Wakonda - originally written 2001

Descended from a mixture of gypsies and native American colonists, Wakonda Swordman is remarkable in that he has been searched at all, let alone by a gold. Yes, Uzume's golden Kagamith actually sniffed this one out while his troupe was near Blackstone.

Why were they there? Because their usual trek through the jungles had been interrupted by mining being done in Dawnlight. Half their number stayed around Dawnlight to protest this misuse of their traditional lands, but to very little success. He and Trask are the only ones who have moved on to Weyr life and like it.

Wakonda's black and tan hair is not natural, of course. Like several others at Blackstone, he found a friend in one of the mysterious blackbottom-crafters... Though he does not know their name he does like the effect the dyes left him with.

Wakonda's skills are obviously geared toward physical things, however you see that beautiful scabbard at his side? He wove the cloth which surrounds it. Though he has never stepped foot in a weaver hall, he learned from his mother how to get natural fibers from plants or animals, and make cloth. He loves the dyes which are available at Dawnlight, and wishes they would settle their differences with his tribe and move along with trading again.

Since his search, Wakonda has made friends with many Weyr inhabitants, and is sure to have a good spot in a wing. He hopes to impress at all, though he is not sure how he will react to a dragon's mind in his own. Kagamith did not speak directly to him.

Should he impress, he will shorten his name to W'kon (not to W'anda... :P). He does think about each type of dragon, and has his hopes high on a bronze. Think of the prestige he could bring his tribe!

"Rose Circle Weyr is our next stop," announced the Bluerider P'laz. "If you've got all your things together, we'll get there in minutes."

Wakonda breathed an excited gasp. "It really is true, then. A hatching."

The rider smirked, and nodded. "It's a good weyr. And one that the Protectorate wants to encourage ties with. So, up you go."

He assisted the tall man up onto the broad hand of the blue dragon, and was not surprised when he didn't have to steady him as it moved. Wakonda walked with grace and style, and was as balanced as any man he'd ever met.

Excitable, though! When they sat one behind the other on the dragon's neck, the rider could tell that Wakonda had perhaps been on one or two rides in his life before this one.

"Hold on, and when I give the signal, we'll be going into the air. After that, we'll head between. Remember the instructions?"

Wakonda nodded, "I do. Hold your breath and count slowly. Is it all right to have your eyes open?"

P'laz furrowed his brows. "I suppose it can't hurt, there isn't really... open or closed when you're between."

"Then let's go!" Wakonda said, and gripped the dragon's hide and hoped all his things would be safe lashed to the next ridge.

Moments later, they took to the air and with a gasp Wakonda looked around him. He had to squint agains the wind, but he felt truly elated to be in the air.

Then he saw the rider raise his hand and pat the dragon's neck, and give the command to head to Rose Circle.

...

... ...

... ... ...

-- They gasped for breath, and Wakonda gave an involuntary shiver. "I didn't know it would be so cold!"

"It's chilled to the bone, between is. Well, there it is! Rose Circle!" They circled, and Wakonda listened to the bugle of the watch dragon below, answered by the blue. They had other things aboard the wide back of the dragon, supplies which Blackstone offered the other weyr as it started out. So when they reached the ground, they were met with eager hands to help unload.

Then, a woman stood before Wakonda and looked him up and down, somewhat like a healer would but more ... personally. Not like the healers' professional stare. Wakonda found himself blushing. It was a good thing his tan skin betrayed only a little of it.

"You're... the queen rider?" He asked, holding his hands out in a polite, respectful greeting. She nodded, and smiled suddenly.

"I am. Allani rider of Eliameth. And you're Wakonda. I've heard a bit about you from the weyrleaders. You know that they talk about everything... Except getting their jobs done..." A tall man ducked his head and he hustled into the weyr with a package from the dragon. Wakonda smirked.

"Well it's good to know that I've become known. I think..."

The weyrwoman handed him off to the headwoman who made certain that he had a place to stay, knew the layout of the weyr, and had a bowl of stew all in the same three breaths. Wakonda wasn't used to someone so busy!

"Do you need any help here? I mean..." He glanced around at the kitchen and indicated the weapon at his side. "I am rather good at hunting."

Tanara stood still for a moment, and then burst into a broad smile.

"Fresh wherry for dinner! I like it! Go! Go on and bring us back something and I'll make sure you get the best cut of it!" She showed him the lower entrance to the kitchens and Wakonda stood in awe of the weyr yet again.

The place was well stocked, but a little wild yet. Dawn Sisters dragons flew over head, he knew how to recognize ones from each weyr, as they often were found in the Protectorate's wings now. Each had a distinctive look to them, and he'd learned their shapes and colorations the same way anyone would learn how to spot a tunnel snake that was angry or injured, a flit out of its territory, or a wherry on the run.

There was one now...

***

Wakonda had been out hunting already, when the call went through the weyr. The hatching!

He rushed in to get his robe, ripping it a little but who would know? It had been repaired before he got it, probably worn by dozens of candidates before him.

He bolted to the grounds, and finally got into the hot sands. It was a good start, with a bronze as the first hatchling!

Then, the wait began. Several strong browns and another bronze came by the boys, but none seemed interested in Wakonda. He glanced around, and then suddenly found himself eye to eye with a good sized brown!

Hello, I am Pravoth. You are to feed me, correct?

"I will do just that, my friend! In fact I have a little treat right here..." He reached into the satchel at his side, and pulled the bounty of his hunt out, a small tunnel snake, and right then and there Pravoth decided he was in love!

***

What about... if I only kill part of it?

Pravoth, you can't kill part of something, if you kill some of it, all of it will die.

... Like us. If you died... I do not know what I would ever do.

W'kon smiled to himself and muttered, "probably eat the remains first..."

What?

"Nothing, nothing..." W'kon snickered. "Now look. You can take a small goat kid, that's all right. Or one of the wild wherries. But not the ones in the pens because those are the ones we need to feed people in the Weyr!"

W'kon's expertise at hunting hadn't quite worn off on his brown weyrling. After a turn of life in Rose Circle, the kitchen staff had gotten quite used to seeing the handsome rider and his dragon outside. More often than not, to deliver a fresh kill, unlike the other riders who came in demanding their food.

They liked W'kon.

The wherry-thief Pravoth on the other hand... He was getting big now, but not quite big enough to fly and take down a large beast by himself. The moment that beast learned to fly, most of the kitchen drudges commented to each other, would be the moment they could expect to get the big roasting spit out again. They knew he would be hungry!

***

Look at them run! I will chase them, W'kon!

"You do that," W'kon said, smiling. He had other business to attend to. Like these three Protectorate riders who had lit into Rose Circle weyr the moment they'd heard that the latest weyrlings were grown.

One of them approached W'kon, others went elsewhere.

"I suppose you'll be wanting to join a wing some time, eh?" Said the man. He was sturdy and strong looking, and looked familiar to W'kon.

"Do I know you?" He asked.

"Possibly, I'm from Dawnlight. But I represent the Hunters Wing. I've heard from the Rose Circle staff that you're quite the hunter yourself."

W'kon smiled, and nodded. "And so is Pravoth," he added. "When you point him in the right direction."

"Well, we always need guys like you and dragons like him. We've got a Protectorate to feed and help. If you don't mind, that is."

"When do you find time to fight Thread?" W'kon asked, and Ch'ran smirked.

"Oh, believe me. We find the time. We often get sent to these little cotholds and quite often we have to fight it on our way back. We always -- ALWAYS carry a couple sacks of firestone upon our dragons, just in that case. We're never unprepared."

"I like that in a wing," W'kon said.

"Good. Now... We'll place you on the left of my wingsecond. And if you're any good, you'll maybe have to think about a more important position."

W'kon's eyebrows danced, "you'd be taking me as a wing-fourth without even seeing us fly?"

"I have heard good things, brown rider. Very good things..."

***

Am I the most handsome dragon of our Wing?

"W-- What?" W'kon asked, at such an odd question.

Am I the most handsome? There have been several green dragons who have said so, and you tell me I am certainly healthy and strong. Does that make me the most?

"It... Makes you lots of things. What brought this on, Pravoth?" W'konda sat sharpening skinning knife while his dragon paced around in the weyr.

Because. There is a very sensitive, beautiful and clever green. And she will fly soon. I have heard this.

"From whom?" W'kon stood, curious. "And when?"

From lots of other dragons. And at Dawn Sisters, very soon. She says that she is going to be very hard to catch.

"All females say that," the man said with a smile, "all of them do. But it's true. She will only have the best."

That is why I ask! AM I the best?

"Well, Pravoth, you're going to have to prove it to HER, not to me! I already know you're the best wherry hunter -- and eater -- in the Wing!"

I am! And I can battle the biggest tunnel snakes away from my kill. Remember the time? I remember it!

'Yes, of course you do,' W'kon thought privately, 'it was just yesterday... How you'll remember that there's a green rising even next week is beyond me...'

What are you thinking, rider mine?

"Oh, nothing. But you'll have to find out more about this green, and maybe her rider. I'd like to know too, you know!"

I have discovered more, rider mine!

W'kon was startled out of his patient gaze at the grazing herdbeasts. He dropped his knife, and cleaned it off on his leather tunic.

She is Vazilth. She was born at Dawn Sisters, and she is beautiful!

"And her rider?" W'kon packed the knife away, wondering if his dragon really was serious.

She is named Maniki. Is that a good name?

"It's a perfect name, for a green for you to fly!"

Then you will sign me up!? I will practice, I will use all the tricks we have to chase wherry, when I chase Vazilth.

"She might prove to be a bit more difficult to catch than a wherry, Prav. Don't forget, that she'll only take the best of the best!"

Then I will also make sure that I get rest, and that I can be flexible. I will ... wrap myself aroung the tree! I can stretch that way!

The dragon proceded to tuck his wings down, and actually snaked himself around one of the nearby trees for his 'stretching' exersize.

W'kon wondered how long this would go on... Before the dragon killed himself with 'training' or actually managed to fly the green of his dreams...

Training aside, W'kon was certain that his dragon was actually getting sleeker, and faster in the air. His encouragement meant so much to the dragon that Pravoth soared higher than he had before, dove faster and turned sharper.

Those things will help you in threadfall too, you know.

I am not thinking of threadfall! I would never burn Vazilth! She may be able to fly faster than any blue but she'll never beat me!

The day arrived with a glimmer. The air was still, and beautiful. Then, with a shriek the green shattered every illusion of calm. She blooded twice and screamed at the dragons who sought to chase her.

Had she been the same taunting, menacing green the night before? Everything led to this? That she glowed brighter than the daystar was evident to all presend. There were other riders wandering the halls of Dawn Sisters weyr that morning, but several of them congregated down near the hunting grounds. For a reason, of course. That reason being Maniki. It was clear that she worked hard -- both before Impressing and after. Her scars bore her dedication to an art and her life now.

W'kon didn't even think twice about respecting her. She was a strong girl, indeed! Stronger than these other bucks--

Pravoth! FLY! Get out there! W'kon mentally shouted. He knew that Pravoth's emotions were playing with his own. And if it was like this for the males... How could this slip of a girl with the light brown hair and beautiful green eyes be working through her green's proddy attitude?

Her eyes are glowing like her dragon, W'kon thought. Or had he been seeing through Pravoth's eyes? What he saw there was sky, and green wings. Beating hard.

Even early on, Pravoth could sense that hanging back to conserve energy would be a mistake. The blues were aggressive, the other brown was dangerously larger than he. But he would prevail! He would! He had to!

Vazilth twisted in the air to taunt her other suitors, but it was almost like she didn't realize Pravoth was there, following her every move. He was so like a shadow -- how he hunted wherry so well, he became a part of their being. Indistinguishable from their own kind...

As the other dragons dropped out of this great chase, Pravoth gained heart. W'kon down on the ground sought out Maniki's hand, his own hands strong and used to the work of cleaning and skinning animals, as well as that of keeping the dragon up. Pravoth switched from left to right behind Vazilth, dove below her, and up-- Up! Right below her!

It was not easy, this flight! She almost got away again, she almost got sent into the waiting talons of another dragon! But almost wasn't good enough, and Pravoth didn't do things by halves! He intended to win, and was so proud, so eager and so daring that he even swept the beautiful glowing green farther into the air than she had been before with the force of his embrace!