Last Chance To Turn Back

Writers: Eimi, Shame
Date Posted: 18th April 2006

Characters: Kachine, Z'rix
Description: Kachine runs away from her family's cothold, and Z'rix takes her to Dolphin Cove Weyr
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 11, day 11 of Turn 3

Kachine had been walking through the darkness for
about half of a candlemark, picking her way carefully
over the uneven ground, trying to avoid the small
holes in the earth and patches of long grass that
threatened to make her loose her footing. She was
getting closer to her destination, the girl could see.

"There," she whispered to herself, her voice seeming
unnaturally loud in the silence. Before her, she could
see the sparse treeline encircling a small pool of
water that was fed from a stream, an offshoot from the
river. She had visited this place often as a child,
splashed in the fresh waters of the pool and climbed
through the limbs of the willow trees that seemed to
bend, trailing their branches into the water like
fingers. Now, this childhood retreat would once again
prove useful, for this was the place where her life
would change. She was to meet her uncle's dragonrider
friend, and from here, she would make the journey to
the Weyr.

Her eyes squinted as she drew closer, trying to
determine if the dragon and rider were already here.
"Hello?" she called out quietly.

As the lids peeled back one by one, a dragon's large
refracted the moonlight in blue and green swirls.
}:The child is here.:{

His rider stepped out from behind the great beast's
head and looked towards the treeline. He didn't
bother to hush his voice. There was a brown dragon
there to deter any mischief maker. "Kachine?"

It took a moment for the girl to respond, as she had
caught sight of the large eye glinting in the
moonlight. Having never beheld a dragon before,
Kachine had not been told of the colors that swirled
over their optics, the rich emeralds and cobalts that
stared at her.

At last, though, she found her voice. "Yes, sir," the
holder girl said as she stepped towards them, close
enough to make out the rest of the brown's bulk in the
darkness and his smaller human rider. Kachine's heart
was beating painfully now, aware that this was last
chance to turn back.

"Forgive me, but my uncle never told me your
name,"Kachine's voice was apologetic, not wanting this
rescuer to think her rude for such an oversight.

"Z'rix, and this is my brown Voyth."

"Z'rix and Voyth," Kachine repeated quietly to
herself. "Well met, and I thank you from the bottom
of my heart for your help tonight. My uncle Rahiyan
sends his thanks as well."

The girl cast a look over her shoulder, half expecting
to see one of her family members heading in their
direction, having discovered her disappearance. There
was nothing, of course, just a soft wind that
flickered through the willow branches. Kachine knew
that they would have to leave soon, but was suddenly
loathe to do so. She knew that once they left, she
would probably never again step foot on her family's
soil.

"Do you have your things?" he asked as he closed the
distance between them. "We probably should not
linger. I don't want anyone to find us here and
accuse the Weyr of kidnapping the cothold's girls in
the night."

The holder girl felt a wave of guilt. Here she was,
stalling because she knew that she would miss her
home, and only increasing their danger of being
caught. "Yes," Kachine replied, her fingers flying
upwards to brush against the straps of her knapsacks
that were dangling from her shoulders. "I have all of
my things, and I am ready to leave immediately." This
was a slight lie, of course. But Z'rix was right. It
would be best to leave as soon as possible.

"Come along then," he said with a reassuring smile as
he took her bag from him. "Tell me, how is your
uncle?"

Kachine willingly gave up her bags, offering a shy
smile as she followed Z'rix back towards his lifemate.
"He is well, sir. He does not have too much time to
practice his craft anymore, as he helps my father and
uncles with the herds. But he gave me strict
instructions to inquire if you have gotten any better
at staying out of trouble, and if you haven't, he
forbids you to corrupt his 'favorite niece', and you
are absolutely not supposed to introduce me to
handsome bronzeriders."

She practically chanted this, for Rahiyan had insisted
she say it word-for-word. But Kachine knew that it
would not sound the same without her uncle's
mischievous gaze and his booming laugh.

Despite the messenger, Z'rix could hear his old
friend's voice through the words she spoke and he
laughed quietly. "I miss that idiot. What trouble he
and I used to get into together. Well, he need not
worry. I'll make sure you're settled and well cared
for. Don't you worry about that."

Kachine smiled at the brownrider. "I am not worried.
My uncle said that regardless of your scrapes as an
apprentice, you were someone that I could trust and
rely on. If he says that, then it must be true." She
had complete faith in Rahiyan's words. If he told her
that she could rely on his childhood friend, than it
was so.

Now, she was close enough to Voyth to get the full
effect of the brown's size, and her eyes widened.
"Oh!" she breathed before she could quite help
herself. The holder girl had heard of the size and
majesty of the dragons, as every child had, but it was
something else entirely to behold with one's own eyes.
She had not pictured dragons to be so _big_!

"All right now, Kachine, up you go." At a silent
request from his rider, Voyth positioned his forearm
to help the young woman up. "We'll get you settled
and take off before anyone sees us, any luck."

Kachine felt awkward clamboring up onto the brown's
forearm, one hand grasping at a riding strap and the
other catching a neck-ridge to pull herself upwards.
It was certainly different than mounting onto the back
of a runner-beast, and she silently hoped that her
clumsy climb had not hurt or offended Voyth in any
way. It took only a moment, and then she found
herself sitting firmly atop of the brown. That was
one victory, at least.

The brownrider tied her bag on before helping her with
her rider-straps. "Last chance Kachine," he said with
his hand resting on her her knee. "Are you are you're
ready for this?"

For a moment, Kachine's face looked a bit pale and her
eyes were simply huge in the darkness. This was her
last chance to back out. She could grab her bag and
race back to her cothold, and no one would be the
wiser... She swallowed, and shook her head. "I'm not
really sure of anything right now," she spoke with
complete honesty, trying to push away the fear that
was threatening to overwhelm her mind. "But I think
we should go."

"As you wish," he nodded. Swinging up in front of her
he fastened his own straps. "Hold on to me Kachine.
Let's get going."

The girl followed the dragonrider's instructions,
letting her arms curl around Z'rix's waist. She was
trying not to hold on too tightly, not wanting to
knock the breath out of the man's lungs. But nor did
she want to fall off while flying. Even though she
_knew_ that was securely strapped in, Kachine had
never before ridden on the back of a dragon and
falling seemed to be a natural concern at this point.

"All right, Kachine, here we go!" The brown's large
muscles bunched underneath them before he sprang into
the air, his wings catching wind as he took them
higher and higher. He did a long slow spiral, the
cothold just barely visible on the moonlit landscape.

The wind tore away the startled yelp that escaped
Kachine's lips. The ground rushed away from them as
they climbed into the skies, bringing the girl closer
to the stars than she had ever been. She dared a
glance to the side, amazed at the sight of the land
below them. The world looked different from this
angle; everything was so small. And there, nestled
between the pastures and the fields of her family, the
girl could see the cothold that had housed her for the
past eighteen turns.

When moisture glittered in Kachine's eyes and slipped
down to brush against her cheeks, the girl firmly told
herself that it was only because of the wind at this
high altitude. She was not weeping in silent farewell
to her family, she was not doubting her decision.

The young woman closed her eyes.

Last updated on the May 3rd 2006

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Last Chance To Turn Back