With a sound like pulling a seam out, a line of dragons emerged from between in nearly the same instant, followed a few seconds later by another, then another.
Gwillanth got to her feet to watch them come in, eyes scanning the formations. The Weyr -- both fighting dragons at rest and other members -- began to send up welcoming bugles, more voices than were ever raised for a typical return.
The Fall over Longmound had been an intersected fall, two “lines” of Thread expected to overlap and make the fight even more treacherous and difficult. Valyth had petitioned for the other Weyrs to send reinforcements, but the wingrelays sent back news hours ago that none had come. The Wings came in, their dragons looking weary and between-bitten, each triple line gliding over the Bowl to their rest.
And yet -- Gwillanth heard the last line come through. Not a single hole anywhere in the Wings. The wingdelegates followed their charges like shepherds, their many-colored hides greyed with exhaustion. But they were there. No casualties, Gwillanth crooned, rejoice!
Even after the quake, the Weyr still had to do its duty to Pern, and today none had lost their lives in the battle. She bugled with all the rest, cheering on the wingriders for their valor. The hard day was done.
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The Virtues series is the last chance for your dragonet to reflect on themself as an unbonded individual, and the last chance to sort out what they would like in a bond. When Hatching and Impression come, what went before will fade into dream. What does the virtue on display mean to your dragonet? How important is it in their choice of rider? Is this lesson one that will stick with them, or does it seem of no consequence?