Menolly obediently sipped her klah, but she felt obliged to explain about the boys in her Sea Hold who could think of nothing but snaring fire lizards; and she felt so strongly that that was wrong that she hadn’t even mentioned seeing them mating.

“Under the circumstances, you did just as you should, Menolly,” said T’gellan. “But let’s get to that clutch and rescue it. Where did you see it? How close do you think it is to Hatching?”

“The eggs were still pretty soft when I found them the day T’gran rescued me. And if s about a half-morning’s walk from the Dragon Stones.”

“A few minutes’ glide by dragonback; but south? north? Where?”

“Well, south, where a stream feeds into the sea.”

T’gellan raised his eyes in exasperation. “That describes too many places. You’d better come with me.”

“T’gellan,” Mirrim sounded shocked. “Menolly’s feet are in shreds ... ”

“So is Lessa’s temper. Well wrap her feet in hides, but we must get those eggs. And you’re not headwoman yet, my girl,” T’gellan said, waggling a finger at Mirrim.

It didn’t take long to outfit Menolly. Mirrim, as if to make up for her officiousness, brought her own wherhide riding jacket and headgear and a pair of vastly oversized boots. They were eased over Menolly’s sore and bandaged feet and fastened tightly around her legs with leather strips.

Rocky and Diver were reassured by tidbits of meat, but Beauty refused to unwrap her tail from Menolly’s neck. She chattered angrily at T’gellan when he half-carried Menolly to Monarch, waiting patiently just outside the kitchen cavern.

T’gellan threw Menolly up the dragon’s shoulder. She hauled herself up to his neck ridges by the fighting straps, giving her feet one or two painful knocks.

T’gellan started to settle himself in front of Menolly, but Beauty came alive, hissing menacingly and lashing out at the dragonrider with one foreleg, talons unsheathed.

“She’s never been so bad mannered,” Menolly said apologetically.

“Monarth win you speak to her?’, asked T’gellan good-naturedly.

The next instant, Beauty stopped mid-hiss, chirped experimentally, her eyes whirling less frantically, and her tail relaxed from its choke hold on Menolly’s throat.

“That’s a sight better. She does have a baleful stare!”

“Oh dear!”

“I’m teasing you, Menolly. Now, look, I shall have Monarth tell your fair of fire lizards exactly what we’re going to do so they don’t go mad when we take off.”

“Oh, would you?”

“I would, and I ... ” T’gellan paused, “I have. We’re away!”