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R'yn just couldn't understand it. His two most trusted wingleaders had had a long standing argument. From what he could gather, T'nus had somehow been convinced that T'rel was interested in Lavi. Anyone who knew the former weyrleader knew that wasn't the case. T'rel had shown very little interest in harboring relationships of any kind--with anyone, for five turns.

Gereth, call Zelith and Azimuth here. Their riders, too. This conflict between them must end. A Weyr divided among itself--

Fails against Thread, Gereth rumbled in agreement. A Weyr was to cooperate!

"Tell them to prepare for a journey as well," R'yn added as an afterthought. "They'll survey the damage Thread's caused this turn. Help anyone in need. A sevenday working together--alone, should do it.' they were each robbing themselves of a great friend. But even more important than that, the Weyr's safety might one day depend on their working together. R'yn knew T'rel would be unable to bear working with a man so firmly against him. And T'nus--perhaps he would be unable to work with a man he so firmly seemed to believe was after his Lavi.

The entire thing would have been laughable, if the two bronzeriders had been Weyrlings. He would have been able to solve that, easily. But two full grown men? That made the situation pathetic. Two full grown, well trained, talented bronzeriders--two leaders! Arguing like thirteen turn old boys. R'yn wanted to correct T'nus' opinion of T'rel, while assuring the older bronzerider that the younger was worthy of trust.

T'rel was R'yn's closest friend. They'd been friends, even before T'rel had Impressed Zelith. He felt, if anyone truly knew T'rel, it was him. This had to be a misunderstanding. Really. The Weyrleader had a sneaky feeling T'rel was still in love with his now long 'dead' weyrmate. Maybe he always would be.

Gereth calls, Zelith was good natured as he craned his neck to study his rider. T'rel had been scrubbing him in the shallow waters just off the shore, but it had quickly become a bath for the both of them. The twenty-five turn old man was soaken wet, but grinning. He says to prepare for a journey. Why must we prepare, Mine? He wishes us to meet with him. The bronze did not see reason to inform T'rel that Azimuth's had been called, also. There was no reason to spoil his rider's good mood.

T'rel gave a nod. "Let's go, then," he said agreeably. He walked to the shore, rolling up his wet breeches. He was quickly prepared. Their weyr wasn't far from the beach. "How long a journey?" He asked Zelith, tying his guitar carefully to Zelith's riding straps. He tied a satchel of spare clothing to it, as well. "Did he tell you what we'd need?"

Gereth has not said.

"R'yn wants a surprise, then?" T'rel grinned, running a hand through his hair. "It's short notice. I suppose he didn't want the kitchens raided." He climbed onto Zelith's back.

Once R'yn was insight, T'rel instructed Zelith to land. Still in his wet clothing, he seemed relatively sheepish about his appearance. "Weyrleader," he greeted R'yn with a smile. For a moment, upon spotting T'nus, the smile faded. Then T'rel seemed to recover. He gave the older man a polite smile. "T'nus. Nice day for flying."

~~~

"I've called you two for a mission," R'yn informed them. "To survey the land. We've repaired quite a bit of damage over this last turn, but I feel there might still be some we have missed. You two will work--as a team for a sevenday. Helping those you can, repairing holds. Replanting crops. Destroying any burrows you may come across."

He glanced towards T'nus, and then veered his eyes towards T'rel. "You two are fine riders, both of you. I trust you'll do your duty. And get along. You will be alone, save for each other. Your lives are dependant on each other's. Trust one another, or you will fail."

R'yn shrugged, giving T'rel an apologetic glance before gray eyes veered to watch T'nus take off. The former Weyrleader truly did have R'yn's utmost respect, even if he couldn't admire the man in the way he was handling the current situation. "Well, go on then," he prodded. Before T'nus could find something else he could do, unlike some people. Like departing on time. He tossed T'rel a large wherhide bag. "Rations!" He explained quickly. "T'nus was in a hurry. Besides, it's better if one of you carries it. Then the other will have to ask, or go hungry."

R'yn's eyes crinkled with poorly concealed amusement. Someday, they would thank him for this. Perhaps not within the sevenday. Perhaps not even in the current turn. One day, they would. R'yn looked forward to that day.

~~~

T'rel clambored onto Zelith's back. "Seems in a hurry," he muttered, stroaking the bronze's silky hide. He really didn't like working with people he couldn't relate to. T'nus had never given him much of a chance. They had taken off on the wrong foot--or rather, the wrong wording. T'rel had been surprised upon finding so few transfers had come, after calling despretely to Fort for aid. He had made the mistake of voicing his concerns aloud. T'nus had quickly jumped to Fort's defense--but T'rel had meant no offense by asking whether there would be more. He felt this was one of the many troubling factors between them.

They'd started off on the wrong foot--and it had gone to Thread from there. A mistake had perhaps caused him a friendship--and T'rel had always been big on the importance of friendship. It had been what had guided him through his turn as Weyrleader. While he could not truly miss something he had never known, he had been able to observe T'nus' behavior towards others. Kind, friendly, loyal.

He silently instructed Zelith to take off. "In a hurry, then?" He called, looking to T'nus. Zelith, ask Azimuth if T'nus has a location in mind. If not, suggest the coves. There's a forest near there. Traders and holdless often stop there for shelter. But if any Thread got through our wings-- The man grinned at the bronze's indigant snort. Best to be safe, love.

Mine says we should check the coves nearby, Zelith relied the message to Azimuth. There is a clearing-- he provided a mental image. The forest was small. It had been nearly destroyed seven turns previously. Mine says traders often stop there.

"Right," T'rel agreed, nodding at T'nus. He wasn't so eager to return to the Weyr after their task. the younger bronzerider had little reason to hurry. He, unlike T'nus, had no Weyrmate. Ky't had feigned her death several turns ago, leaving the former Weyrleader to fend for himself as he sought to find the best solution for the Weyr. He hesitated, then turned to smile at T'nus. It was a genuine smile. "Eager to get home to Lavi and your son?" he asked, before seeming to remember that T'nus was in a hurry. He gave another nod to show he understood the man's request before silently instructing Zelith to go between.

They hovered over the coves, waiting for T'nus to arrive. The view's worse than I remember, T'rel commented, stroking his bronze's silky hide. It was a mental reach for reassurance. The forest had been protected for the most part by grubs and by dragons--but the forest greenery and the rocky coves were what little was left of a camp. It seemed a small trading caravan had decided to make their way through the clearing near the coves. T'rel shuddered to think of what horrors they would find below.

Zelith, have Azimuth tell T'nus that I'm going down there, he said. There may be survivors. He was thinking of the first time Thread had fallen. It had been soon after he had become Weyrleader. His then Weyrsecond had found two of his cousins in a small cave. Perhaps there were survivers this time, too... He prayed there would be.

He instructed Zelith to land, cautious. "Be careful of burrows," he reminded the bronze needlessly. Though at one time he might not have cared what happened to himself--his dragon had always been top priority. "Tell Azimuth too. There may yet be Thread."

Zelith carefully landed close to the coves. Mine wishes to explore the coves. We have found survivors there before. the bronze suggested, not having caught Azimuth's sarcasm. We will keep you updated, if you do not wish to join us, he continued as his rider dismounted.

T'rel walked into one of the coves slowly, wary of what he would find there. This one's pretty deep, he told Zelith. He wondered how far it went. He thought he heard something, and hesitated for a moment. There's something in here, he added, sounding mildly concerned. Was it an injured runner? It didn't sound especially human, and surely the cove, though it wouldn't have been large enough for an entire caravan, could have housed one runner quite comfortably. Zelith, alert Azimuth? We may need T'nus' help. He proceeded with more caution, one hand at his side. He was prepared to unsheath his knife if he had to.

Mine says he has found something! Zelith announced, sounding quite pleased with his rider. Of course T'rel had found something! He was talented at finding things! He may require yours' assistance, Azimuth.

But it turned out T'rel didn't need the help. He came out of the cove, grinning. He was carrying three squirming young canines in his arms. "Their mother must've gone for food," he said. "They've still got blue eyes."

T'rel hesitated for a moment, before frowning. "But the mother wasn't there," he protested. "There's a chance she's somewhere around, hurt or something." He paused, then put the two pups in his arms down. "There's another," he muttered. "I can hear it." He paced the enterance of the cove briefly, looking to T'nus for guidance. If the mother was near, the young canines were better off where they were.

"Dead?" He swallowed, horrified. He really was like a child; he'd been optimistic in believing the mother had left only moments ago, and would soon return. He hadn't wanted to think that. The smile that had previously been on his face melted. She must have been looking for food, and... The mental image was terrible. "Poor things," he muttered, bending down to stroke each of the two pups in some attempt to comfort them. He was rewarded with wet kisses. "Do you want to look for the others? I'm pretty sure we can take these back to the Weyr if we fly straight. Between would frighten them." He paused, and looked around hesitantly. "I'm sure we could find homes for them."

"Do you want to keep looking for survivors?"

Another hesitation. T'rel opened his mouth to argue, and then seemed to think better of it. "You're right," he agreed reluctantly. It would take too long to ferry the pups to the Weyr safely, and they potentially had people to take care of. Though T'rel hated to be the one to come to this conclusion,they were more important."But I don't like the idea of leaving them with people we don't know." Nothing in the other caves? The thought discouraged him. Something horrible had happened here... T'rel had experienced the tragedies of Threadfall; but knowing that it had destroyed entire camps--it was difficult to know how to react to that.

He went back into the cove. He expected to find maybe one, or two more. Instead he found four. He called to T'nus instead of attempting to carry all four of them out of the cove. "There's more!" He called to the older bronzerider. "I don't think I could carry them all." Perhaps forgetting that Zelith would have been an easier means of communication, he waited for T'nus' response.

Zellie? Ask Azimuth where the closest hold is. Did he see it in his sweep?

T'rel beamed when T'nus provided him with a crate. "You're really clever," he said, picking up his two puppies and putting them in the crate carefully. "I never would have thought of that." T'rel had been a harper before he was Searched. He was better in situations where he was sitting down, creating, than something real. Though life was often compared to stories--T'rel found it wasn't so. Good didn't always win. Bad things happened. People died.

He offered T'nus another two, grinning. "Seven!" he shook his head in wonder. "I know firelizards that clutch less." He paused, and gave another smile. "I think Navi would like one," he said. Navi seemed to have a certain appreciation for animals; something T'rel admired in children. "Zelith told me Azimuth says it's a short flight," he added. Pups weren't accustomed to flying--they'd certainly be frightened! It wasn't as if he could reassure them that it would only be a few moments, like he could a frightened candidate.

He hesitated, then looked back to the cove. "There's sound coming from this one," he muttered. "I'm not certain we want to find out what it is or not. Will you lead to the hold?"