amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第78节

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not　the　sort　of　person　who　heeded　gossip。　Tai　felt　a　surge　of　gratitude　for　Manora。
　　〃I…think…〃　and　Tai　hesitated；　trying　to　pick　her　words　carefully；　she　didn't　wish　to　lose　Manora's　good　opinion　of　her。　〃I　think…now…that's　how　Zaranth　got　the　skins　before　the　Flood　reached　our　hold。〃
　　〃Got　them？〃　Manora　repeated；　miming　her　fingers　picking　something　up　and　flicking　it　away。
　　〃Without　her　being　there。〃
　　〃I　think　I　understood　that；　Rider　Tai。　You　were　very　busy　helping　to　evacuate　the　children　just　then。〃　Manora　clasped　her　hands　on　her　forearms　and　settled　to　consider　what　she　understood。　〃I　know　what　Weyrwoman　Lessa　said　must　have　happened。〃　She　inclined　her　head　respectfully。　〃An　example　of　how　pure　blind　instinct　will　react　to　the　right　stimulus。　As　Zaranth　did　yesterday。〃
　　〃Yesterday？〃　Tai　jerked　upright；　despite　the　disfort；　and　was　firmly　subdued　by　Manora　who；　though　everyone　said　she　must　be　the　oldest　woman　in　Benden　Weyr；　displayed　considerable　strength。
　　〃Yesterday。〃
　　〃But　today？　We　were　supposed　to　go　to　the　Council　meeting。〃　She　struggled　briefly。　〃To　support　Masters　Wansor　and　Erragon。〃
　　The　twinkle　in　Manora's　eyes　and　her　gentle　and　unusually　broad　smile　surprised　Tai　by　their　unexpectedness。
　　〃Yesterday；　Rider　Tai；　you　did　more　than　you　may　yet　understand　to　support　the　Masters。　And　the　Weyrs。　That　is　why　I　am　here；　with　you；　in　the　Weyrwoman's　stead；　overseeing　your　recovery。〃　She　leaned　forward　to　pat　Tai's　shoulder　gently。　〃Thanks　to　Zaranth　and　you；　this　will　be　an　immensely　interesting　meeting；　with　broad　repercussions　and；　I　hope；　changes。　For　the　good　of　us　all。〃
　　The　Weyrleaders　remained　at　Honshu　overnight：　Lessa　looked　in　on　F'lessan　from　time　to　time。
　　〃I　never　have　been　much　of　a　mothering　person；〃　Lessa　admitted　quietly　to　Manora　when　they　shared　a　pot　of　klah。
　　〃Why　should　you　have　been？〃　Manora　asked　mildly。　〃With　you　neck　deep　in　Weyr　business　that　only　you　could　manage　and　every　woman　quite　happy　to　take　care　of　him？　A　much　more　sensible　custom　than　what　goes　on　in　holds；　Lady　Lessa；〃　Manora　replied；　〃especially　for　as　lively　a　lad　as　F'lessan。〃
　　F'lar　spent　time　sitting　between　Golanth　and　Zaranth；　Mnementh　and　Ramoth　on　guard　on　the　terrace　above。　There　seemed　to　be　a　plethora　of　dragons　resting　at　Honshu。　Why　aren't　they　at　their　own　weyrs；　Mnementh？　We　are　waiting　until　Golanth　and　Zaranth　improve。　F'lar　was　flummoxed　by　the　tinge　of　reverence　in　his　bronze's　tone。
　　All　of　you？　And　he　indicated　the　many　in　attendance。　Yes。　The　affirmative　seemed　to　echo　throughout　the　valley　below。
　　While　it　was　true　that　the　dragons　were　always　solicitous　about　any　injured　by　Thread　or　ill　of　the　few　ailments　that　could　sicken　one　of　them；　this　vigil　was　unusual。
　　Zaranth　and　Golanth　have　done　the　unusual。　We　wait　with　you；　too。
　　So　F'lar　found　himself　content　to　sit；　panionably　silent　with　so　many　of　the　creatures　who　were　keeping　watch　with　him。　Such　a　moment　was　rare。
　　When　Lessa　joined　him　later；　murmuring　that　he　should　get　some　food　into　him；　she　took　his　place。
　　They　sleep。　They　need　it；　Ramoth　said　so　very；　very　softly；　as　if　she　did　not　wish　even　that　intimate　exchange　to　disturb　the　silence。
　　Tell　me　again；　Ramoth；　how　it　all　happened。　From　the　beginning。
　　I　have　been　thinking　of　nothing　else。　I　will　speak　softly。　These　here　know　what　happened　and　yet…they　don't　know。　I　am　not　sure　I　do。
　　Lessa　nodded　her　head。　Tell　me。　We　will　study　it　together。　
　　I　am　asleep。　I　am　awakened　by　the　most　urgent　cry　for　assistance。　Mnementh　wakes；　too。　It　is　Golanth　who　is　in　trouble。　It　is　Zaranth　who　calls；　fears　for　Golanth's　life。　She　calls　everyone。　Everyone　she　knows。　I　get　there　first；　Mnementh　a　breath　behind。　Then　e　Heth；　Gadareth；　Monarth；　Path；　Arwith；　Ruth；　and　others。　I　see　Zaranth　tearing　the　felines　from　Golanth　without　touching　them。　Her　mind　has　the　fury　of　firestone　as　it　es　from　the　mouth：　never　have　I　seen　a　dragon　so　angry。　I　see　how　she　does　it。　Golanth　does　it；　too。　Ruth　learns　quickly。　All　who　came　learned。　We　remove　the　furry　killing　things。　We　think　only　of　removing　the　furry　killing　things。　We　do　so。　No　other　creature　has　ever　attacked　a　dragon！
　　She　paused。　It　is　not　the　same　thing　as　searing　Thread　from　the　sky。　I　feel　good　when　a　Fall　is　over　and　no　Thread　has　reached　the　ground。　This　is　very　different。　I　see　the　leaping　furries；　ing　from　behind。　Zaranth　lifts　as　high　as　she　can　stand；　to　take　their　leaping…bravely　done；　the　bravest　thing　a　green　has　ever　done…but　one　is　aiming　for　Golanth's　back　where　a　rider　could　fend　it　off　but　there　is　no　rider　to　help　protect　that　place。　The　beast　will　not　fail　of　its　target。
　　Ramoth　grumbled　briefly。　Golanth　tells　me　to　time　it。　Of　course　I　know　how。　And　I　know　what　he　means。　It　is　what　he　did　at　Sunrise　Cliff。　There　is　so　little　time　in　that　second。　The　beast　is　already　leaping。　It　is　too　late　to　stop　that。　But　I　can　change　where　it　will　land。　Just　enough　to　turn　its　strike。　The　claws　do　not　reach　the　fatal　place。　They　just　nearly　do。
　　You　saved　Golanth's　life　that　moment；　Ramoth。
　　In　truth　it　was　Zaranth　who　saved　his　life。
　　Lessa　had　not　ridden　her　golden　queen　for　so　many　years　to　disregard　something　left　unsaid。
　　And　so；　dear　golden　heart　of　my　life；　you　will　honor　her。
　　She　is　a　good　green　dragon。　I　had　not　thought　to　learn　from　a　green　dragon。　I　have。　To　Lessa's　amusement；　Ramoth　seemed　to　be　considering　the　source　as　even　more　important　than　the　new　ability。　But　then；　she　went　on　as　if　having　finally　settled　that　point；　this　knowledge　will　require　practice…without　the　spur　of　fear…to　perfect　the　way　to　move　things。
　　Lessa　digested　that。　But　you　do　remember　how　to　do　it？
　　For　one　moment；　Lessa　feared　that　it　might　just　be　the　circumstances　of　death　and　danger　that　had　activated　this　new　ability。
　　I　would　prefer　more　time　to　review　what　happened；　Lessa　of　my　heart；　but　I　remember　how。　The　moment　is　vivid　in　my　mind。　I　will　not　lose　it　before　I　lose　the　light　of　my　days。
　　Whatever　Aivas　would　have　called　the　emergence　of　the　last　of　the　linked　telepathic　abilities　that　dragons　and　fire…lizards　possessed；　Lessa　did　not　know。　She　did　wonder　what　use　Aivas　would　have　made　of　it；　in　those　days　when　they　were　trying　to　alter　the　path　of　the　Red　Star。　They'd　altered　it　anyway。　So　did　it　matter？
　　And　yet；　subtly；　it　did。　Every　dragon　lounging　so　casually　on　the　cliffs　around　Honshu；　down　on　the　river　terraces…soon　every　dragon　on　Pern…was　aware　of　being　more　than　they　had　been。
　　Practice？　Ramoth　said。
　　
COUNCIL　MEETING　AT　TELGAR　HOLD…3。1。31
　　At　last　Lessa　and　F'lar　slept；　determined　to　be　as　rested　as　possible　for　what　lay　ahead　of　them　at　the　Council　Meeting。　They　went　to　the　meeting　by　way　of　Benden；　where　they　bundled　up　the　notes　they　needed　for　the　session　and　clothing　appropriate　to　the　occasion。　No　one　stopped　them　at　their　weyrs；　though　people　in　the　Bowl　waved　encouragingly　and　dragons　bugled。
　　Though　Benden　Weyr　had　a　more　than　adequate　reason　to　postpone　the　Council　Meeting；　there　were　other　extremely　important　matters…such　as　electing　a　new　Lord　Holder　at　Southern　Boll；　the　Weyrleaders'　presentation　of　their　remendations；　made　more　cogent　by　yesterday's　event　（though　the　ramifications　of　that　would　not　be　open　for　discussion）；　the　latest　Abominator　attack　on　the　Print　Hall…which　made　it　impossible；　as　well　as　inadvisable；　to　reschedule。　Nor；　despite　her　immense　concern　over　the　patients　at　Honshu；　would　Lessa　have　absented　herself。
　　F'lessan　was　in　Master　Crivellan's　more　than　capable　hands　and　those　of　Oldive's　most　experienced　healers。　The　Masterhealer　could　return　to　Honshu　if　he　was　needed　during　F'lessan's　recovery　from　the　plex　surgical　repair　to　the　worst　of　his　wounds。　Had　she　remained；　Lessa　would　have　felt　superfluous；　a　role　she　did　not　play　well。
　　The　Weyrhealers　attended　Golanth　and　Zaranth。　The　green　would　heal　as　quickly　as　most　dragons　did；　given　the　care　she　was　receiving。　The　damage　to　Golanth's　eye　remained　exceedingly　critical。　How　the　tattered　wing　sails　would　heal　was　another　worry。　The　crack　in　the　long　bone　of　the　left　wing；　splintered　by　fangs；　might　inhibit　closing　and　be　weak　in　stroke　or　falter　during　a　prolonged　glide。　As　long　as　the　two　dragons　were　lavished　with　numbweed；　they　would　feel　no　pain。　The　fact　that　Persellan　had　attended　Golanth's　injuries　five　minutes　after　the　attack　had　made　a　significant　difference。
　　From　the　beloved　Bowl　of　Benden　Weyr；　F'lar　and　Lessa　went　between　and　emerged　above　the　hills　of　Telgar　where　a　large　crowd　had　gathered　on　the　plain　below　the　triangular　jut　of　the　Hold。　As　Ramoth；　Mnementh　at　her　right　wing　tip；　glided　in；　Lessa　could　see　the　banners　of　many　holds　and　halls　displayed。　A　Council　Meeting　usually　brought　visitors；　some　waiting　to　hear　about　petitions；　but　she　thought　there　were　more　than　usual…especially　in　winter。
　　Then　Ramoth's　feet　touched　ground　and　people　surged　forward　to　crowd　around　Lessa　and　F'lar　where　they　dismounted　on　the　wide　space　before　the　V…shaped　Telgar　Hold。
　　〃Well；　I　suppose　I　was　naive　to　think　we　could　keep　what　happened　within　the　Weyrs；〃　F'lar　remarked　as　the　two　dragons