amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第21部分

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h　had　taken　a　score　or　strained　a　wing。
　　F'lar　assigned　the　levels　and　F'lessan　jerked　his　attention　back　to　the　business　at　hand。　His　wing　was　high　again：　a　measure　of　F'lar's　trust　in　his　leadership。
　　〃Warn　your　younger　riders　that　dull　conditions　can　blur　Thread　in　the　higher　reaches；〃　F'lar　continued。　〃Measure　the　wind　as　soon　as　you　can。　We'll　know　how　the　Thread　falls；　when　it　falls。　We　gather　on　the　Rim　in　ten　minutes。　Good　flying！〃
　　As　they　filed　out；　closing　their　jackets；　settling　their　helmets；　and　pulling　on　their　gloves；　F'lessan　felt　the　air　of　anticipation　that　always　gripped　him；　speeding　his　pulse；　deepening　his　breath。
　　On　the　ledges　of　their　weyrs；　green　and　blue　riders　were　already　mounted；　firestone　sacks　on　either　side　of　dragon　necks；　some　brown　and　bronze　riders　were　still　collecting　sacks；　launching　from　the　Bowl　to　the　Weyr　Rim。　Wingleader　bronzes　were　drifting　down　to　meet　their　riders　in　an　orderly　confusion。　Golanth　hovered　above　the　ground　to　his　left。　F'lessan；　judging　the　distance　neatly；　ran　and　vaulted　to　his　back。
　　Golanth　pumped　his　wings　skillfully　and　circled；　dropping　down　to　his　position　on　the　Rim；　between　the　wingseconds　and　in　front　of　the　twenty…two　strong　wing。
　　The　green　reserves　are　ready　and　will　bring　us　sacks　when　you　call　them；　Golanth　reported。
　　As　he　fastened　his　safety　straps　and　pulled　up　the　fur…lined　tops　of　his　boots…his　knees　were　always　cold　by　the　end　of　a　Fall…F'lessan　thought　of　Tai；　wondering　what　it　would　be　like　to　have　her　in　his　wing。
　　Zaranth　is　bigger　than　any　of　the　others；　his　dragon　remarked；　turning　his　head　slightly　so　that　the　left　many…faceted　eye　reflected　a　view　of　his　rider　in　the　mid…planes。　Firestone；　please！　He　twisted　his　head　to　his　rider's　leg　and　dutifully　F'lessan　supplied　him　from　the　bulging　sack。
　　Deftly　Golanth　tipped　his　head　back；　positioning　the　rock　on　his　thick　grinders。　Then；　exercising　great　care　not　to　bite　the　edge　of　his　tongue；　he　began　to　chew…as　did　every　other　dragon　on　the　Rim。　Five　pieces　F'lessan　fed　his　bronze；　sufficient　for　Golanth　to　work　up　a　proper　flame。
　　From　the　bowl　rose　the　four　Benden　queens。　As　they　circled　up；　all　eyes　on　the　Rim　turned　to　the　Weyrleader　and　Mnementh。　F'lar's　arm　was　raised；　F'lessan　held　his　high。　The　queens　pleted　their　last　circle　up；　above　the　Rim；　heading　north…northeast。
　　You　know　where　to　go？　F'lessan　formally　asked　his　dragon。
　　We　all　know！　Golanth　answered。
　　Mnementh　roared　and　sprang　forward　just　as　F'lar's　arm　came　down　in　the　mand　to　take　wing。　As　one；　dragons　leaped　upward。　Then；　as　every　one　of　the　four　hundred　and　eighty…four　Benden　dragons　was　a…wing；　they　went　between。
　　They　came　out　again　in　an　air　almost　as　cold　as　between。　It　hadn't　been　bright　at　Benden；　but　here；　above　the　Eastern　Sea；　the　sky　was　grayer：　a　shade　that　would　make　the　silvery　strands　of　falling　Thread　more　difficult　to　see。　Benden　Weyr　faced　the　probable　entry　of　Thread；　glad　to　have　the　wind　behind　them　as　the　wings　sorted　themselves　to　their　assigned　levels。　Far　below；　F'lessan　could　make　out　the　queens'　wings；　small　dots　against　the　gray　of　snowy　land　and　pewter　sea。　Ahead　of　him；　almost　motionless；　was　F'lar；　he　and　Mnementh　as　ever　leading　them　by　several　dragon…lengths。
　　This　was　the　worst　part　of　a　Fall；　F'lessan　felt；　and；　with　a　glove…thickened　finger；　he　pushed　the　thick　new　scarf　against　his　goggles。　He　tucked　his　left　boot　top　against　his　inner　leg；　and　then　checked　the　firestone　sacks　dangling　down　Golanth's　withers　before　peering　at　the　sky　for　any　trace　of　Thread。　Sometimes　blinking　helped。
　　It　es！　Golanth　told　him　and　stroked　his　wings　forward。
　　Mnementh's　flame　spouted　brilliant　orange　and　accurately　seared　the　first　Thread　to　fall。
　　There　was　nothing　wrong　with　the　Weyrleader's　eyesight；　F'lessan　thought　as　he　squinted　to　see　the　first　Threads　slanting　down。　He　felt　a　primitive　surge　of　elation　as　he　and　his　dragon　once　more　attacked　their　ancient　adversary。
　　
MONACO　BAY　WEYR…FIVE　DAYS　LATER…1。8。31
　　Sunlight　woke　Tai…hot　sunlight。　She　kept　her　eyes　closed　as　her　mind　roused　to　awareness。　If　the　sun　was　on　her　face；　it　was　almost　noon。　She　was　in　her　hammock　between　two　big　frond　trees　whose　great　draping　leaves　usually　shielded　her　very　well。　The　sun　must　now　be　close　to　its　zenith。　As　usual；　her　face　was　turned　toward　the　wallow　that　Zaranth　used　as　a　weyr。　The　green　dragon　was　in　full　sun…just　as　she　liked　it；　head　between　her　forelegs；　wings　slightly　drooping　from　her　backbone　so　that　their　folds　would　absorb　the　heat。　Many　dragonriders　had　pondered　the　question：　did　dragons　store　heat　in　their　bodies　for　their　forays　into　between？　Zaranth　had　one　eyelid　open。　By　the　gleam　of　the　slit；　she　was　watching　something　very　carefully。
　　One　of　the　disadvantages　of　living　in　the　open　was　the　insect　population；　in　myriad　forms：　some　scratched；　even　burrowed　in　flesh　if　possible；　some　merely　moved　in　straight　lines；　like　the　trundlebugs　that　were　the　object　of　Zaranth's　current　inspection。　A　straight　line　for　a　trundlebug　could　also　be　perpendicular　to　the　ground。　They　had　been　observed　maneuvering　up　to　the　crown　of　a　frond　tree　and　down　the　other　side。　Right　now；　a　very　large　trundlebug…the　creatures　could　bee　quite　large　if　no　natural　hazard　ended　their　existence…was　under　intense　draconic　surveillance。　This　one　had　no　fewer　than　five　young　still　attached　behind　it；　in　various　stages　of　maturation　in　the　trundlebug's　peculiar　reproductive　process。　Their　bodies　collected　pollen　from　low…growing　shrubs　and　vines…also　the　occasional　tree…and　shed　it　in　their　progress　to　whatever　unknowable　goal　trundlebugs　had。　What　other　purpose　they　served　Tai　did　not　know；　but　they　were　less　of　a　nuisance　than　some　crawlies　and　rather　curious　to　watch。　Single…mindedness　was　exemplified　in　the　trundlebug。　It　had　been　suggested　there　was　only　a　female　of　the　species。
　　Trundlebugs　were　a　good　reason　to　sleep　in　a　hammock。　Humans　used　sticky…goo　tapes　around　the　trunks　of　hammock　trees　and　the　base　of　any　living　acmodation。　Most　buildings　were　on　stilts　as　another　deterrent　to　invading　creepy…crawlies；　in　low…lying　coastal　areas；　stilts　also　kept　dwellings　above　high　tide　floods。　Tai's　little　house　was　just　beyond　her　hammock：　all　its　shutters　were　open　to　let　in　what　wind　there　was；　the　fine…net　screens　preventing　the　entry　of　airborne　insects。　The　afternoon　breeze　generally　wafted　away　those　clinging　to　the　material。　The　diurnal　ones　departed　at　dusk；　the　nocturnal　ones　were　noisier　but　photosensitive。　A　tall　spire　of　solar　panel　provided　Tai　with　what　power　she　needed：　for　lights；　the　warmer　plate；　the　cold　box；　and　for　the　occasional　hot　air　during　the　worst　of　the　cold　weather…which；　to　her；　was　never　as　cold　as　it　had　once　been　in　Keroon's　foothills。
　　In　the　Southern　hemisphere；　some　dragonriders　preferred　to　live　in　panionable　clusters　or　with　their　mates；　but　Tai　loved　seclusion。　She　had　handcrafted　such　furnishings　as　she　had；　shelves；　bedstead；　worktop；　hooks；　and　the　chest　where　she　kept　her　clothing。
　　Zaranth　knew　Tai　was　awake；　but　the　green　dragon　was　watching　the　trundlebug。　Abruptly　the　inexorable　path　of　the　trundlebug…which　would　take　it　into　Zaranth's　left　nostril…ended。　Tai　blinked。　Had　Zaranth　exhaled　from　the　victim　nostril；　tumbling　the　trundlebug　and　her　offspring　away　from　her？　Movement　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　showed　her　that　the　trundlebug　was　now　marching　in　an　easterly　direction；　an　exact　forty…five　degrees　from　its　original　course　and　at　least　a　full　dragon…length　from　its　previous　path。
　　How'd　you　do　that？　Tai　asked；　not　sure　she　had　seen　what　she　had　seen。
　　I　did　not　care　for　it　to　crawl　into　my　nose。　I　moved　it。
　　Just　like　that？
　　Just　like　that。
　　Do　you　do　it　often？
　　Now　and　then。　That。。。　and　Zaranth　moved　her　chin　slightly　toward　the　redirected　trundlebug；　does　not　belong　where　it　was　going。　The　dragon　lost　her　pose　of　indolence；　her　eyes　were　wide　open；　and　she　was　magically　on　her　feet。　Felines！　We're　needed！
　　Tai　scrambled　from　the　hammock；　leaping　into　her　quarters；　pulling　on　trousers；　stomping　into　boots；　shrugging　into　her　riding　jacket…and　bother　a　sleeved　shirt…and　carrying　the　dangling　safety　straps　out　to　slip　the　harness　over　Zaranth's　eager　head。　It　was　as　dangerous　to　hunt　felines　as　to　fly　Thread。　Zaranth　shrugged　the　leathers　to　the　base　of　her　broad　neck　and　lifted　her　leg　for　Tai　to　clip　them　together。
　　Who　sent　for　help？
　　Cardiff。　Fire…lizard　message。　T'gellan's　called　half　the　wing。
　　Tai　vaulted　between　the　last　two　neck　ridges；　and　clipped　the　safety　harness　onto　her　broad　belt。
　　I　know　where；　the　green　dragon　said　and　took　off　so　quickly　Tai's　head　snapped。　They　were　barely　above　the　trees　when　Zaranth　went　between。
　　They　were　back　in　the　moist　southern　air；　a　half　dozen　other　dragons　erupting　nearby。
　　Cardiff　herder　spotted　the　pride。　A　big　one。
　　They　had　e　out　low　above　the　rolling　highland　plateau　where　the　Ancients　had　turned　loose　their　grazers　and　ruminators；　unable　to　transport　more　than　breeding　stock　to　the　north。　The　herds　had　multiplied　over　the　centuries　and　mutated　slightly　from　their　northern　relatives；　affording　them　some　protection　against　the　local　parasites　and　poisonous　plants。　The　MasterHerder　had　found　the　alterations　〃fascinating。〃　Right　now；　a　huge　herd　of　mixed　varieties　was　stampeding　from　the　edge　of　the　jungle　where　the　predators　lurked　to　ambush　the　unwary。
　　As　a　relatively　new　southern　Hold；　Cardiff　did　its　best　to　oversee　its　grasslands；　but　the　hundred　or　so　herders　could　not　always　protect　the　far…ranging　stock。　Watched　by　no　more　than　three　or　four　men　or　women；　the　beasts　covered　wide　tracts　in　their　search　for　edible　grasses。　Thunder；　lightning；　or　the　occasional　jungle　fire　could　send　them　into　terror…stricken　stampedes；　which　occasionally　ended　with　masses　of　them　falling　over　cliff　edges　or　into　ravines。　Now　they　had　been　spooked　by　felines。　The　southern　continent　had　a　lot　of　problems　with　the　big　predators；　the　product　of　an　ill…advised　zoological　experiment　by　one　of　the　Charterers。　Like　the　abandoned　herdbeasts；　they　had　flourished；　too；　and　ranged　freely　through　the　jungles；　grasslands；　and　up　into　the　southern　foothills。　Humans　avoided　the　felines　whenever　possible；　dragons　were　thrilled　by　the　challenge　of　hunting　them。
　　Zaranth　was　gliding　silently　and　speedily　toward　the　nearest　herdbeasts；　which　had　obviously　been　split　off　from　the　main　herd　by　the　canny　felines。　The　predators　were　as　apt　to　injure　beasts；　rendering　them　lame　enough　to　attack　later；　as　to　kill　outright。　Tai　had　seen　the　result　of　such　tactics；　a　wide　pasture　dotted　with　bleating；　moaning　animals；　awaiting　the　pleasure　of　the　cubs　that　the　felines　hunted　for。
　　There！　A　tawny　spot；　one　of　the　fast　ones；　Zaranth　cried。
　　Tai　caught　the　merest　glimpse　of　the　yellowish…brown　form；　bounding　after　the　terrified　herdbeasts。　She　grabbed　her　straps　instinctively　as　Zaranth　turned　on　a　wing　tip　that　just　cleared　one　of　the　stunted　trees　that　dotted　the　grassland。　A　shape　leaped　from　its　shadow；　barely　missing　Zaranth's　wing；　and　in　spectacular　leaps；　made　for　the　cover　of　the　jungle。　To　flush　a　feline　w