amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第88部分

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　　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　quickly　took　off　again　to　find　sun　on　Telgar　Heights。
　　〃Fire…lizards　spread　the　word；〃　Lessa　said；　her　voice　tight　with　irritation。　Does　everyone　on　Pern　know　what　happened　at　Honshu？　she　asked　her　dragon。
　　That　felines　attacked　dragons；　yes；　Ramoth　said。　More　is　for　you　to　say。
　　Scattering　replies　to　the　questions　about　the　injured…thank…you…for…your…concern　or　both…dragons…and…riders…will…be…fine；　F'lar　took　Lessa's　arm　and；　with　some　of　Telgar's　guards　hastily　opening　a　path　for　them；　reached　the　ramp　up　to　Telgar's　forecourt。　Lord　Larad；　his　Lady　Dulsay；　and　their　tall；　gawky　son；　Laradian；　were　standing　there　to　wele　the　official　members　of　the　Council。　More　guards；　in　fine　new　tunics　bearing　the　Telgar　shield　of　white；　bright　red；　and　medium　blue；　bowed　them　into　the　forecourt　just　as　a　triumphant　bugling　caused　them　to　turn　around　and　witness　the　arrival　of　the　Ista　Weyrleaders。
　　〃By　the　Egg；〃　F'lar　said；　〃they　seem　to　be　glowing。〃　He　cast　an　amused　look　at　his　weyrmate。　〃What　has　happened　to　G'dened　and　Cosira？〃
　　Lessa　nearly　missed　a　step。　G'dened？　Of　course；　he'd　know　about　Honshu　but　she　hadn't　seen　Baranth　that　bright　in　Turns。　After　over　three　decades　of　fighting　Thread　as　well　as　the　recent　exertions　during　the　Flood；　it　was　hard　to　keep　good　color　in　the　dragons。　So　long　as　some　of　the　resurgence　spilled　into　the　Oldtimer　and　thawed　him　a　bit！　She　couldn't　be　sure　that　G'dened　would　grasp　the　importance　of　this　unexpected　new　facet　of　dragons；　but　maybe　he　would　be　encouraged。　Certainly　the　vibrancy　of　his　color…and　even　the　restored　gleam　to　the　hides　of　Ramoth　and　Mnementh　as　she　checked　them　and　saw　how　bright　they　appeared…suggested　that　all　the　dragons　of　Pern　had　been　renewed　in　vigor　and　purpose。　Lessa　took　a　deep　breath。　Now；　if　they　could　use　this　telekinesis　effectively。。。
　　〃The　dragons　and　riders　are　all　recovering？〃　Larad　said；　stepping　down　and　holding　out　both　hands　to　F'lar　and　Lessa。　Taking　his　hands；　sh