“Lorana, could you ask J’lantir to report?” T’mar asked when they heard the last of the dragons rising on their way back to their weyrs.

“I’ve asked Lolanth,” Lorana said. She glanced at the blond-haired Weyrwoman, adding, “I think Fiona’s the only one I can talk with directly.”

“Probably just as well,” Kindan quipped and instantly found himself the center of two piercing glares: one of blue eyes, the other of brown. He raised his hands defensively, saying, “Well, could you imagine how awful it would be if you could hear every dragonrider as well as every dragon?”

Lorana nodded, conceding the point, but Fiona held the harper’s eyes for a moment longer before looking at T’mar to ask, “And why do you suppose that is?”

T’mar paused before answering and was rewarded with the sound of J’lantir rushing up the ledge to them. He gestured pointedly toward the entrance and held his breath.

“Weyrleader,” J’lantir called as he entered, then seeing Fiona and the others added with a polite nod to each, “Weyrwoman, harper, Lorana.”

“I wanted to talk with you about the drill,” T’mar said.

“Should I invite H’nez?” Lorana asked. T’mar nodded in agreement.

“Should we wait?” J’lantir asked, with a quick smile for Lorana.

“No, I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” T’mar said. “I know you’ve still got to settle in to your quarters.”

“And you’ll be hungry, too,” Fiona said.

“We were watching from behind you,” Kindan said, gesturing to himself and Lorana.

“And?” J’lantir asked invitingly.

“I learned a lot,” Kindan said.

“I think you’d be best integrating the wings and riders as quickly as possible,” Fiona told him.

“My thoughts as well,” J’lantir agreed. He glanced at Lorana and raised an eyebrow in invitation.

“I’m afraid I have nothing to add,” the dark-haired woman said with a rueful look. She glanced slyly at Kindan, adding, “We were learning how to flame.”

“Well, your additional unused firestone was much welcome,” J’lantir said in response. “And I did see your flaming; I think you have nothing more to learn.”

“But you will not fight Thread,” Fiona warned them.

“Weyrwoman,” J’lantir began diplomatically, “let us hope that they never need to fight Thread.”

“But we need every fighting dragon,” Kindan and T’mar declared in chorus. The harper glanced in surprise at the Weyrleader, who shook his head, saying, “Kindan has the right of it, we need to learn if we can cross-mount dragons and riders.”

“Trained dragons and riders,” Fiona said, glancing anxiously toward Kindan.

“Our need is great,” J’lantir told her. He looked at Kindan, adding, “But there is no reason you can’t be trained.”

“It will be a bit of a change to get training before getting a dragon,” Kindan said.