“Let’s check the valley over there,” Darinel shouted over the wind. “It’s in the shade, so maybe its ground stores water well.”
If you think so, the dragon commented, and turned to the left. He dropped down, stifling a yawn. The spring’s sun burned strong, and he had flown for hours trying to find a reservoir that hadn’t dried out.
Eventually, the search became a boring task to the dragon.
“Don’t be so pessimistic,” Darinel retorted, holding on tighter. You know I am not your mule. How about going out on your horse for a while? Idunal tilted to his side to squeeze into the narrow valley entrance. Brownish-grey moss clung to the rock wall as they flew deeper into the rock channel.
Not a good sign, the dragon thought as he pushed through the tunnel on the last drift. If this doesn't open up soon I’ll head up again.
He felt Darinel cowering between his shoulders. His body pressed hard against his wing blades. Idunal caught a gentle air stream and rode it out.
He held his breath, but the mountain wall finally fell back and gave room to a wide bare valley.
He heard Darinel sigh. The valley looked as dry as all the others they passed today. The valley bottom showed the remainder of a glacier lake now empty.
“How could it be?” Darinel exclaimed, sitting up on the dragon. “It wasn’t even that warm for all the glacier lakes to evaporate.”
Nor did the lakes suddenly sink into the ground, the dragon added, and landed in the middle of the lake. But the glaciers are still not giving up their water.
Darinel slid off his back and onto his knees. He scooped up a handful of pebbles and sand. Opening his hand, he let it fly off his hands in the breeze.
“Bone dry.”
And for a while, it seems. Let’s return to the campsite.
Wordlessly, Darinel climbed on his back.