Namul watched as the last of the bronze dragons lept up, their powerful down beats stirring the powdery snow. The watchwhers had been delighted with their guests, which had surprised Harper Livra, until Fulsa explained that the whers, like all lizardkin, were horrible gossips and had spent most of the past three days in deep conversation with several of the Telgar bronzes. Both handlers had sensed distantly these 'conversations', even as the whers frisked about in the snow, playing games of tag with each other, and the occasional firelizard. Namul had asked his green what they were discussing, not really expecting a response, and fell over when Namusk flooded his mind with a kaleidoscope of images and feelings.
Namusk bounded over to him, all apologies, helping him up out of the snow and against her warm neck.
"It's alright, love. I know that wasn't your intention." He murmured, reassuring her. He felt foolish, Namusk shared a great deal more with him than Telgarsk did with Fulsa, but that was the first time he had been given a raw look at the conversation as the lizardkin saw it. Pure thought was not formed into words, but in impressions and emotion, images used to clarify a point, but because their eyes were so different from human eyes, the colors were a hundred times more vibrant than anything he would understand, and he, was someone who had been Searched to be paired with such a mind. Resting his forehead against her pebbly hide he marveled at the sort of mind that could handle more than one dragon 'voice' at a time.
"Will you be staying for Turn Over?" Char asked hopefully, as she hobbled alongside Keslo, Vaeth on her other side.
"I was hoping to impose upon the Weyr's hospitality, seeing as I won't be home in time otherwise." Keslo admitted smiling slightly.
"Oh! In that case, I invite you to stay as my guest!" Char said with a bright smile. One of the first things the new dragonriders learned was their responsibilities and rights, one of them being to extend the hospitality of the Weyr to anyone they wish. "Ma and Liree left this morning, it would be nice to have a guest." She added a little bashfully. She had loved having her mother and brother there, but knowing Gwedli was there to work, and being so hobbled meant not really having the opportunity to play hostess the way she wanted.
"They did? Pity, it would have been nice to see them. But I bet your father is happy." Keslo flashed her a smile. "He always was happiest being with her."
"That's true." Char laughed, as Vaeth pressed against her, keeping his ever growing bulk out of the way of others in the hallway. "Let's check in with Tress, she'll know where you can stow your kit."
"Sounds good, then you can tell me all about Weyrlife."
Redell unrolled a large map, and his hand picked handlers all gathered around. "These islands are to the west and south of Second Store. Three of them will have thick jungles. This one, " he tapped one island near the bottom of the archipelago, "is a perfect ring, one half above water, the other half reef with a sandy bar around the lagoon. I'd like you to all familiarize yourselves with Ring Island, because this will be the first island we settle, and this will be the base from which we make all future exploration. Each island you find needs to be recorded. I made this map as I was going along, there are lots of errors with it. Any islands with vegetation need to be properly investigated. Land and determine the presence of sandworms. Also report any islands with freshwater sources. Drinkable water is hard to come by, I don't want to settle first timers on dry islands." His men, the wherhandelers that made up his 'WherWing' nodded. They were all young men, loyal and with a sense of adventure. They had also all been trained in cartography, and each one carried in his belt pouch a brass sextant and compass. "If you want to day over on an island, that's fine, but let Glanees know, she is coordinating the resettlement. The rest of you I expect to return to your assigned whereries and report you findings to me." Redell had spent a considerable amount of time and Marks adapting certain rooms into weyrlike accommodations for the whers that would allow them to live in close proximity while fulfilling their instinct for their own territory.
"Any questions?"
"Do we know Threadfall schedules for these islands?" Widmerrgil asked. Widmeergil was one of only three bronze wher handlers in his ranks, and the only bronze handler (Redell excluded) not assigned a Store. The rest of the WherWing was made of blue and brown handlers, and the others tended to look to Widmerrgil as an unofficial leader. Redell didn't mind, Widmesk was the smallest of the bronzes, and youngest, having hatched a mere 13 months before. Redell had plans to make Widmerrgil the primary wherhandler for one of the islands they settled, as he was well liked by both the handlers and holders.
Redell shook his head. "I'm sorry, no, but that's why you all have firelizards." One of Redell's requirement for anyone who expressed interest in wherhandling was to prove themselves by taking care of a firelizard. Most of the lizards in question were greens, the larger lizard eggs always being set aside for barter or those who had earned special notice from the WherLord, but a couple blues and a very small brown did sit on the shoulders of his handlers. "I will provide campkit if you want to make a temporary dwelling, but I would much rather you focus on finding more islands."
"Is there anything other than water sources and vegetation you want us to pay attention to?" Merritte, a former fisherman and bluehandler asked.
"Note reefs where you see them, we are going to have to set up a network of shipping lanes. And tall islands, for they have the best places to looks for caves." Redell added.
"Should we check for sandworms on any larger islands we land on?" Gyowaz, another blue handler asked. He had come from a farming community, and had been thrilled with the discovery of the sandworms.
"If you are going to spend any considerable time, take a few moments to, but my experience has shown that islands without trees do not have sandworms."
"Who's taking us to Ring Island?" Haenil, a brown handler asked.
"I will." Redell nodded. "I've been back several times already, Redelsk will show your whers the way. Rouse your beasts after lunch, night will be falling on Ring Island then. Any further questions?" The assembled men shook their heads. "Very good. Pack your tools and a light meal. I'll meet you back in Great Hall after lunch."
Bukset sat comfortably in his saddle, his weedy runner moving with a deceptively smooth gait down the road. The Wherqueen handler had put him in contact with Pern's last remaining active wher-hunter, and the man was wintering over in the warmth of Igen's heat in a tiny settlement known as Scorch. Privately Bukset was grateful for that, as hot as it was, and despite having no winter break from Thread, it meant not being around as mourners applied to Harperhall for redress from the murdered holders.
A rock skittered ahead of them and the runner stopped suddenly. Bukset gripped his sword, and wondered if it was another tunnelsnake.
"Identify yourself!" A hoarse voice called. Silently Bukset cursed himself, for the trail had gone down into a slot canyon, and was a fantastic place for ambush.
"Harper Bukset."
"Your purpose?" A second voice asked, this more feminine.
"I seek Regaej, the wher-hunter. Lady Tegrram, the Wherqueen handler said I might find her at Scorch." He called back.
Two archers stepped out, from a blind ledge. "Go on through, Harper. We've been waiting for you." The woman called, as the man wave him along.
Wherery: pl. whereries, a word coined by Redell to describe the wher enclosures. He wanted a word as unique as weyr but disassociated from the dragonriders.
As always, please let me know if you see any misspellings, grammatical errors or errors in general. Also please any thoughts or critiques on your part would be greatly appreciated, even unfavorable ones.
Note: Story update schedule is listed in the story description.