Maude

Although another route had been opened up through Thunderhead Savanna, the herders remained cautious about it. It wound into the distance, disappearing around banks of grass, and lightning glittered forebodingly overhead.

“I wouldn’t take that path if I were you. Still a bit too easy to get lost out there.”

The clan whirled, weapons at the ready—and then they all sighed in relief. The speaker was a Skydancer in dusty, travel-stained clothes, leaning comfortably against a tree as if she owned the whole land. Her boldly-blotched wings were folded behind her, concealed in the sun-dappled shade. A steelhound crouched at her side. Unlike many machines, this one was quiescent. Its red eyes shone steadily as it took in the approaching clan.

The dragons parted to let an older Tundra pass; he inhaled and then smiled so widely that his canines shone. “I’d know that scent even in the middle of a wildfire. It is good to see you again, friend Maude.”

Maude allowed herself a smile of greeting. She walked away from the road, and without hesitation, the clan followed her.

“We would take our usual route, but one of our hunters suffered an accident and we had to wait for him to recover. Now we are behind schedule,” the old Tundra sighed, looking fretfully at the storm clouds.

“So you thought to take the new road?”

“That’s right. We haven’t heard good things about it, though—apparently some Beastclans have pitched camp nearby.” The clan leader laughed ruefully. “Someone will probably get rid of them. But that someone is not us.”

Maude nodded calmly. She gazed into the distance, and her eyes glittered like lightning. “We shall have to cut through the wilderness.”

The Tundra’s fur bristled. But he nodded. “All right.”

“It’ll be tough, but you’ll make it. You’ll be safely in the lowlands before the rains set in—and we’ll be far enough from the Beastclan raiders to escape their notice.”

“And what payment will you take, friend Maude?”

“Merely your goodwill,” she responded. Coming from other dragons, that would have generated suspicion, but the leader only inclined his head to her. “You’re too kind.”

The arrival of this stranger didn’t go unnoticed. Many of the youngsters were used to their elders being close-mouthed, almost standoffish, towards outsiders. Maude, however, was welcomed with more warmth than they’d seen in a long time. At night, the clan leader invited her to eat with him and his advisors, and though she declined, they didn’t seem offended, even surprised, at all. Remembering the leader’s earlier words, the youngsters had to ask, “Has she been with our clan before?”

“She is a loner who dwells within the desert,” the elders explained later on. By then, they were some days into their trek across Thunderhead Savanna. They followed no trail, but Maude was the best guide they could wish for. She normally stood out, her blotched wings easily visible, though when she wanted to she could drop low and vanish among the grass and shadows. At night, it was easy to mistake her eyes for a distant thunderstorm, for they were always glowing, and sparks sometimes leaped from them.

“We’ve heard it said that she was born to ranchers. She certainly seems to know her way around animals.”

Like many nomads, this particular clan had livestock they relied on for food and other resources. They did not have enough power or wealth to establish ranchlands of their own, so instead they followed the herd. Theirs was an exciting life, but it was perilous: They were exposed to the elements and hostile wildlife, and were sometimes attacked by bandits or Beastclans. In recent years, the herders had learned to band together: They followed their livestock across the Savanna, an enormous group of dragons and coursing skiras all traveling together. Such a massive gathering would deter even the most bloodthirsty attackers—but this clan had been left behind.

Clans often lagged behind due to disagreements, illness, or accidents, as this one had. If that occurred, they had to hire protection or make the journey alone—a risky choice, given how untamed the savanna was. This clan had been lucky enough to find Maude...or perhaps she had found them.

“She is known to many clans of the Shifting Expanse. Guiding or guarding, herding the animals, it doesn’t matter.” The elders nodded to where Maude paced, just outside where the herd had been picketed for the night. At times a curious beast approached her, and she would pause and feed it treats from her belt pouch, talking soothingly all the while. “She will help whoever needs it, so long as their purposes are good.”

Maude continued traveling with the herders. She guided through the wilds until finally, in the distance, the flashes of lightning were joined by the steadier, warmer glows of campfires. The other herders were in sight, and this clan would be safe now.

“Where is Maude?” the old leader asked later on. He had a pouch of treasure clutched in one paw and was looking around quizzically. One of the guards pointed, and as he squinted, he saw a speck on the horizon—Maude had left them and was flying home at last.

“Typical. She never collects her pay,” the Tundra sighed. He turned back to his clan and began giving instructions. The youngsters were once again herded into a tight little knot under the watch of their caretakers. They were surprised that, after all Maude had done for them, she had refused any reward.

“Is she an angel?” they wondered aloud. The elders laughed gently. “Not at all,” they replied, and though they sounded slightly cynical, there was no bitterness in their words. “Angels answer only to the gods and will carry out even the worst crimes, should the gods will it. But Maude would never do that. She is better than any angel the gods could ever send, for she is a friend.”

~ written by Disillusionist (254672)
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