“You’re only saying that…” Jaxom broke off, surprised at the bitterness in his voice.
“Yes, because you need something to look forward to since you can’t do what you want most,” F’nor said. He reached out and gripped Jaxom’s arm. “I understand, Jaxom. Ruth’s been giving Canth a full report. Sorry. Awkward for you, but Ruth worries when you’re upset, or didn’t you know that?” He chuckled.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, F’nor,” Jaxom said.
Just then Brekke and Sharra emerged from the trees, Brekke walking quickly to her weyrmate. She did not, as Jaxom half-expected, embrace the brown rider. But the way she regarded him, the gentle, almost hesitant way she rested her hand on his arm, spoke more tellingly of the love between the two than any more demonstrative welcome. A bit embarrassed, Jaxom turned his head and saw Sharra watching Brekke and F’nor, a peculiar expression on her face which she erased the moment she realized that Jaxom was looking at her.
“Drinks all round,” she said in a brisk tone, handing a mug to D’ram as Brekke served F’nor.
It was a pleasant evening and they ate on the beach, Jaxom managing to suppress his frustration in the face of the morning’s Threadfall. The three dragons made nests in the still warm sands above the high-tide lines, their eyes glistening like jewels in the dark beyond the firelight.
Brekke and Sharra sang one of Menolly’s tunes while D’ram added a rough bass line. When Brekke noticed Jaxom’s head lolling to one side, he didn’t resist her ordering him back to the shelter. He drifted to sleep, face turned toward the fireglow, lulled by the singing voices.
Ruth’s excitement roused him and he blinked without comprehension as the dragon’s voice penetrated his sleep. Thread! Ruth was going to fight Thread today with D’ram’s Tiroth and F’nor’s Canth. Jaxom threw aside the blanket, struggled into his trousers, and strode quickly from the shelter to the beach. Brekke and Sharra were helping the two dragonriders load their beasts with the firestone sacks. With the four firelizards on the ground at his feet, Ruth was industriously chewing away at the pile of stone on the beach. Dawn was just breaking in the east. Jaxom peered through the dim light, straining to see the filmy discoloration that meant Thread. The three Dawn Sisters winked with unexpected brilliance high above him, paling to insignificance the other morning stars in the west. Jaxom frowned at their display. He hadn’t realized how bright they were, how close they seemed. In Ruatha, they were duller, barely visible points on the southeastern horizon at dawn. He reminded himself to ask if F’nor could have the use of a long-distance viewer, and if Lytol would send down his star equations and maps. Then Jaxom noticed the absence of the fairs of Southern firelizards which haunted Ruth day and night.
“Jaxom!” Brekke noticed him. The two riders waved a greeting and swung up on their beasts.
Jaxom checked Ruth to be sure he had enough stone in his gullet, caressing his friend and applauding his willingness to fly Thread though riderless.
I remember all the drills we were taught at Fort Weyr. I have F’nor and Canth, and D’ram and Tiroth to help. Brekke always watches me, too. I have never listened to a woman before. But Brekke is good! She is also sad but Canth says it is good for her to hear us. She knows that she is never alone.
They were all facing east where the Red Star pulsed, round and brightly orange-red. A film seemed to float across it and F’nor, raising his hand, called Ruth to take wing. Canth and Tiroth leapt strongly into the air, their wings beating in powerful strokes to assist their rising. Ruth was well aloft before them and straining ahead. Beside him four firelizards appeared, as dwarfed by him as he was by Canth and Tiroth.
“Don’t meet Thread alone, Ruth!” Jaxom cried.
“He won’t,” Brekke said, her eyes twinkling. “He is young enough to want to be first. At that, he saves the older dragons a lot of effort. But we must go in.”
As one, the three paused for a last look at their defenders and then moved quickly inside the shelter.