Dinotopia: Windchaser

by Ciencin, Scott;

  “Flying,” a voice said.

  Hugh was so startled he nearly dropped his friend!

  “Flying,” Raymond said again, his voice dreamy.

  “Yes,” Hugh said, choking back tears. “I’ll be a bloody rotter if were not!”

  Looking up, Hugh saw Windchaser as if through Raymond’s eyes. The sun was making an appearance. The Skybax’s wings no longer seemed damaged. Instead, they seemed aglow with the colors of twilight.

  Windchaser was not an object deserving of pity. Hugh now saw his majesty. It was a sight so grand even the most jaded heart would feel new again—and finally come to believe in miracles.

  “You’re flying!” Hugh cried.

  The Skybax let out a squall of triumph.

  No, Hugh thought. Not flying. Sailing. Gliding. The momentum from the waters must have given Windchaser the added lift he needed.

  “Flying,” Hugh repeated with wonder.

  Suddenly a vine snapped. Hugh gasped as he felt another begin to loosen. The harness Hugh had fashioned with vines was coming apart.

  “Down would be good!” Hugh screamed. “Down would be very good indeed!”

  They whipped along a mountain pass. Suddenly, they came into full view of trees and lush green grass. Windchaser dove downward.

  Hugh’s stomach lurched. He hoped he wasn’t going to be sick.

  Just a little longer, just a little longer, he told himself.

  Raymond stirred. “Hurts.”

  “I know,” Hugh said. His arms ached with the weight of Raymond, but his full attention now went to calming his friend. “We’ll get help for you soon. Don’t worry.”

  Hugh became aware of the ground reaching up. He drew a sharp breath, and Windchaser managed to slow his glide. They were barely moving now and just a few feet off the ground.

  Hugh set Raymond down as carefully as he could. Windchaser rose into the air once more, then landed upright a few yards away. The Skybax leaned forward so Hugh could touch his feet to the ground.

  “Faith,” he said, snaking out of the harness and racing to his injured friend.

  Behind them came a flapping of wings, then a squall. Hugh turned to see Windchaser rise into the air again.

  No words were necessary. The Skybax would go and quickly return with help. Windchaser took to the skies with a renewed heart.

  “See all the trouble you’ve caused?” Hugh asked as he knelt beside his friend.

  Raymond moaned.

  “Oh, right. Now we’re supposed to feel sorry for you, is that it?”

  “Bloomin’ stupid… git,” Raymond managed to whisper.

  “Don’t talk about yourself that way,” Hugh said. “I won’t stand for havin’ my friends run down.”

  Raymond managed a smile before the darkness claimed him once more.

  Late that evening, Hugh left the infirmary at Skybax Camp. Raymond had two broken legs along with some bad bumps and bruises, but he was going to be all right. Dinotopia’s healers had the situation well under control.

  Hugh recalled how Raymond had been brought back to camp. Windchaser had returned with a score of Skybaxes and their riders. They brought a special Skybax harness that was made to carry a wounded man or woman. They set it gently under Raymond, strapped him in, then flew him to safety.

  One of the Skybax Riders stayed behind to lead Hugh back to camp on foot. Very little conversation passed between Hugh and the rider. Hugh found he was no longer concerned about what other people thought of him. All he cared about was that his friend would get better.

  At camp, Hugh was told that Raymond’s legs had been reset and fitted into braces. Raymond had slept through the entire procedure, courtesy of a strange-smelling herb the healers brought with them.

  Hugh visited Raymond, sitting at his bedside for close to an hour. Raymond spoke in his sleep. “Teach me. You promised. Want to learn to say more. Soul has what body lacks. You promised!”

  Hugh turned and left the infirmary. Another visitor waited outside.

  Windchaser.

  “He’s going to be fine,” Hugh said.

  The Skybax looked around, wary of anyone who might be within earshot.

  “No,” Hugh said. “Let me do the talking.”

  Windchaser stared at him intently.

  “It doesn’t take a genius or something to figure out why you didn’t let the people honor you. All I really had to do was put myself in your place and it all made sense.”

  An agitated trilling came from the Skybax.

  “You felt because you weren’t able to save that boy yourself, you didn’t deserve to be honored. Well, that’s not only stupid, it’s selfish.”

  Windchaser took a step back.

  “Mind you, I would have done the same thing. In my way, I think I did. After all, what exactly brought you to the training grounds?”

  A strange noise came from the Skybax. It sounded exactly like the horn Hugh had blown in warning as he had raced toward the high wires.

  Hugh opened his hands. “He would have died if you hadn’t gone for help. He also would have died if I hadn’t brought you with my alarm.”

  “Tttellll ottttherrrsss,” Windchaser said, braving discovery.

  “No,” Hugh said. “I’ll leave that up to you.”

  The Skybax shuddered.

  “I know. You don’t want anyone to know you can speak our language. Why does that scare you?”

  Windchaser’s wings beat anxiously.

  “Are you worried everyone will treat you as though you’re different? Well, too bloody bad! You are different. So am I. Could your life really get any worse than it is right now?”

  “Yyesssss,” Windchaser said.

  “How?”

  “Coullddddd lllllose jjffrrrienddsss.”

  Hugh laughed. “There’s nothing you could do to lose Raymond. And if you’re saying you consider me a friend, then, fine, I accept the honor. But it is a turnaround from what you were saying in the gap, when we were making the harness.”

  “Afffraiiddd youuuuuu.”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Turnnn Rayyyymonddd agggainnnsttt meee. Youuuuu neeeed himmm tooooo.”

  Hugh shook his head. “I was jealous. It’s true. You also said you didn’t like me much.”

  “Sorrrrrry.”

  “Don’t be. I didn’t like you, either.”

  Windchaser made a disquieting sound, an obvious cry of disapproval.

  “You know what they say. If you ever came face to face with someone who was exactly like yourself, you’d probably hate him on sight.”

  Windchaser nodded.

  “Donnnn’ttt leeeeeave,” Windchaser said, distressed.

  “No. I’m not going to run away. I’m going to face up to things for a change.

  “How about you? Will you be sticking around, or is it the Sky Galley Caves?”

  “Wannnnt toooo sttttayyyyy.”

  “Good,” Hugh said. “Because, quite honestly, I think it would break Raymond’s heart if either of us ran off on him again. And you made some kind of promise to him. Teaching him more of your language, from what I could gather.”

  Hugh thought for a moment, then added, “I wonder what Laegreffon would have said about all this. That’s one bloke I really wouldn’t mind spending time with, ya know? If he and I were in London together, we’d kick up quite a ruckus!”

  Windchaser regarded Hugh quizzically. Suddenly, the Skybax shuddered and made a series of strange racking sounds.

  “Here, now!” Hugh said. “Are you laughin’ at me?”

  “Whhbhhoooooo elllllssse?” Windchaser said.

  “And what exactly is so funny?”

  “Lllllllaegggrefffonnnn. Nnnnottttt bbbbloke! Ttttttriccerattopsssss!”

  Hugh’s jaw gaped open. It took him several moments to compose himself. “He’s a dinosaur?”

  Before Hugh could say anything else on the matter, Raymond’s instructor suddenly appeared. Hikaro seemed intent on visiting his student in the infirmary. He look
ed to Hugh and Windchaser and gave a slight bow.

  “My thanks for saving Raymond’s life,” Hikaro said. “Doomo arigatoo.”

  The teacher was about to turn away when Windchaser crowded before him. Hikaro stroked Windchaser’s flank, as he might any other anxious mount. “Do not worry. Breathe deep. Seek peace.” Windchaser shook violently, causing Hikaro to gracefully withdraw.

  The teacher looked to Hugh and asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know,” Hugh said. “Ask him.”

  Hikaro frowned. “I have no time for games.”

  Windchaser poked his massive head between the two humans and let out a sound that caused Hikaro to blanch.

  “The Skybax just cursed me in my own language!” Hikaro said, astounded. “Or—that’s what it sounded like.”

  “He isn’t always in the best of moods, I’ll admit,” Hugh said.

  “How very odd,” Hikaro said, turning his back on the Skybax.

  “Wwwwwwhere wwwwere yourrrrr ppppeople?” Windchaser asked.

  Hikaro turned slowly, this time with a slight flush of anger playing on his cheeks. “Parlor tricks such as ventriloquism are amusing in their time and place, young man, but this is hardly—”

  “Lllllisstennnn!” Windchaser cried in a voice no human could ever duplicate.

  Hikaro’s eyes widened.

  “He talks,” Hugh said. “In his way.”

  “Does he, now?” Hikaro asked, his tone changing to one of astonished interest.

  “Hughhhh sssssounnnnnded alllarm wwhhennn boyyyy fellll. Yyourrrr ottherrr sssstudennntsss shhhould hhhhave ccommme. Theyyy wwwerre offfff playyying. Llllaughhhing. Mmmmakking nnooise. I sawwww themmmm. Theyyyy nnnnever hearrrrrd. Onnnnly I diddddd. Hhhhhughhh nnnnottt badddd. Dolllphinnns rrrightttt abouttt himmm.”

  Hikaro nodded somberly. “Yes, I see now. I did not reason this out. My ancestors would be ashamed of how I allowed my emotions to overcome me. Hugh, please forgive me. The other students will be chastised. And at the next celebration—”

  “No,” Hugh said. “It’s done and in the past. If there’s anything worth celebrating, it’s what Windchaser is doing—talking!”

  Hikaro nodded and stared at the great creature before him. “Windchaser, I can see many ways for you to help the people of Dinotopia. The question is, are you up to the challenge? Are you willing to try?”

  “You can do this,” Hugh encouraged the worried Skybax.

  Nodding, the Skybax performed yet another act of true bravery. “I wwwilllll!”

  EPILOGUE

  Several months passed. The strange herbs of the island helped Raymond to recover from his injuries with astounding speed. He was now up and walking about with only a small amount of pain.

  The younger boy learned that he had lost his father’s pocketwatch during his trials in the Forbidden Mountains.

  “You don’t need it,” said Hugh. “You never did. If you want to see something of your father, just look in the mirror.”

  Those words meant a great deal to Raymond. They also helped him to make a very important decision.

  Raymond and Hugh traveled to Canyon City, looking for their closest friend. They enjoyed a brief tour of this magnificent place. Carved out of the stone canyon walls, Canyon City overlooked a deep gorge and served as the center of all Skybax Rider training. In fact, the city sat so high, the residents had the pleasure of living among both clouds and rainbows.

  After seeing many of the breathtaking views the city offered, they were shown into the courtyard of a grand building. There Windchaser stood between two delegations—one made up of humans and Saurians, the other one of Skybaxes.

  Because Windchaser was the first Skybax to understand human and Saurian languages, he had been appointed the honored task of acting as a translator and liaison.

  The conference ended, and Windchaser turned to greet his friends. “Breeathe, deeeep! Seeeekpeaccccce!”

  Raymond was about to speak when Hugh, glowing like a proud older brother, cut him off.

  “Have you heard?” Hugh asked. “Raymond is going to become a healer!”

  “Yyouuuu hhonorryourrr fffather’s mmemorrryyy!”

  “He’s also got quite a talent on his own!” Hugh said. “Look at what he did for the two of us.”

  Windchaser nodded. The Skybax finally seemed at peace. “Annndddd Huuuugh?”

  Raymond jumped in this time. “Sollis has sent word to Laegreffon. Hugh is going to study philosophy with the diplomat and perhaps write some words of wisdom of his own!”

  Windchaser nodded approvingly.

  Hugh said, “I’ve spent my life worrying about the future. I’ve always seen it as bleak. Now I see nothing before me except possibilities.”

  “Ssssecconddd channnncesss!”

  “Yes,” Hugh said. For the first time in his life, he saw the future as glorious and far-reaching as the grandest vistas of Canyon City. And it held just as many unexplored possibilities!

  “I don’t know where I’ll end up, or what I’ll be doing,” said Hugh. “Perhaps I will become a diplomat like Laegreffon. Or something else may come my way. That’s not really important. It’s the journey that matters, not the destination.”

  “There’s more,” Raymond said, placing his hand on Hugh’s shoulder.

  Hugh smiled and nodded. So much more. Like friendship and love, which Dinotopia possessed in abundance—the very qualities that made life’s journeys worth the taking.

  “It doesn’t matter where I am on this island,” Hugh said. “For the first time in my life, I’m home.”