Jaxom could not control the flush that rose to his hairline. Was it possible that N'ton had somehow found out that he and F'lessan had squeezed through a hole onto Benden's Hatching Ground for a close look at Ramoth's eggs? He didn't think F'lessan would have told that! Not to anyone! But Jaxom had often wondered if touching that little egg had somehow destined its occupant to be his!

«I don't see much of F'lessan these days. I don't have much time, taking care of Ruth and all.»

«No, of course not,» N'ton said. He seemed about to say more and then changed his mind.

As they walked on in silence, Jaxom wondered if he'd said something wrong. But he couldn't think about it for long. Just then N'ton's fire lizard, brown Tris, whirled in for a landing on the padded shoulder of the Weyrleader, chirping excitedly.

«What's wrong?» asked Jaxom.

«He's too excited to make sense,» N'ton replied with a laugh, and he stroked the little creature's neck uttering a series of soothing noises until Tris, with a final chirp in Ruth's direction, folded his wings to his back.

He likes me, Ruth observed.

«All fire lizards like you,» Jaxom replied.

«Yes, I've noticed that too, and not just today when they were helping us wash him,» N'ton said.

«Why do they?» Jaxom had always wanted to ask N'ton that, but he had never had the courage. He didn't like to take up the Weyrleader's valuable time with silly questions. But, today, it didn't seem like such a silly question.

N'ton turned his head to his fire lizard and, in a moment, Tris gave a quick chirp and then busily cleaned his forepaw. N'ton chuckled. «He likes Ruth. That's all the answer I get from him. I'd hazard the notion that it's because Ruth is nearer their size. They can see him without having to back up several dragonlengths to do so.»

«I suppose so.» Jaxom still had reservations. «What ever it is, fire lizards come from all over to visit him. They tell him the most outrageous stories but that makes him happy, especially when I can't be right there with him.»