arin's beginning

Chapter 2 - Meeting leandros

"Arin, can you please tell your dragon to let us get close enough to talk without shouting ourselves hoarse?" Master Randerick calls out. My dragon? I look up at Brann and find her looking at me intently.

I start to get to my feet, but my body says that's not a good idea, and my knees give out. I fall back against Brann's hide. "Guess I'm staying here for now," I mutter. It is not an unpleasant place to be though, Brann is warm against my back, and though her scales are hard they are not uncomfortable. "Brann," I start hesitantly, "That's Master Randerick. He's a healer and my trade master. Can you let him get close enough to talk?" Brann blinks slowly.

I don't think he is your trade master anymore, Arin. But yes he may approach. Brann swings her head back to the group of men. I call out, "Master, you should be ok now!" I place my hand on her neck and say, "Please don't eat him Brann, he's the closest thing to a Father I have." Master Randerick stops a meter or so away and keeps his hands away from his body in a gesture of what I can only assume is respect.

"My goodness boy, first of all, your dragon is a beauty to behold! You said its name was Brann?" Master Randericks eyes travel along Brann's body taking in the subtle color changes in her scales.

"Her name, Master, Brann is female," I inform him softly.

"A female?" Master Randericks hand strokes his chin, and I can see the wheels in his mind turning, just like when a patient comes in with symptoms that don't match anything we have on record. His eyes stop moving when he notices the patch of eucalyptus on her leg. "And what have we here?"

"She had an arrow stuck. I used willow bark and ginger to prevent infection and sealed it with eucalyptus." I state matter of factly.

"Sealed with eucalyptus, eh? That's an inspiried idea, Arin! What made you choose this approach?" Master Randerick softly touches the scales around the patch and is met with a rumble from Brann's chest that vibrates my teeth. She tries to snap her wing over the tender spot, but she only has the strength to brush Master Randerick away. Before either of us can say anything more, the sounds of snapping wood startles all of us, and the soldiers instinctively draw their weapons. Brann yowls at the steel. I still don't have the strength to get to my feet on my own.

I feel Brann tremor slightly, "what's behind us, Brann?" I ask trying to crane around and see over her body. Before she answers, a man strides around her and stops next to Manster Randerick. The man was dressed simply, in a plain tunic covered by a leather vest, and similar leather grieves covered his shins over his boots. Brann still hasn't turned around, facing whatever it is that is behind us.

"Master Randerick! How long has it been?" the man claps Master Randerick on the shoulders before reaching into his vest and pulling out a coin purse. The soldiers haven't put their weapons away, but the wariness on their faces is unmistakable. Without looking over his shoulder, the newcomer says, "You lot can get lost. There is no need to hang around unless you feel like becoming lunch."

Arin, if you value both of our lives you will not make any sudden moves. Brann voices to me alone.

What do you mean? What is it you see? I watch as the man gives the purse to Master Randerick, who sighs as the weight drops his hand noticeably.

"Courtesy of the Council, for appropriating your apprentice," the man says with a grin. Master Randerick's smile is empty and half-hearted before he looks my way, and then turns back toward the city. The man extends a hand to me and hauls me to my feet when I grab it. "My name is Leandros, and behind your dragon is my Wyvern Noxia. Noxia, say hello"

They are little more than runts, are you sure these is the ones? Noxia's scales are the same color orangeas one of the frogs that Master Randerick keeps in his lab, the kind that he says can kill a man if he touches it. Her horns and talons look like they should be ivory, but there is a tinge of yellowing about them that almost seems unnatural. Noxia crawls forward on her taloned wings and sniffs at Brann, who leans away from the wyvern.

"Welcome to the Council of Riders kid. You are gonna be my apprentice now. Don't worry about packing up your stuff, you'll get new gear from the council when we get to Ridershaven. Though, judging by the state your dragon is in, we are gonna have to walk. It'll be a day or two before we get there. Speaking of, whats your dragons name?" Leandros walks around Brann, inspecting her.

"Her name is Brann." I reply.

Arin, I do not like this wyvern. I think she wants to eat me. Brann tracks Leandros as he moves around her. He stops at the patch I never got to explain to Master Randerick. I turn to her and whisper "What am I supposed to do? I have no idea whats going on either!"

"And what have we here?" He looks back at me expectantly.

"She had an arrow lodged in her scale. A bodkin point." I look down where I threw the arrow fragments from earlier in the day; I rest my hand on Brann's neck. She hums at my touch. "I mixed up some willow bark and ginger and sealed it with Eucalyptus leaf to prevent infection"

"Not bad kid. If this stuff works as well as you hope, you might have just saved her leg. And her life. Honestly, though, I'm impressed that you're in one piece after yanking that arrow out. Most draconids are testy enough with dirt in their scales, let alone an entire arrow. You said it was a bodkin point?" Leandros walks over to the discarded arrow.

"That's right. It must have been poachers who got her." I force the rising anger back down.

"Damn poachers. Congress wont do anything to stop them either. You ask me, Congress is in on it, they get a little jingle jangle to look the other way" Leandros spits. "Noxia lost the last 3 feet of her tail to a poacher trap about 5 years ago." Noxia thumps her tail twice.

That was one of the more satisfying meals I have had. Noxia dips her head down to my eye level and huffs a hot breath at me. I dont move and pry that my knees arent making as much noise as I think they are. Noxia crawls around Brann and settles behind Leandros. When was the last time you had a full belly little one?

I do not remember. I have been running from a band of poachers for several weeks now. Brann replies. I start to repeat her answer but Leandros says, "She told us all kid. No need to echo her. We will make camp tonight and set out at first light, but first, you and I have some shopping to do." Leandros leads us back into the woods far enough that we wont be seen, so he says. Then Leandros and I make the walk back into the City to buy a steer for Brann. On the hike to Ridershaven Brann will be responsible for hunting her own food, as will I. We dont hunt, we dont eat Leandros says.