Author: Sam

Story: A Weyrharper's Repertoire: 7 of 14

Series: Islinne Weyr

Note: C’rus flies in his first real Threadfall. Based on Goodnight, Saigon by Billy Joel.

We met as can'dates on Ista Island
We left as wingmates, as weyrling riders

We flew so straight, all in our lines
And we thought that we were doing just fine

We met Thread head on, just like all others
We felt a strong bond; we felt like brothers

And we threw stone and caught just right
And we worked hard through those long hours of flight

We had no leisure to think of past fun
Instead we felt sick, as Threadfall hit one

We heard her cry, then she betweened
We held our breath as we tried not to scream

The silver rained down, just like in training
But now our dragons cried out from scoring

We knew of pain; yes, we'd been told
And we'd worked hard for this honor
To fly with each other
Now we know why the wings look so old

We had all flown in together
And we thought we would leave together
We didn't think we'd die together

For eighteen long months; we worked, and we trained
And against the rules, we always had strained

We had to fly, we had to fight
We didn't count on heavy winds all that night

We thought we should fly in Thread with a Wing
But we didn't know that the fight would seem

To last as long as two turns
As a weyrling
We checked our straps and stoked our dragons

And then we soared and we flamed Thread
And we had no time to mourn for our dead

And dove through the 'death rain'
And went Between to ease all our pain

We had all flown in together
And we thought we'd leave together
We didn't think we'd die together...