The Quiet Before Dawn

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th April 2025

Characters: Ketlyn
Description: Ketlyn frets about her upcoming Blooding.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 1 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: V'dryn, Kailis, Casmari, Aydhara, R'bain, H'taysh, J'cello, L'rin, A'lin, N'kayden, Y'var, A'radess

Ketlyn woke with a muffled scream, heart pounding as she sat upright and clutched at her blankets. Varinth's sleepy mind touched hers gently.

}:A dream,:{ the dragon said. }:It is not a real thing. Come be with me,:{

**A dream. It's not real.** She rubbed her hands over her tired eyes. Her hands shook. **It's not real.**

Come sunup and her nightmare could be very real. Tomorrow-- today? -- was their Blooding. Threadfall started at dawn, and by lunch there was a good chance that there'd be fewer weyrlings sitting around their table. Someone might die. _She_ might die.

Shivering, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and padded barefoot onto Varinth's ledge. The sky was clear and fully dark. The moons had set leaving only dim starlight to gild Varinth's hide. Ketlyn curled into her dragon's side and pressed her cheek against her warm hide. **I dreamed that Thread ate everyone we knew and we couldn't stop it.**

}:_I_ will stop it,:{ Varinth rumbled. She scraped her talons against the rock. }:I will flame all the Thread from the sky. I will flame until it is all gone and everyone is safe.:{

**We're only going to fly half the 'Fall,** Ketlyn reminded her. Thankfully they were flying the first half. If she had to wait until the second half of the 'Fall Ketlyn was sure that she'd die of anxiety.

}:Why are you so scared?:{ Varinth asked. }:We are born to fly together and fight Thread.:{

**You are born to fight Thread. I was just... born,** Ketlyn said with a sigh.

Varinth sighed too. }:You are my chosen rider. That means that you were also born to fight Thread. Other dragons keep saying that greens are silly, but I think that it is the riders that are silly.:{

Ketlyn's lips curved in a smile. **Maybe.** She was silent for a while as the nightmare's claws slowly let go and it started to drift back into the nothingness that dreams came from. **I just... I'm so scared that someone I care about will get hurt and I won't be able to stop it.**

What if V'dryn didn't sit next to her at lunch, or Kailis didn't work silently beside her threading new filament through burnt-out lightbulbs? What if she never heard Casmari laugh again, or saw N'kayden make that stupid face he did when he was concentrating on sewing? (Better than the stupid face he made in bed) What if there was only L'rin or A'lin, and not both of the brothers? Or Aydhara never got to get R'bain, H'taysh _and_ J'cello back for throwing her in the weyrlake? Or Y'var or A'radess...?

And there were so many things she wanted to do, like earn her Journeyman's Smith knots so she could specialise in glass. She wanted to save her siblings from their little cothold lives. She wanted to travel with V'dryn... she wanted to go to Gathers with him and dance and maybe...

}:I will not let Thread eat you and I will keep them all safe. Thread will see me and fly back up into the sky where it belongs,:{ Varinth said, interrupting her thoughts.

**I don't think that's how Thread works...** Ketlyn smiled again. **But thank you.**

}:There is no need to thank me. We are born to fight Thread. You will see.:{

Varinth's confidence helped bulwark her own, enough so that when Ketlyn saw the first blue streaks on the horizon that signaled the dawn she didn't leap onto Varinth's back and immediately /between/ to somewhere it was still night. Even though she thought about it.

Instead, she made herself put on her riding leathers and wrap Varinth's straps around her too-fragile green body. Today they'd be Blooded. Today they'd see Thread.

Last updated on the May 1st 2025

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The Quiet Before Dawn