 

It stumbled towards K'ndar, squalling, smelling the meat. It was ravenous. It fell upon the piece K'ndar held out and gobbled. K'ndar fed him more and more, wondering where is he putting it all? He led it on, little by little, in order to tuck the wings next to the lizard's body. So small! So perfectly formed, a dragon in miniature.  The plate was almost empty when the hatchling stopped eating. It sat back on its hindlegs, a piece of meat still hanging from its jaw. It's head went up, eyes closing as if it had no room left in it's skull to keep them open.

Then it slowly and gently toppled backwards onto the sand, asleep. 

Zeta. They'd forgotten her presence. She'd watched the entire hatching without a word. She opened her wings, hovering directly in front of Raventh's face for a few moments, then flew out of the weyr and away.

She seemed happy. I think she learned something about hatching

It was quick. I didn't remember your hatching going that fast, but then, I was pretty busy.  Everything was so…so…

Mind filling?

Yes. You were in all of my mind. Just like now.

Ah, he finally had a moment in which to see what he had.

A blue. Not just blue, like the sky, no, this little fire lizard was a shining, metallic blue with hints of sea green. Lovely. 

Did he dare roll the tiny thing over onto its belly?

It is completely...I'm not sure of the word. It's more than just asleep.

Unconscious?

I don't know 'unconscious'

Right now, you and I are 'conscious'. When we're asleep, there is nothing in your mind except dreams. That's 'unconscious'. Like when we're asleep. You don't hear anything

I hear everything, all the time. All dragons do even when asleep 

Oh. Humans don't

That must feel strange. Unconscious. I think you could pick it up without it waking

He gently picked the sleeping lizard up and placed it belly down on the sand. It didn't so much as twitch. It was already dry from the hatching. 

He looked closer, fascinated by the tiny perfection. He noticed a small blaze between the lizards' eyes, almost completely green. 

Do they tell us their names?

I don’t think so. He didn't say anything other than he was hungry.  I think you name them what you want. Do you have a name?

Well, it came to me out of the blue. Ha! I will call him Siskin.

Chap. 42 Second Thoughts

Chap. 42 Second Thoughts

It was time.

His family met in the dining hall, early in the morning. They wanted to get an early start on their trip back to the cothold. K'ndar was going to take Daryat back to the cothold on Raventh.

Glyena looked glum. She'd hardly touched her breakfast. Unusually quiet, she was second guessing her decision to stay at the weyr. Up until now, she'd convinced everyone, even herself, that this was what she wanted. 

But now, with the prospect of seeing everyone leave, she was having second thoughts.

The rest of the family carried on animated conversations, making final decisions and plans, but were still aware of her silence.

Lindea came up to them as they ate.

"Good morning, Daryat! Hello, Glyena! And Fland, I remember when you were here for Impression," she said.

K'ndar introduced her to Sandriss and his family. 

She sat down opposite Glyena. 

As they reminisced and talked, Lindea could see that something was weighing heavily on Glyena's mind and heart.

She reached out and patted the girl's hand, to draw her attention.

"I saw you win your race, Glyena. That was pretty impressive!"

"Thank you, it was fun," Glyena said, smiling but not convincingly. It was certainly different from her reactions at the race. 

Zeta, Lindea's gold fire lizard, flew into the hall and landed on Lindea's shoulder. She then wrapped herself about her neck. Nattana, Sandriss's toddler, absorbed in playing with her food , paused long enough to say "Daddy wizard" and then returned to her play.

"Lindea, my brother gave me a fire lizard egg!" K'ndar said, "It's pretty close to hatching!"

"Oh, good for you, K'ndar, I know you've been wanting one for a long time."

"I have…"

"So, you all appear as if you were ready to leave," she said, sipping on her klah.

"Yes, as soon as we finish this excellent breakfast, we'll head out. K'ndar is taking Daryat back to the hold on Raventh, but the rest of us are going overland.  Glyena is staying here as a foster," Sandriss said.

"That's going to be an adventure, eh, Glyena?" Lindea asked.

"Well…" Suddenly Glyena looked her age, that of a rather scared seven year old girl.

Lindea contemplated her for a long moment. She cast a glance at K'ndar that said, "play along". Then, half to Glyena, and half to the family, she said,

"Did K'ndar ever tell you about our first days here at the weyr?" 

Glyena shook her head. "Um…I remember you made some necklaces for me and Mum. I lost mine. Mum's is at home. But that's all I remember."

"Well, let me tell you what happened. As long as I could remember, I wanted to impress a dragon. And I wanted to be on my own. I was so happy when I was searched!  I couldn't wait to be a dragon rider! But when I got here, all of sudden, I didn't want it. My stomach hurt. I was scared. I didn't know anybody. It was all so strange, so different.  I thought no, I can't do this. I was what they called homesick. It means you miss your family. You miss your home. I missed my mum. I missed my brother and sister. I missed everything about home because it was familiar, and the weyr wasn't. Even as badly as I wanted to leave home and come here, when I did get here, I didn't want to be here." 

Everyone was entranced, listening, although aware she may be embellishing.

She looked Glyena in the eye as if it was just the two of them.

"Don't tell anyone, but…I cried like a baby at night. I didn't want anyone to hear so I would cover my head with a blanket and cry and cry. I thought, oh, I will never like it here, I want to go home."

Then I met K'ndar, and we were walking on the beach. I told him I was afraid, I suddenly didn't want to be impress a dragon, but I didn't want to go home because I thought everyone would think I was a baby. Or a failure. So you see how odd it was? I was homesick but I didn't want to go home.

And K'ndar said he was homesick, too, I think he even wanted to change his mind and go back, even when your dad was so mean." 

"Really, K'ndar? You wanted to come back?" Glyena looked at him. K'ndar played along. He HAD been homesick but an entire wing of dragons couldn't have dragged him back to his father. 

"I was homesick, Glyena, just like Lindea. But I didn't cry because someone's little sister gave me a drawing of me on a dragon and saying, "don't forget your promise Kandar." Do you remember that letter? I still have it. It's on the wall of my weyr. It helped me feel better about being away from home."

Lindea continued.

"So me and K'ndar, we got to be friends.  The weyrfolk, they put us to work, made us get busy, so busy that we forgot to be afraid, or homesick.  The best thing was, I KNEW someone. K'ndar was my friend, and I was his, and even as homesick as we were, we had SOMEONE to talk to.

Now you, miss Glyena, you are lucky, your big brother is here, although he's going to be gone, a lot. And I think I know that the horse you won on is your horse, right?"

The girl nodded. "His name is Jordan. He was K'ndar's but K'ndar gave him to me."

"So, you see, you have TWO family members here, K'ndar and Jordan. That's better than most of us had. 

I am sure you know that lots of kids here are fosters. They all went through the same thing. I promise you they were all homesick, too. Now they seem happy here, right? Because you know what, first you'll be unhappy then you'll be so busy you will forget. And one day, you'll wake up and realize you like it here."

Glyena nodded, not sure if she should believe Lindea or not. 

"I want you to know, that, even when K'ndar isn't here, you have another friend to talk to if you're scared, or lonely, or homesick. Do you know who that friend is?"

Glyena shook her head.

"Me. Anytime you want to, you can come and talk to me. You can even cry if you want, it's okay."

Glyena thought about it for a few moments. The family watched her, their hearts full of emotion.

"Thank you," Glyena said, and then, "Can I play with your fire lizard?"

"Well, fire lizards aren't friendly pets, like a dog or a cat. They're tiny dragons, and you know that most dragons just want to be with their rider. You can't force yourself on a fire lizard. Zeta has a mind of her own, though, so maybe someday she might want to play."

"Maybe you can be friends with Jordan," she offered.

"Do you want to hear something? I don't know how to ride a horse."

Glyena…and everyone else, was shocked.

"REALLY? I thought everyone knew how to ride horses," she said.

"Not me. I grew up on a ship. I'd never even come close to a horse until the day I spent cleaning stalls in the barn, with K'ndar. So I would love to have someone teach me to ride."

"I can do that! K'ndar trained Jordan and I ride him and he's so sweet and he won't hurt you, he knows when someone is a learner," she stopped for a breath.

"I think I would be afraid. He went so fast with you at the race. I'd be afraid if he ran that fast with me. Would he?"

"Oh, noooooooooo, nooo. He is the best teacher. He goes real slow if he knows you're afraid. Sometimes I fall off, and he just stands there and waits for me to get back on."

Daryat's heart melted at Lindea's kindness. Her worries were evaporating.

"So, what do you say, Glyena? Do you want me for another friend?"

Glyena smiled. "Yes, please!"

Chap. 41 The Gather and the Horse Race

Chap. 41  The Gather and the Horse Race

The day after the Weyr flew against thread, the Turnover (year's end and beginning) Gather took place.

K'ndar had never seen so many people. There were vendors of all sorts, selling everything from laying hens to playing cards. Jugglers and puppetmasters put on shows for the children. There were games to play, tents set up for those who wanted a beer or wine, food of all descriptions.

He didn't linger at the cattle show, was intrigued, at least for a little while, by the sheep shearing competition,  but thoroughly enjoyed the herding trials! The dogs were amazing, proving to be as intelligent as a dragon, in some ways. The best dogs hardly needed a whistle to know what the shepherd wanted. 

He wandered through it, sometimes meeting up with his  family, sometimes without.

The best part, though, were the horse races.

Glyena on Jordan was entered in the Open to All Comers division. Daryat was concerned when K'ndar had brought it up the night before, but Glyena was adamant, once again. 

"Mum. I will be okay. I've ridden fast before, even bareback. I can do this, please, Mum, it's important," she said, "and we're going to win."

"I'd like to think that, sweetheart, but there are people in the race who've been doing this for a long time."

"It's okay, Mum. Even if I don't win, I think it will be fun," she said, patting her mother's hand.

The next day, after several races, the "Open to All" race was up.

Jordan looked small against some of the other horses. Glyena was solid in the saddle on his back, looking nervous. 

"Care to make a bet, my lad?"

He looked to his side. Terylin, the potter, was there, with Putzu, her green fire lizard on her shoulder. 

"I am so glad to see you! I heard you would be here, and I have a choker necklace for you."

He pulled it from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Thank you, for the pot. I gave it to my mum, last night. She's  right over there, I think, after the race, she'd love to talk to you," he said.

Terylin examined the necklace.

"This is beautiful, K'ndar, just perfect. I love how you interwove a…what is this, malachite? stone into it as a  clasp. How did you drill the hole? Oh, I see…it's natural. How clever! The color is beautiful. It contrasts so nicely, the weave and the stone against the chestnut. Thank you."

"As for the bet, well, I don't have a bit of money, and quite honestly, no brains for betting.  Besides, that's my little sister on the grey. I can't bet against her, now can I?"

Terylin looked at the gelding, prancing at the starting cable. He was nervous at all the new horses, the noise, the crowds. Glyena soothed him, crooning softly. She was nervous, too, but kept it to herself.

"I like the looks of him. I don't bet either, I just said that to open the conversation. But were I betting, I'd bet on him and your sister. He's just got that-look of dragons."

Look of dragons. What an amazing description, he thought.

Daryat came up to them. 

"Mum, I would like you to meet Terylin, the potter. She made the pot I gave to you."

"Terylin, this is my mother, Daryat. She's here to see me graduate and to enjoy the Gather."

The two women shook hands.

"I LOVE the pot. It's so cunning, so beautiful. I would love to talk to you, but..my daughter is in this race," Daryat said, "would you mind if I were to wait until afterwards?"

"Of course," Terylin said, "I'm just like you, I want to see her win."

Putzu, her green fire lizard, squawked, unhappy. Her eyes whirled orange. She was a bit afraid of the big crowds.

"May I pet her?" Daryat asked, "we heard the funniest story about her."

Terylin looked at Putzu's eyes.

"There's no mean in her, none, but she's pretty anxious right now. Maybe after the race, we can find a nice spot to sit and talk, she should be calmer then.  Putzu, be a dear and wait for me at our wagon?"

The green whimpered. She opened her wings but was unsure.

"She could go be with Raventh," K'ndar said, "He's keeping an eye on a fire lizard egg staying warm in my weyr. Would she go?"

Terylin smiled. "That would be nice, then, after the race, you and I, Daryat, can chat."

Raventh, would you like Putzu's company?

Of course. All the greens love me, even fire lizards. I already have Sandriss's pair here.

How is the egg?

It's an egg. It does nothing. But it's warm and dry. Don't worry. The queen is keeping watch on it. It's hers, after all.

Thank you, my brother

Putzu suddenly straightened up, cheeped, and vanished.

"Maybe I could go into business with Raventh: Fire lizard babysitting service," he said.

They found a spot near the finish line. Sandriss, his family and Fland were on the other side ot he course. They exchanged waves.

They could see the horses on the track, milling about. Jordan looked nervous. Nyala was giving Glyena last minute advice.  

Two men beside him were arguing.

"Nay, don't be daft, not the grey. It's just a little girl riding. Maybe you can go with the bald face. Me, I like that skinny chestnut, he's got speed to spare, that's the one my money's on."

"Ah, maybe you're right, but I still like the looks of the grey."

"Suit yourself, cobber, you've already lost. You might want to pay up right now."

"Go on, it's not even run yet. Give her a chance, what?"

Just then, the call to post came. Eight horses lined up to the starting rope. The crowd quieted. 

Glyena took a tight hold of the reins. Nyala had given her several pointers on how to ride in a race. The most important one was Don’t fall off!

"I won't. I know how Jordan is, he jumps like a dragon at first. Then he settles down."

The gelding, puzzled by the abnormally firm hold Glyena had on his mouth, tossed his head. Something was about to happen.

"Nose on the cable, riders. You there, on the bald face, yes you..don't push on t'rope, man, that's cheating. Just set t'nose on it." The offender backed his horse up just a tad, so that the horse's nose was on the cable.

"On your mark……….."

The starter waited until all feet were on the ground.

"GO!" he cried,the cable flying up above the horse's heads.

The horses broke in a confused mass. The bald face reared instead of leaping forward, dumping his rider. Those who had bet on him groaned.

Glyena saw nothing but horse tails. Dirt clods were thrown into her face. Jordan tossed his head, trying to avoid being pelted. She held him in, making him wait, to keep dirt out of their faces. She felt him on the bit, giving and taking without releasing, feeling his resistance fading as he began to understand. She was as new to racing as he was, but she'd ridden him flat out many times, and was familiar with his way of running.

The mass of horses ran in a compact pack, until the skinny chestnut broke away and took the lead. For several lengths he was alone, then a rangy bay took the challenge and took the rail, coming up inside the leader. They battled for the lead, first one ahead, then the other.

 Glyena was dead last.

Oh, Daryat thought, she's going to lose.  But she still kept calling encouragement, her voice lost in the ocean of shouts from the spectators. It would be okay. Glyena was the youngest rider in the race, as well as the only girl. It was okay, win or lose. 

"Ride him, sis, you've got the horse!!" K'ndar yelled, doubting that she or the horse could hear.

Uncharacteristically, Jordan held back.

It's the dirt, she thought, he doesn't want it in his face.

She aimed Jordan to the outside, giving him plenty of room.

The crowd was yelling as she passed them, but she heard nothing but her horse's breathing and the pounding of his hooves…and her heart.

Jordan pulled. She was balanced, part of him. 

He caught up with the last horse in the pack, who had slowed considerably, and passed him.

"Carry on, lassie, my boy is done," the rider gasped.

Jordan turned his head to give the failing horse the stink eye. Out of my way, laggard.

She touched him on the bit, calling him back. To me, Jordan, listen to me. But he'd suddenly understood that he was in a race. I can do this. I can do this. Let me run. He begged for his head. She let him have it

He responded by accelerating. The wind whistled in her ears. His long mane whipped her in the face. 

"He's flying," she thought, "he's going faster than ever." It was…exhilarating. Go go go!!

He passed the pack and came up just behind the chestnut. The bay looked at him from across the chestnut's quarters. Jordan kept coming. He came up on the chestnut's right side. The chestnut's eye met his and Jordan glared back. For several strides they were even, the chestnut pushing hard. The finish line was coming up much too fast. Glyena kissed at Jordan and he surged ahead of the chestnut, to win by a head.

The spectators roared.

The man nearest to K'ndar was yelling with joy. "I knew it, I knew it!"  His friend looked unbelieving, but was dutifully digging in his pocket to pay the bet.

Glyena continued on around the track at a slower canter, Jordan breathing hard, but exultant. He knew he'd won.

When she saw her family pouring onto the track, she stood in the irons and yelled, "MUM!! We won!!" 

She trotted up to them and brought Jordan to a halt. K'ndar took him by the headstall and patted his wet neck.  "GOOD lad, well done!" Nyala came out, patted Glyena's arm as she began to dismount.

"PERFECT run, Glyena, you did it exactly right!" Jordan wheeled around, still full of run. Glyena whooped in joy. 

"Mum! We won!" She yelled, looking for her mother.

 She jumped off the horse and gave Nyala a big hug. "Thank you, thank you, that was SO MUCH FUN! Do you have another horse you need a rider for?"