Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Bulldog and the Archer
Part 3 – Above the tree line, one kilometer from FS #38, early morning. (Title: The Bulldog)
*
Avalanche-
a falling and/or sliding mass of snow and debris down a mountainside or slope.
Usually destructive to everything in its path of travel. Including dragons.
*
“Charlie, would you and Danil bring those ammo cans over to the rifle platform?”
Charlie, both hands holding a single olive green metal case of recoilless rifle shells, makes his way through the snow over to the elevated platform that serves as the base for the mounted artillery piece. Sliding each can up onto the loader's platform, he turns around to help Danil with his two cans of ammo. They both trundle back on their snowshoes, slowly mashing a path from the rifle platform to the wide doorway of the magazine.
The Avalanche Team, as scheduled, had shown up at the crack of dawn at the Field Shelter. Charlie and Mayumi were already up and had breakfasted. Pots of hot water for tea were prepared, as the patrol always brought their own thermos to fill.
Looking up into the clear blue sky, his snow goggles blocking the glare from the bright sun on the snow, Charlie can see three White Hellions in flight. May is riding one of them, he knows. With their white dragon hide riding outfits, the Riders blend in completely.
Earlier, as the six team members were assembling outside the stone Field Shelter, Mayumi had summoned a Hokkaidan White Hellion to ride using her wand, which was unique in that it is also a whistle. Three had shown up, though two had Riders already mounted.
It was the job of the three riders to keep an eye open for other dragons that might become upset during the work of the Avalanche Team, for many of the local population of dragons were large and also protecting nests of eggs. It would probably take three dragons to dissuade a dragon like Agatha from interfering in the work of the team.
The Avalanche Team was there to monitor and take preemptive action to control the danger from avalanches. Today, they were going to move along the slopes and face of the mountain above Field Stations nos. 38, 39, and 40. Recoilless rifle platforms were strategically mounted along their route to allow them to start mini-avalanches, thus preventing larger ones which could potentially lead to human and dragon fatalities. Typically, it would take 6-12 well placed shell explosions to make atarget slope safe. Though the explosions themselves were usually well muffled by the thick snow, sometimes a shell would land on a barely covered cropping of rock, in which case the explosion would be quite loud. Hence, one of the prime reasons for the dragon patrol overhead.
Charlie and Danil, the member of the Avalanche Team who had helped Charlie with the ammo cans, stand back as three other team members begin to carry out their duties on the gun platform. One is a loader; one is the 'gun captain', who actually aims and fires the gun; the third member is the safety officer. The other two members of the six-man team are also range safety officers, making sure the local area is clear. They also communicate, using semaphore flags, with the dragon riders in the air.
Charlie had asked once why the team members did not use muggle technology for communication. One answer, given rather curtly by one of the older team members, was that they had been doing it this way for decades. Another team member, somewhat younger, had told Charlie that the use of radios might lead to someone else hearing the conversations, risking exposure of the Dragon Preserve and the Dragons to the Muggles. He had further explained that because of the high platinum ore content of these mountains, that there were further difficulties involved that he himself did not fully understand.
The platform safety officer calls for reports from the other two safety officers. Satisfied with their replies, he gives the gun captain permission to fire. The loader opens the breech and inserts a single round, resealing the breech afterwards. The captain takes aim, then stands back, as does the loader, and pulls the lanyard to fire the gun.
The gun spits out its load, creating a large cloud of exhaust gas behind it. Everyone follows the assumed trajectory of the flying projectile until they see a small puff in the snow of the distant slope to their left. Adull 'whump' sounds as the shell explodes beneath the snow.
Seven times more does the gun fire, until the desired effect is achieved; a small sized avalanche is created, moving slowly down the face. A few trees in the travel path, though hidden in the cloud of snow, come out intact as the mass begins to safely lose momentum and slows to a crawl, some hundred meters below its starting point. Two more rounds of ammo are expended to 'clean' up any small pockets that may not have shaken loose originally.
“Well that went well,” says Danil as he walks back towards the platform with Charlie.
“How long before you six come back?”
“Probably another two weeks, Charlie, though that depends on the weather conditions, of course.”
The remaining cans of ammunition, along with the empty ones, are sealed up and ready to go back to the magazine by the time Danil and Charlie reach the platform. The gun crew is already cleaning the barrel and the breech, as well as performing general maintenance on the gun itself. A large tarpaulin would cover the entire platform when they left, protecting the gear underneath and hiding it from dragon eyes.
The team finishes their work and gathers at the magazine, now closed and secured and covered by its own tarp. Warm drinks are consumed; notes are made and compared.
Charlie, feeling a pair of eyes boring into his back, turns and looks upwards, his hand shielding his eyes from the glare. He can see one of the White Hellions is hovering in the air several dozen meters above and behind the group. He wonders if it is May. Somehow, though, he 'feels' it isn't. He wishes it was her, he thinks to himself.
“Mr. Weasley?”
Charlie turns back to the group, having missed a question directed to himself, apparently.
“I'm sorry, was there a question?”
“Yes, Mr. Weasley. Would you please follow us to the wire-rope bridge between here and shelter #39? We would appreciate having you as a safety backup during our crossing.”
“Sure, Mr. Ackley, I'd be glad to assist.”
The next several minutes had everyone affixing snowshoes and settling their packs on their backs. One of the safety officers signals a rather lengthy message to one of the Japanese riders, who acknowledges the message by semaphore in return.
Half a kilometer later, the seven hikers find themselves at one end of a wire-rope suspended bridge that crosses a narrow ravine. The members pause to look into the rocky ravine, but can see little due to the fog that fills it afew meters below them. The sound of trickling water can be heard, as geothermal heat rises, warming the rocks within and along the outer edge of the ravine, melting the snow.
The Avalanche Team stops and removes their snowshoes. Safety lines are then passed out and affixed to each person. While they are doing that, Charlie takes from within a small utility box at the base of one of the bridge stanchions, a small block and tackle. He assembles the pieces and attaches it to a large steel ring set into the ground between the two large support stanchions.
Danil, the last one who would be crossing the narrow bridge, brings Charlie his safety line, which he quickly feeds through the pulleys. Charlie will stay on the near side of the bridge and be the anchor man for the group as they cross the narrow, swinging, wire-rope bridge.
As Charlie stands and prepares to take the slack out of the safety line, the three shadows of the White Hellions cross his line of sight, off in the distance. He looks up once again and watches as they begin to soar in formation on a thermal updraft.
The first team member begins to cross, both of her hands on the hand-rail ropes. Three meters later, the second member begins to cross.
As the fifth member begins to cross, the wind kicks up suddenly, changing direction. The fog below in the ravine begins to dissipate, being forced out of the ravine, downwind somewhere. The bridge begins to swing to and fro. Charlie can hear the creaking of the wires as the tension changes back and forth. He immediately takes up more slack on the safety line, making sure the rope is safely coiled behind him, where he can't accidentally get caught up in it.
Danil looks back at Charlie, who nods in readiness. Slowly, he too makes his way out onto the bridge, both gloved hands gripping the side wires tightly.
Onwards, like a slow caterpillar, the six team members make their way across. The wind continues to blow, forcing the bridge to toss about, up and down, and side to side. Charlie can only dig his feet in, and slowly let out the line. He doesn't want to let it out so fast that the rope sags; at the same time, he doesn't want to slow their crossing.
Finally, the first member is across. Charlie watches as she ties off a line to astanchion on the far side of the bridge.
Suddenly, in a moment between the beats of a heart, the situation drastically changes. From deep within the ravine, a sound blasts forth that no one expected; asound that no one would have welcomed. It reverberates off the rocky walls, silencing even the fierce winds. Sounds of talons on rock, scrambling ever upwards, followed by another blast of terrible sound, even closer, sends fear into the hearts of the five team members on the bridge.
For deep within the ravine, unknown to any cave team, is a secret back door to a very large cave. A cave that is a breeding ground, where three young dragons had been clutched the year before. A clutch that had previously been missing one of it's young, or so the Wardens had thought.
Bursting upwards into the daylight, the young Hebridian Black Dragon, named Orcus the year before, smashes itself into the underside of the bridge. The team members on the bridge fly upwards into the air, holding together only by their safety lines. The second and third team members each have one hand firmly on the left side wire. Members four, five (Mr. Ackley), and six (Danil), fly over the side wires on the right side.
“Bloody hell,” spits out Charlie, his teeth clenching together, as he struggles with the weight of the five team members. Slowly, he manages to loop his line around the left side stanchion and digs the heel of his boots into the ground. He wraps the line around his waist as if he was preparing to rappel. Feeling more secure, he manages to pull his wand out of his right leg pocket. He knows he doesn't have much time before the Hebridian tears into the dangling humans.
From below, the Hebridian, hanging onto the side of the ravine with his wing claws and taloned back feet, screeches out his dominance, and his hunger. He lunges once, narrowly missing the swaying body and legs of the third team member.
Then, out of the blue sky, an arrow strikes the side of the Hebridian's face with an explosive charge. The detonation, a small one, does its job and distracts the dragon from its human prey. Quickly, two more arrows, followed by another flight of three, strike either the dragon on its rough scales or the rocks around it. Angered by the assault, the Hebridian makes his way to the top edge on the far side of the ravine, extends its bat-like wings, and rears up on its hind legs to challenge. Known as one of the most vicious of the British dragons, the Hebridian Black will scare off almost any dragon. But this is ayoung one, and he has never faced the pack-tactics of three, lightning quick, experienced Hokkaidan White Hellions, and their riders.
Charlie, lying on his side with his right arm crossed over the left one, extends his wand towards the Hebridian, while still managing to hold the safety line. He doesn't want this to come to a battle. He knows if the Hebridian takes flight, and even if the Hellions scare him off, the population of this entire mountain will be in an uproar. There will be dragon blood, and there will be dragon fire. Charlie fears that May's blood might be spilt.
Waiting for the black dragon to move just another step back from the edge, Charlie plans his attack. He knows it will take magic, but in this case it's necessary. He wishes he knew where the Hellions were, and what they were doing.
Then the moment that he needed arrives.
“Ferula!Ferula! Ferula!”
Three blasts burst from Charlie's wand, sending energy that transforms into large bandages and splints, each targeted for the snout of the dragon, effectively muzzling it.
The startled black dragon begins to claw at his face, trying to tear off the offending gauze and splints. Charlie fears the dragon will gouge his own eye.
Two more quick casts of the /'Ferula' /spell immobilizes the left wing. The dragon, off balance, spins about in rage, unable to comprehend the reason for his bound condition. As his right side becomes exposed to Charlie, two more casts secure and immobilize the right wing. The young Orcus falls over onto his side, talons scraping and scratching at the snow and ice, his large triangular tail sending mounds of dirty snow flying upwards and down into the ravine.
From above, three red beams of light then rain down upon the thrashing Hebridian, as the Hellion riders all cast /'Stupefy' /upon the dangerous dragon. The young black dragon finally succumbs and is silent.
Charlie, as tense as one of the bridge cables, lets out his held breath, and slowly takes three more deep ones. He then realizes that the safety line wrapped around his left arm is cutting off his circulation, making it numb. He puts away his wand and sits up, taking the line in his right hand, unwrapping the rope from his left arm.
Suddenly, next to him, one of the White Hellions lands, its heavy body settling into the snow noisily. Leaning back, and without waiting to see who it is, he calls out, “Mayumi?”
He makes eye contact with an older rider, his black hair tied in a knot atop his head and a still-black mustache, who pauses abruptly at the sound of Charlie's partner's name, then continues to dismount from his dragon. Charlie can see that he wears the usual white dragon leather, but what is not usual to Charlie's eyes is the white painted, lacquered suit of armor upon his chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs. Charlie watches as the bow upon his back, and the quiver on his hip, are set aside.
The rider walks over, with purpose, and takes the loose end of the safety rope. Grasping it, he walks back and ties it to a hard point on the riding strap around the body of the Hellion. With a command in Japanese, the dragon begins to walk away from the bridge, trudging through snow more than a meter deep, taking up the rope slack.
Charlie quickly gets to his feet and carefully unwraps the rope from the stanchion. He looks across the ravine, seeing another Hellion with rope attached to its harness.
Slowly, the rope is pulled from both sides, enabling the Avalanche Team members to climb up and regain their footing on the bridge.
Fifteen minutes later, all six team members are safely on the other side. Three more White Hellions have arrived, bearing healers, who promptly proceed to administer first aid. Fifteen minutes more, and the original third Hellion shows back up, leading an Emergency Response Team, who all arrive on foot, having taken the floo to Field Shelter #39. The third Hellion quickly flies over to Charlie's side of the ravine. Exhausted from the exertions of the day, Charlie smiles, seeing that the rider is May.
May dismounts and crosses over to Charlie. The older Japanese rider, leaning against the flank of his dragon, asks her a question in Japanese as she walks past him.
Her answer is quick and succinct, though respectful, “Hai!”
Charlie watches the interchange. Then, as May comes close and kneels down, handing him aflask to drink from, she whispers timidly, “My father.”
Drinking from the flask as she speaks, Charlie's eyes widen slightly. Then, as the alcohol in the flask hits his palette, his eyes tear up. Zark-san chuckles at his predicament.
“Sake?”
“Iie, Shōchū. It's stronger than rice wine. They make it back at the Enclave.”
Charlie hands the flask back, deciding that a little goes a long way.
“Thanks, May, that hit the spot.”
May takes back the flask, stowing it in a pocket.
Charlie looks at her eyes, getting her attention, then looks to her father, also making eye contact.
“I want to tell you, May, your father, and the third rider...”
“...My Uncle...”
“That it was an honor, and a pleasure, to work with all three of you, taking down the Hebridian.”
Both Mayumi and Charlie, then her father, look over to where the Emergency Response Team have taken over the effort of dealing with the young black dragon, which is now more securely bound with physical restraints specifically designed for problem dragons.
“Would you please translate for me?”
May turns to her father and makes quick work of the translation. Her father turns his gaze to Charlie, returning the eye contact, as he delivers his response in Japanese.
“He says that he too is honored to work with you, and is impressed by the efforts of“The Bulldog” in subduing the Demon Dragon without unnecessary force.”
“The Bulldog?”
“Hai, it is the nickname he has given you.” May smiles hesitantly, unsure of Charlie's reaction.
“Bulldog... Ithink I like that!” Charlie's face lights up with a wide smile, as does May's, glad for his acceptance.
“How do you say'Bulldog' in Japanese?”
Zark-san replies before May can. “Burudoggu.”
*
Avalanche-
a falling and/or sliding mass of snow and debris down a mountainside or slope.
Usually destructive to everything in its path of travel. Including dragons.
*
“Charlie, would you and Danil bring those ammo cans over to the rifle platform?”
Charlie, both hands holding a single olive green metal case of recoilless rifle shells, makes his way through the snow over to the elevated platform that serves as the base for the mounted artillery piece. Sliding each can up onto the loader's platform, he turns around to help Danil with his two cans of ammo. They both trundle back on their snowshoes, slowly mashing a path from the rifle platform to the wide doorway of the magazine.
The Avalanche Team, as scheduled, had shown up at the crack of dawn at the Field Shelter. Charlie and Mayumi were already up and had breakfasted. Pots of hot water for tea were prepared, as the patrol always brought their own thermos to fill.
Looking up into the clear blue sky, his snow goggles blocking the glare from the bright sun on the snow, Charlie can see three White Hellions in flight. May is riding one of them, he knows. With their white dragon hide riding outfits, the Riders blend in completely.
Earlier, as the six team members were assembling outside the stone Field Shelter, Mayumi had summoned a Hokkaidan White Hellion to ride using her wand, which was unique in that it is also a whistle. Three had shown up, though two had Riders already mounted.
It was the job of the three riders to keep an eye open for other dragons that might become upset during the work of the Avalanche Team, for many of the local population of dragons were large and also protecting nests of eggs. It would probably take three dragons to dissuade a dragon like Agatha from interfering in the work of the team.
The Avalanche Team was there to monitor and take preemptive action to control the danger from avalanches. Today, they were going to move along the slopes and face of the mountain above Field Stations nos. 38, 39, and 40. Recoilless rifle platforms were strategically mounted along their route to allow them to start mini-avalanches, thus preventing larger ones which could potentially lead to human and dragon fatalities. Typically, it would take 6-12 well placed shell explosions to make atarget slope safe. Though the explosions themselves were usually well muffled by the thick snow, sometimes a shell would land on a barely covered cropping of rock, in which case the explosion would be quite loud. Hence, one of the prime reasons for the dragon patrol overhead.
Charlie and Danil, the member of the Avalanche Team who had helped Charlie with the ammo cans, stand back as three other team members begin to carry out their duties on the gun platform. One is a loader; one is the 'gun captain', who actually aims and fires the gun; the third member is the safety officer. The other two members of the six-man team are also range safety officers, making sure the local area is clear. They also communicate, using semaphore flags, with the dragon riders in the air.
Charlie had asked once why the team members did not use muggle technology for communication. One answer, given rather curtly by one of the older team members, was that they had been doing it this way for decades. Another team member, somewhat younger, had told Charlie that the use of radios might lead to someone else hearing the conversations, risking exposure of the Dragon Preserve and the Dragons to the Muggles. He had further explained that because of the high platinum ore content of these mountains, that there were further difficulties involved that he himself did not fully understand.
The platform safety officer calls for reports from the other two safety officers. Satisfied with their replies, he gives the gun captain permission to fire. The loader opens the breech and inserts a single round, resealing the breech afterwards. The captain takes aim, then stands back, as does the loader, and pulls the lanyard to fire the gun.
The gun spits out its load, creating a large cloud of exhaust gas behind it. Everyone follows the assumed trajectory of the flying projectile until they see a small puff in the snow of the distant slope to their left. Adull 'whump' sounds as the shell explodes beneath the snow.
Seven times more does the gun fire, until the desired effect is achieved; a small sized avalanche is created, moving slowly down the face. A few trees in the travel path, though hidden in the cloud of snow, come out intact as the mass begins to safely lose momentum and slows to a crawl, some hundred meters below its starting point. Two more rounds of ammo are expended to 'clean' up any small pockets that may not have shaken loose originally.
“Well that went well,” says Danil as he walks back towards the platform with Charlie.
“How long before you six come back?”
“Probably another two weeks, Charlie, though that depends on the weather conditions, of course.”
The remaining cans of ammunition, along with the empty ones, are sealed up and ready to go back to the magazine by the time Danil and Charlie reach the platform. The gun crew is already cleaning the barrel and the breech, as well as performing general maintenance on the gun itself. A large tarpaulin would cover the entire platform when they left, protecting the gear underneath and hiding it from dragon eyes.
The team finishes their work and gathers at the magazine, now closed and secured and covered by its own tarp. Warm drinks are consumed; notes are made and compared.
Charlie, feeling a pair of eyes boring into his back, turns and looks upwards, his hand shielding his eyes from the glare. He can see one of the White Hellions is hovering in the air several dozen meters above and behind the group. He wonders if it is May. Somehow, though, he 'feels' it isn't. He wishes it was her, he thinks to himself.
“Mr. Weasley?”
Charlie turns back to the group, having missed a question directed to himself, apparently.
“I'm sorry, was there a question?”
“Yes, Mr. Weasley. Would you please follow us to the wire-rope bridge between here and shelter #39? We would appreciate having you as a safety backup during our crossing.”
“Sure, Mr. Ackley, I'd be glad to assist.”
The next several minutes had everyone affixing snowshoes and settling their packs on their backs. One of the safety officers signals a rather lengthy message to one of the Japanese riders, who acknowledges the message by semaphore in return.
Half a kilometer later, the seven hikers find themselves at one end of a wire-rope suspended bridge that crosses a narrow ravine. The members pause to look into the rocky ravine, but can see little due to the fog that fills it afew meters below them. The sound of trickling water can be heard, as geothermal heat rises, warming the rocks within and along the outer edge of the ravine, melting the snow.
The Avalanche Team stops and removes their snowshoes. Safety lines are then passed out and affixed to each person. While they are doing that, Charlie takes from within a small utility box at the base of one of the bridge stanchions, a small block and tackle. He assembles the pieces and attaches it to a large steel ring set into the ground between the two large support stanchions.
Danil, the last one who would be crossing the narrow bridge, brings Charlie his safety line, which he quickly feeds through the pulleys. Charlie will stay on the near side of the bridge and be the anchor man for the group as they cross the narrow, swinging, wire-rope bridge.
As Charlie stands and prepares to take the slack out of the safety line, the three shadows of the White Hellions cross his line of sight, off in the distance. He looks up once again and watches as they begin to soar in formation on a thermal updraft.
The first team member begins to cross, both of her hands on the hand-rail ropes. Three meters later, the second member begins to cross.
As the fifth member begins to cross, the wind kicks up suddenly, changing direction. The fog below in the ravine begins to dissipate, being forced out of the ravine, downwind somewhere. The bridge begins to swing to and fro. Charlie can hear the creaking of the wires as the tension changes back and forth. He immediately takes up more slack on the safety line, making sure the rope is safely coiled behind him, where he can't accidentally get caught up in it.
Danil looks back at Charlie, who nods in readiness. Slowly, he too makes his way out onto the bridge, both gloved hands gripping the side wires tightly.
Onwards, like a slow caterpillar, the six team members make their way across. The wind continues to blow, forcing the bridge to toss about, up and down, and side to side. Charlie can only dig his feet in, and slowly let out the line. He doesn't want to let it out so fast that the rope sags; at the same time, he doesn't want to slow their crossing.
Finally, the first member is across. Charlie watches as she ties off a line to astanchion on the far side of the bridge.
Suddenly, in a moment between the beats of a heart, the situation drastically changes. From deep within the ravine, a sound blasts forth that no one expected; asound that no one would have welcomed. It reverberates off the rocky walls, silencing even the fierce winds. Sounds of talons on rock, scrambling ever upwards, followed by another blast of terrible sound, even closer, sends fear into the hearts of the five team members on the bridge.
For deep within the ravine, unknown to any cave team, is a secret back door to a very large cave. A cave that is a breeding ground, where three young dragons had been clutched the year before. A clutch that had previously been missing one of it's young, or so the Wardens had thought.
Bursting upwards into the daylight, the young Hebridian Black Dragon, named Orcus the year before, smashes itself into the underside of the bridge. The team members on the bridge fly upwards into the air, holding together only by their safety lines. The second and third team members each have one hand firmly on the left side wire. Members four, five (Mr. Ackley), and six (Danil), fly over the side wires on the right side.
“Bloody hell,” spits out Charlie, his teeth clenching together, as he struggles with the weight of the five team members. Slowly, he manages to loop his line around the left side stanchion and digs the heel of his boots into the ground. He wraps the line around his waist as if he was preparing to rappel. Feeling more secure, he manages to pull his wand out of his right leg pocket. He knows he doesn't have much time before the Hebridian tears into the dangling humans.
From below, the Hebridian, hanging onto the side of the ravine with his wing claws and taloned back feet, screeches out his dominance, and his hunger. He lunges once, narrowly missing the swaying body and legs of the third team member.
Then, out of the blue sky, an arrow strikes the side of the Hebridian's face with an explosive charge. The detonation, a small one, does its job and distracts the dragon from its human prey. Quickly, two more arrows, followed by another flight of three, strike either the dragon on its rough scales or the rocks around it. Angered by the assault, the Hebridian makes his way to the top edge on the far side of the ravine, extends its bat-like wings, and rears up on its hind legs to challenge. Known as one of the most vicious of the British dragons, the Hebridian Black will scare off almost any dragon. But this is ayoung one, and he has never faced the pack-tactics of three, lightning quick, experienced Hokkaidan White Hellions, and their riders.
Charlie, lying on his side with his right arm crossed over the left one, extends his wand towards the Hebridian, while still managing to hold the safety line. He doesn't want this to come to a battle. He knows if the Hebridian takes flight, and even if the Hellions scare him off, the population of this entire mountain will be in an uproar. There will be dragon blood, and there will be dragon fire. Charlie fears that May's blood might be spilt.
Waiting for the black dragon to move just another step back from the edge, Charlie plans his attack. He knows it will take magic, but in this case it's necessary. He wishes he knew where the Hellions were, and what they were doing.
Then the moment that he needed arrives.
“Ferula!Ferula! Ferula!”
Three blasts burst from Charlie's wand, sending energy that transforms into large bandages and splints, each targeted for the snout of the dragon, effectively muzzling it.
The startled black dragon begins to claw at his face, trying to tear off the offending gauze and splints. Charlie fears the dragon will gouge his own eye.
Two more quick casts of the /'Ferula' /spell immobilizes the left wing. The dragon, off balance, spins about in rage, unable to comprehend the reason for his bound condition. As his right side becomes exposed to Charlie, two more casts secure and immobilize the right wing. The young Orcus falls over onto his side, talons scraping and scratching at the snow and ice, his large triangular tail sending mounds of dirty snow flying upwards and down into the ravine.
From above, three red beams of light then rain down upon the thrashing Hebridian, as the Hellion riders all cast /'Stupefy' /upon the dangerous dragon. The young black dragon finally succumbs and is silent.
Charlie, as tense as one of the bridge cables, lets out his held breath, and slowly takes three more deep ones. He then realizes that the safety line wrapped around his left arm is cutting off his circulation, making it numb. He puts away his wand and sits up, taking the line in his right hand, unwrapping the rope from his left arm.
Suddenly, next to him, one of the White Hellions lands, its heavy body settling into the snow noisily. Leaning back, and without waiting to see who it is, he calls out, “Mayumi?”
He makes eye contact with an older rider, his black hair tied in a knot atop his head and a still-black mustache, who pauses abruptly at the sound of Charlie's partner's name, then continues to dismount from his dragon. Charlie can see that he wears the usual white dragon leather, but what is not usual to Charlie's eyes is the white painted, lacquered suit of armor upon his chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs. Charlie watches as the bow upon his back, and the quiver on his hip, are set aside.
The rider walks over, with purpose, and takes the loose end of the safety rope. Grasping it, he walks back and ties it to a hard point on the riding strap around the body of the Hellion. With a command in Japanese, the dragon begins to walk away from the bridge, trudging through snow more than a meter deep, taking up the rope slack.
Charlie quickly gets to his feet and carefully unwraps the rope from the stanchion. He looks across the ravine, seeing another Hellion with rope attached to its harness.
Slowly, the rope is pulled from both sides, enabling the Avalanche Team members to climb up and regain their footing on the bridge.
Fifteen minutes later, all six team members are safely on the other side. Three more White Hellions have arrived, bearing healers, who promptly proceed to administer first aid. Fifteen minutes more, and the original third Hellion shows back up, leading an Emergency Response Team, who all arrive on foot, having taken the floo to Field Shelter #39. The third Hellion quickly flies over to Charlie's side of the ravine. Exhausted from the exertions of the day, Charlie smiles, seeing that the rider is May.
May dismounts and crosses over to Charlie. The older Japanese rider, leaning against the flank of his dragon, asks her a question in Japanese as she walks past him.
Her answer is quick and succinct, though respectful, “Hai!”
Charlie watches the interchange. Then, as May comes close and kneels down, handing him aflask to drink from, she whispers timidly, “My father.”
Drinking from the flask as she speaks, Charlie's eyes widen slightly. Then, as the alcohol in the flask hits his palette, his eyes tear up. Zark-san chuckles at his predicament.
“Sake?”
“Iie, Shōchū. It's stronger than rice wine. They make it back at the Enclave.”
Charlie hands the flask back, deciding that a little goes a long way.
“Thanks, May, that hit the spot.”
May takes back the flask, stowing it in a pocket.
Charlie looks at her eyes, getting her attention, then looks to her father, also making eye contact.
“I want to tell you, May, your father, and the third rider...”
“...My Uncle...”
“That it was an honor, and a pleasure, to work with all three of you, taking down the Hebridian.”
Both Mayumi and Charlie, then her father, look over to where the Emergency Response Team have taken over the effort of dealing with the young black dragon, which is now more securely bound with physical restraints specifically designed for problem dragons.
“Would you please translate for me?”
May turns to her father and makes quick work of the translation. Her father turns his gaze to Charlie, returning the eye contact, as he delivers his response in Japanese.
“He says that he too is honored to work with you, and is impressed by the efforts of“The Bulldog” in subduing the Demon Dragon without unnecessary force.”
“The Bulldog?”
“Hai, it is the nickname he has given you.” May smiles hesitantly, unsure of Charlie's reaction.
“Bulldog... Ithink I like that!” Charlie's face lights up with a wide smile, as does May's, glad for his acceptance.
“How do you say'Bulldog' in Japanese?”
Zark-san replies before May can. “Burudoggu.”
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