Ack, did it again!
Healing Wounds in Arabarb
By Charles Matthias
April 6, 708 CR
The journey across the Dragon Mountains proceeded
without incident. Pharcellus spoke only rarely
while they were in flight, and Lindsey no more
than a word or two to let the dragon know that he
was well. The furs he bore and the heat of the
gray-scale's neck and shoulders served to keep
him warm despite the cold mountain air and
driving wind. It was little wonder that many
dragons could breathe fire; how else were they to
stay warm when flying so high in such cold places?
Pharcellus kept his promise of three stops a day,
but these stops were often on high mountain
ridges that afforded Lindsey little privacy. His
companion kept his head turned when the new boy
relieved himself, but the rest of the time at
their stops kept up a constant twittering of his
tongue. What they couldn't say during flight
gushed forth in their brief pauses in the long journey.
Lindsey spoke a little of the months spent
traveling to Marzac and the dangers and wonders
they encountered along the way. A few times he
began to cry when he thought of Zhypar and how
strained their time on that journey had been. If
he'd had any inkling that the kangaroo would not
return, he would never have treated him so
poorly. Pharcellus gently laid a draconic paw on
his back at those times, head lowered in sympathy.
The dragon, in his turn, spoke of the mountains,
his fellow dragons, and of the many things he had
done for Metamor in years past. And he also told
him of the many things he had seen in Arabarb in
the last two months. He described the sea birds,
especially Quoddy who they would meet first in
exacting detail, with a delightful fondness that
made Lindsey's boyish face smile.
Those little conversations they shared made
Lindsey feel young, not just in body, but in
spirit again. He'd never really known why
Pharcellus had been so friendly and attached to
his family who could ever explain the why of a
dragon? But without Zhypar, this was as close a
connection as Lindsey had had to his family in years.
Have you heard anything about my family?
Lindsey asked him as they hunkered down to rest
in a small cave on their third night out from
Metamor. A few logs Pharcellus had collected in
his arms along the way provided for a warm fire and a somber orange light.
Pharcellus lifted his head and craned his neck
toward the roof of the cave. A bit of smoke
trailed from his nostrils and he said in the
quietest voice he'd ever heard the dragon use, Nay. I have heard nothing.
Lindsey pulled his legs close to his chin he
still wasn't used to it being clean shaven again
and huddled with that miserable thought. But
his friend added in a slightly more hopeful tone,
But I have not had a chance to look for them
either. I did not know until a few days past that
you would be coming back with me. His draconic
face creased into a smile, which despite the
numerous fangs, comforted the childish Lindsey.
We can look for them together once we've made
contact with the resistance. They might know.
Andrig was involved, Lindsey noted with a bit
more hope in his voice too. No matter what, we
should learn something from them.
We'll be there tomorrow evening. I'll leave a
message for Quoddy, and then together we can go.
Lindsey pondered for a moment just how Pharcellus
intended to join them when he recalled his
appearance in the Long House. He laughed despite
himself. We'll have to do something with your
hair. It's even more unruly than mine.
But I was so proud of the way I made it!
Lindsey leaned against the dragon's flanks and
rubbed one hand along his belly scales. We can
put it in a braid. You looked the right age for
it. If necessary, we can probably pass ourselves off as brothers.
Pharcellus blinked and for a moment a look of
stupefied wonder filled his blue eyes. The dragon
turned his head toward the roof of the cave again
and his mouth hung open in wordless mystery.
Lindsey had never seen him look so profoundly
anguished before. Bewildered, he asked, What did I say?
His friend swung his neck around and smiled, the
moment passed. Brothers! An excellent idea! I
should have thought of it myself. His snout
snaked forward until he nuzzled Lindsey along the
cheek very gently. Now get some sleep. I think
we'll start an ever earlier tomorrow. I'm anxious to arrive.
And so Lindsey, feeling somewhat reassured by the
return of Pharcellus's jovial nature, slept
nestled against his belly between his paws, with
his head and tail curled around to keep him
surrounded by warmth. His dreams were pleasant
enough each night, though anxious thoughts
disrupted his dreams of flying each time.
The final day of flight passed quickly. They
stared well before the sun rose, and after a
brief meal of bread, meat, and cheese
Pharcellus found a mountain goat for himself
they flew just high enough in the sky to avoid
the mountains. Lindsey watched the sun rise far
behind them, and then arc overhead and start back
down before they were finally clear of the ridges
to the north. There, in the early afternoon, he
could see the long sloping hills, culverts, and
forested gambols of Arabarb. Though he didn't cry
this time, his heart ached at the sight. It had
been ten years ago now that he'd left for Metamor
to aid the people there. Only months after his
departure Nasoj's army under the command of
Calephas had crushed the old king and taken firm control of his homeland.
Lindsey felt his blood run hot as the misery
turned to fierce determination. This would be the
first day of the end of Calephas's reign. That he swore to himself.
Once Arabarb was in sight, Pharcellus flew a
little lower, wending between the mountain peaks
for a good hour before he finally reached a tall
ledge on which he could land. Once they set down,
Pharcellus turned his head back and said, I'm
going to signal for Quoddy. I will return with
him as soon as he sees the signal. If he doesn't
see it in a few hours I'll come back anyway to check on you.
Lindsey climbed out of the harness and unhitched
his gear. Pharcellus noted and added, You won't
be able to climb down from here. Nor will
anything be able to climb up to reach you.
Just in case, Lindsey replied as he finished
undoing the knots and slinging the pack over his
shoulder. I'd like to be prepared.
Of course. The dragon snorted a bit of smoke
toward the mountain face rising up from the
ledge. There should be a small cave you can take shelter in until I return.
Lindsey climbed down and stretched his legs once
on solid ground. He patted the dragon's neck with
one hand and smiled. Thank you, Pharcellus. I will see you and Quoddy soon.
The dragon's grin was fierce with delight. And then we can plan!
Lindsey stepped back to the wall as his friend
launched into the air. He felt a pang of jealousy
at the sight, but he didn't have wings so put it
out of his mind. He found the cave and nestled
within, drawing out his dagger and hatchet and
keeping them close. He then pulled a blanket free
and wrapped himself within its warmth and huddled down to wait the hours out.
His youthful face was already chapped by four
days of flight over the Dragon Mountains, so he
did not bother to protect that from the cool air
blowing across the grassy ledge. The breeze was
slight but insistent. It brought with it the
scent of pine needles from below and the scent of
delicate flowers that laced the grassy slopes. He
recognized several just from those brief wisps of
odor. He recalled days long past when his mother
would lead him, then a little girl, up those
slopes to pick just a few of those flowers to
make a bouquet to bring home. Their modest
cottage would smell so fresh and bright for weeks after.
And after an especially bitter winter when they
had to keep not just the dogs but the hogs as
well inside their home, that sort of fragrance was all the more welcome.
At least, he thought with little laugh lines
teasing the edge of his lips, they'd never brought the cows inside.
He could see over the edge of the ledge the vast
coniferous forest that spread the length of
southern Arabarb. Large patches had been cleared
for grazing fields a little further to the north,
but the lands at the feet of the mountains were
left wild and always had been. A tradition of his
people to honor the Lhinnorm, the dragons of the
mountains who were their friends, or at least, who were friendly.
It would be a hike of some hours before they
reached the southernmost settlements. If
Pharcellus returned in time, they just might be
able to reach one before dark. Though the equinox
had only been a few weeks ago, already the days
were a few hours longer than the nights. If Misha
had to send his rescue team in, they would find
it difficult to move in secret with only a few hours of night.
Lindsey leaned his head against the cave wall,
keeping the thick blanket between him and the
cold stone. What could he expect to find when he
did walk the many paths of his homeland? He
pondered the question for some time with no clear
answer. The reports that Andwyn had passed along,
and what Pharcellus had supplemented had not left
him with much of a picture. His many letters to
his parents over the years had spoken of
soldiers, even Lutins, ruining acres of forest
they relied upon. Yet in all that, Calephas had
seemed to content himself with holding the Arabas
river, the pass to the Giantdowns, and the nearby
provinces. Was that still the case?
These questions percolated in his mind for a long
time. As he considered the many things familiar
to him from his youth, he found himself
daydreaming of running through the grass fields
jumping over sheep and even a few cows with his
brother in tow. Or the long days in the woods
when his father taught them to hunt game and how
to swing an axe with deadly purpose. Smelling his
mother's cooking, and then helping her to sew new garments or mend torn ones.
Lindsey spent a good bit of time distracted by
the memory of the day that Pharcellus had joined
them for one of their feats days. The dragon had
reclined in the field and helped them light their
bonfire. He took especial care in turning the
boar on a spit to make sure he was thoroughly
cooked. All the while Lindsey and little Andrig
had climbed over him even then he'd been big
enough for them to climb on and pretended they
were riding him through the sky. Never once did
their parents fear for their safety; Pharcellus had been gentleness itself.
But, even those pleasant were interrupted by the
day that a stranger from the distant south had
come traveling through their land. Attacked and
wounded by a bear that Lindsey's father had
driven off, the stranger rested and recovered in
their home. He spoke such sweet poetry to the
red-haired young woman tending his wounds. That
girl spent every moment she could with the
stranger, listening to his voice, admiring his
face, and pondering the deep sadness she saw in his eyes.
Lindsey's fists clenched in the blanket as he
remembered how that stranger stayed with them,
ever inquisitive of their ways, and ever eager to
stay at that young woman's side. When the seasons
turned, the stranger-no-more promised to return
soon, and the woman had heard the word marriage
uttered between him and her father. The woman
went to Metamor to meet him there, but the armies
of Nasoj under Calephas's commanded conquered her
homeland. Not long after, and before her beloved
could meet her, Nasoj assaulted Metamor.
And then the Battle of Three Gates made a man out
of that love-struck woman, and their hearts were broken.
Lindsey cried as he thought of the only one he'd
ever loved. It had been over three months now
since his death, but still the pain gnawed at his
heart. Oh, Zhypar... I miss you, he whimpered
into the cold air between his sobs.
It took some effort, but Lindsey was able to
marshal his thoughts into a coherent whole and he
even formulated a sort of plan by the time that
he caught sight of Pharcellus circling through
the air in a wandering zig-zag. He shifted
position to watch him better, wondering for a
while what he was doing before he realized that
his friends was pacing a small white bird that
flew considerably lower in the sky. Lindsey
smiled and felt a surge of relief. It was the gull Quoddy.
He stood up and waited just outside the cave for
the two fliers to arrive. Pharcellus spread his
wings wide and landed with a solid whump that
made the boy grab the rock behind him to steady
himself. The dragon puffed warm smoke in his
direction and his blue eyes brightened like a
pair of dinner plates filled with blueberry
preserves. I have returned! Are you warm enough still?
Aye, Lindsey nodded, pulling the blanket close
around his shoulders. It would be warmer if I
had any sun here, but this whole ledge is in the shade.
The dragon glared at the ledge as if it had
deliberately hid itself from the sun's warming
rays. I thought you would like to see your home while you waited.
Lindsey smiled faintly to his much larger friend.
I did. I remember many things. Thank you.
Pharcellus smiled one more time, then craned his
neck behind him and moved out of the way, long
tail swinging over Lindsey's head as he turned
around. The gull swooped down and settled on the
grassy ledge with a quick flap of his wings. He
shook himself once, then began to swell in size.
Soon he was as a little bigger than Lindsey with
little fingers at the end of his wing like
Jessica had, a wide almost human chest, and long
legs ending in webbed, yellow feet. He folded his
gray feathered wings behind his back and bobbed
his yellow beak toward Lindsey. You must be
Lindsey. My name is Quoddy. Pharcellus tells me
that Metamor has sent you to kill Calephas.
Lindsey's eyes widened but he still nodded. I do
not look like much, but I was not always a child.
Nor a man. I grew up here in Arabarb.
Quoddy's intense yellow eyes widened slightly in
his white face, and a slight smile creased the
edge of his beak. Well, then you have a very
beautiful country. My brothers Lubec and Machias
think so too. But how do you think you are going
to be able to get close to Calephas?
I am a handsome young boy and he is a sick,
deviant of a man. I will use his vice against him.
Quoddy, if it were possible, appeared to pale. That's horrible!
Aye, it is horrible. But it is what I am going to do.
And we're here to help make sure he can, Pharcellus said in a low rumble.
The gull began to nod slowly as he swallowed.
I... I guess so. What do you want to do?
Lindsey looked toward the forests and frowned.
Andwyn told me that you have contacted
individuals in the resistance here in southern
Arabarb. I need to meet with them. Can we reach them tonight on foot?
Quoddy walked to the edge of the ledge and peered
over the woods with a slightly tilted head. He
squawked once and then half hopped half flew back
to them. It's a long walk, but we can do it. Are
you sure you don't want Pharcellus to fly you?
Lindsey shook his head. Just to somewhere we can
climb down. Pharcellus, show him.
The dragon leaned back on his hind legs and
lifting his forepaws in a gesture of welcome, he
quickly shrank down in size, the gray of his
scales melting into a nondescript tunic, while
the red highlighting his eye ridges and spinal
saw turned into a wild mass of hair and long
sash. Where before had been a beast of legend now
stood a young man old enough to begin courting or even marrying.
Quoddy almost fell on his tail feathers in
surprise. I didn't know you could change shape!
Why didn't you do that when we traveled together?
It could have made some of the sleeping
arrangements a little more comfortable.
But the new human just laughed, a hearty pleasant
sound that seemed out of place in the barren
scrub of the mountainside. I only learned this
art on my last trip back to Metamor. The elders
of my kin finally granted my request after years
of saying I was too young to learn it. It's nice
to be able to speak to you both face to face.
We're still up too high to climb down safely,
Lindsey pointed out with a growing impatience.
So change back until we're down there.
Pharcellus's human face appeared to pout for a
moment, but eh sprouted back into a good-sized
dragon so quickly and with such enthusiasm that
it was hard to imagine he'd been disappointed in
the slightest. Lindsey noted that the harness had
changed with him, and blinked in surprise when he
realized it. After a moment of gawking, he turned
back to the gull and asked, So, will you be able to guide us to your contact?
Quoddy glanced back at the forest and nodded one
last time, his own eyes still wide from
Pharcellus's transformation. I usually fly
there, but I think I can. He turned to Lindsey
and sketched a brief bow. It is a great delight
to have another Keeper here to talk to. I was
beginning to wonder if Metamor would ever send anyone to help us.
We've had some troubles at Metamor lately. At
the gull's questioning gaze, Lindsey lifted one
hand and added, I'll tell you along the way. He
grabbed his pack and stuffed the blanket back
inside. Pharcellus lowered his neck and allowed
the boy to climb into the harness. Now, let's
find a place we can walk down to the forest.
Pharcellus gushed a little smoke and grinned. I
know just the spot! Quoddy had to crouch against
the rock face to avoid being swept off his feet
by the power of the dragon's launch.
----------
May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,
Charles Matthias
!DSPAM:4da6120f270987224784171!
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