Chap. 209 Tempers Rising

 

Chap. 209 Tempers Rising

He'd dug his binoculars out of his saddle bag and was now tucked into an uncomfortably small hollow at the foot of a tree. Behind him, Raventh was perched atop a volcanic outcrop on the other side of the hill. He'd made sure the dragon was below the skyline. Nothing shouted SPY better than a dragon outlined against the sky.

Large boulders littered the steep hillside. Far out on the grassland, he could see a large herd of livestock, horses and cattle combined. At first glance, he'd thought it was a wild herd.

But no, there was even a few sheep in with them. Now he could see that several animals had brands. He'd have to get closer, the binos didn't show the detail from this distance, but it appeared to his herdsman's eye that most of them didn't match. None of them were recognizable, but that in itself suggested that the animals had all been stolen.

Wait. Horsemen. Several were cantering out to the herds. Now he could see others, cantering towards them. Shift change? Where had they come from?

This was no wild herd, or even one of escapees.

At the base of the hill, he saw a few men moving about purposefully, but as there were no visible living quarters, they could only be living in caves at the base. Were it not for the livestock, he'd have flown right over it without a clue that there were people living there. In fact, he reflected, he probably had. But it had been a while since he'd been on this particular sweep.

He studied the site. The ground nearest the hillside was bare of vegetation, the many foot and hoof prints indicating that any vegetation had been pounded into dust. He could see partial wagon tracks. They weaved and disappeared, reappeared many meters away, showing only here and there. Based on their illogical meandering path, it appeared that the drivers intentionally drove their wagons on rocky spots to keep from making visible tracks or ruts. There was no other signs of human activity visible outside the caves.

He smelled bread baking and roasting meat. It made him hungry. He had neglected to bring anything to eat, not expecting to have his sweep cut short by discovering the raiders camp.

Baking ovens took time to build. This was at least a semi-permanent camp.

Lessons learned, K'ndar, he thought, one, you should have brought a lunch. Two...well, was he wrong in cutting the sweep short completely? It meant that the rest of the sweep was being neglected. Maybe some had a signal pennant out and was waiting fruitlessly for him. Not much a planner, am I?

But...I've found the camp of people, a camp that my gut says is an illicit one. They took great pains to make it unremarkable from a sweep rider's point of view.

They've not been here for too long, he guessed. That many animals needed a lot of grazing.

On his left, movement caught his eye.

Someone was making his laborious way up the hillside several hundred meters away from him. For a moment he panicked, wondering if he'd been seen.

Then he saw something even more worrisome-a flash of reflected light. A signal mirror? Binoculars? He was in shadow and the sun was at zenith. The man walking up hill was in sunshine, too low down the hill for the flash to have come from him.

He focused his nocs on the man and then worked it uphill from him...and felt his blood go cold.

There was another person in a site very similar to his, high up on the hillside almost at the same elevation. He was almost invisible. He had a binocular to his eyes, and as K'ndar watched, turned it in his direction and again, the binocular flashed reflected sunlight.

A sentry. If there was one there, were there more? Perhaps, one behind HIM? Had he been seen?

Maybe not. From the sentry's position, if he glassed in K'ndar's direction, he'd be looking fully into the sun.

Siskin. He waited until the sentry's focus was elsewhere and called the blue fire lizard to him.

Be wary, little lad, don't let the humans see you, he thought.

The blue fire lizard flitted to him, flying in between the gaps in the brush.

"See those humans?"

Siskin chipped. Of course.

"See if there are any others up here. Find. Find any others up here. Be wary. Don't let them see you," he said.

Siskin chipped again, and flitted away. Then he vanished.

He is going to go up high, where he can get an overall look. I don't see or hear any, but I'm behind the hill Raventh said.

K'ndar shifted so that he was behind a shrub just to ensure he was hidden, and watched through the branches. The man climbing uphill stopped.

He heard a high pitched whistle, a series of notes in a specific tune. He tried to memorize it. He played it silently in his head, and the climber helped by repeating it. Then the sentry answered with the same tune. Ah. Password. Or in this case, pass whistle?

The man started moving up hill again, and the sentry stood up and stretched. It took the climber several minutes to reach him.

Siskin says no other humans on this hill.

Whew.

When the two men met, he could hear them talking, but they were too far for him to understand.

Tell Siskin to perch in the trees above those humans, and listen. I want to hear what the men are saying.

He didn't see the lizard but Siskin began to send images and sounds.

"See anything?" asked the climber.

"Shaff, no. Like every day, nothing but animals eating and shitting. You're late, arsehole."

"Cain't help it, slept in, I did," one said, laughing.

"You bastard, I froze my bollocks all night and you're in the rack?"

"Ah, that was just to twit you, mate. I been up since dawn. Karloch's on a tear, I was more'n glad to come up here, just to be clear of him."

"What's his issue this time?"

"You know how he is. Another bloody 'briefing'. Watch for dragons, watch for sweeps. Don't be seen. Next one who leaves litter outside the caves loses his eyes. Use the camo if you're caught out. He's not happy with the scouts reports, he wants to move again, no one is telling him of a place any better than this 'un. Says he can't get anything outa the datalink. Can't go back, can't go forrard. It's all open steppe from here on, and he don't want to be seen out in the open. Shaff it, I wonders sometimes what I've gotten myself into, but a man's gotta eat. Here, give me the bino, and go get some sleep."

"Sign me out, then, and I'm done."

He heard one of them laugh. Through his binos, and with Siskin's images in his head, he saw the sentry hand the binos to the relief. And something else. What was it? The new sentry took it, and began writing in it.

A notebook!

The implications were unsettling. These people have datalinks. They have binoculars, enough to trust to a sentry. These men can read and write. They keep moving, they keep an eye out for dragons. These raiders aren't your everyday thieves, this is a sophisticated operation.

Siskin flew to him.

"Good lad, well done. Clever lad. Go to Raventh. Watch for other fire lizards." He scritched the fire lizard's head. How in the world did I ever manage without you, little lad, he thought.

The blue whickered in happiness and flitted away.

He saw several people begin to emerge from the hillside. Definitely living in caves, then.

Something is odd.

What?

No little humans. At the weyr, they are outside playing in the sun. None here?

He was right. All he saw was grown men.

Dragons coming. Three. I've told them to fly nap. Raventh said.

'Nap' was an old earth term, 'nap of the earth', meaning to fly as low to the ground as safely possible to avoid being seen.

Only three? Mirth?

No. Corvuth. Careth. Arcturuth. Lord Dorn is riding behind M'rvin. Siena and Mirth gave them the coordinates where we found the old humans and I told them to land there. Not enough room here for four of us. Be careful coming back, don't be seen.

He gulped. The three leaders of his weyr, along with Lord Dorn? This was some serious stuff, he thought.

____________________________________________________________________

"K'ndar," M'rvin, his Weyrleader, wasted no time. Furious, he snapped, "You took Siena on a SWEEP?"

K'ndar was stunned. His stomach knotted in fear. What the? I am in some very deep shit, he thought. I've never seen him so angry.

Behind the Weyrleader, D'mitran suddenly frowned.

"Sir, I'm sure..." he began. M'rvin whirled and put out his hand to shut him up. Resentment flooded D'mitran's face, but he obeyed.

"WHAT was your reasoning?"

K'ndar gathered his courage. He'd been ordered.

"Sir, I was assigned sweep duty. Ops told me Siena was flying with me. I obeyed my Weyrwoman's direct order. She made me Sweep Leader," he said, his voice wavering.

D'nis spoke up.

"Sir, you can't keep a gold dragon cooped up all the time. Now that there's no thread, she has to have something to do. Mirth's young. She needs the work, and Siena probably was going nuts, too."

M'rvin glared D'nis into silence, then resumed his tirade on K'ndar.

"And instead of continuing the sweep, you sent her as transport," he snapped through gritted teeth.

K'ndar felt resentment growing. What could he say but "Yes, sir." What the shaff? He'd done nothing wrong.

"What were you thinking? Were you daft?"

"Sir? I'm not daft. I thought it wise to get the old couple out of there, and get Siena and Mirth out of harm's way, as well. There were raiders, sir, the old man told me how they'd had everything of value stolen. The raiders knew a dragon had taken the people away but they didn't know it was a gold. Raventh hadn't been seen, and I thought it a good chance that I could find their camp. I did. I've been watching the raider camp, not for very long. They have a lot of livestock with a dozen different brands, sir. They're from all over," he said, his stomach churning...but his blood running hot.

K'ndar continued, seeing that M'rvin was working up another storm of accusations.

"They're well hidden, sir, and are doing a good job of staying out of view. I bet earlier sweeps have passed right over them without being seen.

They're using fire lizards as spies and watchers, sir. They have sentries out, with binoculars. Like mine," he said, brandishing his. "They were talking as they changed out. One said someone named "Karloch" has a datalink. He said Karloch is angry because he wants to move "again" and they can't find another spot to move to without exposing themselves to sweep riders. They're well hidden, sir, and they have equipment like no raider I've ever heard of. The sentries keep records, written in notebooks. This is no ordinary bunch of brigands, sir. They're well equipped, knowledgeable, and well trained. What was I to do? Let this chance slip away? Let the old people get killed?"

"You DON'T take a queen on some scatterbrained trip!" M'rvin snapped.

K'ndar's eyes narrowed. Sweeping is suddenly scatter brained? As if I woke up and thought, what a great day to get my arse reamed? Do something as monumentally stupid as disobey a Weyrwoman? I don't have to put up with this shit. This is unfair and you're shaming me, in front of men I admire, like I'm a two year old. I'm done. I don't know where I'll go but I'm done. Lizard wants a partner? Fine. He's got one.

"I understand, sir. It is your right to bani...."

STOP. Shut up Raventh roared in his head.

D'mitran, behind M'rvin, caught his eye. He very subtly shook his head.

Don't say it. Dragons obey their queen. Riders obey their weyrleaders. Be quiet.

Shocked, he obeyed.

Lord Dorn said, "Weyrleader M'rvin, I didn't come out here to watch you disembowel this young man. K'ndar is telling the truth, I was surprised to see Weyrwoman Siena, but she told me she had to get out of the weyr, just for a day. She saw no harm in it. She said K'ndar has a good head on his shoulders and would never allow her to be harmed. I know K'ndar. He was one of my cotholders, and I've found him to be steady, honest, and incapable of being stupid. He did as he was ordered."

K'ndar, still dazed from Raventh's interruption, felt gratitude towards the Lord Holder.

M'rvin opened his mouth, but Dorn held up his hand to silence him.

"Weyrleader, hear me out. The people they rescued told me a tale that has become all too familiar to me of late. I've suffered losses-of livestock, of tithes, of equipment, of people being harmed or terrorized. I think K'ndar has found those responsible. Isn't that one of the tasks of a sweep is? For you dragonriders to find miscreants as well as carry messages? In my mind, he made an excellent decision. As did Weyrwoman Siena. No harm came to her, she said it was the right decision, to split the team.

I'm a busy man, M'rvin. I didn't come out here for a joyride. I want to see that camp with my own eyes. And then I want to have your help-with dragon riders, as well as my own armed men, to snatch these raiders up and put them in cells."

M'rvin began to relent. He'd allowed himself to lose his temper. Again. What in the shaff is wrong with me? Good weyrleaders don't humiliate a man in front of an audience. K'ndar is a good man, always has been. Why am I blaming him? When it's Siena, why won't she listen to me, she can't just go off like this! Women! It's not as if..

Maybe your temper is why we are losing dragons Arcturuth, his bronze interrupted. It felt like a gut punch.

Dorn said, "By the way, Weyrleader...be glad that Siena didn't come back. She strikes me as the type to do that."

"I'd have forbidden it. It's too dangerous," M'rvin said, grasping a way out of the confrontation.

Mirth has arrived all their dragons said.

"Too late," D'nis muttered.

Chap. 208 Deception

Chap. 208 Deception

Can you make it so that the green fire lizards don't see you? K'ndar asked Raventh.

Siena was buckling the old man and woman onto her gold dragon, Mirth, as quickly as she could.

I think, if I keep very quiet and don't move, they'll see Mirth and not me. Siskin is trying to keep them back but they're insistent. I think their masters are pushing them hard. So I will stop thinking right now. Don't answer.

That was hard to do, but K'ndar obeyed. He watched as his brown dragon moved away from Mirth and then lay down. He was too large to be covered by the meadow's grasses, but by laying down, he stopped looking like a brown dragon and more like..well, a brown lump.

He moved quickly to Mirth's side. Siena was about to mount when he said, softly, "Try to draw the greens attention to you. I'm hoping they don't notice Raventh. When you get airborne, I hope they'll only follow you until you go between. If they don't, I'll have Siskin follow them. Hopefully it will be back to their camp. Once they're out of sight, we will follow," he said.

"Okay. Mirth says she'll try to keep them focused on her. I'll be back as soon as I can," she said. "This is the right thing, K'ndar, but still, I want to be in on the kill."

He grinned.

"You might want to make yourself scarce, too, K'ndar. Maybe go into the hut?"

He thought fast. "Good idea, but there's nothing to keep them out. They may go right into the hut. I think I'll just drop down right here, the grass is tall enough to hide me," he said.

He stepped back to get out of Mirth's way and lay down in the grass. What an interesting view of a dragon, he thought.

Mirth, feeling Siena secure in the saddle, gathered herself to leap skyward.

"Hang on, folks," he called, "Mirth will jump and between can be scary but just hold tight."

The man nodded grimly. His wife looked scared but determined.

The great golden dragon leaped into the air, the down thrust of her giant wings buffeting him.

Mirth quickly gained altitude. K'ndar wondered, would she be able to evade detection completely?

No.

Two green fire lizards, followed by an indignant Siskin, burst out of the trees.

They swirled around in the clearing, one peeking into the hut. The other began to head for the meadow.

Mirth roared, startling everyone.

The greens stopped in midair, astonished at the sight of the rapidly rising Mirth. Then as one, they squeaked and followed her.

Siskin whirled, weeping in consternation, where was K'ndar?

"Siskin! To me, lad!!" K'ndar said, raising up onto an elbow.

The blue arrowed to him, his thoughts a maelstrom of confusion-and frustration at losing the green's focus.

"Well DONE, lad! Good Siskin! Clever lad, to keep them busy! I don't want them to see me or Raventh. When they come down, go with them. Send to us. I must be quiet now, I don't want them hearing me. Understand?

Siskin cheeped, appreciating the game. Then, unbidden, he launched skyward. Mirth had reached a safe altitude in which to go between. The green fire lizards were far below her. The dragon vanished.

I'll never get tired of seeing that, he thought, never. What an amazing creature. How lucky I am to have a dragon.

Then doubts hit. They're safely away, he thought. Did we do the right thing? Snatch them from their home? Well, if it wasn't the right thing, they could always return. But his gut said, no, they needed to be rescued.

The green fire lizards, circled in the vast sky overhead, defeated by Mirth's going between.

He felt strangely alone, as Raventh was keeping very quiet. He kept tight hold on his thoughts, to keep the greens from hearing them. It was difficult.

The greens dropped down to tree level and headed back the way they'd come.

Siskin followed.

They didn't see me. Mirth was smart. All they could see was her belly. They didn't notice the humans on her back. Now they're returning the way they came, Raventh said, in a smirking voice.

K'ndar laughed in his mind. He stood up, and as he did, noticed that the signaling pennant was still flying. I'd better take that down, he thought.

The hut was not much more than a room with a large bunk for two, a small wash basin made of wood on a large, hollowed out stump, an iron pot on a cookstove, a pitifully small bundle of firewood, and a bucket full of water. These people were dirt poor, he thought.

He and Raventh got the images from Siskin at the same moment.

Raiders. Heading towards the hut on horseback. The green fire lizards were now perched on one of the men's shoulders.

Siskin sent an image of one of the raiders pointing at him.

You see his images? Raventh asked.

I do. I don't think I have the time to...

He didn't. He heard hoofbeats on the narrow trail heading for the hut.

What to do. What to do. I don't have time to run out and jump on Raventh. I look like a dragonrider, he thought. I don't want them to know.

He tore off his riding jacket, with its dragonrider knot braid. Where to hide it?

Ah. Maybe. The stump, hope to the stars it's hollow.

It was. He removed the wash basin, and shoved his jacket and goggles as deep into the stump as he could. In the poor light of the hut, you wouldn't be able to see them if you didn't reach in.

He replaced the basin and, for good measure, ladled water into it.

He heard men's voices.

"They're daft, man, no dragon here," one said.

"They don't lie, boyo. And here's this bloody blue one, he's a wild 'un, I think. Get by, ya horny beast! Leave me girls alone!"

Siskin was sending images of the two men on horseback. He was diving at them, trying to lure them away from the path to the hut.

One swatted at him fruitlessly. The two greens chortled and began to swirl over the man's head, thinking it a grand game.

"Bloody nuisances, these fire lizards," the man said.

"You just don't likes 'em, they can tell," the green's master laughed.

Two men on horseback emerged from the forest.

"You're right, I don't," the first one said. He reined his horse roughly to a halt, then yelled, "Hi! You in the hut, old man, come out!"

K'ndar froze.

"You, in the hut! I can see your shadow, get out here, now, both of you!"

The two men dismounted. The two green fire lizards launched from one of the rider's shoulders. Siskin began to tease them, enticing them into a game. They darted in and out of the sun dappled leaves.

K'ndar paused for a moment, then poked his head out.

"Aye?"

The men stopped, shocked.

"Who are you? C'mere, you, and identify yourself."

K'ndar, thinking quickly, said, "Eh?" He left the hut, blinking his eyes as if he'd just awakened. He shuffled towards them, noting the crossbows on their backs, short daggers at their sides, their clothing worn, their horses lathered. They'd ridden them hard. One kept his hand on the dagger, ready to throw it.

He memorized their faces. One tall and thin, the owner of the greens. The other, with the itchy dagger, was bulky and short, with scars on his face.

They approached him and stopped within arm's length.

"You, who are you? Where's the old man and woman?" Scar snapped.

"Uh...in forest?" K'ndar said.

"Aye, in the forest, you dumbskull, who are you?"

"Me?"

"YES, you twit! Your name?"

K'ndar looked skyward, as if the answer was in the clouds.

"LOUT! What's your name?" the short one yelled, and clouted K'ndar.

He fell over backwards, mastering his anger. He rubbed this head where the raider had hit him.

"Ow," he said.

The man made to hit him again. K'ndar threw his arms up to ward off the blow. Instead, the tall one grabbed the man's arm.

"Hold up, mate, can't you see he's an idiot? Don't got two wits to rub together," Tall said.

He put out his hand to help K'ndar up. K'ndar cringed, wondering if he dared take it.

"Come on, there, lout, let me help you up."

"No. No hit me. Afraid," he mumbled.

The two regarded him, Scar wanting to thrash him just on account of because.

Tall looked at him.

"You're not right in the head, aye?"

K'ndar took the opening. He nodded, looking sideways, making his eyes dart in confusion.

"Head. Hit head. Just baby. Can't think now," he said, making it look like an effort.

"Are you the old man's son?"

He shook his head.

"Hit head. Lost in forest. Man find me. No live here, live in forest."

Tall regarded him with what may have been sympathy.

"You were a baby. Your folks were holdless?"

K'ndar nodded.

"You wandered off, fell off something and hit your head? They left you?"

K'ndar shrugged. He pointed to his head. "Think hurts. Can't remember. Hard talk. Thread? Thread killed mum," he said, then rubbed his head again.

"What? That makes no sense, you fool," Scar said, threatening.

"Leave off, mate. He's an idiot. Don't go beating on him, you'll just shut him up," Tall said.

"Fine, " Scar said, "But we need to find out where those old people went. You, lout, where are the old man and woman?"

K'ndar shrugged.

"Did they go riding on a gold dragon?"

K'ndar gaped at him.

"Dragon?"

"Yes, you fool, a gold dragon. Did someone come here and take them away on a gold dragon?"

"Dint see dragon," K'ndar said.

Tall shook his head. "He's useless. I have a feeling the sunlight was in my green's eyes. Gold dragons don't sweep, they're too valuable. It was probably a bronze. I'd say it was on a sweep but just one? Usually they go in teams. Come on, leave this idiot, we'll come back next week," he said.

He looked down at K'ndar.

"The old man comes back, you tell him, he's late with his tithe. We'll be back for it. Understand?"

"Tithe," K'ndar repeated, desperately keeping his act together.

"Yes. Tithe. You tell him...if you can...we'll be back for the tithe. Tell him it's double now, because he's late. Understand?" he said.

The two remounted their horses.

""These yobs are so far out in the forest, I don't see why we even bother. It's not worth the time," Scar said. He roughly snatched up the reins. His horse flattened its ears, but it had learned to obey.

"You want to take that up with Karloch, you go right ahead. Me, I do as I'm told. Keeps cold steel out of my warm guts," Tall said.

K'ndar waited until he was sure they'd really left. Siskin was following them from a safe distance.

He retrieved his jacket and goggles. His head still rang from the clout Scar had dealt him.

He went out to the meadow where Raventh had lain, quiet as a stone.

The brown got to his feet and roused from nose to tail.

That went well K'ndar said, I'm surprised their horses didn't react.

I think they're used to fire lizards, so they're not afraid of dragons.

I'm really surprised the greens didn't find you.

I'm not. I don't think when I'm napping

 

Chap. 207 Green Spies

Chap. 207 Green spies

They were winging their way across the southeastern quadrant of Lord Dorn's hold.

While it was not the size of Toric's vast holding, still, Dorn's lands went for a very long way.

"K'ndar," Siena called from across the gap between their two dragons, "Why did Mirth tell me you can't drink wine? I made up that excuse to Lord Dorn," she called.

"Thank you for that. It's probably easier to talk when we're not flying, but to be brief, I'm allergic to alcohol," he called back.

"Really. How odd. I don't believe I've ever heard of such a thing. It's a pity, as Dorn's wine is very good," she said. "Oh, look, there's a pennant."

He'd seen it at the same moment. "That's a signal for us," he said.

Do you see a spot to land? he asked Raventh.

I do. There's a small hut and then just to the south there's an open meadow. See the people waving at us?

Just barely. Your eyesight is far better than mine.

They circled over the hut. It was in a treeline bordering a small meadow.

"Are your beasts tied up?" he called down to the two people below. Most livestock was afraid of dragons and would bolt at their sight.

"No need to worry about that, dragonrider, we have none. Land in the meadow yonder," he pointed to the meadow a few dragon lengths from their hut.

The two, an older couple, approached the dragons. They stopped, awed at Mirth's size.

They introduced themselves, then the man said, "I tell you, ma'am, this is the first time I've ever seen a queen dragon. We don't get dragonriders here often, but I've seen the bronzes. She is much larger."

Siena smiled. "She is, indeed," she said, proud of her gold dragon.

"Is that a fire lizard?" the man asked.

Siskin, perched on K'ndar's shoulder, arched his neck.

"It is, sir," K'ndar said.

"I've heard of them but never seen one. They don't live around here," the man said.

The woman, tugged on his sleeve and whispered into his ear, too shy to speak to the dragonriders.

"Aye," he said, nodding, then turned to them, "My woman would like to know if you'd like some klah? We've not much here but we do welcome you."

Without checking with Siena, K'ndar shook his head. Even so, the woman, without a word, left to enter their tiny hut.

"No, thank you, we've a lot of territory to sweep. You've a signal for us?"

"Aye, I'm certain you're busy. We have a bundle of klah bark, it's our tithe to Lord Dorn. It's not much, sorry to say. Ordinarily, we'd take it to the Hold, it's our only time we actually leave this cothold, you see, but now we're stuck afoot, and it's a long walk," he said.

Before he could respond, Siskin suddenly chittered and left his shoulder to rise high in the sky. Distracted by the blue's actions, K'ndar had to drag his attention back to the couple.

Siena stepped in. "We'll be glad to take it to the Hold, sir, but what do you mean, 'left afoot'?" she asked.

Siskin dropped from the sky to enter the trees. He was silent. As he flew, he sent back images of the forest. What was he doing? Why?

Torn, K'ndar wanted to pay attention to the images Siskin was sending back, wanted to ask Raventh what was going on, but had to deal with the cotholders.

The woman returned and handed him a small bundle of klah bark, neatly tied up and ready for transport.

They both did something odd. They turned and looked around themselves, as if wary of evesdroppers.

Siskin is hunting something. It's not prey. He says 'other fire lizards'.

What?

"Is something wrong here?" Siena asked, sharply aware of the couple's obvious nervousness.

"We have to be quiet, you see. The raiders. They seem to have ears everywhere," the man said.

K'ndar was suddenly all atingle.

"Raiders?" he said, softly.

"Aye. Don't know their names, but they come by here on a regular basis, wanting something. They call it 'tribute'. So far all they've done is take things, like my ax, first time, then my runner beast (horse), they even took our canine a few months back. They say if we don't give them what they want, we'll be killed and none will know. We're poor people, ma'am, don't have much but each other but that means nothing to them. We're obliged to tithe to Lord Dorn but now we're tithing to them, too. I must be very careful, sir, they're bad men."

Siena was growing angry.

"What do they look like? How many?"

The man paled.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but I daren't say a thing. It's like they've ears in the trees, I don't know how they keep track of what we say and do, but they know. They prob'ly know you're here."

Siskin sent back an image of a pair of fire lizards flying through the trees.

Fire lizards are coming Mirth said to Siena.

Siskin is with strange fire lizards Raventh said.

See them? K'ndar asked.

No. Siskin is talking to them. He's sending to me as well. He's stopped them.

Do they see you? or us?

No. They're not close enough, I don't think. I will tell Siskin to keep them away. The humans are afraid of them.

The man was looking at them with an odd face.

K'ndar shoved the visions aside for a moment.

"I'm sorry, sir, I was listening to my dragon. He tells me my fire lizard has sighted some fire lizards. I think that's how the raiders keep track of your actions."

The woman went ashen.

"I knew it were something like that. We'd never see people watching us, but then they'd come and say they had eyes and ears in the forest," she said, softly.

They're using fire lizards to spy on them Mirth said.

They are Raventh agreed.

Very softly, Siena said, "These raiders...did you ever see a fire lizard with them?"

They both shook their heads.

"Do you have any idea where they are coming from? Are they roaming around, or do they have a camp nearby?"

"I have no idea, sir. They show up about once a week. They're patrolling. Once they said this was their hold, now, and we're obliged to provide for them. They show up, search the hut, pester us for something, no matter how little we have, then leave. They always say, "we're watching you," the man said.

"They enjoy scaring us," the woman said, scornfully, "Makes them feel like big men."

"Have they..." Siena started, wondering if she should continue. Sometimes there were things that women kept to themselves. But it was important to know.

"Have they ever touched you, assaulted you?" she looked at the woman.

The women both knew what she meant. Rape?

"No, ma'am, not a finger, thank the stars," she said, "but...but they way they look at me, it's their way of saying, it could happen, just try them."

"I'd kill them all with my bare hands they ever do that," the man said, suddenly catching on.

He looked at the tree tops, wondering if fire lizards were in them.

"Please, dragonriders, I'm sorry, but would you please leave now?" the man said. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid of them. I am. I haven't a weapon to my name, never needed one til these raiders showed up," he said. The woman was wringing her hands.

K'ndar was still juggling the visions Siskin was sending. He was perched in a tree somewhere, flirting with what appeared to be two green fire lizards.

That's my lad, he sent to Siskin, thought, keep 'em busy for the moment.

Siskin sent a happy note back.

"My fire lizard is keeping them, um, entertained for the moment. They're two greens. A green fire lizard is smaller than the rest, faster, and in this forest, they blend right in with the leaves. No wonder you haven't seen them," he said.

Siena said, "I will take this tithe, sir, but I will also let Lord Dorn know why it's so small. I will also tell him you've had a horse I mean runner beast stolen."

"And a canine, ma'am, she were..." the woman began to cry softly, "She's a pet, you know, not worth a knuckle as a working dog but she kept us safe from tunnel snakes. I miss her so," she said.

The man put his arm around her and held her tightly.

The idea of a bunch of raiders terrorizing and stealing from these people pissed him off.

K'ndar said, " Sir, would you want us to take you to Lord Dorn's Hold? You'll be safer there."

The man stopped, thinking. The woman began nodding her head.

He looked at her.

"I...I think so. All we have is this hut, now that the canine and runner beast are gone."

K'ndar, thinking hard, said, "If you would be willing to wait for a while, we're going to try and track the fire lizards back to where the raiders are living. Then we'll come back and take you to the Hold. So if you have something that you want to take with you, have it packed," he said.

"We...uh, we've never been on a dragon before," the man said.

K'ndar smiled. "It's like riding a horse, I mean runner beast. If you have jackets, wear them, it can get cold up there," he said.

Siskin says the greens are coming. He can't hold them back any longer. They're being told to come see the hut Raventh said.

The blue fire lizard is returning. Two green fire lizards are ahead of him. They are coming here Mirth said.

Siena suddenly had a premonition. Always trust your gut, her mother had told her, and she'd never ignored it.

"K'ndar, I think it might be wise to take them now. Mirth told me the green fire lizards are coming," she said.

K'ndar nodded, feeling his stomach tighten. "You're right. Sir, if you don't mind, we're going to take you NOW. Gather your things and we'll take you to Lord Dorn's Hold. Once the green fire lizards see us here, the raiders will know," he said.

"Aye, thank you, sir. We won't be but a moment, we've not much," he said.

The two left to gather their few things.

Plans began to swirl in K'ndar's head.

"Ma'am, I think we need to split up. Can Mirth take two passengers?"

Siena looked at him. "What? Why? What are you thinking?"

"Once the greens see our dragons, they'll go back and report. I'm sure the raiders will bolt. I want to find these bastards. If you would take these folks to Lord Dorn's hold, I will have Siskin follow the greens back to the raiders den," he said.

"That's, well, maybe we could just hide the couple, I want to find the raiders, too," she said, wanting in on the hunt.

"Ma'am, it won't take you but a moment to go between and drop them off," he said.

"Nay, K'ndar, I'll have to explain why," Siena argued. "That will take time, and I want to find these raiders," she said.

K'ndar, for the first time in his career, took on the role he'd had thrust upon him. Where he got the courage, he reflected much later, he had no idea.

No. Raventh can't take two more and Mirth can. We can't let these vermin escape.

"Ma'am. You made me Sweep Leader. I don't know how long it will take to find them. I don't know what will happen if and when I do. These people can't be left on their own, the fire lizards will follow us and if we 'hide them" somewhere, the greens will surely tell their owners. If there are raiders in the area, they'll possibly hurt and kill them, now that their cover is blown. Please, Ma'am, take the people to Lord Dorn's Hold and explain, if necessary, and then come back. If you can, too, bring other dragons. Call out the Weyrlings if you have to. Raventh will broadcast the coordinates. These raiders are armed and dangerous. I have no doubt you're not afraid, but..I am. For you. For these folks. For me. But we don't get a chance like this to track the bastards down more than once. We have to split up. Please?"

Siena opened her mouth to protest, then realized K'ndar was right. She had, after all, designated him as boss. And she admired that he was doing exactly as she'd ordered. You might not admit it or want it, K'ndar, but you do have leadership qualities, she thought.

"Yes, Sweep Leader," she said.