Dragons of Summer Tide (The Dragons of Hwandor) by Robert Barton

retreat to the tree tops to eat.  “An odd bird, I say. And ‘em dogs don’t much care fer it neither.” Slance noted out loud, then he continued. “The Furway’s not ‘at safe anymore, with all ‘ese for’n bandits.  ‘At’s why I’m here ‘stead of at the fur trade camp at the bottom o’ the trail. I was almost there and some o’ these for’ners took all my furs and most o’ my s’plies. So I headed back up trail to find out what’s a doin with ‘em. I think they’s comin’ from across the dragon mount’ns. Never heard tell of it but they’s comin’ out of the mountains and they ain’t any kind o’ highland folk I know of. Gotta be flatlanders t’ be stupid ‘nough to pee where they drink. Thing is they got a big camp back in the mountains. They’s hunerd’s o’ ‘em in and outta that camp. They go all over the hills in groups o’ ‘bout a dozen ‘r so. They burn a few homes and villages here an’ there and steal whatnot, but they act like they’s searchin’ for somethin’. They’s some queer doin’s in ‘ese hills o’ late, mighty queer doin’s . Welp, looks like we’s outta meat for these dogs an’ they look full enough. Might as well eat our fill now. Better clean up.” The man stood and went to a water bag and tipped a bit of water out to wash his hands and knife. Veer and Shira waited their turn and did likewise.
    As they sat to eat Slance nodded toward the horse that Veer had ridden in on and spoke. ”Know a man a couple weeks up trail what’s got a horse just like ‘at ‘n, got a sword just like your’n too.” Both young people stopped in mid bite and looked at one another. The older man started again. “Easiest way t’ get the truth told, s’prise questions. Folks gotta tell the truth or look silly tryin’ to make up lies. So then ye either know the truth or ye know who the liars are.”
    “Was this man a ranger named Talenger?” Asked Shira.
    “Was - hunh? So’s I reckon that he ain’t no more, blessin’s on the dead,” Slance responded.
    “Blessings on the dead.” Both young people repeated in the ageless Hillfolk custom.
    “No, he isn’t. Veer responded. Then Veer and Shira told the old trapper their respective stories and then the story they had in common.
    Slance listened to both young people and then he nodded and the started to speak with the customary condolences. “Sorry for y e loss. Inter’sting tales, ‘ceptin’ the parts you left out. Both got snakebit and survived. Then you got the mountains own luck. ‘Less you had some snakebane root to make a tea outta, that could save ye, tales say that long ago it could even save you from a poisoned dragon bite, they’s som’s as even calls it dragonbane root.”
    “No we didn’t have any snakebane. I was told that it is dangerous and can make you go insane ,” responded Shira
    “My gramp said to never use it that it would be better to die than be that crazy ,” added Veer
    “Yep, ‘at is what they say.” The older man said as he looked the two of them over. “I don’t think so, meself. I spent a couple a years flatlandin’ it and got t’ know some flatlanders. Lived in a flatland town a few weeks west of the Wall. Nice enough people, ain’t got the sense to not lay an apple on the ground, but I reckon they don’t need good sense anyway ‘cause an apple won’t roll on flatland.  Anyways they have a kind o’ beer what they make that ain’t flavoured with hops like most beer. They use dragonbane flow’rs in it. They mostly have regular beer but they’ll make some of this dragon beer as they calls it. They charge a lot fer it at the inns. They do get a little crazy but I think it’s only the crazy they get from beer and none from the dragonbane. The way I see it is ‘at the ancient tales say that the mountains here got they name from dragons. I also hear rumours ‘at some as claim t’ see dragons from time t’ time. Tales also say ‘at dragons have a magic what