Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind Page B

has brought us here so Siddin could be returned before his parents could fear for him another night. She is my friend, a friend to the Mud People.”
    Everyone was dumbfounded as Kahlan translated. The hunters, at least, puffed up at hearing that an enemy of the Mud People had been killed by one of their own—even if he was one of their own by proclamation and not by birth. The Mud People honored strength, and to them killing one who harmed their people meant strength.
    Scarlet’s head swung down, her ears twitching. One yellow eye frowned at Richard. “Friend! Red dragons are friends to no people! We are feared by all!”
    “You’re my friend.” Richard smiled. “I’m a person.”
    Scarlet snorted a puff of smoke at him. “Paah. I will eat you yet.”
    Richard’s grin widened. He pointed at the Bird Man. “You see this man? He gave me the whistle that I used to save your egg. If not for that whistle, the gars might have eaten your little one.” He stroked a hand on the bright red snout. “And a wonderful little one it is.”
    Scarlet tilted her head, blinking a big yellow eye at the Bird Man. “I guess he would make a meager snack.” She peered back at Richard, a chuckle rumbling in her throat. “The whole of the village wouldn’t make a decent meal. More trouble than it would be worth.” She brought her head closer to him. “If they are your friends, Richard Cypher, they are my friends, too.”
    “And Scarlet, this one is called the Bird Man because he loves creatures that fly.”
    Scarlet’s scaly eyebrows lifted. “Really?” She swung her head close to the Bird Man, inspecting him anew. The proximity of Scarlet’s big head caused a few close to him to back away a step or two. The Bird Man held his ground. “Thank you, Bird Man, for helping Richard. He has saved my young one. The Mud People have nothing to fear from me. On my dragon’s honor.”
    The Bird Man looked to Kahlan as she translated, smiled to Scarlet, and then turned to his people. “ As Richard With The Temper says, this noble dragon, Scarlet, is a friend to the Mud People. She may hunt our land, and we will bring no harm to her, nor her to us. ”
    Cheering erupted from the crowd. For a people to have a dragon as a friend was taken as an honor to their strength. Everyone seemed to be shouting with excitement. They waved their arms in the air and stamped around in little dances. Scarlet joined in the merriment by throwing her head back and sending a roaring column of flame skyward. The people cheered louder.
    Kahlan noticed Richard glancing off to the side. She followed the direction of his gaze. A small band of hunters stood together. None of them were cheering. She recognized their leader. He was the one who had blamed Richard for bringing trouble to their village; blamed Richard for Darken Rahl killing Mud People.
    As the hooting and hollering went on, Richard motioned Scarlet toward him. She lowered her head and he put his face right in her ear. She listened to whatever he was saying and then pulled her head back, regarding him with a big yellow eye. She nodded.
    Richard held out the carved bone whistle hanging from a leather thong at his neck as he turned to the Bird Man. “You gave me this as a gift, but told me it would never aid me because I could only call all the birds at once. I think maybe the good spirits wanted it that way. This gift helped me save everyone from Darken Rahl. It helped me save Kahlan. Thank you.”
    The Bird Man smiled with pride at the translation. Richard whispered in Kahlan’s ear that he would be back in a short time, and then climbed up on Scarlet.
    “Honored elder, Scarlet and I would like to give you a small gift. We would like to take you up in the air, so you may see where your beloved birds fly.” He extended a hand to the Bird Man.
    Upon hearing the translation, the elder’s eyebrows rose. He looked apprehensively at Scarlet. Her vibrant red scales were glossy in the late afternoon sun,