Jaxom pushed himself off the wall, unconsciously straightening his shoulders. Brand’s deference had been rather bracing. Now that he thought about it, he remembered other evidences of a change of attitude toward him, something his preoccupation with firestone had blinded him to until now. He suddenly realized that Deelan had not pestered him at the breakfast table to eat more than he wanted, that Dorse had been inexplicably absent the past few days. Nor had Lytol’s morning remarks been prefaced with inquiries after Ruth’s health but, rather, had concerned the day’s upcoming business.
The night he had returned from the Mastersmithhall, Lytol and Finder had been eager to learn about Wansor’s stars and that recital had taken up the whole evening. If the fosterlings and others had been unusually silent, Jaxom had only attributed that state of affairs to their interest in the discussion. Lytol, Finder and Brand had not had trouble finding their tongues.
The next morning there had been no time for more than a cup of klah and a meatroll as Thread was due to fall across the spring-planted fields in the southwest and they had a long ride ahead.
I should have spoken out months ago, Jaxom thought as he entered his own quarters.
It had been established that Jaxom was not to be disturbed when he was caring for Ruth; a privacy that he was only now beginning to appreciate. Generally, Jaxom attended his dragon, oiling his skin and grooming him in the early morning or late evening. He hunted with Ruth every fourth day since the white dragon required more frequent meals than the larger ones. The Hold’s firelizards usually accompanied Ruth, feasting with him. Most people fed their pets daily by hand, but the urge for hot, fresh-killed or self-caught food could never be trained out of the firelizards and it had been decided not to interfere with that instinct. Firelizards were quixotic creatures and although there was no doubt that they became genuinely attached at Hatching, they were subject to sudden fits and frights and would disappear, often for long periods of time. When they returned, they acted as if they’d never been gone, except for transmitting some rather outrageous images.
Ruth would be ready to hunt today, Jaxom knew. He heard his weyrmate’s impatience to be off. Laughing, Jaxom shrugged on the heavy riding jacket and stamped into his boots as he politely inquired what sort of eating Ruth fancied.
Wherry, a juicy plain wherry, none of those stringy mountain ones. Ruth emphasized his distaste for the latter with a snort.
“You even sound hungry,” Jaxom said, entering the dragon’s weyr and approaching him.
Ruth laid his nose lightly on Jaxom’s chest, his breath cool even through the heavy riding jacket. His eyes were wheeling with the red overtone of active appetite. He made his way to the huge metal doors that opened onto the stable courtyard and pushed them open with his forelegs.
Alerted by Ruth’s hungry thoughts, the Hold’s firelizards swirled about in eager anticipation. Jaxom mounted and directed Ruth aloft. The old brown watchdragon called good hunting from the fire-heights, and his rider waved.
From Hold tithings, the six Weyrs of Pern maintained their own herds and flocks on which the Weyr dragons fed. No Lord Holder ever objected to an occasional rider feeding his dragon off his land. As Jaxom was Lord Holder and technically had the right to anything within Ruatha’s borders, Ruth’s hunting was primarily a matter of courtesy. Lytol had not needed to instruct Jaxom to spread his beast’s appetite so that no holder was overburdened.
On this particular morning Jaxom gave Ruth coordinates of a rich grass holding where Lytol had mentioned buck-wherries were being fattened for spring slaughtering. The holder was out on his runner when Jaxom and Ruth appeared, and he greeted the young Lord politely enough and replied to Jaxom’s courteous inquiries for his health, the progress of the flock and the laying weight of the hens.
“A thing I’d like you to mention to Lord Lytol,” the man began, and Jaxom detected resentment in his manner. “I’ve asked for a firelizard egg time and again. It’s my due as a holder and I’ve the need. I can’t hatch wherry eggs proper if vermin burrow under and crack shells. There are four or five from each clutch gone, lost to snakes and the like. Firelizard would keep ‘em off. They do for your man down at Bald Lake Hold and others I’ve spoken to. Firelizards are mighty handy creatures. Lord Jaxom, and being a holder now these past twelve Turns, it’s only my due. Bald Lake Palon, now he’s got a firelizard and he’s only held for ten Turns.”