Chap. 388 Return to Woochick Beach

Chap. 388 Return to Woochick Beach

He awoke, feeling refreshed. He stretched.

Siskin chittered a good morning from his ledge. He could see early morning light pouring in through one of the windows. Part of me wants to get some more sleep, he thought. But no! It’s a rest day! A day for just me!

I have nothing to do, nothing that desperately needs doing, he thought. I haven’t gone anywhere not related to work in a long time.

Let’s go somewhere Raventh said.

Where do you suggest?

The dragon was silent for several long moments, then a vision of a serene ocean lagoon swept into his mind.

Somewhere where I can fish. Like we did at that beach with Motanith.

He had to dig back into his memories. I’ve been so tied up with work, beach? Beach with Francie?

Where that odd bird attacked bronze Coora. Woochick. Remember? You, Francie and Raylan were on the beach when it came out of the jungle.

Ah, yes. Woochick Beach!

Yes. Francie’s bronze lizard attacked it and it slashed him.

Your memory gets better every day!

My mind is clear like water, now. Not like it was when we’d fight thread. I couldn’t remember anything back then.

Yes. Woochick beach. That odd bird, so fearless. The jungle as thick as hair on a boathead’s back. Hmm. Maybe I should just get up and go now.

Breakfast first. You get cranky when you haven’t eaten.

Where did you learn the word “cranky”? And I don’t get that way when I’ve not eaten.

You do. And Motanith taught me the word. She wants to go.

What is it with you dragons? Did you ping her or did she ping you?

Does it matter? She pinged me. She’s been up since before sunrise.

Fine. I’ll get some breakfast, I don’t need to go to the dining hall. Siskin ate last night, are you okay?

I had a big kill two days ago. So I am a little hungry, but the fishing will be good.

I have to check the tides, he said, getting up and hyped about the upcoming trip. Exploring! Yes!!

His datalink called.

I bet that’s Francie, he thought.

It was.

“K’ndar! Motie says you’re going to Woochick Beach!”

“Sheesh,” he said, half in jest, half in resignation, “You females, always gossiping. Can’t a man have SOME privacy in his own mind?”

“Pffft. You know as well as I do dragons gossip worse then us humans. Do you want company?”

“Umm” he said, not really wanting any, but how could you turn down Francie, who was like a big sister to him? She’d been so very generous with her time, her care, her fabulous cooking.

She could hear his indecision. Come on, K’ndar, let’s go. Just you and me. I hate hiking.

“What does Raylan want?”

“Raylan’s not going, he’s out hiking with a friend of his. They left at oh dark thirty. They plan on camping out over night. Me, I’ll only hike if my horse drops dead, and I haven’t had to worry about that yet.”

“WHEN does he sleep?”

“What, did you just get out of bed? I’ve already been out and fed Donal.”

“Well, ask your green, she seems to know everything else about me. Yes. I grew up losing sleep feeding and mucking out. I stopped that once I entered the weyr.”

“You’re a slugabed, you know that, although I’ve not a clue what a slugabed is. If you don’t want company, just say so.”

I don’t want to say no, but I don’t want to say yes. I don’t even know why I feel this way. Maybe I can dissuade her. “I’m hoping to do some bushwhacking, so go prepared for bugs, thick undergrowth, and I don’t know what else. I want to see more of that bird.”

“The woochicks! Don’t worry, Coora this time will mind when I tell him to leave those things alone!” Her bronze fire lizard had attacked the bird, which had taken great offense and slashed his chest for his impertinence. “But I think I’ll do some snorkeling, instead. Maybe I’ll even catch a fish for lunch.”

I won’t tell Raylan, though, she thought. He worries I’ll get hurt, snorkeling by myself. He forgets, I’m never alone. Not with a green dragon and a trio of fire lizards. And he’s out of touch anyway. He took his data link but he said he might ‘just forget’ to turn it on.

“Will you cook the fish like you did last time?”

“Raylan cooked it, not me. And only if I actually catch one. Those things are fast…and smart. Raylan’s deadly with a spear, I’m not so good. We’ll see. I’ll bring a lunch, just in case.”

That’s fine with me, he thought. Rand, the forester, had taught him-the hard way-how to go through thick jungle. I won’t plan on a specific distance into the jungle. It never pays to rush exploration. I might find a new animal or bird. Yes, this is going to be fun. And maybe it IS a good idea to have someone along.

“I’m checking the tides right now, it’s just the start of low tide in about half an hour. If we go now, we can have a good long morning before we have to leave,” Francie said, encouragingly.

“I’ve not had breakfast, yet.”

“Be here in fifteen. I’m cooking it now. Bye.”

Do all women do this? he wondered, as he rushed through his morning ablutions. One minute I’m laying in bed and the next, I’m hurrying to go exploring.

_____________________________________________________________

They came out of between over the island.

“It’s bigger than I remember,” K’ndar called.

“It is fairly large,” Francie called back, “But remember, the beach is the only spot that’s big enough to land on.”

After landing, she dropped her pack and unharnessed Motanith. Her trio of fire lizards perched atop Motanith as she waddled to the lagoon. She waded into the warm waters, the lizards using her back to look for schools of fish foolish enough to be close to the surface.

“Aren’t you going swimming?” Francie asked. She examined her fishing spear, then adjusted her swim goggles.

“No,” he said, “I really don’t care for it. I’m going to do a little exploring in the jungle. I brought my camera and data link-and a machete. I’m hoping to see some new animal, like the woochick.”

She looked at the edge of the vegetation line. “You’re going into THAT?”

“Yes, why?”

“It’s…thick. It looks dark even from here. Yeesh, I don’t see an opening any bigger than a dog.”

K’ndar grinned. “Remember the time I got all blistered and had to wear the pink booties?”

Francie giggled. “How could I forget? You did Landing a favor by getting rid of them.”

“Raylan said I could, and I thank you again for the old gray ones.”

“What has that to do with trying to make it through a screen of jungle?”

“Rand, an expert, taught me how. By the time my blisters had blisters, I’d learned how to move fast and quietly through a jungle. I can see an opening now,” he said, not quite believing it was going to allow him through, but you can’t let the girls always be right, right?

“Just for fun, yes? Not for work?”

He grinned. “I’m a biologist. If I see something new, I’m going to want pictures, and the data link has a program that identifies plants.”

“Well, don’t let the woochick get too close, they’re dangerous!”

“No doubt!”he agreed, remembering how the one he met had sliced a gash right through the leather of his boot.

He unharnessed Raventh, hanging it next to Motanith’s.

Okay. I’m going to go into the jungle he said, good fishing!

Raventh’s response was a hearty rumble.

Siskin swirled over his head, unable to decide.

“Sis, are you hungry?” Siskin indicated that he was not. “Then come be my lead.” Siskin chirped in agreement.

By the egg, he thought, I’ve not been in this jungle fifteen minutes and I’m already dripping sweat. There’s not a breath of air here. Rand’s jungle was open savannah in comparison. There’s no real trail, just a worn path. But it looks as if there’s no vines to swat me in the face. These plants look completely different from anything I’ve seen on Southern. I’ll have to bring P’jar here.

He made his way slowly and carefully, grateful he didn’t have to rush. By progressing slowly, he was able to avoid contact with the vegetation. All it took was one undeserved sting from a vespid to make him careful.

I’ll never forget being stung by a creature I never harmed, he thought.

It’s so quiet, he thought. Other than a few sounds from insects, it’s like being in a green and humid cave. I’m almost afraid of making noise with my machete, but I do want to mark this trail, in case I have to run back through it. Don’t want to get lost again, do I?

Siskin chortled at the thought. He skipped from one low hanging branch to another, showing him where the trail went. He appreciated Siskin’s efforts. The path wasn’t one. It was more a grassy trail that vanished now and then. Obviously no big animals live on this island.

Ah. A pile of dung. He pulled a specimen bag out of his backpack and collected it. A few insects went in with it.

After several more minutes, the jungle opened up enough to allow him to stop and look around.

Nothing was in bloom, he noticed. The trees soared to enormous heights, completely closing the canopy. The undergrowth rustled with unseen beings, those being the only sound in what was a tremendous silence. He thumbed his datalink awake, hoping to contact the starship.

No signal. Move to area with open sky.

I didn’t see a break in the canopy from above, he thought. But I can always use the camera.

He took several photos of the vegetation, the trees, the grass under his feet.

Siskin hissed a warning from his high lookout.

“What is it, Sis? A woochick?” he said, softly. He brandished his machete, not willing to be attacked.

Siskin weeked, not feeling fear so much as puzzlement.

I don’t hear that bird. I do hear something moving, though.

They both saw the creature at the same time.

It emerged from the undergrowth lining the path ahead of him. It stopped at the sight of him. It twisted it’s head to one side, as if trying to figure out what he was.

He had the presence of mind to take several pictures. What in the world was this beast? Not a woochick.

The beast snorted, shaking its head in annoyance at K’ndar’s blocking his path.

Siskin hissed again. It looked up at him, then turned around and left as quietly as it’d come.

He released the breath he’d been holding. Bringing the datalink to his mouth, he said, softly, “I’ve just seen a completely unknown animal. I am in the jungle on Woochick, um Woochick Island?

The animal appears to be saurian. It is the size of a medium sized dog, I’d say its back is level with my knee. It has a beak not unlike that of a wherry. It has a small horn just above its beak. Two small eyes on the side of it’s head. Above those eyes are two long horns, about the length of my forearm. Behind the head where the neck would be if it had one is a large frill, I think you could call it, a shield of sorts, with spikes lining the top edge. It is six legged, the body is squat and thick. I have no idea what it’s feet look like. It has a long tail, flattened on the vertical axis, with a series of spikes at the very end. It is very cryptically colored, with the main body being a deep jungle green, I think I saw darker gray stripes on the body.”

His heart began to pound with excitement. THIS is what I love about being a biologist, discovering new life on our planet!!

He shut off the datalink, stored it, then pulled out his notebook. This is what I depend on, he thought. He started to sketch the animal from memory. I”ll check it later against the photos. Drips of sweat dropped onto the page. Phew, but it’s close here. And warm.

Siskin suddenly shrieked, startling him. “Siskin!” he shouted, thinking a woochick was attacking him.

The blue dropped from his perch, chittering frantically.

K’ndar come NOW. HURRY. It’s Francie, she’s been attacked Raventh shouted.

WHAT? WHAT?

I must help Motanith. HURRY.

He turned and pushed his way through the undergrowth, careless of any contact. His thoughts were racing, what do you mean attacked? His machete cuts led him surely on, he was surprised at how little distance he’d gone. He burst out onto the beach.

It was empty.

Raventh! Raventh!

Francie’s three fire lizards were screaming, hovering over a spot in the lagoon. Coora, the bronze, kept diving into the water.

He yelled, “Raventh!! Francie!”

Raventh surfaced, snorting water. Siskin soared over the water to join the fire lizards.

Motanith surfaced, snorting, too. Francie was draped over her withers like a sack of oats. Only her upper torso and head were clear of the water.

Motanith swam underneath Francie. Her eyes are closed.

His gut went cold. Not…not dead?

There was a dreadfully long period of silence from Raventh.

Motanith thinks she is he said, his voice cold with fear.

“Motanith! Motanith, it’s alright! Come to us!” he shouted.

Motanith keened, her voice a heart rending cry only made when a dragon has died. She swam towards the shore, Francie’s arms swinging in time. She’s not moving like she’s alive, he thought. No. This can’t be happening. No.

Her fire lizards were a melee of cries and wings.

If Motanith gets to her feet, she may launch and go between. I can’t let that happen.

“Motanith! Wait. Let me come see Francie, okay?”

Did she hear me? Will she obey? What do I do? What do I do? he thought, trying to marshal his thoughts.

Raventh leaped into the air to fly the short distance to the shallows, where he landed. He turned to face Motanith, barring her from coming any closer to the shore. The green stopped, the coral just under her feet.

Can you make it to where I am?

I can’t swim, I can’t get out there, it’s too deep, K’ndar said, ashamed at his fear.

You have to. I will help you. Motanith is thinking of going between.

K’ndar shed his pack and equipment, not even bothering to remove his boots. I’ll get blisters again, he thought, but I don’t care. Not this time.

He forced himself into the water. Within a few meters the water was up to his chest, fear rising into his throat. Raventh moved to him, his bulk reassuring.

Coora, the bronze fire lizard, flew right to him, calling, shrieking, obviously demanding his help. Siskin circled overhead.

I come. Don’t be afraid. Grasp my tail, I’ll bring you up to my shoulders

K’ndar grasped Raventh’s tail. The dragon towed him to his front end, then ducked his head and neck under water, allowing K’ndar to crawl onto his back.

Thank you he said, still afraid but pushing it down into his feet.

I told her greens to keep Motanith in the deeper water.

He sat up, now safe aboard Raventh. The greens hovered in front of Motanith, refusing her to move towards shore.

Motanith is so upset she cannot think. Her mind is like a tornado. I told her to stay where she is. I told her you will check her rider. Motanith thinks she is dead.

NO. NO. Tell her Francie is alive and I hope to the stars I’m right. Don’t let her go between.

She is fighting me

She must obey you.

STAY WITH ME Raventh thundered in Motanith’s mind, so loudly it was almost audible.

Motanith shook her head at the volume, but obeyed.

I will keep her in the water until you can check on Francie. She has to be in the air to go between.

I know. Move up alongside her and I will get on Motanith. Tell her what I am going to do.

I will. She has found a high spot in the reef and is standing on it.

Raventh moved alongside Motanith. Francie lay limply across the green’s shoulders. He immediately realized there was no room for him between the woman and the green’s shoulders.

She is too small for me to fit.

Pull her onto me?

Hold still. I will try. I am glad the water is so quiet.

Francie. Francie. He reached over to touch the woman’s face. Water dribbled from her mouth. Her hair had come undone and hung in long dripping strands from her head. He pushed them aside, wondering, how can I check her airway when she’s on her stomach on a dragon’s neck? Oh, shards, she is so lifeless. Like a..no, K’ndar, don’t think it. Her dragon can hear me, I know it.

He grasped Francie’s arms. They felt unnaturally cold. Fear raced through his stomach, but he forced it back.

He pulled. Yes, I can do this, the water will help. Clinging tightly with his thighs to Raventh’s neck, he managed to pull the woman in front of him. Her feet flopped. It took all his strength to pull her athwart Raventh’s shoulders, in front of him. She was unresponsive.

Raventh unfurled one wing and stretched it over Motanith’s back. He carefully and gently pulled the green to him.

Later on, K’ndar would remember it, marveling at how tender his reassurance was. Then again, it was also the way a male dragon courted a female when not flying. Or was he keeping her from launching?

I told Motanith to stay with me. I want to make it to the beach.

Side by side, the two dragons made their way onto the beach. Raventh, being the taller, made it first. Keeping Motanith on one side, he knelt, allowing K’ndar to step off on the other. K’ndar turned and took Francie’s arms.

For one long moment, he looked at the woman’s body, hanging limply across Raventh’s withers. He could not see her face. A stab of cold hit his heart. She’s..no. I can’t let this be the end. No, Francie, no.

In response, Francie coughed up a great gout of water..

“SHE LIVES, SHE LIVES”, he shouted, his relief overwhelming him.

Raventh moved his wing away from Motanith. K’ndar gently pulled on Francie’s arms. She slid, unresisting, into his arms.

She’s so small, I don’t remember her being so small and she’s so cold!

He lay her gently onto the sand and straightened up. The fire lizards landed alongside her. They muttered.

What do I do? K’ndar thought, his heart pounding. Okay. Deep breaths. This is an emergency. Push the panic into that little box. I’ll open it later. I let training take over. Training. I have to do basic aid. Remember basic aid. ABC. Basic aid basic aid basic aid for drowning? How many times did we have to repeat this, drill for this, when I was a weyrling? ABC. I still remember seeing it on the slate boards. Clear the Airway. Stop the Bleeding. Treat for shoCk.

He turned her head, and gently opened her mouth. Yes, it was clear. She’s breathing.

“Francie, Francie, can you hear me?” he said, lifting her head up by the chin. Her eyes were closed. He turned her over and thudded on her back, wondering if he should. But he was rewarded with more water coming out of her. Good. Good. I think.

He noticed a bloody spot on bare thigh. It looked like a stab wound.

She’s so cold, even on this warm beach.

Raventh. Tell her fire lizards to keep her warm. Put their bodies against hers.

Within seconds, the trio did so, joined by Siskin. They all looked at him expectantly.

Coora met his eyes. K’ndar felt a wave of thanks coming from the bronze.

If fire lizards could cry, he thought, you’d be doing so.

When he was satisfied she was breathing and her heart going, he called Cove Hold’s Healers.

“No, ma’am, I don’t know what happened, I wasn’t in the water at the time.”

“Is she bleeding?”

“No. No bleeding, but I can see she’s been, well, punctured? There’s a puncture wound on her thigh that wasn’t there before she went swimming,” he said to the data link. “She’s coughed up quite a bit of water,” he said to the incredibly calm voice on the other end. I’m speaking gibberish, I know it, he thought.

“Puncture wound?”

“Yes, ma’am, in her thigh.”

The woman groaned. At least this one knew enough basic aid, but still, sometimes it wasn’t enough.

“What was she doing?”

“Snorkeling. We’re on a beach in the Island chain.”

“How did you get there? Boat?” the woman said, despairing. If it’s a boat, it will take hours for her to get here, maybe longer. Stars knows what happened. If it’s by boat, she might not be alive much longer.

“Dragon. We’re both dragonriders.”

Her relief was audible. Thank the stars for dragons.

“Bring her here. NOW. I’ll be out there at the dragon meadow, waiting.”

Securing Francie in her dragon harness forced his mind to forget the fear. How many times was I forced to practice this, to create a nice little web of leather for a dragon to carry a casualty?

How many times did I truss a classmate up like a Turnover pig for transport? Usually it was B’rost, but once it was F’mart. It was the only time I ever got a chance to get even with him for being such a bully. I made the harness just a wee bit too tight. Hehehee! How many times did I endure being tied up like a dead steer, wondering if I was going to be dropped? How many times did we practice, practice until now I can do it with out thinking? Thank the stars B’rant and Billek forced this into our stubborn weyrling heads.

His fear returned as he finished. “Francie, can you hear me? Francie, please, please, wake up. We’re taking you to Cove Hold Healer Hall, Francie. Okay? You’ll be okay there,” he said, wondering if she could hear.

But the woman lay comatose. He absently noticed the sand clinging to her hair and skin. He finished securing her in the harness, checking his work, then raised his eyes to meet those of her dragon. How long have I known you, Motanith, but never have I been so close to you as I am now.

He touched the green’s head, again, remarking at how small she was next to Raventh. She met his eyes.

“Motanith. I want you to take this loop in your fore paws. You will take Francie to Cove Hold. Remember when we did this in Weyrling school? Yes, I’m sure you do, you were always the best at transport, yes, you have always been such a clever girl. Now, it’s for real, little green. Take her to Cove Hold, a healer is waiting for her. I push the cairns to you now.”

He pushed the image of the Hold’s cairns, suddenly happy that she was such an eavesdropper.

She knows them Raventh said.

The green dragon’s eyes whirled a worried and unhappy orange. But her soul was in them. She didn’t say anything to him, but he felt her sudden relief that he was there.

She listens. She trusts you.

“We’ll be right behind you, okay? Me and Raventh, we’ll be right behind you. I have to harness Raventh and then we’ll be with you at Cove Hold. Now lift off, hover, please? Give me your front paws and I’ll make sure you have a good grip on the harness. Alright?”

It felt so odd to be ordering a dragon not his own.

Motanith lifted into the air, her wingtips just barely missing the sand. What a lovely flier you are, he thought.

Her wings-so much smaller than Raventh’s, still blew up a cloud of sand. He closed his eyes, not having goggles on, reached through the cloud to grasp her taloned paws, and wove them into the harness. Her feet were so much smaller than Raventh’s. She rumbled. It sounded like “that’s good”.

“Good Motie. Okay, gently, gently, rise into the sky. When you’re high enough, go between. We’ll be there behind you.”

How graceful and gently she flies, he thought, as the green climbed into the sky. Her burden hung steadily beneath her, no spinning or bobbling. I did a good job, he thought. “Well done, Motie! Go now!”

She called out, her fire lizards joining her. They blinked out of sight.

For several moments, he stared up into the sky, his heart beginning to slow. He suddenly realized that they’d probably not been at the island for more than an hour.

K’ndar dug his riding jacket out of his backpack and donned it. I’m soaking wet and my boots are full of water, he thought, but I’d rather be too warm then catch another cold after going through between wet. Maybe I should have put her jacket on Francie, she was wet, too, and between is freezing cold. But how to dress an unconscious woman, I’ve never dressed anyone but myself! And the sooner she’s in professional hands the better.

He was about to harness Raventh when the brown said, Wait.

Wait?

Yes. Motanith is at Cove Hold. She sees the healers coming. She says, ‘bring the spear.’ I think I know where it is. I have to go get it.

Her spear? Forget it. We have to…

No. If it weren’t important she wouldn’t have said it. She knows what happened to Francie but is too upset to say. I’ll be right back.

Raventh waddled back into the gently lapping surf and when the water was deep enough, submerged.

I don’t know how long that will take, he thought, but he knows what he’s doing. I’ll empty my boots NOW.

He’d just re-donned them when Raventh surfaced and returned to the beach. He waddled on his back legs, carrying a long spear with a large fish impaled on it.

But no fish had an appendage like this. It was a creature, one with a shell. It had a long harpoon sunk into the fish. He could see the tip of something that looked murderous protruding on the opposite side of the dead fish. It looked like a grappling hook. One of the hooks was entangled in the spear’s leash.

It looked dangerous. It’d gone completely through a big meaty fish. And was, perhaps, the answer to the mystery of what happened to Francie.

How to transport it? Would it fall off the fish in transit?

Looking at it more closely, he thought, no. That one prong will probably hold in the rope. As deep as it’s sunk in the fish, it’s the fish I might lose.

Don’t let this thing touch you, Raventh said.

I won’t.