Red Dawn

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 31st July 2025

Characters: Ketlyn, Kemmin
Description: Kemmin's first full day at the Weyr is a Threadfall day.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 15 of Turn 12

Dawn came late, shrouded with cloud and drizzle. Ketlyn hadn't slept for more than a candlemark as she listened to her brother snore in his new nest by the fireplace. She'd spent yesterday arguing with him, and all night going over all the ways she'd failed to persuade him to go home. There was a right way to do this, if he'd only given her the time to do it...

In his defense, he had waited while she had dallied. There had been so much happening lately with the arrival of the new Weyrleaders, graduation, adjusting to a fighting Wing, Varinth's first flight... but between that there had been quiet moments, too. Selfish ones, where she'd chosen to relax in the baths or work at the glass kilns, or spend time with her friends rather than figuring out ways to get her family to the Weyr. Wasted time on frivolous things.

**Lazy,** she told herself. **This is all your fault. If you had just done what you said you would and found a way to get your family here, Kemmin wouldn't have had to run away from home.**

Her bed didn't feel comfortable anymore. Ketlyn rubbed her eyes and rose. The rustle of her blankets woke Kemmin. He rolled over and smiled, his eyes barely half-open. "Good morning, sweet sister!"

She gave him a sour look. "It's Threadfall today and I haven't slept a wink. If I don't come back today, it's your fault." Kemmin blanched, and she winced. "I-- I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'll be fine today, I promise. I just didn't sleep much last night."

Kemmin sat up. His curly hair was smushed against his skull by his right ear, giving him a lopsided look. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She rubbed her gritty eyes. Waking up with Kemmin in her weyr felt like having sand in her socks. She wanted quiet, solitude, her brother somewhere far away-- then she felt guilty for it, since he was her brother. She'd barely seen him for turns. "If you get up now we can go to the Dining Hall together for breakfast. Then I have to go."

He nodded, his face tight. "I... guess I never thought Threadfall would come so soon. It's not due for another three days at home."

She rubbed her hands over her face again in an attempt to chase away the lingering irritation at his presence. "Thread falls differently across the planet. It just shows how far from home we really are."

That made him smile. He kept up a stream of chatter as they dressed and Ketlyn braided her unruly hair back tight enough to fit beneath her helmet, although thankfully he was a bit more subdued as they got their breakfast and sat in a quiet corner.

The Dining Hall was different than yesterday. The air was tight with tension beneath the bright sparks of laughter and cheery smiles. On the path to the Dining Hall they'd passed drudges hurrying to and fro with heads bowed against the rain, moving with a purpose they'd been lacking yesterday. Ketlyn realized that Kemmin hadn't seen a true Weyr before, working as it should. She remembered the first time she'd watched the dragons rise in jewel-bright Wings and wink /between/ to fight their impossible enemy, and how she'd thought she'd understood then the true weight of the Search token that had brought her there.

She hadn't.

Impulsively Ketlyn put her hand over his and squeezed his fingers. Kemmin looked up in surprise. "I promise it'll be alright," she said. "Threadfall is just any other day. Just... I need you to do me a favour."

"What's that?"

"I need you to stay in my weyr today. Don't go anywhere without me. Threadfall days are... the Weyr knows what it needs to do, but until you have a place here you can't be underfoot." She didn't want him to see the ichor-scored dragons as they limped home or hear the screams from the Infirmary. She didn't want him to catch the attention of the battle-scarred dragonriders who were still suspicious of strangers. Not today, when Thread was in the sky and everyone was on edge. "Promise me."

"Sure." Kemmin grimaced as Ketlyn's fingers tightened around his. "I promise! I won't go anywhere without you."

"Good." Ketlyn let him go so she could stab her porridge with her spoon. It was very unsatisfactory. "Then hurry up and eat, and grab something for your lunch since I won't be back for you until this afternoon. I need to get to my Wing meeting."

"Yes, ma'am." Kemmin shoved a whole pastry in his mouth.

His sister glared at him. "And don't choke yourself to death or I will kill you." She reached for her klah. It was going to be a long day with no sleep and too many problems looming to greet her at the end of it. She was going to need a second cup.

Last updated on the August 1st 2025

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Red Dawn