As this chapter continues there are scenes that relate to 'Dragonsong', the first book in Ann McCaffrey's Harper Hall Trilogy. It also follows a back story from the second book, of the original Dragonriders of Pern Trilogy, 'Dragonquest'. Dialog either matches or follows scenes from these books.
Chapter Three
That evening T'gran retold his rescue story about what turned out to be a lanky girl running full out to the beach. "There wasn't so much as a cave nearby and there she was running for the beach. Making a good pace, for a girl. I thought she was a boy until Felena said it was a hold girl from Half Circle out netting spiderclaws." The assembled chuckled.
G'sel was at the end of the table, cradling his bronze fire lizard. He added, "The Half Circle Harper was caught out too. D'you suppose they were going to rendezvous?" A bread roll bounced off his head as the others groaned or guffawed.
Mirrim appeared from the dorms and skipped down the stairs to the back kitchen. T'gellan dropped his other roll and rose. The others tittered as he walked toward the waiting fire lizards.
"Think he wants a fire lizard?" laughed Willa and the others joined in.
T'gellan slowed as he approached the bench noticing more than five fire lizards. Where did that blue come from? All but the usual 5 popped out as Mirrim bustled out with an unusually large load.
She paused. They regarded each other with knowing grins. T'gellan stepped forward to take the heavier tray. "Where'd they come from? Do they look to you?"
"No, I don't know how they got here," Mirrim replied. "They have been popping in since today's Fall stealing any and all food left unattended. Even Manora is annoyed. You are supposed to find them in shell, you know."
T'gellan laughed. "Perhaps this last Fall brought more in than two Half Circle lovers."
Mirrim snorted. "I suppose I should be used to silly gossip made by wine." Her cheeks reddened. T'gellan concentrated on feeding Lok and Tolly. Brekke's bronze Berd had grabbed a few gobbets then lifted and flew back to her. Stealthily two bronzes darted forward voraciously snapping up meat from the tray. Deftly, T'gellan grabbed a few pieces and threw them out into the dark bowl where red jeweled eyes proved that the interlopers caught them in the air.
With a giggle, Mirrim followed suit tossing some more out.
The next morning, Mirrim sought T'gellan. "Would you feed the fire lizards? Manora wants me to see to the runner's feet. You can check with Sanra for meat scraps." She seemed unsure of his response.
T'gellan smiled assuredly. "I know I can get helpers," he said as he reached to pat her arm but she stepped aside and scurried through the hall to the dorms. Reppa glided behind her. As T'gellan walked towards the tables by the main cooking hearth he signaled to several of the riders sitting down to an early breakfast. "Feeding fire lizards; could use some help." He didn't have to look to know he had followers. Again, there were more fire lizards than the ones who looked to weyrfolk. The dragonmen were having too much fun to realize the increase; they made as much noise as the creeling hoard. He heard B'fol nudge B'nard, then refer to Mirrim as the little harridan which made him grin. He didn't have to concern himself with another rider eying his prize but then he hadn't really won her yet. He was certain of her attraction but she didn't display the free-will demeanor of the other women in the Weyr.
A tiny blast of cold blew down on his head. In the next instant, Reppa alighted on his elbow and held her jaws open. T'gellan popped a gobbet of meat into her mouth thinking, "Her fire lizards are certainly attached to me. I wonder if they reflect her feelings if not her actions."
Soon the tray was empty, the riders and the fire lizards dispersed. He saw Mirrim appear from the hall to the dorms. She didn't look towards him; she was bent on her task as he should be too. He left the tray on an outer table as he walked into the bowl calling to Monarth.
He regretted his invitation to the other riders; it became their introduction to the mini dragons' meals. Some of the girls and women joined in caressing and oiling them before they joined their larger cousins sunning on the ledges or cavorting in the lake. Mirrim had become more reserved. Even as routine returned to the Weyr the undercurrent of desolation had not abated. Ramoth's rumbling from the hatching grounds increased the unease. Hatching could be any day and the dragonriders' forays along the beaches had yielded nothing but sand.
He and S'kel had landed in the bowl, hot, tired and hungry. From the corner of his eye he caught the flurry of colors escaping the hatching ground followed by a dual bellow. Ramoth had stomped to the cave's opening, eyes burning red. A snort sent an eddy of sandy wind across the bowl pelting both riders. They hardly noticed as Lessa had dashed down the stairs from her weyr roaring her shared anger and striding straight toward them.
"Did you bring them," she accused more than questioned. Both men took a few steps back.
"Lessa, those fire lizards came to the Weyr after the last Fall," replied S'kel. "T'gellan, tell her about the feedings." Lessa brushed past both dragonriders intent on consoling her queen. Both men shrugged and continued toward their lunch shaking their wherhide jackets, slapping their gloves and loosening their riding belts.
"They must belong to somebody," said S'kel.
"They could be attracted by the ones we have."
"Considering how badly we need the creatures…"
"In the egg," interjected T'gellan. He caught sight of Mirrim staring at him but his eyes fell on the pretty strawberry blond stranger next to her. "Another green-eyed beauty. She must be the runner." he mused.
S'kel was oblivious as he continued to pass by the girls. "It's a raking nuisance to have a whole flaming fair that no one will claim."
Suddenly, the air poofed with perhaps a dozen fire lizards in deep agitation. They congregated around both girls. Both men shrank as wings and claws brushed against their heads. The lizards telegraphed their fear and agitation to the entire hall. T'gellan noticed that the only calm person was Mirrim who was considering the poor girl covered with fire lizards. That girl was shushing them, cradling two bronzes in her arms. A golden had twined her tail around the girl's neck trying to cover herself with the girl's hair.
"Mirrim? Do they belong to you after all?" although he already knew the answer.
"No," she replied evenly, "They're hers."
T'gellan grinned widely. One had to know Mirrim well to recognize how agitated she was. All present cringed as Lessa's voice carried into the dining hall. "We'll soon know whose they are, I asked Ramoth to speak to them. "
"Over here, Lessa," T'gellan's gaze remained on the girl who immediately tried to stand. He wondered if she was going stay true to her nickname and run. The fire lizards began fussing and wailing. T'gellan had never heard fire lizards make that noise. He heard Lessa speak then the force of her character and power of her queen silenced the little pets. T'gellan continued to watch the girl who called herself Menolly. Like a typical holder girl she tried to stand, bob and curtsey. Mirrim tried to calm the girl but she kept shooting agitated looks at him, S'kel, and the mass of fire lizards perched above her and Lessa.
"She is afraid," a drowsing Monarth said, "She thinks she will be turned out because she has the little ones."
"Cave, Where?" Lessa's sharp voice brought him back to the conversation.
"On the coast. A-above Nerat by the Dragon Stones." T'gellan had to agree that Menolly did look fearful.
"Dragon Stones! The Cave!"
T'gellan stepped forward pointing at her chest and swore then almost accused, "You were living in that cave?! I found jars and pots …. No sign of fire lizard shells."
"I didn't think fire lizards clutched in caves," Lessa remarked.
Something tickled at T'gellan's memory as Menolly explained how the eggs got from the beach to the cave. "Didn't Oharan sing a ditty about moving a queen fire lizard's clutch?" he mused. "She's the Half Circle's runaway. How long ago was that? How many falls since the Harper's, (Elgion!) request? Even Mirrim is looking her with a bit of awe. She's a wonder.
"I'd like to hear the whole story in sequence, one day," Lessa said. "Right now, will you please keep your lot under control and with you? They're upsetting Ramoth and all the others. Nine, eh? When I think where I could use nine eggs to good purpose . . ." Lessa began turning away.
"Please," Menolly began meekly, "Do you need more fire lizard eggs?
Lessa's reaction was frightfully fast and Menolly cowered. "Of course we need fire lizard eggs! Where have you been that you don't know!?" Then it was T'gellan's turn to step back as Lessa rounded on him, "You're wingleader. Didn't you inform all the sea holds?"
"Yes I did, Lessa," T'gellan replied calmly as he regarded Menolly jovially, "just about the time Menolly first disappeared from her hold. Right, Menolly?" He noticed a sharp look from Mirrim. "The sweep riders have been on the lookout for her ever since, but she was holed up snug as you please in that cave, with nine fire lizards."
Menolly hung her head like an errant child, "Please Weyrwoman, don't send me back to Half Circle Hold!"
T'gellan almost guffawed. Lessa considered the frightened girl in front of her, "A girl who can impress nine fire lizards does not belong in a Sea Hold. T'gellan, find out from Menolly where that clutch is and secure it for us immediately. Let us fervently hope it hasn't hatched." She smiled and Menolly tentatively smiled back. "Aye, she is a pretty one", T'gellan thought.
"Remember to keep those pesky creatures away from Ramoth. Mirrim can help you train them. Hers are quite useful now." Abruptly, Lessa turned and marched away.
At first T'gellan thought Menolly would faint. Both he and Mirrim reached for her and pushed her into the seat. The little golden about her neck poked out and regarded him with red eyes slowly whirling to greenish blue. T'gellan grabbed an empty cup from the table and reached for the pot of klah pouring the tepid liquid then pressing it to Menolly's lips. He had leaned in close with his arm about her shoulder when he realized that Mirrim's arm overlapped his. "Drink a few sips, breathe deep breaths, Menolly," he advised.
Mirrim was admonishing her to relax when Menolly shook her head and stared across the hall, "She's, she's so small!"
"Size is irrelevant" T'gellan replied.
Menolly's hazel eyes refocused on Mirrim. "Did she really mean it? I can stay, Mirrim?"
"If you can impress nine fire lizards then you belong here. But why didn't you tell me about them? I've only three."
T'gellan grasped her arm behind Menolly's shoulder and clicked his tongue, pleased to get a reaction out of her as Mirrim stuck her tongue out at him.
"I told mine to stay in the cave."
Mirrim looked directly at T'gellan shaking her head "And here we've been wracking our brains, accusing riders of hoarding eggs…"
"I didn't know you people needed fire lizard eggs."
"Mirrim, stop teasing her; she's unnerved." T'gellan admonished. He scooted closer to her and hugged her shoulder to him as he proffered the cup to her, "Menolly, drink your klah and relax." Mirrim took that moment to push T'gellan's arm off Menolly.
Menolly was pensive, and then began explaining why she had said nothing of fire lizards, even when she was still living in Half Circle. T'gellan stayed, soothing her but kept his hands to himself. He was well pleased with Mirrim's reactions but he'd have to file that away for later reflection. Right now he had to find that clutch and that meant taking Menolly for a ride. Of course, Mirrim objected. She objected just enough for her reaction to be more than simply Menolly's healer. T'gellan could have hung all over Willa and Mirrim would not have looked their way but this girl gazes upon him and Mirrim can't hide her agitation.
"The dark one is sad and angry at you." Monarth bespoke T'gellan. "And you are pleased?"
"We'll think about it later. Get your great carcass to the bowl, we're going beach combing." T'gellan thought back.
"But we were on the beaches all morning!"