A Close Call
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Suzee, Yvonne
Date Posted: 23rd February 2014
Characters: Vell, K'ale
Description: Vell has a run-in with a sweeprider looking for a young woman on a runner
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 7 of Turn 7
The morning was cold, and Vell had taken her time with her klah before getting back on the road. She was bundled in her brother's clothing today and the breeches felt strange and clung to her legs in odd ways. Her own riding dress was dirty and stank after four days of wear and sweat, so she'd reluctantly cast it aside for the only other outfit she had. She was beginning to regret not packing more.
Her runner's hooves made no sound on the dirt path they followed, and the forests had closed in around them, making it difficult for the sunlight to penetrate the thorns and leaves to warm the air, and her chilly fingers were clumsy on the reins. She was just beginning to warm up when a shadow passed overhead, startling her runner. He pranced a step or two, shaking his head, before Vell calmed him enough to look up.
A brown dragon was circling low overhead, his rider's attention fixed on her. Vell's mouth went dry. **Shells, he'll catch me!** Quickly she decided on-- then discarded-- the idea of kicking her runner into flight. There was no way he could outrun a huge beast like a dragon. And there was nowhere to hide since they'd already been spotted. **Hide in plain view,** she thought. And hopefully the cotholders' advice for travelling would prove to be true.
Vell waved it at the dragonman in greeting. When he waved back, she she pulled her wide-brimmed leather hat lower over her forehead. Her runner she eased into a wide spot on the road, then stopped him to wait for the draognman to land. Maybe he wouldn't.
Imalkyth was the one who spotted the runner first of course. Runners weren't one of his favorite foods but he'd take one in a crunch. This time though they weren't hunting for food, they were hunting for a runaway. It wasn't something normally left for a brown but his six had been assigned the duty and he wouldn't shirk it. In order to cover more ground, he'd sent each of his party off in different directions from the cot that had reported the missing woman so they could cover more ground.
Landing some ways in front of the rider he could see the person riding was astride it in breeches so likely a man and not who he was looking for. Yet he slid from his own perch and walked toward the skittish beast. "You there," he called. "Seen a woman on a runner heading away from that mountain?"
Vell's voice fled. The dragon was even bigger now that it had landed, and the man on it looked as if he could pick up both her and her runner, toss them over his shoulder, and march them back to Stony Field Holding without breaking a sweat. "Uh-- no!" Her voice was a squeak, so she cleared her throat and tried to sound like her brother. "No sir."
He could see the runner was nervous as was the rider. He held out his hands. "We're not going to hurt you lad but you probably should dismount in case your runner tries to bolt." He turned and motioned for Imalkyth to move farther away.
The brownrider wanted her to dismount. That was bad. But he also thought she was a boy. That was good. Vell hesitated, her hands clenching on the reins. Then she dismounted and came to stand by her runner's head. She stroked his nose as the brownrider approached, hoping that the illusion of masculinity would hold. There was really
no chance in running now.
Imalkyth backed a bit and then hunched down toward the ground as far as possible to try and make himself appear smaller. K'ale turned and grinned at the boy holding the runner. "Big goof." he shook his head. "Like that is going to make him look any smaller."
"Think you can keep an eye out for a young woman on a runner? Probably looks a lot like yours there."
Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs. Vell looked at her runner so she wouldn't have to look at the brownrider. "This runner?" she asked, patting his nose. "Lots of runners are brown like this one. He ain't nothing special."
"Oh of course," he smiled. "Well then, there will be more sweepriders flying over so if you see anyone matching the description along this road, just pass a message at the next Hold." He nodded then. "Sorry to bother," he smiled and turned back toward the brown who trotted closer for him to mount.
"Thanks again," he waved and Imalkyth launched into the sky.
Vell watched him go with incredulous eyes. "I can't believe... I can't believe that he didn't see me. As _me_."
Her runner said nothing, but he did try to scratch his face against her shoulder. Vell staggered a little, then eased her fingers under his bridle to scratch his cheek. She felt lightheaded and a little sick to her stomach because of the near miss. The runner sighed and closed his eyes with pleasure.
Her family was worried about her. They must be worried sick. And she was wasting the searchriders' time... Vell felt even sicker. But there was no sense in dwelling on it. Her father had his chance to find Yarron, and hadn't bothered. So it was up to her.
"I'm going to call you Itch," Vell said finally. The runner didn't seem to mind. As Vell mounted up, though, her mind drifted back to the handsome brownrider and his dragon. She'd been lucky. If he'd come any closer, or looked any harder, he'd have seen right through her rather paltry disguise of a man's breeches and tunic. She'd only put them on because her dress was dirty. It had been luck she hadn't been caught. Sheer, dumb luck.
Vell shivered. Luck was fickle. Next time, she'd be caught for sure.
Last updated on the March 6th 2014