"Elanith, clump ahead!"
Lilara leaned forward as her green dragon, Elanith, rose to meet the writhing mass of Thread unusually clumped together, falling towards the fertile soils of Pern.
I have seen it, Lilara, the green responded, letting lose a terrific gust of red flame. Lilara smiled and pummeled her friend's neck affectionatly, ducking as a Thread strand soared over her head. Elanith turned on her wing tip to sear it from the sky, then did a fantastic twirl in midair to reform her position.
Later, Lilara realized it really wasn't her fault that she didn't see the Thread. But whatever reason, Elanith suddenly squealed, a sound that tore into the close-by riders' ears, and went between, Lilara already shouting reassurances although she, herself, bore the mark of Thread. Elanith burst into the air above the Weyr, still squealing, and suddenly just fell. "Elanith!" tore from Lilara's throat--her only concern was her dragon. Lilara screeched down at the people of the Weyr, and suddenly Kuzalth gave a might bugle, springing into the air. He erupted below them and Elanith fell limply onto his back, while two more greens came to help carry the injured dragon. Lilara felt herself slip, and she grabbed frantically at her dear Elanith's neck ridges, before she fell.
She tumbled through the air for what seemed like an eternity, while Elanith let out a heart-stopping moan. Relievingly, she felt herself bang onto the back of some dragon--Lorith?--and broke her fall. Gently, she was set down onto the ground, her white fire-lizards Terra and Realm appearing from between and curling up around her chin, moaning and chirping anxiously. Lilara turned towards Elanith, who now was thrasing about on the ground, moaning and screeching. "Elanith, please..." Elanith, calm down, it's all right; they're putting numbweed on, the pain will go away soon; oh, my couragous, brave Elanith... She couldn't remember anything else, because at that moment, everything turned black as she passed out.
Lilara woke to the anxious crooning of Elanith. "Elanith...?"
I am here. You are not well. Thread has hurt you!
"Elanith, it's all right. I'm sure Thread didn't fall on us at that moment just because Lilara was riding green Elanith." She smiled at the worried dragon before her.
Next time we will be much better at it, Elanith declared. Next time you will ride me and I will sear all Thread from the sky! Lilara laughed at her dragon's ambition.
"Yes, Thread will fall back up into space when it sees you and me riding together, won't it, dear heart?" Lilara slowly sat up, grateful that none of her bones were broken, although her ankle was throbbing.
You hurt, Elanith said in a mournful tone.
"It's okay, dear one. I think it was landing on Lorith's back that hurt it." Elanith's eyes flashed angrily. "No, no, Elanith, it wasn't Lorith's fault! Lorith saved me. If she hadn't have caught me I would be hurt a lot more than just a twisted ankle!"
Elanith calmed visibly. She paused before saying, Harnth says T'yir wants to know are you all right?
"Tell him I'm fine, Elanith." The green did so and paused again. "Oh, just go ahead and tell him to forward that to anyone who wants to know."
I have done so. Kuzalth says that Lorith, Chath, Gath, Harnth, Trymmeth, Tirzath, Ramath, Poreth, Korenth, and all the other dragons were very worried. Thread usually does not fall on top of mighty dragons like me. Before Lilara could reply, Elanith went on. I have told them you are all right but Lorith wants to know is your ankle hurting much?
"Tell her no, it's not," Lilara lied.
Lorith says that your ankle is indeed hurting and you should not lie to a queen! Elanith's eyes turned an orange color. She says it is all right, though, she added, her eyes now reverting to a smooth green-blue.
"Come, dear heart, I suspect neither of us has eaten since before the Fall, and you must be as hungry as I am." Lead by Elanith, Lilara slowly limped outside, towards the Feeding Grounds, where she was greeted warmly by the Weyrleader M'iki.
Name: Lilara
Age: 16
Hair: Red
Eyes: Hazel
Impressed at: Seascape Weyr
Dragon: green Elanith
Fire-Lizards: white Terra; gold Realm
Name: Elanith
Age: Adult
Color: Green
Rider: Lilara
Hatched at: Seascape Weyr
Mate: None
Offspring: None
Name: Terra
Age: Adult
Color: White
Name: Realm
Age: Adult
Color: Gold
