Chap. 161 End of the Gather

Chap. 161 End of the Gather

K'ndar sat down in the shade of Lizard's caravan. The sun, while late afternoon, was still very warm.

Siskin appeared and perched on K'ndar's shoulder, scolding him for being gone for so long.

"Tell me what all the noise was about, after the Stakes," Lizard asked. "I saw the aftermath, but I stayed out of the thick of it."

So K'ndar and Glyena filled him in.

"Ah, lassie, what a fitting end to a pair of misfits. I'm so glad it all came out right in the end," he said.

He poured some freshly brewed klah. K'ndar and Glyena each took a mug. She took a sip, but her eyes began to close.

Crunch, the dog, sniffed at their mugs, then curled up next to Glyena.

Within seconds, she was asleep.

Lizard looked at her sleeping form with a grin.

"Wore her out, did you?"

"Truth be told, I could do with a nap myself. It's been a long day. I had planned on going to the horse auction, but now? I think I'll let her sleep for a few minutes, then we'll head home. Oh, wait, I need to ask Terylin if she wants a ride home," K'ndar said, feeling sleep tugging at his eyes. To forestall it, he asked, "Will you be staying on? I think this is a two day Gather?"

"It is," Lizard said, sipping at his mug, "And I am. Like you, I want to go see the horse auction. I looked the horses over earlier, after the cattle auction. See 'em? See at the end of the paddocks, the individual ones? That bay, Drummer, in the 3K was in one of them. I don't see him right now, but earlier, I saw one of the Ruathans leading him there after his race," Lizard said.

"Drummer! Glyena was going to ride him, until the real rider showed up, and I am so glad she got off. He was…….well, crazy. Not mean, but, not a riding horse. Not at all," K'ndar said. He looked for the bay, but didn't see him.

"No doubt. He was a handful from the start. I had considered bidding on him at the auction, but after his nonsense in the race, I'll let him go to someone more willing to risk a broken neck," Lizard said.

"I heard one of their staff say he was a perfect horse in harness. I think they're going to sell him as a cart horse," K'ndar said, "and I think they said a Wanderer was interested in him. Funny thing, I had one of them come up to me, just before that race. He insisted I put a bet on the filly. Said I'd done him a 'good turn', although I can't remember ever seeing him before, and this was how he wanted to repay me."

Lizard gawped. "You did, tell me you bet on the filly."

K'ndar nodded. "I was a bit skeptical, but yes, I did. She paid…well, quite well, honestly, especially for a beginner like me," he said.

Lizard laughed. "Good lad. When a Wanderer vouches for someone, or some horse, take 'em at their word. They're odd, you know, they've always acted as if they're not really Pernese and they keep to themselves, but they're honorable people and they know horses better than anyone else on the planet.

The thing with racers is to not get overconfident in your ability to 'guage' a horse, especially a hot one in a new environment or with strange horses around. I made that mistake, even though I know better."

"You didn't bet on Drummer, did you?"

Lizard nodded, ruefully. "Sorry to say, I did. But not a lot. I don't like to lose big."

K'ndar shook his head. He knew it wasn't polite to ask how much someone lost-or won.

"Well, I didn't bet after that, even though I knew Swiftsure would win. He's a grand horse, he is." K'ndar said.

"I'll be switched," Lizard said, looking out the auction ring, "Someone made a deal."

K'ndar saw a small, wizened man leading Drummer away from where the horses up for auction were sequestered before the auction.

"That's…that's him," he said.

"That man with the bay?" Lizard said.

"Yes. It looks like he bought Drummer. He's the one who told me to bet the filly," K'ndar said.

Something told him to go talk to him. Without explanation, he got up and ran to the man.

Drummer had been cooled out and fed, and was minding his manners.

K'ndar stopped the man.

"Sir, I want to thank you for your tip," he said.

The man smiled shyly, yet with a tinge of pride.

"You took my advice, did you?"

"Yes sir," he said, and something pulled the words from him, "I wonder if you'd want to share a little of what I won?"

The man looked surprised, then grateful. Drummer nuzzled him. The action surprised K'ndar, knowing how bizarre the bay had acted earlier.

"Ah, that's kind of you, my man, but no, thank you. You did me a good turn, when you rescued one of our little girls from a handful of raiders. I can't take your money, although I do appreciate it," he said.

Lizard joined them.

Ah, now I remember, K'ndar thought. "I remember now, sir. Please tell me you bet on the filly, too," he begged.

The man laughed. "I did, of course. Of course! I bred and raised her, don't you know? Own her dam AND sire. She was a racer from the very first, she told me so. I'm too old to break and train a racehorse anymore, but that young girl you rescued? My niece? She has the touch, you know, she backed the filly and taught her well-because she listens to the horse.
And her elders…but I don't need a race horse, I need a good carthorse, and I could see from the start this here Drummer is no racer. Fast, yes, but I could see from the start he was more interested in showing his bollocks, despite having lost them, rather than settle down and do his work. Horse like this, he needs a harness to keep his mind on his job. So,well, I talked to the Ruathans. They wanted the filly, I wanted a harness horse, so we…well, let's just say no money changed hands, but both parties are happy," he said.

Drummer seemed enchanted with his new owner. Lizard is right, he thought, the Wanderers DO seem to have a special way with horses, something even I don't have and I've been a horseman since I was born.

"Seems to me the horse is happy, too," Lizard interjected.

The Wanderer smiled and patted the horse on the neck.

K'ndar smiled, and turned to Lizard. Knowing, now, that Lizard preferred to maintain a professional mien in public, he said, "Sir, this man is…"

"Probably looking to barter or buy a new harness for this horse, correct?" Lizard interrupted.

The Wandered looked at him.

"I know you as Fire Lizard Man, and word is you're an honorable man and a fair trader. Aye, I DO need a harness, I've got a good one in my caravan but it won't fit this gelding. I bet you've got just the one I need," he said.

Lizard smiled. "Aye, you're a sharp one, sir. Won't you come to my caravan? Let this horse graze while we fit him," he said.

K'ndar looked at him and grinned. He knew business was about to be done, and that Lizard was now 'on duty'.

"Thank you for the transaction, sir, I'll just pick up my gear and be on my way," he said.

Lizard winked.
____________________________________________________________________________
"K'ndar,I want to go home," Glyena said, "I'm tired." They'd shouldered their packs. Somehow they felt heavier than when they'd grounded them at Lizard's caravan.

"I am too, I'm ready, but we need to check with Terilyn before we leave. She might want a ride back home," he said.

The crowds were beginning to thin. Most folks were heading for the food tents or to their own homes.

There would be music and dancing later that night, but neither of them were interested.

Terilyn was closing up her booth. Siskin immediately flew to Putzu and chirruped. She responded with an equally friendly chip.

"You're…packing up?" he asked her.

"I am. I'm sold out," Terilyn said, very pleased.

"Really! Everything?" K'ndar said, happy for his friend.

"Yes, and I've orders for more of just about everything. It'll keep me busy for weeks," she said.

Want some help packing?" K'ndar asked. Glyena didn't really want to help, she was VERY tired, but one look from her brother told her to shut up and help out. She began to untie the cables to the canopy.

"No, Glyena, the canopy itself is Ruatha's, leave it standing. My stuff, there's not much left, just my stool and tripods and the little crate," Terilyn said.

"This little one, it's empty," Glyena said.

"It IS! It breaks down, so that it packs nicely into the larger crate," Terilyn said, proud of her design.

"It's clever," Glyena said.

"Do you want a ride back to our weyr? Or your cothold?" K'ndar asked.

"Please? I had planned on staying through tomorrow, but now I have no reason to stay overnight, as I'd planned. Do you think I could stay at Kahrain tonight?"

"Shouldn't be a problem, Hariko usually has a room open for overnight guests," K'ndar said hoping he wasn't lying.

Putzu chirped at Siskin, in a tone of voice that sounded seductive.

"Don't tell me she's in heat again," K'ndar said, frowning. Terilyn had never indicated any anger with K'ndar for Siskin mating her Putzu earlier, but maybe that was because she was a kind, understanding soul. And there was no way to stop a fire lizard from mating. You couldn't sequester an animal that could go between.

"Yes, I'm afraid she is, she's a horny little thing at times. Thank goodness they're sterile, otherwise I'd be up to my ears in blues and greens."

"Green fire lizards are sterile?" Glyena said. K'ndar was surprised, too.

"Most of the time, I've found," Terilyn said, "although from what I've heard, they do sometimes have fertile eggs. They're not like golds, all a green can lay is green females and blue males. "Putzu is very good about making a nest and watching over her eggs, for a while, then she sort of forgets about them and leaves them. I think she can tell they're not good eggs." she said.

She kissed at Putzu, who obediently left Siskin and flew to her shoulder.

"How did you know they only lay greens and blues?" Glyena asked.

"I dissected some of the eggs after Putzu abandoned them. The embryos weren't full formed, it's as if they stopped developing at some point. But their color was obvious," she said.

"What about green dragons? Is it the same with them?" Glyena asked, looking at K'ndar.

"Wellllll, we've always been told that green dragons CAN'T lay eggs, I've always assumed it was because of them eating firestone, but now we don't have to do that, and the greens still go into heat and mate. But, since I've not heard of a green laying eggs, maybe, when Kitty Ping noodled around with their hormones she made it so that they're incapable of making eggs. Or maybe they're sterile from the start. I don't know," he said, thinking this would make a very interesting line of research.

They finished packing Terilyn's gear. "I thought you had more than this?" K'ndar asked.

"I did, I shipped two crates. But, like I said earlier, everything, to include the smaller crate breaks down to fit into the larger one. Everything is made of lightwood, so it's also fairly lightweight. I made half a dozen mistakes, designing it, but now it all fits nicely. Not, of course, when I bring the wheel, but I didn't bring it this time, if you'll recall.

I'll have to leave it, I'm going to let the gather manager know I'm leaving early, and he'll hopefully ship it back," she said.

Glyena looked at it. "K'ndar, can't Raventh carry it?"

He looked at the crate. Hmmm. It would be nice, he thought, to save Terilyn the cost of shipping it back.

Are you ready to go home? he asked Raventh.

I am. You are looking at that box?

I am. Can you carry it as well as the three of us?

Raventh 'looked' at it. K'ndar remembered Aivas telling them that dragons could lift anything they thought they could.

I think so, as long as it's balanced

Of course.That's a given.

Let's do it, then

K'ndar nodded. "Raventh says he can carry it," he said.

Terilyn smiled. "That would be nice, it would save me the time and the shipping costs. It's not too heavy, it's just a little bulky, is all." They each took a handle and K'ndar let Raventh 'feel' its weight.

She was right…it wasn't very heavy at all.

Shouldn't be too difficult Raventh said.
____________________________________________________________________________
He made sure Terilyn and Glyena were harnessed in and the crate balanced. The fire lizards were firmly set just behind Raventh's head.

There was just barely enough room for everyone and the crate. Well, Raventh WAS small, for a brown.
Yes, but I am still RAVENTH

K'ndar hugged the dragon's neck.

Of course you are, the best dragon on Pern

We look like a family of Wanderers, K'ndar thought, laughing inside his head, with everything but the kitchen sink.

What is a kitchen sink?

Never mind. You aren't carrying one.

"Did you have fun today, Glyena?" Terilyn asked.

"OH, YES ma'am…but I want to get some dinner and then go to bed," the girl said.

"Me too," K'ndar said.