The Future of Pern

Posted on Thu Oct 20th, 2022 @ 1:55am by Goldrider Kenna

Mission: CW
Location: CW
Summary: Kenna faces some harsh realities.
Timeline: M4 D28

Kenna stood with her face raised to the sun, her eyes closed, a smile on her face. A mild breeze tousled her hair and she revealed in the warmth that permeated her skin.

"Finally," she exhaled. "A warm day after a Turn of horrendous freezing cold."

}:It was only 3 months of cold,:{ Tith intoned with a hint of dragon eye rolls.

"Ughh," the goldrider replied to her dragon with an eye roll of her own. "Fine, not a whole Turn. But it felt like a whole Turn."

The gold dragon snorted as she dove under the waters of deep blue fjord to hunt more fish.

"Kenna!" the Weyrwoman called from the Cliffside above. "If you keep standing there, you'll fall off and drown."

Kenna opened her eyes and frowned without letting Halinah see. Just once she wished the Weyrwoman would mind her own business. Just once she wished the older woman stop watching her so closely.

As if Halinah was reading her thoughts, the aged Weyrwoman yelled down to Kenna,"Someone has to watch over our investment. You do not seem to realize the resources we've spent to bring you up here. A gold dragon and her rider are a priceless commodity now that Thread has started falling again. And you, my dear, are the future of Cascade Weyr. You and Tith. Now get back up here and let's finish this job."

°°°•••°°°•••

The dining cavern was full at supper time as Kenna took her tray of food and went to sit with the riders of her wing. Halinah's words still ran through her mind. Over and over. She didn't want the responsibility of the future of Pern on her shoulders. She didn't want to be a Weyrwoman, she was happy with her life as a junior goldrider. Being second in command was good enough for Kenna.

Her wing members waved her over to the table, a greenrider commented,"Has Halinah been harping on you again? I know that look. We've had two goldriders transfer in the last three Turns because of her sermons and overbearing protectiveness."

Kenna slid into her seat with a sigh,"That obvious, huh?"

The other riders at the table all nodded and laughed.

}:I don't know why you are complaining. I -AM- the future of Pern. Me and all my future hatchling.:{ Tith said smugly.

Now her dragon was siding with the Weyrwoman. There was no winning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kenna~Jr WW, Rider of Gold Tith, Cascade Weyr.
Michele ~ [email protected]