Disclaimer: I don't own Pern. I do, however own many of the characters in this story.
Chapter Three: Scouting Expedition
Life was nearly the same as in their other home; the still hunted to eat, defended themselves from curious and hostile creatures and spent much of the free time baking on the rocks. By this time the two human girls had browned sufficiently to the point where they wondered if they were more true to the color than the dragon-folk of that color sect.
After five days in this new area Virika and Vyrania thought that they and their two queens should scout back to their first settlement. They prepared that day and left on the eighth morning following their hasty departure. Carefully they skirted the area where they had met with Aunt Peklasail and did not come in contact with them.
They traveled fast, and the next afternoon came close enough to their destination that in the late evening, when the stares had risen, Virika left her sister, Hayatch and Urtiatch and their two horses to scout out what had become of the people who had landed there. She made her way up the outside of the caves and got close enough to see and hear them.
There was a half-finished structure standing a little off into the trees. One group around a campfire, for there were many of them and it seemed that more had left and would return, was near enough for her to distinctly eavesdrop on their conversation. They speculated that the new Cove Hold would soon be ready for Master Robinton.
With a heavy heart Virika relayed the news to her queen, who shared it with Urtiatch, who in turn gave it to Vyrania. As Virika made her way back as soundlessly as she could only two beings noticed her, and she did only see one of them. The queen fire lizard chattered anxiously at her, scolding her. The other she never knew. As soon as she was beating a fast retreat the little golden creature settled back to the shoulder of her human.
Farli closed her eyes. There was no need to inform Piemur of their sorrowful, swift visitor.
The other who had known her subtle intrusion, having been standing above her stargazing, waited until the others had fallen asleep before he collected what few things he needed and left, tracing the night observer.
000
Two days later, the twelfth after the dragon-people's eviction, they reported what they knew to the waiting listeners. "A hold is not going to move. They're not going anywhere. We'll have to stay here."
It was not rejected with incredible force, but neither was it accepted readily. They knew it was the truth, but none of them wanted to admit it. Finally Satch addressed them.
"There is no choice. If they move, they move, and we return. If they do not… Take each thing as it comes. We survive. That is all that matters."
Others reluctantly agreed, and they slowly filed off to return to whatever they had previously been doing.
000
Virika left all the others behind, having groomed her horse before the meeting, and wandered back down the beach, lost in thought. She eventually came to a log near the border between forest and beach and sat heavily with a sigh. "Another home… gone," she said quietly to herself eventually.
She failed to notice the young man who peered out of the trees behind her. As she said those words he came forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. With a growl she spun and twisted his arm in such a way that he sell over the log and went sprawling. Before he could do a thing she had jammed her knee into his neck and put the point of a knife at the side of his throat.
Neither moved, dredging up half-forgotten recognitions. "Eleneir?" she whispered at last, withdrawing the knife and falling on her behind in shock.
"Yeah," he said, sitting up and rubbing his neck. "Warn a body, will you?"
"Can't warn Darrinel and Sofreteh. You saw what happened." She stood and sheathed the knife. "How'd you get here?" she asked and pulled him so his feet. He noticed her so much stronger than when he had known her near on a year ago as a numbweed harvester's daughter.
"I came with the people to build Cove Hold. I found you listening in on them and followed you back."
"Vyrania'll be delighted to hear you're here," she told him and set off toward the new home, beckoning for him to follow. "We don't get much human communication."
"This I know," he said sourly, rubbing his neck again.
She grinned. "Sorry."
"Don't mention it. Ever, please!"
"Your manly dignity hurt that I got you?"
He just growled, but they both knew they other was joking by their wicked grins and went the rest of the way in silence. Both tried to think of something to say, but they had been so long apart they could not.
000
Hayatch, could you tell Vyrania Eleneir's here?
He is? The queen stopped, in the middle of practicing the dragon-people's method of unarmed fighting and accidentally dropped her father on the ground by her feet instead of yanking him over her head as Virika had done to Eleneir. How did he get here? How did her find us? Not that I'm not glad, but-
Later, please! Just tell the others not to try to jump us. He's had enough whoppings from girl for the day, I think…
They came up the beach a little later and Vyrania ran to hug her older friend. "Oof!" he exclaimed, then hugged her back, grinning. She let go and glared at her sister.
"You should've given us a little warning! All I got from Urtiatch was quick thing about Eleneir coming –and I was in the middle of weaving a new basket for food– and that you whopped him instead of saying hello!"
"Hello," Virika said cheekily to Eleneir as she went to check on Cameratch as she cared for her seven eggs in the hot sands.
"She changed a lot in a year." He didn't know he murmured it out loud until Vyrania responded.
"We both changed. All four of us, I guess. Hayatch and Urtiatch, too." She waved for Hayatch, who was spiraling down to them from the top of the rock above the caverns, to come faster. Urtiatch was not wasting any time in meeting someone new and was not far behind, and flying a straight line.
Vyrania introduced Eleneir to her queen and Hayatch hugged him with a bruising force.
"You are always welcome here…" she looked around "wherever 'here' may be."
Virika tried to concentrate on the seven shells before her, studying them, but Cameratch knew she was distracted, and by who.
"Eleneir is a good human," she commented, trying not to smirk.
She grinned a little foolishly. "Oh, he is that," she said unguardedly, and promptly turned pink under her tan.
