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