[Malvren] Kleos and Crimson Moriath

[TawnyAngel]

Mystweed.

Strange to think that such a small plant, or rather the lack of it, is responsible for all the woes of the old Weyrs.

At long last, we found out what the masterhealer had deduced, and now it seems that all of Pern is searching for the herb, or for information on it, or trying to plant samples which have been found so that it might be cultivated.

The fate of us all in small spade-shaped leaves.

Although this is nothing like fighting the Thread at all, for the first time I'm doing what a rider should do; trying to save Pern. I will find some of that rare and precious herb, or at least I will try. I will give it my all. We shall succeed, we shall show the old Weyrs the worth of 'runts'.

Moriath and I set off on our first hunt tomorrow; we shall be accompanied by one Crystal, and her silver lifemate Argenth. She is a couple of turns my senior, but not enough to matter. I hope I get the chance to come to know her through this mission; she truly is a beauty... But my mind must not wander too much. I will not forget our purpose. To find the herb, to save the world.  

[TawnyAngel]

-
-
-
-
Are we to turn our backs on this? If you were drowning, would you ignore a flung rope? If the Thread was bearing down upon you, would you walk past the open mouth of a cave? It might be a madman with the rope, there might be a feline in the cave, but if pass these chances by for fear of what could happen, we are fools indeed. The farmcraft feeds Pern well, and has done so since time immemorial; I mean no disrespect to them by this. What I mean to say is that we need results now, not tomorrow, for we cannot tell how far our southern dragons are from fading like the northern dragons. A generation is too long, ten turns is too long. We are drowning today the Thread is bearing down now. If not for taking chances on the unknown, I would not stand before you now as a rider. For these reasons, Moriath and I have cast our vote in favor of using the ancientcraft.  

[TawnyAngel]

-
So much has changed now. So much. I can't forget the pain, I am reminded every time I see my reflection or Moriath's scarred hide. We did our duty, and suffered for it and yet returned again to risk the same. I should feel proud of that and I suppose I do but mainly I feel... Hollow. We never did have the chance to fight it. Our efforts were not in vain though: the old Weyrs' queens are beginning to lay healthy clutches again, clutches with golds and bronzes. The favouritism shown to Benden infuriates me beyond words, it was not they who took the initial risk, and they have no more part in the great effort to retrieve mystweed that followed. I hate that we are beholden to that ancientcrafter, that he will not share his secrets after we risked our lives to bring him the plants. It only makes it more galling that they have the audacity to accuse us of trying to steal that formula, do they think we have no honour? They are fools, blinded by their prejudice. I hear a crimson was hatched in that place. I feel for her and her rider.

We do not have time to concern ourselves over-much with Benden anymore though, let the, do as they will. The Red Star returns. The Red Star. The Thread. I am at once terrified and exhilarated; I fear to face that pain again, but I long to fight our ancient enemy. Perhaps once we burn it from the skies I will be able to come to terms with what happened, set aside that feeling of helplessness. Moriath does no share my fear so far as I can tell, she feels only burning hate and steely determination. Perhaps it is because she doesn't remember what happened herself anymore; she knows that it happened, and she is furious that she couldn't fight it, but she doesn't recall the pain and panic and the days spent lost and afraid we might never make it home. Perhaps she is just stronger than I.