by LeRoy Clary
He felt the charcoal. Cold. Yet, someone had made a camp within the last day or two. That worried him. In the time they had watched the greens, people had been at this place. Unusual for a campsite in the wilderness to have three groups so close together, and at the same time.
Still on top of the boulders, Carrion used the height to look over the area, especially in the direction of the road. Then he called softly, “There they are. Just started a campfire, something we need to do.”
The shriek of an anguished dragon split the air. Another joined in. They howled in anger and terror as the last rays of the sun were cut off by a bank of clouds near the horizon. The shrieks continued as Carrion slid down the face of the boulder and met Tanner’s eyes.
“They returned and found her and the eggs,” Tanner said.
“We can make a fire and sleep for a while. Hang our clothes and boots to dry, but before dawn, we need to be far from here.”
Tanner didn’t have to be told. He listened to another anguished shriek and shivered as he placed tinder under twigs. A fire might warm his outside, but inside he felt like a small boy facing an angry bear. What had they done?
Once the fire was going Tanner asked, “Will those two people be able to see our fire?”
Carrion shook his head. “We’re in a small valley and the boulders are between the fire and them.”
“What if they don’t leave early? The two greens might find and kill them.”
“If you were one of them and heard those screams, along with the ones we’re going to hear most of the night, would you stay around here?”
Tanner rotated his boots near the fire, like cooking a slab of meat. He didn’t want to burn any one side, but all needed to dry. In the morning, the leather would be stiff and dry. He’d use oil or grease at the first opportunity to soften them, or he’d have blisters in no time.
His blankets were damp, almost wet. He held one up and let it warm, careful to keep it far enough from the flames. Steam came from his shirt and pants, but in the night chill, he still wore them. They would dry enough to spend the night in. Tomorrow, everything would dry in the sun.
Tanner said to Carrion, “Was it bad?”
“Quick. The red was in a fighting mood by the time he arrived. I think it must have picked up the hatred and anger from my mind because dragons are somewhat stupid. Somehow it focused that hate and anger on the green. It was over by the time the green looked up to see him.”
“I saw the red attack. Then nothing but blood.”
Carrion closed his eyes and shook himself. “You didn’t bring a flask of cider?”
“No.”
“If I scream tonight, don’t try to wake me, or you might find a knife between your ribs.”
Tanner paused, wondering briefly if that was a joke and deciding it was not. “How’s the red doing?”
Carrion’s eyes glazed and then his attention returned after he checked on the dragon. “It’s tucked into a nook on the side of a cliff south of here.”
Tanner and Carrion were silent as they dried nearly everything they owned by the fire. Each still had a few small handfuls of nuts. Their water was almost gone, but since they’d come to this area from the south, they knew a small river and several streams crossed the road, only a short distance away. He moved everything back from the fire and spread his blankets.
He was almost asleep when the twin shrieks of the returning greens startled him, again. The second joined the first, doubling the volume, seeming just over the nearest hill, but he knew they were much farther. Tanner felt minuscule as he pulled his knees to his chest and closed his eyes.
The dragons screamed well into the night. Tanner rose and started packing his backpack long before the sun came up. Carrion woke and stood, stretching and kicking dirt on the orange coals. Wearing their blankets wrapped around their shoulders, they left the boulders and found the road.
The still-warm fire pit that the two of the Dragon Clan, in front of them had used, told they had also departed. The grass was matted down where they had slept. Their footprints were near the stream where Tanner filled his water jugs. One normal size and one small.
Carrion took the lead. He followed the two other Dragon Clan members at a safe distance. They wouldn’t be spotted even if the pair stopped because Carrion insisted they travel off the road and under the shelter of trees instead of on the road. While the road wound around the base of a relatively small mountain, Carrion and Tanner followed animal paths on the lower slopes, catching a glimpse of them now and then.
Later in the day, a woman and young girl carrying baskets spoke with the two in front. Carrion eased closer, but they couldn’t determine what was said. The woman and girl continued on, away from town, but then surreptitiously turned off the road and doubled back to Shrewsbury on a trail that ran beside the road. They were careful to remain out of sight of the Dragon Clan.
They passed only steps from where Tanner and Carrion watched. Their baskets were nearly empty, indicating they were less than honest about gathering mushrooms or whatever. When they were out of hearing, Tanner said, “That was odd. They seemed like they were going to pick mushrooms or berries, but didn’t.”
Carrion said, “They were sent to intercept those two.”
“How did anyone know they were coming?”
Carrion shifted his eyes to the top of the hill above them. “Want to bet me that we can find a watcher up there? If placed right, he could see the road for almost a half day’s walk.”
Tanner glanced up the hill, imagining a lone watcher. His duty would be to keep an eye on the road, so he must have seen him and Carrion, too. But they were far off, and later had moved from the road to the concealment of the trees so perhaps he was lazy and only watched the road. A lucky thing. Still, the man and the girl ahead had stayed on the road and had been spotted and checked out. It was a stern warning.
Carrion said, “Watchers for the road and that woman to check out visitors tells me that there will be a greeting party for those two up ahead.”
“Let’s see if we can get up there and see if we can help,” Tanner said.
They moved slowly, aware of the eyes from atop the mountain as well as those of the two Dragon Clan, not to mention others that might be lurking nearby. As they neared Shrewsbury, the security tightened.
Tanner watched the man and girl round a bend in the road, speaking to each other, and when they came to a stream, they paused for a short discussion. Then they carefully stepped off the road and walked upstream. Good. It appeared they were also wary.
Following the two was easy. The stream covered any noise they made, and the forest grew thick, with underbrush head high. When they made a cold camp in a small clearing, Carrion backtracked to one of his favorite places, the low hanging branches of a cedar tree.
Cedars often had branches hanging low enough to touch the ground, but closer to the trunk was a space tall enough to sit upright. The ground was covered with an accumulation of cedar leaves, dried brown and as deep as his hand could dig. It was soft enough for a comfortable bed, and most insects avoid cedar.
They spread their blankets and went to sleep with talking further. Voices in the forest are often like those on the water. The softest words can float vast distances, yet at other times, they go nowhere. Better to say nothing when only a few hundred paces from others that you wish to hide from.
Carrion’s hand placed on his mouth woke Tanner. Lying perfectly still, he heard the nearby footsteps. One set. They passed ten or twenty paces away, making the sort of crashing and snapping of twigs that only a city dweller makes when in the forest.
The pink of predawn provided enough light to catch a glimpse of a heavy-set man following the tracks left by the other clan members. Carrion mouthed, “Wait here.”
Tanner nodded, but as he watched Carrion slip out from under the branches of the cedar, he found himself becoming angry and resentful. If the family council placed him in charge, why was Carrion giving him orders?
&
nbsp; He calmed. The fact was that it had been Carrion, who had slept so lightly that he woke to hear the footsteps. I would have slept through it, and been fortunate if the man hadn’t heard his snores. Carrion was far more experienced. He had lived in the forests for months on end. And of course, if he needed help there was a red dragon at his beck and call.
Tanner sat with his back to the trunk and waited. It took far longer than expected and he was dozing when Carrion slipped back under the branches and held his finger to his lips for silence. Later, they heard voices approach and then retreat as the pair walked in the direction of the road.
After they had been gone for a short while, Carrion said, “Those two won’t need much protection from us. You should have seen that little girl. The constable slipped into their camp and took their knives off their hips. But when she awoke, her hand went to a dagger strapped to her ankle. That constable never even knew he was in danger.”
“That makes me feel better. I was beginning to wonder what sort of incompetent fools another family sent.”
“After seeing them in action, they’re inexperienced, but both are top-notch. The man, she called him Gray, braced the constable who was probably twice his size. He even suggested that the little girl, who is older than she acts, take a few steps back and nock an arrow.”
“What did the constable want with them?”
“Like we figured. They didn’t arrive in town as expected, so he went looking for them.”
“So the people in town are wary and watchful,” Tanner said.
“Both indicating they have some reason for their actions and something to be vigilant about. We’ll have to be careful.”
Tanner said, “We need a plan in case we get found or questioned. Why are we sneaking around, and why are we here?”
Carrion shrugged, “A sneak thief stole a necklace that belonged to my mother in the middle of the night a few nights ago. We followed him on the road to Fleming, and he went in this direction at the fork. We lost the trail so we came here to find him. A short fellow, scar over his lip.”
“You really are a good liar.”
“I’ve had a bit of experience in telling tales to cover for my actions through the years. Give a story that wakes them up and they’ll believe it unless you go too far. Skimp on the details and they catch you every time.”
Tanner said, “Now what?”
“They went into town. I think we should too, but we’ll stay in the forest and watch from there instead of strolling down the main street and attracting attention.”
“Are we ever going to get any food? I’m starving.”
Carrion tossed both hands into the air. “You’re the fool they put in charge of this mission. I should be asking you, when do we eat.”
“Maybe we can find some in town,” Tanner said, unable to hide his smile.
CHAPTER THREE
They spent the day peering at the town from the edge of the forest, noting there were no children, dogs, cats, or other animals. All the adults moved at half-speed, as if partially asleep. The usual noise and bustle of activity of a small port town were absent. The only people who acted at average speed were those few in charge of others, and the pair of Dragon Clan when they caught one of the several glimpses of them.
“The residents are drugged,” Carrion said. “Something put in the water would be my guess.”
“It might be the food.”
“It’s the water,” he said decisively.
Tanner couldn’t help himself. “It could be something in the air.”
Carrion flashed him the same look parents give their children when they say something stupid, then said, “The constables and head guards breathe the same air. It’s the water.”
“After dark, I’m going to sneak up to that house near the end of the street,” Tanner said. “That chicken coop will have eggs, and they won’t miss one hen.”
“Good idea. Go around the back of the coop and dig a small hole under the fence so it looks like a fox or weasel was there in case the hen’s missed. Then slip inside the coop and grab your chicken. We need to back off far enough where we can keep an eye on things, but not be caught.”
“The headland? Keep an eye on the ships departing and arriving from there?”
“I like that,” Carrion said. “Out beyond the breakwater they’re building will get us out of sight and let us watch for ships. Probably nothing is going to happen until a ship gets here.”
“We can’t get on the first ship because of those clan members. The next one will do.”
Carrion said, “Food is going to become a problem. I’m wondering if we should break into that store in a few days and load up on warm blankets and food.”
“That would work—unless we’re captured and then punished as thieves instead of curious visitors.”
“Then we don’t get captured. Besides, from what I see, the punishment might be about the same for either of those things. The only problem with it is that they’ll know someone else is here and begin searching for us.”
As usual, Carrion had managed to put it all into perspective. A few eggs and a hen would feed them for a day, or maybe two. The slow advance of the mission dictated that they might have to leave, locate a source of food, and return. The problem was that they would not know what happened during their absence, and they couldn’t support the other clan members if they got into trouble.
During the day, they had watched as the clan members had gone from one store to another, and finally to a second story room. At any time, at least, one man, and often two watched them. One was the same constable who had taken their knives and identified himself as a constable, but anyone could use the title. They didn’t move with the slow mannerisms of the local residents and appeared to be working in conjunction.
Shortly after dark Tanner dug his little hole under the fence with a stick and then entered the door in the dark, cooing softly to calm the flurry of protest. The chickens settled down, and he quickly gathered six eggs and a hen. A twist of the neck and he was outside. Carrion watched for trouble from the edge of the trees.
They moved carefully, going deeper into the forest, and higher up on the slope of the mountain. An animal trail crossed their path, and it took them in the right direction. When they caught sight of the breakwater again, they were well passed it. Traveling further carried them to a point of land where a fire couldn’t be seen from town.
Still, they were cautious. Shrewsbury seemed paranoid, if slow. They hadn’t eaten since the evening before, and the chicken was roasting over a small fire. None of it was left when they finally went to sleep.
When he woke, Tanner glanced at Carrion and leaped to his feet. The man appeared to have died in his sleep. Then his chest moved. He lay on his back, eyes closed, his breath coming slowly and evenly. Bonded with his dragon.
Tanner watched. He’d only seen this a few times, and it still fascinated him, as it did all Dragon Clan. Since it was daylight, Carrion was probably peering through the eyes of the red, seeing what it did and directing it to fly where he wanted. Breaking the connection by talking or touching Carrion would cause instant rebuke.
I wish I could do that. But so did all Dragon Clan, and any others who heard of it. Why some bonded was a mystery. There were stories of men who lived with dragons their entire lives, supplying food and protecting them, but they never bonded. Other stories told of a bonding happening in a single meeting.
The eggs were beside the cold fire pit. He was contemplating the best way to prepare them when his back tingled. He glanced at Carrion. He wouldn’t bring that red here.
The feeling grew stronger. Instead of the familiar stinging that increased when a dragon drew near, his back heated and became painful. It intensified until he fell to the ground, his back arched. From between eyelids squeezed almost closed, he saw Carrion squirming on the ground, howling in pain. Then he joined him as he screamed.
A single glance at the sky revealed a green dragon flying by, its long neck twisted so t
he red eyes could center on Carrion and himself. It appeared puzzled, and perhaps in some pain from the erratic beat of the wings and the speed in its retreat.
Carrion rolled in the grass before mumbling, “What the hell was that?”
“A green.”
“Our greens sting like tiny insects. That hurt my whole back. From what we’ve heard their green cannot touch us, but something is wrong.”
Tanner pulled his shirt up and tried to see over his shoulder. “I’ve never heard of a dragon causing pain like that. It was like poison.”
Carrion’s eyes went wide as he looked at Tanner’s back. “Here, let me see that.” He went to Tanner and lifted the shirt higher, whistling softly as he looked at the image of a dragon with fangs displayed. Each line was raised as if struck by a whip. Some seeped blood. “A single dragon like that would put an entire Dragon Clan family on the ground so they couldn’t protect themselves.”
Tanner said, “Let me see yours.” The shirt was already stuck to Carrion’s back in places, the welts oozing and red. Touching one line of the birthmark gently made Carrion wince. He looked at the sky to make sure it was empty. Next time Tanner would use his long bow to make the dragon keep its distance. He pulled a single arrow and placed it beside the bow. “What if it had flown closer? What would have happened?”
“The pain would have been worse,” Carrion snapped. “But did you notice the reaction of the green? It didn’t seem to like being so close to us any more than we liked it.”
“It almost seemed puzzled to have any reaction at all. It looked at us and then flew faster.”
“And turned away because of us. I’m wondering if it has ever sensed a person, let alone a Dragon Clan.”
Tanner frowned. “Are you thinking that it might be a third species?”
