In the bleakness of the grey mist and low light reflecting off the snow, there wasn’t anything to convince Arell that he was still alive.  Perhaps he was cought in a space between this world and the next.  But then the sound of the cracking and hissing of a fire broke through the fog in his mind, and he turned around to the warmth he could now feel at his back. 

And was struck dumb at the sight of a huge red-brown dragon eating his kree-buck.  Or at least he thought it was his buck, still half-tangled in his back pack.

“Finders keepers.”  A voice said, and Arell swung around, trying to find the source of the voice.

“Not verry bright for a human are you?”

“Who said that?”  Came out in a hoarse rasp, so Arell cleared his throught, and repeated more clearly, “Who said that?”

“I did.”  Said the voice, and the dragon tossed the backpack and kree-buck remains to one side and moved closer to the fire.

“Permit me to introduce myself, I am Regatten, Seventh and youngest dragon of S’ree.”

Arell was too stunned to reply.

“Normally, when being introduced, you make you own name known?”  And Regatten, if that is who he was, turned the full blaze of his eyes on Arell.

“I am Arell, formerly of Lidan, now of Horendu.”  And then immediatly felt embarressed by ansering aloud.

“Do not be overly concerned, good manners are nothing to be embarrased about.”

“Not unless you think you are loosing your mind.”

“It is something you humans are able to do?”  Regatten wearily looked about the fire for signs of this wayward mind.

“Oh, no.  That is mearly an expression we sometimes use when we feel overwhelmed by someting.” 

“So you did not loose your mind?”

“That is still something I am trying to sort out.”

“Why?”

“Well, if you have to know, it is not a normal part of my day to converse with dragons.”  Gingerly he felt his head for bumps or bruises.  “I must  have hit my head a lot harder than I thought.”

“But, you did not hit your head at all.  You do not even have a scrape to show for your wild ride down Dead Man’s Drop.”

At that Arell sat up straight.  “Dead Man’s Drop?”

“Yes, that if were I found you.  Unconsience.” A pause, “Nearly halfway down, you were cought on a stump of a tree.  All tangled up in your buck and baggage.”

“I hope you don’t mind.  I had been watching over you for nearly two full days.  Right through the night, so I missed my normal hunt, and had yours instead.  I shall however, be glad to find you another when you are well enough.”

“You found me?  How?”

As a stunned Arell listned, Regatten ran through the explenation given to him not too long ago.

“So, you found me?  And saved me?”  Arell tried to convince his stuborn legs to hold him up, but still managed to topple over to one side, and then there was a dragon head, keeping him up straight.

Finding his balance he straightend up, gave the head a slight pat, and found that dragon skin was warm to the touch.  Not cold, as he had expected.

“Then I certainly have a lot more luck than good sense it seems.  Regatten, it appears I am in your debt.  In wich way is it customary to repay such a debt?”

“No debt exists.  Once I knew the cause of my discomfort, I was unable to stop myself from doing all I was able.  I am only pleased that no harm came to you.”

“Tell me, if I do not offend by asking?  Are all the dragons so formal?”

“Nah, but the older dragons do tend to over indulge their whimsies, and are confinced that we youngsters are not fit for decent company.”

Arell started walking around to test his strenght, and found his arms slightly cramped, with his chest aching where the straps of the backpack had dug into him.  Most likely there would be bruises to show for his folly.  He started swinging his arms to get the circulation going, and decided he had to start making plans to return home.  Trobalt was probably ...

“Trobalt!”

“Who?”

Arell swung around to face Regatten.  “Did you perhaps see if there was another human around this area?”

“Another one of you!”

“Yes, we came out hunting together and got seperated during the day when we were chasing a herd of kree-buck into a corrall.  I have got no idea where he could be!”

“I cannot sense any person in close proximity, but I could take a look from higher up, if you are well enough to stay by yourself for a short while?”

“I am fine now, but don’t let Trobalt, or any one else for that matter, see you.”

“They won’t even know that I am around.”  With a powerfull sweep of his wings Regatten was airborne, leaving Arell alone by the fire.

He picked up the back pack to see if it had any damage, and when he opened it up, he was supprised to see that there was still a piece of sweetbread left.  Stale most likely, but that would be a lot better than nothing at all.  So he ate that while inspecting the straps and looking for any tears or holes in the back pack.  Finding only a small rip in the flap, he took a mug, filled it with some snow and put it as close to the fire as he dared, hoping to have a cup of herbal tea before Regatten got back with news.

He was just finishing his tea when a shaddow fell across him.  With a quick shake he emtied the cup of the last drops, and after returning the cup to the pack, he firmly tied it closed.

Regatten landed with hardly more than a light swoosh of sound.

“There is a single human out on the ridge to the north, almost by the place you call Dead Man’s Drop.  Perhaps it would be prudent if we could rush over there, before I have to make a second rescue.  My quota is full for the week you know.”

Arell smiled, who would have thought dragons had any sense of humour.

“Of course we do.  It is the only thing that keeps us sane.”

“Can you hear my thoughts as well?”

“Yes, I can, just as easily as you can hear mine.  Although at the moment, I practically have to scream for you to hear me.  But I expect it will improve as we get to know each other better.”

Nodding his head Arell agreed as if he undertsood what had just been said.

“How do you propose we get to Trobalt before he takes a dive down a cliff?”

“If you have enough rope, you can fashion a crude riding harness, or else just tie yourself to me.  But we have to hurry, there is not a lot of time, and the wind is starting to pick up.  More snow on the way.”

“I think I will just tie myself up for now if that is alright with you?”

“No problem, just loop the rope around my neck, just above the wings, yes, over there is fine.  Now hop on and tie yourself as well.”

Leaving the rope as loosely as he dared he hopped on to the thick part of Regattens neck and tied himself securely to the willing dragon.  Moving his buttocks around, he found that he was not as firmly tied up as he would have liked, and then looped the rope through his belt as well.

“Ready, I think.”  He said and discovered that he was not when he was thrown backwards as Regatten leaped into the air, his powerfull wings beating with great ease and speed.  Soon they were up high enough to Regatten’s liking and he spread his wings and glidded.

Arell had never immagined himself flying on dragonback, and once he got over his terror, he found that he enjoyed every moment of it, exhillirating in the steep climb, then gliding silently.

Too soon he heard Regatten, “There he is, slightly to right of us.” 

For a while Arell could not see anything, but  as Regatten flew lower, he could barely make out a figure stumbling in the snow.

Gently Regatten landed behind Trobalt, and Arell untied himself quickly, and ran closer before he called out.  He had to get closer and call out a lot louder before the figure in front of him stopped, and then slowly turned around.

As he struggled through the deep snow, making sure of his footing, he wondered what Trobalt’s reaction would be when he found out that he had actualy ridden on a dragon!

All those thoughts died a quiet death when he saw the look on Trobalt’s face.

“What did you think you were doing!  Running off like that!  Dorill will have your hide for this.  And what did you do with the other kree-buck?” 

As Trobalt drew in another breath to continue,  Arell opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by the harsh sound of Trobalts voice.

“And don’t even try to come up with an excuse, you have never learnt to considder others.  You always think only of yourself!  But I am not going to put up with this anymore, you are selfish,  no good for anybody and totaly worthless and I am going to make that very clear to you.” 

Purposefully Trobalt lumbered through the snow towards Arell who stood stunned.  He had never expected such hostility from this direction, granted that he knew Trobalt was mad at him for some unspoken reason, but such a raging anger he had not imagined. 

Why was Trobalt so mad at me.  I have never done anything to him at all!  “Trobalt just listen to me . . “

“I am tired of listening.  To you, to Dorill.  And to my father.  I am through listing to everybody that cannot see the truth clearly, and I will start by opening your eyes!”

As Trobalt got nearer Arell moved away, backing up, moving closer to where Regatten lay waiting, all the time keeping his eyes on Trobalt.   Then it happened, he bumped the back of his foot against a rock hidden in the snow, and stumbled backwards, his arms flaying wildly to keep his balance.

At the same instant Trobalt lept towards him, Regatten roared at the sudden fright Arell felt at that moment.

Supprised, both young men turned around to face the dragon.  Trobalt ever so slightly taking possition in front of Arell, pushing him back, away from the danger he felt was immenent.

He was even more supprised when the dragon just stared at them,

“Well, I suppose I should introduce you.  Trobalt, this is Regatten, Seventh dragon of S’ree.  And this is Trobalt, son of Ghatt.  Regatten saved my life.”

“I am not supprised it needed saving.  You are always getting yourself in all sorts of trouble!”

“No I don’t!  Things just happen to me!”

“You are the cause of every bad thing that has ever happend to me!”

“What do you mean by that?”

For a long heartbeat they did nothing but glare at each other.

“Nothing.”

“It certainly wasn’t nothing that made you so angry.  It certainly wasn’t nothing that made you almost beat me up.  And it certainly wasn’t nothing that made you insult me like that!”

Stifly, they stared at each other for a while.

“Look, we are both tired, so lets finish this later.  We have been away from home for longer than was agreed, everyone will be worried.  Lets get home before anything else happens to you, and you need more rescuing!”

As Trobalt turned around to pick up his rucksack and bow he had dropped, Arell tried to “speak” to Regatten, he had no idea how close he needed to be for this to work.

“Could you perhaps drop us of closer too our house, we have been away longer than was originaly planned.  I am sure everybody will be worried already.”

“Yes I can hear you this close.  Seems to be improving, isn’t it?  And yes, I will take you closser.  As long as I can stay out of sight there should not be any problems.”

“Thank you.”  He said aloud this time.  “You have got no idea how much time this will save us if we do not have to muddle our way through this thick snow.”

“Is your “friend” going to be alright with this?”

“If he isn’t, he can walk for all I care!”

“The rope is still long enough for the both of you to fasten yourselfs securely.”

“Trobalt, Regatten has offered to drop us off closer to home if you would like to come along.  We should be there a lot sooner this way.”

“Is it safe?”

“Yes, there is a piece of rope that we can use to tie ourselfs onto his neck.”

“No, I mean is HE safe.”

“HE, . .  can undersdtand you very well.  And yes, HE is safe.  I told you he saved my life, and besides, dragons have never been heard to eat humans.”                                                                   

“There is always a first time.  Although why anything would want to eat you!”

“Oh, just get here so we can get going.”

Arell made sure they were tied securely, gave the long sinewy neck a pat, and they were up with a single jump and a rush of cold air caused by the strong surges of the mighty wings.  As Regatten skimmed the tree tops, he got the general direction from Arell, and banking steeply, he changed course and rushed towards their destination.

From afar they could see smoke rising up, discolloring the white mistyness to a dull and ominous grey.

As they got closer, Arell thought hard at Regatten, “Do you know if any one is still around?”

“No need to shout like that, contact increases the volume of your thoughts.  I can sense only one mind.  Very weak and growing even weaker.  Should we proceed with caution or haste?”

A sudden fear gripped Arell, and hoping it to be ungrounded, he knew that the minions to Ghord still ocasionally crossed the mountains to kill and plunder.  Just to keep everyone off balance.

“With haste, Regatten, with utmost haste!”

As they sped faster and faster to the grey pillar of smoke, they could see more of the carnage that had taken place.

The barn was already no more than a blackened hull, with the house still burning.  And then they could see signs of a battle on the sullied snow.  And the figures of eight people lying close to the house.  Regatten threw all caution aside and flew straight down to the horrible scene below.

With trembling fingers, Arell loosend the knots and slided off the neck held low to accomodate an easy descent.  Running closer, he hoped not to find what he almost certainly knew awaited them.

The first four bodies they reached were dressed in the armour of the Credan army, as was the fith, with Dorill’s sword burried deep in his chest.  The sixth body was that of Dorill, and to judge by the amount of blood on his clothes, he had not made it easy for the enemy.  As they could see Credan armour on the seventh body, Arell and Trobalt ran over to the figure closest to the burning house.

The sight of the man, a nasty looking wound on his face, drew a cry from Trobalt, and he dropped to his knees next to his father.  His desperate hands checking for any other wounds.  As he removed the thick scarf, he could see blood pulsing weakly from a wound in his neck.

A hoarse cough brought his attention back to Ghatt’s face.

“Father, what happened?”

“Credan thought we harboured spies, ...”  Gurgling coughing racked his body, but he suddenly grabbed Trobalt by the front of his coat and pulled him closer.  “Your mother and sisters, ... safe.  Went to assist Baldan’s woman birth her first child.”  Another cough racked through him.  “Arell?”

“I am here.”  Arell took the other hand in his.

“Dorill stopped four of them, not bad for an old man.”  He coughed again, and this time, a thin spray of blood got cought in his beard.

The two young men looked at each other, both knowing that the end was near.

“Father, don’t talk, save your strenght.”

“No time.  Arell, under Dorill’s bed.  Loose, . . loose floorboard.  There are letters, you must get them and leave as soon as possible.  It is not safe for you here anymore.  Go, you must go now!”

He feebly gestured the urgency with his hands.  It was obvious that each word spoken was a huge effort, but the urgency in his eyes could not be ignored.

“But Dorill ...”

“Dorill is dead!  You must leave now or all he did would mean nohing. Nothing!”

“But the house, I can’t just leave without ...”

“You heard my father.  Just leave before more trouble comes.  That is all you have ever caused!” 

The open hostillity in the eyes across from him, convinced him more than anything that he was not welcome or wanted anymore, so he turned to Dorill’s body.

And saw the sword still stuck in the Credan soldier.  With a cold anger starting to rise up in him, he walked the few steps to the soldier and with a heave, drew out the sword.  He wiped off the blood on the soldiers tunic, and turned back to Dorill.

Before he picked up the body of the only friend he ever had, he returned the sword to its rightfull place in the sword belt.  With arms protesting the dead weight, he straightend up, and slowly walked away from the burning house towards the little cottage he and Dorill had called home for the past ten years.

The cottage wasn’t much more than a hut, tidilly tucked in a grove.  Only after Arrel had carefully lowered Dorill onto his bed, did he allow himself to feel the grief that had been building up inside him, and with a raw growl he slammed his hand into the wall.  Railing at the loss of his only friend, loss of the person that was the clossest he would ever come to real family, the loss of never fitting in, of knowing about his real parents.  Railing at the unfairness of this cold and unforgiving land, at the unknown future ahead of him, not knowing what to do, where to go to, and not having anyone to turn to.  At least Trobalt still has his mother and sisters.  And a home.  But not anymore . . .

At that thought, he straightened up.

Trobalt would probabaly expect to use the cottage until they could rebuild the house.

Slowly he moved around and gathered all his own belongings and pilled them unto his bed.  Then he added some cooking utensills, and had a look on the shelf at what food was available.  He took some herbs and salt, and put some of the flour into a earthen jar.  The rest he would leave to Trobalt’s family.  They had more need of it than he had.  He would be able to hunt for his needs.  Trobalt would not have time for that right now.

And that is when he remembered about the kree-bucks still tied to Regatten.

Regatten!  He had completely forgotten about the dragon!

“Regatten!  Can you hear me!”

“Yes I can.  Should I come to you?”

“If you can do so without being seen?”

“I can do that.”

Arell hurried outside and watched as the dragon landed outside the grove, and carefully walked through the fruit trees towards the cottage.

“I am sorry I forgot about you.”

“No need to appologise.  I have lost many dear friends as well.  I know the feeling all too well.”

There was a long silence between them.  Both thinking of past losses.  Known and unknown.

Regatten made a soft rumbling sound.  “Could you please remove the bucks from me?”

“Of course, sorry about that.”

Arell deftly removed the three bucks and hung them on the hooks at the side of the cottage.  Trobalt would see to them before anything could happen to them.  Perhaps he should cut off a piece for himself before he left.

Before he left.  Those words sounded bitter to him.  He was leaving yet again.  And he did not know where to go to!

“Do you have to make that decision right now?”

Arell turned to Regatten.  “What do you mean?”

“If you do not have anywhere to go to right now, why don’t you wait before you make that decision?”

“How?  What do you mean?”

“Well.  I have a very cosy cave.  We could keep each other company for a while.  And when you decide where you want to go to, I can take you as close as I can.”

“Me, living with a dragon?”  As absurd as the thought first appeared to be, the longer he thought about it, the more apealing it became.  “Why not!  I doubt anyone will miss me right now.  Are you sure I would not be an inconvenience?”

“It is obvious you do not know dragons very well.  We never say anything we do not mean.  You would be most welcome.  And I would have someone else to talk to for a while.  Actually, it might be fun.”

“Fun?  How do you figure that?”

“I have had the same conversations with the same dragons for far too long.  Having diferent conversations with a diferent species will be intersting to say the least.”

“What should I take along for my vissit?”

“Whatever you have already packed.  Just be sure to bring warm bedding.  We can hunt for our needs as they arrise.”

Arell entered the cottage, and stopped dead when he saw Dorill’s body.  “Can we take him with and give him a proper burrial?”

“Yes we can.”

Arell went over and started wrapping him in his own bedclothes, then unwrapped him and removed the sword and sword belt.  This quality sword could not be burried.  He would keep it in honour of Dorill and his tutouring.  When he had tied the body up neatly, he turned to his own bed, and then remembered Ghatt’s words.  He turned back to Dorill’s bed, straining to push it to one side.  At first he could not see where the loose floorboard was.  Then he stommped on them one by one and soon the hollow sound announced the hidden letters.  There he found two letters.  One for him, and another, much thicker letter for Thorgan of Lidan.  How on earth was he supposed to find this Thorgan.  Perhaps in his letter he would find more information.  That will just have to wait untill he was ready to read the letter, so he walked back to his bed and tucked the letters in with his clothing.  He bundled the whole lot up and carried it out, he went in again, took an extra lenth of rope and went to pick up the body of his friend.

As he laid the body carefully on the ground next to Regatten, he asked, “How should I tie this all up?”

“Tie your stuff tightly against my chest, and let it hang to the bottom, you could hold onto your friend untill we reach where you want to burry him.”

Arell nodded and proceeded to tie up his bundle as Regatten suggested.  Before he got onto Regatten’s neck, he took a last look around the only place he realy knew as home.  “Do you think we should take a buck?”

“No, the other would most likely have more need of it than we.  I can easily catch another for you.”

With that settled, Arell took a firm hold of Dorril’s body, and clumsily climbed onto the willing dragon’s neck.  He settled himself properly and securely tied the knot keeping him safe.

This time he remembered to lean into Regatten’s neck when he leaped into the air.  As fast he could Regatten gained height and circled once before he headed east.

“Where do you want to put your friend to rest?”

“Is there any earth by Dead Man’s Drop?”

“Yes, there is.  Shall I take you there?”

“Please.”

No more was said between the new friends as they landed and laboured to dig a grave in the  ice hardend earth.  That done, Arell only took a moment to say farewell to his only friend and teacher.  This is what my life is like Arell thought when he looked around the barren terrain, snow covering everything in sight.  My life is empty and cold.  The brief warmth of his relationship with Dorrill, had begun but recently.

The old man never had any wife and children of his own.  Had had no part of any kind of family life, not with him being an orphan.  Growing up in a big group of young boys and girls all in the same position he was.  Life as an orphan child with no relatives able to care for an extra mouth and body, meant living in a commune where you were just another body to clothe and hungry mouth to feed.  Most of these children ended up in the army because that was what they were used to.  Fighting for their survival every day.

Dorril had given himself one advantage the other children had teased him about.  Every day as a child, he had sat and talked to the lame man known only as Ghort.  Then one day, Ghort had started teaching him to read and write.  And that was the one thing none of the other had thought to do.  But he had, and it had served him well. 

Because he could read and write, he had been given a position in the army that made it easy for some one with a strong will to improve himself even more, and he soon rose to even higher positions in the army.

How exactly he came to be in Dorrill’s care, he had never found out.  He had, ever since Arell could remember, always expected more and better than he had been able to do.  He felt as if he could never live up to the high expectations of his care giver.  It had been only after he had taken ill rather badly during the winter two years ago, that he had warmed up towards Arell even slightly.  And that had started their cautious friendship.  With the new tentative relationship starting, Arell had tried even harder to please Dorrill, and Dorrill, had eased back and given him more encouragement than he had before.  From there on, the budding relationship grew and became stronger day by day.  Learning from  each other, they grew in understanding, but Arell’s past was never discussed.  At some time, Arell had actually thought of the possibilty that he was Dorrills child, but Dorrill had told him that they were not related at all, and that he was only fullfilling a last request of a friend by watching over him.

And now he was alone.

“I will come back this way when I know what I am going to do and make sure the grave is still intact.”

“I will come with you that day.”