A/N: Hey Hey! I know this chapter's pretty short, but I liked the stopping point. Thanks for the feedback/hits!
PP 35th Turn, Late Autumn, Fort Weyr
It's time for Thread! Renath's words reverberated in S'wan's head. Groggily, he looked at the timepiece next to his bedside and realized that it was, in fact, time for thread. He hurriedly washed and dressed and Renath took him down to dining cavern for a quick breakfast. He looked around the cavern for a sign of T'pin, but his friend was not present. He did, however, find Telesa as she sat down to eat her meal.
"Are you nervous?" He asked shyly, unsuccessfully hiding his own nerves. However, excitement more than fear fueled his anxiety. Telesa shook her head. She, too, was over zealous for this day. They both tried not to gobble down their porridge too fast, lest they get a stomachache before Fall!
"You haven't seen T'pin this morning have you, Telesa?" She looked confused and he should have realized that by now the news would have spread through the Weyr.
"He wasn't with you?"
"Not since the afternoon, no." Telesa shrugged, not wanting to make much of the situation. As it were, both T'pin and S'wan were quite young and she didn't think it wise for them to rush into any more formal arrangement. Not that there were too many formalities in the Weyr. She herself had been in more than one rider's weyr and taken a couple short trips between. She'd have time for motherhood later, now she was to fight thread! Telesa looked down at her watch.
"C'mon, S'wan, we'd better go. I'm sure T'pin's already with his wing!" As they hurried out of the cavern, Telesa privately mused that it was most likely best that T'pin and S'wan were not in the same wing.
--------------------------------------
As he mounted Renath, S'wan wondered if his father was to fly in this Fall. Jaxom normally did when Thread was over Ruatha. His face flushed from embarrassment, thinking of what his father's reaction would have been to yesterday's mating flight. He supposed Jaxom chose to not think of those situations, regardless of S'wan's partner. Which reminded him…
Renath, is Amanath in position? No harm in checking.
Yes. She will fly well today. Just as yesterday Renath added smugly, content with himself. At that, S'wan had to chuckle. Then it was time to fall into place. N'ton signaled and they went between!
----------------------------------------
How does my son fly, Ruth? Jaxom asked. He was proud of his son. He'd gotten over every ounce of his trepidation at the initial Impression. When Ruth had informed his weyrmate of the previous days mating flight, he felt nothing but happiness for his younger son.
He and Renath fly very well. Don't worry, Jaxom. Jaxom smiled. He had to admit that he did feel some relief about the fact that there less than 10 years left of Thread. His son would be a young man still when the menace finally retreated. Before he could think anymore, Ruth ducked a large clump that had been missed from above. His beautiful white dragon charred the clump before it tumbled all the way to land.
----------------------------------------
S'wan and Renath found fighting Thread to be exhilarating! They were much faster and more agile than many of the other blues and able to get clumps that had been missed. The smell of firestone char was pleasant and a wonderful reminder of the good work they did. Somewhere down there was his mother, brother, and sister. He rather liked the idea of being able to protect them in a way that they never could do. Jarrol may have been better at many things, but it was he, S'wan, who rode the dragon! You ride me very well.
----------------------------------------
After Threadfall at Fort Weyr…
As he dismounted Renath, and sent him to the lake for a bath, S'wan saw Telesa, who was in his wing, coming his way. She grabbed his forarm.
"We did it! No serious injuries! Wasn't that exciting!" He had never really seen Telesa this free before, "I grew up around fighting dragons, but watching and tending just can't compare! Didn't you find it wonderful?" She asked him.
"Oh yes! It felt so…right! Oh, here comes Lelaini! Lelaini!" He called after the tall girl. She hurried over to them, char marks all over her face. She giggled.
"I'm so relieved! It feels almost wrong to feel this giddy over Thread! My Darth was just fabulous! I hear Amanath flew well too," she smiled radiantly at S'wan. Lelaini and T'pin were in the same wing.
"I for one am happy that there are only ten years left of that stuff!" came T'pin's crackling tenor. S'wan smiled laughingly at his friend. Telesa and Lelaini laughed and found ways to excuse themselves. T'pin snorted.
"That could get annoying. It was one mating flight, you'd think those weyr girls would know better. Well, I'm starved. I'll see you later, S'wan." He smiled a good-bye to his friend. S'wan's heart sank a little. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but this was not it.
Renath?
He was there, but there was no answer.