arin's beginning

Chapter 9 On the Road Again

As we are flying over the trees, I lean over the saddlehorn and touch Brann's neck. Did Tag seem extra upset today to you?

He did. He doesn't normally answer your questions, but this was extra short for him. Brann replies. I think whatever Daris told him has him more worried than he is letting on.

The beat of Brann's wings falters for a moment as we pass over the ring of mountains protecting Ridershaven. A thunder of Wyverns shoots out from below us and begins to circle around us.

Arin, Brann. Do not make any sudden moves. These wyverns have nested here in these mountains long before the Council moved here. This is their territory. Let them be and do not engage with any of them. Ax's voice rolls along my bones. I feel a tremble in Brann's chest. We are over the peak of the mountains now and the earth falls away into a vast sea of forest. Trees stretch out as far as I can see.

Suddenly the world tilts and falls out beneath me, the trees are rushing up toward us. I feel Brann's wings tuck against my legs as a chorus of roaring begins and is drowned out by the screaming wind. Brann is diving toward the forest and I can feel her panic pressing against my own mind. There is a sudden searing heat against my back and Brann rolls to the side as a fireball shoots past me. Then we are in the trees, and the world is dark and green and extremely close in. Brann lands and skids to a manageable pace and runs under the canopy of trees leaping from one trunk to another. I close my eyes and tuck myself over the saddle, trusting her to navigate the labyrinth of wood. Finally, she stops, her sides heaving. I can hear the roars of the wyverns overhead and duck instinctively as the little light that makes it through the treetops darkens as a Wyvern flies overhead.

After a few minutes of silence, and no more shadows, I look at Brann. Stay here Brann, I'm going to climb up and see if they are leaving yet. I undo the straps around my thighs and jump from her back to a nearby tree. I carefully climb up the limbs until I am inside the canopy itself. I push aside a branch and swing my head around. Seeing no sign of any movement I slowly work my way back down, jumping from the last branch to the ground.

"Let's head back out and find Tag and Ax," I say. We walk side by side to the edge of the woods. There is a rock jutting out from the slope of the mountain's foot. As I climb into the saddle again, Brann twists her neck around to look at me.

I am sorry Arin. One of the males clipped my wing as we were passing and I couldn't fight the panic. Her eyes fall to the floor. I reach out a hand and hold her jaw, " It's ok Brann. We didn't get hurt, everything is alright. We are a team, you don't need to explain it to me. I felt it, remember?" Brann dips her head once. "Now, lets see about finding Tag."

Just then Axlan coasts in from above, circling overhead before alighting below us on the slope. "There you two are! What happened?" Tag calls out. He doesn't sound upset, or angry, just curious.

"The wyverns caught us unaware. We didn't encounter them on the way in with Leandros, and he made no mention of them." I say. Tag mutters something that I can't hear before turning back to us, "Flight lessons will have to wait until we get back, but the short version is remain passive when you fly in and out of Ridershaven. Now, let's get back in the air. We have a lot of ground to cover in not a lot of time." Axlan turns around and leaps into the air. Brann backs up a few paces before she takes off running. I tighten the last buckle around my thing as she launches herself into the air behind Axlan.

Alright, Arin, here are the details about what we are doing, I hear Tag's voice in my head.

Tag? How are you doing this? I ask, not really sure where or how to direct my thoughts.

I am projecting his thoughts for him. It's not as if you can hear each other over the wind as we fly. Axlan says.

Thank you, Ax. You'll learn this trick in a few years Arin. Anyways, Congress has received reports from the Army intelligence unit that the clans of Wildmen are gathering in numbers we've not heard of before. Tag says

I cross my arms, That is odd. I saw a few of their war parties derail each other when I was studying under Master randerick. They hate each other almost as much as they hate Stormos.

You are right, It is odd. Congress has asked that the Council investigate these rumors and report on their movement and activities. We are not to engage the clans in any capacity. It is likely nothing at all, but in the event that it is something, information will be our best weapon. Tag leans back in his saddle. Settle in kid, we've got a few hours to fly before we get close enough to start searching.

The hours passed with nothing to speak of other than Tag questioning me about the history of the Council. We have flown over most of the northwestern tip of the Wildlands now. There were few draconids we saw besides the Wyverns. The drakes of the plains scattered quickly into the grasses before I could get a good look at them. As the Dragons spiraled down to the ground the lack of the wind in my ears was a welcome, but deafening change.

"We'll rest here for a spell before we set out to look around. Don't set up camp just yet though." Tag hops off Ax and starts stretching. I dig into my pack and grab a couple pieces f dried meat. I toss one to Tag and bite chunk out of mine.

"The reports said that the Wildmen were gathering at the far reaches of the wildlands." Tag chews for a couple minutes after he digs out his map and lays it down on the ground. "Can you tell me where we are on the map, Arin?" I lean over and look at the markings on the map. To the south I see a line of mountains fade in to the grasses. Everywhere else i look i see forest and more grass.

"No, I cant. There arent any landmarks i can see from here." I shrug and sit back.

"Not any landmarks huh? Well, how would you find any to figure it out?" Tag leans back and crosses his arms behind his head against Ax's belly. I open my mouth and then pause, not sure what to say.

"Uhhh, get higher?" i ask. Tag only raises his eyebrow before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "The only place i can get higher is that mountain range to the south though." I point out.

Tag doesnt open his eyes, or move. "Is it?" Axlan lowers his head and levels one eye at me, waiting. "Did you already forget the most important thign ive taught you? Pay attention, Arin. Details will save your life." Ax nudges me with his snout then rolls his eye up. I look up instinctively seeing only the clouds.

Arin, I think he is telling you to get up high and look around.Brann gets to her feet. I turn to climb on her back and I hear Axlan huffing behind me. I strap in and Brann launches in to the air. She circles slowly, flapping her wings heavily to gain altitude while I look around. To the north I see a lake and beyond that the forest to the east and west. The border of the forest runs south.

Do you see anything besides the lake Brann? She has stopped flapping and is coasting in lazy circles. I see a small mountain range in the distance to the northwest, and then the range to the south, but that is it. She replies. Lets go tell Tag and Ax then. Brann continues her lazy circle, but angles downward to spiral back to the ground. I slide off her back when we land.

"So? What did you find?" Tag says pushing the map in my direction. I point out the lake and the mountains and jab my finger to where I think we are. "Pretty good Arin, you are almost exactly right. Now, where do you think we should start looking?" I shrug. "Well, we came from the west and a little north and we didnt notice anything unusal, so we can assume they are not to the north and the west. We can also rule out anything on the other side of the Spinevarn from Stormos, else the intelligence would have said something about that." The pieces he laid out make sense, and I start to see the picture.

"So we follow the border of the forest to the south!" I proclaim.

"There you go, now you got it." Tag gets up, turns to Ax and starts untying his pack. I follow suit letting my stufffall to the ground. I bend down to start unrolling my bedroll when Tag says, "Don't be so hasty kid, we still got plenty of day light left to move. You and I are walking for now. The draconids can take to the sky and watch from above. They will see any danger before you or I do." He pats Ax's shoulder, "Pack it up. We're going hiking."