Disclaimer: I don't own Pern. I do, however own many of the characters in this story.
Chapter One: Departure
Vyrania didn't need to read a notice; she just saw the ships coming and ran back into the forest. Through a route she knew well by now she made her way swiftly back to the home of the dragon-folk. As soon as she was within range for strong telepathic connection she sent her findings to Urtiatch, the queen she had Impressed six months ago.
They're coming!
Urtiatch leapt off the rock she had been sunning herself on and broadcast the news to everyone she could reach:
They're coming!
It reached Hayatch, who in turn relayed it to Vyrania's sister Virika, as they caught fish from a stream.
Satch, Hayatch's bronze father, heard as he and brown Daymitch, a master of the dragon-folk's fighting techniques and the young's teacher of such things, pitted their knowledge in a friendly match together.
Urtiatch nearly got her wings shredded when she scorched the mind of Cameratch, the queen who was guarding her clutch of seven eggs just below the rock where the youngest queen perched.
Golden Igatch and the youngsters from the clutch she had laid, the one from which her daughter Urtiatch had hatched, brought down their meal, a herdbeast, nearly missing as they heard Urtiatch's call.
All dropped what they were doing and raced as fast as wing or leg could carry them to defend their home.
Virika found Vyrania bracing herself on her knees as she gasped for breath while Urtiatch half held her up. "They're landing… Here! They're… coming!" She panted out her message between gasps, pointing to the beach.
Virika turned away from her younger sister, a sorrowful look in her eyes as she stared at the beach without seeing it. Six months ago, a little after Urtiatch's clutch hatched, her brother Darrinel and their cousin Sofreteh had roused some among the numbweed gatherers to destroy the adult dragon-folk and take the little ones captive.
They had beaten off that attack, but at a high price for the few remaining of the proud people; besides many others, two of their priceless queen companions had been killed. Virika, Satch and Hayatch had their revenge upon Darrinel, but Sofreteh had escaped.
Now their people were landing again. What would the cost be this time to the dragon-folk and to the two humans who were their allies? Would any of them be alive to know the cost?
"Will we be able to hid from them?" asked a green nervously. Her blue took her hands.
"I'm not sure. We won't be able to stay in the cave for long enough…"
Virika turned around to address them. "Then we'll have to leave." As soon as she spoke, silence fell. The dragon-folk spun round to stare at her and Vyrania simply closed her eyes, letting Urtiatch support her.
"She's right." Vyrania opened her eyes. "They'll kill us all on sight. And if they don't, word'll get out that we're here and someone else'll come to get us like Darrinel and Sofreteh did."
"It's true." Satch's voice was heavy. They all knew he was remembering his golden mate, Kilatch, killed six months ago. "And once we're captured there is little we can do in rescue. It is death to fall into their hands."
"We must do as Virika says." Hayatch's voice was choked as she came behind the young woman and set a hand on her shoulder. Boldly, proudly, chin up, she faced her people. Some were speculative, some were nodding sadly in agreement, some in outright denial. "At least until they are gone. Then we can return. I will not risk more of our kind being killed. If all of us-" she waved at Urtiatch and then Igatch "-are slain, how will our people continue?"
Others pressed their opinions, but in the end it was decided. They had to leave.
000
They spent the rest of that day hurriedly packing and stowing all their supplies, mainly meat and hide ropes in the forest. Other shifts transported it further, to a clearing where they would regroup.
Cameratch stayed by her eggs through this all. She knew they could die with this journey, but saw no alternative. At the last moment, when the ships were visible, she and her bronze Bofitch gently packed each of the seven precious shells, so close to hatching time, into slings they and five others were to carry.
At twilight the ships landed. They spent that night onboard. In the darkness the migration of the dragon-folk began over the black Southern forests, from known peril into unknown peril.
000
Hayatch and Urtiatch traveled with Virika and Vyrania, on recently tamed runnerbeasts with two others for luggage the dragon-folk could not carry. All four horses were by now trained not to fear the dragon-folk, used to them in the several months they had been around together. The others flew high above. No one spoke, save through telepathy.
For a time they journeyed over familiar lands. Gradually, fewer knew the territory, mainly the golds and bronzes, with many browns. The greens and blues had ventured further a field in search of food.
At daybreak they landed in the forest, ate of their supplies and slept through the day, posting sentinels. They also sent out some people to see if there were dangers close by.
Virika and Vyrania groomed the riding horses, two mares, the elder sister's a pale gray with oval blobs of black, and the younger girl's a dark gray. They unloaded and groomed the pack animals, a gentle dark brown stallion and a copper-brown mare, and finally fell asleep.
As soon as they had rested they continued on their journey.