Post by ravyna on Sept 25, 2006 14:38:58 GMT -5
It took only a few silver coins and a winning smile to secure ferry passage for both runners and herself. It amazed Ravyna how stupid the male of the species could be. How many guards and lawkeepers had she paraded this mare by with nothing more than the bat of an eyelash for assurance? The last guard suckered had been within eyeshot of a poster proclaiming the mare as stolen. Amazing what a packing harness, a bundle of belongings, and a little judiciously applied brown dye can do to hide the identity of a hot-blooded gray mare.
Ravyna leaned casually against her little bay stallion and eyed the "pack animal" approvingly. Her widening girth belied her person, as well. She was well along in her pregnancy. What a lucky stroke to choose a mare bred to one of the Lord Holder's top studs, out of all the mares in that herd. Great two-for-one deal.
With all the talk of dragonriders returning to Pern, and the air traffic around the island, Ravyna was surprised that there were so few waiting to ferry beasts across the channel. The ferry itself was an old one, which looked like it had been hastily restored after many years in drydock. In fact, the ferryman looked pretty much the same. The boat, however, didn't eye her greedily as she sauntered onto deck, leading the two runners. Of course, she flashed that winning smile of hers at the oldtimer ... adding to it a silent, mental "as if!"
Shortly before the ferry pushed off, an angry looking scoundrel driving a small group of scrawny herdbeasts with the help of a black and white canine with longish haircoat rushed aboard. As soon as the anorexic, tick-infested, smelly beasts hit the deck, the gate was closed off and the bell rung, and the boat rocked slowly and gently toward deeper water.
Her own little stud, whom she called Renegade, took no issue with the gently rolling deck, but the mare shifted and grunted a bit, trying to keep her balance. "Whoa, Lovey," Rav whispered, stroking the gray face, and checking her hand to be sure the dye hadn't rubbed off. "You're not used to sea voyages, I see. Worry not, my darling, it's a short ride to the island."
Despite the fact that Rav was raised landside, in an environment so sheltered she rarely saw daylight without a guarded accompaniment, she had taken to traveling with aplomb. On runner, deck, wagon, or afoot, seeing new sights and moving on whenever challenged had become second nature to her. To date the only mode of transport she'd yet to taste was dragonback....
And that would soon change.
The ancient volcano that housed the new Weyr rose impressively above the sea, with long stretches of jungle, field and beach running from it's base to the water's edge. The little cove, with a hastily erected wharf, that the ferry butted up against when they arrived was clean and crisp, with nary a human being in sight. The locals didn't seem to be in too great a hurry to serve their time-honored protectors.
The plank was lowered with a bang to the wharf, and Ravyna, having no desire for company, mounted Renny and trotted briskly from the deck. She would have moved off swiftly, but the ferryman halted her, insisting on seeing her boarding papers so he could tear off her acknowledgement slip. After all, he said gruffly, "Wiv-oudit I dawn't git paid!"
To Rav's annoyance, the smelly herder and his slightly less smelly canine caught her up. "Trav'lin t'ther Weyr, pretty?" he asked with a leer, "I take these beasts fer th' dragons to feast upon."
She snorted in distaste and gave Renny a squeeze with her calves. As he cantered away, the light little mare happily in tow, Ravyna called back over her shoulder, "Take care the dragons don't choke on those bones! You've more meat on your own!"
She'd seen enough maps of the island to know there was only one main road, a newly and quickly constructed one, to the tunnel that led through the mountain shell. She needed no man's companionship, her dagger throw skills would keep her safe from humans, and the bow on her back was swift and strong enough to ward off any other predatorial species. The gravid mare might slow her, but not enough to complain about.
"Onward and upward, my loves!" she called out, patting the little bay on the neck. Her white teeth flashed a feral smile as she thought of the wonders that lay ahead.
Ravyna leaned casually against her little bay stallion and eyed the "pack animal" approvingly. Her widening girth belied her person, as well. She was well along in her pregnancy. What a lucky stroke to choose a mare bred to one of the Lord Holder's top studs, out of all the mares in that herd. Great two-for-one deal.
With all the talk of dragonriders returning to Pern, and the air traffic around the island, Ravyna was surprised that there were so few waiting to ferry beasts across the channel. The ferry itself was an old one, which looked like it had been hastily restored after many years in drydock. In fact, the ferryman looked pretty much the same. The boat, however, didn't eye her greedily as she sauntered onto deck, leading the two runners. Of course, she flashed that winning smile of hers at the oldtimer ... adding to it a silent, mental "as if!"
Shortly before the ferry pushed off, an angry looking scoundrel driving a small group of scrawny herdbeasts with the help of a black and white canine with longish haircoat rushed aboard. As soon as the anorexic, tick-infested, smelly beasts hit the deck, the gate was closed off and the bell rung, and the boat rocked slowly and gently toward deeper water.
Her own little stud, whom she called Renegade, took no issue with the gently rolling deck, but the mare shifted and grunted a bit, trying to keep her balance. "Whoa, Lovey," Rav whispered, stroking the gray face, and checking her hand to be sure the dye hadn't rubbed off. "You're not used to sea voyages, I see. Worry not, my darling, it's a short ride to the island."
Despite the fact that Rav was raised landside, in an environment so sheltered she rarely saw daylight without a guarded accompaniment, she had taken to traveling with aplomb. On runner, deck, wagon, or afoot, seeing new sights and moving on whenever challenged had become second nature to her. To date the only mode of transport she'd yet to taste was dragonback....
And that would soon change.
The ancient volcano that housed the new Weyr rose impressively above the sea, with long stretches of jungle, field and beach running from it's base to the water's edge. The little cove, with a hastily erected wharf, that the ferry butted up against when they arrived was clean and crisp, with nary a human being in sight. The locals didn't seem to be in too great a hurry to serve their time-honored protectors.
The plank was lowered with a bang to the wharf, and Ravyna, having no desire for company, mounted Renny and trotted briskly from the deck. She would have moved off swiftly, but the ferryman halted her, insisting on seeing her boarding papers so he could tear off her acknowledgement slip. After all, he said gruffly, "Wiv-oudit I dawn't git paid!"
To Rav's annoyance, the smelly herder and his slightly less smelly canine caught her up. "Trav'lin t'ther Weyr, pretty?" he asked with a leer, "I take these beasts fer th' dragons to feast upon."
She snorted in distaste and gave Renny a squeeze with her calves. As he cantered away, the light little mare happily in tow, Ravyna called back over her shoulder, "Take care the dragons don't choke on those bones! You've more meat on your own!"
She'd seen enough maps of the island to know there was only one main road, a newly and quickly constructed one, to the tunnel that led through the mountain shell. She needed no man's companionship, her dagger throw skills would keep her safe from humans, and the bow on her back was swift and strong enough to ward off any other predatorial species. The gravid mare might slow her, but not enough to complain about.
"Onward and upward, my loves!" she called out, patting the little bay on the neck. Her white teeth flashed a feral smile as she thought of the wonders that lay ahead.