Chap. 86 The hunters and the hunted

Chap. 86 The hunters and the hunted

Siskin warbled a welcome. K'ndar looked up from his breakfast (he was eating in his weyr, this morning,) to see Lizard's bronze fire lizard appear. 

By now, K'ndar had learned to always keep a little bit of food for the fire lizards. He offered some to the bronze, but the fire lizard wasn't interested. Instead, the bronze chirped and landing on the bookshelf, thrust his chest out. He was wearing a harness with a message pouch.

"Aye, there, little man, did you bring me something from your master?"

The bronze's eyes whirled an affirmative green. K'ndar opened the pouch and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and five marks. This was propitious-he was going to go to Southern Hold's Gather in just a few moments, and the money, while he had no plans on spending it, would still come in handy. His horsehair necklace 'business' was going well.

"Thank you, my friend. Sure you don't want something to eat?"

The bronze twisted his head, then leaped into the air and vanished.

Siskin indicated that he WAS interested in something to eat. 

"Who's up for a game?" K'ndar asked him. The blue, catching the cue, crouched. K'ndar threw the bit of meat in a straight line away from him and the blue darted out and caught it. 

"Well done! So clever!" 

He unrolled the paper.

Hello, K'ndar. I'm assuming you'll be attending Southern's Gather. If so, I suggest you go without weyr heraldry, or even dragonrider braids. Create a cover story should someone peg you as a rider. Have your fire lizard stay with your dragon, I'll tell mine to stay with Raventh until I finish my business.  Lord Toric has some unsavory men asking for you BY NAME. Don't know the reasons yet, but anytime Toric shows an interest in someone, it usually isn't for anyone's benefit save his own.

I've left my wagon and draft horses at Honshu Weyr. I'll be at the Gather but in disguise. When we meet, don't indicate you know me. I'll fill you in later. I'll be at the livestock area, selling a black bay gelding. If I sell him, if you would, please, give me a ride back to the Weyr. 

Your last pair of necklaces sold very quickly. You may even see the one with the blue stones on the neck of a very wealthy woman from the North. L

Hmmm. Why in the world would Lord Toric be looking for HIM? He almost changed his mind about going to the Gather, but a very large contingent of his fellow Steppe residents were  going.

He was still in his weyr when D'mitran came up to him. The brown rider was already dressed in riding gear. 

"K'ndar, not going to the Gather?"

"Oh, no, sir, I am going."

"Just wondering. You're looking plain. Most of the time, we go dressed up in our finest. Attracts the ladies, you know."

He looked at D'mitran, trusting him. "A friend of mine sent me a message via fire lizard. Said Lord Toric has some men out looking for me, asking for me by name. I'm not sure I want to risk a confrontation with him OR his roughs."

"Hmmmmmmm," D'mitran said. Being older and more experienced, he'd heard of such activities before. 

"Bet I know why. The artifacts. News got around very quickly that you'd found the capsule and turned them over to Landing."

"So?"

"So, despite the fact that they were on the steppe, which are part of the lands designated and set aside for dragonriders, Toric considers all of Southern Continent his property. He's got men who keep their eyes open for ancient artifacts and their mouths closed. Who knows how many artifacts Toric has accumulated, and hasn't shared a single one. Not a one."

"I'd heard that, but I found it hard to believe that anyone could be that…that ..selfish?"

"It's true, K'ndar. He is. So I'm certain he's got you on his list of People Who Need to be Dealt with, and I'm betting it won't be nice. But, on the other hand, it may be he will want to make a deal with you. Beware, he's devious and more treacherous than a tunnel snake. At least a tunnel snake is honest and lets you know he's coming. Toric isn't and won't."

K'ndar shook his head. 

"Maybe I should just stay home."

"Nay, lad, don't let evil people run your life. Go. We'll…we'll watch your back. You come with us, I know you don't drink, but, knowing that most of our men will be in the beer tents, at least we'll know where you are."

"Shard's, D, must I hang about with drunks?"

"Ummmmmmmmmmm, no That's understandable. They can be obnoxious," D'mitran said. 

"I'll be okay. I would much rather wander around the Gather than sit down with drinkers."

D'mitran nodded. "I understand. For that matter, I will probably do the same. I'm not a big drinker, either, although I do appreciate a good ale. Tell you what, wander at will but with the understanding that someone is looking for you. I'd tell the others, but some of them release their tongues as well as their common sense when they've been drinking. F'mart, for instance…"

K'ndar laughed. 

"You're laconic to begin with and have a good head. I think you're wise to not get all dressed up. Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. If Toric's men accost you, play the stupid drunk. If need be, call me via Raventh and Careth, and I'll be there in a flash."

"My friend told me to come up with a cover story." 

"Whatever it is, I'll make sure the others play along. And let's not let it keep you from enjoying the Gather. It may be nothing at all." 

He'd never been to either Honshu Weyr, or Southern Hold. Both were enormous. 

He was torn. Honshu held all sorts of wonders: colorful murals that had been painted over two millennia before and were still said to be bright and clear. There was a 'sled', a machine, he'd learned that the colonists had used to move around the planet before there were dragons. He wanted to see it, but the Gather wouldn't last forever. 

He decided to go with the dragon riders, for a while, until he got the lay of the Gather, and then go wander. He made sure his money was safe in a pouch around his neck. 

They left their dragons in a paddock set a long ways from the Gather. Many horses and other livestock were afraid of dragons…as were people!

"Siskin. Stay with Raventh. Lizard's bronze and gold will be here soon. Stay here. If I need you, I will have Raventh send you."

The blue's eyes whirled an uncertain orange.

Is something wrong?

I don't know. Lizard told me some bad men are looking for me. He told me to tell you to keep his lizards and Siskin with you. 

Will these men hurt you?

If they do, send the lizards.

I will come myself. Maybe I'll bring the rest of the dragons

K'ndar laughed at that, imaging the havoc and mayhem a cohort of full grown, protective dragons and a trio of  excited and angry fire lizards could wreak in the close confines of a Gather.

I don't doubt that. I will call you if I need you, my brother

The noise of the beer tent was overwhelming. How had so many men gotten so drunk so quickly?

He couldn't stand it. "I'm going to go wandering," he shouted at D'mitran. 

"Aye. Have fun. Remember to call me if you need help."

He was astounded by the number of people at the Gather. It was by far the biggest gathering he'd ever seen. There were people from all over the planet-dragonriders from every major weyr, North and South, and plenty from smaller ones. Holders, Crafters, and ordinary people were there in droves. Children were everywhere. He wondered if Francie was holding a lizard show. Her green was there, but as she lived with her husband at Landing now, he seldom saw her.

He found his way to the crafts lane, hoping to find Terylin. 

A green fire lizard arrowed towards him. Ah, it was hers. "Take me to your master, little lady," he said. She chirped, remembering him as a friend, and led the way.

Terylin was there, showing a large woven tapestry to a woman, who, judging by her clothing was more than able to afford it. 

Terylin looked up, seeing him, and the look in her eyes said something was troubling her. He backed off, allowing her to conduct her business with the woman. 

"These stones…I've never seen anything like them. It is amazing how you've incorporated them into the tapestry. Oh, look here! It's a dragon, and you've put the stone for its eye. Clever! Where DID you get these stones, I wonder how they'd look in a ring," she said.

"They're called "turquoise". A very good friend of mine supplies me with them."

"I should like to meet this friend, I'm certain I'd make it worth his or her while to sell some." 

"I'm not certain where they're from. They ARE lovely, aren't they?" Terylin said.

"You're not going to tell me the supplier's name?"

Terylin laughed, "then I wouldn't sell the tapestry, would I?"

"Oh, you've sold it, you have," she said pulling several marks out of her pouch and handing them to Terylin. "I should know better than to ask a crafter her secrets. But let this 'friend' of yours know that it's worth money if they sell to me. As well…" the woman laughed.  She turned to a man who'd been waiting, patiently, at the edge of the crowd. "Take this tapestry to our coach, won't you?"

"Yes'm" the man said, and obeyed. 

K'ndar waited until the woman and her servant had left.  People crowded through the narrow lane, formed by tents and booths on both sides. So many people, he thought, sometimes makes me nervous.

"Hello, young man, are you looking for pottery?" Terylin said, hoping K'ndar would play as if he were a stranger.

He would.

"Good morning, ma'am, I see your lovely pots and that tapestry was beautiful, but I'm sorry to say, I can't even come close to affording your work. How did you get that color? That blue? I've never seen it before."

She picked up one and held it low. "It's an amazing one, isn't it? It's called azurite. Look closely, and you can see, it looks deep…but it isn't!"

He bent down to look and she put her head close to his.

"Toric's men are looking for you, by name. They don't know what weyr, though. Be careful, they mean trouble." she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear over the noise of the passers by.

"How DID you do this?" K'ndar said, loudly, but worried now.

"See this? You can see where the glaze didn't heat up. That's the way azurite works." She turned the pot over. He looked closer and said, "I've heard that. I"ll be careful."

They both straightened up. 

A man came by, and interrupted them. "I see the Lady Werald purchased a tapestry from you. It had some beautiful stones in it, where on Pern did you get them?"

"Then the Lady didn't tell you that a crafter doesn't share her secrets?" The man laughed. 

"Thank you for your time, ma'am," K'ndar said. He wanted to talk to her more in depth but if the man was another customer, he shouldn't keep her from doing business.

He fell into the stream of people and walked away.

The man at Terylin's tent followed him with his eyes. Not looking at Terylin, he said, "Did you catch that man's name?"

"Nay," Terylin said, now frightened for K'ndar. "Why do you ask?" She tried to draw his attention back to her, realizing the man was watching where K'ndar went. 

"Ah, no reason. Just looking for a dragonrider, y'know."

"He was a dragonrider?" She coughed suddenly, drawing his attention. "How could you tell?"

"I think so, though he weren't wearing any heraldry or braid. But he had the boots."

"Perhaps he's merely a wannabe. Some men do that, you know, dress up like a dragonrider without ever actually being a rider. Even so, there's a lot of them here, I can't imagine why one specific dragonrider could be the subject of a search," she said, trying to deflect the man long enough for K'ndar to get far away.

The man looked left and right, then said in a lower tone, "Lord Toric wants to 'talk' to one of them. Man's name is K'ndar. If you meet with this man, let me know. I'll make it worth your time."

"I don't want any involvement in this. This isn't right, " Terylin said, a little louder than necessary.  "I'm too busy to be asking the name of every person who passes by. It's not polite, and drives away the customers."

"Suit yourself, then. Easy money for someone other than you," he said.

"Any money I make is honest money. I suggest you do the same," she said.  The man scoffed, and left. 

She called her fire lizard to her. 

"Follow that man. Remember his face. Show it to Raventh, you remember Raventh? You do, there's a good girl. Show the face to Raventh," she said.

The green chirped, loving a good game. She flew after the man, hovering high over the crowd to keep him from seeing her, then flew to Raventh.

K'ndar was heading for the livestock area when Raventh touched his mind.

Terylin's green fire lizard shows me the face of a man asking about you. He is behind you, he is following you 

He sent a picture of the man into K'ndar's head.

I see it. Tell her green thank you and well done

Your friend is worried about you. So am I

K'ndar slowed, allowing the crowd to swirl about him and move him like a straw on the river to the side, where he slipped between two tents into their shadow. The man came up soon, looking ahead, looking worriedly for K'ndar. He passed by, not seeing K'ndar.

That is him

I see him. He doesn't see me. I am going to go to the livestock area. Have the green follow him and tell you if he follows me

Lizard is there. His two fire lizards are here with me. Shall I send Siskin?

No. If these men looking for me know my name, they might know about Siskin. Only send Siskin if I need help

The livestock area was in the direction he'd come from. He waited until his follower had moved far ahead, then headed for the animal enclosures.

Now that he was aware he was being hunted, something changed in his mind. Something…thrilling.

I have friends looking out for me. I have fire lizards and a dragon watching over me. Best of all, I know I am being hunted, like I were a wherry. 

He wasn't insulted. Despite the word "wherry" being synonymous with 'stupid', he knew from hunting them that wherries were anything but. Until humans had changed fire lizards into dragons, wherries had been the apex land predator and other than dragons, still were. He remembered being chased by a flock that had ambushed him while hunting them horseback. One didn't hunt wherries without knowing that they could turn the tables on you in a split second. 

The difference being, wherries didn't have humans, dragons and fire lizards serving as scouts and air cover.

This is fun, he thought, as long as I remember who is the hunter and who is the prey.