of her bed, folding clothes into the chest. Her dragonet was still
curled up in a tight mound from which a slight snore could be heard.
Ooops, no offence intended . . . Sarra said, smiling with such good
nature that Debera immediately relaxed. You should have seen the looks
on your faces. Morath’s eyes nearly crossed when you cracked her.
Debera rubbed the top of her head, grimacing, as she descended from the
bed.
I was so deeply asleep . . . I couldn’t think where I was at first .
Morath’s been as good as she could be,’ Sarra said. T’dam said to
dress for dirty work. We’re supposed to bathe and oil them after their
first nap of the day.” That was when Debera remembered the pile of
things she had not properly sorted the previous night.
Does dressing take long? Morath asked plaintively.
No, it doesn’t, love,’ and, turning her back in case Sarra might be
embarrassed, Debera hauled off the nightdress and threw on the garments
on the top of the pile – not new, certainly, but suitable for rough
work.
The socks were new, knitted of a sturdy cotton, and she was especially
grateful for them since the pair she had had on yesterday had already
been worn several days. She stamped her feet into her own boots and
stood.
I’m ready, dear,’ she said to the little green. who stepped down off
the raised platform and promptly fell on her nose.
Sarra jumped the intervening bed to help right Morath, struggling so
hard to keep from laughing that she nearly choked. Once Debera saw that
Morath had taken no hurt, she grinned back at the Istan.
Are they always this . . ? Sarra nodded. So T’dam told us.
You’ll find a pail of meat just outside the door . . . We get a break
this first morning,’ and she wrinkled her nose in a grimace, but after
today, it’s up at the crack of dawn and carve up our darlings’
breakfasts.” There was a long snorting snore from Sarra’s green and she
whirled, waiting to see if the dragonet was waking up. But the snore
trembled into a tiny soprano ooooooh’ and then resumed its rhythm.
Did she do that all night long?” Debera asked.
I am SO hungry Debera was all apologies, and so was Sarra who sprinted
ahead to fling open both leaves of the door, making a flourishing bow
for their exit. Morath immediately crowded against Debera, pushing her
to the right, her young nose detecting the enticing smell in the two
covered pails on the rack outside the barracks.
Debera lifted the pail down while Morath impatiently nudged off the
cover and seemed to inhale the gobbets.
Debera allowed her to fill her mouth and then started shielding the pail
with her body.
You will chew what you eat, Morath, you hear me? You could choke to
death, and then where would I be?” Morath gave her such a look of pained
astonishment and reproach that Debera couldn’t remain stern.
Chew,’ she said, popping a handful of pieces into Morath’s open mouth.
Chew!” she repeated and Morath obediently exercised her jaws before
spreading them wide again for another batch. Debera had not tended the
orphaned young animals of her hold without learning some of the tricks.
Whoever had decided on the quantity, Debera thought, knew the precise
size of a dragonet’s belly. Morath’s demands had slowed considerably as
Debera reached the bottom of the pail and the dragonet sighed before she
swallowed the last.
I see she’s had breakfast,’ said T’dam, appearing from behind so
suddenly that Morath squawked in surprise and Debera struggled to get to
her feet. T’dam’s hand on her shoulder pushed her back down.
We’re not formal in the Weyr, Debera, he said kindly.
Now, lead her over to the lake there,’ and he gestured to the right
where Debera recognized the large mounds as sleeping drago nets
Then, when she wakes up from this feed she’ll be just where you can
bathe and oil her.” T’dam grinned. Before you can feed her again,
though…” and then he motioned to his left. Ar you squeamish?” he