Chapter 11
The warm water of the pool laps around his waist as Geramn draws in a long ragged breath when the two leave the chamber. By the Lady, he wishes he did not have to tell his patient this bad news. He shakes his head; Maru has already been through much physical pain, and more is yet to follow before he recovers. This tragedy will be a strong emotional blow.
He motions for Falcop to move back against the entrance; it will not do for the youngling to be injured if Maru flails about in his grief. The bright green hatchling scuttles across the stone to settle near the arch. Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, Geramn rests his hand upon Maru’s face and concentrates on waking the dragon.
The large, red eye above him opens a slit. Geramn wades through the water and gains the shore. Maru opens his eyes all the way, peering at the Healer. The red in his eye swirls slowly, awash with pain.
“Healer Geramn.” The Mindspeak is weak, barely above a whisper in Geramn’s head.
“Maru, try not to move about much, your injuries will do better if you remain still.”
The eye rolls to take in the small cavern. “Thou has brought me to my lair.”
“Yes, the water helped rehydrate you, and it seemed the safer alternative.” Geramn pauses, wishing to physically comfort the large dragon when he breaks the news, yet afraid to go any closer lest Maru crush him if he thrashes about when he learns of his loss. “Maru, please try to remain calm, this is a small enclosure and I would not wish to have you injure yourself, or me.”
The eye closest to him narrows, the gaze intense as Maru says, “What is it, Healer, what is thou so hesitant to say?” The huge black head lifts from the water, the red pulsing of Maru’s eyes slowing as he sees Falcop at the arch. “Where is my mate?”
“Maru, she was taken. I am so sorry, but the Volastoque appear to have hit her with several mind-barbs. She appears to have left with them.”
Maru swallows, his entire body slumping. “I want to see my offspring.”
“They attacked the nest as well. Falcop is the only one to survive.” Geramn’s voice breaks and he turns to walk across to the hatchling. “He is well, we have seen to his care.”
A low wail resonates through the chamber, building until the anguished cry vibrates through Geramn’s body. Falcop lifts his neck. His throat pulses as his undulating warble of grief and loss joins the cry of his sire.
Geramn blinks away tears, moving aside as the hatchling rushes to the pool. Falcop plunges in beside his sire and Maru wraps his neck around his son. Geramn’s steps are leaden as he heads toward the other chamber, leaving them to find solace with each other.
He drifts through the main chamber, hunching his shoulders against the soft wails still emanating from behind him. Kilita and Jadrun have done what they could to cleanse the chamber from the residue of the slaughter, but blood stains many locations. Anger fills him as his gaze moves from one bloodstain to the next; Maru does not need to see this.
He stalks out to the ledge, joining the emerald dragon and Jadrun. The two stand rigid in the cool air, their eyes in constant motion, searching the land and sky for sign of the creatures. Jadrun looks haggard and tears stream down his cheeks unchecked as Maru’s and Falcop’s cries wash over them.
The cries behind them begin to lessen in volume and he can see the tension in both figures abate somewhat.
“We need to get them to Kitloch.” Geramn sits on the cold stone ledge, pulling his cloak tight around him. Jadrun turns to face him, his face haggard with deep emotion.
“I can transport there in stages; it should not be too much to take you, Maru and the hatchling.” He shakes his head. “But there is no way I can manage with an additional dragon.”
“Thou needs not worry about me, Shaman. I have no intention of going anywhere except after Maru’s mate.” Kilita never stops her perusal of the countryside as she Mindspeaks.
Geramn says, “Kilita, there is nothing you can do alone. You would simply fall victim to them yourself, or end up dead.”
“I know the one that took her was injured. The foul stench of his blood fills the cavern where he slaughtered the young. If I can find them before he rejoins a covey of his fellow creatures, I can kill it and free Aura.”
Geramn opens his mouth to object, but the Shaman raises his hand and speaks, “She is right. It may be Maru’s mate’s only chance. Once it has her amongst others of the creatures, they will be too strong to overcome. She must search for Aura, since Maru cannot do so himself.”
“Can you wait until we get to Kitloch? Jadrun may be able to transport another dragon to go with you.”
“Not likely, Healer, it will take all my resources to get your group there.” Jadrun runs a hand briskly through his black hair, his eyes taking on a thoughtful expression. “Shadrock Point, wait there. Many Shaman know that location, and I should be able to find one that can transport help to you there, Kilita.” He glances at the sun, only just risen in the sky. “Give me till midday meal time; we should be able to send someone by then.”
Geramn looks at the Shaman with surprise. “You wish to leave right away then?”
“Immediately. We serve no purpose in lingering here.”
Geramn glances toward the cavern entrance; a soft keening can still be heard. “Perhaps give them another hour or two?”
“I should hunt in any event, so I shall see thee upon my return.” Kilita lifts her wings, preparing to leap from the ledge. She glances back at the two of them. “If thou is gone before my return, I shall wait at Shadrock Point until midday. Tell Maru, I will find his mate and return her to him.”
“Kilita, be careful,” Jadrun says.
“I shall.” She leaps from the ledge; powerful wing thrusts have her hovering above them in a heartbeat. “I will bring Aura to Kitloch when I free her.”
Geramn watches as the emerald dragon flies swiftly to the south. He stands up and places his hand on the Shaman’s shoulder. “Are they all like that?”
Jadrun’s eyes flick to his face. “Like what?”
“Well, I have had precious little time to get to know our dragon friends. I usually spend my time with them healing wounds, not conversing. Kilita seems not to even doubt that she will be successful, and further sees it as her responsibility to take on this dangerous task.”
“Oh, you mean loyal and brave?”
Geramn squeezes Jadrun’s shoulder, then allows his hand to drop to his side. “Yes, she again risks all to help Aura and Maru.”
Jadrun glances where the emerald dragon is disappearing over a ridge. “Most are. At least the ones that I have gotten to know. I suspect dragons are no different than humans. You have the chaff with the meal.” He turns and gestures that Geramn should accompany him into the cavern. “But I want you to think on this. Would we have been so quick to dedicate ourselves to this battle, if it meant leaving our families unprotected?”
Geramn steps beside Jadrun and they walk toward the entrance. “No. And that is something we need to fix.”
Jadrun nods. “Let us start by getting these two where it is safe.”
~!~
They pop into existence atop a hill adjacent to the one holding the caverns at Kitloch. The sentry dragon’s bugle splits the air and Jadrun glances west to see an orange dragon flying their direction.
Maru raises his head, and shaking from the effort, he sends out an answering call to the dragon. Rain sheets from a dark sky as Jadrun sags for a moment against Maru. The immense distance to transport four of them here has drained him. Falcop nudges him aside and scurries to lean against his sire.
He glances at Geramn. “We need to remain here a moment; that sentry will notify them we have arrived.”
“This is Kitloch?” The Healer steps away from them; squinting against the rain, he searches the hillside. “Where is the entrance to the cavern? And the people, I see no one.”
Gesturing across the small valley, Jadrun answers, “The entrance is about one third of the way up the slope, in that
ridge across this valley. It is hidden; you will not see it from here.”
Hunching forward and pulling the front of his cloak closed, he waits for the weakness to pass.
Geramn’s perplexed gaze darts from the large male dragon preparing to land to the empty hillside across from them. “I see no sign of people.”
He manages a wry smile. “It would not be a very safe hiding place if you could, now would it?”
“Greetings, Tioner.” Maru’s Mindspeak is both weak yet assertive. “I would prefer thou keeps thy distance from mine hatchling.”
The orange dragon’s eyes whirl with curiosity as he quickly changes his line of descent. “Lady Blessings, Maru. Thy hatchling has nothing to fear from me.” Tioner lands a short distance away. “Thou is injured, I shall summon a Healer.”
Jadrun grunts as he pushes himself off Maru’s side and takes a few steps toward the orange. He tugs on his forelock. “I am Shaman Jadrun, Nor Tioner, and this is Healer Geramn. We need to have Geramn, Maru, and his hatchling transported to the Healing cavern. Would you please notify Shaman Hern that I am here and urgently need to speak with him.”
Tioner nods and they lapse into silence as he Mindspeaks with others. Jadrun glances back at Geramn, to find him peering across the valley through the rain, his eyes searching the mountainside.
“You will not find it.”
Geramn turns his gaze toward him. “There has to be over a thousand people here by now; surely there would be some indication of that from here.”
“The Shaman erected a cloak to shroud that mountain and this valley.” He gestures below them.
“A cloak? I have never heard of such a thing.”
“Most people have not.” Jadrun shakes his head, not for the first time questioning the Shaman tradition to keep so much knowledge from the rest of the Palmir People over the decades. “You did not know about transportation not so long ago either.”
“Shaman Jadrun, I need to resume my post. Shaman Hern and others will be here shortly.”
“My thanks, Nor Tioner.” Jadrun watches as the dragon unfurls his wings and with three rapid thrusts is airborne. Water sheets off his body as the orange turns; his flight path will take him over the valley.
Jadrun turns to Geramn. “Watch that dragon closely.”
The Healer gives him a perplexed look and lifts his gaze to watch Tioner.
The orange dragon wings swiftly away from them, his path low and directly across the center of the valley. Rain dims the colors of his scales as he moves farther away. Then, when he reaches the base of the hill they stand upon, he begins to disappear in large slices. First his head is gone, and then his neck, shoulders, wings, back, and finally his tail simply cease to exist as he moves over the valley.
Jadrun cannot help but smile at the look of total astonishment on Geramn’s face.
“By the Lady, he is simply gone.”
He turns to Maru. “No, he continued across the valley, he reached the cloak barrier. There is a sort of bubble encasing the valley and that mountain that will keep it hidden from the eyes of our enemy.” He shoves his hand though his black hair, pushing the wet mass back out of his eyes. “This is why the Shaman brought our people here. And why I agreed it would be the best place for you and Falcop.”
“How?” Geramn’s voice is barely above a whisper.
Jadrun reaches under his tunic and tugs a chain out above the neck. He lifts his green transporter’s crystal. “Just as my crystal grants me the ability to transport, and your amber crystal gives you the Healing gift, there are other crystals.” He tucks the pendant back into his neckline. “They used another type to set up this cloak.”
Geramn shakes his head, his eyes bewildered. “But why…” He breaks off as four figures pop into view approximately where Tioner had stood.
Jadrun recognizes the gnarled features of the Head Shaman peeking out from beneath the hooded cloak of one of the figures. He drops his eyes respectfully and pulls on his forelock. “Shaman Hern.” He raises his eyes and continues. “This is Healer Geramn and Maru with his hatching Falcop. We seek aid for Maru in the Healing cavern, a safe haven for his hatchling, and aid to locate his mate, who was taken by the Volastoque.”
“Lady Blessings to you all.” The Head Shaman’s voice rings with surprising strength from his slight form. He gestures to one of the Shaman accompanying him. “Shaman Tera will transport the Healer and dragons to the Healing cavern.” He steps forward, shifting his hood back to allow his deep blue eyes to meet Jadrun’s. “You will come with me, so that we may hear your story and determine how to help.”
“Of course.” Jadrun steps toward the elder Shaman as two of the Shaman, both transporters like himself, approach Maru and the Healer. “I will see you both after arrangements have been made,” he assures them before the Shaman transport them to the Healing cavern.
He shuts his eyes as the last Shaman initiates transport. He never feels comfortable when relying on someone else for the deed. The horror stories of transports failing, the Shaman and people never arriving at their destination—or anywhere else—have always stayed foremost in his mind. Or the Lady forbid, the transport ends with people stuck half-way through a wall. He saw one such tragedy and one was enough to haunt him for a lifetime. The moment of nothingness seems to last longer when he is not in charge of the spell, but soon he feels a hard surface beneath his feet. They arrive in an oblong chamber; two young men enter as they appear, bearing trays of steaming tea. He recognizes it as one of the meeting chambers in the depths of the Kitloch caverns. A black stone table fills the center of the chamber with six chairs along each side and one at each end.
Light pours from oblong sources set in the ceiling in a pattern reminiscent of a wheel’s spokes; the center ‘hub’ is bare of light and appears to be a flat plate carved into the stone. Upon the face of the plate a stylized S is engraved.
The arched door on the far side of the chamber stands open and he can see various Shaman passing through the outer chamber. The Shaman who provided his transport helps Shaman Hern remove his cloak and, tugging on his forelock, exits the room.
“Please, be seated.” Hern sits in the chair at the head of the table and gestures to the seat at his right. Shaman Hern’s hands tremble as he takes a mug of tea from one of the servers. “The others should be here momentarily.”
Jadrun sinks gratefully into the chair. “Is there any word of Blanche?” He sags at his aged friend’s head shake, and asks, “How is Montello?”
“The lad is holding up well, considering. How are you doing?”
“Exhausted. I transport at every opportunity to search for her, but…”
“Be careful, Jadrun, you will not do your mate or son any good if you overtax yourself and a transport fails.”
Jadrun shudders, pushes that awful thought away, and asks, “How many dragons are here at Kitloch?”
“The sentries and a handful of others. Perhaps a dozen.” Hern gestures for the server to give Jadrun some tea.
He takes the mug, nodding his thanks and wrapping his cold fingers around its warmth. “Maru’s mate was taken by the Volastoque. It may be best if you get a message to them and I may tell them what happened so they may send help to Kilita.”
Hern’s eyes widen in surprise. “Then they returned to attack Taloxville?”
“No, Healer Geramn and I had left with Kilita to render aide to Maru. It is a long story, but Kilita will be at Shadrock Point at midday, waiting for help to arrive so they may find and bring back Maru’s mate.”
Shaman Hern looks at one of the young men. “Turmac, send a message to the dragons to gather at the western field in one hour.”
The youth tugs at his forelock, sets down his tray, and hurries from the room.
Shaman Hern turns his gaze back on Jadrun. His ancient face holds concern. “Can you summarize for me as we wait?”
Jadrun takes a sip of the tea. The blend is one he recognizes to give energy. “The Volastoque increase their incurs
ions. Maru’s lair fell under attack and all the hatchlings, except one, were killed. Several barbs struck his mate and she was taken off by an injured Volastoque. Kilita is a dragon whose lair is near-by; she intends to seek them and kill the Volastoque to free Aura.”
“I see. A couple of dragons should be sent to aid her.”
“I suggest at least three, as Aura is under the creature’s control and they will have to subdue her before killing the Volastoque.” Jadrun shakes his head. “They must be at Shadrock Point at midday or Kilita will go on her own, to keep them from getting back to a covey.”
Shaman Hern nods; his gnarled fingers thrum on the smooth tabletop. “We of course must help retrieve Maru’s mate.”
“I think it is more than that.” He takes a deep breath and plunges ahead. “Our dragon allies fight beside us as their mates and hatchlings are not safe from these attacks. We must make provisions to safeguard their families.”
Hern nods. “We have kept so busy reacting to the attacks upon the villages and towns we have not seen these other consequences.” The Shaman glances to the door as others start to file in. He gestures to them. “The Council shall discuss this and find a solution.”
Jadrun leans back, sipping his tea, feeling guilty at this moment of silent rest. He watches as members of the Council file in and take seats. Thank the Lady, they will find a way to at least safeguard the dragon’s offspring.
Chapter 12
Kilita perches upon Shadrock Point, her gaze never slowing as she peruses the surrounding countryside. The sun is almost to the midday point; she fed and arrived at the pinnacle a short time ago as she promised. Her heart aches in her chest as her thoughts linger on the losses of the last moon cycle.
She shudders as she remembers the slaughter of Aura’s clutch. The savage annihilation of those hatchlings strikes deep into her soul, as she herself is gravid with her mate Timac’s eggs. Their first, and last, clutch. Her fore-talons stroke her abdomen. Only two moons along, she is not showing yet. Her eyes become misty as she mourns the fact that her offspring will never know her mate.
Trying to shake off her melancholy, she turns her thoughts to seeking a new nest site when she returns from retrieving Aura. Obviously, the current location will not do; the Volastoque incursions will only increase in the vicinity, making it unsafe. Perhaps farther south. It will be another moon before her pheromones announce her condition to other dragons, and then the eggs will come two moons later.