Disclaimer: Not mine, the wonderful and well-adored and respected Anne McCaffrey owns them.
Back to the Firestone
"Interesting news?" K'dra repeated, disbelieving. The most importantly pressing matter to happen to her and Terranth and it was just…interesting?
"Now, now, Kendra, don't get your hackles raised in a snit. What your mom meant wasn't meant to be offensive." Nikkos gave his daughter a stern but loving look, and it was that love that drained the anger and offense away.
"Caught us by surprise is all," Gavin nodded. "Knew it was coming, but it's one thing knowing it'll come, another to know it actually happened, you follow?"
"Yeah, I do. It's just…I can't help it! Terranth needed it, and I would eventually have to know it sometime, and why not enjoy it? So what if K'vic and R'ahvin helped me out?"
"Wait…who's K'vic?"
Do you run now?
"Well, that was interesting," K'dra murmured as she gingerly made her way to her lifemate. "Do I have scouring marks on my skin, Terri, because from that scolding, I should be rubbed raw."
You look fine to me. That wasn't so bad. They took it well?
K'dra choked a laugh out even as she brushed some tears from her eye, swiping at the offending, traitorous drops of liquid. She closed her eyes even as she leaned into Terranth, whose hide smelled of firestone, leather, and fresh oil.
You are leaking, crying! Did they hurt you?
Terranth crooned lovingly to her lifemate even as her eye swirls picked up pace and color at the thought her beloved might have been hurt.
"No, they didn't hurt me, at least I don't think so," K'dra rushed to comfort her darling dragon love.
But you cry!
"I'm alright, these are happy tears, see? I'm so glad to finally be able to have this conversation with them over with. It's…a relief."
So you're not hurt?
Terranth cocked her head so she could eye her petite rider, offering an obliging foreleg to help with the mounting up process.
"No, dragon baby, I'm not. A little disappointed with some of their reactions, but overall, they took it well."
Why did they not like it when you told them about Shimrath's rider? Terranth unfurled her wings to their widest point, crouched low, and launched herself in the air, wings pumping furiously to get off the ground. He made you happy and helped so you were not so scared when Xenith and his rider finally caught us.
"It's one thing to accept that I lost my innocence to another rider when you were caught…it's only natural, and to be expected. But to have, uh, enjoyed myself without any true dragon influence…that wasn't so acceptable."
I don't know what that means, Terranth grumped in frustration and irritated at her rider's people who did not accept her for the woman she had become.
"It's all part of growing up, Terri. They just don't see me often enough to realize that. They'll get over it," K'dra shrugged.
Do we go to S'na and Et'an, or back to the Weyr?"We really need to get back to Halcyon, we've been gone long enough. Just let Shrith and Tilanth know we'll talk to them later, but we have to get back. Tell them also between works both ways and that they should visit us."
They hear, they understand. Terranth paused slightly before continuing, amused. S'na says for Shrith to tell you that she wants all the gory details soon. Tilanth says Et'an says to take it easy and ignore S'na as best you can.
K'dra laughed and settled back straddled between two neck ridges, as amused as her dragon.
"Take us to our Weyr, Terranth. Take us home."
K'dra envisioned the partial Bowl of Halcyon Weyr and a few moments later they winked between.
The pair burst over Halcyon Weyr and Terranth caroled out a greeting to the dragon pair on watch, K'dra waving as they passed, to land in the Bowl. K'dra sent Terranth off with an affectionate slap and then headed toward a gathering of riders, riders who happened to be her wing, at the far curve of the Bowl.
The men and women of Thread's Bane were as varied as their dragon's hides. The wingleader, of course, was R'ahvin, riding bronze Xenith. He wasn't the youngest bronzed Wingleader, but he wasn't the oldest either. There had been no complaints over his leading, and he actually cared about those in his wing, and demanded the best of each pair.
His wingseconds were K'vic and B'yin. Both rode browns, K'vic on Shimrath and B'yin on Kalisth, and though many in the Weyr were concerned about having the two notorious pranksters in the same wing, and with authority, they couldn't fault the dedication the two had in all things when the time came to be serious.
The wing consisted of the Wingleader and eleven others, R'ahvin, K'vic, and B'yin each in command of three others, forming three details of four each in a slightly v-shaped pattern. K'dra was in B'yin's detail, and two of her fellow Thread's End transferees, D'mino the fiery red-headed female brown rider of Connorth and her brother I'ra, green Exxelth's rider filled in the remaining gaps of the other details.
B'yin's detail included himself, K'dra, Y'riack blue Hagarth's rider, and Gr'fin blue Oaeth's rider. B'yin was also senior Wingsecond, so in the event something happened to R'ahvin during fall (Faranth forbid) or if he had to go away, B'yin would take over.
K'vic's detail held B'tolme rider of green Cammyth, I'ra, and D'rik, blue Tynth's rider.
R'ahvin led I'bic, green Avath's rider, D'mino, M'rel the rider of brown Razath, and V'der blue Yaweth's rider. The details were pretty evenly distributed of all the fighting colors giving them the advantage of working with multi colors and preventing any prejudices that might arise.
"Well, here she is, the lady of the hour!" I'bic called out merrily.
He rode a green and he was damned proud of his little lady, despite the innuendos on his dragon's sexual proclivities. She was partial to browns and bronzes, but I'bic always made sure he had a woman on hand when a bronze chasing flight happened. The pair was also renowned for their Searching ability. Well, Avath's Searching ability. Rarely did one of Avath's Searched candidates stand more than once on the Sands, and they preferred it that way.
"That's me, I'bic!" K'dra replied back, any lingering disappointment with her parents dissolving now that she was back where she belonged. "What do I need to do this time?"
"Well…" the green rider began only to be interrupted by his occasional weyrmate D'mino.
"Don't encourage him, K'dra. He's insufferable enough," the redhead rolled her eyes.
She and her brown Connorth had stirred up quite a fuss with their Impression, for many believed only males could or should Impress a male dragon. A'dlar and Myna couldn't understand how one of their clutches could have produced this phenomenon, but Connorth had proven them wrong, refusing to believe his adored Darshiamino, now D'mino, wasn't the rider for him. The pair had been lifemated for going on six Turns now, and this was their third transfer, having decided they liked Halcyon and I'bic and Avath the best enough to stay.
Her blood brother I'ra chuckled. I'ra had Impressed with the same clutch as Terranth andK'dra andshe still wasn't sure exactly where he stood.K'dra knew his Exxelth had been flown, obviously, by a blue, but didn't know all the details.What a rider did in his or her weyr with another consenting rider/individual was their own business. Not likeK'dra went around advertising thatshe slept with K'vic and R'ahvin.
"Where you been at baby sister?" M'rel drawled out in his lazy Southern accent.
He was by far one of the oldest riders of our wing, and his wisdom and experience as a Weyrlingmaster for many Turns made for everyone listening avidly when he spoke.
He always addressed the other riders in his wing as baby brother or in her case, baby sister. It made her feel more at ease and she couldn't help smiling up at the rider with touches of gray at his temples.
"I've been out and about visiting. Went back to Thread's End, caught up with my friends, then I dropped by my family's Holding at Sonnette's Dawn to tell them about Terranth rising yesterday."
"Ooohhh…" "Ahh." "Spill!"
K'dra grinned at the other riders clamoring for all the 'gory' details. Most of them were Weyrbred but some were of the Craft and Hall, so they were the most emphatic. They also weren't girls, so they knew that had to have made this a hundred times harder for her, and that much juicier.
"Well…. I promised S'na I'd tell her and I know she wouldn't be happy if I told y'all first so, no."
"Aww…. c'mon, Kendra," I'ra pouted and K'dra raised an eyebrow at the lack of the honorific.
Usually she didn't mind others calling her by her birth name but sometimes I'ra pushed it into degrading. Unusual considering his sister was a dragonrider, a brown rider at that, and had her name shortened as well. He never lapsed D'mino's honorific.
"Nah, you don't want to hear about it, Imradrian."
Now it was I'ra's turn to raise his brows at the lack of honorific but D'mino's laugh and hand on his shoulder prevented him from doing much more than open his mouth.
"Did they take it well, lover?" K'vic grinned, eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth. K'dra had a feeling he was laughing more at R'ahvin's ire with K'vic's pet name for K'dra than anything else.
"They were okay…until they found out about you," she sassed toward her wingsecond and enjoyed the surprised and inquiring look he shot her way.
"Me? What did I do?"
"You know what you did," B'yin laughed, having been Hold bred himself, and winking at the other brown rider.
"That's about it," K'dra grinned, nodding to her detail leader.
"But…but what about R'ahvin?" K'vic demanded.
"What about me?" said bronze raider raised an eyebrow, a smile shadowing his lips. He liked all his riders, but he was pleased that K'vic was now in the hot seat after annoying everyone else.
"Xenith caught Terranth yesterday, and you enjoyed each other several times afterward," K'vic objected, casting a disgruntled look K'dra's way.
"Yeah, but that was 'under the influence'," V'der guffawed. "You were just the nasty rider who deflowered their pure, innocent Kendra without 'badly' influencing dragon hormones."
The entire wing had a laugh at K'vic's expense and some teasing abounded as they all made their way toward the Kitchen and Dining Cavern for a wing meeting. Even if no one ate, they could still gather, get assignments, catch up on news, etc. There were other wings there, enjoying the cool of the partially underground cavern as most of the heating pits were outside.
Thread's Bane Wing sat at the table they usually found themselves at, taking drink refreshment, some grabbing dinner, but all were finally together.
"Okay, tomorrow is Threadfall and you know what that means," R'ahvin addressed his wing once everyone was settled in.
"The return of Lord Blood," K'vic quipped, and the table groaned at his bad pun. R'ahvin wasn't that much of a stickler for procedure.
"Thank you, K'vic, you've just been demoted. Just kidding," the bronze rider grinned at his wingsecond. "Tonight, we'll have a look see."
The table groaned again and R'ahvin patiently waited it out until all the good-natured moans and complaints were finished and a modicum of seriousness fell upon them. His sea green eyes met each and every one of his rider's to make sure they were on the same level before continuing.
"Full readiness. We'll be going over every strap, harness, belt, buckle, glove, jacket, goggles, helmet, tools, sewing kits, and other leathers. Line your dragons in the Bowl and we'll check for flakes, dry patches, itchy skin, boils, cuts, or scratches. Not to say or imply that you have been remiss in your duty to your dragon, but this is a full inspection. While you're at it, you may just get around to cleaning your weyr, and putting clothes where they belong."
The wing laughed because there were a couple of riders who were notorious for being lax in keeping their clothes and wardrobe tidy and organized. Those riders looked a bit sheepish but took it all in good order.
"Like I said…the return of Lord Blood," K'vic heaved a put-upon sigh, slinging a casual arm around and behind K'dra's shoulders, since they were sitting on the wall bench.
"K'vic," K'dra playfully admonished, slapping his tone stomach, the sound muffled somewhat from the open riding jacket.
K'vic pulled a face, but said nothing else, content to relax and enjoy drinking from K'dra's wine cup. He rolled his eyes to see her reaction but she just smiled and shook her head. She'd really had enough wine for today…she'd have to get water if she was still thirsty. K'vic was more than welcome to it, would be such a shame to have to throw out good wine.
Pouting that he didn't get more of a reaction out of her K'vic settled down to behave. Somehow K'vic had procured skins of the area they were to fight Thread over, and he unrolled the skin on the table, with helping hands reaching in to unfurl and keep down the edges.
"You all know procedure, but for those of you recently transferred or out of commission we're going to go over things so there won't be any mishaps, hopefully."
K'dra had a feeling he might be talking to her, but whatever the reason, she gave the skin her undivided attention, plotting all the marks and features to memory.
Hmmm…Cabal Hold. Remember that one love?We were just there, weren't we? Terranth lazily replied, alert only for the fact her rider was broadcasting they had a good possibility of fighting Thread for the first time in almost two months.
R'ahvin spent the next fifteen to twenty minutes going over where they were usually positioned during Fall, rarely were they ever moved. He also gave the formation they would be flying in, letting them know who was going to be riding sweep and who was cover rider.
The sweep rider was often sent out before the main wings in preparation, and they almost always had good weather sense, to determine the conditions they'd be flying in. Cover rider held back and up from the main wing formation, often flying solo, to catch or check for any Thread they might have missed in their sweep and try to sear it down before it fell down to the queen's wing level.
"Y'riack, you're riding cover unless you're told otherwise. Think you and Hagarth can handle it?" the bronze rider grinned at one of his most trusted riders.
"Always, sir," the chestnut haired blue rider raised his tanned face and puffed out his chest proudly.
"Good. We do this just like during drills and tournaments." R'ahvin paused and took a gracious pull of the wine in his own cup, and several of the wing followed his example.
K'dra rescued her goblet from K'vic's hand, returning it after a moment, and her brow furrowed as she recalled a piece of conversation that disturbed her.
"R'ahvin?"
"Yes, K'dra?" R'ahvin looked at her steadily.
"Is Terranth and I allowed to ride this Fall?" she asked cautiously and R'ahvin blinked.
"Why wouldn't you?" he asked, somewhat confused. "You've been cleared for Fall for some time now, we just didn't want to risk anything with Terranth so close to her rising."
"Before Terranth rose, and I was reacting to her being proddy, you said…um, that is," K'dra tried to put into words what had been bothering her, and there was some mutterings as the rest of her wing remembered R'ahvin's angry words the other day.
"You grounded her from flying until she was, what was it you said?" K'vic cocked his head sideways, pursing his lips as he thought. A lock of hair fell forward into his eyes and he irritably brushed it away. It just fell back in front of him as he snapped his fingers.
"Oh, yes, you said and I quote, 'I'll not allow impaired dragon pair actively in my wing until they are better. Once Terranth rises, you're ground from Fall until further notice!'"
"That's right, I said that didn't I?" R'ahvin tilted his head slightly to observe his newest green rider who looked meek, chastised, and hopeful all at the same time. She forced herself to look up and meet those eyes that had gazed upon her so intimately several hours before.
"I believe that whatever had 'impaired' you is effectively over, yes?"
His grin cajoled an answering twitch from her own, and brought a spark in her eyes, and his own grin spread into an all out smile.
"Then I believe, Terranth's rider, you will be flying Thread tomorrow in B'yin's detail."
"Thank you," K'dra grinned and tried to hide the emotion that wanted to choke her up.
Terranth thrummed happily outside and in her mind, K'dra could hear how pleased her dragon love was. And it was true. She was a dragonrider, and Terranth was her dragon, her green little fighting dragon, and it was their job to sear Thread in the sky!
"Well…back to the firestone for you!" K'vic gave her a one armed hug and an infectious grin.
"Yes…back to the firestone for us! Finally."
About time.
A/n: Wow, seventeen chapters! Wahoo! Hope you all like it! This one's a pretty good sized chapter. You should feel so special :b
Oh, and I named my little dragon muse Jareth for all those who were wondering! So it's Jareth who you should be thanking since naming him I've been writing more DoP, lol.
I think it's time for our favorite dragon pair to get back in action. Namely because I am now bored with all the convalescing (K'dra and Terranth were that's for sure!) and all the funny and important parts of that plotline were finished.
I'd like to thank all those who reviewed on the last chapter. You're comments were so appreciated, I'm glad you all are sticking with me on this. Writing multiple stories in multiple genres is harder work than you'd think, lol. Blame Jareth. Review please!