Read Online Soul Bonds Book 1 Circles of Light series by E.M. Sinclair - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: E.M. Sinclair
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men, pushing Tika to and fro in their midst, Tika felt his sudden, stupendous shock even as she saw his widening eyes and gaping mouth. She laughed aloud, disconcerting her tormentors. Those facing the same way as their leader showed similar dismay, one even dropping flat to the earth and covering his head with his arms. She laughed again as she turned, knowing what she’d see. Farn was marching steadily from the tapisi towards them, his wings raised, his prismed eyes flashing sapphires. He came to a halt a short distance from the Fighters.
Tika walked past men now rigid with terrified disbelief, and stood against Farn’s belly as he reared upright. Then he belched. Fire flared from his nostrils, singeing the turf at the Fighters’ feet. They were rooted to where they stood it seemed. Farn belched once more and as one, the gang turned and fled, wailing, beyond the outcrop of rock.
‘They did not harm you Tika?’ Farn asked with concern.
‘No, just scared me at first. Can you hear their mind speech?’
‘No,’ said Farn after a while. ‘I hear a babble but I can make nothing of it that could be called speech.’
‘They have just reached the place they left their fengars. I think they were looking for hoppers for their supper and found me instead. Their minds are a shrieking muddle.’ Tika laughed, rubbing Farn’s long neck affectionately. ‘Thank you. You were extremely good at sending them on their way!’
Smoke was still trailing delicately from Farn’s nostrils. ‘Of course.’ He said it automatically, adding: ‘Why did they hold you? Did they want to harm you? Do you know these two-legs?’
Tika hesitated. ‘They caught me because I was here. For their sport I suppose. No,’ she concluded, ‘I did not know them but it is how Fighters behave towards many people like me.’
Farn turned back to the tapisi. ‘I’d caught a volu, and a hopper when you bespoke me. I dropped them a little way through the tapisi. Will those two-legs return?’
‘No. They are leagues away already. When they reach a farm or a town, they will tell of Dragons here. They will be laughed at.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Or if they are believed, many more Fighters will come here for the fame they would win by killing a Dragon.’ Farn looked alarmed. Tika said quickly, ‘We will tell this to Seela, and she will warn her Treasury. You go and fetch our supper – I will bespeak Kadi so that she can tell Broken Mountain Dragons to watch for two legs in the mountains now.’
As they travelled, over hills now rather than mountains, they watched for any signs of two legs below them. Farn’s vision was acute, while Tika searched with her mind. Time passed quickly as she tried to untangle the melange of the different “voices” she heard – the odd, scolding, repetitive comments of a bushytail as it reminded itself where it had already stored nuts for the coming Cold Season. She heard the quiet thoughts of a shaggy honeyfinder as she sought a snug place to outsleep the Cold.
Tika was amazed to find so many of the small feathered ones communicated with each other although it was a fairly simple enough form of speech. She was even more taken aback when a great eyes realised a stranger was in his mind and spoke directly to her, enquiring what she was doing. She apologised for her rudeness and explained she was a two legs and had only just discovered mind speech. The great eyes hurrumphed testily and went back to sleep, his mind firmly closed.
‘Farn, do you communicate with all creatures except two-legs?’
‘I think we can. There is not a great deal to talk about with many of them, but we can if we choose.’
They were gliding down to land beside a stream that was nearly a river for their evening halt. Farn drank and then went off to find food for their supper. He was gone only briefly, returning with a volu and three hoppers. He sprawled on the grass eating the volu and watching Tika. She still walked up and down,
Tika walked past men now rigid with terrified disbelief, and stood against Farn’s belly as he reared upright. Then he belched. Fire flared from his nostrils, singeing the turf at the Fighters’ feet. They were rooted to where they stood it seemed. Farn belched once more and as one, the gang turned and fled, wailing, beyond the outcrop of rock.
‘They did not harm you Tika?’ Farn asked with concern.
‘No, just scared me at first. Can you hear their mind speech?’
‘No,’ said Farn after a while. ‘I hear a babble but I can make nothing of it that could be called speech.’
‘They have just reached the place they left their fengars. I think they were looking for hoppers for their supper and found me instead. Their minds are a shrieking muddle.’ Tika laughed, rubbing Farn’s long neck affectionately. ‘Thank you. You were extremely good at sending them on their way!’
Smoke was still trailing delicately from Farn’s nostrils. ‘Of course.’ He said it automatically, adding: ‘Why did they hold you? Did they want to harm you? Do you know these two-legs?’
Tika hesitated. ‘They caught me because I was here. For their sport I suppose. No,’ she concluded, ‘I did not know them but it is how Fighters behave towards many people like me.’
Farn turned back to the tapisi. ‘I’d caught a volu, and a hopper when you bespoke me. I dropped them a little way through the tapisi. Will those two-legs return?’
‘No. They are leagues away already. When they reach a farm or a town, they will tell of Dragons here. They will be laughed at.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Or if they are believed, many more Fighters will come here for the fame they would win by killing a Dragon.’ Farn looked alarmed. Tika said quickly, ‘We will tell this to Seela, and she will warn her Treasury. You go and fetch our supper – I will bespeak Kadi so that she can tell Broken Mountain Dragons to watch for two legs in the mountains now.’
As they travelled, over hills now rather than mountains, they watched for any signs of two legs below them. Farn’s vision was acute, while Tika searched with her mind. Time passed quickly as she tried to untangle the melange of the different “voices” she heard – the odd, scolding, repetitive comments of a bushytail as it reminded itself where it had already stored nuts for the coming Cold Season. She heard the quiet thoughts of a shaggy honeyfinder as she sought a snug place to outsleep the Cold.
Tika was amazed to find so many of the small feathered ones communicated with each other although it was a fairly simple enough form of speech. She was even more taken aback when a great eyes realised a stranger was in his mind and spoke directly to her, enquiring what she was doing. She apologised for her rudeness and explained she was a two legs and had only just discovered mind speech. The great eyes hurrumphed testily and went back to sleep, his mind firmly closed.
‘Farn, do you communicate with all creatures except two-legs?’
‘I think we can. There is not a great deal to talk about with many of them, but we can if we choose.’
They were gliding down to land beside a stream that was nearly a river for their evening halt. Farn drank and then went off to find food for their supper. He was gone only briefly, returning with a volu and three hoppers. He sprawled on the grass eating the volu and watching Tika. She still walked up and down,
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