The Rider's Pride - 7. Chapter 7

“N’sor apologized to you?” B’rrel asked three days later as they relaxed in their weyr after the evening’s entertainment. J’shon had played three sets with the Harpers before begging off to return to his new weyr. It still seemed almost magical, riding Liliath up to their home in the mid-level of the Weyr’s southern wall. They had good shade in the evenings, and their weyr was cooler than those poor souls along the northern and eastern faces that had to deal with the hot sun’s heat even after the sun had set several hours before.

“Yes, as soon as he and A’var came out of N’sor’s weyr this evening.” J’shon said with a sigh of relief. Once his dragon had risen, N’sor had returned to being the happy and friendly rider he’d known for the past turn. While he normally ignored the flights of greens and golds as much as he could, J’shon had watched N’sor’s flight carefully.

It was a good flight. Liliath said softly and smugly in his head. Xath is from the clutch before us and is a very nice blue.

“You like him much?” J’shon said with a chuckle, surprised by his own forthrightness and the fact that for once he didn’t feel uncomfortable thinking about his own green’s tendencies. A’var had returned to his own weyr shortly after the finish of his dragon’s flight with Sortath, and there was no sign of them moving in together.

“What does she say?” B’rrel asked with a hint of jealousy that made the uncomfortable feelings return. The thought of his friend’s dragon flying Liliath, and what that would entail for them scared him. He was much more comfortable being friends like they were now, sitting on the couch in the main room of their weyr, carefully examining their riding straps for signs of wear.

No, he is not for me. She replied after a moment and shifted on her couch to stare over at Ojeth, who let out a snort before settling back into his nap.

“He’s not for her.” J’shon answered.

“Good.” B’rrel said succinctly before letting out a yawn. For the past three days, under the guidance of T’thog and several other older riders who had ‘retired’ to the Weyrling Wing, they had been going between to every Weyr on Pern, as well as all the major holds. Today they had traveled to major holds outside of their own territory, including Fort, Ruatha, High Reaches, Crom, Telgar, and Southern Boll. Tomorrow they would hit Ista and the remaining major holds. They had only landed in those holds that looked to Igen for protection. All the others had been flyovers. After tomorrow’s flight, they would have three free days in a row, and they were planning their trip back to J’shon’s former home for the first of those free days.

“Well, I’m off to bed.” J’shon said after a moment of trying to suppress any thoughts of B’rrel and Ojeth responding to Liliath’s first mating flight. Despite several conversations with older green riders, he still wasn’t fully comfortable with the thought of anyone he knew well being part of that experience.

He didn’t want to not be able to look at them after it was all over.

The next day’s flights went very well. J’shon was now fully confident in his ability to go anywhere he might need to go on Pern, and so were the older riders. When they returned to Igen mid-day, T’thog had strode up to the Weyrleader, H’mal and informed him that the Weyrlings Wing was ready to fly at the Weyr’s needs.

“You’ve done well.” H’mal told the Weyrlings with pride while S’lag looked on with a mixture of relief and pride of his own. “Wing leader T’thog, they’ve earned a rest. Three days free, from tomorrow’s sunrise to the fourth sunrise after.”

“Thank you, Weyrleader.” T’thog said formally before turning to his wing riders and ordering them off.

“So, we’ll go in the morning?” A’toly said with a smile as he joined K’mer and B’rrel as they headed off to the lake. Their dragons had already flown ahead and were frolicking around. “When was the last time they ate?”

“Ojeth will probably be hungry in the morning after all this flying and between.” B’rrel said and K’mer added his agreement.

“We can hunt them on the way to Kapian Hold.” J’shon said softly. “It’s been a full turn since we’ve been there and we can’t use the hold as a reference point. I was thinking we’d use Finger Rock and fly in straight from there.”

“D’kov says the new hold is just a two-hour flight from Kapian straight through, so we can fly direct there and then learn it for a reference point.” K’mer said. “He also said there was a herd of wild herdbeasts in the mountains nearby. Sharth really does enjoy red meat, and he’s had nothing but wherry the last two times he’s hunted. They can sleep off their feeding while we work with father and the others on the hold.”

“You actually planning on doing work?” A’toly said with a teasing shudder. The look on his face said he was just joking.

“You are planning to visit Kapian hold in the morning?” A feminine voice surprised them and they turned as a group to see Ramina behind them, her eyes locked on A’toly.

“Yes, weyrwoman.” A’toly said with a slight bow.

“I will accompany you.” She told them in a commanding tone. Her eyes did twinkle a bit as they shifted briefly to her brother, B’rrel. “Febrina wishes me to be familiar with all the minor holds under our protection.”

“We will be pleased to provide you escort, weyrwoman.” A’toly said with a pleased smile, and when she joined them walking towards the lake, he began to walk a little taller. J’shon could see the change was not lost on Ramina, who crinkled her eyes in suppressed mirth that A’toly either didn’t notice or just ignored. He could see B’rrel suppressing his own mirth. Part of that was probably because he’d grown up with her. They were siblings, although not nearly as close as he and K’mer were.

Even six month ago, bathing Liliath had been a matter of an hour or slightly more, but now it was regularly taking close to two hours. When he was done, he helped K’mer or B’rrel with their browns, and by the time they all crawled out of the lake, well over two hours had passed. Their dragons would continue growing for another six months or so, albeit at a much slower rate since they’d already achieved most of their adult growth. Then they’d need regular bathing and oiling less often, although most riders still spent two or three hours a day caring for their dragon’s needs.

After their bath, both Liliath and Ojeth barely waited for their wings to dry before they took off to their weyr ledge, leaving their riders behind. B’rrel and J’shon laughed at being left behind, and their dragon’s immediate guilty feelings over having left their riders behind. Both weyrlings told their dragons to stay where they were while they gathered up their things and headed over to the nearest junior weyrling on elevator duty.

“Thanks for the lift.” B’rrel told H’omar and his bronze Fereth who had taken them up, albeit a bit roughly on takeoff and landing. Liliath bugled her thanks as well before settling her head back down to soak up the last rays of the setting sun. B’rrel and J’shon spent another hour after that oiling both dragons, taking great care for the few rough spots that were signs of their continued growth. When it came time to go to the Lower Caverns for dinner, they both rode down on Ojeth, who insisted that they not bother the sleeping Liliath.

Over a dinner of a hearty wherry soup, all the weyrlings at their table talked excitedly about what they were planning to do for their free days. A couple of the other green riders offered to join them, but K’mer politely refused their offers. Most had plans to go to a Fair Day at Fort Hold. Fair days were smaller affairs than the bigger Gathers the major holds put on once or twice a year, but since it was Fort, there’d probably be plenty of Harpers there, and of course a dancing square.

“Pardon me for a moment,” Crivan said as dinner came to an end. He had come over to their table without J’shon even noticing.

“What can I do for you, grandfather?” J’shon asked politely.

“Am I correct in hearing that your brother and a few other weyrlings are heading to Kapian in the morning?” Crivan asked with a smile.

“Yes, and Ramina is going with us.” J’shon said with a hint of pride in his voice. Even his father would be honored by a gold dragon, even one as junior as Pinath, visiting his hold.

“Would you mind if I went with you on Liliath?” Crivan asked hopefully.

“Shouldn’t you go on Pinath?” J’shon asked the old man who just smiled.

“I’ll be happy going with my grandson.” Crivan said affectionately and J’shon blushed before nodding.

“We plan to leave early, about two hours after sunrise.” J’shon murmured. The Weyr had already promised to send out riders to convey Kapian to the new hold he was considering. A’toly had proffered their offer to go to T’thog who had sent it on to H’mal and received immediate approval. That was probably where Ramina had heard about their planned trip.

They had permission now to leave the Weyr as duty permitted, but that did not mean they could just go anywhere without telling those in charge their intensions. Older riders on a free day would tell the watch dragon on their way out of the Weyr, but younger riders were expected to tell the Weyrling Wing Leader first, or if they were graduated to the regular wings, their own Wingleader.

“That will be fine.” Crivan said with a nod. “I will wait for you in the bowl.”

“See you then.” J’shon said before leaving having finished his dinner. He wanted to go over his riding straps again, to make sure they would hold him as well as his grandfather safely, and any cargo the older man might bring.

B’rrel wasn’t far behind them, and once again it was Ojeth that picked them up and carried them back to their weyr. Under the light of fresh glowglobes, J’shon went over his straps and ended up replacing an entire segment before heading to bed in his room. Of the two bedrooms, his was slightly smaller, which didn’t bother him. B’rrel was the brown rider, so it was only right that he had the larger room.

They woke with the dawn, and J’shon was happy to use the luxury of their weyr’s sanitary. It had actual running water for the pipes, including warm water heated by an ancient device near the lower caverns. The Ancients who’d built weyrs like Fort and Benden with machines that melted stone like butter had supposedly run out of power for the machines before Igen was founded. Still, by that time there were still crafters with knowledge of the old ways and they’d managed a few marvels in the older weyrs, such as heated piped water. K’mer could be counted on showing up, which he did when J’shon had just finished cleaning himself with a cotton wash rag, to use their sanitary. His weyr did not have one, and it was closer to their weyr, even by dragon, than the larger bathing chambers in the Lower Caverns.

“Me first.” B’rrel murmured sleepily before K’mer could get into the sanitary.

“Has he gotten lazier in the mornings already?” K’mer laughed as he followed J’shon into his room. Luckily, J’shon had no problems undressing and redressing in front of his brother.

“He’s always hated morning.” J’shon answered with a smile. “Um, about Crivan…”

“I like the old man, but you and he get along much better.” K’mer said quickly, before J’shon could finish his statement. “I’m fine if he wants to ride with you. Neither Sharth nor I are offended.”

“Oh, good.” J’shon said with a sigh of relief. He’d worried his brother might have been offended by Crivan’s choice.

Goreth says you are to see his rider before you leave. Liliath said to him sleepily and J’shon saw from the wide eyes on his brother that Sharth had told him the same thing. Before you go, will you oil my right foreleg? I feel an itch coming there.

“Be right there, love.” J’shon told her before turning to his brother. “What do you think H’mal wants?”

“How should I know?” K’mer replied defensively.

“I guess we’ll find out in a bit.” J’shon said with a sigh. “You want to ride down with me on Liliath?”

“Might as well.” K’mer said with a shrug. “Ojeth is ready but he wants to relax on his ledge while we eat and whatnot.”

“Let me oil her leg first.” J’shon said, moving to the trunk where he kept his dragon-care materials. Liliath sighed as he rubbed fresh oil into her hide, and then stretched out luxuriously while he put everything away. She stood still for him to affix the riding straps he’d need for the day and then he followed her outside onto the ledge.

“I guess I’ll use the bathing chamber down in the lower caverns before we eat.” K’mer said with a sigh as he climbed up behind J’shon. Two minutes later, they were walking hesitantly into the Weyrleader’s weyr, following the directions relayed from Goreth to Liliath. Soon enough they entered the large room used as a meeting room for the Weyr’s leaders. . H’mal sat at the long table with Febrina and Ramina, both of whom were eating and drinking some warm klah.

“There you boys are, go ahead and have a seat.” H’mal said in a surprisingly friendly tone as they entered. The seats he motioned to had klah already in front of them, as well as two plates of food.

“Uh, thank you Weyrleader.” J’shon said in surprise as he took the second seat, leaving the seat closer to the Weyrleader and Weyrwomen for his brother, who was a brown rider.

“I thought we’d eat together this morning since our daughter will be going with you today.” Febrina said in a calm voice.

“Are B’rrel and A’toly coming for breakfast as well?” J’shon asked, noticing there were no more plates.

“I told you he was perceptive!” H’mal roared with laughter while Igen’s senior Weyrwoman smiled with pleasure.

“Zoeth shares your opinion of him, and his dragon.” Febrina said with a sigh. “I could almost wish he’d Impressed a bronze.”

“There’s nothing wrong with Liliath.” J’shon said defensively and then stopped, stunned that he’d dare say something to those who ruled Igen Weyr with firm hands.

“No, there’s not!” Ramina said with a smile that was far too satisfied as the two older Weyrleaders roared with more laughter. H’mal actually had to wipe tears from his eyes while J’shon sat there confused and K’mer just smirked at him.

“I hope you won’t be offended if your green rider brother outshines you at times, brown rider.” Febrina said after she’d calmed down.

“Weyrwoman, he’s my older brother and nothing he does could make me jealous.” K’mer said confidently.

“No, I think not.” H’mal agreed with a pleased look. “The two of you are extremely close, closer than most brothers whether they be from Hall, Hold, or Craft. Both of you work as a good team.”

“Our father had us working together most of the time ever since K’mer was old enough to help me.” J’shon said, flushing slightly at how it was usually the physical work K’mer would help with.

“J’shon would tell me what to lift, where to put it, where to dig, all that.” K’mer said proudly. “I was the brawn, he was the brains.”

“Yet you Impressed a brown and he a green.” Febrina noted. “Why do you think that was?”

“He… no offense brother…” K’mer hesitated but J’shon shrugged. “I guess you could say my brother’s always been a dreamer. Sometimes, he’s really sharp, like how he could always tell exactly when a runner was about to go in heat, or foal. Other times he was real dense. Like he use to think our father didn’t approve of him when everyone knew he was father’s favorite son.”

“Is he being accurate, J’shon?” H’mal asked with a piercing look.

“I wouldn’t put it in exactly those words, but yes sir.” J’shon admitted as his cheeks blushed. It was an accurate description.

You are embarrassed. What makes your cheeks flame? Liliath asked and J’shon mentally told her Later.

“Another quality everyone who has worked with you in this Weyr has commented about, your complete honesty even at your own expense.” Febrina’s voice held firm approval. “S’lag says the one time you tried to lie, he could see it all over your face, and you were lying to keep B’rrel from getting in trouble.”

“I was… trying to stretch the truth, really.” J’shon said with blushing cheeks.

You blush again when you should be proud that Goreth and Zoeth’s riders wish to know you well enough to collect all this information! Liliath’s rebuke was so sharp he coughed for a moment to cover his look of incredulity.

“Do you remember our talk before Turnover?” H’mal asked J’shon who nodded.

“Good, then you will not be surprised when I tell you the Weyr has need of your services.” H’mal said shortly. “It won’t be long before the Red Star is framed in the Dragon’s Eye stone. There are still many who resist the idea that Thread is coming, but thankfully your father is looking at considering he might be wrong.”

“The fool man still insists he will not move officially until Thread has been confirmed as falling!” Febrina snorted. “I only hope it does not fall on him to prove the folly of his thoughts!”

“We hope that too, Weyrwoman.” K’mer spoke up first.

“Even if it does fall on him, he will have prepared for that to happen.” J’shon picked up the defense of their father. “He does plan well, and for all eventualities that can possibly be conceived. In the last few months he has even written asking for information on how Thread would fall if it came, so he could plan a retreat from Kapian to a safe place.”

“I said your father was a fool, not an idiot.” Febrina told them sharply and J’shon barely kept his face from going pure white while Ramina giggled at them. “I have flown over your father’s current residence and he has prepared it as much as possible for Threadfall, considering it is in the open and not made of stone. Where did he get so much wood in the middle of the plains?”

“He brought it with him from Keroon.” J’shon answered. He remembered that trip, vaguely. Mostly he remembered sitting on top of a wagon of lumber that would become a part of the hold. “He expanded the hold each and every year from the profits he made. Kapian hold is one of the most profitable of all the holds that look to Keroon.”

“But Thread comes, and not only your father is threatened.” H’mal said softly and J’shon nodded.

“Thread is coming, Weyrleader, and I think if my father sees the Red Star bracketed in the Dragon’s Eye, he will believe.” J’shon said firmly and quietly.

“So you’ve been convinced at last?” H’mal chuckled again and shook his head as J’shon hung his head. “Don’t be upset lad, we approve of all of our riders using their brains and thinking things through.”

“I think too many of our riders, not to mention holders, have fallen into the hidebound habit of thinking the color of a rider’s dragon reflects on the intelligence of the rider.” Febrina said with a concerned frown. “It is true that gold and bronze dragons have greater intelligence than blues or greens, but that does not mean a green dragon is stupid, much less that a green rider is incapable of using his brain!”

“Well said.” H’mal said with a thump of his hand on the table. “When Thread falls, Bronzes and Browns lead the fighting wings, not necessarily because their riders are smarter, but because their dragons are more capable of flying an entire Fall and having the energy leftover to lead. It is true that blues and greens panic easier, but that does indicate that their riders are lacking in intelligence. There are at least two bronze riders who I would not put in charge even if I had to place a green rider over them, and your name is already on my list over those bronze riders, J’shon.”

J’shon didn’t know what to say to that, so he kept his mouth shut although his cheeks blushed furiously. The deep bugling of a full-grown bronze on the other side of the weyr they were in only made his blushing worse. It was a moment before he recovered his equilibrium from the praise of these, the most important riders in his Weyr.

“My brother would have made a fine Wing Leader, if he’d impressed a bronze.” K’mer said with a quiet pride that made J’shon’s whole body shake with gratitude. His brother had always been one of his strongest supporters.

“He didn’t impress a bronze, though, because he was not a match with a bronze.” Febrina said softly, drawing J’shon’s eyes back to her kindly smiling face. “He is a sensitive young man, and that among other things made him a perfect partner for a very beautiful green.”

“Rightly said once again.” H’mal agreed with his weyrmate. They shared a fond look for each other before the Weyrleader spoke again. “The oldest records in Fort have been searched in the last few turns as we prepare to battle Thread yet again. S’nol, the Fort Weyrleader has recently uncovered several old records from the time of Moreta, including a chart of Threadfall. Another appears to be a record of some of the first dragonriders.”

“Amazing.” J’shon said with wide eyes. They were probably as old as the records his father had once looked at in Harper Hall!

“From what S’nol has been able to figure out from those records, early dragonriders were chosen because of ‘sensitivity’ in their mind that would allow them to hear dragons.” H’mal continued. “These records seem to hint that some sensitive people, like dragonriders, can feel emotions from other people or even animals as well as bond and communicate with their dragons.”

“Which might explain why you have always been so sensitive to animals, and your seeming ability to accurately forecast when a dragon is approaching her season.” Febrina added.

“You will tell me when you see Panith is getting close, won’t you, J’shon?” Ramina said sweetly. “It really will be nice having a few days warning.”

“Yes, of course, naturally.” J’shon stumbled over his words in surprise. She smiled and nodded at him kindly.

“It also explains how easily intimidated you are by certain types of people.” The Weyrleader said with an equally calming smile. “From what we have observed of you the past turn, you should be shaking in nervousness right now, but you’re not, are you?”

“No sir, I’m not.” J’shon said with surprise having the obvious pointed out.

“You always believed your father didn’t have a great deal of affection for you, but your brother insists he loves you most.” Febrina continued and J’shon started to grown concerned again. “Do you think you might be able to explain the inconsistency in that?”

“I’m not sure.” J’shon said quickly, but settled back in his chair and looked at his half-eaten breakfast for several long minutes. “Maybe it is because he has had long practice in not showing his emotions. Maybe he pushed them down deep most of the time. The last few times I have seen him, he has seemed more open to me, and I’ve felt that he does love me. He’s been changing a lot. Maybe his love for me was always there, just buried deep because he’s so proud and dislikes showing too much emotion?”

“I’ve told you to never underestimate our green riders.” Febrina said with a triumphant smile to H’mal who nodded at her.

“K’mer, what do you think?” H’mal asked J’shon’s brother who had sat thoughtfully through most of the discussion.

“I think it’d explain a lot of things, and that anyone who ever underestimates my brother will have a surprise or two waiting for him.” K’mer replied after thinking things over for a few moments. “It’d also explain how easily he always kept me and our other brothers happy with him. He can be a downright boor at times, and he was always ruthlessly honest, causing us trouble over and over, but he always seemed to know just what to say to calm us down and get us on his side again. Our older brothers were always fighting against us, but J’shon always treated me like I hoped he would, so we grew closer.”

“Yes, it does make sense when you put all the pieces of the puzzle together.” H’mal said carefully. “I’m also convinced, K’mer, that you’ve got a good brain in your head that’s been allowed to lie fallow for too long. As of this moment I am transferring you from the Weyrling Wing to my own wing.”

“What?” J’shon gasped out in surprise as the Weyrleader pulled out two shoulder knots, both signifying the rank of Wing Rider and in Igen colors. One was entwined with a green that matched his dragon’s hide almost perfectly, and another that matched the dark brown hide of K’mer’s dragon. Next, he produced two wing badges, identifying them as riders of H’mal’s wing.

“I won’t say you’ve earned them yet, but you’re close already and by the time the first Thread falls, you will have earned this.” H’mal said slowly as he passed the knots and badges down to them. “You are to enjoy your free days with your father. You can leave as you planned, and spend all three days with him, or if you wish to really relax you can visit one of the major holds on one of the days. The choice is yours, but I suggest you spend them with your family. You will be very busy for a long time to come and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to visit more holds, but little opportunity to see your family.”

“You’re going to put us to use for something in dealing with those holders that don’t believe Thread is coming.” K’mer said, echoing J’shon’s own thoughts and they were surprised to see the wide smiles on both Weyrleaders’ faces and the look of surprise on Ramina’s face.

“You both will do very nicely indeed.” Febrina’s smile was wide, and full of white teeth.

“Do not worry about the specifics of that right now.” H’mal told them sharply, leaning forward in his chair for emphasis. “Some of those details I’ll be spending the next three days working out with the other Weyrleaders. One thing I will make clear is that you are in my wing for several reasons, not just one or two. I am certain that if I waited until six months, you two would still end up in my wing to fly Thread, and when Thread comes, I promise you will be as ready as if you had spent ten months in the Weyrling Wing! The truth is, I knew I’d be claiming you two for my wing from the moment you Impressed. You’re not the only ‘sensitive’ in this Weyr although I’m not nearly as sensitive as you. If I was, I wouldn’t be a good Weyrleader. Still, I’m just claiming you a little bit earlier than expected. There’ll be special duties the two of you will handle, but you’ll be spending more time training as well, and by the First Egg, you will be ready along with all of my wing!”

“Yes, sir.” J’shon and K’mer said together.

“Good, now you go enjoy your visit.” H’mal ordered and they stood, preparing to leave.

“Ramina, you give Kapian’s wife my greetings, you hear?” Febrina said firmly to the younger weyrwoman, her daughter. They both had fair hair, and J’shon could see their resemblance now that he saw both of them like this, in an un-crowded room.

“I will, Febrina.” Ramina said with a hint of exasperation in her voice. She rose and left the room, with K’mer and J’shon right behind her as they followed her down the stairs from the Weyrleaders’ ledge. J’shon walked besides K’mer as they followed her down and tried to ease the roiling tension in his stomach before it started to upset Liliath. He’d learned very well over the last year how easy it was for his emotions to spill over to his dragon.

“I swear, she forgets I’m as old as she was when she birthed Br’mar!” Ramina murmured in exasperation. Br’mar was a bronze rider, oldest child of the Weyrleaders, and Wingsecond. That was the third highest position in the Weyr for male riders.

“It’s easy for parents to forget their children are grown up.” J’shon said softly and she stopped to turn a radiant smile on him. K’mer blushed under that smile, but J’shon just returned it with one of his own.

“That they do, green rider.” She said with a little laugh. “They do like you, you know, and your father.”

“Thank you, weyrwoman.” J’shon said faintly as her praise became just a little too much for him to bear comfortably.

“Oh, please do call me Ramina.” She said with a negligent wave of her hand. She held her riding gloves in her other hand, and was wearing riding breeches and a snug blouse that would fit well under a riding jacket. “We did stand on the Hatching Grounds together, and took many a class with each other over the last turn.”

“If you wish, Ramina.” J’shon said with a smile.

“That’s better, green rider.” She said with a smile.

“Please, call me J’shon if I’m to call you Ramina.” J’shon said with a slight smile.

“Oh dear, I’m doing it again.” She said with another little laugh that set K’mer to blushing again. “I swear I’m as bad as Pinath at times. She can’t remember a rider’s name to save her life half the time. I know every dragon name in the Weyr, but like her I can’t remember the rider’s half the time. You are J’shon and your brown rider brother is K’mer, right? And that delightfully young bronze rider from your group is A’toly. See, I can remember names when I stop and think about it.”

“Oh, he’s just as bad at times.” K’mer said softly, jostling J’shon in the ribs with his elbows.

“Yes, well Pinath is waiting for us as are your friends, and it does no one any good to keep a queen waiting, much less her rider.” Ramina said with that happy, carefree laugh of hers and they finished the stairs at a much quicker pace. Sure enough, the five dragons were waiting for them in the middle of the bowl and A’toly charged forward with a scowl.

“J’shon, K’mer, B’rrel brought your stuff down for you.” A’toly said briskly and he stopped dead when he saw the knots and patches in their hands. “What are those?”

“H’mal has transferred them to his wing.” Ramina said proudly. “They are Wing Riders now.”

“Shards!” A’toly said with a gasp of surprise. “Well, K’mer, I guess you lead the flight now.”

“No, I lead.” Ramina said in a stern voice that made A’toly blanch slightly. “A junior Weyrwoman still outranks anyone below a Wingsecond, or have you forgotten your Weyrling lessons already?”

“No, weyrwoman.” A’toly said glumly, and J’shon got the fleeting sensation that Ramina was teasing the bronze rider.

“Gear up, riders.” She ordered with a smile and B’rrel straightened a bit from where he stood between bronze Nikkoth and his Ojeth. J’shon almost fell over laughing at the waves of happiness that rolled off of Ramina, and the sensation of Pinath laughing silently. “We’ll fly in a diamond formation, Nikkoth in lead with the browns on either side. Liliath will bring up the rear and I will fly in the center with Pinath. Everyone has the visualization of that rock formation we’re to use? Good, let’s get a move on.”

“She likes that a little too much.” K’mer whispered to J’shon as he headed for his own dragon. Liliath was waiting for him in the back, only slightly anxious. The rest of his riding gear was on the ground in front of her, and he put it on quickly while Liliath looked him over carefully.

Goreth’s rider did not bite your rear. She said indignantly. Goreth said they were chewing your rear and to leave you alone.

“It wasn’t like that at all.” J’shon assured her. “I think Goreth was having fun with you.”

Those bronzes! Liliath snorted with disgust. Pinath is welcome to them!

“I agree dear, just don’t let them hear you say that!” J’shon whispered to her, trying not to laugh. From the way Pinath was turning her long neck to look at them, he supposed she probably had heard, but her eyes were whirling with lazy blue and green colors, so he wasn’t too worried. He actually mounted at the same time as the queen rider, who looked around to make sure all the riders had mounted on the smaller dragons when J’shon suddenly remembered the Harper. Sure enough, the man came rushing out of the Lower caverns with a harp case strung across his back and waving his arms wildly.

“I think we almost forgot someone.” Ramina called out in laughter as the Harper stopped to bow to her queen before scrambling back to J’shon, who leaned down and gave him an arm up.

“I told that scamp A’toly to wait for me to bring my harp!” Crivan complained through deep breaths.

“Ramina scattered all our wits this morning.” J’shon said by way of apology, absentmindedly patting the corded shoulder knot and patch he had stowed into a pocket on his riding jacket. Part of him couldn’t wait to put them on, but another part wanted to delay that moment as long as possible. When Ramina gave the takeoff signal, he braced himself for being thrown back by the force of Liliath’s leap into the air. Crivan muttered a curse before grasping onto J’shon tightly.

“It’s been a while!” Crivan shouted into J’shon’s ear as they climbed above the wind-carved weyr rim. Soon enough they were over the desert and Ramina was giving the hand signal to go between. He carefully called up the reference points in his head, careful to move the sun’s position up an hour since Kapian hold was an hour ahead just like Red Butte, and he even remembered to give his grandfather a warning before they went between. They reappeared over the Finger Rock landmark, and he could barely hear the whoop of joy Ramina let out. They were all still in perfect formation, each dragon the exact length apart from each other as required in formation flying, and he could only imagine how they must look from the ground, if there had been anyone to see them.

Even dragons as young as theirs must look impressive, and it was not every day that anyone saw a golden queen being escorted by a bronze, two browns, and a green. All five dragons turned in the warm air of the plains and headed slightly north and east. With powerful beats of their wings, they followed Ramina’s signal to climb higher where the air was slightly cooler.

“I never thought it would be so beautiful out here!” Crivan shouted out halfway through this part of their journey. “I bet it’s quiet at night!”

“It is!” J’shon agreed. He wasn’t use to carrying a passenger on a long flight like this, and although he now accepted that he did love the old Harper, he found that he was slightly jealous to have to share the joy of flying above the plains with anyone.

We can come back anytime. Liliath reminded him. He must have us, or another dragon and rider take him if he ever wishes to come back. It is too far for animals that crawl on the ground.

“That it is, love.” He said into the wind, relaxing a bit and whenever they passed something he knew, he would point it out to the old Harper, shouting above the noise of the wind.

All too soon they were approaching the small rise that the Hold sat upon. They were approaching from the southwest, and J’shon scanned the fields to make sure they wouldn’t fly over and panic any herdbeasts or runner beasts. He was surprised at the wisp of smoke in the air, and as he looked around, his mouth tightened at the line of runners being run due north by four men on runners. About twenty runners were in that group, and there were three more chasing after them like mad.

“Liliath, ask Sharth to ask K’mer if he’s thinking something’s wrong!” J’shon shouted, feeling Crivan stiffen behind him as he heard his words.

“What is it lad?” Crivan shouted into his ear.

There is something wrong. Liliath said just then. Sharth says to say that K’mer agrees it is raiders. Nikkoth asks what we should do, and Pinath says her rider wishes your opinion. Ojeth says his rider says we should go back to the Weyr now. Pinath repeats this is your hold and waits for an answer from your brother or you and your brother defers to you.

“Those are raiders down there!” J’shon shouted for Crivan’s sake, the only among them who didn’t have a dragon to relay messages. “Liliath, ask Ramina through Panith if she would land at the hold to see if anyone needs help, and get it from the Weyr if they do. A’toly should go with her in case she needs his help. His bronze will protect her better while we deal with the bandits.”

She agrees, but says to be careful. Liliath repeated. Pern needs even its greens to stay healthy!

Oh great. J’shon groaned but didn’t say anything aloud until the gold and bronze dipped. He quickly laid out his plan, and got agreement from both K’mer and B’rrel. With a pat of her neck, Liliath began to beat her wings for all she was worth to get into position. Flying for the past hour hadn’t worn her out, he was glad to see, and just hoped she didn’t lose strength before this was all over.

“What are we doing?” Crivan roared.

“Doing what dragons and riders always do, protecting Pern!” J’shon yelled back in delight as Liliath proved she really was a fast dragon, and the tight turn she made reminded both him and Crivan what it meant to be on a maneuverable green. Oh yes, this was going to be fun!