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F'lar put an arm around her shoulders。 〃Ramoth approves；〃 he murmured in her ear。 〃Mnementh does。 When you consider what that green did today。。。〃
〃What she did today…〃 Lessa broke off。 〃Well； we won't bother her about how she did what she did today。 She did it and…and I'm more grateful than I can ever express。〃
〃Me； too；〃 and he rolled Lessa more firmly into his arms； holding her against him； forting them both。 It would be a long sleepless night。
Once Oldive and Crivellan had left the unconscious F'lessan with Keita to watch him； the two Masters had insisted that the Weyrleaders get some rest。 Sharra showed them to a small room； just down the hall from F'lessan and Tai。
Propping pillows behind them； since both knew they wouldn't be able to sleep； they kept trying to figure out the sequence of the astonishing events of the attack and how to explain the extraordinary actions of Ramoth。
〃I don't know as I can explain；〃 Lessa told F'lar； 〃and she's my dragon。 I linked with her mind the moment I realized she had gone in answer to Golanth's alarm。 I saw what she saw； and that was too many of those wretched predators latched on to him and the green。 The green was…somehow…picking them up and flinging them off。 It was a…motion…that Ramoth imitated。 So did the other dragons。 Grabbing the felines and tossing them off the two dragons。〃 She rubbed her forehead as if that would clear the confused images Ramoth had projected to her rider。 〃F'lessan was on the ground； being viciously attacked； he'd no more than his belt knife； you know。 And…Tai…was jumping from the ledge with something flaring out behind her。
〃Then；〃 and Lessa paused； frowning； 〃I think Golanth shouted 'time it' and Ramoth saw the one feline Zaranth hadn't deflected with her body。〃 Her frown deepened and she spoke slowly； measuring the words with the fleeting moment that had made all the difference。 〃If its jump had connected； the beast could easily have severed Golanth's spinal cord。〃 A shudder ran down Lessa's body and F'lar pulled her head against him in a tight embrace as if he could press the horror of that moment out of her mind…and his。 〃It had to have been Golanth。 Greens don't know the mechanics of timing it without guidance； and Golanth had done so much at Monaco and Sunrise Cliff；〃 Lessa said softly。 〃The others had just e。 Even Ramoth didn't grasp the danger immediately。 So it had to have been Golanth who said 'time it。' He must have seen his peril through Zaranth's eyes。 Or Tai's。 And Ramoth perceived what action was imperative。 To deflect the feline's spring。 I lost touch with her…and you know that sense of blankness that is between！〃 she asked； looking up at him； her eyes swimming with tears。 〃I felt that。 It's unmistakable。 Ramoth timed it back to push the feline just far enough off balance so it missed its target。 And didn't kill Golanth。 Oh； F'lar； if it had； F'lessan wouldn't have been able to survive Golanth's death。 Wouldn't have wanted to。 We'd have lost them both！〃
She crumpled then； having been calm； steadfast； and efficient for the past few hours。 She burrowed into F'lar； struggling to hold him closer； closer； to drive away the appalling words she had just uttered。
〃It's reaction；〃 she sobbed。 〃I'm just reacting！〃 Tears streamed down her face； Lessa of Ruatha and Benden Weyr； she who had rarely cried； not even when Fax had slaughtered her family and everyone else in Ruatha Hold： now she wept！
She felt other tears drop onto her forehead； as she clung to her weyrmate and realized that he； too； cried even as he stroked her body and tried to soothe her； and let her weep。 She couldn't stop； even if everyone or anyone else in Honshu heard her。
No one hears； Ramoth said； and her mental voice sounded very deep and echoing； but us。
It took time for both Weyrleaders to release pent…up emotions and regain posure。 In the dark F'lar found the room's water basin and tap； discovered a towel； left behind when Monaco riders had been at Honshu； and they washed faces and hands。 Still trembling； Lessa made an attempt to braid her hair and F'lar found a cup。
〃Amazing！〃 he said； sitting beside her again； close enough that their thighs touched； as if he could no more bear separation in the aftermath of their emotional storm than she could。 〃The theory has always been that； if we knew the time； we could forestall a…a fatal…accident；〃 he said in a low； shaky voice； reaching for her hand。 〃Like Moreta's death。〃
〃Theory；〃 she said with a derisive shrug。 She sipped slowly from the cup of water； willing her body to stop shaking。 F'lessan hadn't died because Golanth hadn't died。 Golanth hadn't died because Ramoth had prevented it。
It isn't theory； Ramoth said； her mental tone tart； I timed it to the exact moment。 Golanth showed me just how he had saved F'lessan and himself from being crushed by the tsunami wave。 He was most resourceful to act on his own initiative。 He learned something important that day and was too tired when he got back to Landing to tell even me。 Today； Zaranth showed us how to push without touching。 I admit that I had never thought greens could do something so unusual。 I saw how she did it。 Very clever of her。 We two taught the others。 But it was I who timed it to save Golanth from that last feline。 Only I could have done that。
Lessa managed a shaky little laugh。 Only you； my dearest。 I do admit that today I learned something from a green dragon。 Ramoth sounded as chagrined as her rider had ever heard her。 I have told the others what Zaranth showed me how to do； how she pushed felines away； she added calmly。 It is a useful skill for all to know。
Stunned by her dragon's attitude toward this new ability； Lessa turned to F'lar； whose expression was probably as incredulous as hers。 Lessa gave one last hiccup。
〃In case you're wondering；〃 he said； with a little smile on his face； 〃Mnementh agrees。 And Aivas was right。〃
She twitched her mouth and drew her brows together in a scowl。 〃Right again and； while I'm glad he is； I'm annoyed； too。 He has plicated life。〃
〃Maybe；〃 F'lar said softly。 〃Maybe not。 D'you remember Aivas trying to understand the abilities of our dragons？〃
Lessa scowled； perplexed。 〃He knew…we told him…that they had always municated with us mentally。〃
〃Telepathy； he called it。 And teleportation is the ability of dragons to go between from one place to another。 Or； however briefly； one time to another。〃 He finger…bed his hair back from his forehead。 〃Today they practiced the third of those special talents…telekinesis。 Aivas could not understand why they could not do that if they telepath and teleport。 Now they can。 I wonder how he would have used this new ability to physically move other things without contact。〃
〃They moved felines who would have killed Golanth； F'lessan； Tai； and Zaranth。〃 Lessa said in a soft pensive voice。
They were both silent in consideration of these startling new concepts。
〃As long as they think they can；〃 she said； tightening her fingers on his。
〃That's the requisite；〃 he agreed； nodding； a smile twitching at one side of his mouth。
〃Then that means there is something dragons can do about things in sp