40120 meeting the dragons

Gale stood outside the door smiling a bit, wondering what Devlin would think of his first ride. It was time he met the dragons and went for one. It would be good for him to get away for a day. Likely they are all going to find it a bit rough, but a real run will let them all see why the course is set like it is and the forest will do us all good.  Steve was right I need this as badly as the greens do. I am just glad that Dean Walter agreed that Sara and Devlin could come. I was a bit worried he would think it too soon for them to miss classes, but he said they were both doing fine. A half a day off wouldn’t hurt they only have two classes that will be missed, it being the week end.

She knocks on the door, and then opened it. “Sorry for the interruption folks, but I need Sara and Devlin.”

The professor nodded. “Sure thing Captain Goldwing. You two heard her, pack up and have a good weekend. Just remember that the papers are due Monday, or when you get back.” They both looked a bit confused as they packed their book and joined her in the hall.

Gale said. “Come on. You have both been excused from the rest of your classes, we are going to go met the others and do some training in the forest. I need to get out of the city for a bit and it is past time you both met the rest of your unit. Dev you might want to call the folks and let them know you are going camping and won’t be back until late Sunday.”

They both looked a bit shocked, Sara recovered first. “Do we need to go pack? I have no idea what would be needed for a camping trip. There is another big hole. I need to fix. Just what and how to fix a fit pack, isn’t something I thought about.”

Gale smiled, glad that one of them said it. “This time the packs have been seen to for both of you, as I realized neither of you would know how to. Once we get back you will be getting lessons on how to prep a pack. Hank will let you know when and where to meet him.”

Devlin said. “I do remember what goes into a camp pack but no idea about how that compares to a field kit and I doubt that I could pack it well enough anymore to pass your exam. It has been too long, and I remember well how you told me to leave my own room so you could get the boxes packed when I was heading to the school. Thank you, and yes I had best call them.” He took his phone out with a smile just imaging what Robin would say about this. “Hi sir, I just wanted to let you know that I am heading out on a weekend camping trip. Cap says we will be back late Sunday.” He winked at Gale as she shook her head, but he had to tease her when he could. “Yes sir, it is a safe area. Sis just wants to get out of the city for a bit and so thought it was a good time for us to get our first taste of what it will be like.  A lot of the freshmen haven’t even been on a camping trip, or a real hike so it will give them a better understand of why the course is set like it is.” He had to shake his head a bit. “Yes to the flight, but no one of the others saw to the packing this time, but we will be getting lessons so next time I bet that someone will be watching. More likely it will be Hank as it is his job. I will call when I get back, but my phone will be off this weekend, so talk to you then. Yes Robin when I get back I will let you know, bye guys.” He hung up then powered his phone down and put it in his book bag. “Father was home and ended up putting me on speaker. Robin wants to know what Stormcrow looks like. I don’t know why he won’t just ask you, but I am to give him a description of all the dragons as soon as I get back.”

Gale said. “I bet he is going to want a description of the ride as well, and be upset he wasn’t with you. I will have to see about taking him one time. I am sure it won’t take him long to get one of the bonded to take him to see the dragons soon. He got his schedule to Hank this morning, stopping by on his way to school and so that is set. That might help some, at least it should keep him from sneaking in.”

Devlin nodded, and thought it best not to say any of the gate if she didn’t. Sara didn’t seem to notice, but then her main talent was for healing, where I am more evenly balanced. I take it that having both at adapt level makes me an oddity, that very few can use outside power in healing. “Mostly because he knows that if he tries it you will never let him near again. He still complains about you barring him from the practice grounds for a month because he was holding a sword without permission. He won’t want to risk it again.”

Gale smiled a bit, and raised her voice as they were at the field. “I never could stand playing during practices. Weapons are not to be treated as toys and he knew it. However I was surprised that Jervious backed me up.  He is lucky that he didn’t get hurt pulling that stunt. Banning him from the grounds worked far better than anything else would have, but I truly thought I would be over ruled. I still wonder just why I wasn’t.”

Devlin said. “That’s easy. Father thought the month off would cause him to lose interest in it, just like he had with that scooter thing after you hid it from him. He didn’t like what he saw but knew that saying anything would just encourage Robin all the more. To father the years of service were nothing more than a painful duty, one he was glad when was over. It is hard for him to believe all don’t see it like that.” He stopped as the dragons were now in view. “Wow! Um. I didn’t know. The books said that they were all the colors under the sun, but I didn’t.” The few they had seen had been on wing and were either brown or green, but in the field he didn’t think there was a color missing. Blue was by far the most common, and green the least seen. That was a surprise. But then the blue would be hard to see when in the air so that could be why he hadn’t seen them before.

Sara said. “You didn’t see any around? We always had some stopping by at home. I never thought that it might not be the case in other places.”

Gale laughed. “What you are seeing from here is a part of servile units. There is a far wider verity among them than I ever dreamed. There are also differences in the form, as you will see when we get closer. I don’t know just how you will explain it to Robin. They won’t mind if you take some pictures, in fact a few love it.”

Devlin said. “I trust that they know that I didn’t mean any offence it is just.”

A gravelly voice said. “We all know that meeting us for the time in any number is overwhelming lad. The staring is fine is far better than running. It is far harder to make a new friend when they run. So Gale, the young princess I know, but who is her boy? You know her father is not going to be happy about this.” Devlin had been looking around then jumped as he realized that the voice had come from the stone in front him, that wasn’t a stone but a dragon. The stone winked and laughed. “Yes lad, no one gets into the field without being checked as there are young down there. Would it help if I stood?”

Gale shook her head. “Now was it really necessary to scare him like that Bolder? You all were told I was bringing some new non-bonded people with me today. I thought you would have the young ones in the trees by now. Yes Dev some dragons can speak our languages. It is far more common than Grant books had it, for all Graint said that it was just a fable.”

Devlin said. “But you asked him under a truth spell, more than once. So Just how? Are the races at home just different? Is that the right term? I am sorry Sir Boulder, but I have never seeing a dragon that wasn’t flying before. I do hope that I am not making too big of a fool of myself. I fear that I honestly thought you were a boulder, before you moved.”

Bolder said. “That is why I use that name among you. I like that it fits so well. You are not the worst that I have encountered. Race is fine, it isn’t gone to offend any of us. It could be that none there have even chosen to speak verbal. It is hard to know for sure but I find it hard to believe that none there would have ability to. Strom said there was no reason to send the young to hide so it wasn’t done. However you know he would give me grief if I didn’t offer a challenge. Just what are you going to do about those two?” Sara flushed a bit and Devlin coughed. They hadn’t expected to be quested by a dragon, but were upset that he was asking Gale not them just the same.

Gale said. “Now what makes you so sure there is anything to stop? You old romantic.. I need to get out of the city and the freshmen need to see just what a forest is. Sara will not be going to front, but will be in a field hospital, so I am going to see she knows how to take care of herself out there. My brother plans on working as a field medic, so he needs to know just what that means. I am not going to leave it up to someone else so yes they will be together as they are both in my unit. However it is about training not dating.”

Bolder said. “And when they no longer want to use the separate tents? Training together is going to lead to other things. You know this missy, you were hardly innocent even before that fool who tried to climb me.”

Gale shook her head. “He would have tried to climb you if you hadn’t of been napping in the middle of the path to the swim hole and I wasn’t having sex with him. I wasn’t even with him, I just came to see what the idiot was yelling about. As for them, they are both adults and what they do or don’t is up to them. Now stop trying to get them upset. They have shown they aren’t going to run, and you know they weren’t hurt anyone.”

Bolder stood up. Showing Devlin just how big he was and making him wonder just how he had managed to look like the large stone. “Go on then, but I’m not so sure the boy won’t run. He clearly thinks I am too tall. What is he going to do when it comes time to get on Storm?”

Devlin said. “I was just wondering how you fold up like that. I didn’t sense an illusion, but you are three time as large as stone you looked to be, sir. I am fully aware that the older the dragon the larger they will be, and so I know that I am going to feel like a mouse around most of you.”

Bolder smiled then, something that should have been scary but wasn’t. “Well said, now you can take them on, and have fun. Traiv’s group cleared Pikes out yesterday so should have a peaceful hike. Though there might be some rough weather tomorrow evening, it will pass by morning. You two are free to come here after this. If you bring you work there are some that will help with it. You will find that we are far better than the library for some questions, should you but ask.”

Gale said. “That’s the plan, and a bit of rain will only help. These two know what they are in for, but a number of the newly bonded have never been out of a city. They need to see just what they are in for joining up with me before they are trapped.” Bolder shook his head and she shrugged. “I still say that it is too soon, I am too experienced to have this band, no matter what you and Evert think.”

Bolder said. “Come now you can’t have it both. You take them on because you can’t trust the others, but don’t think you are good enough to lead. It doesn’t work like that and you know it. You will be ready, and we are looking forward to it. Go on, and yes your band will be growing again.” Gale shook her head but started walking as did the other two.

Devlin was looking at her oddly. “Blond and heading to a swim. Why do I think that is related to Lance’s man eating rock that was going to kill us all?” Gale coughed. “You little emp. So it was not just a trip over a log! No wonder you were questioning Graint more on the next visit. I was wondering why you were trying again, and under a different spell. So were there other times Mr. Bolder showed up?” He couldn’t say why, but the title just felt right for all Gale hadn’t used one.

Gail said. “That was the first time, but yes there were others, he helped with my education. I was hiding how strong my magic was and how little it was truly under control. He saw to it that found some real control. Some of the dates that I had were not what you thought, and then the hunting trips. It wasn’t that hard to find ways to make it to the meetings, but yes that is why I asked again. I still wonder why he never landed near, why he would never let us meet his dragon. I mean I just don’t see why it none of the dragons were ever seen in towns without are bases. In Idras, or Gaveston we are expected to land close to towns, if not in center. Yet in Lightton the dragons are kept a mystery. It didn’t matter how I asked, I never did get to see a bonded one, and most of the wild ones were the little flyers.”

Devlin shook his head. He wasn’t surprised to learn she had been meeting with a dragon, he had seen her talking with the small ones and had thought some were talking with her. Yet he had never stopped to think there might be others. But what? Wait did Bolder have a rider? She had said units so he, but there was no reason that it had to be bonded units. There had been a gate on the path. So he knew they went a bit further than he thought. Still. Well so be it. He trusted Gale so it was fine. Yet. “You know I never thought about that. However we were told in school not to seek out the wild ones, for they didn’t like people. And the way they kept the bonded away. Well it is like they want us to be scared of them. I think I need to talk to Uncle Wane some more. He said they were looking to expand Air bases so we would have more contact, but you do have a point just having the bonded visit the towns would help. Unless they want people afraid. But why?” There were the troubling bits in the text book and the way that it was insisted that bonded units kept their own medics , that dragons were not a concern for human doctors. Yet here I do have classes that deal with injuries to riders and dragons. It is strange. Something I do need to ask about.

Sara nodded. “In the villages that are big enough the dragons like to visit the market, and will trade for different things.”

Gale said. “There are other lands we are to stay clear of the towns in. each has their own way of doing things. I don’t know what is asked of the troops that go to Lighton. We don’t do patrols there, well not officially. Sometimes a unit might forget, but in unsettled areas, generally just when tracking a group. Some unbounded do want to left alone, but they won’t come near people. Any around towns won’t mind being talked to. Or so I have found. That was a part of the classes I ignored, as was the part apart staying to the tamed areas. I thought it was just there to see that those who didn’t know what to do stayed out of the woods.” She was watching him as some of the dragons were large, but so far he was looking all right. She had been worried, dragons could be scary the first times you met them. He did all right with Bolder, but he was of a small type.

Devlin was looking around him wonder just how he would ever explain this to Robin. It might just be easier not to try. There were so many different dragons here, and this was just a few units, sis had said. “Wow now I see. I knew there were differences in wings, we could see that as they were flying, but not the bodies so well. Then the books just talk of scales, but I see that isn’t the case. I don’t know just how I will ever answer Robin well enough. I think I had best turn my phone on and get a few pictures after all. If you are sure?” He started to take his back pack off only to get crashed into, he looked and blink in shook as this dragon was no higher than his waist.

Before he could say anything there was some odder ciphering, and the dragon backed up and growled a bit then help out a ball, looking sheepish. Another said. “Little Golf was after the ball and not looking at where she was going. She is sorry for running into you.”

Devlin smiled. “No problem, sorry for walking though your game. Are you all right?”

The little one nodded and chirped still holding the ball out.

Devlin shook his head. “I am sorry but it would be a bad idea for me to try and throw the ball. I am no good at anything like that. I fear that if I tried I would it up hurting myself.” The little one tried it head a bit, clearly think he was making it up. “Honest my sister banned me from ball games after I broke my leg trying to get the ball back to her.”

That made the little ne jump and chip, still thrusting the ball at Devlin. Devlin looked at Gale, only to see she was laughing.

He shook his head.”You could help. Not just laugh. You know full well that if I try I am going to end up hitting someone.”

Gale said. “Just take it and throw it. None of them will belie it until they see, and there are no windows here to brake. Who knows you might just have better coordination now.”

He shook his head but took the ball, then looked to make sure no one was behind him, earning more laughter from Gale and a puzzled look from Sara. “Now I warned you, this is not going to go very far and defiantly not straight.” He pulled his arm back and threw, it went left at right at one of the adults, who got it and tossed it to the youngster it was supposed to be heading to. “Well at least I didn’t though it backwards.  So I am doing some better. Still, I don’t think I am a ball player.”

A white bundle of feathers said. “You come visit week. We help. You find useful. Trust me. Not bad. Just need work. We fix. Help in battle. Help gift to you need. you good, but be better.”

Devlin was startled, it was one thing for Bolder to tell him to bring his homework, but this. “Thank you, I am honored. Mr. Bolder said some here might be willing to help if we were to bring our books, but this is more. I don’t want to intrude.” Just how will the adults feel? The books all said that dragons didn’t let the children near hanumans. Yet clearly they did, but likely only as there were bonded here with him.

Gales said. “Thank you, that will be a relief. You might be able to help him more with the skills he needs to be in a battle. That is one area of magic I know he needs help with. Your way of explaining it might make more sense to him, for all he is doing better in the class this time. We will be coming here Wednesdays for training again. Will that work for you Feather?”

The bundle nodded. “Good yes work. But come more they should. Some book not good we teach. They welcome.”

Sara smiled. “Thank you, I am glad that you are willing and I will see that Devlin comes with me. He has not had much experience with dragons so is a bit shy, but he will loosen up. Your help will be welcome. My history books are vastly disappointing and I have already found the herbal section of the library to be useless. Then natural poisons were talked about for maybe fifteen minutes in our class on toxins. So we will be most grateful for help. If you are sure?”

A red dragon said. “We will be delighted to help, no worries there, Princess. Just follow the path and you will find some here to help with any of your classes. It is good that some are willing. Now if you have others ask one of the halves to come, that way they can get here. We must be careful with the children. They are not as able to protect themselves.”

Sara blinked, surprised. It was one thing that they would agree to help them, after all they were a part of an Air unit, for all they weren’t bonded it meant a lot that they training with them. Yet to even offer to let them bring others. It was almost unheard of for dragons to offer to teach those not attached to a bonded person. “Thank you, Lady. I assure that I will not bring any here without talking to Gale or Richard first.” She bowed.

Gale said. “Thank you Glora, you off far more than I would ever ask. I will see that they do come visit, it will befit everyone. My brother knows even less of your kin than I did the first time we met, and Sara knows just a bit more. As they will be in the coming war all you are willing to share will ease my worry. Come on, we want to be on the way soon or will be setting up tents in the dark.” She moved on so the other two would.

Devlin wondered just what that had been about. He knew he was missing a lot about that exchange just from the look on Sara’s face and the fact that Gale had indeed relaxed some at the offers. Still this wasn’t the time to ask. Likely it was something he was better off not asking. Then he saw the group in front of him and forgot everything. There were forty or fifty dragons all wearing what had to be riding gear, but the smallest one out there was the size of a one story house, most were two stories, like Bolder, but some were larger. Talk about feeling like a mouse. Not that he was scared, for he knew there was no danger. It was just starting. He had his bag off and was taking his phone out not even thinking about it. Just knowing he could never explain this without a picture or twenty.

Gale said. “Go ahead and get your phone out.  You had best get a picture of the group, for if you don’t you will never hear the end of it. Then that is the only way you are going to be able to tell Robin what my Storm looks like. I have never found the right words.”

Devlin laughed. “Ahead of you, this time. I was just turning it on. I thought that there were just fifteen in the unit, but there is more than that here.” He looked at the phone and wasn’t too surprised to see there was no service here, wherever here was. “So I take it that only a part of your unit is at the school?” He raised his phone and started taking pictures, sure that she would have told him if there was something he shouldn’t shot.

Gale said. “There are twenty in mine, but five do not go to the school and seldom come to campus, finding it hard to be in the city, so that is the fifteen that have been in the common room when you have been. There are fifty in the Silvers, but only half take classes, and only thirty are here. They haven’t joined us, insisting that it would be too many to force on you. In truth they don’t feel right being here when Steve isn’t, so they will be around more after this. The ones that don’t take classes will be joining us on Wednesdays for the training and a few might turn up on campus sometimes. Most though you will just see here. They don’t like to hang out with us youngsters to much, say that it will cheat us out of the fun. Fifty is a normal unit, so when mine is full I will have around a hundred looking to me. Then there are two or three grounders for each rider. So are you scared yet?”

Devlin said. “Not scared, but a bit amazed. It is a lot to take in. I never thought to ask how many were in a unit. No wonder you were trying to wait. It would have been a lot with just the bonds to adjust to. Still this is what you have been preparing for since you were four and started making games from the stories. This is where you belong, for all you find it hard to believe.”

Gale said. “Now you are sounding just like Strom. I do think you two will get along, but I have no idea how to prepare you for this.”

Sara said. “Don’t worry Devlin won’t run. Dev, Storm is bigger than any you see here now. He is full grown, but then a number here are, just of the eastern type. Lord Storm is akin to the dragons that were talked of in the Egyt pomes, those that live in the highest and supposedly haven’t been seen since the Demons were banished in the first grand war of waken.”