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Mike
There she was sitting on her
bed, still trying to chase away the sleep and her dreams. But deep inside
she wanted to hold on to those beautiful dreams!
‘Oh, stop living in a fantasy, Mike! This is reality! Rise and shine, a
new day is waiting!’
But this was just one of those days she felt
like staying in bed all day and letting herself drifting away in her sorrow
thoughts. It has been 3 turns when her father died and already 5 when her
mom past away. Sometimes it was even hard to remember their voices or the
way they held her and loved her. Yeah, just one of those days! But she would
never forget what they taught her.
So to keep their memory in honour:
‘Get of your lazy
butt Mike! It’s a beautiful day to do some work-out! If you want to become
the best fighter in ‘Way Harmony Ki’ (this in a martial art, but I guess you
figured that one out!), you have to train hard and yes, also suffer a bit!’
And remembering her dream:
‘You never now what this
day may bring! Life is full of surprises!’
She jumped out off bed, refreshed by al her
nice thoughts and ran out of her cave. Cave, hmm, that may sound primitive
but on the inside it was really cosy and inviting to cocoon. After the death
of her parents, she had learned very well to take care of herself. And hey,
she wasn’t a little girl anymore! She was already walking 17 turns on this
new planet! Her father sometimes told her a bed story about Earth and how
they came to Pern. They were one of the families that, contrary to the
majority of all the travellers from Earth, went to the South to start a new
community. But in the South, the communities didn’t develop as good as in
the northern part of Pern. And very soon the people got frustrated and tried
to go their own way. Only a few people, including Mike’s family, wouldn’t
give up on that dream. But in the meanwhile the most people that lived here
were aggressive drunks of whom a few tried to have a tyrannical power over
each and everyone. Her parents didn’t want to give up their ideal of
‘freedom and equal chances for everyone’ and they had to pay the price for
it with their lives. But Mike was there to set on that dream of a Utopia
where people could live in peace.
The latest rumours were that there were some
dragon riders seen in the area. If that were only true! Then they were one
step closer to realizing their ‘perfect’ world.
Mike came on her favourite spot, near a
waterfall, to start her meditation. In her full concentration, she noticed
two large shadows in the sky. ‘Dragons!!!’ Al’x and Trix were with
respectively Zoreth and Frynoth flying through the deep blue sky.
‘What a strange place!’
Al’x said, ‘It gives me the creeps and Zoreth
also doesn’t like it! There just ain’t something right!’
‘This is a part of Southern Pern where there
are no dragon riders. The people that live here are demoralized they haven’t
got a good leader, someone to look up to.’
‘Then what are we doing here?
You don’t honestly
think that there is walking a potential dragon rider somewhere?’
‘I don’t know Al’x, but Frynoth was anxious to come here. She must have a
good reason! Call it female intuition.’
‘Women!’
grumbled the young bronze rider.
‘I heard that!’
Frynoth replied amused. And they started a wild, fooling race.
Amazed by such a beauty, she hadn’t heard
the shouting coming from a little further and neither did the dragon riders.
In an open spot in the forest, a couple of drunk and bored youngsters had
noticed the dragons and made it a sport to shoot one down. Out of the blue,
a burning arrow snatched into Zoreth’s wing. With a loud roar of pain he
crashed down.
Frynoth made a dive and swept under need
Al’x for preventing him to fall 30 feet high and smashing to a rock.
‘Let’s get out of here!’
Trix was shouting
‘No! I can’t leave Zoreth behind!’
‘If you haven’t noticed it: they are
shooting at us! This is way too dangerous! Zeroth will be just fine, he’s a
big boy and you trained him well Al’x. We’ll pick him up when the coast is
clear.’
said Trix while trying to avoid the other arrows.
‘But you’re also worried.’
noticed Frynoth. ‘Damn, you dragons also know
everything!’ replied Trix a bit cranky.
‘But you’re right. I really hope that Zoreth is ok, but I’m afraid not.’
In all the fuss that was going on in the sky
and on ground, Mike was looking for that wounded dragon. If she’d hurry,
maybe she could save him from a worse faith than just being injured!
Zoreth had made a save diving not so far
from her cave. When Mike saw him, she merged towards him with great respect
but not a spark of fear.
‘Don’t worry; I don’t want to hurt you.’
‘What the hell…?’
Zoreth was totally dashed by the fact that this little girl could talk to
him. ‘You’re not supposed to talk to me! You
didn’t impress me and I didn’t allow you to come in my head! That is private
property you know!’
In all of his excitement he moved his injured
wing and put on a painful grin.
‘Stop bugging me about stupid little
details! My cave is nearby. Can you walk?’
‘Yes, I think so. It’s just my wing that’s hurting like hell.’
They reached Mike’s cave and, after a little struggle with the entrance
which was a bit narrow, they got to the main chamber.
‘This looks a bit like a weyr.’
‘Well, make yourself comfortable. Don’t worry, no one knows that someone
living here, so we’ll be save until your friends come back.’
Zoreth suddenly felt blue.
‘Why did he leave me behind?
I never thought he would do that.’
Mike felt a bit sorry for him and tried to
cheer him up:
‘Al’x didn’t mean to abandon you! He had to
because his live was in danger and he wouldn’t be able to help you much when
he was dead right?! I know that this very moment his also sitting somewhere
heartbroken worrying if you’re alright. He loves you very much! You share
something special that’s unbreakable by human hands.’
A shadow of a smile flew over the dragon’s
face. ‘Yes, I
guess you’re right. But I didn’t tell you that my rider’s name was Al’x.
How…?’
Mike suddenly started to blush like a child
caught on sneaky eating candy.
‘Well, I kind of dreamt about you. It’s like a
dream things and somehow they come true.’
‘You’re psychic? And you’ve strengthen your
powers to get into someone’s head. Very impressive! That’s quiet a special
gift!’
‘But sometimes also a curse. There are not only the happy things I see.’
To switch from subject, she started to take
some herbs and potions to fix up his wing. Knowing that he wouldn’t get
another word out of her, he tried not to think about that mysterious girl
that took care of his injuries what all the kindness and softness like only
a dragon rider could do. He felt she was special! Was this the girl that
Frynoth meant? It had to be! Even he felt a strange sort of connection he
couldn’t explain and he had never felt it before by any of the other
candidates. It was like on that moment when he impressed Al’x but milder.
Tired of his try-not-to-think-too-hard and all of the commotion, he drifted
of in a dreamless, deep sleep.
The next morning, when the sun had nearly
shown her beautiful face to this brand new day, Al’x was running towards
Trix’ room.
‘Wake up, Trix! Please! We have to go. We
have to find Zoreth! I can’t stand it no longer!’
A bit grumpy about her early awakening, Trix
got out of her bed and got herself ready. She knew that there was no point
in trying to stop a dragon rider to find his dragon. And at least when she
went with him, he wouldn’t do anything stupid!
After an hour, they flew out with a group of
10 dragon riders, because after their adventure last time, Trix thought it
would be saver travelling in group. And maybe they also needed transport to
bring Zoreth back to the weyr.
Suddenly Frynoth shouted surprised:
‘There is
someone in my head. Her name is Mike and she says that we have to carry on
flying until we see a mountain pike. Oh yeah, Al’x I have to let you know
that Zoreth is ok and anxious to see you.’
After a few minutes they saw the place as described and landed right in
front of the entrance. Mike came out to welcome them.
‘You made it! I wasn’t sure my message would
come true, but luckily it did. Zoreth is still inside. He will be just fine,
but he has to keep flying to the minimum for a while.’
Al’x jumped of Frynoth’s back and ran inside.
‘Zoreth! Oh my boy, am I glad to see! Are you ok? Let me take a look.’
And he started to inspect the wing.
‘Don’t worry Al’x, I’ve been in good hands.
Mike did quiet a good job!’
‘Yes, she did. I couldn’t have done it
better myself.’
‘Thank you! That’s a huge compliment coming from a dragon rider.’
Al’x turned around and smiled. Such a small girl! She almost looked like
a fairy. It was hard to estimate her age because her face seamed timeless,
but her eyes looked like they had the wisdom of many liven lives before.
‘No, I’m suppose to thank you for taken such
good care of Zoreth.’
‘The pleasure was all mine. I’m glad there are finally flying dragons
over our community. It must be a sign that times will change, that hope
hasn’t died yet!’
Trix’ head showed around the corner.
‘I don’t want to
interrupt anything, but we have to go back. Duty calls!’
They joined the group outside and prepared
to leave.
But suddenly Al’x said:
‘We have a problem. Mike,
you have to come with us. Zoreth won’t move a foot, I mean wing unless you
come with us to the weyr.’
‘And that counts for all of us!’
shouted Frynoth.
Trix smiled:
‘They have very
persuasive ways to get what they want!!! But when so many dragons are
equal-minded they can’t be mistaken. And I can only agree you would make a
good candidate for our next clutch.’
‘What? How? I…’
Was this real what they were offering her and not one of her silly dreams?
‘No, it’s definitely real, Mike! Take your
chance to make this one come true! And if I have to I’ll fly you myself to
the weyr!’
Zoreth was laughing.
‘Wait one second!’
She ran inside, took her most imported values and before she knew it, she
was up in the sky flying, driven by an unknown force to her new
destiny. But what was waiting for her, was far beyond
her dreams
HATCHING
It was early in the morning and the sun had just spread her first warming
rays, trying to chase away darkness. Mike couldn't catch her sleep anymore.
She had woken up with a sudden feeling of excitement but didn’t had a clue
why. Maybe it was still the rush of her adventure that was making her
restless. The past few days had been surreal. First her meeting with the
Zoreth, the large bronze dragon of Al’x and than hearing that she was
chosen to stand for the clutch of Zaranyth, it was overwhelming. Suddenly
the air got filled with a nervous humming. As if stuck by lightning, she
jumped out of bed. This was it: the hatching had started!
She hurried herself to the sands. The rest of the candidates were also
standing nervously in a half circle. This was the moment they all were
waiting for, but now the moment was so close it was also a little bit scary.
Soon the first egg cracked and a purple dragon with cream wings showed its
face. When it bonded with Dressanas, Mike saw such a warm, loving glow in
the eyes of the girl that her stomach turned inside of eager.
Please,
who ever that was up there, please let me experience that too. That’s all
I’m asking. She
thought.
But one egg after the other hatched but no dragon had approached her yet to
become their rider. A blue, a green and a silver soon bonded with the lucky
chosen ones. She already felt the cold hand of Doubt sneaking up on her. No,
she will have a dragon! She had to! The next egg that burst contained…two
coppers! She felt the nervousness tremble through the air. Apparently this
was something very unusual, even for the Laedress. But soon another
extraordinary dragon showed its face: a green-bronze and again he found his
bond quickly without giving her a look worthy. She felt the cold fear
closing around her heart. What if Zoreth was wrong? That she wasn’t meant
to be a dragon-rider? But just at the moment that Despair almost defeated
her, a small green dragon approached her without hesitation and looked her
straight in the eyes with unconditional love and devotion.
‘I
wanted to see this place you call home.’
she said.
‘Then
we’ll go and find it.’
Mike answered.
‘Good
but first…I’m hungry.’
she said with big puppy dog eyes.
Mike chuckled, who could resist such a pretty-face, and she went to find her
bond some food. While she fed her little dragon, her thoughts drifted away.
Lilimasith had said that she wanted to see her home, but she never knew
where she belonged. As if Lilimasith felt her blue mood showing up, she
stroke her head loving to Mike’s shoulder.
‘I’m
with you. You’ll never be alone.’
she whispered softly.
That’s
right, Mike
thought, with
you, I’ll always have a home.
WEYRLING
‘Can
we go now? I want to go to the lake so you can rub the smell of smoke of my
skin.’
Lilimasith said complaining.
‘Oh
alright, we’ll go. You’re sometimes so busy and pigheaded, Lili!’
‘But
you love
me.
’
the dragon reasoned playfully.
Mike smiled. That was so true! From the moment they lay eyes on each other
they felt that nothing could ever break this bond they had. So flying to the
lake and washing a dragon that was growing over her head, was a small price
to pay.
‘A
little bit to the left and to the right…A bit higher…No, now you’re to
high, lower…Aow please hurry up with that spot it itches very, very
much!’
‘That’s
because you’re growing that fast, my dear. You shouldn’t eat that
much.’
‘But eating is so nice! It’s all so tasty!’
and she swept with her tail by the thought of all the goodies.
‘Oh,
Lili, look what you’ve done! Now I can start all over again!’
‘It’s
just my tail and butt that’s covered with sand…’
‘Do
you know how much work it is to wash and oil the tail of a dragon that’s
three times my size?!’
‘You
should put some effort in me. I’m the best one of my class. No one can
hold a flame as long as I can!’
Lilimasith said truly proud of herself.
‘Oh
yeh, like the time you almost burned Cyan’s hair!’
‘That
was an accident…’
the dragon blushed.
‘We
haven’t proven ourselves in battle yet, Lili. So till that day, it’s
best that we stay humble….And practice so damn hard that we will
be the best.’
‘You’re
right, but you know, we will be, because we’re the greatest team there
is!’
ADULT
Lilimasith nearly
ran over Mike in full excitement.
‘Watch
where you’re going! What’s on fire?’
‘Hydrath!’
‘What?!’
Mike screamed in fear, while all sorts of horrific scenes were flashing
before her eyes.
‘Yes,
she’s ready to fly!’
the dragon said with big
twinkling eyes.
‘Oh,
thank god!’
Mike said relieved. ‘You
scared me to death, I thought she really…’
‘No,
silly! Look at her fly!’
Completely
taken by the magnificent flight, Lilimasith became silent (which is very,
very rare for her!). But the excitement had made place for a sad, lonely
look in her eyes. Mike felt the sadness of her dragon and she got always
uncomfortable feeling.
‘What’s
wrong, Lili?’
she asked softly.
‘I
don’t know if I can do this…’
‘Do
what, sweaty?’
‘Flying…’
‘I
don’t mind if you don’t want to fly….’
‘Oh
but I do!’
Lilimasith desperately roared.
‘Than
what is the problem?’
‘Who
would ever want to fly with me…?’
the dragon sniffed.
‘Don’t
worry, you’ll find someone.’
Mike said while she petted to comfort her.
‘Why
should they? I’m just a simple, small green.’
‘You’re
my simple, small green, Lili! And that’s what makes you special! Remember,
we’re a team.’
‘That’s
true! I know you always love me. And I have seen Al’x look on his face
when you walk by…’
she said laughing and teasing.
Mike blushed.
‘Well,
lets just wait and see what the future will bring.’
Mike
is a Candidate at Lantessama Weyr
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