Ridge

The air swooshed in Danes' ears as he pulled the hood off his falcon and it took off diving and swerving into the deep undergrowth. Dane stared after his perigean until it was lost from sight. Like any good falconer the young boy was used to waiting and stared patiently after his falcon. After standing idly by the edge of the wood for some time, the graceful hunter swooped back out of the wood to Dane carrying with him a fat hare. The hunter dropped it in Danes hands as it alighted on his gauntlet.
"Nice work Ridge." he remarked stroking Ridges head feathers. The Falcon gave a shrill piercing cry relishing the sound of his masters voice. "Right, let's go home eh boy?"
With the falcon still perched on his gauntlet he turned around and started trudging toward the castle looming in the distance. Not only was Dane a falconer he was a prince as well. His father was King Thrane of the city of Thonjhiem. Soon he was walking through the city. The noise was deafening as street sellers shouted out advertisements such as "Fresh fish for sale" or "Precious stones and magic pebbles half off today only!" That combined with scores people bustling and pushing to get to their destinations created a very tight environment. But fortunately it was short lived for the castle gates loomed ahead of Dane casting a shadow upon him. Once out of the crowed he looked up at the gatehouse and shouted,
"Ferdinand I have returned please let me in." he shouted.
A faint voice answered,
"Yes Your Majesty." A small door opened in the large gate and Dane passed inside thanking the gatekeeper. In front of him was a small courtyard and then another door going into the castle. On this one Dane knocked on three times and another small door was opened. He passed through this one too and again thanked the guard. There was a past the door there was a long staircase and then a hallway with doors leading off of it. Dane walked down the hallway and entered through a door. In it were his quarters with a bed table and a closet along with a bowl for Ridges food and water with a window looking over the city. "Well I think we did pretty well to day don't you Ridge?" The perigean gave another shrill cry. "I think you definitely earned your meal today. ". Dane remarked placing the field mouse in the birds bowl. The falcon hopped off Danes wrist onto the table and started tearing away at the mouse. Meanwhile Dane flopped onto his bed and gave out a long sigh of contentment. Then he shut his eyes leting the soft hands of slumber to pull him close. When he awoke the light streaming through his window showed that he had been asleep for several hours. Ridge stood sleeping on one of Danes' bedposts with one wing covering his face. Just then there was a knock on the door. "Come in." Dane answered. A small boy poked his head in the door. "Dinner is ready my prince." he informed Dane.
"Thank you Wilbur. Oh and Wilbur will you stop already with the "my prince" thing I have told you a dozen times, please just call me Dane."
"As you wish, Dane. he said as he left. As soon as the door closed Dane got up, changed into more suitable clothes then his falconry clothes and left to go to dinner. It did not take long for him to reach the dinning hall for it was at the end of the hallway right outside Danes room. While passing through the hallway the boy could not help but stare at the pictures along the walls. Pictures of knights like Saint George, and Kings like King Arthur and many more pictures of famous people. When he looked back Dane saw that he was nearly there. He walked up a few steps and saw his parents standing behind next to their chairs waiting for him. "So there you are" remarked the king "we thought you would be late for supper, what took so long?"
"Well, never mind that I'm here aren't I so let us eat this food before it gets cold!" Dane plopped down into his chair and started to place food onto his plate, and his parents also started eating. "Well tomorrow is the great feast for all the nobles and it will hopefully last for three whole days, but we haven't been able to find any pike for it. But never mind, how was your day son?" the king asked. "Did you go falcon hunting again with Ridge?"
"Yes I did and Ridge caught a field mouse. It was fun." "Oh that reminds me, your tutor told me that recently you haven't been as responsible as should be in doing your personal studies. Now why is this?"
"Well in those times i've been busy with Ridge."
"I thought that might be the case, so I have already talked to your mother about this and we agreed that if your effort doesn't improve we would have to take away Ridge."
"What, what would happen to Ridge?" Dane asked with a hint of anger in his voice. "Well he would either be set free to live in the wild or go to another prince besides I have always thought that falconry is a waste of time ."
"But this is outrageous how could you do such a thing, taking away my only friend and giving him to someone else how can you even think of such a thing? And falconry is a very good thing to know it builds patients, friendship and will hunt for me, also if I am ever attacked then Ridge will defend me, it was part of the training that I gave him!" Dane protested.
His mother that had been silent though the entire conversation now spoke up. "Dane we know that you and Ridge are best friends and would do anything to stay together, but this grade is going to have to improve or else you two might have to separate."
"So let me get this straight, first of all you think that having a falcon and learning falconry is a complete waste of time and are threatening to take away Ridge if I don't improve in my studies or prove to you that learning falconry is a good thing to know, is that it?"
"I'm afriad it is son." The king said gravely. With a great sigh Dane pushed away his plate, stood up and walked away without a word. "Dane." his mother called.
"Let him have some time to himself, it is a lot to take in."
Meanwhile Dane had sped up his pace to a run and got to his room quickly, all the paintings forgotten from his racing mind. When he reached his room Ridge was still asleep and perched on his bedpost so Dane slowed his pace and quietly opened and shut the door behind him. Then he dropped face first onto his bed and thought and thought about a way to save his friend, but his mind was blank. Finally after laying on his bed for little while and his mind had calmed down Dane fell asleep.
Light flooded though Danes' eyes as he awoke to the morning sun and birds chattering outside his window, then an idea struck him on how to save Ridge. He quickly through off his covers and got changed into his falconry clothes as if there was no time to lose. Then awakening Ridge he walked into the kitchens (another one of the doors in the hallway) grabbed some rolls a canteen of water and two sausages for Ridge and Danes breakfast, then walked down to the door leading out to the courtyard. The guard on duty gave him a questioning look when he asked to go out but in the end had to open the door for him. then when he stepped outside Dane shouted up to Ferdinand in the gatehouse. "Ferdinand will you come down and open the gate for me?" A few second later the opened and an old knight stepped out carrying a set of keys. "Where are you off to this fine morning young Dane, don't you know that the feast is to be held tonight?" the man walked stiffly down the stairs and looked Dane up and down. "And you brought your falcon with you I can see, well I know you are probably getting into trouble but" the man turned a key into the lock on the door and pushed it open."I think it should be fine." he finished cracking a small smile.
"Thank you Ferdinand oh and please tell my father that I am sorry about last night and that I will be back a little after lunch. Farewell." Dane rushed through the door onto street out of the castle and into Rock. There were a few people on the road but not many so Dane had no trouble in getting out of the city. He was aiming for a large river called the Runner about a three hour walk from the castle, with a little luck he could reach it by about midday. On his way Dane and Ridge snacked on their breakfast and drank from the canteen of water. The pair passed through quiet meadows and small forests, when about noon Dane climbed to the top of a large knoll and peered off into the distance, and from there he could see the Runner running smoothly away from the mountains and out to sea. Dane yanked the blindfold off of Ridge and the bird took to the air speeding faster and faster toward the river. Danes plan was simple but if it worked then he could keep Ridge, the plan was that last night his father had mentioned that they were missing a pike for the feast, and Dane had always known that pike lived in this part of the river Runner. So he and Ridge would catch a pike prove to the king that having a falcon was a good thing and he would be allowed to keep Ridge. The first part was to find a pike. He gave out a sharp whistle and called "Ridge!" After waiting a minute the peregrine alighted on his shoulder and looked Dane straight in the eye as if to say "I'm here."
"Good boy Ridge." Dane whispered stroking his head feathers. Then Dane slowly looked away and took out the extra sausage out of a pouch in his belt next to his dagger and ripped it into little pieces. Then he threw one into the river, the Runner was not a fast flowing river so it stayed in place for a while, but it unfortunately it was not a clear river he couldn't see any fish. Suddenly there was a splash and the sausage was lost in the foam. A huge head reared out of the water and for a moment Dane was looking straight into the eye of the monster, when it splashed back down into the murky depths. Then almost at the same moment there was a smaller splash as Ridge dove in after it. "Ridge no!" Dane shouted after him. He realized that there was no other choice but to go in after him. He quickly shed his boots then dove in after Ridge. He opened his eyes and for a moment all he could see was blackness, but then far away in the murky haze he picked out motion. Dane pumped his legs and pushed his arms as hard as he could, at the castle his father had considered swimming a valuable life skill and had been taught in the Runner. In a few moments he was nearing the scuffle but had to get more air, Dane shot up to the surface gulped another mouthful of air and plunged back down into the river. He could see clearly now Ridge and the pike they were almost fighting at the river bottom but Ridge was fighting a like a vicious predator slashing slicing and stabbing with his beak and claws. But in the end he was no match for the huge fish in it's natural environment battering and hitting the bird with it's blunt beak. When Ridge suddenly retreated to the surface with the pike hard on his tail Dane saw his chance, the fish was wounded and a lot slower then before, so Dane drew his dagger and thrust it into the pikes giles as it passed by him. The fish stopped moving and slowly sank to the bottom. Dane was desperate for air and swam up for another desperate gulp of air. When his head was above water Dane cast about for any sign of Ridge. He saw him perched on a rock in the middle of the river. Ridge gave out a piercing cry and took off soaring and swerving coming finally to again rest on the rock. Dane smiled and plunged back under after the fish for his father. A little while later Dane was on the river bank stroking and talking to Ridge. "Good job boy you were excellent there is no way that father will take you away now. Come on boy lets head home." With Ridge on his shoulder and the fish in his hands The two marched off toward Rock, victorious. When the pair reached the castle it was almost evening and there was a great commotion as Ferdinand announced, "The prince and his falcon have returned!" The gates flew open and his parents and some guards came racing out. One of the guards relived Dane of the pike remarking about its size and his parents hugged him and squeezed him until Dane thought he would burst. "Alright easy now no need to kill me right after I get back!"
"We have been worried sick about you when you didn't show up after lunch and were ready to go out and look for you when you came back." His mother told him through tears. Now the whole party was moving inside the castle gates and up to the dinning hall. Meanwhile Dane had a privet conversation with his father. "So Father may I keep Ridge, we killed the pike is that enough proof for you?"
"Son Ridge and you are so close and I can now see that knowing falconry is a valuable lesson I would not have it any other way." Then both father and son walked up to the dinning hall smiling.