The Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey [354]
“I’m not sure I see how you intend to get this—this fire-lizard memory to work in helping to find D’ram, whenever he’s got to.”
“Simple. Ask them to remember seeing a lone dragon. That would be unusual enough to be noted . . . and remembered.”
F’lar was not convinced it would work.
“Oh, I think so if we ask Ruth to ask them.”
“Ruth?”
“When every fire-lizard was scared to death of the other dragons, they beleaguered Ruth. Jaxom’s told me that they talk with his white wherever they are. With so many, there’s bound to be one that might remember what we want to know.”
“If I could relieve Lessa’s fears, I’d even forget my antipathy to those nuisances.”
“I trust you’ll remember that statement.” Robinton grinned to soften the remark.
“Will you come with me to Ruatha Hold?”
In that moment, Robinton remembered Jaxom’s Threadscoring. Of course, it would be long healed. But he couldn’t remember if N’ton had ever discussed Jaxom’s training with Benden Weyr.
“Shouldn’t we find out if Jaxom’s at the Hold?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” F’lar asked, frowning.
“Because he’s often about the Hold, learning the land, or at Fandarel’s with the other young people.”
“A point.” F’lar looked away from the Harper, out the window, his eyes unfocused. “No, Mnementh says Ruth’s at the Hold. See, I have my own message sender,” F’lar added with a grin.
Robinton hoped that Ruth would think to tell Jaxom that Mnementh had bespoken him. He wished that he’d had time to send Zair with a message to Ruatha but he had no excuse and certainly no wish to jeopardize this gesture of F’lar’s.
“More reliable than mine and farther reaching than Fandarel’s little wire.” Robinton donned the thick wherhide jacket and helmet he used when flying. “Speaking of Fandarel, he’s got his lines as far as Crom’s mines, you know.” He gestured F’lar to precede him out of the room.
“Yes, I know. That’s another reason to locate D’ram.”
“It is?”
F’lar laughed at the Harper’s bland question, a laugh that held no constraint so that Robinton sincerely hoped that this visit mended their relationship.
“Hasn’t Nicat been at you, too, Robinton? To go south to those mines?”
“The ones Toric’s been trading from?”
“I thought you’d know.”
“Yes, I know that Nicat’s worried about mining. The ores are getting very poor. Fandarel’s a good sight more worried than Nicat. He needs the better quality metals.”
“Once we allow the Crafts into the South, the Lord Holders will press for entry . . .” F’lar instinctively lowered his voice though the courtyard they were crossing was empty.
“The Southern Continent is large enough to take all of Northern Pern and rattle it. Why, we’ve only touched the fringes of it, F’lar. Great Shells and Shards!” Robinton slapped his forehead. “Talk about fire-lizards and associative memories. That’s it! That’s where D’ram has gone.”
“Where?”
“At least I think that’s where he might have gone.”
“Speak, man. Where?”
“The problem is still when, I fancy. And Ruth is still our key.”
They had only several dragonlengths to go before they reached Mnementh in the meadow. Zair fluttered above Robinton’s head, chittering anxiously well away from the bronze dragon. He refused to alight on Robinton’s shoulder, though the Harper gestured for him to land.
“I’m going to Ruatha to the white dragon, to Ruth. Join us there, then, you silly creature, if you won’t ride on my shoulder.”
“Mnementh doesn’t mind Zair,” F’lar said.
“It’s still the other way round, I’m afraid,” Robinton said.
A hint of anger danced in the bronze rider’s eyes. “No dragon flamed a fire-lizard.”
“Not here, Weyrleader, not here. But all of them remember seeing it happen. And fire-lizards can only tell what they or one of them have actually seen.”
“Then let’s get to Ruatha and see if one of them has seen D’ram.”
So the fire-lizards were still tender