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Compendium of the Arcane

A place to put drabbles, one-shots, theme challenges, letters to other characters, and other assorted in-character bits.
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Early Winter, 2772

It still wasn't enough. N'ell had been tracking Majima for two turns now. But he was a dangerous man. He had hurt her once before. She couldn't get too close.

She knew the names of some of his associates. She knew which of his allies had stood guard over that fateful hatching. She knew he had hurt another candidate. She knew his wher had eaten at least one (probably murdered) man. She knew there were whispers, of a criminal network capable of pulling off impossible, weyr shaking crimes. She had seen his allies talking to people who shouldn't have been at the weyr, passing things off in the shadows, having conversations they clearly didn't want overheard.

But it wasn't enough. No one had believed T'ir. No one had any more reason to believe N'ell. It was the word of a Fort-born rider and some flimsy evidence against his.

She needed more.

She was going to have to take a few risks.

N'ell sat on her bed with a map of the weyr, the weyrs and barracks of Majima's suspected allies marked with an "x". She had stolen the map from the Lower Caverns, along with a schedule of when the wings and squads trained. She had been sloppy last time she tried this. But she was older now. Smarter. She carried a knife and knew how to use it. She could fight back.

She wouldn't go for Majima directly. That had been careless. She'd target the weak link. But who...

This is foolish. What do you hope to accomplish? Pamith said. Her garnet had never approved of her plans, You cannot change the past. These are dangerous people. You could lose more than a finger this time.

Pamith didn't understand. Pamith never understood.

I know you disapprove. You don't have to help.

I won't, Pamith said coolly.

Both rider and dragon exercised the mental discipline they'd learned in weyrlinghood and blocked their thoughts from each other. They sat in sullen silence.
---
Dragon paws weren't meant for carefully gathering hides. Pamith's claw slipped and scratched one. She kept going anyway, pushing it all into one of N'ell's saddlebags. They were a little rumpled and a little battered. It didn't matter.

N'ell would never forgive Pamith.

That didn't matter either. N'ell would stay alive. The weyr would not fall to chaos.

That was what was important.

N'ell knew many names- Majima's associates, a wherhandler who already suspected him, the greenrider who'd fallen victim to his scheme. Without her riders' memories, Pamith knew only the ones she'd mentioned recently.

Of the names she knew, Schneizel seemed the best choice. He had been weyrleader once. Surely at some level, he cared for the continued well-being of the weyr. Hopefully he had at least some respect for the law. He had covered up Majima's crimes before. Pamith didn't presume to know the reason why.

She landed on his ledge. His dragon, Damocleth, was a lighter sleeper than N'ell. His eyes snapped open instantly.

Schneizel, we have company, he said, voice cool and calm, What may we do for you tonight, garnet?

The real question is, bronze- what can I do for you? Pamith replied, doing her best to sound equally untroubled, I have come into information I believe might be of interest to you. I am prepared to provide it. All I ask in exchange is that no harm will come to my rider.

"Your rider is N'ell, is she not? A young woman hailing from Fort," Schneizel asked, no trace of sleepiness in his voice, "Her brother is G'er of Garnet Neozeoth. Would this by any chance relate to the mystery eggs of two turns ago?"

He was sharp, Pamith noted. And unlike his rider, not distracted by his emotions. She nodded, It does.

"Then I believe we can come to terms. You're doing the right thing, Pamith. I promise we'll keep your rider safe. You can trust us."
---
Schneizel smiled in the light of his glow. So this was the answer, was it? Of course it was. Majima was a criminal. Schneizel should have known better than to trust him.

Schneizel didn't pretend to know his motives. Perhaps Majima had an unexpected idealistic streak and had believed he was saving the weyr. Doubtful- Majima didn't live in a Harper's tale- he'd have known from the start two garnet eggs would bring nothing but troubles.

More likely someone had paid him. Or he had simply wanted to see Schneizel out of the way.

Schneizel should have thought to question Pamith sooner. He'd spoken to N'ell before, when he realized her connection to Neozeoth. She hadn't trusted him. And now he knew the why's of that too.

She'd spoken to T'ir. Another of Majima's indiscretions. She knew of Schneizel's role there.

It was possible N'ell would need to be handled too. Schneizel wouldn't kill her- that was the sort of sloppiness that had started this tangle. He would discredit her or suggest she'd be happier at Fort with her family or somewhere peaceful and out of the way, like Semaca or Ista. It would be simple enough.

But that was a problem for another time.

For now...

N'ell had been a diligent garnetrider. She had names. Details. A medical report, written by a Stephen of Blue Carth.

Schneizel knew what N'ell didn't- who Majima really was. The child might not have been able to use this, but he could.

At long last, he would have his revenge.

Damocleth, tell Pamith to make sure N'ell is away from the weyr two days from today, Schneizel said. She was an unknown. He didn't want any liabilities when he made his play.
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
Steward Molly
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Late Winter, 2772

L'ir remembered Norell as a child growing into a young woman, all elbows and knees, fond of ruffly dresses and elaborate hairstyles. She'd been an apprentice Harper, he remembered vaguely, although he couldn't recall having heard her sing or play an instrument. L'ir had read High Reaches' report. But he refused to write anyone off as irredeemable for something they'd done when they were fourteen turns old. N'ell deserved a chance.

He knocked on her door and said, in a tone of voice perfected on Lotte, warm but firm, "Hello, N'ell. I'm coming in. Do you need a minute?"

He didn't give her a choice because she didn't have a choice.

A moment past in silence before N'ell answered, "No, now is fine. You can come in, L'ir. How's Byth?"

L'ir was a bit surprised she remembered his name and his dragon. He hadn't known N'ell even knew who he was.

"She's doing well," L'ir said, smiling fondly at the thought of his dragon as he opened the door. N'ell stood in the middle of the room, dressed in a plain tunic and pair of pants, not a ruffle in sight, hair tied back without particular care. She had a trunk shoved under her bed, apparently unopened. Her dragon sat out on her ledge, enjoying the afternoon sun.

"That's good," N'ell said. Her tone was polite, but there was something distant and fragile about it. She looked tired. L'ir wondered how long it had been since she slept.

"Can you ask Pamith to come in here too? I'd like to talk to you both together," L'ir said. Pain flashed across N'ell's eyes and L'ir's heart broke a little for them both. A dragon and rider were meant to be each other's lifelines.

I'm here, Pamith said. Her and N'ell seemed to avoid looking at each other as she came into the weyr.

"You two are partners," L'ir reminded N'ell, because he didn't like to see dragons and riders estranged, "For better or worse, you share a unique and special bond worth treasuring."

N'ell glared at Pamith for a moment. If any words passed between them, L'ir wasn't privy to the conversation.

"What do you want?" N'ell said, sounding more hostile than she had a moment before.

L'ir supposed it was best to get on with it for now. He'd have time enough to work with them. Maybe Byth could help. She didn't like it when riders and dragons fought either.

L'ir shifted a bit awkwardly. He didn't know how to say this without hurting N'ell's feelings. Maybe it would be best not to explain why at all, "I'm here to welcome you to the Healer's Wing. You'll be flying with us. I've brought you a copy of our practice schedule. On the days we don't have practice, you'll work in the infirmary."

"They said I'd still be expected to do my duty as a rider," N'ell said, clearly a bit confused, "But I'm not a Healer and I flew with Stormlight at High Reaches. I assumed I'd be assigned to Eclipse or Twilight."

L'ir took a deep breath and started to explain but N'ell spoke first.

"I suppose S'bor refused to have me," N'ell correctly guessed, "He never liked harpers. He thinks the egg theft was a harper conspiracy now, doesn't he?"

L'ir nodded.

"And G'er and Neozeoth are in Eclipse," N'ell hesitated over the words, clearly less comfortable with the idea.

"G'er asked not to be in a wing with you. Weyr leadership decided to respect his wishes," L'ir said, as gently as he could, because it was probably better that she learn it now. Her lips tightened and her fists clenched and she seemed to be trying not to cry. L'ir gave her a moment. She took a deep breath.

When she spoke, her voice was calm, "I suppose that's to be expected."

"We always have work for an extra pair of hands at Healer's," L'ir assured her, "It's a good wing. Do your best and you'll get along just fine."

N'ell nodded. He wasn't sure if she was really paying attention, "Thank you for coming to tell me, Wingsecond. I'll see you at practice."

L'ir supposed that was her way of telling him she needed a moment alone. He thought that had gone rather as well as could be expected.
---
Relli had wanted to come sooner. She'd wanted to see N'ell the moment she landed, to assure herself her daughter was home and safe and alive. But G'er had been hurting too, hurting and raging. He'd needed her first. Relli hadn't been able to stop him from demanding N'ell be placed in another wing, but at least he hadn't yet demanded she be thrown out of the weyr.

Essa had reminded Relli that N'ell hadn't asked for them yet, that she might still need time before facing her family. But she'd had time enough to sulk and stew. It had been long enough. Relli was coming, whether her daughter wanted it or not.

Relli didn't know what to think about the accusations. She didn't and wouldn't believe that N'ell had betrayed Fort Weyr or G'er on purpose. Relli hadn't been able to watch her children grow up as closely as she'd like at Fort, but she knew her daughter better than that. Whatever had happened, she still loved her.

She didn't know what she could do, if the rift between her daughter and her son never mended, except continue loving them both.

Relli knocked on N'ell's door, stomach knotted with unexpected nerves.

Will be happy see. Is family. Rellivask sit on until happy see if not, Relli's garnet assured her.

G'er forgive someday. Relsk will try help. No good stay mad forever, Relsk observed.

N'ell opened the door. Tears swelled in Relli's eyes. Her girl looked so grown up. She was a little taller, in a rider's knots. But what on Pern had she taken to doing with her hair?

Relli pulled N'ell into a hug. Her daughter collapsed crying in her arms, "Mom."

Relli pulled them inside and shut the door behind them. Her daughter had always had her pride. No one else needed to see.
---
N'ell hadn't been allowed back to her weyr at High Reaches to pack her own things. High Reaches had provided her with a trunk before she left. She'd left it sitting under the bed since she got to Fort, afraid to open it- she didn't know what they had packed or how roughly it had been stuffed inside.

N'ell was pleasantly surprised to find most of her things, only slightly worse for wear. Under her mother's watchful eye, she put them in the drawers that were now hers.

"That won't fit you anymore," her mom said, as N'ell pulled out one of the dresses she'd originally brought from Fort, turns ago, "I can save it for Onorel to grow into."

"It will be ten turns out of style by then," N'ell protested. N'ell didn't want her future teenaged sister to suffer through the inevitable mockery that would result. She folded it up and put it with the others. She didn't think any of the other weyrbrats were going to want hand-me-downs from a traitor.

"And now it's just clutter," her mom frowned.

As N'ell doubted she was going to be allowed out for any shopping trips, that seemed fairly irrelevant.
---
Gectusith swooped to a landing on N'ell's ledge. It was tighter than he expected. N'ell must have her a very small dragon.

Pamith is an average sized garnet, Essa said, A little bigger than Neozeoth. G'er's ledge is the same size as this- you just came in at a bad angle, Gect.

Gectusith huffed, Impossible. I am a peerless flier. Your family really does have the strangest predilection towards garnets, you know. It's quite troubling. Aren't they aware bronze is the superior color? N'ell should have known better.

He peered in to the weyr. Essa's sister had always been one of the few people besides Essa Gect liked. The revelation that N'ell had betrayed Fort didn't seem to phase him. He was thoroughly convinced she'd had a good reason for what she did.

Essa didn't know the whole story and didn't care to speculate. Her family had eventually forgiven her, for running away and abandoning them to their fate. She would find it in her to do the same for N'ell. N'ell was her sister. She couldn't imagine N'ell had somehow orchestrated the theft of Neozeoth's eggs, at fourteen turns old, over the course of a couple of sevendays at High Reaches. Essa believed whatever had happened had been an accident and she wouldn't tear her family apart for a teenage mistake.

I have arrived to once again grace you with my company, Norell, Gectusith announced, the not particularly large weyr feeling decidedly more cramped as he sprawled across it, as if trying to take up as much space as draconically possible, I hear you've Impressed to a thoroughly mediocre peasant of a dragon. I'm disappointed in you.

Essa found N'ell sitting on her bed, Relli braiding her hair.

"I hear you're getting old and lazy," N'ell said, giving the bronze an honest smile, "And is that a dull patch on your hide?"

Gect turned to looked and N'ell giggled.

Welcome home, Norell, the bronze said with obvious fondness.

N'ell smiled and Essa a little more uncertainly, "Hi, Essa."

"Is that really how you're going to greet your sister after all these turns?" Essa said, coming over to give N'ell a hug that thoroughly messed up her in progress braid, "Do you want to talk about it?"

N'ell took a deep breath and, without further prompting, began to tell them the full story.
---
Pamith had gone out for a flight. No one had said she was confined to their weyr, at least not that she could remember. Her rider wasn't eager to do her any favors at the moment.

It felt good to stretch her wings. To get away from her rider's anger and hatred. Alone in the sky, Pamith could almost pretend things were normal. Pamith could have kept flying forever.

But Pamith tried not to lie to herself. Sooner or later, she'd have to go back to the weyr that had become her and her rider's mutual prison. When her wings began to tire, she flew the long way home, rather than dropping between.

There was a strange bronze sitting on her ledge. N'ell leaned against his side, smiling at him with a fondness Pamith didn't think her rider had ever shown her. Two other human women sat besides them, illuminated by the dim glow light. One of the women looked like an older version of N'ell. The other was freckled, with slightly lighter hair. Pamith caught a glimpse of two whers inside, protected from the setting sun by the shadows of her weyr. The garnet gleamed slightly in the light of the weyr's glows and the other wher was a strange mixture of garnet and blue.

"You must Pamith," the woman who looked like an older N'ell said with a warm smile, "She's beautiful, N'ell."

So you are the garnet unworthy of being bonded to Norell, the bronze sniffed.

Am Rellivask. Is N'ell's family, the garnet wher said, bearing teeth, Pamith no make family sad. Rellivask not like that.

Hi Pamith! Will go mud sliding with me?

"Welcome to Fort, Pamith," the final woman said, voice carefully neutral, clearly reserving judgment.

N'ell turned away, refusing to address Pamith. Pamith hovered, keeping her voice calm and polite as she tried to take stock of the situation and figure out how to land with Gectusith hogging the entire ledge, It's nice to meet you all.

Gectusith seemed to realize her problem. He didn't move, Aren't garnets supposed to be agile?

Pamith could already tell she wasn't going to like this one.
---
When G'er was a boy, he had thought that world was a kind place, that people were good and life would turn out as it should, given time. That had been before Neozeoth lost her twin. Before G'er's father turned on him. Before G'er couldn't protect his dragon's eggs. Before Fort Weyr stood back and allowed Z'osh to rule. Before G'er learned his own sister had betrayed him.

His mother and sister had taken her side. He should have known better than to be disappointed. Everyone disappointed G'er in the end. Everyone but Neozeoth.

They've left, his dragon advised. They'd found a spot on the fireheights from where they could just see N'ell's weyr.

Neozeoth remembered the boy G'er had been only through the distorted lens of his memories. She still missed him. Her sunshine. Her guiding light. Her reason for fighting. It was hard to recognize the boy she'd Impressed to in the man her rider had become.

She had failed him somehow. He was becoming more like her every day. It was never what she'd wanted for him. She didn't know how to help him.

We don't have to do this tonight, you know, she said. And since when had she been the one to hold her rider back, to counsel ewareINR?

We do, G'er said. He swung up onto her back with an ease and strength he'd grown into over seven turns as a rider.

Neozeoth didn't argue any further.

N'ell sat alone on her dragon's ledge. G'er didn't know and didn't care where said dragon was. She wasn't a part of this.

G'er gave N'ell a nasty smile that she didn't recognize. There was a hard edge to his expression that was equally unfamiliar. She held up her glow and said, "I was wondering when you'd come."

"I don't forgive you," G'er said. Rellivask had told Neozeoth it was an accident. It didn't matter. Intentional or not, Neozeoth's eggs were still gone. And on top of it all, she'd stayed at High Reaches, the guilty weyr, until they forced her out.

"I know," N'ell said, sounding as cold and uncaring as ever. G'er didn't know why he'd expected her to give a forsk.

"Stay away from them," he warned. She didn't ask who he was referring to.

"They're my family too."

"You're poison. You'll only end up ruining them too."

"That's not for you to decide, G'er."

"After all you've taken from me, from us, you can't even let me have our family?"

"It doesn't work like that. They're not either of ours to own."

Neozeoth flew as close as she dared, sending a breeze ruffling through N'ell's hair. She glared at her through glowing red eyes, We know what you are. We know what you've done. We'll be watching you. Take a single step out of line and we will stop you. We will never forgive you. There is no redemption here.

The pair flew away without giving N'ell a chance to respond.

To their fading silhouette she said, as she walked back to her weyr and the dragon she hated almost as much as she hated herself, "I know."
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
Steward Molly
Athan
Tarva
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Early Winter 2768, Ista Weyr

It had always been Kuzon and Jamil, from the time they were children traveling together on the roads to Jamil's Search and Kuzon's parents' bribery, through all the hatchings they'd stood at together. They had walked the same path, lives growing in parallel, for as long as Kuzon could remember. But as the brown approached, Kuzon knew, deep down in his heart, those days were about to end.

It had always been inevitable. Jamil was a future dragonrider of Pern. Kuzon wasn't. The marks his parents slipped the searchrider didn't make him a real candidate. All the marks in the world couldn't do that. And Kuzon would never want to hold Jamil back, just so they could be together.

Jamil would Impress and fight thread and do great things. Kuzon would do great things too, but they'd be different things. He'd become a Harper. Or maybe a Smith. Or a Leathercrafter. Or a cook. Or whatever-the-male-equivalent-of-headwoman was, so he could do all of that at once. He'd find some use for his many talents and support his best friend. Jamil's dragon would become his friend too and they'd all go flying together, all across Pern.

The dragon came closer. He didn't pause to look around, clearly knowing exactly who he wanted. He was a large brown, larger than the blue and the brown who'd hatched before him. He'd be a handsome one, Kuzon thought, when the egg goo was wiped off. Nothing but the best for Jamil.

His eyes- Rurosuth's eyes, a good, strong name for a good, strong brown- whirled with rainbows and Kuzon threw his arms around Jamil, "Congratulations. I'm so proud of you and happy for you. I can't wait to-"

A voice interrupted Kuzon, echoing soundlessly in his head, clear and loud as anything Kuzon had ever heard, I've been looking forward to meeting you, Kuzon. My name's Rurosuth, but I'm guessing you already know that.

Kuzon teared up. Jamil's dragon was so sweet. He'd wanted to meet Kuzon as much as Kuzon had looked forward to meeting him. Kuzon had always known his best friend's dragon would be part of his life too but he hadn't expected it to happen so fast. Or for it to feel like a missing piece of him, sliding into place.

"He's perfect, Jamil," Kuzon said, looking up at his friend in admiration, "He already knows my name!"

He must have seen it in Jamil's memories. What wonderful creatures dragons were and how strong their friendship must have been, for it to be one of the first things Rurosuth knew.

Of course I know your name, Kuzon. Same as you know mine. It's the most natural thing in the world, Rurosuth said, his voice patient and gentle, his gaze fond as it rested on Kuzon, You're shorter than I thought you'd be.

Jamil pictured Kuzon as taller than he really was? Probably because Kuzon was so important to him.

Kuzon let Jamil go reluctantly, because he needed to go tend his dragon now. Kuzon could see them again at the feast.

Rurosuth stepped closer and nudged Kuzon's knee, It's alright, Kuzon. You can touch me, you know. Talk to me too. I'm not going to disappear. We've got a lifetime together, you and me, from now on.

"That's exactly want I want. For us all to be friends forever," Kuzon said, but hesitated. Was it really alright? To touch Rurosuth before Jamil even had? It felt like an imposition.

Kuzon looked towards Jamil for some sign, some sort of permission. His friend, after a moment of thoughtful silence, stepped back and said, "...Go take care of your fucking dragon before he starves, moron."

Wait...his? What did Jamil mean his?

Couldn't Jamil hear Rurosuth too?

"But I'm not even really a candidate," Kuzon said, as he glanced helplessly between Jamil and Rurosuth.

Rurosuth snorted. Kuzon heard it but also felt it, somehow his bemusement and not his, a puff of air passing through his-not-his-nose at the same time it reached his human ears. A presence that was unfamiliar but also somehow belonged perfectly rifled through his memories. Clearly deciding to take matters into his own hands, Rurosuth nudged his head under Kuzon's arm as he spoke, That searchdragon must have been blind and deaf. Your mind's hardly a quiet one, Kuzon. I could hear your thoughts all the way from the other side of the sands. Made you an easy rider to find.

You're...mine? Kuzon asked, as he knelt to spread out Rurosuth's wings to dry, half-remembered lessons coming back to him.

Now you're getting it. Sure am, Kuzon. Or would you rather K'zon? Ku'n? Ko'n? Kuz'n? Rurosuth asked.

K'zon. I like that, Kuzon- K'zon- decided.

Rurosuth nodded approvingly, Then K'zon it is.

Rurosuth glanced at Jamil for the first time, before turning back to K'zon, I don't think I'm going to starve in the next few candlemarks, but your friend's not wrong that I could use a bite to eat. Jamil, you said he's called?

Yes, that's Jamil. My best friend, K'zon said, as he walked his new dragonet over to the waiting buckets of meat, And one of our future classmates.

There were still plenty of eggs left. Maybe their paths didn't have to diverge after all. Jamil could Impress besides him and they'd never need to be part. They could be weyrlings together and someday, wingmates.

But as egg after egg hatched and passed Jamil by, K'zon realized the horrible truth.

There was no other dragon waiting for Jamil. Because K'zon had stolen Rurosuth from him. K'zon, who had never been meant to be there; who had been standing too close to Jamil, between him and his future dragon; whose thoughts had apparently been too loud, loud enough to hear across the sands, loud enough drown out Jamil's.

As Rurosuth looked up at him, love and contentment in his eyes, K'zon knew he'd take this secret with him to the grave. It was wrong, but he was too selfish to give up Rurosuth's love.

K'zon knelt besides the hatchling and basked in stolen affection. Jamil would forgive him, even though he didn't deserve it, because he was a better man than K'zon would ever be. And K'zon would do his best to keep them all together, to let Jamil and Rurosuth have the scraps that remained of the bond that should have been.

It would have to be enough. K'zon didn't know what he'd do if they both left him alone in the dark.

(Jamil included with permission. Note that K'zon's narration is super unreliable and this is purely from his POV, so much of what he thinks is...very wrong.)
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
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Before

He hatched in a box of blankets, besides his green sister. He was warm and comfortable and, like most hatchlings, hungry. He let out a scream when he realized his mother and his fair weren't there to welcome them. A freckled creature he would later learn was a "girl" named "Rose" answered his cry instead. She smiled at him and offered him what he would later learn was a treat intended for the family's four legged pets. The treats were the most delicious, and only, thing he had ever tasted. When he finished, Rose offered another. He gorged himself until he was exhausted and satisfied.

Rose called him Rover. She fed him and cleaned him and oiled him. As him and his siblings grew more comfortable with their wings, they learned to carry messages and small packages between Rose and the other members of her human fair.

Rose lived with her elderly grandfather and her parents and aunts and uncles and a small parcel of other children. Rose's favorite playmate was her younger brother, Max. There were more humans living a few hour's journey away, but his people rarely made the journey there. Home was their own land, which they tended and made bloom.

Each day, the red star grew a little bigger in the sky. Rover was too young to know what that meant and had no elders to share their memories with him.

They were inside the building they had made their kitchen, cooking dinner and singing an old song, when the earth started to shake. They'd known the building wasn't perfect from the start, had laughed at their own indifferent construction efforts and promised someday to fix it or build a new one. They never had. And now it was coming down around them.

Laughter turned to screams, as they rushed to get out.

"Go, Rover! Go between! Get away!" Rose screamed.

Rover went, too panicked to put much thought into his coordinates. He stayed between too long and came out over an unfamiliar patch of jungle. It took him six hours to recover enough to fly again.

After he'd slept, he tried to go home, but all that remained of their hold was ruins, worn away by first the earthquake, then the ravages of time and abandonment. Everything around it looked changed, different. He couldn't find the town, which he'd never known very well, at all.

He wanted to see Rose again. He couldn't feel her mind through their bond. So he thought of her face and used it as his guidepost through between.

It was another too long trip through the cold and black, to somewhere strange and cold and grey. Rose was there, waiting for him, although not as he'd remembered. She was as old and wrinkled as her grandfather had once been. Her mind touched his once more, different but still the same in the ways that counted.

She was as surprised to see him as she'd been the day he hatched. Sixty years had passed for her, in those few days Rover was away. Their unfamiliar surroundings were a "weyr" called Telgar. She rode a giant firelizard she called a "dragon."

Max hadn't escaped the earthquake. Rose had mourned him the rest of her life. She'd never dreamed he might be saved, but Rover had somehow managed to travel through time. If he could go forward, he could go back again. He could tell Max to get out, before the earthquake hit. She just needed Rover to be brave and go between times again, one more time.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," she said, full of hope and determination, as she clipped a harness on him and attached a message, sending him a picture of their hold as it had once been, recalled in loving detail, "Give this to my grandfather. Make sure he knows that I'll always love him, Rover."

Then

Rover went between. It stretched around him, dark and cold and endless, seeming to last forever until it didn't. Until he came out below another sky, in an empty patch of jungle, where the red star shone so dim, he could barely make out its familiar glow. His bond to Rose snapped, as if suddenly cut in two. He let out a pained cry.

This wasn't right! This wasn't his home. He tried again. And again. To get back to his home, to go back to Rose's Telgar, to the jungle, to anywhere familiar, anywhere he belonged. A flicker of places and times and faces and dragons and flits and skies and red stars big and small. None of them were right. None of them were familiar. None of them was home.

He was so cold. So tired. The message had fallen out of his harness somewhere along the way. But he couldn't stop yet.

He had to find his way back. He had to find his way to her. To a time before everything was gone. Reality faded to black again.

Telgar again. Another strange, different Telgar. He had seen too many Telgars and none of them were the Telgar he was searching for.

He screamed into the empty sky.

Someone heard him. A human someone, female and young. Another girl. Older than his. Or younger? Was his human a young girl or an old woman?

She chased after him, her quick feet more rested than his weary wings. He popped between before she could catch him. He couldn't stop yet. This still wasn't his home.

Now

He was back in the jungle, surrounded by strangers. He didn't have enough strength left to fly, let alone to go between. Maybe one of them could help him. He screamed and chattered at the humans, trying to make them understand. And then one of them took his harness. He was too tired to fight.

But the harness was important, for reasons he couldn't remember.

The panic of it being gone gave him one more burst of strength.

He went back between.

When he came out, it was night, in another part of the jungle. Days passed. Weeks. Months. He didn't try to go between again. He didn't know if he had another trip in him. And he could never find his way to where he wanted to be.

He ate what he could find, after he was rested enough to fly. Some meals, he lost to scavengers. He escaped predators the long way, on his own wings.

And then there was a scream. A green dragon crashing. A girl on her back. He'd seen her before, on a different Telgar. She was out of time, like he was. He'd never met someone else who'd fallen out of their time before.

She offered him a treat. He took it. It tasted sweet on his tongue, so different from the food another girl had offered him long ago. When a stranger found them, he didn't flee. Where did he have to run?

He tried to tell her about his home and his human and the boy he was supposed to save, images of smiling faces and storerooms full of neatly labeled boxes and fields rich with crops, his Rose and her dragon at Telgar, but his telepathy came out jagged and wrong. Broken. She didn't understand. She called him BJ, which wasn't his name. He was still happy she was here. He lay in her bag and rested to the sound of human voices, their cadence and intonations different from his family's, but humans all the same.

He woke up when his greenrider asked him to show her the way through between. He understood just enough to know the general. "Back." She still thought she could back. He tried to tell her that it couldn't be done. That there was no way back. That she would be lost in time too. That he didn't want her to go away and leave him too. That he couldn't take her there. That she should stay away, with him, where at least the sun shone.

She wasn't his human and this wasn't his home. But he was so tired. The greenrider's bag was as good a place as he'd been in a long time. He could stay here until he found his way back home.

He'd have to search the long way now. He didn't want to get lost between again. This time wasn't his, but it was all he had.
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
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Late Spring, 2774, Telgar Weyr, 6 Days Since World-Crossing Event

This wasn't Nat's Telgar Weyr. The bones of the place were the same- familiar mountain peeks in the distance, the shape of the caldera tantalizingly close to the one she'd known- but everything else was different. The paths she'd run so many times traced different curves. The outbuildings were all wrong.

And the people and dragons were the wrongest of all. The dragons were all too big, with women on bronzes and red and white dragons flying besides the others unremarked upon. Other-Telgar's weyrleader was a bluerider and nobody saw anything strange or wrong about that. The somewhat confused watchpair had never heard of a Natsuno or a Minamith or a Weyrleader I'lir of Bronze Belleroth or a Weyrwoman Corinda of Gold Simaxith.

Telgar Hold was wrong too. The runner stations was to the east, not the west like it had been on Nat's Pern, and the runners looked as confused as the watchrider when Nat tried to ask after her parents and brothers.

Nat landed on the ledge that almost matched her favorite spot on Telgar's fireheights and stretched, like she was about to take a long run. She put BJ's favorite bag on the ground and smiled at him, "We've got to go back to our world now. I hope you find your own way home. I left the last of my sugar plums in here for you. I know they're your favorites."

It took BJ a moment to understand what was happening, as Nat stepped away and strapped herself in tightly, before raising her fist to the sky and dropping it again, a gesture the wingleader would give on her world as he ordered the wing to take flight.

Minamith was already a few feet in the air when BJ started after them, struggling to catch up on small, firelizard wings, his cries abject panic reaching her through their nascent bond, as feelings of fear and warning flooded her mind.

Nat smiled a bit sadly at him, "I'm sorry, BJ. But we can't stay here. We'll come back someday if we can."

Nat closed her eyes and thought of home, picturing the Telgar Weyr of her own world. She gave the order. Minamith took a deep breath and they dove back into the cold, dark between.

Early Fall, 2774, Fort Weyr

If N'ell disappeared again, it would break her mother's heart. She had already lost her daughter once before. She still loved N'ell, even after everything. N'ell had never been the best of daughters. She owed it to her mother to stay put, right here, and wait the rest of her life if she had to.

But it had been over two turns since she was brought back to Fort in shame. Two turns, where days on end often passed with her speaking to no one but wingmates who were colleagues, not friends, at best and the dragon she wasn't sure she could ever find a way to forgive, even if sometimes she thought she might want to.

G'er hated her. Geroni didn't trust her. It didn't matter that she was back home, whe could no longer be a part of it.

After two turns, N'ell didn't see an end. Redemption had never been in the offering. The weyr would move on without her and forget her more every turn.

As the only trained harper in the Healer's Wing, N'ell had been charged with researching the time travelers and recording the details of their lives. She knew as much about them as anyone else in Fort did.

And in them she saw a way out.

N'ell didn't want to flee centuries into the future and leave behind everything she knew for a world she barely recognized. She wanted to see her family again. She hoped they'd want to see her again.

Ten turns should be enough- long enough for her crimes to fade into the past. For a fresh start.

In ten turns, all her family should still be alive. If they mourned her loss, they wouldn't be lost forever to between before they saw her again.

The time travelers had jumped between blindly, with coordinates muddled by fear or confusion or deliberate lies. N'ell would be more careful. She'd used her small bit of freedom to take starcrafter charts from the archive. She'd studied them, looked ahead to where the stars and the red star would be on a midwinter night in 2784. She'd practiced picturing in her head, until she could envision them almost as clearly as today's skies. She was a dragonrider. The stars would be the lodestar that guided her home.

And what if it's cloudy and your stars are nowhere in sight? Pamith asked, as N'ell packed up a small bag. N'ell could sense the turning of her mind and knew her garnet was considering calling for help, What if your mother gets the plague? What if one of your siblings is lost to threadfall?

N'ell knew better by now than to try to force her dragon to her will. None of the mental tricks she'd been taught to assert control had ever worked on Pamith.

If G'er dies in threadfall, he won't be any less dead because we stayed to rot here. There's nothing left for us in this time. If we do this and it works, we can get a fresh start. Both of us. Maybe we can figure out how to be a proper pair again, N'ell said, hooking the bag to Pamith's straps, I can't make you help me and if you want to sell me out again, I can't stop you. But I can ask you- Please stand with me this time. You're my dragon. Please choose to be my partner.

Pamith lowered her wing.

I'm sorry I went too far. I never meant to ruin your life, Pamith said. Maybe it was as close as they could ever come to absolution.

I know, N'ell said and maybe somewhere deep down she did.

I still think this is phenomenally stupid idea.

I know, N'ell said. She closed her eyes and pictured the stars and the cold bite of winter against her skin.

Early Summer, 2774, Telgar Weyr, 56 Days Since World-Crossing Event

Nat blinked her eyes against the summer sun and winced at piercing sound of BJ's shrieks in her ear. He flew in circles around her head, bombarding her with feelings of anger and fear.

She knew before she even looked down that all she'd see was other-Telgar, just as she had every other time she'd tried and failed over the past two months. Why could she never get this right?

She tried again and managed to move a grand total of two feet to her left.

And again, a few feet higher in the air.

The watchdragon below gave her a casual wave and motioned an invitation to come for klah when she was done.

I don't remember how we did it the first time, but this isn't it. It isn't so bad here, you know. Would it really be so terrible to stay?

Nat shook her head and blinked back the tears, I never even got to say goodbye. I'm sorry, Minamith. This was all my fault. I was the one who wanted to go.

I didn't have to say yes, Minamith said, And we don't have to give up now. We can keep trying. We've crossed between worlds. What's a few challenges to stop us now?

Nat sniffled and wiped her eyes.

Why don't we go ahead and land, have a cup of klah with the watchpair and then go back to Semaca and regroup? Minamith asked as she winged in for a landing. Once they came to rest, BJ dove back in their saddlebags, still chiding them all the while, We'll get it right eventually.

Early Fall, 2774, Fort Weyr

G'er sat on of his ledge and watched the weyr he knew was N'ell's as he knit his latest pair of mittens. He'd first seen it a few sevendays ago- N'ell's weyr still alight, far later than she had any call to be awake. It bothered him, for reasons it took him awhile to put his finger on.

N'ell spent most of her off-duty candlemarks in her weyr. She had nothing but time on her hands. What kind of project couldn't she work on during the day?

His sister was up to something. Again.

Something different was happening tonight. He didn't usually see N'ell at all- just the faint green glowlight coming from her weyr. Tonight, she was standing on her ledge next to Pamith, a barely discernible silhouette against the glow. They'd been standing there for a while. Talking, maybe. Or arguing, more likely.

He knew from their mother that N'ell and Pamith were't exactly friends these days.

He tensed as Pamith crouched, in the familiar way of a dragon letting her rider climb aboard.

We need to stop them. Fly, now, G'er suddenly said.

This couldn't happen. Not again.

Please. Don't let them leave. I can't lose N'ell too, G'er said.

N'ell had betrayed him. She'd hurt him. And now she was going to go away. Like Essa. Like Nightengath. Like Neozeoth's eggs.

Like they'd all left his father, all those turns ago. Like his father had left them, when he never even tried to come after them.

Why did everyone he loved always run?

There wasn't enough time for G'er to put on Neozeoth's straps to fly with her. A dragon and rider could travel between in a heartbeat to anywhere on Pern. If N'ell disappeared, they might never find her again.

Neozeoth let G'er shadow her mind, with the ease of a pair bonded for nearly a decade. Her wings became his wings. His heartbeat his heartbeat. He saw through her eyes and felt the strain on her muscles as if they were his own.

Together, they shot across the sky like a comet. N'ell and Pamith had a head start. But Neozeoth had always been faster than other garnets. G'er believed she was fast enough.

She had to be.

Neozeoth cut the other garnet off with a roar. Pamith reared back in surprise.

Neozeoth spoke a single word with a voice that was a little bit hers and a little bit G'er's and a little bit both of them at once, No.

Early Fall, 2774, Semaca Weyr, 144 Days Since World-Crossing Event

Months passed. Summer turned to fall, although one southern season felt much like another, to Nat. Semaca was always warm and green, even in the depths of winter, if the Semacans could be believed.

Nat's visits to other-Telgar dropped from once a sevenday to once a fortnight to once a month, until she realized she no longer felt any particular urge to go at all. It wasn't her Telgar and if there was a way home, she wasn't going to find it there.

If there was a way home, she wasn't sure she was going to find it at all. She'd been on this world one-hundred-and-forty-four days. And she was still no closer to an answer.

Which was why it was time to try something else. She couldn't get to her home. But maybe she could get to BJ's. Following him had brought her across worlds the first time. R'mar had seen him too.

He was the catalyst.

If she could bring him home to his world, maybe someone there would be able to help her get back to hers.

"It's okay. You're coming with us this time," Nat said, as she strapped BJ's bag to Minamith. Anxiety radiated from the little firelizard. He always knew somehow when she was planning to try and leap, "We're going to get you back to your people."

Nat didn't have much to go on. BJ's memories came through shattered and jagged and the few pieces she could see rarely made sense. But her coordinates hadn't been perfect the first time either- Just him, as clearly as she could remember him from the brief moments she'd seen him. She picked the clearest she could find, from a moment when BJ had felt happy.

BJ stayed in his bag, whining in distress, as Minamith took off over the Semacan jungle and leaped between.

Nat held her breath against the cold and counted heartbeats.

One...Two...Three...

They came out somewhere Nat didn't recognize. Somewhere green and lush and summer-warm.

Was this it? Had they done it? It didn't seem like they'd been between long enough...But maybe BJ's world was easier to cross to.

There was only one way to find out. Minamith spread her wings and started flying, looking for signs of life.

Early Fall, 2774, Fort Weyr

Why, by the golden egg of Faranth, would you ever agree to something that reckless? Neozeoth asked, staring Pamith down with eyes that snapped with the fire of a born commander, as the two dragons stood on the ledge of G'er's weyr, I know she doesn't know better, but you should.

Because she asked me to, Pamith answered back, unruffled by her glare, It was the price of her forgiveness. We've been at odds a long time.

Neozeoth huffed and snapped her wings back, tail quivering a bit in echo of poison long faded, even as the rest of her was still and stiff as any soldier, You're not so special. Fighting with your rider's practically a rite of passage in this family. Just because your squabbles lasted longer than most doesn't given you license to do any fool thing your rider asks.

After another moment, her posture relaxed, just a touch, You should consider talking to Gectusith about N'ell. He knows her as well as anyone does. And never tell him I said this, but he's actually not bad with this sort of thing. He helped me and G'er a lot, back in our early days.

He's a pompous fool.

Oh undoubtedly, but he's family, Neozeoth said, with a draconic shrug.

Inside the weyr, N'ell and G'er cradled warm cups of cider, as N'ell finally told her brother everything. About Majima and what she'd done and all the things she did after, to try to make it right.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I cost Neozeoth her eggs. I'm sorry I couldn't stop Majima. I'm sorry I couldn't get you the vengeance you deserved," she said, absentmindedly stroking her once broken finger.

"Majima could have killed you," G'er said, voice shaking from suppressed emotion, "Why would you ever think that was what I wanted?"

"Because it was all my fault. I couldn't just come running back, before I'd found a way to fix it. Or at least found a way to make him pay."

"It was an accident," G'er said, as much to himself as to her, "Majima murdering you wouldn't have fixed anything."

N'ell looked away, down into the swirling rind of her cider, in awkward silence.

"Are you going to tell anyone?" N'ell asked instead. If he did, she doubted she'd ever be trusted loose in the records again, the little bit of freedom she'd regained gone just as quickly.

"I won't tell anyone," G'er said, "If you promise me you'll never try that again. No more running away. Not to the future or the past or High Reaches or Benden or Semaca next time things get hard. It never helps."

N'ell's arguments caught in her throat at the haunted look in G'er's eyes. She looked down meekly and said, "I won't run away again. Not anywhere. I promise."

"Thank you," G'er said, sagging with visible relief and exhaustion, "I'll talk to Tuckal. Tell her that as the main victim of your actions, I think you've been punished enough."

"Really? You will?"

"I will," G'er said, "Now can I have a hug?"

"I missed you," N'ell said, as she collapsed into her brother's arms.

"I missed you too."

Two pairs of garnet dragon eyes watched the siblings from the darkness.

Are we still a team again? Pamith asked, tentative but hopeful.

I think we will be, N'ell agreed, with a nod and a small hint of a smile.

???, Somewhere on the Southern Continent, ??? Days Since World-Crossing Event

Nat and Minamith were lost. They'd been flying all night, over endless fields of darkness, featureless and indistinguishable when viewed from this height in the darkness. To go between would mean giving up. If they had made the crossing, they knew nowhere in this world. The only place they could go was back to Semaca, where they'd began.

If this was BJ's home world, he didn't seem to recognize it either. He'd gone to sleep in his saddlebag, after he realized they were done going between and settled down.

Nat rubbed her eyes and Minamith stifled a yawn.

What if they weren't on BJ's world or other-Pern? What if this was somewhere new and uninhabited, were they might never be found? Had they just been lucky, to land on another Pern with people and dragons?

What if she'd gone into the future, like the time travelers had, to an era when Semaca had long since been abandoned?

Maybe they shouldn't have been so quick to flee.

There, Minamith, there! I see lights! Nat jolted up in sudden excitement, To our north, over there.

It was Semaca! It was still there! They hadn't crossed worlds or centuries again after all. Relief flooded over Nat, as Minamith came in for a somewhat shaky landing.

The garnethandler on duty looked them over with a quick, assessing gaze. Nat pleaded with him, "Please don't tell anyone we were out this late. They think we're enough trouble already."

He let out a huff and a shrug, turning around with a small hint of a smile, "I didn't see anything. Stay safe, dragonrider. The jungles are a different place at night."

His strangely spotted wher didn't say anything at all, simply stepping aside to let them pass.

No more blind trips between Nat said firmly, as she collapsed into her own bed, Which I guess means that's it. We're stuck here.

We're stuck here for now. If there's a way, I know you'll find it, Minamith assured her, But until you do, why not keep enjoying every minute of it? When will you ever again to be on an another Pern?

I love you, you know. If I had to be stuck in another world with anyone, I'm glad it's you.

I love you too. I always will.
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
Steward Molly
Athan
Tarva
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Dear Daphne,

I imagine you’re surprised to receive this letter. At the hatching feast, you mentioned that you find regular correspondence clears the mind. I decided to try it. Your logical next question is surely why I am writing to you on so scant an acquaintance. I am an only child. My mother is illiterate and my father was never part of my life. I have few friends, none of whom expect to hear from me. Which leaves only you. You were the one who suggested this project so I would presume to ask: Will you be my correspondent?

My master and I left Fort Weyr this morning for a small cothold east of Ruatha, where we will work for a time. The local holder’s family reminds you of yours. The lord and lady have nine children between them, just one more than your family’s eight. Their eldest son is betrothed to the local harper’s daughter. A crafter’s knots carry almost as much prestige as a holder’s bloodline in a hold as small as this one.

The lady of the hold has already hinted that I might consider taking an interest in her third daughter. I do not think she fully understands that I am still an apprentice, not yet a healer in my own right. My master and I will have long since moved on by the time I walk the tables.

Master Iona doesn’t like to linger in one place for more than a few months. There are too many places on Pern in need of healers, She considers it the height of selfishness to stop moving for very long. I am at least a turn away from my journeyman’s knots. I do not know what I will do when I receive them. I find meaning in our work, and deeply appreciate all the opportunities Master Iona has given me, but will confess that I sometimes wish to live in a place long enough to call it home.

Regardless, I imagine Lady Peony’s interest would soon fade if she learned how humble my roots truly are. A drudge’s bastard son is no match for a lady of any hold, even a small one.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

You do not know this about me yet, but I am a coward, which is why my last letter to you still sits at the bottom of my trunk, where this letter will surely join it in good time.

But let us not dwell on my courage or lack thereof. I have some news to share that I think you might find of interest.

Lady Peony’s third daughter is now betrothed to a wherhandler, causing great stir. Apparently in this hold, there is a rumor that in times of great peril, whers can lay dragon eggs.

I cannot imagine how such a tale began. The very idea is laughable. The anatomy of female whers could not possibly accommodate eggs large enough to grow a dragon.

But wouldn’t that be a sight to see if it was true?

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

When I was a boy, I used to dream that my father was a dragonrider or a Lord Holder or a mastercafter. Someone important, a relation that would elevate me by association. I was eight when I learned the truth. His name was Goff. He was a stablehand. He had known of my existence all my life and had simply never cared enough to take an interest. I stayed up all night crying into my pillow in disappointment.

As a man, I am glad my boyhood fantasies were wrong. I did know enough then to truly understand what I wished for. My mother would have been hard-pressed to refuse a lord holder or a dragonrider or even a humble journeyman healer. She deserved better than that.

I recognize this is not an amusing topic for correspondence, especially when writing to a lady of your caliber. My apologies if I have scandalized you. But we have been correspondents for some months now and I feel we are due to exchange stories of our past. You’d have to learn the truth eventually. Or at least you would if we were really correspondents.

Our latest posting is in a cothold near the border of High Reaches. Here, they believe a strong enough dragonrider can read and bend the mind of humans as well as dragons. I know that cannot be true or the one time we met, my thoughts would surely have made you blush. Which I suppose is also something I should not share with a lady. It is just as well you will never read this. I was never good at polite conversation.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

While we are sharing stories of our pasts, I imagine you’re curious how I came to travel with Master Iona.

The hold where I grew up was small and poor. Only the Lord Holder lived richly, although I am sure even the garish trappings of his halls would seem shabby to your eyes. I always loved Harper songs, which assured me there was a better life to be found out there, somewhere else.

I taught myself to read from old records and our harper’s notes, with some help from our headwoman and the harper himself, because important people could read. And I wanted to be someone important.

When Master Iona came to stay in our hold, I was at her doorstep every day, always underfoot, begging to be set some small errand or another, desperate to prove my worth. I hoped that if I was helpful enough, she would take me with her when she went. I was more a nuisance than an aid, with my unskilled meddling, although I didn’t know it at the time. She took a liking to me anyway and when I asked to be her apprentice, she agreed.

I haven’t been home since that day. There is nothing for me there.

Today’s letter is not sent to you from the mountains north of Southern Boll. Our latest cothold has a rich history of sending candidates to the weyr and an equally rich history of those candidates bringing outlandish fabrications home. The people here believe dragons can move things with the power of their mind alone, as if they are not already impressive enough without ascribing them extranatural abilities.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

You have surely gathered by now that I am deeply lonely. After all, I have maintained a turn’s long correspondence with a woman who is mostly a fragment of my imagination. These letters have somehow turned into something of a diary- an occupation I would once have deemed a colossal waste of time but have come to find comforting.

Master Iona assures me my training is nearly complete. Perhaps once I receive my journeyman’s knots, I should reconsider the prospect of marriage.

This month, we are stationed in the east, on a small seahold on cliffs overlooking the sea. I’ve never spent this much time around the ocean before. I walk on the beach every morning before sunrise. The sound of the waves is oddly soothing.

There is much to be done here. Life is hard and diets are poor, leading to the expected collection of maladies. I do not think I have ever been quite so occupied.

The locals tell stories of fish that can talk, that sometimes rescue sailors lost in a storm. Captain Jyklir swears it’s true and they saved his life when he was a boy. Which might be persuasive, if all the hold didn’t know of his penchant for drink and tall tales.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

I realize I never told you what brought us to Fort in the first place. You have never received and will never receive these letters, but if you did, you surely note that Fort Weyr is not the sort of place we usually linger. After all, my imagined version of you is an intelligent woman. Weyrs have no shortage of healers and we go where we’re needed.

A few months before we came to Fort, we stayed at a small mining cothold. The hold’s three whers had contracted a nasty cough. One died before we arrived, another followed not long after and the third recovered for reasons unknown. Master Iona knew nothing of healing dragons and whers and was unable to help. She can be a bit gruff, but she has a soft heart beneath it all and the memory has troubled her ever since. We went to Fort Weyr, because it boasts some of the finest Dragonhealers on all of Pern and asked them to teach us the basics of the art.

I write to you from a runner station on the road between Fort and Ruatha. The runners are a surprisingly sensible group of people, with fewer implausible rumors than you’d expect. One runner, newly arrived from Fort Weyr, insisted dragons are able to time travel, a misapprehension you would surely correct with ease. Imagine the chaos that would wreak on the proper flow of history.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

It appears I owe you and Runner Kima an apology. It turns out I was mistaken in my last note to you and the stories of time travel were not so incredulous after all. There are time traveling dragonriders at Fort. Allegedly. I confess to some continued skepticism, but the consensus among crafters and riders alike seems to be that it is all true. As they have examined the time travelers and I have not, it seems unwise for me to doubt their assessment.

Once again, I am sure you know the truth better than I. I have quite a few questions I would bid you to ask on my behalf, but as you will never read this letter, that is, obviously, impossible.

To make up for my mistake, I offer you this and beg your forgiveness: A trader told me today that whers can fly and go between, but only at night, because the air is denser. I can assure you the difference in density is minimal compared to the forces of gravity on an adult wher. I think he was just trying to convince me to buy a wher egg. I did not. I enjoy the sunlight far too much to accept the nocturnal life of a handler.

In other news, I have decided not to get married after all. I am not in love with anyone and still harbor enough illusions of romance to hope for better than marriage to a stranger.

In yet more news, I have decided to resume correspondence with my mother. Although she cannot read, a runner can carry and dictate my words. The solution seems so obvious now it seems a wonder I did not think of it sooner. Sometimes, I think I live too much in my own head.

I imagine she’ll be glad to hear from me, even after all these turns.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

Congratulations on your Impression. I cannot say I’m surprised. I knew from the day I met you you were special. I recognize that by now the image of you in my mind is more fancy than fact, the inevitable result of a turn and a half of letters never sent, but I congratulate you nonetheless. One-sided as our friendship may be, I cannot help but feel we are friends, a fact that would surely come as a great surprise to you if you ever learned of it.

It seems we are both moving up in the world. At long last, I am a journeyman, an achievement you would surely congratulate me on with equal fervor were we correspondents in truth. As we are not, I will extend myself your congratulations on your behalf.

I also took the liberty of purchasing myself an excellent bottle of Benden red in your name and toasted to us both, alone in my room. I wish you every joy and many turns of good health.

If someday they sing harper songs of your name, I am sure every word will be true.

My mother was pleased to learn I am alive and well. She bids me to visit soon, if I can.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

I imagine this will come as a surprise to you, but I have decided to accept my mother’s invitation and go home for a time. Writing these letters to you has indeed brought me clarity. You were right, all those months ago. Should we ever meet again, I’ll be sure to tell you as much.

I am a fully trained healer now. I was lucky to be given so many opportunities in my life. I should try to pay my good fortune back in kind. And it would be nice to see my mother again. I’m sure she worries about me.

I am not a Lord Holder or even a steward, so I do not know how much good I will be able to do. I want to try anyway.

In my home hold, they say some of the stars are really ships, forever sailing through the void. I am glad that one is not true. What a lonely existence that would be for their passengers.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

How strange it was to return to my birthplace again, after all these turns. Everything feels smaller and shabbier than I remember it. Everything except my mother. She’s missed me, all these turns, and I’ve missed her, more than I knew.
My Lord’s niece, who was only a babe when last I left, has grown into an ambition to be a Healer herself. She is young, but clever and promising. I have agreed to instruct her, as best as I can, but she requires training beyond what I can provide, if she is to become a healer in truth. I am still a new journeyman for a student of my own.

I have decided to bring my mother with us. She deserves some turns of peace, somewhere better.

The children of the hold have a new story, of a tunnelsnake as large as a man that once lived beneath Fort Weyr. I do not understand what such a creature would eat or where it would live or how it would defy all the normal anatomical rules of tunnelsnakes. If you ever see such a creature, I advise you run first and record the occurrence for posterity later.

Yours,
Actaeon

Dear Daphne,

Somewhat to my surprise, Georgiana’s family agreed to entrust her to my tutelage. I have decided to take her to Fort Weyr. I learned much in my time there and the practical experience threadfall offers is a valuable one for a young healer. I imagine eventually, we will report to Healer Hall, to continue both our training, but for now, there is much for us both to learn in Fort Weyr.

My mother has decided to settle in Fort Hold, in a small house with a garden, that once belonged to the guard of an exiled lord. She seems content and that is all I can hope for.

I saw you today from across the weyrbowl. I recognize that it is quite unusual and probably improper in a thousand different ways to write to you about yourself, but you have been my confidant for so long, I find the habit difficult to break. You were walking with your dragon. Your Ogatath is, unsurprisingly, a handsome and robust example of his species. He is clearly well cared for and in excellent health. I never expected your dragon to be anything less. The you of my imagination is a highly diligent woman, after all.

You are as beautiful in riding leathers as in a gather dress, although I do not recall you being quite so muscular. It suits you.

It is strange to think you are this close. To know that I could simply walk across the weyr and introduce myself. I do not imagine you remember me, for all you have lived in my imagination all these turns.

As I told you when we began this correspondence, I have always been a coward when it comes to you.

Perhaps someday we’ll speak in truth.

Until then, yours,
Actaeon

P.S. Because I cannot leave you without a fresh absurdity- I heard a rumor today that there was once an ancient dragon plague and the last greens saved all of Pern by laying golden eggs. Their names, of course, were never recorded and the pass of the tale varies by the telling. Were there any truth to the story, the healers of the day would have written of such an unprecedented occurrence in exhaustive detail, to be shared with every new generation of apprentices into perpetuity. Terrible gossips, the whole lot of them.
Fort
Essa of Bronze Gectusith
Hunter of Bronze Yndesk
Quinn of Bronze-White Louicyth
Wingleader S'bor of Bronze Yugoth
Allag of Brown Babyloth
Daphne of Brown Ogatath
ACM Estelle of Brown Jaehaeryth
Faralyn of Brown Grooth
Gymlin of Brown Glacendath
Ieyasu of Brown Ieyask
P'pin of Brown Palath
T'rin of Brown Celeth
Cole of Garnet Colsk and Blue Colodeosk
G'er of Garnet Neozeoth
Lily of Garnet Eridieth
N'ell of Garnet Pamith
Relli of Garnet Rellivask and Blue Relsk
Augury of Blue Velveth
Chrysanthe of Blue Bidath
Gellera of Blue Virtrath
Korra of Blue Raavath
Kyoshi of Blue Rugrunth
Miryem of Blue Riwenth
Thor of Blue Hinokath
Sam'in of Blue Salineath
Adora of Green Meilith
Elyron of Green Elyrosk
Kiriani of Green Tabesleuth
Wingsecond L'ir of Green Byth
Quintar of Green Task
S'atyl of Green Nineveth
Makoto of White Usakinth
M'ieln of White Hroth
Rhaenys of White Cosmiath
Wingleader Tyrion of White Voluntauth
Actaeon
Mithras
High Reaches
Cynthia of Gold Eliask
Ce'na of Bronze Noath
Hela of Bronze Helsk and Brown Hesk
Azul of Brown Claarisath
Di'a of Brown Kasshuth
Dobby of Brown Kersuth
I'lir of Brown Belliorath
Ingrid of Brown Delinarth
Wingleader Myalla of Brown Enarth
Th'ou of Brown Pavith
Wingsecond D'ark of Garnet Masreith
Squadsecond Tomas of Garnet Tomask and White Tsk
Weyrling Master Camilla of Blue Kamuith
Edda of Blue Katakurth
Jace of Blue Gallath
Jae of Blue Zappath
Sayla of Blue Sacroth
Sha'm of Blue Taarisoth
Tamara of Blue Requeth
Ya'ra of Blue Dymrith
Yvaen of Blue Bolduth
Zhuli of Blue Zhusk and Blue Lisk
Kanon of Green Kibeth
Kip of Green Amizuth
Numann of Green Rannath
Raine of Green Spriggth
Wilred of Green Lresk and Blue Wilrsk
Sokka of Green Wintrath
T'ir of Green Blysith
Riku of White Taissath
Aragon
Pyeta
Semaca Weyr
Arena of Void Oscamith
Alayna of Gold Wyzeth
Al'bus of Bronze Matanuth
Noor of Bronze Nuunieth
Schneizel of Bronze Damocleth
Hermione of Brown Echoneth
K'zon of Brown Rurosuth
Sage of Brown Wisketoth
Shuri of Brown Motath
Varda of Brown Magmeth
Ei of Garnet Eisk
Karlach of Garnet Ussk
Ly'nk of Garnet Sakuyath
Maui of Garnet Mausk and Blue Mask
Uruk of Garnet Georsath
Artemis of Blue Phoebuth
Corleon of Blue Corleosk and White Corlesk
D'vir of Blue Cainhurth
Candidatemaster Naxen of Blue Anitoth
N'aya of Blue Ilouth
Point Rigel of Blue Cygneth
Ariel of Green Kshatriyath
Eleanor of Green Elsk
Eli'us of Green Sallith
Mi'wa of Green Ephiith
Natsuno of Green Minamith
L'ani of Green Haillenarth
Rhea of Green Rheask
Captain Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk
V'rell of Green Peridoth
Wyatt of Green Emilith
Laera of White Tarth
Kowal of White Kowalsk
Pasca of White Judgmeth
R'tan of White Mazath
Steward Molly
Athan
Tarva
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