October first is always Threshing.

Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday, it doesn't matter where it falls on any given year. On the first of October, the first-year cadets of the Riders Quadrant enter the bowl-shaped forested valley to the southwest of the citadel and pray they come out alive.

I will not die today.

I didn't bother eating this morning, and I pity Ridoc, who's currently heaving up the contents of his stomach against a tree as I rub his back in circles.

A sword is strapped to my back, the infamous sword my father used during his final fight, i've no clue how Xaden managed to get it but i'm grateful he did.

"Remember to listen here," Professor Kaori says from in front of the 148 of us here, tapping his chest. "If a dragon has already selected you, they'll be calling." He thumps his chest again. "So pay attention to not just your surroundings but your feelings, and go with them." He grimaces. "And if your feelings are telling you to go in the other direction...listen to that, too."

"How are you feeling?" I ask Ridoc quietly, still rubbing his back

"I don't know." he shakes his head, "Is it ok to be scared shitless?" He asks looking up at me.

"You can be as scared as you like." I give him my hand and help him up. "Do you know who you're going for?" Strong arms snake around my waist, Liam's head settles on my neck.

"No, I don't feel connected to any of them." Which is better than feeling connected to a dragon another rider has their eye on. I have no desire to fight to the death today. "Neither did Xaden, look at him now." Liam lets me go shrugging.

"Ridoc do you feel connected to any of them?" He asks.

"There's a brown i've got my eye on, it just seemed like it'd be down for some prank wars." Ridoc shrugs. "What about you?"

She grins. "I'm thinking about that red. The one near the end of the line." Liam smiles, a genuine smile.

I smile back, despite the fear racing through my veins.

"If you go in groups, you're more likely to be incinerated than bonded," Professor Kaori argues with someone near the center of the valley. "The scribes have run the statistics. You're better off on your own."

"And what if we aren't chosen by dinner?" a man with a short beard to my left asks.

Looking past him, I catch Jack Barlowe running a finger across his neck at me. So original. Then Oren and Tynan flank his sides.

So much for squad loyalty. It's everyone for themselves today.

"If you're not chosen by nightfall, there's a problem," Professor Kaori responds, his thick mustache turned down at the ends.

"You'll be brought out by a professor or senior leadership, so don't give up and think we've forgotten about you." He checks his pocket watch.

"Remember to spread out and use every foot of this valley to your advantage. It's nine, which means they should be flying in any minute now. The only other words I have for you are 'good luck.'"

He nods, sweeping his gaze over the crowd of us with such intensity that I know he'll be able to re-create this moment in a projection.

Then he leaves, marching up the hill to our right and disappearing into the trees.

My mind whirls. It's time. I'll either leave this forest as a rider...or likely never leave. No, I will leave this forest as a rider.

"Be careful." Rhiannon pulls Violet and me into a hug, her braids swinging over my shoulder as she tightens her arms around us.

"You too." I squeeze her back and am immediately swept into another pair of arms.

"Don't die," Ridoc orders.

That's our only goal as what's left of our squad separates, each heading in our own direction like we've been flung apart by centrifugal motion, at the mercy of a spinning wheel.

-----------

Guessing by the position of the sun, it's been at least an hour since the dragons flew overhead, landing in the valley in a succession that sounded like thunder and making the earth shake.

I've come across two reds, a green, two browns, and-

My heart stumbles and my feet freeze to the forest floor as a orange steps into my field of vision, its head just under the canopy of enormous trees.

This is not my dragon. I'm not sure how I know, but I do.

I hold my breath, trying not to make a sound as its head sweeps right, then left, and my gaze plummets to the ground as I bow my head.

For the last 10 mintues or so, I've seen dragons launch into the air with a cadet -now a rider-on their back, but I've also seen more than a couple of plumes of smoke, and I have no desire to be one of those.

The dragon huffs a breath, then continues along its path, its daggertail flicking upward and catching one of the lower-hanging branches. The limb falls to the ground with a monstrous crash, and only after the footsteps recede do I finally raise my head.

Voices approach, and I tuck myself against the some rocks to hide from being seen.

We're not supposed to be in groups.

"I'm telling you, I think I saw her headed this way." It's a cocky voice I can't immediately recognize.

"You'd better be right, because if we just hiked all the way the fuck over here just to find no one, I'm going to run you through." My stomach twists.

"You sure we shouldn't be spending our time looking for our own dragons instead of hunting the bitch down?"

Wait...what did they say they were doing? Looking for someone?

"It's not like our dragons are going to bond other riders," Jack snaps. "They'll wait for us. This has to be done. That bitch is going to kill someone. We have to take her out."

I move to get a better view, crunch, nausea swirls in my stomach, and my fingernails bite into my palms.

"Shit," I mutter under my breath a stupid leaf. "Who's there?" I hear a blade being drawn, well, no point hiding now.

"Hey there." I step out into the massive clearing, my hands raised slightly.

5 weapon stacked first years stand ahead of me, 3 boys and 2 girls, although I have no clue what there names are.

"Ah just who we were looking for." They ugly girl to the right snaps, fiddling with her tiny dagger, five of them against me, bold move.

Without thinking, I draw my sword, its sapphire adorned hilt glinting in the sun. "You're gonna regret this."

The first stocky boy lunges at me, two daggers raised, foolish. I strike first, slicing him across the stomach with my sword, he hisses in pain jumping back just as the two other men lunge at me.

I drop to the ground, swing out with my weapon as I roll away, striking their shins. Before I can register what's happening, the first girl slices her dagger across my cheek, drawing blood but not enough to make me stop.

I stab her straight through the heart.

A scream sounds from the other girl, although it's quickly cut off as I shove my sword right through her throat, she drops to the grass, gasping for air, my blade still imbedded in her throat.

"You bitch." One of the boys seethes, charging at me, he's met with a dagger, slicing through his neck, blood splatters my face. Gross.

One of the others runs away, but not before I throw another dagger into his shoulder.

I bend down, pulling my blade from the girls neck before turning to face the last person, still on the floor clutching his stomach.

Stop.

A feminine voice floods my head.

I freeze, slowly turning around.

Holy, fucking, shit, it's the blue Kaori was talking about.

She is biggest blue swordtail I have ever seen, her menacing gaze upon the man beside me.

Move out of they way please, I'd like to scorch him.

What. The. Fuck.

Language, Vicious one.

"You, you bonded me?" My voice is anything but steady.

Yes now get on my back, I need to make my big entrance.

I limp over to her, sprinting up her leg and finding the seat. I barely have time to register i'm on a fucking dragon before we're airborne, and I have never felt more free.

My name is Targaria daughter of Cumhachdach and Banrighnan, descended from the cunning Claidheamhgorm line. But you may call me Gaia.

She continues to fly, at a shocking speed and I have to clench my thighs tightly to stay on during her dives and flips.

I'm doing pretty good until suddenly i'm in free fall, the stream below me rapidly approaching.