I do not own Pern or any of the Pernesse story concepts- all that credit goes to Anne McCaffrey. I just have claim on the OCs and such.

Author's Note

I've been writing fanfics for years, but this is one of the first I've actually posted here on . Please, constructive criticism is preferred. I will take many liberties with the Pern stories and ideas, so don't get too pissy. I do my research, I just don't always choose to follow it.

About the story- I wrote the general concept for this a few years ago, and am modifying it. This has no particular timeline, and no real association with any Pern story- I'm just having a bit of fun. Any suggestions would be appreciated and will be noted in the story. With that, read, review and enjoy!

Jem sighed, her eyes scanning the portion of the winding mountain trail that she could clearly see from her hiding place. The little nook in the rocks had a cluster of trees, a small spring, and a rock perfect for sitting on and waiting. The only way you could see this place was from the skies or from that small part of the path- even then, you really had to know it was there and want to look at it- otherwise it was generally ignored. That's how she found this place, that's why she loved it so much. It was quiet, secluded, and best of all- dragons couldn't land here.

She fidgeted nervously at the though of dragons. It wasn't that she didn't like them- she loved dragons actually. It was the weyrs and the dragonriders she despised. They had too many rules, most of which they broke. They had no respect for the Holds, and didn't enforce respect from the Holds. The only reason the Holds bothered to keep the dragonriders happy was the Thread. If not for that… Well, if not for Thread, dragons wouldn't exist, would they? It seemed to Jem that their whole purpose was to sear the Threads from the sky. Not that she minded- it was interesting to watch the dragons, especially the greens and blue, dart and dip and dive after the silvery spore. As one of the ground crew, she had the privilege of front row seats to the lovely display.

She sighed, glancing at the leather bundle on the sun warmed rock next to her. Thread would be over soon… Just a year more they said… Then what would the Dragons do? Practice, breed, play and eat.

She prodded the bag idly, as if she could tell from poking it how the contents were doing. Inside she'd nestled half of a fire-lizards nest, including a lovely gold egg. The six little eggs had been hardening on the sand for some time, and if Jem guessed right (and she usually did) they would hatch today. So she brought them along, making sure to keep them warm on the hot rock, and hoping that Daryn would get here in time. After all, what would she do with six fire-lizards? She nudged the bag again, thinking about getting out the queen egg when a flurry of sound down the path caught her attention. She stood up briskly, praying to the First Egg it was him.

Daryn broke through the trees with a manic grin plastered to his face. Before she could react, he swept her up in his arms and planted a clumsy but roughly passionate kiss on her lips. Breaking it finally he put her at arms length, hands still lingering on her shoulders, his face still lit with an insane smile.

Jem stared at him, eyes wide, and her left hand coming to her lips- a finger brushing them slowly in disbelief. It wasn't until she'd blinked a few times that she regained power of thought and reason, "What… what was that for?" She tried not to sound disapproving or eager, merely curious; her voice, a little deep for a girl, wavering at the end.

Daryn smiled wider, comically making it look as if his face was breaking open at the mouth. He had obviously been waiting for her to ask, because he burst out instantly into a long string of babbles, "I was at Southern Weyr, helping with the Thread scores you know, applying numbweed and the such, fetching water and wrappings- there were a good number of scores this time, though none as harsh as those on Poeth and Sameth…" He paused for a moment, eyebrows knitting together. Poeth was the Queen of Southern, Sameth her mate. On their last mating flight they had been badly Threadscored by a surprise Fall of Thread. Too wrapped up in mating to notice the Fall, they both nearly died. Had it not been for the great need of Poeth's clutch, many speculated that they both would have taken their riders between.

Daryn shook his head and the smile returned, "So I was patching up one of the greens when it happened! She turned around, sniffed me, and gave off the oddest sound! So I've been chosen! I've been Searched! I'm going to Impress!" He paused, arms wide, smile bright, waiting for Jem's response.

Jem felt something inside her twist painfully. Jealousy, rage, anger, pity, sorrow all flitted through her making her dizzy with grief. She wanted to scream and cry at the same time… But Daryn looked so expectant, so happy… She couldn't ruin that for him.

She looked at him, her face completely blank, "I'm happy for you." Before turning away.

Daryn frowned at her opening his mouth to say something when a squeak and a crunching sound made him turn.

Jem heard it too, and pounced on her leather bag, happy for an excuse to end the conversation. She pushed open the flaps and stared in awe at the rocking, shaking eggs. Quickly taking out some dried fish from her side pouch, she handed some to Daryn and they waited expectantly.

One egg had already cracked, and the little brown fire-lizard stumbled out of his egg, nearly falling off the rock if it hadn't been for Daryn's quick reflexes. The little winged creature looked up at him, begging with peeps and chirps for food.

The next half hour was spent with the fire-lizards, feeding them, playing with them and naming them. A bronze and a blue joined Daryn's little brown. Jem ended with the gold, a green and a bronze. The images and emotions the flitted through the little fire-lizards heads into their new masters made the two young people laugh, momentarily forgetting the tension that had been between them.

It wasn't until the sky was streaked with gold and orange that they stood to say their goodbyes. Little was actually said, though Daryn gave Jem a swift kiss before fleeing back up the path and to the Hold, his fire-lizards flitting around him.

Jem watched him go, sitting on the rock until she could no longer see him or his new friends. She stared at the place he'd left, trying to stir the feelings back. All she felt was hollow. Daryn… her one true friend, her secret keeper, her heart's desire, was leaving her. He would become a dragonrider, there was no doubt in her mind about that. He had what it took.

A questioning thought probed at her, a flash of Daryn's face and that feeling of question again. Jem turned to stare into the whirling green-yellow eyes of her little gold, the only one of her fire-lizards not to be named. Smiling a little, and ensuring the gold that she was alright, she scratched at her eyeridge and along the base of her wings until the little thing trilled with pleasure. Slow tears started down Jem's face as the thought of losing Daryn finally started to sink in. Before she knew it she was crying, slouched against the rock, face buried in her hands. Irith, her green, and Imp, her bronze both crooned and chirped at her, trying to send her happy feelings and images of calming things. It wasn't until the gold began a strange humming, her voice thrumming and warbling, that Jem calmed. She watched in amazement as the little fire-lizard sang, eyes half closed, wings half open.

Smiling finally, feeling calm at last, Jem reached out and caressed the gold, "Harp, that is your name my little music maker… Thank you…"

Harp trilled again, and began to sing as the four of them made their way up the path and to the Hold.

Well, there you have it- the first chapter. Most of the following chapters will be a little longer, so no worries. I'll try to update it every couple of days, depending on when I hit a wall. It shouldn't be a problem for a while. Don't for get to R&R!