"I know you must be flattened with fatigue, Jaxom, but you've got to wake up!" Menolly's voice penetrated the comfortable darkness. "Besides, you'll get a pain in your neck sleeping like that."
Menolly was upside down, Jaxom thought as he opened his eyes. Beauty was precariously perched, hind legs on the girl's shoulder, her forepaws well down Menolly's breast, peering anxiously at him. He felt Ruth stir.
"Jaxom, wake up! I've brought you all the klah you can drink." Mirrim moved into his line of vision. "But F'lar's eager to go and he wants Mnementh to talk to Ruth first."
Menolly winked solemnly at Jaxom, turning her shoulder to mask her action from Mirrim. Jaxom groaned because he was never going to keep straight in his mind who knew what was to be kept secret or who could be told. He groaned again because his neck was indeed stiff.
Ruth opened his inner lid just a crack, regarding his rider with displeasure. I am tired. I need to sleep.
"You can't sleep any longer now. Mnementh needs to speak to you."
Why didn't he speak to me last night?
"Because he probably wouldn't have remembered today."
Ruth's head came up and he turned one eye fully on Jaxom. Mnementh would. He is the biggest dragon on all Pern.
"Just because he let you gorge yourself on his killing ground, you like him. But he wants to speak to you so you'd better. Are you awake?"
If I am able to speak to you, I am not dreaming. I am awake.
"You are a bold fellow today," Jaxom said. In one massive heave, he pulled himself out of his impromptu bed. Dragging the furs about him, he half-fell toward the table where Menolly and Mirrim had politely withdrawn. The smell of klah was very welcome and he thanked the girls.
"What time is it?"
"Midmorning, Benden time," Menolly said, her face expressionless but her eyes dancing as she lightly stressed the last two words.
Jaxom grunted. They could all hear the creaks, groans and rumblings of Ruth as the dragon stretched himself in preparation for the day.
"When did you get Threadscored, Jaxom?" Mirrim asked with her usual forthrightness. She leaned over and traced the scar with a light touch, flattening her lips together in patent disapproval of the disfigurement.
"Teaching Ruth to chew firestone. At Fort Weyr," he added, after a malicious pause as he saw her gathering herself to scold him.
"Does Lessa know?" Mirrim asked, emphasizing the last word.
"Yes," Jaxom replied. Let Mirrim digest that truth. But Mirrim wouldn't let some matters alone.
"I don't think much of N'ton's weyrlingmaster then," she said, sniffing disapproval, "letting you get scored that way."
"Not his fault," Jaxom mumbled through half-chewed bread.
"Wasn't Lytol furious? You shouldn't be risking yourself."
Jaxom shook his head vigorously. He did wish Menolly hadn't brought Mirrim with her.
"And I just don't see what good it's going to do you. You can't expect to fight Ruth."
Jaxom choked. "I am too going to fight Ruth, Mirrim."
"He already has," Menolly remarked, indicating the Threadscore. "Now shut your mouth and let the man eat."
"Man?" Minim's voice took a derisive swoop and she gave Jaxom a scathing glance.
Menolly made an exasperated sound. "If Path doesn't fly soon, Mirrim, you're not going to be on terms with anyone!"
Surprised, Jaxom looked at Mirrim, who was flushing deeply red.
"Oh ho. Path's ready to be flown! That'll sort out some of your high-headed notions." He couldn't resist crowing at her dismay. "Has Path shown a preference? Ha! Look at her blush! Never thought I'd see the day you'd lose the use of your tongue! And you'll be losing something more soon. I hope it's the wildest flight they've had at Benden since Mnementh first flew Ramoth!"
Mirrim exploded, her eyes narrowed with her anger, hands clenched into fists at her sides. "At least my Path will be flown! That's more than you'll ever do, with that white runt of yours!"
"Mirrim!" Menolly's sharp voice made the girl wince, but not soon enough to erase the angry retort that sank coldly into Jaxom's mind. He stared at Mirrim, trying to reject her taunt. "You take too much on yourself, Mirrim," Menolly was saying. "I think you'd better leave."
"You just bet I'll leave. And I don't care if you have to climb down from this weyr, Menolly. Indeed I don't." Mirrim ran from the room.
"Shells and Shards, but it'll be a relief when that green of hers rises to mate. And it might even be today the way Mirrim's reacting." Menolly spoke in a casual tone, almost chuckling at her friend's behavior.
Jaxom swallowed against the dryness in his mouth. Rigidly he controlled his intense emotional reaction for Ruth's sake. A surreptitious glance at the white dragon showed that his friend was still stretching and extending wings and legs. Jaxom only hoped that the dragon had been too sleepy to attend to what they had been saying. He leaned toward Menolly.
"Do you know anything about…" he jerked his head at Ruth, "that I don't know?"
"About Path?" Menolly deliberately misconstrued his direction. "Well, if you've never seen a rider reaction to a proddy dragon, Mirrim's given you a classic example."
Path is a well-grown dragon, Ruth said thoughtfully. Jaxom groaned, covering his face with one hand; he should have known that Ruth missed little.
Menolly tapped his hand imperiously, her eyes demanding an explanation.
"Would you like to fly Path?" Jaxom asked Ruth, his eyes meeting Menolly's.
Why should I fly her? I have already outflown her in every race we flew at Telgar. She isn't as fast as I am in the air.
Jaxom repeated to Menolly exactly what Ruth had said, trying to keep his voice as close to Ruth's puzzled tone as possible.
Menolly burst out laughing. "Oh, I wish Ruth had said that in Mirrim's hearing. That would bring her down a peg or two."
Mnementh wishes to speak to me, Ruth said in a very respectful manner, raising his head and turning toward Mnementh's ledge.
"Do you know something I don't? About Ruth?" Jaxom asked in a fierce whisper as he caught hold of Menolly's hand to bring her closer to him.
"You heard him, Jaxom." Menolly's eyes were bright with amusement. "He's simply not interested in dragons, not that way yet."
Jaxom gave her hand a hard squeeze.
"Just think logically,, Jaxom," she said, leaning over to him. "Ruth's small, he's maturing more slowly than other dragons."
"You mean, he may never mature enough to mate, don't you?"
Menolly regarded him steadily and he searched her eyes for pity or evasion, and found neither. "Jaxom, aren't you enjoying Corana?"
"Yes, I am."
"You're upset. I don't think you need be. I have never heard a word to suggest you should worry. Only that Ruth is unusual."
I have told Mnementh what he wishes to know. They go now, Ruth said. Do you think I could take a bath in the lake?
"Didn't you get enough bathing yesterday in the cove?" Jaxom was relieved to find himself answering his dragon calmly.
That was yesterday, Ruth replied equably. I have eaten since then and slept on a dusty surface. You need a bath, too, I think.
"All right, all right," Jaxom replied. "Go along with you then. But don't let Lessa see you with any fire-lizards."
How will I get my back properly cleaned? Ruth asked in mild reproach. He stepped down from the bedstone.
"What's his problem?" Menolly wondered aloud, grinning at Jaxom's expression.
"Wants his back scrubbed."
"I'll send my friends to you, Ruth, once you're at the lake. Lessa won't notice."