When Menolly woke, it was to hear faint sounds of children laughing, an infectious laughter that made her grin and wonder what caused such happiness. Beauty was gone but the space where she’d lain by Menolly’s head was warm to the touch. The curtain across the cubicle parted and a figure was silhouetted against the light beyond.

“What’s the matter with you all of a sudden, Reppa?” the girl said softly to someone Menolly couldn’t see. “Oh, all right I’m well rid of you for now.” She turned and saw Menolly looking at her. “How do you feel today?” As she adjusted the glow for full light, Menolly saw a girl about her own age, dark hair tied primly back from a face that was sad, tired and oddly mature. Then she smiled, and the impression of maturity dissolved. “Did you really run across Nerat?”

“I really didn’t, although my feet feel as if they had.”

“Imagine it! And you holdbred and out during a Fall!”

There was a grudging respect in her voice.

“I was running for shelter,” Menolly felt obliged to say.

“Speaking of running, Manora couldn’t come to see you herself right now so you’re in my charge. She’s told me exactly what to do,” and the girl grimaced with such feeling that Menolly had a swift vision of Manora delivering her precise and careful instructions, “and I’ve had a lot of experience ... ” An expression of pain and anxiety crossed her face.

“Are you Manora’s fosterling?” asked Menolly politely.

The expression deepened for a moment, and then the girl erased all expression from her face, drawing her shoulders up with pride. “No, I’m Brekke’s. My name is Mirrim. I used to be in the Southern Weyr.”

She made the statement as if that should make all plain to Menolly.

“You mean, in the Southern Continent?”

“Yes,” and Mirrim sounded irritated.

“I didn’t know anyone lived there.” The words were no sooner out of her mouth than Menolly remembered some snippet of information overheard in conversations between Petiron and her father.

“Where have you been all your life?” demanded Mirrim, exasperated.

“In Half-Circle Sea Hold,” Menolly replied meekly because she didn’t wish to offend the girl.

Mirrim stared at her.

“Haven’t you ever heard of it?” It was Menolly’s turn to be condescending. “We have the biggest dock cavern on Pern.”

Mirrim caught her eye, and then both girls began to laugh, the moment in which their friendship began.

“Look, let me help you to the necessary, you must be bursting ... ” and Mirrim bristly threw back the sleeping fur. “You just lean on me.”

Menolly had to because her feet were incredibly sore, even with Mirrim supporting most of her weight Fortunately the necessary was no more than a few steps beyond the sleeping cubicle. By the time Menolly crawled back into her bed, she was shaking all over.