Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE PLANET PERN, IT'S PLACES, OR IT'S PEOPLE. (Dragonriders of Pern ®Anne McCaffrey)

Author's Note: This fic is set in an alternate universe where Aivas was discovered, but somehow the plan to end Thread fails, so the deadly rain still falls! Also, any person, creature, or place you don't recognize...those DO belong to me, so NO STEALING!

Plot Summary: A young greenrider, her brownrider weyrmate, their bronzerider friend, and his weyrmate are attacked by both felines and a new species while on an unauthorized leisure trip to Drake's Lake...how will the four dragonriders fare while they and their dragons are near-mortally wounded? Also, will they be able to endure their Weyrleaders' wrath when they find out about their little excursion?

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Prologue

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It is now the middle of the Thirteenth Pass of Thread on Pern. No more Long Intervals have occured in the nine hundred and seventy-five Turns since the Ninth Pass, the time of the infamous F'lar and Lessa of Benden Weyr, as well as Masterharpers Robinton and Sebell, and the ever-famous Lord Jaxom of Ruatha, rider of the eternal white dragon, Ruth. Many Northern Holders and Craftsmen on Pern have begun to think that their current dragonrider protectors are nothing compared to the ones back in the Sixth and Ninth Passes. As for how things in the Southern Continent have been going since the Ninth Pass and Interval, there is so much to cover.

Southern Weyr was destroyed in an earthquake, thus causing the dragonriders residing there to create another Weyr complex farther inland, which they named Korani Weyr. Monaco Bay Weyr, on the other hand, has done somewhat less unfortunately. The Weyr was hit by a tsunami well into the Eleventh Interval, which caused the Weyr to rethink its position. The entire Weyr complex was taken apart and moved further inland, where the threat of tsunami waves was less damaging, at least.

Honshu Weyrhold, first started by F'lessan of Benden Weyr and Tai of Monaco Bay Weyr back in the Ninth Pass, has thrived since its first days of very few inhabitants. The Weyrhold, which had obviously been built to support large numbers of people, was soon flooded with Pernese of all kinds, and the dragons whose riders had transferred to Honshu weyred in manmade caves in the nearby cliffsides. F'lessan decided that, as Honshu was certainly no proper Weyr, it would be referred to as a Weyrhold, and that its leaders would be dragonriders that were referred to as 'Weyrholders'. Since Honshu's re-founding, several more Weyrholds have been founded in both the Northern and Southern continents. Unfortunately, it had been agreed by the Weyrs that no queen dragons would live in a Weyrhold unless absolutely neccessary, so the Weyrholds were to be led by dragonriders of the same bloodline as the rider who started the Weyrhold. F'lessan and Tai's Bloodline still holds Honshu, which is now led by their many-times-great-grandson, F'rellin, rider of bronze Traybith, and his mate, Adrina, rider of Arth, who is the first queenrider to be allowed the position of Lady Weyrholder.

As for new Weyrs, only two new Weyrs were founded in the South. Since several Weyrholds were founded, dragonriders found little need for as many Weyrs in the South as there were in the North, where Weyrholds were few and far-between. Eire Weyr, named after an island nation on old Terra, was situated along the coastline of the Southern Continent, nestled somewhat precariously atop a high cliff halfway between Korani and Monaco Bay Weyrs. Sorna Weyr is situated on a newly-formed island, conveniently named Sorna Isle, directly between Korani and Eire Weyrs. This story is centered on Eire Weyr and it's Holds and riders.

Eire's current Weyrleaders are considered among the Weyr's best Leaders to date. Kalusia, rider of gold Alaeith, is a strict Weyrwoman who will not tolerate sloth in her Weyr. Her facial features are soft and gentle, making her seem younger than her actual twenty-three Turns, while her tall, lithe, and shapely body betray the youth that her face projects. Her fire-red hair, lightly laced with a bright silver, falls in a silky cascade to end between her shoulderblades and the small of her back, which is kept up in a bun underneath her riding helmet during Threadfall. Almond-shaped eyes of a light sapphire blue make her medium-toned skin seem even darker than it really is. A'rek, rider of bronze Sulith, on the other hand, is a slightly easy-going Weyrleader whose actions seem to buffer those of his Weyrwoman's. The young Weyrleader's jovial nature also seems to be slowly rubbing off on his weyrmate, for Kalusia seems to be losing her strictness the longer she spends with the Weyrleader. A'rek's light sea-blue eyes always seem to glitter from an inner humor, but can look strict and serious when need be, and compliment his dark skin. His wavy black hair falls to the nape of his neck, the hair itself slightly layered. A'rek is nearly a full head taller than Kalusia, and his slim, muscular figure is typical of a bronzerider.

Now...without further ado, I bring to you the Thirteenth Pass on Pern!

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Chapter One will be up A.S.A.P.

--Selrekla