amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第105部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　This　is　good！　I　have　missed　this！　Golanth　said。
　　All　right；　my　friend；　how　do　you　propose　to　land？　F'lessan　almost　laughed　as　this　problem　had　to　be　considered。　And　quickly。
　　I　will　settle　as　neatly　on　the　water　as　I　always　do；　Golanth　said；　but　in　his　joy　at　being　aloft；　he'd　briefly　forgotten　that　the　stiff　joint　would　not　respond　as　usual。
　　Later；　Erragon　and　D'ram　who　had　been　watching　from　the　deep　porch　of　Cove　Hold　said　that；　considering　the　handicaps；　it　hadn't　been　a　bad　landing。　Golanth；　who　had　been　gliding　in　without　assistance　from　the　other　dragons；　tried　ineffectively　to　backwing。　He　couldn't　balance　and　tilted；　trailing　his　left　wing　tip　in　the　water　and　that　swung　him　round。　Before　the　left　wing　could　be　wrenched　by　a　rough　immersion；　he　was　skimming　the　water；　supported　by　his　guides。　He　had　time　to　fold　his　wings　before　he　splashed　down；　skidding　forward　another　length。　With　no　riding　strap；　F'lessan　lost　his　grip；　went　over　his　right　shoulder　and　into　the　water。　He　was　able　to　turn　his　assisted　dismount　into　a　creditable　dive。
　　Sorry！　Monarth　said。　Should　have　caught　you；　F'lessan。　There's　a　trick　to　this　we　haven't　figured　out。　Getting　Golanth　up　is　one　thing。　Getting　him　down　is　another。　Water　is　at　least　soft。
　　Water　is　not　the　least　bit　soft！　was　F'lessan's　response。
　　Although　his　heavy　riding　jacket　was　sodden　and　hampered　him；　he　surfaced　and　started　swimming　to　Golanth；　now　bobbing　on　the　sea；　and　looking　anxiously　about　for　him。
　　Is　your　wing　all　right？
　　I　think　so。　Golanth　demonstrated　by　cautiously　stretching　it　out　as　fully　as　he　could。　Waves　lapped　across　its　surface；　the　stiff　joint　sinking　into　the　warm　sea。　That　feels　good！
　　F'lessan　had　done　no　more　than　seven　or　eight　strokes　when　his　outstretched　right　hand　was　filled　by　a　dorsal　fin。　He　caught　it　gratefully　and　was　conveyed　toward　Golanth　at　speed。　Others　surfaced　beside　him；　squeeing　with　delight　at　his　appearance；　calling　his　name　and　Golly's　and　grinning　at　him　as　they　arced　above　his　head。
　　〃Shore；　Fless？　Shore；　Fless？〃　Alta　asked　him。　Beyond　her　he　could　see　Dik　and　Tom。　Five　more　of　the　Cove　Hold　pod　were　tail…walking　about　Golanth。　He　could　hear　their　excited　clicking。　〃We　take　care　of　Golly。　You　leave　clothes　on　shore；　Fless。〃
　　As　with　everything　this　morning；　F'lessan　did　not　apparently　have　any　options。　He　could　at　least　submit　with　grace。　The　dolphin　escort；　squeeing　and　squealing；　guided　him　inshore　until　he　could　get　his　feet　under　him　and　walk　out。
　　A　grinning　D'ram　was　there　to　hand　him　a　towel；　offering　to　take　his　jacket　and　to　make　sure　it　dried　properly。　Zaranth　landed　Tai　on　the　beach；　Monarth　hovering　briefly　as　T'gellan　leaned　down　to　speak　to　the　green　rider。　F'lessan　saw　her　stiffen　and　then　nod　in　acquiescence。　Monarth　veered　off　and　gained　height　to　go　between　with　the　other　dragons。　Zaranth　splashed　into　the　bright　cove　waters；　swimming　out　to　join　Golanth　and　the　dolphins　who　seethed　in　the　water　about　him。
　　Tai　hurried　up　the　beach　to　join　F'lessan；　stripping　off　her　jacket　and　helmet；　but　F'lessan　knew　that　her　conversation　with　T'gellan　had　been　significant。　She　looked　very　thoughtful。
　　〃Just　the　people　I　wanted　to　see；〃　Erragon　called　out；　waving　for　F'lessan　and　Tai　to　join　him　at　the　Hold。　〃I've　got　all　the　equipment　you　need　for　remote　access　to　the　scope。〃
　　Vigorously　both　F'lessan　and　Tai　waved　arms；　acknowledging　that　good　news。
　　Then　Master　Wansor；　hearing　the　motion；　shuffled　to　the　steps；　Lytol　beside　him。　As　Tai　reached　F'lessan；　he　was　wringing　out　his　dripping　shirt　and　trying　to　keep　his　balance　on　the　slant　of　the　beach。
　　〃Clever　of　you　to　dive　in；〃　she　said；　giving　him　a　proud；　shy　smile。
　　〃Oh？　You　thought　so？〃　he　asked；　teasing。　Just　then；　his　left　leg　gave　under　him。　She　gave　him　quick　support　until　he　recovered。
　　〃I　forgot　the　cane；〃　he　said　through　clenched　teeth。　The　euphoria　of　his　ride　here　on　Golanth　instantly　dissipated。　He　glanced　across　the　sands　to　the　Hold；　a　long　walk　for　a　man　with　a　lame　leg。　He　did　not　want　to　fall　on　his　face　in　front　of　Lytol　or　D'ram。　Especially　Lytol。　How　humiliating　that　would　be。　He　was　still　incapacitated。　His　dragon　was　still　injured。　He　would　never　again　be　what　he　had　once　been：　the　carefree　self…indulgent　bronze　Wingleader　from　Benden　Weyr！
　　〃We　did　sort　of　leave　abruptly；〃　Tai　said　with　an　encouraging　chuckle　as　she　laid　his　bare　left　arm　across　her　shoulders　as　if　walking　that　way　was　customary。　〃Your　skin'll　be　dry　by　the　time　we　get　to　the　porch。〃
　　〃Give　me　that　shirt；　F'lessan；〃　the　old　bronze　rider　said；　taking　it　from　the　bronze　rider's　limp　hand。　〃You'll　want　to　be　out　of　those　wet　pants；　too。　e　along　to　the　house　now。　I'll　just　run　ahead　and　get　things　ready。〃
　　F'lessan　made　himself　match　his　stride　with　Tai's。　He　told　himself　that　walking　up　the　long　beach　to　Cove　Hold　was　really　just　another　step　on　his　way　to　recovery。　After　all；　he　and　Golanth　had　nearly　died　a　bare　four　sevendays　before。
　　〃What's　all　the　fuss？　Who　just　arrived？〃　Wansor　was　asking；　his　eyes　wide　in　his　sightless　face。　〃I　can't　hear　what　those　dolphins　are　screaming；　they're　so　excited。　Fless？　Fless；　they　say？　Surely　it　can't　be　F'lessan？　Didn't　you　tell　me；　Lytol；　that　he　and　his　dragon　were　badly　wounded？〃
　　〃Yes；　they　were　wounded；　Wansor；〃　Lytol　said；　ing　to　stand　beside　him。　〃They　are　here　together　to　see　you　and　discuss　the　Honshu　scope。〃
　　They　are　here　together。　Lytol's　sentence　reverberated　in　F'lessan's　mind　and　he　felt　tears　spring　to　his　eyes…not　of　pity；　but　for　his　new　perception　of　Lytol's　victory　over　the　loss　of　his　brown　Larth。　Lytol　had　re…created　his　life；　not　once；　but　three　times。
　　Between　one　careful　step　and　the　next；　the　staggering　concept　that　blossomed　in　detail　in　F'lessan's　mind　made　him　reel　against　Tai；　who　instantly　supported　him。
　　As　she　always　had；　as　she　always　would！　She　and　Zaranth！
　　You　are　all　right？　Golanth　asked　apprehensively；　halting　the　water　play　in　which　he；　Zaranth；　and　Tiroth　indulged　while　dolphins　leaped　and　played　around　them。
　　Quite　right。　Quite　all　right！　F'lessan　reassured　his　dragon。
　　Soon　Zaranth　would　be　practiced　enough　to　be　the　only　dragon　whom　Golanth　would　need　for　a　lift　to　safe　entry　between。　Tai　and　Zaranth　were　essential　parts　of　the　new　future　he　had　just　stunningly　envisioned　for　them…and　for　as　many　other　dragons　and　riders　who　wished　a　part　of　such　a　bright；　new　adventure。
　　With　such　inner　elation；　F'lessan　found　it　doubly　hard　to　walk　sedately　when　once　he　would　have　broken　into　a　run。　The　ache　in　his　left　leg　seemed　irrelevant；　even　if　he　couldn't　speed　up　their　pace　to　reach　Cove　Hold。
　　〃We're　nearly　there；〃　Tai　said；　sensing　the　surge　of　excitement　in　her　partner's　body。
　　As　he　took　hold　of　the　stair　post；　F'lessan　paused　and　grinned；　almost　reverently；　up　at　Lytol。　He　saw　surprise　in　Lytol's　expression；　then　D'ram　moved　past　Lytol；　gesturing　for　F'lessan　to　hurry　up　the　stairs。
　　〃e；　lad；　you're　not　so　pletely　recovered　that　you　can　run　around　in　wet　clothes　and　not　catch　a　chill。　This　way。〃　D'ram　beckoned　for　F'lessan　to　follow　him。
　　When　they　finally　settled　at　the　table　on　the　porch　where　the　three　dragonriders　could　keep　an　eye　on　their　water…sporting　dragons；　F'lessan　was　wearing　clothes　supplied　by　Erragon　while　his　dried。　They'd　had　fresh　klah　and　fruit。　Boxed　and　ready　for　transport　were　the　remote　units　that　would　control　the　Honshu　scope　from　the　main　level。　A　technician；　highly　remended　by　Master　Benelek；　would　install　these　and　the　circuitry　necessary　to　operate　the　opening　and　closing　of　the　observatory　roof。
　　〃What　I　want　to　know；　F'lessan；　Tai；〃　Master　Wansor　asked；　almost　testy　with　impatience；　〃is　what's　happened　to　the　feline　problem？〃
　　That　was　perhaps　the　last　question　the　two　dragonriders　expected；　and　they　stared　at　each　other。　Lytol　and　D'ram　flinched　at　their　blind　friend's　tactlessness。
　　〃Yes；　well；　Master　Wansor；〃　Tai　began；　recovering　more　quickly　than　F'lessan。　〃None　have　been　seen　around　Honshu　lately。　The　holders　protect　their　fields　with　dragon　dung　and　firestone　mash；　so　we've　spread　that　mixture　on　our　perimeter。　Seems　to