One dragonrider, however, was very restless. Her name, Naiya. With her was Loss�, a male framalar yearling from the distant planet of Alskyr. Specifically, he was from Lantir-Setia Island.

Now Naiya was a native-born Pernese woman, who just turned twenty Turns, and was unfamiliar with the entire concept that there were worlds beyond Pern. There was, of course, Earth, the human homeworld of legend, but beyond that - Naiya obliviously thought that Pern was the only habitable planet in the entire universe.

That all changed once she met Maja, a silven winged wolf. A framalar of Alskyr. Maja was actually sent to Pern by her bond, an Alskyrian woman named Drakki. Fascinated by the intelligent canine - both herself and her dragon, Ebonivoryth (as well as her copper lizard Remy) - Naiya did all she could to learn where the winged wolf hailed from.

But like all good things, Maja's stay on Pern had come to an end. Before she left, however, she invited the Pernese trio to come visit. Which they did.

And they got lost doing so.

During their search for Maja, the threesome stopped at, of all places, Lantir-Setia Island. That was when they found the young pup Loss�, who had lost his parents and his pack in an Ant attack. Immediately, Naiya and Ebi took the pup to the authorities - where the white pup and the dragonrider bonded.

So the Pernese trio remained on Alskyr for a year, so the pup could be raised on his home planet - in the company of their Alskyrian friends.

And thus, Naiya was no longer oblivious to the worlds outside of Pern...

Ebonivoryth, sometimes called the Ateralbusdraco (which was taken from the old Earth language of Latin, which meant "Black-white dragon), was now, at three Turns old, was more than ready to fly. And that was exactly what she wanted to do. To rise in a flight...

But there was one complication.

The black and white dragoness wanted to rise off-planet. Not Pern... Well, at least this time... And not Alskyr. So where would the young Falas dragon rise? That alone confused Naiya greatly. She honestly didn't know where her dragon could rise. And for that matter, Loss� didn't know either.

Now that was something of a problem.

The ebony and ivory dragon bugled loudly, not unlike a queen in the same situation. Actually, in the Falas-hatched dragon's mind, she was a queen. And expected to be treated as such.

I WANT TO FLY!!!!

"I know, luv." Naiya murmured softly. She glanced to Loss�, to see if he had any suggestions.

The wolf yawned and stretched,"I don't know. Why don't we just check out Eriol Weyr? They've got interesting places their dragons can get to."

"Well, Ebi?" Naiya asked. "Do you think you can make it to Eriol?"

The dragoness yawned and promptly snorted. Fine.

"Eriol it is." Naiya murmured with a sigh. "Los, do you think you could find Remy?"

The wolf grunted. "Fiiiine. Look at meeee, just the lap dog of the entire UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Naiya rolled her blue-green eyes. It was almost as if he decided he was a distant relative of Segarra!

Once the copper Remy was found, and once Ebi was prepared for a jump between, they quickly did so...

Several moments later, the Falas-born dragoness exploded above the bowl of Eriol Weyr. The framalar flew alongside, and Remy followed shortly. The relatively small dragoness (since she was about the size of a small brown or a large blue), circled with the help of the thermals.

Naiya covered her ears, Loss� and Remy bolted for the Bowl, and Ebi roared her existence to the watchdragon. Which was a blue... A blue male. He warbled a flirtatious welcome, so Ebi ignored him completely.

"You could fly here," Naiya said quietly as they came in for a landing.

I AM NOT FLYING ON PERN!!!! the dragoness roared mentally.

"Ooooookaaayyyy then..." Niaya muttered as she quickly dismounted. Several moments later, the white wolf trotted up, holding an oval shape in his mouth. And Remy was dive-bombing him for it.

And that meant it could only be one thing.

A fire-lizard egg.

"Hand it over, Los," Naiya said sternly to the yearling.

NO! the wolf retorted mentally and snarling physically. It's MINE! I'M going to IMPRESS it!

Ebonivoryth snorted. Who's ever heard of a wolf Impressinga fire-lizard? The black and white dragon then whipped her tail around and successfully knocked the egg from the wolf's jaws - and into Naiya's awaiting hands.

"Now I'm going to return this to whomever it belongs to!" Naiya said sternly. The wolf looked at her sheepishly. "You're barely a Turn old! You still have problems hunting for yourself!"

You still eat off MY kills!!!! the dragon growled.

"Exactly. How are you expecting to take care of a fire-lizard when you can barely take care of yourself?" Naiya said. "Perhaps when you're older - and when Ebonyivoryth is a granddam!"