The Smallest Dragonboy

Before he became Weyrleader K'van of Southern Weyr, he was Keevan of Benden Weyr. A Weyrbred lad minded by his foster mother Mende. His father is Brownrider K'last. Keevan wanted to become like his father. K'last was a well respected brownrider and he was tall too. Something Keevan was not. He was small for a 12 year old and barely made it to become a weyrling.

Beterli, a bully who's been to 8 hatching and never impressed put too much pressure on the boy. Bullied him to the point of breaking his legs and head. Poor Keevan. Hatching time and he was bedridden. This was the most devastating day of his life. Beterli was sent away of course because that was not an attitude for the Weyr.

Keevan knew in his guts he had to impress this hatching. he had to prove himself. He needed a friend who would love him unconditionally and be his companion for life. He hobbled to the hatching ground with bandaged head and hurting splint leg but he made it. When he got to the hatching ground, all dragons were out of thier shell and he felt too late.

Lessa and F'lar shook their heads. 40 eggs but 39 impressed. The last bronze didn't want any of the 70 candidates present. He was looking for someone, someone in the shadows. It Keevan or now K'van. He was found by Heth.

Later, we find the pair rescuing Aramina in The Girl Who Heard Dragons and Renegades of Pern. K'van became Weyrleader of Southern at 19 years old, the youngest in record.

How dragons choose, nobody knows. It certainly not the way Kitti Ping and Wind Blossom tried to make them. It was something innate and developed within the species. Anyone could impress a Fire-Lizard. Watch-Whers can be tricky to impress but they can change people to look to. Dragons are meant for their riders and the riders and the dragon become one. They develop certain similarities and take on a human voice.