Not so Useless After All...
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: Nicole
Date Posted: 15th January 2006
Characters: Khalida
Description: Quarter-mark earns his keep
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 1 of Turn 3
It was past early morning and the camp was packing up from breakfast to head out on the road. Like youngsters do, Wania had wandered down past the wagons, to the rocks along the shoreline. The two turn-old girl found the "sparkly bits" in the rocks quite entertaining, at least until something beside her moved. She turned her attention and stumbled towards where a long ribbon of silver coiled within the shade of the rocks, its six spindly little legs digging firmly into the sand. It stared back at her and shook its tail. Smiling, the little girl reached for it, and the tunnelsnake hissed, flaring its front legs off the ground in a threatening display. It snapped at her and its jaws closed inches from her fingers.
Quarter-mark, who had long forgotten his bitterness with humans for not saving him scraps, soared in from his morning fish hunt. He landed on the rock beside the two turn-old and peered into the darkness her hand lingered over. The tunnelsnake lunged again, and the startled firelizard leapt into the air, screaming. "What in the name of Faranth is his problem?" Khalida demanded, rubbing her temples as an eruption of alarm and anger burst into her head.
Muana pushed back the wagon canvas and peered out towards the beach where she could see her granddaughter along the rocks.
"I have no idea, but he's flying all over and Wania's out there," she said, sighing.
"Fine. I'll check," she snapped, realizing that the hatred leeching through from her firelizard had soured her own mood. Alarm came into her mind again, and with it a sense of urgency. As Khalida, towards the rocks and over the sound of her firelizard's screeching, she could hear Wania crying. She began to take the sense of urgency a little more seriously, and ran to the girl's side. As she slid up beside her on, landing on her knees, a flash of silver snapped at her from beneath the rocks, and that was all that Quarter-mark would tolerate. He flew down from above them and snatched the writhing tunnelsnake from the ground and dragged it, hissing, into the air with him.
She checked Wania over her hands and arms for any possible bite marks. There was a small scratch along her cheek where Quarter-mark had apparently scratched her.
"What in the name of Faranth?!" She heard her father's voice yell from behind her. "If that no good firelizard thinks he can go around attacking the children."
"No. Look, Father. Look!" She said, pointing to where the broken and torn body of the tunnelsnake lay. Quarter-mark was still circling overhead, screeching.
He just stared open-mouthed for a moment, as if searching for something to say. Then, he stared down at Wania. "Is she all right?"
"Yeah, she's fine, it didn't bite her," she said, picking up the little girl and holding her. Onia was quickly there, at her side, and with her came her husband and the entire troop of children to see the body of the firelizard.
Quarter-mark landed on her shoulder, digging his claws into her skin.
"Ow!" She shrieked at the firelizard. He flared his wings and stared at her with whirling red-orange eyes. He hissed so low in his throat it was almost a gurgle and just sat there, open jawed for what seemed like forever before finally relaxing. She gave him a once-over for any possible bite marks. But the only source of ichor she could find on him seemed to be from the snake.
"All right, that's enough for one morning, let's head out," her father said.
"Agreed," Khalida rose her eyebrows and turned back towards the camp.
"Keep a better eye on the children next time," he told her as they walked back together. Then, he glanced down at the firelizard and for the first time gave it a word of praise: "Good boy," he said, and scratched the 'lizard's eyeridges.
Quarter-mark crooned. It was a small victory. He'd win them all over soon enough.
Last updated on the January 15th 2006