Chap. 148 Telekinesis

Chap. 148  Telekinesis

K'ndar lay in his bunk, grateful to be done with sweep duty. He felt refreshed from his shower. Tomorrow, he and his sister Glyena were going to the Gather at Ruatha Hold. He was excited, having never been there, but still knew so much about it. Ruatha was historical. Ruatha had the best horse races in the world. And Ruatha was home to Lord Jaxom, and Ruth, the white dragon.

How would Siskin react when he met Ruth? For it was known across the planet, that fire lizards were attracted to Ruth like no other dragon.

He wondered if he'd be able to sleep, as he was still hyped from the day he'd had. 

 Rescuing the two females from the air, seeing the weyrlings and fire lizard kids in action-incredible. Being shot at by raiders, that was a new one. He'd never been shot at before, and only now had the time to process it.

It had been thrilling, but there was a darker side to the shooting that he was only now able to process. He could have been seriously injured, even killed. Certainly the shooters had every intention of hurting and killing him. Kenth, F'mart's dragon was out of action until the leg he'd sustained an arrow wound in had healed, as well as the hole in his wing. That tissue took more time to heal, as there was no meat to it, merely tissue. 

But what puzzled him most was the action of the crossbow bolt that one of the raiders had fired at him. 

I will never, ever second guess a bowman ever again, he resolved. I thought he was out of bolts. 

He replayed it again. The bowman fired. He saw the bolt coming at him, so fast, unbelievably fast, then without any sort of interruption to its vector, knocked sideways. What could have done that?

By me Raventh said.

You? How?

I saw what happened to Kenth. He was hurt by a bolt. So when I saw one coming at us I pushed it away so it wouldn't hurt us.

Thank you. It was aimed right at us, we would have been hurt.

I know. 

How did you do that? 

I can't explain it. I just thought at it to go a different way.

Have you always been able to do that?

I didn't know until I did it. Afterwards I asked Arcturuth and Careth, and all the dragons, and they knew about it too, but haven't used it. I know that other dragons have done it, like Golanth, at Honshu. 

Is it like telepathy, which is how we talk to each other?

I can't describe it. The words come from my mind, but the push comes from somewhere else in my head. I think. I only did it that once.

So, you didn't plan on doing it?

No. I was scared, I didn't have time to go between to avoid it, so it was instinct! That's the word. Instinct made it work. Now I know what it feels like. I think I can do it again, without being afraid.

He had to see it in action.

He got up and uncovered a glow. Raventh was curled up on his couch, one which had seemed to have shrunk, as Raventh grew into maturity. Behind him, the curtain to the dragon's weyr was pulled aside, as it was a very warm night. 

Raventh's eyes whirled a bright blue in the dark. K'ndar touched his dragon's head, stroking it, his hands instinctively scratching behind the ears. How in the world had he managed to live without this bravehearted friend, this brother, this partner for life?

I love you, Raventh. Thank you, for everything you've done for me. 

Raventh purred in his head.

Siskin awoke, and stretched, wondering why K'ndar was up and awake at this late hour. He sat up, fascinated by the actions of his human and dragon.

It is my pleasure. I love you too.

Want to try pushing something?

Why not? 

What should we use?

I don't know. Something small? 

K'ndar thought of what he had in his weyr. Not much-dragonriders didn't have room to accumulate much stuff. He looked up at Siskin's shelf, where his notebooks were. Ah. A pencil.

He placed a pencil on the floor in front of Raventh's couch. 

Try that.

Raventh tried. Nothing happened.

Are you trying to push it?

I am, but I don't know where in my head to make it come out.

What does that mean?

I don't know how to make it work.

He tried again. Nothing.

Maybe I didn't make the bolt move. Maybe it was the wind. 

No, you DID. There was no wind. Nothing else that can explain that bolt shot at me, and then being knocked sideways.

Maybe throw it at me?

That's a good idea.

K'ndar picked up the pencil. 

Let me uncover a few more glows, maybe that will help.

I can see it just fine. Dragons can see in the dark, even better than in the daylight. 

I know, but humans can't.

That is sad. I'm sorry you can't see in the dark. There is so much you humans can't do. You can't fly, you don't have fangs or claws, you can't go between, how is it you managed to come to Pern?

That is something I have no words to explain. It's too technical. But it's okay. We manage, especially when we have dragons to help.  Okay. Ready?

Ready.

He backed up as far as his room would allow and threw the pencil at Raventh.

It went flying.

Yayyyyyyyyy! You did it!!

I did. It was moving. Do it again, so I can feel where the push comes from.

K'ndar threw it again.

This time the pencil bounced off something invisible, and went flying through the opening to the dragon ledge outside, vanishing in the dark.

"Shards! My pencil! I'll never find it in the dark!" he shouted.

Siskin chittered and launched out of the weyr.

K'ndar went to the ledge and peered over, but it was far too dark, even with both moons out, to see the floor of the weyr's bowl.  

But Siskin returned after a few moments of searching, the pencil in his talons.

"GOOD lad! Siskin, you are the BEST fire lizard EVER!"

Siskin flew around their weyr in a victory lap, cheeping.

"Good lad! So clever! May I have the pencil?" Siskin enthusiastically dropped it into K'ndar's palm.

He felt a pressure and the pencil bounced out of his hand onto the floor.

I did it. It had to be moving. 

Let's try it again. Try to keep it in the weyr, this time.

For the next several minutes, he tossed the pencil at Raventh. 

Each time the dragon got better at pushing it away. 

I can feel where the push comes from. Put it down and let's see if I can move it when it's not moving.

He placed the pencil on the floor. Siskin watched, intently. Could fire lizards do it too?

I don't know. Let me try to push it first, then I'll try to tell Siskin what to do.

Raventh focused on the pencil. 

It shot away, this time, further into the room rather than out the dragon doorway.

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY, you did it!

I did. Move it back. I think I can move it where I want it to go, without pushing too hard. 

He placed the pencil near the dragon's feet. 

The pencil moved, just a little. Then, as if it was gaining courage, it began to move here, there, sideways, further and further, but slower, and with what seemed more finesse.

It's easy. Easier. I don't have to push hard, just think it where I want it to go.

 

K'ndar shook his head in amazement. He remembered hearing of F'lessan's Golanth being moved by other dragons, but had never thought that HIS dragon could do something similar.

We all can, I think. I don't know why we seldom use it. But now I know I can do it. It's fun. It must be the same feeling as you humans with your hands.

We can't move anything with our minds. Just our hands. 

I want to practice some more, but let's see if Siskin can do it.

Think he'll understand?

I have to think to him in pictures, and emotions, but he does understand your words. 

I know, but you're better at talking to him than I am. 

Siskin suddenly froze, listening intently to Raventh.

Put the pencil on the floor.

K'ndar did so.

Siskin landed on the floor of the weyr, looking at the pencil with uncertainty. 

It moved.

"YAY Siskin!"

No, I did that. I was showing him what I wanted.

The little blue looked at Raventh, then K'ndar, and cheeped uncertainly.

"You are so clever, you can do it, Siskin," he said, "just like Raventh."

Siskin's eyes whirled an uncertain green, then he focused on the pencil. 

It moved. It rolled here and there, with a finesse even Raventh hadn't mastered.

That was HIM. Siskin did it, it's easy for him, he just didn't know what we wanted.

"SISKIN! Good lad! You are the best!"

I think all dragons and fire lizards can do it

That's incredible.

"Hey, you, K'ndar!" yelled his next door neighbor from further down the inner corridor, "What in the world are you doing? It's late, you twit, I can't sleep for all your shouting!"

Abashed, K'ndar called out, "Sorry, sorry. Won't happen again".

Now I know where the push comes from. It's in my head, just like talking. And like going between.

Can you PULL it?

I don't think so. It's a push. But…I'll practice. Maybe…maybe it will be the same as pulling with my talons. But we have to be quiet, now. The neighbors are upset.

I know. I need to get some sleep, anyway.  I'll help with practicing. But for now…thank you. You saved my life, pushing that bolt aside.

Of course. We are family, you, me, Siskin. It's what brothers do.