A little luck and a black sack

Shan's parents were explorers and his brothers were explorers—Tammen in their native tongue. Even his sisters were explorers. Shan related much better to the other use of the word Tammen, which was foolishly adventurous. However, he was not at all adventurous. His brothers knew all the stars and could captain any vessel that would float. Shan got tripped up in the rigging trying to find the guiding star. His sisters spoke a dozen languages and could outride a horse mage. Shan, on the other hand, hated horses, or at least horses hated him and he'd barley mastered Trade Common. In his daydreams, Shan usually imagined he was a great explorer, but being a great explorer, even an imaginary one, was hard work.

Now, as their small boat made its way along a steep rocky coast looking for a safe harbor, Shan was dreaming about being the son of a Tyran merchant and trying hard not to imagine what might live in the black caves that yawned in the cliff face above his head. The dark maws drew his eye despite his best efforts to focus on something else and for a moment he thought he saw something moving. He peered more closely as the boat glided past and this time he was sure he saw sunlight glancing off dark scales and a hideous claw. The creature sprang from the cave and Shan jumped back with a yell. He stumbled over a scrubbing pail and landed flat on his back in a puddle of soapy water. Above his head a small sea bird soared on an updraft. Sunlight caught and shone on black feathers and a bright gold beak.

"I'd say it's some sort of cormorant." Jazzie said, peering up at the bird. She absently held out her hand to Shan, pulling him up.

"Did you notice the color of the rock?" Raim asked. "It's nearly red, but dark." He looked at Shan. "Like blood, I'd say." He smirked in Shan's direction.

"Leave be." Jazzie ordered.

"Sorry, it's a very scary little bird. That tiny beak could really hurt a man. Or maybe those cute white feet."

Jazzie shoved Raim lightly. "Leave be." She said again.

Shan walked away, which was, in his opinion, the best way to deal with the twins. He leaned against the stern port railing and watched the water where it lapped against the cliff. The cormorant let out a sharp cry above him. The next thing Shan knew he was staring at water that was suddenly closer. The ship's crew shouted commands at each other. Shan spun to see what was happening, got tangled in his own legs, and went straight over the railing.

Shan was not a good swimmer. Cold salty water closed all around him. His hip hurt where it'd hit the railing. Clumsily, he kicked and squirmed his way to the surface. He spat out water and gulped in air. Something, which felt eerily like a long, thick tentacle, wrapped around his waist. Shan took the largest breath he could and, just as he closed his mouth, the creature pulled him back under. Shan reached for the dagger he carried but the creature's tentacle—he was positive it was a tentacle once he felt it—was wrapped over the sheath, and Shan couldn't get the dagger free. He dug in his nail instead, but they didn't even make a dent in the smooth, leathery skin. As he began to run out of air, he desperately kicked and reached out with his hands, but there was nothing to grab. The creature continued to drag him down. Then something else happened. He was never sure what, but later he'd say it was like a scream that he felt rather than heard. The water swirled around him and got warmer. The creature tightened its hold on him and started to drag him down faster. He felt the scream again and the creature let him go. Hands, human hands, grabbed him instead. A distinctly female shape pressed against his chest and the feel of the water changed, wrapping around him like a cool blanket. He opened his eyes. He expected the murky, gray sting of salt water. Instead it was like peering through an emerald into the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. He wasn't sure if it was the difference in the water or the girl, but something was carrying him up towards the surface. The girl pressed her lips against his and his lungs relaxed. They were still empty but, for the moment at least, he didn't care. Their heads broke through to the surface. It was dark; the only light seemed to be coming from the water itself. The girl's odd hair—crimped green laced with straight silver—clung to her face and shoulders. Shan's droopy brown hair hung in his eyes.

"Breathe." She said.

Shan did as he was told. The air tasted bitter but it was comforting to be breathing air again. He looked around. They were in a cave of dark red rock. The entrance, Shan guessed, was somewhere under the water. Towing him along with her, the girl swam towards the wall of the cave where a ledge of rock jutted out above the water line. The girl climbed out of the water then helped Shan out. She was clad in a nearly transparent silver and blue dress, the darker blue areas just covering everything important. Feeling light headed, either from the sight of her perfect form or his near death experience, Shan decided he should sit down. Before he could, however, he passed out.

When Shan woke up with a horrid headache he was staring up at a clear blue sky. "It must have been a dream." He whispered to himself. Gingerly he felt his forehead and found a large, sore lump over his right eye. "I hit my head on the railing and it was a dream." He said, louder this time, trying to convince himself. He propped himself on his elbows and looked around. He was most defiantly no longer on the ship. He was surrounded by tall, red-wooded evergreens, the sweet scent of their needles heavy in the air. Somewhere nearby a stream made its way over rocky ground. Much softer he could hear the surf crashing against the cliffs. Most importantly, he was tied up and absolutely alone. Shan took out his dagger and started hacking at the rope near his ankle.

"I wouldn't bother with that. There's a wire core to the hemp." A high, squeaky voice said.

Shan started, pricking his ankle with the dagger. He looked quickly around but saw no one. "Who's there? Who are you?"

"Johnar of Lexsley IV, at your service."

"Alright, then, where are you?"

"In front of you; by the tree." Shan looked and saw nothing. "Lower." Shan looked to the base of the tree he was tied to where a little brown squirrel sat.

"You're a squirrel?"

"Are you daft? Squirrel's can't talk. I'm a mage."

"Oh." Shan fidgeted. "Did you bring me here?"

Johnar twitched his tail. "No, no, you're a prisoner of the Padra."

"What do they want?"

"Well, I'll just say they were much fonder of me than I was of them when I was their prisoner."

"What? Oh, never mind. How'd you escape?"

"I transformed, of course. Into a squirrel. I could do the same for you."

"Could you—um—would you be able to turn me back?"

"Well, I haven't quite mastered that part yet."

"You haven't mastered that part! Isn't that part half of it?"

"Actually, reverse transformations are a small, simple matter. It has to do with the nature of matter and its connection to true form…"

"Forget it. I don't care. I think I'll just take my chances with the Padra. They won't hurt me, will they?"

Johnar wrinkled his nose. "I should think, eventually. Perhaps not a first, but I should think so in the end." Johnar paused and cocked his head. "I suppose you'll find out soon enough. They're coming back." With a flick of his tail Johnar turned and scampered up the tree, disappearing among the branches.

The next moment women entered the clearing from every direction. There were a dozen of them, all dressed in firs and skins. They all had coarse, thick black hair and light gray eyes. They carried bows, spears, staffs, and in a few cases heavy, rough stone daggers. Shan tried to make himself as small as possible, through he needn't have bothered; they ignored him completely. Four of them carried two large stags between them and they immediately set about gutting and skinning their kills. Four more started a pair of fires in the center of the clearing while two others laid out bedrolls. One, she looked to be the youngest, led a strange creature pulling a cart. It had the rear body of a horse but a bird-like head and wings. Recalling his lessons, Shan was pretty sure it was a hippogriff. The cart was loaded with meat supplies and a large black sack bound tightly shut. Behind the cart was a string of the hippogriffs—twelve in all. The last of the Padra was taller and more terrifyingly beautiful than all the rest. She stood perfectly still while the others worked. When they were done setting up camp they gathered around the fires to cook up a portion of the meat. Shan's stomach grumbled and just when the thought they were going to go to sleep without feeding him, the youngest brought a small chunk of meat and a blanket over to him.

"Nah Touk." She said, holding the offering out.

Shan took it before she could change her mind. "Thanks." She shrugged and rejoined her companions.

Shan had only just fallen asleep, as it's hard to get comfortable while tied to a tree, when he was awakened by a high pitched chattering in his ear. It took him a moment to realize the chattering formed actual speech.

"Finally," Johnar chirped, "you're harder to rouse than the dead. Not that I, myself, have ever had the opportunity but I have a great uncle who is rumored to have done it—on several occasions, actually. He said it's quite a simple matter for someone of my family's skill."

"What's simple? What'd who do?" Shan still felt very tired.

"Rousing the dead. My great-uncle, he was a first class mage, or he would have been if Dexcter of Hillden hadn't—"

"Johnar. I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm pretty sure it's not why you woke me up."

"No, no, of course not why I woke you up, but you asked about Great Uncle Edmar so I was just going to tell you about the time he—"

"Johnar!"

"Would you like me to turn you into something now?"

"No!"

If squirrels could be said to sigh and roll their eyes, Johnar did. "Must I always explain everything." He said in an overly patient voice.

"You haven't explained anything and I didn't ask you to."

"The Padra are huntresses."

"Clearly, but as they aren't hunting me I don't see—"

"No, huntresses. Not hunters. They are never male. Thus, men of the human persuasion—Padra aren't strictly human, but seeing as there is no male of their form, humans are close enough that—"

"Johnar, please get to the point."

"Well, if you're going to be rude about it."

"I said please."

"You are a near priceless commodity to their sort. I think they plan on offering you as a gift to their queen. They would have given her me but," he puffed out his chest and bushed up his tail, "I managed a clever escape."

"You're a squirrel. I'm not sure it was that clever." Johnar deflated a little.

"Fine, if you don't want my help, I hope you enjoy your wedding. If they even bother to hold a wedding."

At that moment the sun broke into the clearing and the Padra began to rise. Johnar scampered back up his tree. They broke down camp as efficiently as they had set it up. "Excuse me?" Shan called but they ignored him. "Pardon? Hello?" Shan tried everything he could think of to get their attention but they continued to ignore him. Finally the youngest one came over. Without acknowledging him in the slightest, she untied him from the tree and instead secured his hands to the front of the cart. He stood there, trying to think what Edon or Raim would do in his situation however he couldn't imagine them getting into this sort of trouble in the first place.

Suddenly a sharp, splitting cry came from the back of the cart and the black sack thrashed. The hippogriff started and Shan knew enough about animals to know this meant trouble for him. He threw himself into the cart. At the same time three other things happened. The black sack shrieked again, the hippogriff took off in a panic, and the girl Padra launched herself up onto its back. The cart sped along behind the animal, bouncing wildly over the rough ground and just avoiding crashing into every tree. In moments they'd left the clearing and the other Padra behind. The girl struggled to regain control of the animal, but it was absolutely terrified of whatever was in that sack. Shan didn't have time to decide what he thought of the sack because again several things happened at once. Shan was aware of the cart falling away beneath him and a horrible feeling in his stomach. The girl screamed and with quick slashes of her knife cut the hippogriff free of the cart. The hippogriff snapped open its wings while the cart, Shan, and the sack plummeted downward. For the second time in two days Shan found himself surrounded completely by water. Luckily, however, the fall had broken the cart apart so he was no longer tied to it. Also luckily, the river wasn't very deep and once he managed to get his feet underneath him, Shan could stand with his head above the water. The girl, finally gaining control, brought her mount down a ways away on the steep bank of the river. She dismounted and took hold of its head, trying to calm it further. Shan had no doubt that if he didn't get away before she was done, she would easily be able to single-handedly recapture him. He picked his way carefully to the opposite bank and, after several tries, was able to climb out. He noticed the black sack caught up in a fallen tree just a little ways down river.

Shan was never able to convincingly explain what motivated him to do what he did next. He stumbled over to the sack and pulled out his dagger. Quickly, keeping one eye on the girl, he cut through the straps that bound the sack, nearly taking off several fingers in the process. As soon as the ties were cut something launched itself from the sack, knocking Shan onto his back. Shan sat up and it took him a long moment to realize he was looking at a baby dragon. She was as long, from snot to tail, as Shan's arm with her tail making up nearly half that length. Her back, neck, tail, and the ridges of her wings were dark red in color. Her sides were blue, fading to a color so light it was nearly silver on her belly. Her wings were a thin sheet of flexible glass, reflecting different colors as they caught the sun. She stretched—arching her neck, rolling her shoulders, spreading her wings, and finally flexing her tail. Then she settled on her haunches and looked at Shan.

Thank you. Her voice was a musical chime that entered his head without the aid of his ears. Her eyes, which had been the same dark red as her scales, changed to a teal with heavier hints of green than blue.

"Um, you're welcome." Shan said. "I think we should get out of here."

The dragon looked over her shoulder at the Padra girl. If we run, she will catch us.

"So…Do you have another suggestion?"

You must fight.

"Me! I don't think we've been properly introduced. I can't fight."

"He is quite right, madam dragon." Johnar climbed down a nearby tree. "He has not the make of a hero."

"Besides, all I have is this dagger."

The dragon blew out a small puff of orange tinted smoke. I will aid you. I am bound to her by magic. I can not directly fight her, but I believe in you.

"Um."

She stretched out her neck and gently took the dagger from his hand, laying it in the grass between them. She breathed a slow, steady breath on it; as she did it became longer and wider, until it was no longer a dagger but a sword. She kept blowing and the blade became transparent like her wings. The cross-guard was a twist of sapphire, garnet, and gold. The grip was wrapped in soft black leather.

This sword connects you to me. You must draw first blood with this sword to break my bond to her. In doing so, you will also bind her to yourself.

"The thing is, I'm not very good with swords. You want my brothers or sisters for this."

I have you. I trust you.

"But, um."

"You might want to at least pick it up." Johnar said. "She's coming this way."

Shan grabbed the sword and lurched to his feet. The girl was mounted atop the hippogriff and flying towards them, an arrow knocked to her bow and the string drawn taught. The dragon curled her lips back from her teeth and hissed. Shan could barely hear it, even standing right next to her, but the hippogriff had much better hearing. He balked just as the girl released the string, making the arrow go wide and bury deep into the tree next to Shan's head. Shan was beginning to feel he should have taken his chance with running. The girl saw that she'd never be able to keep control of her mount so she jumped down and drew her dagger. Johnar scurried back up a tree and even the dragon backed away, leaving Shan alone to face the Padra. Frantically, as she came towards him, he went over the many sword lessons he had had. Having the longer weapon, he should have had the advantage, but he'd watched Talla spar enough to know that speed and grace could be even greater assets. The girl looked both graceful and very fast. She was. When she was still beyond the reach of his sword she darted suddenly forward. A quick stumble backwards and haphazard jerk of his arm was all that kept the battle from ending there. The girl darted away to his right and Shan had to turn to keep her from coming up behind him. She lunged in. Shan brought his sword up to block her and she skipped away.

Shan lost track of each move. She kept darting in and out, circling around him. Shan was always only just able to turn, step aside, or bring his sword up. Sweat dripped down his forehead and soaked his shirt. The girl too was covered in sweat and beginning to breathe heavily. A small speck of confidence crept into Shan's stomach. The one thing he was always able to do was outlast his siblings in tests of endurance—when he could stay on his feet, at least. With his new confidence he tried a strike of his own, sweeping his sword around towards her side. She spun, slipped through his weakened guard and would have sliced open his arm if Johnar hadn't thrown a handful of pine cones at her head at just that moment.

"Move from the wrist, not the shoulder, silly." Shan heard Talla's voice in his head. "When a sword is sharp, you don't need a lot of power, you just need to make contact."

Shan stepped back and brought the point of his blade down to the right, inviting her in again. It was a trick he'd seen Talla do a hundred times and the end result had always been him earning a slap with the flat of her blade. The Padra girl fell for it like Shan always did and shot back in, aiming for his shoulder. Shan flicked the tip of his sword up as soon as he saw her move. There was a moment when she was still coming towards him that he thought he'd missed or was still too slow and all was lost. Then she staggered back with a yelp. Shan stared in morbid fascination at the tip of his sword where a small streak of red marred its flawless surface. The girl stared at him. Shan wondered which one of them was more surprised. She backed up until she was out of reach of his sword and knelt. She said something in a language Shan couldn't understand. She sounded impassive, but her eyes were furious. Shan felt like a dolt standing with his sword raised staring at her. He dropped his sword to his side and cleared his throat. The dragon sat beside him, wrapping her tail around his ankle, and hissed at the girl.

"What do you want of me?" The girl asked, shifting her angry gaze to the dragon for a moment then back to Shan.

"Hey, I can understand you," the girl rolled her eyes, "but, um, what do you mean?"

The magic I placed on the sword binds her to you. She can not fight you nor willfully disobey you. The dragon explained.

"Oh, but I don't want anything."

"As you wish." She started to rise.

"Wait."

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

"Carda."

"And do you have a name?"

You would not be able to say the name my people gave me.

"Alright then, I'll call you…Mira, if you don't mind."

I do not.

"Good, now I want to get back to the ship and the way I see it, you owe me, Mira, because you couldn't fight Carda and she's bound to me, so I'd like you both to help me find my ship. I figure you have a better chance than me alone of getting me off this land."

I will help you.

"Alright. Anything else you wish?" Carda asked.

Shan pretended he couldn't hear the sarcasm in her question. "Yes. You can't fight me already but you must also not hurt Mira or Johnar." She nodded. "And you can't lead me astray or slow us down on purpose. And don't tell anyone about us. Or call attention to us in anyway. And…well, that's all I can think of for now. Alright?"

Carda bowed her head. "Agreed. I'll take you to your ship."