Here Be Dragons: The Protector

Chapter thirteen: Loss

"So, just to get this straight, you think she's this mythical White Rider? Destined to save the world?" Jonah was obviously dubious.

"Well, more like predicted to, but yeah." Lukas was exasperated when the man in red just raised his eyebrow and went back to his food. "Look, we've both sensed her – she has Air and Fire energy – she's obviously not just any spark."
"I'm not saying she is." He countered, indignantly, before he sighed and continued, "She's definitely special... I just think it's a bit of a jump to pin all our hopes on her just yet. Tol knows we don't have any to waste..."

They finished their rations in silence, Lukas watching Vayle play with Blaze. Somehow, she'd managed to climb up onto the dragon's scaly neck. Blaze was, of course, trying to throw her off – or at least pretending to. Lukas had seen the ruby beast level a house with a single swish of her tail, if she had wanted Vayle off, the girl would be on the floor already, 'And probably two or three fields away.' He chuckled at the thought. He would have been perfectly happy to let them entertain themselves, but Jonah was back to business as soon as he finished eating.
"Well, now that Blaze has three extra people to carry, we won't make great time. We should set off as soon as possible."
Lukas had thought about that already. He knew getting Vayle back to the basin was the priority. He also knew that he was by far the heaviest passenger, even without the stone he'd have to strap to his back to be useful in an air battle. "Actually, Jonah, I think I'll stay he—"
Jonah knew exactly where he was going, and cut him off straight away. "Absolutely not. You've told me how bad last night's attack was. I am not leaving you here to die for no reason."
"But if I can—" Lukas tried, before he was cut off again.
"Get it out of your head, Lukas. Even if I have to get Blaze to knock you out and carry you off with us, I am not leaving you behind." He grabbed Lukas by the shoulders before looking him square in the eyes. His gaze was fierce. "We have lost too many good people over this. I refuse to lose you too."

Lukas was speechless. On the most part, Jonah was very good at keeping his emotions down. However, they had known each other too long for Lukas to miss the worry tracing his friend's jaw, or the slight tremble in his limbs. "Who else have you lost?" He asked, his concern clear in his voice.
Jonah's eyes widened slightly before he let go and turned away. His tone was stiff when he finally responded, "My sensor fell unconscious the day we set off. He was dragon sharing with the woman from Water – the one who made a fuss at the meeting. After he blacked out, she couldn't keep them in the air. She managed to get the sensor off in time, but Feuer... when he hit the ground, he broke both wings. She made me leave them, Luk... said her dragon would fly by soon enough to pick them up, and I should 'concentrate on the mission'..." His voice wavered. They both knew not being able to fly was effectively a death sentence outside the basin – it would take weeks for Feuer to walk back, and she would certainly be attacked before then. Jonah's voice was haunted when he continued, "But that isn't even the worst part: I passed over Lyse yesterday. He was limping through the woods – he'd fallen even worse than Feuer. I... couldn't even find Eleyn."

Finally, Lukas understood. Eleyn was Jonah's younger sister. She had been the only powerful Light Rider available when they set out on this mission, so she had been the sensor for the Light team. If Jonah's sensor went through the same thing as Slyas, that meant she probably had, too. But there was one glimmer of hope, "It's okay, Jonah. The other guy in her team was riding his dragon. He must have picked her up and flown back to the basin. If there's anywhere she'll be safe, it's there." That seemed to settle him down, slightly, but he kept his back to Lukas as he tried to get his breathing back under control. With a sniffle that he tried to disguise as a cough, he called back, "Anyway, like I said... we should really get going."

Being on the back of a dragon was an incredible experience. The wind whistled in her ears, hair streaming behind her. They passed so close to a cloud that she could reach out to it – when she pulled her hand back, it was wet and cold. Even the man sat behind her – Lukas had introduced him as Jonah, before they'd deposited her in the saddle and they'd set off – chuckled at her gleeful reaction to this revelation. Bar the barren scar on the horizon that was the wastes, the view was breath-taking. Mouth wide, she leaned as far as she the belts wrapped around her legs would allow to take it all in. "It's amazing up here! Why do you ever come down?" She shouted over the wind.
He patted his partner's flanks as he shouted back, "Blaze is impressive, but even she gets tired." Then he poked his head over the side to ensure Lukas could hear him when he laughed and yelled, "Especially when she has to carry round a mountain that decided he needed twenty spears 'just in case'." Lukas, who was dangling in Blaze's front right claw, responded by taking one of those spears into his hand, and pretending to throw it at the face above him. Jonah chuckled again before he returned to his seat.