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I'm big and strong, Golanth informed him with just a hint of boasting in his tone. I'd've caught Lamanth that time, if Litorth had not done that clip-and-run dive maneuver. He'd been practicing with the greens! he added petulantly.
F'lessan soothed his dragon with hand and voice. He had been a bit provoked about that himself. Of course, Celina was nearly as old as Lessa, but it was becoming a matter of honor for Golanth to fly a queen, and Celina was a nice sort. Anyone could get along with her.
A dust cloud caught F'lessan's attention, and he asked Golanth to veer toward it.
I'm not hungry just now, Golanth replied as they got near enough to distinguish the rumps of fleeing herdbeasts.
Get in a little closer, would you, Golanth? I've never seen any like these. Brown and white, and black and white. Big beasts. Nice and juicy, F'lessan added coaxingly.
If they are big now, they will be bigger when I am ready to eat.
F'lessan chuckled. There were times when Golanth couldn't be diverted. He glanced at the dial strapped to his arm, checking the time it registered against his reading of the sun. Accurate enough. Aivas called it a watch-and the first time F'lessan had worn it he had indeed watched, mesmerized, as the long second hand made its way around the dial. Jancis had presented it to him on his birthing day. She had designed and executed the device for him personally. F'lessan had felt both honored and elated to be the proud possessor of one of the few wristwatches on Pern. Jancis had only made six: Piemur, of course, wore one; so did Lord Larad and Lady Jissamy; Master Robinton and Master Fandarel were the other lucky recipients.
He and Golanth had been a-wing for the past five hours. If they didn't sight their objective soon, he was going to ask Golanth to land so that he could eat his lunch and stretch his legs. A six-hour stint during a Fall was one thing-then he was actively involved, too busy to become uncomfortable. Flying straight to a new location was a different matter altogether, always tedious. But it was necessary when one's destination was unfamiliar, unless one had been given a detailed description or could grab an image of the site from another dragon or rider's mind-which was not the case today. Golanth was making good time, catching the thermals and air currents to increase his speed, but it was a weary way to go.
Still and all, F'lessan enjoyed being first at something. He was not by nature an envious sort, but it did seem that Piemur and Jaxom had the larger portion of luck with their discoveries. He was very pleased that Lessa and F'lar had entrusted this search to him. They could have sent one of the older bronze riders, or F'nor. Nevertheless, it was F'lessan and Golanth who were winging over the great plains, toward the huge inland sea that the settlers had named Caspian, to a Hold called Xanadu.
Suddenly, off to his right, the sun dazzled him, reflecting off water.
To our right, Golly, F'lessan said excitedly.
A very big water, Golanth added.
As he often had, F'lessan wondered if he would see clearer, better, farther if he had faceted dragon eyes.
I can see anything you wish for you, Golanth replied meekly.
F'lessan pummeled his neck affectionately. I know, big fellow, and I'm always grateful for your help. I was just thinking what it might be like, that's all.
Golanth began to stroke the air, beating upward. Thermal, he said cryptically, and F'lessan leaned down against the great bronze neck so as not to impede the ascent. He felt the alteration in the wind current and let out a triumphant yodel when Golanth flattened out and set his wings to glide on the hot air.
And that's something else you can do which I can't-tell where the air currents are. How ever do you know where the thermals are?
My eyes see the variation of air, I smell the difference, and my hide feels the altered pressure.
Really? F'lessan was impressed with the explanation. Been listening in on my aerodynamics lessons with Aivas?
Golanth thought that over. Yes. You listen to him, so I thought I should. Ruth does, and Path certainly. Ramoth and Mnementh don't. They prefer to sleep in the sun while Lessa and F'lar are here. Bigath listens, and Sulath and Beerth. Clarinath occasionally, but Pranith always and Lioth whenever his rider's down. Sometimes the listening is very interesting. Sometimes it's not.
Not only was that an unusually long speech for Golanth, but it gave F'lessan such food for thought that he was kept occupied with the ramifications until the edge of the vast inland sea became visible.
How are the air currents, Golanth? Shall we cross it, or fly around?
We cross it, was the immediate and confident answer.
We need a nor'norwest heading, Golanth, to reach the point where the ancients settled. Not that I think we'll find much.
As they crossed the water, passing through several squalls on the way, they noted all the little islands and the strange pi
The western coastline was visible at last, a high palisade of cliff. The inland sea must have been formed in a vast subsidence, F'lessan decided, recognizing the geological formation from Aivas's survey lectures. That would also account for the spires and islands: the tops of sunken mountains. Now if those distant cliff faces also held caves, this would be a splendid place for a Weyr, he thought. All that water! One would never have a dry dragon in one's weyr.
He was to be disappointed, however, once they got close enough to see the solid granite composition of the high bluffs.
Dragons don't have cliff weyrs in Southern or Eastern and they don't complain, Golanth said helpfully.
I know, but I was asked to find a useful old crater or two.
The sun will find me in a clearing, and there are some very good-smelling trees on this continent.
F'lessan thumped Golanth, gri
Golanth's sharp eyes spotted u
This is not natural, Golanth insisted, tapping a vertical thicket of twisted vines and moss. Extending his wing, he hooked a wingfinger claw on a twisted branch and pulled away the obscuring greenery. As myriad creatures scuttled away from exposure to the sun, F'lessan found himself looking at a tall chimney of worked stone. So the rest of the ruin had to be the remains of the walls of a dwelling.
F'lessan shook his head for those foolish enough to build with so much vegetation all around them, making them twice as vulnerable to Thread. Taking a meatroll from his pouch, he ate as he walked around the hold walls, using his belt knife to scrape down to long-hidden dressed stone. It would have been a large dwelling. Golanth had shouldered his way into the thick forest and was calling his rider to inspect more ruins.