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shoreward.
"Lift, dragonrider," cried Binness, knot in one hand, waving urgently with the
other.
F'lessan obeyed, Golanth rising and craning his head down, trying to look
between his front legs. F'lessan felt Golanth catch the knot and take up the
slack in the lines. They had barely risen a few feet from the sands when they
saw Binness, arms and legs pumping as the fishman raced toward the steps.
It isn't that heavy, Golanth reassured his rider, but it took him time to lift
so as not to unbalance his load or lose his grip on the rope cradle. The
summit was alive with people and goods, leaving no clear spot for the dory.
Shouting orders from her rocking chair, the old woman solved the problem. It
was with great relief that F'lessan felt the tension ease in the bronze
shoulders as Golanth succeeded in getting the third dory landed. Golanth
soared up, bugling with his success. Well, it wouldn't be their problem to get
the dories back down to the shore.
Not today!
Golanth tilted northward, dipping low around the granite outcrop, so that they
could see the last of the seaholders reach the top of the rough stairs,
crawling a little farther from the cliff edge. Rider and dragon could see
Binness still racing for the first step. The man stumbled, obviously winded,
and regained his balance with difficulty.
That's when F'lessan saw the water being sucked back, away from the beach, all
along the shoreline.
He will not make it!
Golanth did not wait for an order but dove sideways toward the man who was
straining with effort, head up, arms carried tight to his chest, elbows
flaring to suck air into his labored lungs, knees pumping.
The bronze intercepted him, dipping to secure the man in his front paws.
Binness looked up at the outstretched claws, panic contorting his face. Out of
the corner of his eye, F'lessan could see the wall of water that was rising
higher, higher, higher and coming straight at them. He saw the cliff looming
up: if the tsunami didn't drown them, they'd smash against the cliff. Having
slowed to catch Binness, Golanth did not have enough air speed to gain
altitude!
Between had never been so cold or so comforting. Eight seconds, four deep
gasping breaths, and then a watery deluge all but drowning them.
The wave is nearly as high as this cliff, Golanth said, sounding amused. He
had changed position to bring them out of between not far from the point where
they had first entered over Sunrise Cliff Seahold.
The bronze had also timed that rescue! On his own initiative!
Dazed, F'lessan stared down at the tremendous tsunami wave that should, by any
rights, have drowned them. Water splashed high, its topmost point lapping the
summit. Behind the first, a second tsunami roared ashore, battering the land,
taking with it the steps that had so recently led the way to safety.
I will put him down near the others, Golanth said, back-winging, hovering in
front of the terrified seaholders who were clutching at each other, watching
as the crest of the second wave just missed the summit. Mealth and Galuth had
spread their wings high, providing some cover from the windblown spray for the
ancient woman sitting very upright in her chair that was rocking in the wind.
I hope my claws did not scratch him badly.
He's lucky to be alive to be scratched, F'lessan responded weakly. He couldn't
quite believe they had survived the double peril. One more second and the
three of them would have been pasted on the cliff face!
I knew you wouldn't mind getting here before that happened.
Golanth turned his huge head to his left as the tsunami flooded inland,
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boiling up the streambed. Almost daintily, Golanth turned on his forequarters
and paused midair, lowering Binness safely to the damp ground.
F'lessan stared down at the man, supine on the thick drenched ground cover.
There were indeed red marks on Binness's bare arms, where the dragon had
clutched him. The bronze rider sagged across Golanth's neck ridge. He was
aware of a booming noise, not like the shock wave but frightening in its
intensity. Water splashed high on the cliff again, as if seeking to regain a
victim that only the initiative and quickness of his dragon had rescued. He
did feel Golanth land; he was aware of Golanth tucking his wings loosely along
his back, of the darkness that had replaced the bright sun, of the cries of
those who had seen the tsunami curl and nearly inundate their summit refuge.
These were dim, background noises to the rush of blood pounding in his body,
the dryness in his throat, the extreme weariness he felt.
Breathe deep, said his dragon with proud affection.
We're all safe now.
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