(STORY) Lost pt2
Batty
<part 2>
Kehvarl sat on the pile of trapping gear tied to the packhorse, and rocked
gently as the animal walked. "Steve?"
"Yes, Stripes?"
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to check on a few more traps then we'll settle down for the
night."
"Oh." Kehvarl watched the forest pass silently. "Steve?"
"What?" The hunter sighed inwardly. With this noisy young dragon tagging
along he could forget about catching anything worth a bounty. Other hunters
would have left the dragon behind, but Steve was a father and the thought
of leaving any young one alone in the forest was abhorrent to him.
"Why do you call me 'Stripes'?"
"Look at your back."
Kehvarl turned and examined his back. "Oh. Is that my name?"
"I don't know. I had to call you something besides 'Hey You'." He
remembered hearing of a dragon living close by. Maybe he could drop the
little one off there and the parents will turn up to claim him. He steered
a course to approach the lair from up-wind. "Does this area look familiar?"
Kehvarl looked around. "No," he said eventually.
They approached the clearing and Steve told Kehvarl to wait there,
dismounted and walked to the edge of the woods. He saw the dragon, a pale
grey mature male, was waiting. "Hello!" he called.
"Bugger off!" growled the dragon.
"I found a-" Steve stopped when he saw the unmistakable signs of an angry
dragon.
"I said, bugger off!" The dragon lowered his head and advanced slowly.
Steve retreated into the trees. He mounted his horse and grabbed the lead
rope of the pack animal. "I think we should leave," he said quickly.
"Why?" said Kehvarl.
"It would be bad if we didn't, that's why." He took them away as fast as
the old packhorse would let them.
***
As soon as Mach opened his eyes Mavrik knew his friend couldn't find Kev.
Mach sighed and hung his head. "I'm sorry."
A shadow passed overhead. Mavrik looked up and recognized the outline of
one of his brothers. It was Cyclone. They watched as he stalled and dropped
neatly between the trees.
"Paveway told me what happened," he said as soon as he saw them. "Wrack is
off to tell Mum and Dad, and Freo and the girls are on their way to be with
Fronnie."
"Thanks," said Mavrik. "I'm glad she's not alone."
"Any sign of him?"
"Only a few traces."
Cyclone looked at Mach who simply shook his head. "He is hidden from me."
"What could be hiding him?" wondered Cyclone
"If he was on water, or had forgotten who he is, or he's-"
"He must have forgotten who he is," said Mavrik quickly. "There's no large
bodies of water up here, and if he was knocked out he could have amnesia."
"That sounds reasonable." Mach did not want to mention the third
possibility. He concentrated for a moment longer then lifted his head with
a jerk. "That way!" He pointed Eastward.
"How far?" Mavrik felt hope returning.
"I don't know," murmured Mach. "But he is along this line." He pointed to
the East.
"I'll scout ahead," said Cyclone.
With that the three dragons launched and flew eastward. Cyclone easily
out-paced the other two and quickly pulled ahead. Mach flew along the line
while Mavrik followed and concentrated on the ground, all the while hoping
for a sight, sound or scent of Kehvarl.
***
"This will do," said Steve.
Kehvarl looked around the clearing. "Do what?"
"Do for a camp."
"Oh."
"I'll set up the camp if you get some wood." Steve opened one of the
bundles on the packhorse and let the bedding fall to the ground. He spread
it out, then carefully piled the net into a soft heap beside his bed. He
watched the little dragon running around the clearing, collecting the dead
wood and piling it into a heap.
Kehvarl gathered all the sticks into his arms and stood upright like the
human, using his tail to balance himself in that position. He walked
forward slowly, concentrating on where to put his feet. The breeze shifted
slightly, bringing an unpleasant scent to him. He stopped and frowned.
Something was in the trees.
Steve saw his friend hesitate and instantly became aware that something was
wrong. He crouched on the ground and reached for the crossbow. As his hand
touched to stock something moved in the scrub behind him. Next instant he
was pinned to the ground. The pain in his back and ribs was dwarfed by the
agonizing pain from his left arm. He couldn't breath. Something heavy stood
on him.
Kehvarl yelped in fright as the creature leapt from the bushes and pinned
Steve to the ground. He dropped the wood and ran forward. "Hey! Hey!" he
yelled, trying to drive it from his friend. It raised its head and looked
at him. The creature was twenty feet long from the possum-like snout to the
tip of its thin tail and covered in a coarse light brown fur. It snarled at
him to expose the mouthful of razor-sharp fangs. The dragon knew exactly
what to do. He felt his fear drain away and he became motionless.
Something heavy slammed into the side of the creature, throwing it from the
prone man. It leapt to its feet and shook its head. Another blow sent it
reeling back. Once more it leapt to its feet and roared in rage then began
to circle the two. Steve opened his eyes and saw the 'leo crouch as it
prepared to pounce. The muscles bunched and it leapt. It had barely left
the ground before something invisible slammed it out of the air. The little
dragon advanced on the animal, and something else hit it backwards. Steve
blinked but could not work out what was happening.
Yet another blow sent the animal back. Kehvarl did not know how he was
doing this but it worked. He concentrated, and hit the creature again. This
blow was not as heavy as the others. He was tiring. Another blow had little
effect. The predator sensed a kill and roared in triumph. Kehvarl lowered
himself to the ground and covered his head.
Something behind him went SPUNG! The creature reared up on its hind feet
and fell, blood gushing from its mouth. It twitched once and was still.
Steve dropped the crossbow, too tired to hold it any longer, and sank to
the ground against the tree. Kehvarl ran to him, his eyes round like
saucers.
"I was scared!"
Steve smiled. "So was I," he said quietly.
Kehvarl climbed onto Steve's lap and curled up. He was heavy but Steve
didn't mind. "I'm still scared," he whispered.
Steve said nothing, but laid his right hand on his young friend's head.
<cont>
_______________________________________________________________
dwhi...@spamoff.crt.net.au http://www.usn.blaze.net.au/~batty/
Same as 1997, so far
This is serious, Mum.