Login | Register

Epilogue

Shimpath's clutch

‘Shimpath’s clutch’

Madellon Weyr badgeAs the Weyr quickened with activity in the early hours of an autumn morning, a single bronze dragon watched from his ledge in unblinking, unreadable silence.

He watched, but not alone. All around him, dragons emerged from their weyrs, shaking out glistening, iridescent wings of blue and brown and green and bronze. By the Star Stones a lone dragon stood vigil, emerald against the brilliant blue sky. In the Bowl a tithe caravan trundled to a halt.

“Watching again?”

The dragon did not turn to regard his companion, but moved his head slightly to allow himself a better view. A golden form, still graceful in pregnancy, veered towards the Hatching ground, and vanished.

Epherineth could hardly wait for T’kamen to vault astride. The bronze sprang from their ledge, letting the air catch under his wings, riding the wind. A chorus of voices questioned the urgency of their lead male, but he didn’t reply. The entrance to the Hatching ground loomed, but Epherineth did not check his speed. The great bronze slipped through with a wingspan to spare.

On the hot sand below, Shimpath reared up, flaring her wings, uttering a strange cry somewhere between distress and satisfaction. Respectfully, Epherineth landed at a distance, taking to notice of the heat, all his attention fixed on the queen.

Shimpath calmed, settling back to the ground to rest, breathing in short pants, and rolled the first of her glowing, gleaming, soft-shelled eggs onto a cushioning pile of sand.

Epherineth roared for joy, the silent bronze finding his voice at last. He roared as Shimpath drew herself up to lay a second egg, the second of his progeny, the second egg that contained his future, the future of Madellon, the future of Pern. Epherineth roared until his lungs burned and his throat was sore, and the walls of the Hatching cavern rang with pure jubilation.

The past was gone, the present would pass, but the future stretched ahead, and he had made it his.

Continue to

10 responses to “Epilogue”

  1. Barbara says:

    great story! i found it linked on the Meeting of the Minds board (i don’t post often, but i am hippiechyck there)

  2. Virginia Korleski says:

    GinnyStar at MoM Meeting of the Minds, read this a while back, and thanks, I was ‘stalled’ out on an idea, but you work has given me a new way perhaps to write, my own Pern fan based story idea, more sea then land but then, that where mostly this idea takes place.

    But this is great 🙂

  3. Sabine says:

    I found this mentioned in an Amazon.com review for one of Todd McCaffreys books (a disappointment if there ever was one) and I am just thrilled to have read this story. It happens during the Interval, a time that had always interested me most. I like the characters, I like the exploration of the bond between dragon and rider, the “alieness” of it is so plausible – thank you, thank you, thank you….

  4. Sapphirerose says:

    Great story! I loved the character development and plot line.

    Keep up the great writing.

  5. Wendy Hirst says:

    Most enjoyable. I am now going to read the nxt story. Thankyou

  6. Peter Haan says:

    WOW!
    I had given up all hope of finding another great Dragon Riders of Pern stories but here it is! What’s even better is I still have your second story to read. Oh happy days!

  7. Robin Rae Weaver says:

    Wonderful story! Looking forward to reading the next one! Thanks!

  8. Gail W says:

    Agree with the happy comments above!
    Already have book 2 downloaded…..will have to force myself to not begin, or I’ll be up till dawn telling myself “just one more chapter”.

  9. Ray says:

    Found this site yesterday and have just finished book 1. Fantastic, almost as good as Anne. I’ll be starting book 2 as soon as I’ve finished this post. One thing I would like to see is more info on exactly when and where the stories are set. I know it’s Southern and I’m guessing it’s after the pass where the original settlers original camp was found. I’m not sure though as there is no mention of any tech in this story. I would have thought there would be some even 100 years after the last story.

    Onwards to book 2 😀

    If book 2 is as good as book 1 then please start book 4 while I catch up. 😁

    Ray

  10. Sherri Smathers says:

    I loved your story. Thank you for posting it. Not your expected outcome. Great characters.

Leave a reply

Comments, questions, reviews? Leave them here.