Frozen Breath

Writers: Heather
Date Posted: 18th May 2024

Characters: A'ris, M'yvak
Description: M'yvak and Pesrath come to Aedris's rescue.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 11, day 19 of Turn 11

A'ris

M'yvak

The road to Amber Hills was much more difficult than Aedris had
anticipated when he set out in the middle of the night. Having never
ventured beyond the crossroads, he wasn't quite prepared for the rough
terrain. He didn't stop, and he didn't turn back. Suffocation was
behind him and freedom before him. Going back was not an option.

Still, he did wish now that he'd packed a little more of the dried,
salted meat he'd taken from the family larder. His stomach twisted
with hunger.

He continued plodding along the wagon trail, hoping that just
following it would get him to Amber Hills. If there were any forks in
the path or crossroads ahead, he would be in serious trouble. He'd
left his home the day after Threadfall, so he knew he had a bit of a
cushion where he didn't have to worry about being caught out in it,
but wild felines and the elements? Those presented a bit more of a
problem.

To pass the time while walking, Aedris whistled a nameless tune. He
tried to imagine what his future might be when he arrived at Amber
Hills. He was strong physically, from all of the manual labor around
the farm, so maybe they would allow him to work with their farmers. Or
they might need a kitchen boy to cut wood, haul water, clean
latrines... He would do _anything_ to stay at the Hold.

A low, rumbling growl made the breath freeze in Aedris's lungs.
Turning his head slowly, the barred fangs and furry face of a wild
feline could be seen through the bristly branches of a bush. **Oh,
my!** Nothing passed from his lips but his mind was buzzing with
adrenaline. **I don't even have a weapon. If it pounces now, there's
no way I can outrun it. I'm going to die here,** were all thoughts
that whirled in a confusing blend in his brain.

As if in slow motion, he could see the quiver of the feline's bunched
muscles. The feline's claws extended from their padded feet to clench
the earth beneath them.

**OH SHI- **

}:_Stand clear, human_!:{ A voice blasted into his brain.

Three things happened simultaneously: the feline lunged, Aedris
dropped to the ground, and something large snatched the feline out of
the air.

Aedris rolled over to see a powder blue dragon clutching the feline in
his talons. The dragon snarled at the squirming feline before taking a
crunching bite out of the predator.

}:Disgusting, mangy, bag of skin,:{ Pesrath spat as he flung the
carcass of the wild feline into the nearby trees where it crashed
through the underbrush and landed unceremoniously in a heap.

Aedris remained on the ground where he had dropped, trembling. For his
first time seeing a dragon up close, nothing had ever looked more
terrifying. The snarled teeth, the power in the dragon's jaws as
they'd easily disposed of the wild feline, and then the sheer _size_
of him, all combined to lead Aedris to believe that dragons were the
most horrifying thing he'd ever seen in person.

"You alright there?" a voice called down.

Aedris couldn't find his words.

M'yvak jumped down from Pesrath's neckridge as the blue landed on the
wagon trail, his long tongue sneaking out to clean some of the wild
feline's blood from his muzzle.

"Are you harmed?" M'yvak asked again as he crunched over the gravelly
path to where the young man lay prostrate.

"I-I'm unharmed, sir," Aedris confirmed without looking up.

M'yvak arched an eyebrow at the unusual behavior, his eyes darting
between Aedris's cowering form and Pesrath's blood-smeared snout.
"Don't let Pesrath worry you," he said to the man on the ground. "He
heard your distress and came down to take care of the feline."

Aedris peered up at the dragonrider. "He _heard_ me?"

"Yes," M'yvak smiled. "Pesrath is always listening. We're on Search
for Candidates for the Weyr. We were just flying over some of the
cotholds near Amber Hills hoping to bring a couple more Candidates
back to Dragonsfall. It's a good thing we came by when we did or you
might have been feline foot, friend." The bluerider held out a hand to
Aedris.

Slapping his hand into the dragonrider's, Aedris scrambled to his
feet. "I am much obliged, sir."

}:Oh, you are interesting,:{ Pesrath said to Aedris.

Aedris's eyes widened. "Oh, that was... That was your _dragon_
earlier? That told me to get down?"

M'yvak laughed at Aedris's incredulity. "Yes, that was him."

"He says I'm.. interesting?"

"Yes, that typically means he thinks you'd be a good Candidate. Would
you be interested in that? Coming to the Weyr and seeing if you
Impress to a dragon?" M'yvak took note of Aedris's homespun clothing
that was clearly worn from wear and work.

**Would I be interested? In possibly being...a _dragonrider_?**
Aedris's felt like his heart was beating in the back of his throat.

}:That's right,:{ Pesrath confirmed.

"A dragon would never want me," Aedris said with certainty. "I'm.. I'm
no one. What happens if I come to the Weyr and don't Impress?"

"Well," M'yvak looked over the other young man. "How old are you?"

"Twenty, sir."

"If you don't Impress at the upcoming Hatching, you'd probably have
enough time to stand once more. After that, if you don't make it, you
can always settle into some other job around the Weyr."

Aedris perked up at that. Other jobs at the Weyr? He could cut wood,
haul water, or clean latrines for the _Weyr_? And get to be around
_dragons_ while doing it? That sounded a lot better than being stuck
at home on the farm.

"I'll do it."

M'yvak's face lit with a smile. "Perfect. What's your name? Is there
anyone you need to clear this with?"

"I'm Aedris, and no, I'm not bound to a craft or anyone else."

The bluerider produced a Search token from his pocket and handed it to
Aedris. "This is proof that you've been Searched. I'll take you to
Dragonsfall and you can show that to the Headwoman. She'll get you set
up in the Candidate Barracks."

Aedris turned the token over in his hands, tracing his fingers almost
reverently over the Dragonsfall insignia. "We're going to the Weyr...
Right now?"

"That's right. Unless you have something else you need to do first."

"Oh, no. I'm ready, sir."

"Just call me M'yvak. Come on, I'll help you up on Pesrath. Have you
ever ridden before?"

"No. This is the first time I've seen a dragon close up. I didn't
expect them to be so... so bloody?"

M'yvak barked out a laugh while Pesrath's eyes whirled in amusement.

}:I'll let you scratch my eyeridge after I've had a bath. It's quite a
luxury, I assure you.:{ Pesrath told Aedris.

Last updated on the November 11th 2026

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Frozen Breath