«What's his wingspan now?» Lessa asked, her brows drawn in a thoughtful frown. «Jaxom, please ask him to extend?»

Lessa could easily have asked Ruth directly since she was able to speak to any dragon. Jaxom was considerably heartened to be accorded such a courtesy and he passed the request on to Ruth. Eyes whirling with excitement, the white dragon raised himself to his haunches and spread his wings, the muscles rippling through chest and shoulder with the clouded shades of all dragon colors.

«He's completely in proportion to himself,» F'lar said, dipping under the wing to inspect the upper side of the broad, transparent membrane. «Oh, thank you, Ruth,» he added as the white dragon obligingly tilted his wing. «I take it he's as eager to fly you as you are!»

«Yes, sir, because, sir, he is a dragon, and dragons all fly!»

The look F'lar shot him caused Jaxom to hold his breath, wondering if his quick answer had been too bold. When he heard Lessa laugh, he looked over at her. But she wasn't laughing at him, or at Ruth. Her eyes rested on her weyrmate. F'lar's right eyebrow arched as he grinned back at her. Jaxom felt they weren't aware of him or Ruth at all.

«Yes, dragons do fly, don't they, Lessa?» the Weyrleader said softly, and Jaxom realized they were sharing some private joke.

Then F'lar raised his head to the fire heights where golden Ramoth, bronze Mnementh, and the two browns, Canth and Wilth, maintained keen interest in the scene in the courtyard below.

«What does Ramoth say, Lessa?»

Lessa grimaced. «You know she's always said Ruth would do well.»

F'lar glanced first at N'ton, who grinned, and then at F'nor, who shrugged acquiescence. «It's unanimous, Jaxom. Mnementh doesn't understand why we're all making such a fuss. Mount then, lad.» F'lar stepped forward as if to give Jaxom a leg up to the neck of the white dragon.