[Writing Assignment] Redemption
Katric shuffled down the line of the beach, gazing at the cloudy sky. It was going to start raining again, he just knew it. The air had that oppressive damp feeling to it, hot and sticky until he felt like he was drowning just trying to breath. He was lost in those thoughts, that trepidation for more wetness, when a flicker of motion jarred him from those thoughts. He turned to follow it and gawked. There was no mistaking the skeletally thin shadow overhead. With a shout, he turned and ran back up the beach, heat be damned.
"Donavon, Donavon! He's here! He's come back for us!" he squealed excitedly as he tore through the camp. Everyone stared at him, but he didn't care, the faces all blurring together as he ran--all those that'd doubted his conviction in the months since their exile. Donavon met him halfway up the path, staring at the former healer with no comprehension.
"E'sere, it's E'sere. He's come for us!" Katric tried again to explain, hopping around. He pointed happily up at the heavens, where the bronze was slowly growing larger, approaching to land in the midst of the camp. The instigators stared at him in wonder, every one of them, especially when Katric and Donavon, the latter finally catching on, strode boldly up to meet the rider.
"Afternoon. Ready to go home?" E'sere asks cheerfully. Katric hugged him tightly, the Weyrleader looking mildly surprised. Fortunately for him, Donavon only grinned and clapped him on the shoulder before mounting Morelenth. Katric did the same, sharing one last smug look with all those remaining in exile before E'sere climbed up behind him, and the bronze dragon winged his way upward. The last thing Katric saw of the islands was the upturned faces of those left behind.
High Reaches, though--High Reaches was just as he remembered it, but somehow... better. It seemed brighter now, without the cloud of Igen hanging over it. A crowd had already gathered below, awaiting their Weyrleader's return with the former exiles. Katric felt like kissing the ground when his feet finally reached it and the crowd surged around him.
"Kat!"
At the front of the crowd, pushing his way to Katric, was Trakasi, followed by T'kas--the bluerider's wounds had healed to faint scars that didn't hinder him at all. The pair enveloped him into a hug, all blabbering their apologies to each other for the last turns. The family reunion lasted until Katric heard someone clearing his throat nearby. Pulling away from his family just enough to see, he stared at Master Bedrich, eyes widening.
"I don't mean to interrupt, you see," began the Masterhealer. He paused to cough several times, and then continued, "But in light of recent events, we at the Hall have decided that we should reinstate your knot--journeyman. We hope you'll consider returning to the Hall and continuing to study for your mastership. We'd love to have you back, journeyman, and we can't apologize enough for our mistakes." He extended one shaky hand to Katric, holding the journeyman's knot stripped of him long ago.
Katric accepted it with a forgiving smile, and was just on the verge of offering his own thanks when, over the heads of Bedrich and the crowd, he saw another face. Pushing forward, past the clump of people, he stopped to stare at Aida. She offered him a shy half-smile as she took a step forward to meet him and--
"Ow!"
"Pay attention when you're fixing me," Donavon growled bad-temperedly.
Katric gave him a hurt look, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. And if he pressed a little harder than necessary when he continued his inspection of the other man's wounds, well. It was just the pain making his hands shaky.
"Donavon, Donavon! He's here! He's come back for us!" he squealed excitedly as he tore through the camp. Everyone stared at him, but he didn't care, the faces all blurring together as he ran--all those that'd doubted his conviction in the months since their exile. Donavon met him halfway up the path, staring at the former healer with no comprehension.
"E'sere, it's E'sere. He's come for us!" Katric tried again to explain, hopping around. He pointed happily up at the heavens, where the bronze was slowly growing larger, approaching to land in the midst of the camp. The instigators stared at him in wonder, every one of them, especially when Katric and Donavon, the latter finally catching on, strode boldly up to meet the rider.
"Afternoon. Ready to go home?" E'sere asks cheerfully. Katric hugged him tightly, the Weyrleader looking mildly surprised. Fortunately for him, Donavon only grinned and clapped him on the shoulder before mounting Morelenth. Katric did the same, sharing one last smug look with all those remaining in exile before E'sere climbed up behind him, and the bronze dragon winged his way upward. The last thing Katric saw of the islands was the upturned faces of those left behind.
High Reaches, though--High Reaches was just as he remembered it, but somehow... better. It seemed brighter now, without the cloud of Igen hanging over it. A crowd had already gathered below, awaiting their Weyrleader's return with the former exiles. Katric felt like kissing the ground when his feet finally reached it and the crowd surged around him.
"Kat!"
At the front of the crowd, pushing his way to Katric, was Trakasi, followed by T'kas--the bluerider's wounds had healed to faint scars that didn't hinder him at all. The pair enveloped him into a hug, all blabbering their apologies to each other for the last turns. The family reunion lasted until Katric heard someone clearing his throat nearby. Pulling away from his family just enough to see, he stared at Master Bedrich, eyes widening.
"I don't mean to interrupt, you see," began the Masterhealer. He paused to cough several times, and then continued, "But in light of recent events, we at the Hall have decided that we should reinstate your knot--journeyman. We hope you'll consider returning to the Hall and continuing to study for your mastership. We'd love to have you back, journeyman, and we can't apologize enough for our mistakes." He extended one shaky hand to Katric, holding the journeyman's knot stripped of him long ago.
Katric accepted it with a forgiving smile, and was just on the verge of offering his own thanks when, over the heads of Bedrich and the crowd, he saw another face. Pushing forward, past the clump of people, he stopped to stare at Aida. She offered him a shy half-smile as she took a step forward to meet him and--
"Ow!"
"Pay attention when you're fixing me," Donavon growled bad-temperedly.
Katric gave him a hurt look, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. And if he pressed a little harder than necessary when he continued his inspection of the other man's wounds, well. It was just the pain making his hands shaky.