Chapter 20: Off to the Races
"I saw it, plain as the warts on a gronckle. She was feeding a changewing, and from their conversation it obviously is Yarlo's, or he at least intends to use it." I paced up and down the length of the tent. "Just what for, though..." I trailed off, turning to look at my friends: Mik, Collera, Lilo, Vica, and Asgardnia. The last two seemed slightly out of place in their different clan gear. I needed them, though. They were my first friends.
"I don't doubt what you saw, but are you sure it was Yarlo's voice? I mean, you didn't directly see him, did you?"
Asgardnia posed a good point. I thought, pausing in my movements. "...it was him. I'm sure."
"Well, even if it was Yarlo, we don't know what he's planning. I suggest we just watch and wait. Then, if an opportunity presents itself, we strike." Mik was very calm, trying to make us see sense.
"Forget waiting, he could hurt someone! Let's just go take him out, capture that changewing, do something!" Vica's temper flared, needing to have some action.
I whistled for silence as arguing broke out. "Alright. For the moment, we are going to focus on the games. We have all been working very hard for this, and we can't let this threat distract us. There are lots of judges and Vikings here. We'll rely on them to keep this fair. Anything starts to be out of place, we'll immediately report Yarlo. Sound good?"
I received various sounds of consent, satisfied or not. "Then let's go win this!" Collera leapt into the air, prompting a cheer from my loyal Windwalkers.
"Not if we win first!" Vica shouted, racing out to get to her clan tent.
"Or us." Asgardnia smiled ferociously. "Except I can't go charging off, as this is my tent."
"Point taken." I laughed, turning to leave the gold and evergreen tent. I gave one last glance back. "Good luck."
"You too." Her confidence wavered for a moment. "... Just be careful about whatever Yarlo's planning." I nodded, and slipped out, going to see where my eager clan may have gone off to.
"Come on, Mik! Show them what you've got!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, willing his nadder to move faster. I was standing with the crowd, watching my clan mate streak through the obstacle course. He was versus several different riders that I didn't know, one a gronckle, zippelback, and another nadder. So far the gronckle was leading, it's small wingspan and instant turns making it able to maneuver well in the tight track. But Mik was right on his tail!
"He's only a nose behind him!" Lilo shouted, the excitement palpable. "If he can just catch him on that next turn, we've got it!" We gasped as the small group all fought to get the lead spot as they had to dive through a hoop just a few feet on the ground. The zippelback snagged his back claws, spinning out and crashing to the leaf litter below.
"Oooh!" The crowd all winced as they hit the ground. They soon were cheering again, though, more occupied by the other three racers than the person who had lost. Now they were coming up to a tight strand of wooden poles. Arranged in a huge field like a plinko board lying down, they would have to weave in between to find the far edge. Then they would be making a tight turn to race back towards the finish line. As the dragons entered the field, the gronckle still held the lead, swiftly dodging through. The nadders were faster, though, and gaining as they executed rolls and curves through. Left, right, left- Mik and his dragon were slaloming back and forth, flying sideways between the tight slots. Now there were just a few feet, a foot, inches! The crowd was going mad as Spayk drew up alongside the Gronckle. And then they were out- on the far side of the maze. Pulling off an elegant loop, Mik and Spayk shot straight up, and then rolled to be flying the opposite of which he had just come, passing the Gronckle on the top of the arc. Within less than a minute, the race was over, and Mik had landed back on the finish platform.
Our clan shoved our way down to surround our friend as he dismounted. Lilo leapt up, hugging him around his neck. "I can't believe it! You were so great!"
"Well, thank you." He said, gently setting her back on the ground. "But I couldn't have done it without Spayk." He patted his dragon's bright scales.
We all started walking away from the crowd, off to go see who was up next on the docket. I read off the piece of paper. "Dragon Training- Windwalkers, Phantom Shadows, Kellelens, and Plasma Furies. Looks like we're going to have quite the competition." We nodded at each other.
"Time for some code!"
A large flock of dragons filled the field in front of the judges. They would tell us a series of commands, and we had to have our dragons execute them as accurately and quickly as possible. Make a mistake, and the judges called you out. When there were only 15 trainers left, we would be given free reign, getting to show off our own style, as well as try to sabotage some of the others. We were all doing pretty well so far. I had seen a few dragons confused by different trainers giving the same commands, and so doing a step twice, or skipping parts.
I looked over at Gothi. She swiveled her finger, and then pointed straight up. "Oakheart! Oik and Sky." He quickly turned about on the spot and lept into the air, climbing quickly for altitude. I looked back to see her waggling her fingers, and then a quick slash sideways. "Ber and Haw!" I shouted up, hoping he could still hear me. Apparently he could, because he spat out a large gust of flames before making a left turn. A dip and fist. "Rush!" I saw him hold his wings, falling towards the hard earth. Down, down down… "Stay!" He flared his wings, turning to a quick hover just a few feet off the ground. She looked over before nodding. "Fin." I said. He landed, given a break for the moment. I watched as she and the several other judges gave specific commands to others. I saw some people receive word that they were out. When Gobber came over to me for the next round, I was ready to impress.
"Hey lassie. Run and then rear please."
"Oakheart!" I snapped to get his attention again. "Canon and crop." He bolted across the field, stopping to rear up and slash the air- or what would have been the air if a nadder hadn't suddenly dove into the space. Rooarrr! Raaawwwwk! This wasn't good. "Oakheart! Ret!" After a short snort, he turned and stood behind me.
Gobber looked conflicted. "...I'm sorry Frost, but roaring and returning weren't the next two commands. I'm sorry to say, but you're out."
"No!" My head fell, and I felt Gobber pat my shoulder before moving on. I looked up slowly to see Oakheart looking at me sadly. "He bud." I rubbed his snout. "It's not your fault. Don't be upset, okay? We've still got some other events left." He nudged me with the tip of his muzzle as if to say "Well, then had better get moving!" Walking off the field, I looked back to see Mik and Spayk joining me as well. "Did you not pass either?"
"Nah. Not this time. Apparently when Gothi makes those slash movements, she wants a turn and not a roll. Oops." He made a face.
I laughed. "Well, not a big deal. You've still got a win under your tunic, and it was our first clan points as well!"
"Yeah, so come on then! Let's go see how Lilo and Collera fair. And we can see which event we'll be in next."