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

Great Upheave, but that’s the way tales is told ain’t it. Somthin’s gotta be evil and somethin’s gotta be good but if they’s truth in a tale it’s apt to sit somewhere’s between the good and evil o’ those tales. I imagine if they was once people who kept with dragons they must’a been some as was good and some as what didn’t care ‘bout good nor evil.”
    “Do you think people can bond dragons today?” Asked Shira
    There was a long pause before Slance spoke again. “I reckon that what once was, iffin it ever really was, could come ‘round agin. They’s rumours back in the mount’ns that they is some what have taken up with dragons again. A few trappers what live way back in the mount’ns near the secret valleys. But they’s always some kind of rumours, specially in the mount’ns. I’ma tell ya one thing though. Iffin some’n was ter take up with a dragon, that’n ortta hide some’ers they ain’t gonna see no folks.”
    There was a long pause and both young people thought that Slance must have been asleep until his voice once again broke the night. “Was a time when I’d o’ said that’n ortta take back into the mount’ns. But not now, not anymore, they’s just too many queersome things doin’ these days. When ‘em for’ners rolled up my camp and goods from me, I follered ‘em fer a couple o’ weeks t’ see what they was about doin’. They was about a dozen of ‘em, just like all them other groups o’ for’ners. They just moved ‘round like they was lookin’ fer som’n. They was one of ‘em what was in charge, and he had a canteen skin what he was always sippin’ from. They bein’ flatlanders an’ all, they was pretty easy t’ sneak on. Every night that feller in charge would make a tea and then he’d refill that canteen o’ his’n.  One night I’s so close I could smell the herbs he was boilin’ innat tea, and it were dragonbane. Dragonbane’s got a powerful smell so I knowed what it was. I think ‘em for’ners ain’t bandits at all I think they’s flatlanders from the other side o’ the Dragon Mount’ns and I think they must be lookin’ fer dragons or folks what know some’at about dragons. And if they’s on this side o’ the mount’ns then they must be lot’s o’ em in the mount’ns right straight across t’ the other side.”
    “What happened to the ones that you were following?” Asked Shira.
    “They all died one night. I would watch ‘em every evnin’ then I would go and make my own cold camp ter sleep out the night and get up early to keep follerin’ ‘em. One morning I got t’ they camp and they was all dead. Every one of ‘em. They sentry was killed for he could make a sound and the rest was killed in they sleep. Every one of ‘em was killed by arrows. I could see the arrow holes but none o’ the arrows was left. Somebody feathered them all in the night and then went in and took back the arrows. The holes what was left was made by thin arrows, not like the arrows we use with Hillfolk long bows. And whoever took back those arrows was real good ‘cause there weren’t a single track anywhere that didn’t belong to them for’ners.”
    “Who do think that it was?” Veer asked.
    “That I don’t know, “said the man. “Think that maybe they was searchin and stumbled into one of them secret valleys. Or maybe there’s somethin’ what don’t want them to be huntin’ fer dragons.”
    “Elves?” Shira whispered.
    “I ain’t sayin’ that. But I have spent nearly fifty winters in these mount’ns and I have seed some queersome things and heared tell of some even more queersome things. Iffin they is still dragons alive ‘em forn’ers ’r gonna find ‘em ‘ventually. And’ iffin they’s somebody what has taken up with dragons that’n better get outta these hills or at least down t’ the Wall and keep t’ the low hills o’ the Wall. Iffin the for’ners see ‘em with a dragon or two they’s gonna be a fight. And’