Chapter 25: Not Again

As Tom went flying he thought to himself, he really needed to work on situational awareness. There might be a storm raging, and the wind howling to the point of making him half-deaf, but three times in as many minutes was too often to be surprised from behind. His assailant was yet another dark-colored dragonette, it seemingly didn’t care for carrying him off though. Instead, it just threw him clear of the dragon as it made its way out of combat. Really! it didn’t even bother with a monologue he was just chucked into the dark.

So now he was falling through the sky flailing his arms around screaming like a little girl. He had come here to feel alive again, on that front he had to give the mysterious voice credit, mission fucking successful. He had no clue how high he was nor which way was up or down. He was spinning wildly though, that much he could figure out.

He had been parachuting before, so he stretched his arms and legs out and backward to stabilize his fall, that did the trick and he leveled out. He couldn’t see the ground but then again he probably wouldn’t until right before he hit. He wondered just how high he had been and if anyone would be able to catch him. Why didn’t he bring his parachute, even if the arrow to the back would have fucked it up anyway, that was still stupid. This was the second time he had needed it. This whole situation was stupid. As he plummeted, swearing at himself, he heard a hasty wingbeat trailing after him.

As Dakota grabbed hold of him, she did not seem pleased.

“Could you at least try and watch you back.” Tom wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that, he had not volunteered for any of this, and had generally no clue what was going on. So he really didn’t think she was being fair, even if he had fuckedup considerably this time.

As she began pulling up, Tom started having flashbacks to the last time this happened, only this time he couldn’t see because of all the rain hitting his face and he didn’t have his regular goggles on account of the Nightvision set dangling from his helmet. He did think he saw something shiny though, and the exclamation of “Ohh!” from Dakota kinda resigned him to his fate. This was gonna suck a lot.

That is when his legs hit the water of the small lake, lady luck had so generously placed beneath him. Dakota let go and curled into a ball, skimming on the surface a few times before coming to rest. He face-planted into the water like a newbie on waterskis. The entry hadn’t been graceful but it wasn’t terminal velocity either. That was something at least, as he trod water, feeling sore all over. He checked his stuff and to his amazement, it seemed he had everything, even his rifle was still swung over his back.

It felt weird swimming in lower gravity, buoyancy was reduced accordingly but his strokes could propel him further out the water, it sort of compensated for all the stuff he was wearing, even if he was beginning to doubt his decision to go with plate for the arms.

As he pondered the physics of the situation, he heard the gurgling screaming coming from Dakota. She was thrashing around in the water. maybe she had broken something on impact? Tom began to swim over as fast as he could manage in his ungainly equipment. As he came closer he could hear Dakota beginning to cough water, she was clearly not doing well, could she not swim?

He finally made it over to find her with her head under and in a state of panic, if she couldn’t swim he really couldn’t blame her for panicking, it was dark, stormy, and pouring with rain. Plus she had just fallen out of the sky, literally. Tom knew drowning people were dangerous, a panicked individual could easily end up killing their rescuer as well. He knew from his swimming lessons when he was little, that he needed to get a hold around her arms and chest from behind. That way she couldn’t grab him in turn. Seeing which way she was pointing was a bit of a challenge though in the near-zero visibility conditions. As he saw her shoot up to the surface again, water pouring from her mouth, arms flailing and wings trying to beat. He decided he better do something even if it was stupid.

He grabbed her by one of the flailing arms, pulling her in. She didn’t seem to understand what was going on and tried to grab a hold of him to push herself up. Tom grabbed her offside shoulder and yanked as hard as he could, ripping himself free of her grip. He wrapped his arms around her as she struggled and tried to scream, nothing but water and gasping sounds came out though.

Tom thought she must be fucking terrified as he kicked hard to keep them both above water. Now he was stuck with a half-drowned dragonette in steel armor, carrying irreplaceable weapons, in the middle of a lake, at night, in a storm And he had no clue where the shore was. The rain and wind did give a direction. He angled so the wind would help push them along, hopefully in the right direction.

“Now, now, it's all gonna be fine, my turn to savior, you make it, all is fine” Tom tried his best to sound calm and reassuring. Despite his own heart rate being through the roof, and his body feeling like he had been beaten up in a back alley.

Dakota continued coughing and heaving for air, apparently not quite done yet. That was good at least, she also seemed to stop struggling, instead just focusing on trying to breathe now he was keeping her head above water.

As he swam he heard Fengi flying overhead calling out

“Where are you! Dakota!! Tom!!!” She sounded terrified, on the verge of tears Tom thought

“Down here, both here” He shouted back up

“Tom!” came the reply, sounding like she was ready to charge down and hug him.

“Where, land?” Tom had no idea where he was going just trying to use the wind as a guide.

“Over here follow me” She replied, “We need to get you out quickly!” That didn’t sound good, was there something nasty down here. Tom really didn’t need to have a lake monster to deal with on top of all this.

“Going” Tom replied, trying to get what little speed he could, kicking towards the shore.

“Hurry you are gonna freeze” Fengi shouted down sounding a little panicked again. Wait, was that it? Cold water and they had been flying in the cold rain and wind. As he turned his attention back to Dakota, her breathing was slowing down if only a little. He hadn’t noticed trying to get to shore. And her lungs were already half full of water, this was really not good.

As Tom redoubled his efforts Esmeralda and Rachuck came down following the shouting.

“We need to get her out of there” Rachuck demanded seeing the situation”

“But how we can’t just lift them up” Fengi protested

“Just grab Dakota, she'll freeze to death” Tom shouted up demanding. It was cold down here, but he would be fine for a while, it was spring after all.

“But Tom” Fengi tried getting cut off

“For Christ sake get her out, I’m fine” Tom shouted up

“We need a run-up, Tom!” Esmeralda clarified, “we can’t hover”. Well, that was just marvelous, Tom thought. This damned weather probably didn’t help either.

“Right then, old fashioned way, get blankets and fire onshore”

“On it!” Came the reply from Esmeralda

“How far to shore Fengi”

“A few hundred meters or so,” Fengi shouted back down. Tom’s heart sank, that would take forever swimming at this speed! Dakota had been in just a few and was already beginning to show signs of shutting down.

Most of the coughing had stopped no she was just wheezing for breath, lungs clearly flooded

“I don’t wanna die here” She sounded terrified and clearly crying.

“Don’t worry, all fine” Damn he wished he was better at this godforsaken language right now. Dakota just started crying and coughing, trying to draw breaths.

“Not like this. Not like this please!” she was trying to shout but simply didn’t have the air for it.

“We need something that can float, Rachuck! Now!” Tom shouted up more of the others had shown up circling watching helplessly. Rachuck began ordering people about trying to get something together.

“You fine, no problem, all is fine” Tom tried his best to calm the dragonette, he wouldn’t let himself lie again he continued swimming for the shore. He needed to get her out of the water.

The massive dragon had come swooping down over them bellowing out in its booming voice

“Where are they? I can’t see them.”

“Do you have something that floats? If so throw it in!” Tom shouted up not sure if the beast could hear him

Rachuck was quick to seize that idea though. Heading after the massive beast. As they came around again they dropped a big wooden crate into the water which seemed to float.

Right, time for the Jack and Rose maneuver, Tom thought to himself. Swimming slowly over to the crate.

“Dakota, Need your help, get on box” Tom Crossed his fingers Dakota was still conscious enough to understand what his pidgin draconic meant. As he tried to push her onto the big crate. She grabbed on trying to pull herself up but the crate just rolled over.

“Hold on box!” Tom tried sounding as stern as he could muster, he was honestly starting to panic too right about now.

Dakota just sobbed in reply and leaned her head against the box. She grabbed on to some rope serving as a handle on the box. Tom swam to the other side letting her hang on by herself and dived. He then swam up as hard as he could, breaking the surface and grabbing onto the crate, pulling it down with him, trying to roll it.

“Come on din fucking lorte kasse rul!” shouted out as he pulled down for all he was worth, He was exhausted too by now. It hadn’t exactly been a quiet night. As he heaved the crate finally rolled over, as his head went under all he felt was a relief. That stupid idea had actually worked. Now he just needed to push the box to shore. As he came up he saw Dakota lying in the water having let go of the rope.

"Nej du kan lige våge på at dø på mig! Jeg lyver ikke igen!" He continued. He dived again going deeper this time, he swam hard for the surface and shot up onto the crate grabbing hold of Dakota's arms, he dragged her now unmoving body onto the side of the crate holding her by the wrists. He yanked her up using his own weight to try and counterbalance. As he leaned back over the edge of the crate it began to roll, bringing Dakota out of the water.

As he went back into the freezing water, he let out a cheer of celebration, he fucking did it. Then he just sat there in the water, he was utterly exhausted and still far from the shore. He at least had a crate to hang onto now. He could just swim for the shore. He could hear the others shouting from above, but he couldn’t make it out. There was still coughing and wheezing sound coming from Dakota. He just followed the sound of Fengi too tired to think about anything else right now.

He didn’t know how long he swam, but for it seemed like forever. Just keep on kicking he thought to himself, you don’t lose till you give up. Just keep on kicking. Just keep on kicking. Hey, he had turned into Dory, Just keep on swimming, just keep on swimming. He let out a little chuckle at the absurdity of that. Was he finally starting to lose it completely, how could he find this funny!?

But he kept kicking, if Dory was gonna save the day so be it, just keep kicking. When he finally felt someone grab onto the crate and start pulling, he was too exhausted to do anything more than just hang on as he was pulled along.

He felt the mud beneath him as he was dragged out of the water and laid on the grass next to the shore. Herron standing over him looking down at him.

“I fight to win” Was all he got out before he passed out smiling as he did so, shivering as if his life depended on it. Which it might actually.

He came to a bit later, lying next to a fire wrapped in a blanket, he was still on the ground though. His teeth were chattering like a madman and he could feel his jaw hurting from the effort. He was outside still but it was dry here? As he looked up he saw a massive wing stretching over him, He could hear the rain drumming on the membrane.

“Huh, neat” He let out, turning to look around. He saw Dakota also lying next to the fire wrapped in blankets, Nunuk currently sitting over her, concentrating it seemed.

Tom tried sitting up to get a look around. As he got up he was tackled by Rachuck.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He blurted out seeming very upset as he hugged Tom. Tom concluded it was crying season, for he could swear the captain was sobbing too.

“For what?” Tom had retorted trying to sound snarky, while chittering, trying his best to smile at Rachuck

“Oh, you crazy bastard you know for what.” Rachuck said, pulling back, giving Tom a bump on the shoulder.

“Returning the favor, still one down.” Tom said, trying to chuckle “ rather not do again though. How she?”

“She’s too close to call, I don’t know” Nunuke spoke up “I must say it is damn lucky you are apparently part fish too.” She sounded quite serious

“What are her chances?” Tom asked tentatively.

“I said I don’t know.” Nunuk retorted, going back to her still lifeless daughter.

Rachuck broke the following awkward silence“How about you, you okay? I have never seen somebody be in the water that long, not at this time of year anyway” Rachuck glanced at Tom, peering out from his bundle of furs and blankets.

“Yeah, I be good. Just little cold."

“Understandable” Rachuck went with a chuckle, whipping away the tears.

“You think she live?”

“Yeah, she is tougher than me that’s for sure. The others are outside, we wanted to give you a little peace and quiet. Come out when you have warmed up again.” With that Rachuck walked out under the wing leaving the three alone.