Late in the end of the 2nd Interval, nearing the Third Pass, a plague unlike anything ever seen on Pern hit the planet. Like a cloud of evil fog, the sickness ran rampant across each continent and island, hitting Hold and Weyr, riders and Holdless alike. Nothing was safe from its touch.
During the first few days when the disease was considered nothing more than the average cold, Tivieste, the slightly over age Senior Weyrwoman of Mornings Dawn, traveled to the Southern Continent to visit her old home, Southern Weyr. Unknown to herself or her gold Yasimyth, when she returned to the Weyr later that day, she carried the plague that would later ravage the planet little by little. Tivieste grew sick shortly after and took to her bed for many sevendays--to only get worse with every passing day. The Weyr healers were at a loss on how to help her and quickly sought help from the masters from the Healer Hall. In fear that she would not survive the illness, Weyrleader M'yan turned to the Weyrs of Pern in hopes that one of them could spare just one gold. But he was refused. In despair, the man was forced to lead the Weyr on his own while his Weyrwoman lay slowly dying.
When Tivieste eventually recovered, due to the combined help of the healers, the entire Weyr shared a collective sigh of relief. Those that knew her best, however, agreed that she would never be the same. Her steps, which were once vigorous and filled with an unspoken happiness, had become slow and filled with an unknown darkness. But she was a stubborn woman and refused to step down, insisting she remain in her position until another gold arrived at the Weyr.
The plague was the main focus of everyone's thoughts during the following Turns before the first day of the new Pass--amazingly enough a pair of bright young Masters came up with a remedy to the horrid virus; although the supplies needed were scarce they managed through sheer will to get the remedy to Pern's population. Riders were too busy ferrying about the vaccine, and very few bothered to think that Thread would return; besides, it hadn't fallen for hundreds of Turns, why would it fall now? But it did. Sited first over the now abandoned Lysoon Hold by a vaccine rider dropping off rounds at a near by cothold, the First Fall of the 3rd Pass hit and the dragons rose to challenge Thread's return. With the plague receding after the discover of it�s cure, the ancient enemy was wanted even less.
In the 6th Turn of the current Pass, Yasimyth clutched a small clutch after a rather lengthy flight--which disappointed the weyr being that they were in much need of both more queens and new dragons to fill the wings. Although the eggs produced only numbered eleven, one of those precious orbs held a gleaming gold shell. The little gold was daunted on and carried much hope to the people of the Weyr. When she finally hatched, gold Melianth stepped forth to Impress a girl by the name of Azurina. And the weyr cheered and while they waited happily for another gold and larger clutches to be laid. So they waited and just another turn later, Yasimyth clutched another gold and young Ti'anna then impressed Wayreth. Yet Yasimyth's clutches only seemed to get smaller and the elder gold seemed to be graying... yet Tivieste refused to notice this and everyone else was too busy doting about the new golds to realize how much stress both Senior and gold were taking upon themselves. It had been said that perhaps the Weyrwoman�s sickness had put too much of a strain on her queen which left Yasimyth with little strength and will to produce what was much needed.
The Weyr gained much needed confidence as the young golds grew and matured. Tivieste trained her 'students' in all their responsibilities, but thinking that they were still so young, inexperienced, and afraid that they would embarrass herself and the Weyr, she continued to complete the duties herself. But a short time later, Mornings Dawn was rocked with another much unneeded misery. During an erratic Threadfall, Yasimyth received a hideous score. The Senior Queen blinked between to relieve both herself and her rider but never would she return. The Weyrwoman had been sicker than she admitted to and the last of her strength had finally been drained and depleted.
It was then that Azurina officially stepped into the shoes of her mentor. Now the full responsibilities of the Weyr rested squarely on her shoulders. No longer worried that her actions would cause embarrassment, and with her mind focused on what was before her, she quickly set out to work. But the Weyrleader was still skeptical of her abilities and yet again, beseeched the other Weyrs. But to no avail, none could afford to send them a more mature queen, their own numbers too bare--at three or four at most--to spare one of their precious golds for the other weyr. Shortly after, M'yan stepped down from the Weyrleadership much to the shock of the Weyr and transferred South. The reasons that were given was that he no longer had the will or the heart to continue. It was suspected that he suffered from a broken heart and deep depression of losing his Weyrmate. He was never the same after the incident and some had started to notice his rapid deterioration. With the Weyrleader in his current state, the transfer was approved leaving Azurina totally alone. The new Weyrwoman then deciding to throw open Melianth's first flight. She needed the best to help her in the running of the Weyr and decided that whichever bronze was successful at capturing her queen would make his rider the new Weyrleader.
Late in the 8th Pass, Melianth rose. The flight lasted many hours and promised a very generous clutch for the future. In the end, bronze Tavvith of High Reaches Weyr caught her and placed his rider--J'vier--in the opened position. And the clutch did indeed be as promised, a large clutch of 26 was placed upon the sands and even a shiny non-mistakable golden hued one. Hatching time came and the newest gold--Tiaath--impressed to Aaria. All in all, Melianth's clutch was a great success, and the weyr was content before tragedy struck yet again. Ti'anna, the Jr. Weyrwoman was in an accident that nearly cost her life, yet instead it only cost Wayreth hers, leaving the young Ti'anna dragonless. Ti'anna, devastated, survived the ordeal with the help of her loved ones and soon left for her home with her family, no longer feeling as though she belonged to the Weyr any longer. That was a sharp blow to the weyr, knocking them back down to a scant two golds. Then the Weyrleader Second, in a fit of depression over the accident, resigned his position and transferred out. Yet the weyr recovered slowly and everything was running smoothly... but that was short lived, as the Weyrleader was next on the casualty list. Put out of action due to health complications of an erratic Threadfall, the healers were put into a flurry to get him back into good health. One would think a Weyr would shrivel and die after this, with only a Weyrwoman left to run the Weyr, but it didn't and Azurina fought so very hard to keep the weyr going on, in hopes that some miracle would happen...
