Tricked Into Flight

Chapter 41

*Rakota's POV*

I followed in Andar's wake as he took a turn at the front of the formation. My wings shifted instinctively in the air currents without distracting me from Serepha's suggestions. A couple of her ideas seemed promising, although giving Kat that stone earlier didn't lead to any questions about riders, which had been the opening I was after.

"If we find a good layover spot a bit earlier, I'll have time to try a few of those," I told her, using my magic to let her and Andar hear me. 

"Honesty is probably best, at least as much as the magic rules will allow," she said, shrugging slightly.

"She does value family and likes helping people," I mused. "That might make it easier."

"She's less nervous when fewer dragons are around, so I'm sure Andar and I can take our time hunting," Serepha said.

Andar glanced back. "If you want to stop a couple of hours early, there are a few good layover spots in the rocky hills to the south. Most of them have several cliffs higher up if we want to space ourselves out."

I nodded. "That will work. We've made good time so far, and if I can't activate the bond tonight, I'll have to start making detours."

The rider bonding spell wasn't one that could be easily cast while flying, and the magedebt wouldn't give me more than a few days before it would start weakening my magic. Time was slipping by far too quickly.

I checked on the human, who was unaware she was the focus of our conversation. Her muscles were relaxed, and she was no longer shivering now that the weather protection stone shielded her from the worst of the wind and cold.

She gazed at the horizon absently, lost in her thoughts. I'd spoken with her occasionally during our flight to ask how she was doing and attempted some small talk. She had been uneasy the first few times but seemed to be calmer now.

She wasn't much of a talker, although that might change over time. I didn't want a chatterbox for a rider, but every once in a while, she seemed to forget her fear of me and some of her comments and replies had actually been interesting.

Not only had they shown her intelligence, but they also gave glimpses of a mild sense of humor that I hadn't realized was present before. The way she gave deference and constantly avoided direct eye contact made me fairly certain she had been a noble's servant.

Despite that, she was spirited, but showed it in subtle ways without being haughty, such as how she secured the harness as if proving a point. Most nobles didn't like seeing any defiance or skepticism, which backed up Diondin's suspicion that she was on the run from a former master.

I was also getting used to keeping tabs on the human. I had even landed to give her a chance to duck into the bushes every hour or so without her asking. Checking for predators at every stop was becoming a habit and didn't take conscious thought.

Now that I was more focused on her, I noticed I was becoming oddly protective, almost like she was a nestling whose parents were away. That was certainly something I never thought would happen. Me? Being protective of a human? Ha! A year ago, I would have rolled off a cliff from laughing so hard at that notion.

~

       The clouds were building on the horizon as we glided above the craggy foothills. I caught a glimpse of a large feline running away from a deer carcass, reminding me to check the layover spot for such predators when we arrived. Something capable of taking down a deer wouldn't have much trouble killing a human.

"Since you only got your bow recently, how do you usually hunt?" I asked Kat, continuing our mostly one-sided conversation as I asked questions and she replied, although she was beginning to venture a few questions of her own.

"I use a snare most of the time. Sometimes a fish net, but I rarely camp near rivers deep enough for fish." She tilted her head. "Do dragons eat fish? I've heard rumors of huge fish in really big lakes, but I've never seen them."

"Sometimes. It takes a long time for fish to grow that big, so we usually hunt deer or other large animals. Do you normally eat anything besides meat and bread?"

The slow-paced conversation probably seemed like an attempt to keep boredom at bay, but in reality, it was my way of digging for information. She might not ask for things she typically found on her own, and she wasn't the sort I could drop at a castle for a king to feed.

It wasn't until I started talking that I realized just how many gaps there were in my knowledge about a human's day-to-day life and long-term needs. I was beginning to wish my parents had spoken more about riders. Age had claimed my mother's rider when I was three, and my memories from that time were very hazy. My father had bonded two centuries before that, and I hadn't been around other humans while growing up. I didn't even know why their hair was different lengths.

"Berries or fruit, if they're in season. Some plants, if I know they're edible, like watercress. Some people say dragons only eat meat. Is that true?"

"Mostly, although we occasionally eat one type of plant that grows in lakes. I don't know the human name for it. It grows deep enough that we have to dive to reach it. Do humans really turn milk into cheese?"

"Yes. It's a bit of a process, but we can use the cream to make various kinds of cheeses. It can be time-consuming and some types take weeks to cure."

Keeping an eye on her reaction, I asked, "You seem to have traveled a lot. How many cities have you been to?"

Tension appeared in her muscles. "Quite a few. I've lost track over the years."

"I thought most humans didn't like to travel so much?"

She shrugged uncomfortably. "Reasons kept popping up, and I eventually continued walking until I found another village."

I had expected an evasive reply, but since the current topic didn't pertain to this particular human's needs and preferences, I asked, "What is your favorite memory?"

A slight smile appeared on her face. "My parents and I were visiting a relative's farm. I can't remember exactly what game we were playing, but we were all running around and having fun. There was plenty of food, toys, and even some sweets. There were no worries at all, and everyone was so happy."

Her eyes were distant as she recalled the memory. It wasn't one I had expected, but I made a mental note to take her to this farm once a year or so.

"Where is this farm? Have you been back since?"

Her eyes closed in sadness. "It was burnt down by bandits, and they couldn't afford to rebuild. They're currently in Mendrial City. I visited them a couple of months ago."

I tilted my head, trying to recall where Mendrial City was. I blinked when I remembered it was near the western foothills; a full two day's flight in the opposite direction. This little female had wandered much farther than I realized, but also seemed to return to previous locations, at least briefly. How did creatures with two feet cover so much distance? And why?

"There's the spot I was looking for," Andar said, interrupting my thoughts. "The creek has good water, and there are various ledges overlooking the meadow."

He dove toward the clearing below the ledges that were unnaturally flat and exposed to the daytime sun. The trees in the meadow had been cleared away, and a rocky ramp zigzagged between the sunning spots and the grass. A campfire ring and a huge pile of dragon-shredded firewood were another testament to how many riders had rested here.

It seemed like an ideal place for dragons with riders. Perhaps there would be one more rider among the ranks by the time we left tomorrow...