THE WILD DRAGONS OF PERN
A Dragonriders of Pern FanFic
By Dracona-fin
PROLOGUE
The Rise of Banderamoth
Black, Blacker, Blackest
They say that jumping Between only takes the same amount of time as it takes a human to cough three times, but history had proved that wrong. Few, Dragons and Humans alike forgot the historic jump Lessa had made Between, but were history started and ended was hard to define; especially when the connecting force remained constant. As long as there was Pern there was Between it had been used by the Firelizards and now by their relatives, both Dragons and Whers. So in that way history lived on. They also said that Between was bleak, nothingness; but it was it the darkest Pern had ever seen, or was darker still the death of a Dragon.
A refuge forgotten was the place for a new beginning or so she had believed, forgotten by the Weyrs, lost in time. The shimmering golden yellow muzzle raised skywards; rich green blood ran free over her teeth, staining the edges of her jaws. A Queen, a tribute to Pern had feasted, had taken the blood of another Dragon, one that remained latched firmly between her claws. Deep and animalistic a rumble hissed out of her throat, in a world where survival was not guaranteed sacrifices had to be made. The brown between her claws one of those. Lowing her slender nose back into the open neck of the brown her kill had not gone unnoticed; the Queen was being watched by several pairs of multifaceted eyes. Dragons silently watching the kill of one of their own, they had not keened though, no Dragon keened for the death of a lost Dragon. As far as Pern was concerned they did not exist, no Dragon born of Weyr origin could hear them, for these Dragons had long been lost. They were the Dragons of Between, they had gathered from Between places and Between times; the un-Impressed.
Warm rich blood slid easily down her throat as she drunk from the brown not daring to indulge on the meat the healthy male had supported on his bones. It was primitive to gorge and yet it was a natural instinct to blood a kill especially now. Her golden hide seemed to pulse and she could not deny the fact it was time, time to rise. Her nuzzle was thrown backwards into the sky again and she bellowed an echoing challenge to those who had gathered, those like her who had not Impressed. Arching her neck, showing her power the Queen of the Lost Dragons opened her glorious golden sails, tucked her back haunches under her and leapt skywards. With the sky and the wind her ever present and unseen ally she climbed, clearing the high outcropping of the ridge they had chosen her cry was answered. Wings snapped open, Bronze, Brown and even Blue rose to her call. Here in this place all males had a chance to claim the golden hide of a Pernese Queen for their own but who would catch her, who would lay claim to the Lost Queen of Pern. For the Lost Dragons of Pern Banderamoth was all that mattered.
: Come : came the rich Golden croon across the sky, temping, calling and longing. She was longing for life, freedom and love. Her Golden form twisted through the sky, angling though the winds and dropping down over the ridges of rock. Long glistening claws racked over the rocks and caught a few lose rocks and sent them scattering into the ocean that rimed the shore they had chosen. Tilting her wings sideways and trailed one through the water, rounding the Island, watching the circling males begin their dive towards her. Taking a sharp turn around the headline she pulled upwards over the ridge, rapid fast. So far the only figure capable of keeping pace with her was her shadow and the head of it stretched before her as she broke free of the land again; free and one with the sky that opened up within reach of her wings. Her eyes whirled with a teasing notion as her Golden head twisted over her shoulder to watch the oncoming males as she lead the chase. It half shocked and appalled her to see a Blue among the leading edge a Blue had never once flown a Queen. Browns were possible, but it was the Bronze Dragons that often claimed the prize that was a Gold Dragon and she would setting for no less, then the best the male that could keep up with her; only the male that could snatch her from the sky.
The fury of wings cascaded over the ridge after the Golden and elusive form that was Banderamoth as she snaked over the land and twisted skywards again. She was leading the males through the clouds, Bronzes, Browns and Blues metaphorically snapping at her heels. Hungry males, lusting males coming ever closer to the female that offered all of Pern in their eyes. A few Blues dropped from the flight unable to keep up with the grueling pace the Queen as she ravaged the sky. All that laid behind them was the sad fact that they had not Impressed and the sacrificed body of one of fellow Dragons, that Brown had enabled all of this. Now the Lost Dragons of Pern had a chance. A Bronze angled over the trees, grabbing at leaves with his wings and they went flying in his wake. Green leaves sprayed over his wings as he arched over the land, gathering speed as there was no wind hugging the ground like he was. Far above him the Golden form that was Banderamoth twisted nimbly though the clutches of two Browns that she had chosen at random, letting the tips of her wings, sensually touch their faces. A taunt as she dropped rapidly from the sky, ground-wards, before snapping her wings open and taking to the sky again.
Having followed the lay of the land was closer than other male when she came down to the ground again. His own wings slapped the sky as he twisted after her, Bronze hide met Gold as the sun began to set. A long Bronze neck encircled a Golden one, pulling his prize closer; Banderamoth was his and his alone. Together their wing beats brought them over the stretch of land that the Lost Dragons of Pern had claimed, the Far West Continent, too far away to be seen by anyone who might be looking. : I am Taydarmorth : was his husky whisper to her mind as the drew together in the passion of flight. : Correction : was the silky Golden return : You are mine : . : As you are mine : the Bronze agreed, taking his prize, together here flew the Lost Dragons of Pern.
Hardening in wait of Life-partners
While she had been flown well Banderamoth clutched small, she had no choice, for the Lost Dragons of Pern would have no life-mates waiting for them, no candidates with eager faces would stand for Impression. So after laying the first nine eggs on the war sand that the beach of the tiny piece of Pern offered the Golden Queen took a small jump Between, terminating the rest of the eggs. A soft keen passed her throat as she settled next to the nine she had laid, pity for the Dragons that would never know Pern. Taydamorth, flicked his tongue lightly at her hide, quiet reassurance. There was only so much time and space for the Lost Dragons of Pern. The Bronze settled by his mate in the wait for the eggs to harden, one egg pressed closer to Banderamoth than the others, a large glistening egg a Queen, a young Queen destined to share the same bleak fate as her mother. To live in a Pern that did not need a riderless Dragon as a Queen. Her long Golden neck reached out and she rubbed her nuzzle against the egg. : She will do great things : she told her Weyrmate, focusing her clam blue eyes on him : She will have a rider … :