Wyvern Rider (A story in the Ravenglass Universe) - IX

An orphan girl and an orphaned wyvern find shared a destiny...

Over the next week, Irina and Nim continued their training under Ksenia’s guidance. Each day, Irina could feel her bond with Nim growing stronger, a constant hum of connection thrumming between them.

And it wasn’t just their mental link that was developing. Nim himself was growing at an astonishing rate. By the end of the week, he had doubled in size from when Irina first found him.

“He’s looking strong,” Ksenia said one morning, watching as Nim bounded around the clearing, pouncing on insects and small rodents. “His hunting instincts are really kicking in.”

Irina nodded. It was incredible to see how far Nim had come in such a short time.

Nim paused in his play and trotted over to Irina. He chirped, butting his head against her hand.

Irina laughed, stroking his scales. “You’re getting so big, Nim. Soon you’ll be too heavy for me to carry.”

The wyvern trilled, his tail swishing. Then he darted back into the underbrush.

Irina made to follow, but Ksenia laid a hand on her arm. “Wait. Let’s see what he does.”

They watched as Nim sniffed around the base of a large tree, his claws digging into the soft earth. He circled the trunk, his head cocked, as if listening for something.

He reared up on his hind legs and slammed his front claws against the bark.

A startled squeak sounded from above as a fat squirrel came tumbling down, landing dazed at Nim’s feet.

The wyvern snatched the creature up in his jaws.

“Good job, Nim!” Irina clapped her hands.

Ksenia nodded, a small smile on her lips. “He’s learning to use his environment to his advantage. That’s a crucial skill for any predator.”

Nim led Irina to a rotting log, chirping until she understood his intention.

“You want me to overturn it?”

Nim bobbed his head, his thoughts pulsing with anticipation.

Shrugging, Irina gripped the log and heaved. It rolled over with a damp thud, revealing a writhing mass of bugs and grubs beneath.

Nim dove in, snapping up the insects.

Irina watched, fascinated and a little disgusted.

“He’s learning to communicate his needs,” Ksenia said, coming to stand beside her. “And he’s starting to understand that you can help him, that you’re a partner in his hunts.”

The idea of being Nim’s partner, of working together as a team…it felt right. Like this was what she was meant to do.

As the sun began to dip towards the horizon, Nim made his way to a small rise at the edge of the clearing. He stood there, his wings half-spread, the breeze ruffling his scales.

“What’s he doing?”

Ksenia’s eyes widened. “I think he’s going to try to fly.”

Nim crouched, his muscles bunching, and launched himself into the air.

For a moment, he hung there, his wings straining. Then, with a few awkward flaps, he managed to glide forward, covering a distance of several feet before tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

“Nim!” Irina rushed over. But the wyvern was already struggling to his feet, shaking himself off. He looked up at Irina, his eyes shining.

“That was amazing.” Irina knelt, running her hands over his wings. “You flew! Well, sort of.”

Nim chirped, his chest puffing out. He hopped back up the rise, clearly intent on trying again.

But before he could make another attempt, Ksenia’s head snapped up, her body going tense. “We need to go. Now!”

Irina frowned, rising to her feet. “What? Why?”

Ksenia pointed to the far side of the clearing. “Hunters.”

Just visible through the trees, stalked two men. They wore rough leathers and carried bows, quivers bristling with arrows at their backs.

“Nim. Come here. Quickly.”

Irina scooped him up, cradling him close to her chest.

“This way,” Ksenia said, already moving. “Stay low and stay quiet.”

Irina followed, her heart pounding. They crept through the underbrush, Ksenia leading the way with sure, silent steps.

A shout rang out behind them.

Footsteps crashed through the forest.

“Run!”

Irina’s lungs burned, her legs aching as she ducked and wove through the trees. Nim clung to her, his claws digging into her skin. She could feel his fear pulsing through their bond, intertwining with her own terror until she couldn’t tell where her emotions ended and his began.

Ksenia ran ahead, leading them through dense thickets and over hidden trails, always staying one step ahead of their pursuers.

The shouts grew closer, the twang of bowstrings sending arrows whistling past, far too close for comfort.

Ksenia veered sharply to the right. She pushed through a screen of bushes and into a small cave, the entrance concealed by a heavy curtain of vines. “In here.”

They huddled in the darkness, their breathing harsh and ragged.

Irina clutched Nim to her chest, trying to soothe him even as her own heart raced.

Outside, the footsteps grew closer.

“Where did they go? They were just here!”

“They can’t have gotten far.”

Irina squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip to keep from whimpering. Nim’s terror fed into her own, the two emotions amplifying each other until she thought she might scream.

A whirlpool of fear dragged her down. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. All she knew was the pounding of her heart, the certainty that they were about to be discovered, to be hurt, to be killed—

“Irina.” Ksenia’s voice cut through the panic, firm but gentle. “Look at me.”

Irina forced her eyes open, meeting Ksenia’s steady gaze.

“Breathe. In and out. Slowly.”

Irina tried, but her lungs wouldn’t cooperate.

“The bond. You need to unlatch from it. Just for a moment. You’re caught in a spiral.”

“I can’t.” Irina gasped for air, tears streaming down her face. “It’s too much. It’s too strong.”

“You can. You have the strength. Focus on your own mind. Visualise a wall between you and Nim. Stone by stone, build it up until the fear recedes.”

Irina closed her eyes again. Her thoughts felt scrambled, fragmentary, but she latched onto Ksenia’s words. A wall. She could do that.

Slowly, painstakingly, she began to construct a barrier in her mind. First one brick, then another, and another.

The flood of terror began to subside, becoming a manageable trickle.

Her breathing eased, the vice around her chest loosening. She opened her eyes.

Ksenia nodded.

Nim was still huddled in Irina’s arms, but his shaking had stopped..

“That was terrifying. It was like his fear was inside me, making my own worse.”

“That’s the nature of the bond. It’s a conduit for emotions, both positive and negative. When one spirals, it’s easy for the other to get caught up in it.”

Irina shuddered. “I don’t want to feel that again. Ever.”

“And you won’t have to, now that you know how to break the cycle.” Ksenia laid a hand on Irina’s shoulder. “This was a good lesson, though a hard one. The bond is powerful, but it requires control, balance. Too much of any emotion, left unchecked, can be dangerous.”

Irina nodded, hugging Nim closer. The wyvern chirped softly, nuzzling into her chest.

Outside, the sounds of the hunters faded.

“We’ll stay here a bit longer. Give them time to get well away. Then we can head back to the village.”

Irina’s stomach turned at the thought of reconnecting with Nim, of opening herself up like that. “I don’t know if I can do it. Link with him again.”

“You can. But this time, don’t let yourself get swept away. When you lower the wall, do it with intention. Project feelings of safety, of confidence. Let those be the emotions that flow between you.”

Irina frowned. “Why didn’t the other feelings do that? The positive ones?”

“Fear is primal. It’s designed to override everything else, to make us act on instinct. That’s why it’s so easy for it to spiral out of control.” Ksenia leaned back against the cave wall. “But in truth, any emotion can do the same if left unchecked. Too much confidence can lead to recklessness. Too much joy can blind us to danger. It’s about finding the middle ground, about being aware of what you’re feeling and what you’re projecting.”

Irina absorbed this, turning the words over in her mind. It made sense, in a way. The bond was a tool, but like any tool, it required skill and care to wield properly.

She took a deep breath, centring herself. Then, slowly, she began to dismantle the wall in her mind.

Brick by brick, it came down, until there was nothing left but an open channel, a conduit waiting to be filled.

Irina focused, pouring every ounce of calm and assurance she could muster into that space. She thought of Nim, of his strength, his curiosity, his unwavering trust in her. She let those feelings flow through the bond, a steady stream of positivity.

Nim’s own emotions trickled back, mirroring hers. The fear was still there, but it was muted now, overshadowed by a growing sense of safety, of being protected.

Irina smiled. “I feel him. It’s working.”

“Well done, Irina. You’re learning.”