The Barbarian Before Christmas (Ice Planet Barbarians #17.5)(9)
“Didn’t like air travel?” Vuh-ron-ca asks sweetly, her hand patting the golden dragon’s scales. “My poor Ashtar. So misunderstood.”
The dragon snorts and lowers one massive shoulder to let her down off his back. Over on the far side of the creature, Vektal and Rokan steady themselves, looking as ill at ease as I feel. My stomach is still gurgling unpleasantly from the ride over.
Hard to believe that the male called Ash-tar can turn into such a thing. Bigger than two sky-claw together, he is a massive predator of claws and scales and fanged teeth—and wings. It is like nothing I have ever seen before, but Vuh-ron-ca assures us that this is normal for his people. Ash-tar has told her all about it, and judging from how at ease she is with his strange, gargantuan form, this is not the first time she has encountered him as a dragon.
When I first heard that Ash-tar would be our travel, I thought I misunderstood. Then I worried that Vektal’s mind had perhaps gone soft, because the golden male is tall, but he is no stronger than any sa-khui male. I did not imagine how he would carry us and so quickly. Of course, I could never imagine that he would shift into such a creature. He is like nothing on this world…which should not surprise me, and yet does. For all his size and fierce demeanor, though, Ash-tar is extremely careful with his human mate, making sure she was seated well and covered up before he took off into the air.
And so we were carried on a dragon’s back through the air, in a leather pack of sorts that had two pouches hanging off each side of the dragon. Each hunter rode inside a pouch, surrounded with bags of supplies. Vuh-ron-ca calls it a “modified saddle” and explained that her people—humans—used to ride atop of animals much like Farli’s Chahm-pee, but such a suggestion seems ridiculous to me. The dvisti is dumb and skittish and smells bad. I do not understand why anyone would ride atop it when feet are perfectly fine. But…it is also hard to believe that we have made many days of travel and crossed over the mountains in one afternoon. Ash-tar could fly so high in his creature form that no obstacles stood in our way. The wind was biting to the bone at so high up, no matter how many layers I put over my body, but I cannot say that I am displeased.
If I must ride a monster to get to my Ell-ee, I will do so gladly.
The suns are setting in the distance, and here we are, at the lip of the gorge. It is oddly quiet, but cookfires thread plumes of smoke up from the gorge itself, so I know there are people below. Why does no one come to greet us?
“I think they’re scared of the dragon,” Vuh-ron-ca states, kneeling near a pack and opening it up, then shaking out a long, heavy fur cloak. She gets to her feet and holds it out. “Come on and change, babe. You’re scaring the locals.”
The enormous dragon makes a chuffing sound that might be laughter and tucks his massive wings in close against his body. Then, in the blink of an eye, the dragon is gone and Ash-tar is kneeling in the snow, naked and sweaty. The leather packs strapped across his back fall to the ground and Vuh-ron-ca moves to his side, wrapping him in the cloak and pressing a kiss to his face as he pulls her against him. “You did great, babe,” she tells him.
“I know,” he says, an arrogant smile playing on his mouth as he glances over at us. He is amused at how terrified we were at his flight.
I do not care. All I care about is that we are home and somewhere below, my Ell-ee waits for me. “Come,” I say, impatient. “Let us pick up our packs and go. I did not fly on the back of a monster all day to sit here at the entrance to the valley all night.”
“Grab a pack,” Vektal says. “For once, Bek is right.”
“My thanks for the confidence,” I retort. I do not mind his words, though. I am going home to my mate, and that is all that matters.
We each take some of the packs that were sent along with us. For those that were not allowed to return home on this trip, gifts and small treats were sent along from the Icehome camp. There are packs of shells for kits, salt for cooking, and a few frozen crawlers for meals, as well as bundles of fur and gifts of dried foods. It is a small comfort for those left behind, and I think of Liz’s and Raahosh’s sad faces when they found out there was no room for them to come. I will make sure to give their gifts to their kits and tell them how much their parents miss them.
“Ready?” Vektal asks, glancing around at our small group. I am curious as to why he would ask such a thing, and then I realize that Ash-tar is hovering very protectively over Vuh-ron-ca, who looks nervous. I wonder if she is like my Ell-ee in that she is anxious around new people. Wise of Vektal to try and ease their worries.
“Let us go see who is brave enough to greet us, eh?” Aehako sings out, all cheerfulness once more. “I would wager my best fur tunic that it will be Sessah, ready to shake his spear at us.”
I snort at that, because in my mind, Sessah is still a kit clinging to his mother’s tunic.
“All will be well,” Rokan promises. He has been quiet on this journey, and I wonder at his thoughts.
We take our packs and lower them down the pulley, then head down in groups. I go down with Aehako and Rokan, and Vektal stays close to Vuh-ron-ca and Ash-tar. I do wonder who will be coming to greet us. The elders? Kashrem and Hemalo? Sessah? There are not many hunters left in the village as of late, and the ones that are will be determined to protect their mates. I do not blame them. I should never have left my Ell-ee’s side. I have regretted it every day since. If Warrek and Harrec could stay behind because they were newly resonated, it should not matter that I had only a turn of the moon more with my mate. She is far more fragile in spirit than their mates. But then I feel guilty for thinking such a thing, because is my Ell-ee not strong and brave? It is only my longing that makes me worry over her. She is a survivor. She will be fine without me…and perhaps that is what worries me the most. That she will have decided she no longer needs me at her side. That she will be a different person when I return and even resonance will not anchor her to my side.