Hunter Or Huntress

Chapter 56: Flying Lessons

Sapphire spent her days flying as much as she could get away with running errands and carrying stuff up and down. It was clear to her she had lost some strength not using her wings for that long and needed to get back into shape if she wanted to get back on top. It was almost like she had come back out of winter again. The sight of her going up and down with small loads had apparently been a sorry one. As both Unkai and Balethon were suddenly quick to offer assistance.

She denied it, of course, she wasn’t looking for their pity or skip out on her work. The two of them apparently took that to mean. I am diligent in my duty’s and will not ask for you to do them for me. Since they started trying to do it all anyway just without asking her.

She had also managed to talk Apuma and Nunuk into letting her continue flight training with Wiperna’s kids ahead of schedule. This was their first year and they had been so close to their first flight when Archeon had arrived. It hadn’t been hard to convince them, she was possibly the most skilled flyer they had and she didn't have anything better to do other than carry lumber and fertilizer around, not to mention she had helped before.

Esmeralda was a little miffed about Sapphire taking that responsibility since she was usually the one who stood for flight training. She was still needed for hunting though. Nunuk had refused to let Sapphire join them for a proper hunt yet, citing she likely wouldn’t be able to restrain herself. That comment had stung a little, mostly because she knew it was at least partially true.

She wanted to feel the rush of hunting down prey again, the sensation was almost addicting. she could take to the sky when she pleased now though. That freedom alone had her in a better mood than she had been in a while. The fun and games of teaching the kids to fly would have to do though.

Esmeralda was promised she would be staying in charge of the kids who had already taken to the sky to continue their training later. That was really the job Sapphire had wanted, but they wouldn’t be starting with that until summer rolled around. That way the new flyers could join them, not to mention they didn’t have anyone other than Sapphire to spare for the moment.

Of course, Kiran was absolutely furious she wouldn’t let him join flight training. Protesting fiercely, that he had already flown and the others hadn’t. Sapphire wasn’t sure you could call that exercise in not crashing down the stairs flying though. Still, the rules were clear, you start flight training the year you turn five and he would only be turning four until autumn.

To her delight, Tom had agreed to join them, at least for some of the lessons. The fact he could sort of fly was an excellent excuse and it provided a sort of happy medium for Kiran as they both sat together going through the lessons. The two were pretty much inseparable at this point. Tom even managed to make some ear and eye protection for Kiran for when he was working on something dangerous. Much to Esmeralda and Dakota’s despair. Wiperna and Raulf of course also dropped in to see how their kids were doing whenever they could.

The first few lessons had primarily concerned proper conduct when on the wing, to brush them up again in preparation for their first flights. Right of way, proper takeoff and landing procedures, different hand and wing signals. It was all rather boring stuff even Sapphire admitted that. Getting Turinia, Worpock, and Calhoun to all sit still at the same time and listen up was quite the struggle even with Tom’s help. The only student she had that appeared to take it seriously was in fact Kiran. Although she guessed his show of interest was just because Tom clearly found it fascinating too.

To try and break up the boring stuff, she had them running around on the ground wings spread out mimicking basic maneuvers, as well as standing on the ledge leaning into the wind. Letting them feel it with their wings. Tom particularly enjoyed when they held the kids up running around with them pretending to be flying while the kids told them where to go. Tom even managed to talk Sapphire into letting Kiran try that as well.

She had hoped Tom would take the time to relax some more rather than become the assistant teacher, but when she looked back that had been a fool's errand. The lessons had proceeded more or less as she had expected even if she of course still had both Tom’s language and science classes to attend herself.

She found all the teaching and learning exhausting. Even more so than the hauling work she was doing. Yet Tom was doing better by the day. How he managed that she had no idea, but perhaps he had slowed down a bit. Being told repeatedly by most of them that even they could see he was pushing too hard must have done the trick. Gone were the bloodshot eyes and it was rarer to see him half running through the corridors looking at paper.

It didn’t take more than a week before it was time for their first flights. She made sure Wiperna and Raulf were available to help out, so they could witness the moment. It was a big day after all. They then took up the kids carrying them beneath them and let them feel the wind under their wings properly for the first time. When she thought about it, it was actually rather similar to how Tom had taught her to swim.

Tom and Kiran had been watching from the ground as one by one the three kids were allowed to glide for a bit without assistance. It would take quite a while before they would be flying under their own power but you had to start somewhere. She had helped out with flight training before but it was still something special to witness someone's first true flight. There were a few stumbles but that’s why they were ready to catch them.

Once the first day of gliding training had been completed that had been it for Tom and Kiran though. It wasn’t nice to rub the little guy’s face in it too much that he wasn’t allowed to fly yet. And Tom had plenty of work to do now that Shiva had finished the distillery. He had been teaching them about electricity for the last few days and something called an electric motor. which he was planning to build.

Sapphire had hurt at the end of every explanation. But since it was in a way a bit like the engine that powered some of his other things, she had done her best to understand. She knew what a magnet was but she had no clue lightning could make magnets that could turn on and off. She was just happy she hadn’t been put to work drawing out the copper wire for it. Had it been a few weeks ago she just might have.

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The flight lessons had been a fun little distraction and they weren't that long either, he could perhaps even consider it cultural enrichment. That and Kiran hadn’t shut up about it for two full days had sort of sealed the deal. Now that the kids were airborne they would be leaving Sapphire to it. Kiran's enthusiasm had boiled off after it became clear he wouldn’t be allowed to try even with Tom’s assistance in persuading Sapphire.

Since Tom managed to scrounge together some ear and eye protection for Kiran it hadn’t been a problem to find something to take the little guy’s mind off flying. Work had begun on the first parts of the electric motor in earnest and further experimentation had yielded good results for the fuelcell that would power the thing. with only a small explosion occurring once.

Now though it was finally time to see if this fancy Turbo-Yeast he had bought for fuel making had done the trick. Even if drinking it was likely a bad idea it should work wonders for this. The fact that the mash was made of pig feed, leftover from winter also didn’t help. The package had said up to 20% alcohol though so it should do great for this kind of stuff.

The old grain had been easy to malt since some of it was already going. it would be some truly shitty tasting alcohol that came out of this, but for fuel that wasn’t really a concern. Convincing Raulf and Wiperna to let him use the fermenting vat for his foul concoction had been almost as tricky, but the promise of making them a better one had done the trick. They would need two if they were to make both fuel and drink anyway. Fuel came first though.

Once Shiva had declared she would have the still done within a week Tom had brewed up his pig feed concoction and filled the vat. Raulf had made sure to keep some of the precious yeast alive for the next batch. That way they didn’t spend all the dried stuff Tom had brought. The fermentation process had taken agonizingly long, despite it bubbling furiously.

Shiva had actually completed work ahead of schedule. The still was a work of beauty despite Tom’s insistence on keeping it rough and functional. The fact he had been spending less and less time in the smithy over the last week had let Shiva do as she pleased. Now that he knew what her little trick was she didn’t bother trying to hide it anymore either, so that had likely been a factor as well.

The way she could just smooth out metal was just not fair. What kind of bullshit power was it to just rub your hand on a surface to polish it in seconds. Had he been a machinist he would just have put down his tools and walked out. Sure she needed to dip her hand in oil first, so she did not rub the skin off eventually, but what he wouldn’t give to be able to do that.

The fact he hadn’t even questioned how she managed to polish those bow limbs to perfection in a day did speak to a fair amount of tunnel vision on his part. Everything else on that bow had been rough and ready, except those damn bow limbs. That should have taken days with the kind of equipment she had. He had a feeling she could do more than just polish and remove some scratches though.

It took a few days of begging and pleading to get her to properly show off, what she could do. She had taken two small copper plates leftover from the reflux tube. Pushed them against each other end to end and over the course of nearly an hour fused the two of them together. It was a painfully slow process but it was still so damn cool. He could hardly even find the seam afterward, that’s how smooth it was!

The effort left her weak on her feet and seemingly a little dizzy. Not too exhausted to handle the compliments Tom threw at her on just how cool that was though. She did have a tendency to look a bit scary but with a proud smile on, she looked a lot nicer. More like a kid’s show pirate than the true murderous kind.

They had wanted to set up the still in the shed where the vat was to make the process easier. In the end, though it had ended up in Toms workshop on his insistence. He didn't want to leave something that valuable outside the walls of the keep if he could help it.

When the concoction had stopped bubbling they fired up the still for the first time for a trial run. They slowly raised the temperature, building the fire under it. The system of adding hot or cold water to the water jacket around the boiler worked surprisingly well, keeping the temperature within a degree or two. The first round was completed in a few hours at around 80 degrees, at the runoff. In an attempt to try and refine the foul mash. The result was a nice clear solution which the hydrometer said was roughly 50% alcohol not bad for a first effort. When he wasn’t looking, Shiva, Raulf, and Wiperna had decided to have a taste. Their attempt at subterfuge being quickly ruined by the rampant coughing that had resulted in.

“So how bad was it?” Tom went, using the voice usually reserved for naughty children.

“What kind of drink is that!? It burns!” Raulf replied, in a distressed tone

“Technically I think that would be moonshine, but as I said it’s not for drinking”

“I thought you didn't want us to. That’s just as foul-tasting as the mash was smelling!” Wiperna followed up. Tom just chuckled a bit. Shiva had just done her best to remain stoic but her face betrayed her great discomfort and she did reluctantly cough a little too.

They were in the middle of setting up for the second run to hopefully get it up to something approaching fuel levels when the bell started ringing from the tower. They quickly poured some water on the fire and scrambled for their things. Not counting Tom’s explosive mishap the alarm hadn’t been sounded for over a month by now. Tom just hoped it was good news or at least neutral for once.

He was already in the workshop where his equipment was stored these days so he set to work gearing up. He even got on the cloak just in case it was nice company. It might be Jarix after all. The others all made for the armory to grab what they could.

“To battle, To battle!” Kiran roared out as he was taken off his current perch on Tom’s shoulders, So tom could get on the vest and armor.

“Let’s hope not” Now let’s get you with the others.

“I wanna fight!”

“But you're not going to, now come on” He picked up the over-excited three year old and sprinted for the door.

As he made his way up the stairs to the hall hoping to find someone who knew what was going on. Rachuck came down the other way, already in full kit.

“Three big targets approaching in formation, possibly all dragons! Please tell me you made something you haven't told me about yet?! preferably something that goes boom.” Tom was really hoping to hear a less panicked tone, as he responded with a nervous shrug and a shake of the head.

“Sorry nope, might have made fuel though” Well some of all that fancy powder might do the trick but he hadn’t made any grenades or anything like that.

“Fuck! and Dakota ain't back yet. Get up there then I’m going to the armory. Move it, guardsman!”

“Yes sir” Tom almost felt like he was back in the army for a moment there as he rushed up the stairs.

Entering the hall he was greeted with dragonettes running around frantically. Some going to get their gear, others returning in battle kit. Esmeralda, Fengi, and Dakota had all been out on the hunt and not due to return till early dusk, which was still hours away. Nunuk was up standing on a table ordering people about. He heard the outer gate slam shut as she turned to him.

“Tom get your ass up to Herron in the tower bring your telescope thingy. See if you can tell what we've got. Kokashi follow and report back”

“Yes mam, I’ll go get it” Tom responded turning to Kokashi

“Kokashi take him, will you? Meet me up there”

“Right, of course” Tom handed off a fuming Kiran, clearly not happy at not being allowed to come along for this. Such was life though.

Back down he went then. He grabbed the binos, looking about for a bit he took the belt of shotgun shells and the 12 gauge as well. If this went south it might just be Herron’s lucky day. The dude might be the calmest dragonette Tom had yet met, so he hoped that made him the least likely to be trigger happy too.

He ran back up the stairs once again. Nothing like being winded before a possible fight to the death, he thought as he made his way up. Thinking about it, what fucking chance did they stand against three dragons anyway. He really hoped Jarix had just decided to bring some friends along even if Nunuk had said that was highly unlikely. Still, he could hope, right?

When he finally got up the tower, throwing open the hatch he was faced with a very nervous-looking Herron. That in itself was fucking terrifying. Kokashi was also there, already scanning the horizon.

“What we got?”

“Three dragons far out”

“Where are they?” Herron pointed to the horizon, the weather was clear with only sporadic clouds. Tom could just about make out a group of dots, in the distance, that were moving. He couldn’t make out colors at this range though.

That was one hell of a spot for Herron even if he had used the spyglass. It did help, but it had rather poor magnification. That's what the binos were for though so he brought them up on max zoom. Trying to find them.

“How the hell did you manage to spot them that early?” There was a moment of silence before Herron answered trying to sound apologetic.

“That wire thing was just even more boring than just scanning the horizon with the spyglass so… I did that instead” Well at least he was honest about it. Still, Tom hadn't expected the wire drawing bench to increase guard efficiency around here.

He finally managed to find them coming in below a cloud catching their wings against the white of the sky behind them “One big blue, one smaller blue… he glints in the sun so I guess armored or just very shiny... One very big red one also in armor I think… Jarix and Archeon with a friend?” He questioned lowering the binoculars. He couldn’t be sure at this range though but that glint could be polished metal and they did seem to enjoy that around here.

“Let’s hope so. It won't take them long to get here at that speed” Herron replied still sounding worried. Tom handed the binos to him. He struggled a bit with looking into them thanks to his snout, but he managed. “I can’t tell who they are, the front one looks fancy though. Definitely in armor” he went after a bit of looking.

“They should easily see the keep from that distance. And Archeon knows where it is too. Why haven't they rolled a flag out yet?” Herron then continued.

“Flag?” Tom hadn’t been told about no flags?

“To let us know who they are. Did no one tell you that?”

“Archeon didn’t use a flag?”

“They were in a fight, in a storm, at night!” Right duh, still, why hadn't they fucking told him about that “I’m not sure they’re friendly.” Herron continued. In that case prep for the worst hope for the best.

“If not, pay attention.” Tom unslung the shotgun from his shoulder and the two guards' eyes went wide.

“This is a shotgun. It fires a cloud of small steel balls. It won’t hurt a dragon. Unless maybe if you are right next to them... I think… possibly. But it will rip a dragonette to shreds at maybe thirty meters.

“You would let me use it?” Herron asked with awe in his voice.

“Oh Saph and Jacky are gonna be so pissed,” Kokashi added.

“If you shut up and listen. Kokashi, go tell the others for fuck sake.” The response was immediate, Herron snapping to attention and Kokashi realized he had shit to do, stumbling down the trapdoor. There wasn’t time for chit chat. Even if Tom was hopeful everything was going to be just fine.

He went about showing how to load and fire the shotgun, how the safety worked, and so forth. It wasn’t a difficult thing to use and Herron seemed to grasp it without too much trouble.

As Herron worked on properly shouldering the too long weapon, Tom’s mind raced. Perhaps Vulzan had made such a killing on those bottles and spices he just wanted to pick up some more. Yeah, that would do it, but who was the big red one? Goddammit, that meant doing the whole foreign dude thing again. What was it his imaginary lord's name was again? Right, Sabaton. Lord Joackim of Sweden. He chuckled a bit at his own joke, Herron just looked at him worriedly at that.

“You really are crazy”