Dragonrider Short Story

Chapter 2

Once again I do not own "Dragonriders of Pern", they belong to Anne McCaffrey; but I do own my own Characters and the plot line.

Also once again I give many thanks to 'Wolfman' and my sister 'Dragonrider' for their help with this story, without which this could never have happened.

Thread Fall over Benden Hold, Half Circle Sea Hold, Keroon and Narat.

All the available wings that Telgar and Igen and Benden Weyrs could produce fought Thread.

"This Fall was shorter than the last!" mentioned Aurisalth to her rider. The Fall had lasted only just over an hour and twenty five minutes.

"I agree", said Freya, "and it was clumping and swirling wrong", which she said to herself meant Thread-scored Dragons and their riders. Yet again she was going to have some terse words to say to the young Brown rider whose Dragon had taken Thread on his wingtip and tail, and then there was that Old Blue rider who got a clump of thread to his face, his Dragon had quickly taken them between and back to the Weyr so Aurisalth had mentioned.

Then Aurisalth said "that in total this Fall both Benden and Telgar Weyrs had a combined number of 28 casulties, mostley minor scorings, but at least four Dragons with damaged wings and six riders with dislocated shoulders."

"Shoulders means bad flying" said Freya, "well lets head on down to the groundcrews and hope that all is well down there. We still cannot afford any strand of Thread to fall upon the lush ground or even up in the lower mountains, especially with the mild temeratures we've been having," she shuddered at the thought of what just one single Thread could do to all the lush growth below her.

Aurisalth then cut through her riders thought by saying that Bronze Cymruth was asking if they were needed to talk to the groundcrews as well or could he go?

Freya told her Dragon to relay that the groundcrews were the responability of the Queen riders, but to thank him for asking and that he should go and get his cheek looked at as he had obviously had a rather close encounter with some wind blowen char, which came from not ducking quickly enough when his Dragon flamed.

M'thew recieved the message from Cymruth that Freya had him relay to his rider, so grinning, he waved a jolly farewell and then gave Cymruth the vision of a sunny Igen Weyr and Kaylessa bathing a rather happy Mynerth in the sea by the Weyr, since he knew that was where she was going to be when they weren't fighting Thread. Cymruth rumbled happily that a good swim and a scrub to get rid of the stench of Firestone would be a good idea before he was required to transport some of the Lord Holders to Landing for a meeting that was supposed to be happening late into the evening, it also meant that M'thew could gather some of the large and juicy Red fruits that grew in Southern and a bag of the nuts and berries too to his folks at their hold and then he could catch up on any news he may have missed that they couldn't send in the letters he got once a month, since his folks decided to use the Traders Caravan for their letters when they travelled through and up to the Weyr to deliver supplies. His Pa had told him that it saved on the Runners feet by saving them the run up the steep, rocky and uneven ground up to the Weyr. It also meant that the Runners were then free to run messages of importance for the Healer, Harper and Smithcraft Halls, especially when the weather was bad and they couldn't use the Big Drums.

After Fall

M'thew recieved the message from Cymruth that Freya had him relay to his rider, so grinning, he waved a jolly farewell and then gave Cymruth the vision of a sunny Igen Weyr and Kaylessa bathing a rather happy Mynerth in the sea by the Weyr, since he knew that was where she was going to be when they weren't fighting Thread. Cymruth rumbled happily "that a good swim and a scrub to get rid of the stench of Firestone would be a good idea before he was required to transport some of the Lord Holders to Landing for a meeting that was supposed to be happening late into the evening, it also meant that M'thew could gather some of the large and juicy Red fruits that grew in Southern and a bag of the nuts and berries too to his folks at their hold and then he could catch up on any news he may have missed that they couldn't send in the letters he got once a month", M'thew remembered that his folks decided to use the Traders Caravan for their letters when they travelled through and up to the Weyr to deliver supplies. His Pa had told him that it saved on the Runners feet by saving them the run up the steep, rocky and uneven ground up to the Weyr. It also meant that the Runners were then free to run messages of importance for the Healer, Harper and Smithcraft Halls, especially when the weather was bad and they couldn't use the Big Drums.

The flight South was for the most part quiet and uneventful the worst part being the bit of turbulence that bounced the rider and dragon across the sky for half an hour or so. M'thew gave Cymruth his head in the flight both knew where they were going and would get there before too long the only guidance given was that Cymruth was to have fun and fly as he willed and not to stress himself unduly.

A few hours later a small mass of land became visable and the two companions made their way toward the land mass M'thew gave Cymruth the vision of Kaylessa bathing a rather happy Mynerth in the sea by the Weyr again and told him to start looking to see if they were around anywhere. As it turned out both Kaylessa and Mynerth were on the beaches however both were enjoying a good frollicking in the water. With a hearty laugh M'thew gave Cymruth a image of them diving toward the ocean close to Kaylessa, and Mynerth and pulling up a few feet above the surface of the water then carefully easing into the sea water. Cymruth's only answer was to pull in his wings and dive for the water.

Everything turned out perfectly for the little stunt except for the fact that they were discovered well before they wanted to be and they had the shock of finding the joke turned on them, when Cymruth pulled out of the dive both Kaylessa and Mynerth were a good distance away and laughing at the antics of the bronze and his rider.

"Ah well Cymruth, sometimes you just can't win, how 'bout a swim?" M'thew said as he guided his mount toward the beach to remove his saddle and the both of them could hit the salty ocean water for some fun relaxation. Once the saddle was off both rider and dragon splashed into the warm waters, M'thew proceeded to see to Cymruths scrubbing down and inspection to make sure nothing was wrong with his partner, finding nothing M'thew decided the best course of action would be to just enjoy the time at the beach and find Kaylessa and see if he couldn't find something enjoyable to do at the beach.

Turning around he came face to tackle with Kaylessa and was introduced to the underside of the water. After breaking through the surface M'thew found a smiling Kaylessa.

"Well I guess I deserved that after the diving stunt!, but it's good to see you again."

Kaylessa kept her smile in place, "Well the dive would have turned out beter if you hadn't done it while we were looking toward the sky trying to find out who was diving down on us like a madman chasing a clump of thread, your insane M'thew!""

Sensing that it would be wise to let the current line of conversation drop M'thew decided to bring up another topic that would not result in further ribbing. "Say you wouldn't know where to find some good fruit and perchance some nuts?" "Just enjoy the beach for a little w while you have had a long flight and it looks like the both of you need some relaxation. There will be plenty of time for gathering foodstuffs later." With that all four went back to swimming and just enjoying the afternoon.

A few hours later M'thew groaned and looked to Kaylessa "I hate to bring it up but I don't have much time left before I have to get back to Benden to play transporter to some Lord Holder…" "Well then lets go and gather some fruit I know where some good places are lets saddle up and its just a short flight away, hope you can keep up!" Smirking Kaylessa ran for her dragon and began saddling her Mynerth. M'thew called for Cymruth and saddled him and looked to the sky to find Kaylessa and Mynerth already airborne and waiting. Jumping into his saddle they took to the sky.

True to her words the flight to the grove of trees was a short flight when the touched down M'thew found that the trees supported an abundance of the red fruit. Whopping in excitement M'thew hit the ground and pulled some bags out of his saddlebags and looked around to find which tree would be easiest to climb, finding one he set off. "Not that one they aren't fully ripe three trees to your left!", called out a laughing Kaylessa "My thanks"", M'thew called back and bounded toward the indicated tree and then was in it and picking fruit like a kid in a candy sotre. "Slow down M'thew, the fruit isn't going anywhere!" Kaylessa said in a exasperated voice.

"That may be true but way up North we don't get too many of these and I wanted to bring my folks some." M'thew stopped for a little while to look around and truly see what he was standing among, the grove of trees streached twenty or so trees to his left and about forty to his right and the island was rising behind him and the ocean was roughly in front of him.

"It really is different than the snowy reaches of where I grew up but it does have its own appeal I just don't think I could live without the snow to tell me I'm home." Looking into the bag M'thew found that he couldn't fill it anymore and it was time to head off and get back to Benden it was only a few hours till he had escort duty to some Lord Holder. "Kaylessa I have enjoyed these few hours, but I have to be heading back soon however I would like to come back if that would meet with your approval."

Taken aback Kaylessa wordlessly nodded waved and gave a hurried, "Safe flight, I would like to see you here again." Nodding and waving M'thew secured his bag of red fruit, saddled up and took to the air heading toward Benden. In retrospect the flight back was the same amount of time as the flight down but somehow it seemed longer and M'thew found himself planning for the next trip to the Southren Island.

Landing at Benden M'thew once again cared for Cymruth taking off the saddle and then giving his mount a good rub down finding himself a bit tired he hopped that he had time for a short rest.

To be continued...