Bigger Than The Whole Sky

Chapter Ten

There is nothing quite as humbling, or as awe-inspiring, as witnessing Threshing...for those who live through it anyway.

—Colonel Kaori's Field Guide to Dragonkind

"Fly...or die."
- Cadet Major Catalina Kozivar to Cadet Violet Sorrengail

October first. Today is Threshing.

Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday, it doesn't matter where it falls on any given year. On the first of October, the first-year cadets of the Riders Quadrant enter the bowl-shaped forested valley to the southwest of the citadel and pray they come out alive.

Catalina survived Threshing two years ago with only a few scratches. She didn't find the she dragon Cothromaiocht like she did when she was a little kid, Cothromaiocht found her.

The wingleader did not sleep a wink the night before. She could not sleep knowing that her beloved little sister would have a huge chance of dying just a few hours away. If Violet bonds a dragon, she'll be a dragon rider, like her, her older sister Mira, and her late brother Brennan.

Catalina grew irritated as she waited for the first ray of the sun to strike the still dark morning sky. She paced around her room, biting her nails and praying to every deity she could think of for not just Violet's safety but the whole batch of kids about to either die or rule the skies.

When Catalina checked the clock and the sky for the thousandth time, she dashed out her room, not caring if anyone sees her in her white vintage nightgown. Violet should already be up at this hour, Catalina has to see the kid. A few hours before Threshing, she would be handling her wing, she cannot go and check on Violet anymore.

She knocked on Violet's door. "Violet!" She called out desperately, "open up, please. It's me." Her tear ducts opened the same time Violet opened her dorm room's door and showed herself to her.

"Cat?"

"My god," Catalina sighed, hugging the small young woman against her. "We need to talk." She sniffed, pulling away and Violet closed the door as Catalina entered the room, her hands clasping together and quite literally shaking.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked as she sat her down on a chair by her bed.

Catalina held Violet's hands and guided her to sit on the bed in front of her. "I'm worried about you, Vi."

Violet softened at the sight. Catalina's eyes have dark spots underneath them, her skin paler than usual, her lips were dry and cracked, and her long wavy dark locks a beautiful mess. Gone was the woman who she always admired for always looking so put together, the air of confidence around her was now replaced by worry, the glow in her eyes disappeared and in its place is anxiety. Despite these, Catalina looked beautiful.

'Roses are truelly beautiful, even if they're wilting.' Violet thought to herself as she watched the older woman gather her hands into hers and cup them, tracing her thumbs across the back of her palms.

"Worried about me? What about you?" Violet asked, "look at you, have you slept at all?"

Catalina licked her lips. "No, I can't sleep. I even chugged down the calming potion mother sent me the other day to help me sleep. I tried rereading the letters under my bed in hopes my eyes droop down after reading a few dozen to no avail."