Bitra's Bite: The Story of Pern's Most Hated
Bitra Hold decides to reform ties with Benden Weyr by opening its Hold once more to Search. Those chosen, however, are faced with the hatred of Pern's illustrious dragonfolk.
The flight of dragons appeared over the Red Butte, that famous training plateau where every dragon that had ever lived had learned to go between. Red dust floated in a soft storm around the high plateau as the Weyrlings landed.
A full-grown green stretched languidly at the very center of the butte, looking for all the world like a spit hound as she used her hindleg to scratch behind her wing. Her rider, one of the many flight trainers for the Weyrlings, stood next to her, his helmet under his arm. He shielded his eyes from the sun as he watched the Weyrlings come into land.
The dragons touched down with varying levels of skill, the greens lithe and graceful and the bronzes harsh and talentless. Bronzes never were good for slight movements. They were powerful creatures, best at tasks involving strength and endurance. Had wolves ever made it to Pern, L’yown would have compared the great bronzes to them.
G’plin strode towards L’yown, offering his hand in greeting. It was a formality for the Weyrlings’ sake: the two knew each other well, having flown in the same Wing Turns before.
Razith, L’yown’s green, blinked at the Weyrlingmaster before sending a flirtatious coo to Juleth. G’plin just grinned at Razith, used to her ways. Juleth ducked his head and snorted.
The Weyrlings lined up next to their dragons in the order G’plin had taught them. The order had no real meaning; it was in imitation of a traditional Wing formation with modifications for the ten additional dragons, a traditional Wing only having thirty-three dragons.
“We are going to practice falling today,” L’yown said loudly, projecting his voice so that all of the Weyrlings could hear him, “We will start with grip adjustments and continue on to remounting safely. Is anyone scared of heights? You better learn to swallow your fear.”
A few riders gulped. It was quite a different thing to recover from a tumble off of a small green, who had only seven-foot safety straps, than a half-grown bronze or brown who was trouble enough to mount the first time round.
ØØØ
Buthaynah saw her fellow Bitrans often. She worked in the kitchens mostly, though ‘kitchen work’ could be anything from changing glows to cleaning tables, and soon grew to know most of the Weyr’s riders. An attractive enough girl, it was not long before a lonely bronze or brown rider cast a lustful gaze in her direction. The Weyr was more tolerant of promiscuity than Buthaynah’s original holding and she forgot Yusef completely.
When Fall returned, Buthaynah was pregnant again. She had also become one of Headwoman Renni’s most trusted workers, with responsibility over the evening shift. The work was not difficult for a hard-working girl and Buthaynah was happy with her new life.
ØØØ
Though Wingleaders had watched G’plin’s classes, the Weyrlings did not join the fighting Wings. Weyrleader S’grall had asked that Yasmuth’s Clutch not be integrated so that the Weyr could have Weyrlings to transport firestone. In six months, there would be enough casualties and exhausted riders- S’grall was naturally realistic- to fill out the Wings.
Thread fell every three days over Benden’s territory. The Falls lasted from four to six hours with varying weights and densities due to weather conditions. The Weyrlings were required to work for the entire Fall, going between every half hour with more firestone for the Wings. They were fairly safe from the menace of Thread so long as they paid attention to where they flew but slight scores were common. A blue rider had had a nasty ridge cut into his shoulder several weeks ago that had been caused by a half-charred clump of Thread.
During the off days, the Weyrlings met with their trainers for lessons or with G’plin for chores. There was always equipment to repair and firestone bags to fill, and it was no less exhausting being the rider of a two-and-a-half-Turn-old dragon than a dragonet.
ØØØ
The most interesting lesson came the sevenday before the Mating Season began. Green dragons followed different mating patterns than their queens. They matured sexually around their third birthday with the advent of a mating flight. L’yown and several other greenriders were given the task of explaining the rules of mating to the Weyrlings.
Over the Turns they had spent working with him, the Weyrlings had learned of L’yown’s reputation as one of, if not the, loosest riders in the Weyr.
The Weyrlings were assembled inside for this particular discussion, in an open cavern with a carefully sanded wall for chalk drawings. It was typically used for strategy lectures and was big enough for all forty-three riders to sit and stand comfortably. The greenriders were told to sit near the front because the information discussed would be most relevant to them. Threadfall had been the day before and everyone was tired, lounging rather disrespectfully and leaning against one another.
Ghaliyah, Meg, and Nieschka, the only females in the whole group, were situated to the right of the board. Nieschka was playing with Ghaliyah’s hair while Meg slumped against her arm, her eyes half-closed. Several of the blue and greenriders were also messing around, though the browns were at fast attention. They were always serious. The bronzeriders stood at the back, apparently not thinking the discussion involved them.
S’haiyl sat with T’yib, his head in the bluerider’s lap. The Turns since their Impression had changed S’haiyl’s body dramatically. He was almost a head taller than T’yib now, with long, soft blonde hair falling around his shoulders. S’haiyl’s face was more angular than it had been, with prominent cheekbones. There was still a remarkable resemblance between the lovers but it took little effort to distinguish one from the other.
T’yib’s fingers were tangled in S’haiyl’s hair and, every so often, they would look at one another in a way that stirred something inside the groins of the blue- and greenriders in the room.
The Weyrlings’ instructors seemed rather amused by the situation. It was, after all, not often that they could talk openly about the sexual natures of the green dragons.
Br’alak, a bluerider, was given little attention as he droned on about the effects of increased sunlight on estrus and the lordosis reflex, the first meaning heat and the second…well, they would learn that if they paid attention. M’jid, whose family bred strawberry roan runners, asked whether greens went into heat only once per year or if they could be more sexually active. K’leel and a mass of greenriders snickered when Br’alak became flushed and embarrassed, and stuttered in answering the question.
L’yown’s mouth had pulled into a very attractive crooked smile.
“If you’re asking whether your dragon can have sex more than once a year,” he began, smiling wickedly- Br’alak and another rider suddenly decided the ceiling needed their attention, “You and your greenie can have fun anytime. Mating flights are really just when she’s too pent up to wait anymore. You two don’t even need another dragon to play around with.”
Br’alak’s face turned bright red as several of the Weyrlings looked up in interest. The other instructors looked either mortified or absolutely entertained by L’yown’s words.
“We’re not supposed to be corrupting them,” F’imor murmured, looking at his co-rider.
L’yown’s look turned predatory.
“But it’s so much more fun that way. Weyrlings really shouldn’t be scared that mating flights are the only time the dragons can get off or the rider, for that matter.”
“Shut up, L’yown,” Br’alak groaned.
“Like they were interested in what you had to say,” L’yown shot back, before flashing the Weyrlings a grin, “It’s normal not to have a weyrmate until your dragon’s fully grown so you two have plenty of time to figure out what feels good and what type of dragons he or she finds attractive. Most riders are perfectly willing to join in on dragon sex, especially other gree-”
“L’yown, I really don’t think they need to know that-” an instructor interrupted.
“It’s true-”
“They’re young-”
“All the more reason to tell them about different positions-”
“Please, not another discussion about who’s best in bed-”
“Why? You don’t want one of them knocking on your Weyr tomorrow? Think about it, fresh, new me-”
“Shut up, L’yown!”
That last statement came from more than one rider. Br’alak looked about to die: he had a weyrmate, thank you very much, and was rather less sexually open than L’yown.
The discussion died down after that, with more talk of sunlight and the signs of heat. The Weyrlings heard descriptions of waking up to an aroused green and the formal way of leaving an unfamiliar weyr after a mating flight. The bronze and brownriders learned that they had to be careful around greenriders who were spoken for, as knocking a green’s weyrmate out of the air could be considered rape, as could unwanted advances to a greenrider. Greenriders had the right to declare open flights ahead of time, in which all sorts of behavior was allowed. Razith, L’yown’s life partner, always had open flights, as did several older greenriders.
The Weyrlings were told about a high field several kilometers from Benden Weyr, where green mating flights took place. It was considered unacceptable for a greenrider to allow his or her dragon to rise inside the Weyr, because of the danger of setting other greens off and causing an aerial battle between dragons. Weyrleader S’grall had also declared that the Weyrling class greens have assisted mating flights for their first time. Assisted mating flights were those in which designated experienced blue and brownriders flew the young greens. This practice ensured violence-free flights and forced the greenriders to focus more on getting through the flight than on who was in their bed.
S’haiyl had tensed when he had heard the Weyrleader’s pronouncement. His beautiful face had turned up to T’yib, unsure of how the other man would feel about that. T’yib had looked away and, even when the class was over, had refused to talk about it with him.
Most of the other greenriders were just glad to have someone who would get them through that hellish first mating flight safely. There were too many rumors circulating in the Weyr about rough bedmates and strained relationships caused by a green in heat.
Chapters:
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