Chap. 184 The Gift

Chap. 184 The Gift

Siskin raised his head from his curled position on "his" shelf.

Then, with a chirp, he flew out of the weyr.

Where is he going? Out to do his business? K'ndar asked. He was grateful that fire lizards, like dragons, were housebroken.

No! It's a green fire lizard, wearing a message pouch and a bell. I think it's Putzu Raventh said.

Hmmm!

At that moment, Siskin returned with Putzu right behind him.

She hovered in front of him, shivering to make the bell ring.

Clever, he thought, I never thought to teach Siskin that.

Her message bell and the fairly bulky message pouch both had Terilyn's chop on them.

She landed on Siskin's shelf, and wickwicked at him.

"Hello, Putzu, pretty girl, do you have something for me?"

She turned her head and cheeped. Fire lizards were normally reluctant to allow anyone other than their bonded owner to touch them, but training them to deliver messages also taught them that it was safe.

He put down his book and approached her.

"Clever girl, good girl. Let me take that message from you," he said.

He reached forward and gently removed a bundle from the pouch.

She whirred up into the air, relieved of her burden.

"Treat, Putzu? Treat?" he asked. He had a few meat scraps left from feeding Siskin.

Her eyes whirling a faint orange, she dropped her glance. No thank you. Then she chipped, flew past the curtain, and vanished.

"Weeeeeeeeeek?" Siskin asked, his eyes whirling green.

"You silly lizard, you've been fed, but…okay, here," K'ndar said, submitting to Siskin's blandishments. He had just a bit of meat left from dinner. “I shouldn’t feed you too much, you’ll get fat,” he said, teasing.

Never happen. Have you ever seen a fat dragon? Raventh said.

Come to think of it, no. I’ve seen thin ones, like Menkarth, but never a fat dragon.

He laughed.

Opening the bundle, he gasped. Terilyn had created a ceramic draft horse.

There was a brief note.

Hello, K, this brave little horse insisted he belongs to you. I hope you enjoy him.

K’ndar marveled. What talent! He could never ever produce something like this.

Where to put the little horse? His weyr shelves were fully engaged, either with Siskin’s regular roosting spot, or his books, and ever growing number of notebooks. He’d like to keep it here on his desk, but it was too subject to being knocked over by a certain fire lizard, or even his own movements while writing.

He cast his eye around his small weyr. Ah, the alcove. A small natural cubby in the rock wall, where he kept...the opal rock. He’d planned on giving it to Terilyn at the Ruathan Gather, but events had transpired to completely push it out of his mind...until now.

Too heavy? He hefted it, wondering if Siskin could carry it.

Siskin’s message pouch and bell was in with Raventh’s harness.

The opal just barely fit. He had enough room to add his note:

T, thank you so much for the lovely horse! He will have pride of place on my shelf. I had planned on giving this rock to you at the Gather, but, as you know, I was distracted...and forgot, and I’ve been busy since then. Before you ask, no. It is a gift, just as the horse is. Or, if you prefer, it’s to compensate you for whatever it cost you after Siskin and Putzu had their little love match. Thank you! K

He was always circumspect when writing notes, especially when they concerned something of value, like the opal. You never knew if a message could be intercepted by others, or a fire lizard caught by a predator.


Siskin, who’d returned to his shelf, recognized that he was about to be sent on a mission, and chittered. He loved transmitting things.

He flew down to K’ndar’s worktable/desk/nightstand.

“Think you can carry this weight, Siskin?”

The fire lizard looked at the pouch, his eyes whirling.

K’ndar tied the message pouch, making sure the weight was centered on Siskin’s chest.

“Try it,” he said.

Siskin opened his wings and leaped into the air. He flew around the room, testing the weight.

After several moments, he whickered, his eyes whirling blue.

It is heavy, but he can carry it. He’ll be going between, anyway. But don’t use the bell. That might be just too much Raventh advised.

“Okay, Siskin, no bell. Carry to Putzu. Carry?” he asked, thinking of Putzu and Terilyn’s face as he did so.

Siskin chittered, then flew out of their weyr.

How bloody convenient fire lizards were, he thought, it’s amazing. Oh, I could have gone there on Raventh, of course, but…

Why not?

I have duty tomorrow, well, we do. After I finish this chapter, I’m going to bed.

After about ten minutes, he was beginning to worry when Siskin returned.

The pouch was empty save for a message.

Good grief, K, what are you thinking? But thank you, it is lovely, and I will think of ways to turn it into something even more beautiful than it is now. By the way, Putzu had her and Siskin’s clutch some time ago. She hid the clutch, so I have no idea where or how many. She did all the work, it didn’t cost me a thing other than meat scraps enough for a full grown dragon. But thank you, anyway! T

“Good lad! Was it too heavy?” he asked.

Siskin raised his head in pride. K’ndar didn’t need Raventh’s translating.

Of course not, Siskin said, I’m a blue. We can do anything.

Chap. 161 End of the Gather

Chap. 161 End of the Gather

K'ndar sat down in the shade of Lizard's caravan. The sun, while late afternoon, was still very warm.

Siskin appeared and perched on K'ndar's shoulder, scolding him for being gone for so long.

"Tell me what all the noise was about, after the Stakes," Lizard asked. "I saw the aftermath, but I stayed out of the thick of it."

So K'ndar and Glyena filled him in.

"Ah, lassie, what a fitting end to a pair of misfits. I'm so glad it all came out right in the end," he said.

He poured some freshly brewed klah. K'ndar and Glyena each took a mug. She took a sip, but her eyes began to close.

Crunch, the dog, sniffed at their mugs, then curled up next to Glyena.

Within seconds, she was asleep.

Lizard looked at her sleeping form with a grin.

"Wore her out, did you?"

"Truth be told, I could do with a nap myself. It's been a long day. I had planned on going to the horse auction, but now? I think I'll let her sleep for a few minutes, then we'll head home. Oh, wait, I need to ask Terylin if she wants a ride home," K'ndar said, feeling sleep tugging at his eyes. To forestall it, he asked, "Will you be staying on? I think this is a two day Gather?"

"It is," Lizard said, sipping at his mug, "And I am. Like you, I want to go see the horse auction. I looked the horses over earlier, after the cattle auction. See 'em? See at the end of the paddocks, the individual ones? That bay, Drummer, in the 3K was in one of them. I don't see him right now, but earlier, I saw one of the Ruathans leading him there after his race," Lizard said.

"Drummer! Glyena was going to ride him, until the real rider showed up, and I am so glad she got off. He was…….well, crazy. Not mean, but, not a riding horse. Not at all," K'ndar said. He looked for the bay, but didn't see him.

"No doubt. He was a handful from the start. I had considered bidding on him at the auction, but after his nonsense in the race, I'll let him go to someone more willing to risk a broken neck," Lizard said.

"I heard one of their staff say he was a perfect horse in harness. I think they're going to sell him as a cart horse," K'ndar said, "and I think they said a Wanderer was interested in him. Funny thing, I had one of them come up to me, just before that race. He insisted I put a bet on the filly. Said I'd done him a 'good turn', although I can't remember ever seeing him before, and this was how he wanted to repay me."

Lizard gawped. "You did, tell me you bet on the filly."

K'ndar nodded. "I was a bit skeptical, but yes, I did. She paid…well, quite well, honestly, especially for a beginner like me," he said.

Lizard laughed. "Good lad. When a Wanderer vouches for someone, or some horse, take 'em at their word. They're odd, you know, they've always acted as if they're not really Pernese and they keep to themselves, but they're honorable people and they know horses better than anyone else on the planet.

The thing with racers is to not get overconfident in your ability to 'guage' a horse, especially a hot one in a new environment or with strange horses around. I made that mistake, even though I know better."

"You didn't bet on Drummer, did you?"

Lizard nodded, ruefully. "Sorry to say, I did. But not a lot. I don't like to lose big."

K'ndar shook his head. He knew it wasn't polite to ask how much someone lost-or won.

"Well, I didn't bet after that, even though I knew Swiftsure would win. He's a grand horse, he is." K'ndar said.

"I'll be switched," Lizard said, looking out the auction ring, "Someone made a deal."

K'ndar saw a small, wizened man leading Drummer away from where the horses up for auction were sequestered before the auction.

"That's…that's him," he said.

"That man with the bay?" Lizard said.

"Yes. It looks like he bought Drummer. He's the one who told me to bet the filly," K'ndar said.

Something told him to go talk to him. Without explanation, he got up and ran to the man.

Drummer had been cooled out and fed, and was minding his manners.

K'ndar stopped the man.

"Sir, I want to thank you for your tip," he said.

The man smiled shyly, yet with a tinge of pride.

"You took my advice, did you?"

"Yes sir," he said, and something pulled the words from him, "I wonder if you'd want to share a little of what I won?"

The man looked surprised, then grateful. Drummer nuzzled him. The action surprised K'ndar, knowing how bizarre the bay had acted earlier.

"Ah, that's kind of you, my man, but no, thank you. You did me a good turn, when you rescued one of our little girls from a handful of raiders. I can't take your money, although I do appreciate it," he said.

Lizard joined them.

Ah, now I remember, K'ndar thought. "I remember now, sir. Please tell me you bet on the filly, too," he begged.

The man laughed. "I did, of course. Of course! I bred and raised her, don't you know? Own her dam AND sire. She was a racer from the very first, she told me so. I'm too old to break and train a racehorse anymore, but that young girl you rescued? My niece? She has the touch, you know, she backed the filly and taught her well-because she listens to the horse.
And her elders…but I don't need a race horse, I need a good carthorse, and I could see from the start this here Drummer is no racer. Fast, yes, but I could see from the start he was more interested in showing his bollocks, despite having lost them, rather than settle down and do his work. Horse like this, he needs a harness to keep his mind on his job. So,well, I talked to the Ruathans. They wanted the filly, I wanted a harness horse, so we…well, let's just say no money changed hands, but both parties are happy," he said.

Drummer seemed enchanted with his new owner. Lizard is right, he thought, the Wanderers DO seem to have a special way with horses, something even I don't have and I've been a horseman since I was born.

"Seems to me the horse is happy, too," Lizard interjected.

The Wanderer smiled and patted the horse on the neck.

K'ndar smiled, and turned to Lizard. Knowing, now, that Lizard preferred to maintain a professional mien in public, he said, "Sir, this man is…"

"Probably looking to barter or buy a new harness for this horse, correct?" Lizard interrupted.

The Wandered looked at him.

"I know you as Fire Lizard Man, and word is you're an honorable man and a fair trader. Aye, I DO need a harness, I've got a good one in my caravan but it won't fit this gelding. I bet you've got just the one I need," he said.

Lizard smiled. "Aye, you're a sharp one, sir. Won't you come to my caravan? Let this horse graze while we fit him," he said.

K'ndar looked at him and grinned. He knew business was about to be done, and that Lizard was now 'on duty'.

"Thank you for the transaction, sir, I'll just pick up my gear and be on my way," he said.

Lizard winked.
____________________________________________________________________________
"K'ndar,I want to go home," Glyena said, "I'm tired." They'd shouldered their packs. Somehow they felt heavier than when they'd grounded them at Lizard's caravan.

"I am too, I'm ready, but we need to check with Terilyn before we leave. She might want a ride back home," he said.

The crowds were beginning to thin. Most folks were heading for the food tents or to their own homes.

There would be music and dancing later that night, but neither of them were interested.

Terilyn was closing up her booth. Siskin immediately flew to Putzu and chirruped. She responded with an equally friendly chip.

"You're…packing up?" he asked her.

"I am. I'm sold out," Terilyn said, very pleased.

"Really! Everything?" K'ndar said, happy for his friend.

"Yes, and I've orders for more of just about everything. It'll keep me busy for weeks," she said.

Want some help packing?" K'ndar asked. Glyena didn't really want to help, she was VERY tired, but one look from her brother told her to shut up and help out. She began to untie the cables to the canopy.

"No, Glyena, the canopy itself is Ruatha's, leave it standing. My stuff, there's not much left, just my stool and tripods and the little crate," Terilyn said.

"This little one, it's empty," Glyena said.

"It IS! It breaks down, so that it packs nicely into the larger crate," Terilyn said, proud of her design.

"It's clever," Glyena said.

"Do you want a ride back to our weyr? Or your cothold?" K'ndar asked.

"Please? I had planned on staying through tomorrow, but now I have no reason to stay overnight, as I'd planned. Do you think I could stay at Kahrain tonight?"

"Shouldn't be a problem, Hariko usually has a room open for overnight guests," K'ndar said hoping he wasn't lying.

Putzu chirped at Siskin, in a tone of voice that sounded seductive.

"Don't tell me she's in heat again," K'ndar said, frowning. Terilyn had never indicated any anger with K'ndar for Siskin mating her Putzu earlier, but maybe that was because she was a kind, understanding soul. And there was no way to stop a fire lizard from mating. You couldn't sequester an animal that could go between.

"Yes, I'm afraid she is, she's a horny little thing at times. Thank goodness they're sterile, otherwise I'd be up to my ears in blues and greens."

"Green fire lizards are sterile?" Glyena said. K'ndar was surprised, too.

"Most of the time, I've found," Terilyn said, "although from what I've heard, they do sometimes have fertile eggs. They're not like golds, all a green can lay is green females and blue males. "Putzu is very good about making a nest and watching over her eggs, for a while, then she sort of forgets about them and leaves them. I think she can tell they're not good eggs." she said.

She kissed at Putzu, who obediently left Siskin and flew to her shoulder.

"How did you know they only lay greens and blues?" Glyena asked.

"I dissected some of the eggs after Putzu abandoned them. The embryos weren't full formed, it's as if they stopped developing at some point. But their color was obvious," she said.

"What about green dragons? Is it the same with them?" Glyena asked, looking at K'ndar.

"Wellllll, we've always been told that green dragons CAN'T lay eggs, I've always assumed it was because of them eating firestone, but now we don't have to do that, and the greens still go into heat and mate. But, since I've not heard of a green laying eggs, maybe, when Kitty Ping noodled around with their hormones she made it so that they're incapable of making eggs. Or maybe they're sterile from the start. I don't know," he said, thinking this would make a very interesting line of research.

They finished packing Terilyn's gear. "I thought you had more than this?" K'ndar asked.

"I did, I shipped two crates. But, like I said earlier, everything, to include the smaller crate breaks down to fit into the larger one. Everything is made of lightwood, so it's also fairly lightweight. I made half a dozen mistakes, designing it, but now it all fits nicely. Not, of course, when I bring the wheel, but I didn't bring it this time, if you'll recall.

I'll have to leave it, I'm going to let the gather manager know I'm leaving early, and he'll hopefully ship it back," she said.

Glyena looked at it. "K'ndar, can't Raventh carry it?"

He looked at the crate. Hmmm. It would be nice, he thought, to save Terilyn the cost of shipping it back.

Are you ready to go home? he asked Raventh.

I am. You are looking at that box?

I am. Can you carry it as well as the three of us?

Raventh 'looked' at it. K'ndar remembered Aivas telling them that dragons could lift anything they thought they could.

I think so, as long as it's balanced

Of course.That's a given.

Let's do it, then

K'ndar nodded. "Raventh says he can carry it," he said.

Terilyn smiled. "That would be nice, it would save me the time and the shipping costs. It's not too heavy, it's just a little bulky, is all." They each took a handle and K'ndar let Raventh 'feel' its weight.

She was right…it wasn't very heavy at all.

Shouldn't be too difficult Raventh said.
____________________________________________________________________________
He made sure Terilyn and Glyena were harnessed in and the crate balanced. The fire lizards were firmly set just behind Raventh's head.

There was just barely enough room for everyone and the crate. Well, Raventh WAS small, for a brown.
Yes, but I am still RAVENTH

K'ndar hugged the dragon's neck.

Of course you are, the best dragon on Pern

We look like a family of Wanderers, K'ndar thought, laughing inside his head, with everything but the kitchen sink.

What is a kitchen sink?

Never mind. You aren't carrying one.

"Did you have fun today, Glyena?" Terilyn asked.

"OH, YES ma'am…but I want to get some dinner and then go to bed," the girl said.

"Me too," K'ndar said.

Chap. 149 Messages, messages

Chap. 149  Messages, messages

K'ndar, with Glyena's help, finished harnessing Raventh.

Siskin chirped, hearing the ringing of a courier bell. 

A green fire lizard flew to perch atop the brown dragon, next to Siskin.  Siskin warbled a warm greeting, and reached over to nibble her neck. She hissed and spat at him, backing him off in bewilderment. 

"Hullo, who're you?" K'ndar said, then recognized the bell on the lizard's harness.

"Hello, Putzu, where's your mum?" he asked the lizard.

Her eyes whirled an uncertain green. Then she cheeped and hopped onto his shoulder, shoving her chest out in a mute appeal to have him check the pouch.

"Good girl, Putzu. Let me get the pouch," he said. He wasn't used to handling other people's fire lizards, sometimes they were agreeable, sometimes aggressive. Putzu, however, knew K'ndar.  

He pulled out a message from Terilyn. Two marks were wrapped in the message.

Hello, K'ndar, I know this is short notice, but I am requesting transport to Ruatha's gather. I shipped a crateful of goods to sell earlier, but the dragon I was supposed to ride on is suddenly 'unavailable'! Would you be willing to give me a ride? If not, please let me know, and I'll try for other transport. Thank you, Terilyn

His thoughts scrambled for several seconds. Well, duh? Terilyn wasn't just an acquaintance, she was his friend.

Respond, K'ndar!

He dug through his backpack for a pencil. There was none—oh, yeah, he'd left it on his shelf in the weyr.

"Putzu. Wait. I will send a message back. Do you understand?" 

The green hmmphed. Of course she understood.

"Siskin! Would you please go to our weyr and bring me the pencil?"

Siskin brightened, glad at the opportunity to ease the ache of Putzu's rejection. I'll show you, girl! He whirred away.

"What's that? Who's it from?"

"Glyena, it's not polite to ask what's in a message that was sent to someone else. It's the same as if I asked you what you wrote to Mum. But, just this once, it's from my potter friend, Terilyn. She's asking for a lift to the Gather, and we're going to do it."

"I wouldn't mind if you wanted to read my letters to Mum! Will there be room on Raventh? 

Will we be too heavy?"

Raventh snorted derisively.

"Not to worry. You'll have to sit close up to Terilyn, but Raventh can carry three of us," he assured her.

"Let's hurry, I want to go there and do EVERYTHING. And I have a lot of money, I can buy just about anything."

K'ndar shook his head, aghast. "Glyena. As much fun as we're going to have, you still have to be careful in crowds, like we'll see at Ruatha. There are vendors who will try to cheat you, trick you into paying more money than their things are worth. And there are thieves called picks, they can brush up against you, steal your pouch just as quick as can be, you don't even feel it. So don't go telling the world you have money. As far as anyone knows, you don't have a penny. Where is your pouch?"

"In my backpack," she said, and shrugging it off her shoulder, began to pull things out.

"See?" she held it out for him, shaking it so he could hear the coins.  

"Now hang it around your neck and just be quiet about it," he warned. 

"There are picks even at Ruatha?" she asked, as she tucked the pouch under her shirt. 

 Ruatha and Benden Weyr, combined, was the de facto capital of Pern. The concept of criminals being there was difficult to believe.

"They can be anywhere, Glyena," he said, "so if you take money out of the pouch, be discreet. Or let me handle the money."

She frowned. "But..will I have to be with you all the time? Because that might not be so fun," she asked.

He'd not thought that far.  He'd never been responsible for anyone save himself at a gather, or any sort of public gathering. 

He felt a large weight suddenly settle on his heart. Two years ago, he wouldn't have even considered the possibility that a person would cheat or harm a child. Now he knew better.

Still, he'd seen hordes of kids in the crowds, kids enjoying being with other kids without adults. There really was nothing to fear, letting children run without supervision. That was part of the fun, being able to mingle with other children, or wander the aisles of the bazaar, just looking, without fear. There were too many people at any Gather more than happy to tear a kidnapper to pieces, should one be so foolish as to try. Still, he was responsible for her. 

What would Mum do?

"What do you think Mum would say? Or Shirae?" he asked her.

She grinned. "She already has said it! Shirae said, girl, don't go away from the crowd with someone you don't know. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be polite but distant. If someone scares you, run away!  If someone grabs you, fight! Scream! But I'll be okay, K'ndar,I won't be stupid, promise," she said. 

He was still doubtful. He'd have to thank Shirae, for having more foresight than him. Still, he knew his sister. She was a smart kid, having learned how to deal with people who weren't trustworthy or kind.

"Remember, there are going to be people who will try to take advantage of you. So…this is what I ask of you. If you see something you want to buy, you find me first. Okay? You don't own up to having any money. You just pretend to be a dumb kid without a penny to her name.  If the person selling it says that you have to buy it now or it's gone, well, it wasn't meant for you in the first place. If you promise to not do something stupid, then I think, if you want, you can go off on your own. If you have questions and can't find me, go to Terilyn's booth. And you can always run to Raventh, he will protect you, and he will call me if you need help," he said.

She is your dam's egg. I will keep her safe. 

K'ndar laughed.

She is my sister from a later clutch, but I know what you mean. And thank you.

Glyena looked with a ? on her face.

"Raventh said, you are to run to him if anything happens, you are one of Mum's 'eggs'  and he will  keep you safe."

"I'm an egg! I'm an egg!" she laughed, twirling around with her arms arcing over her head. 

 Then she turned serious.

"I promise," she said. Then she went to Raventh's head. "Lower your head, please, Raventh?"

Ravent contemplated her for a moment, his eyes whirling a puzzled green. Then he lowered his head to her level. K'ndar was amazed, as always, at how big it was in comparison to a human child, and still, how gentle he could be.

She kissed Raventh on the nose.

"I love you, Raventh," she said, "You are the bestest dragon ever."

His response was the goofiest noise K'ndar had ever heard.

After several moments, K'ndar saw something else in Glyena's backpack.

"What do you have in there?"

She pulled out a bridle and handed it to him.

"By the egg, this is beautiful," he said, turning it, amazed at the workmanship and quality.

"You made this?"

Glyena nodded. "I did. I want to sell it at the Gather."

He turned it in the light, inhaling the scent of good leather. It was top grade stuff, he realized,  gleaming in the morning sun. She'd braided keepers out of a lighter colored leather to make the entire bridle two toned, and the browband bore an intricate knotted pattern of the same color. The buckles were polished to a high luster.

"I didn't have enough leather to make the reins, though," she said. 

"This is beautiful work, Glyena. I am amazed, you have a true talent. It's gorgeous!  I have to warn you, though, I really am not sure if it's advisable for a kid to sell something at a Gather. I've only done it once, and almost got cheated."

"That's okay, I'll manage. You know how it is with us horsefolk, we'll always find a way," she said, with a confidence he didn't share.

Siskin arrived with the pencil, showing off to a patiently waiting Putzu.

"Thank you, Siskin, clever lad!"

He wrote on the back side of the message. 

Terilyn: I'll be there within minutes of Putzu's return. I will NOT accept this money. No. But I have a favor to ask of you-my sister is coming with me, and will discuss it in depth when we meet.

He tucked the message and the marks into Putzu's pouch.

"Good girl, Putzu, you're the best green lizard ever. Return to your Mum," he said. 

She wheeped, took wing, and vanished.

Siskin looked dejected. He reached up and coaxed the lizard down from his perch.

He remembered mating her. But she isn't in heat today Raventh said.

Rubbing the lizard's neck, he said, "It's okay, little one. She was on duty, you understand? Like when you wear a bell, it means you're On Duty. It was nothing personal. She had a job to do. She was busy. Okay?"

Siskin brightened, then returned to his perch on Raventh's neck.

"Does he really understand all that?" Glyena asked. 

"Enough, I think. Much of it comes from the emotions I put into the words. The concepts, I am not so sure of…but he's smart. He's like Raventh, always wanting to learn more," he said. 

He heard courier bells. Putzu? Coming back so quickly?

A pair of fire lizards, a bronze and a gold, appeared. 

They were Lizard's. The gold landed on Raventh near Siskin. The bronze hovered in front of K'ndar, his eyes whirling. He chipped and indicated his pouch had a message, then settled on his left arm.  

Siskin sidled up to the gold, flirting. The gold hissed and snapped at him. She was a Mated Gold, thank you very much, and didn't have time for a blue.

Siskin's head dropped. Rejected TWICE in one morning!

"Do you get messages all the time?" Glyena asked.

He shook his head, ruefully. "No, this is the first time I've ever had this happen, two almost at once."

The message was on a tiny scrap of paper. 

Hello, K,  Hope this finds you well. If you're going to Ruatha's Gather, my caravan will be near the racecourse. I have some goods to deliver to you. If I'm not there, remember, Crunch will be on watch. L

"What…." Glyena started, then stopped.

"A knee, Raventh? Climb up, Glyena, we're on our way. And if you're willing, I know someone who will sell your bridle," he said.

Chap. 117 The Geologist

Chap. 117  The Geologist

"Hello, K'ndar! Are you busy?"

K'ndar looked up to see Greta, the team's newly assigned geologist.

"Just finishing up a message to send to my weyr," he said, "Won't take but a few more minutes."

She sat down across from him, quietly. Her blue fire lizard wheedled at Siskin, wanting to play. Siskin, however, desisted. Being in harness, complete with courier bell, he knew that he was 'on duty'.

Greta waited patiently as K'ndar finished the note he was sending to Lindea.

Hello, Lindea, here's a sketch of the dragonstones at the Western Observatory. Also, here's a sketch of the pattern for finding me, as we'll be out in the field. This is just in case you need to contact us while we're here. We'll be heading out in the next day or so to start our survey. Western is, from what I can see so far, very different from Kahrain despite being on the same latitude, only in the northern hemisphere. Fairly cold up here but not as bad as at Tillek, and the housing and food is much better. But they can't match your pies. How is the recovery coming? I bet you're about done. K'ndar

He folded the note and stretched out his arm. Siskin obediently hopped to his forearm and K'ndar tucked the note into the message pouch. Staring intently into Siskin's eyes, he visualized Lindea's face and her gold lizard, Zeta. 

"Siskin. Find Lindea. Deliver to Lindea," he said. Siskin whickered and launched, very purposefully giving the ceramic bell a shake, then vanished.

"What!" Greta asked, amazed.

"We use our fire lizards as couriers."

"I never thought of doing THAT. Where did you get the harness? And the bell?"

So he told her about his sister making the harness, and Terilyn making the bells.

"Siskin loves the job," he said, "usually he's ready to play, but when he's in harness, he's all business."

"I have to teach Roany that."

"Roany? Like the horse?"

"Aye. See how his color changes? His head is dark blue but the rest is a lighter blue. Like a blue roan."

"Where did you get Roany?" he asked.

"I bought him as an egg from a trader. This was last year, no, maybe earlier. A few months before Turnover. I'd seen other people with fire lizards and wanted one in the worst way. I'm pretty happy with him. There's not many of them from where I'm from."

"You're from High Reaches?"

"No, I'm from Ista Weyr. Since Thread ended, I've been wandering, pretty much. I've been a lot of different places."

"All by yourself?"

"Aye. I know most of the dragonstones, you know how it's crammed into your head during Weyrling Training. I just think, oh, I wonder what that place looks like, and I go."

That sounded…interesting. He'd been so busy in the last few years, his innate wanderlust had gone dormant. "So, you're a dragon nomad," he said. He liked the sound of it. 

"Aye. I like it. I'm a loner, most of the time, I really like to explore. When I met Rahman, he gave me several books, right off the press! and one of them was "The Geology of Pern" "

"By DR Plank?" K'ndar ended for her, hoping to impress her. 

"Um, no. I don't know that name, but I've got my books with me, I can tell you the author later on. Geology just…just clicked with me. So I go all over, looking at different landforms, seamounts, islands, volcanoes, sediment layers, rocks…rocks and rocks. I take a hammer and a collection bag with me wherever I go. My mum says I have rocks in my head. I always was interested in them, even as a kid. But it was the books that taught me so much and having a dragon makes exploring easy," she said. 

"I'm sort of the same way. Rahman gave me several books, but for me, it was biology that snared me. On our last survey, and one of my classmates, is B'rost. He's a geologist, too."

"I'd like to meet him, someday, we can talk rocks. I've not met more than one or two geologists, and I can talk rocks for days."

"Kind of like me and horses, especially," he said, but in the back of his mind, there was a bit of possessiveness, something he'd never felt in himself before. He wanted to know her a little better before letting B'rost into the picture.

But B'rost was safe, he reassured himself, B'rost's gay.  

His bell announced Siskin's return. His eyes were whirling green with excitement.

"Good lad! Did you find Lindea? Of course you did, there's a FINE lizard," K'ndar said, playing it up a bit. "Hungry?"

Siskin shook his head.

Lindea gave him a nice meal. He's fairly full Raventh said.

K'ndar removed the blue's harness. "There you go, my lad, go play with Roany."

Siskin chipped, but didn't leave his shoulder. 

The harness pouch held a message, but he was too polite to read it in front of Greta.

"You have to teach me to train Roany to do that," she said. 

"It's easy. You already know how smart they are. It just takes time and a little patience. Having a dragon to talk to them helps a LOT," he said. 

"You're right. Earth just adores Roany. She tells me what he's thinking when I can't figure it out," she said, and then, "Is there a message in the pouch?"

"Yes, but.."

"Oh, go ahead and read it. I'm going to go up to Rahman's observatory in a few minutes, to look through the telescope."

"That's what I'd planned on doing, too! It's dark now, so, you go on ahead, I'll catch up in a few minutes," he said, grateful for her courtesy.

She left. Siskin purred. "You must be sleepy, little one, why don't you go curl up on Raventh?" he said to the blue.

Siskin chipped in agreement and launched.

He pulled the message from the harness. Lindea had written it on the back of the note he'd sent. One didn't waste paper, it was precious stuff.

Hello, K'ndar. Thanks for the stones and pattern information. We've two more days work, total on the recovery, then it's done. Right now I'm at the Weyr, picking up some supplies for the field kitchen.  I'll be glad to be done, while it's been fun, it's been a lot of work, and I want to get back to the Weyr for good. Although I must admit it's been great seeing my brother and his shipmates.  Terilyn's green Putzu was here, with a note saying she's got another batch of courier bells made up and ready to deliver. I'll have one of B'rants weyrlings pick them up. She didn't know you were on survey again. Her note said, too, that Putzu surprised her by laying a clutch of eggs in her garden. She's been very careful to not let anyone near them, she doesn't want to impress a dozen more fire lizards! I KNOW the feeling. Zeta's clutch has fledged, so I don't have to worry..for a while..Lindea

He knew how she felt. He'd not had a chance to explain Putzu's surprise pregnancy to Terilyn. 

His mind was unsettled. He'd always, subconsciously, thought of Lindea as 'his' girl, although he'd never, ever made that known, to anyone.  Nor had she made any indication that he was anything but a friend. But this girl…Greta. 

Time will tell Raventh said.