Guides to Pern |
Green dragons make up 50% of the Weyr's draconic population, and thus are one of the Weyr's greatest assets. While they are the smallest of the dragons, they are also the fastest and most agile. Without greens, the fighting wings would be nearly empty and severly disabled. Greens are also the majority of Search dragons, and without Candidates, future dragons would be without riders. Greens are the quite literally vital to the Weyr. Green dragons and riders vary greatly in their personalities. Some are timid and shy, while others are bold and outgoing. They tend to lack some of the leadership qualities of the gold and bronzeriders, but that standard does not hold true for all. Greens are often viewed as promiscuous due to their mating cycles, but again, this does not hold true for all. Some greenriders have weyrmates, and keep themselves monogomous by leaving the Weyr with their weyrmate to a secluded area for the duration of the mating flight. Like the colors of their dragon's hide, the riders vary as much in personality and looks. Besides being essential to the wings, greens are also the sexual pulse of the Weyr. While greens may be infertile, they rise 2 to 3 times per Turn. Since both males and females Impress greens, their riders tend to have bisexual tendencies, if not before they Impress, then shortly thereafter. Note: In the 9th Pass, Mirrim was the first female non-goldrider in several Passes, which made ALL greenriders male. While bronzes and browns Impress only heterosexual men, dragon mating flights do fall outside of this range, so that even a bronzerider might end up with a male flightpartner. Nowadays though most bronze/brown-green pairings tend to be between riders of the opposite sex, but same-sex pairings do happen. However, blueriders are also male or female and bisexual, so blue-green pairings vary greatly. For more information, please see the Guide to Dragon Mating Flights. Before a green rises to mate, they tend to go through a 'proddy' period. Both the rider and dragon are moody, more tempermental than normal. The dragon also seems to 'glow', a deepening of the color pigmentation that often is a signal that the green is soon to rise. For those greenriders with weyrmates, this is a signal that it is time to find a secluded spot for a private flight. While golds must blood their kills before they rise, greens have the option of blooding their kills or not. Some do it out of habit, others out of want, but none do it out of need. Once a green is in the air, they tend to 'play' with their suitors. They do not have the same contempt for chasers as does a gold, and often 'pick' their mate rather than see who survives the longest. A green does not have the same biological drives as a gold does, so the need for the 'best' male are relaxed, and much goes upon conscious choice. For this reason, a green is much less likely to mate with a dragon who's rider is disagreeable to her own. Female greenriders do not often bear children. The coldness of b*tween is an effective method of abortion for young fetuses, and since most greenriders go b*tween at least once every other day, not many have the opportunity to even realize they're with child before they've already miscarried. There are also herbs that are readily available to prevent ovulating in females that most riders opt to take. Some plan for a family and ask their wL for permission to be removed from active duty to bear children. Since a wL cannot have all of his riders off at once, permission must be obtained. Sometimes, a greenrider somehow manages to keep a pregnancy even when she does not mean to. In this case, she has the option of aborting in the depths of b*tween, or carrying the child to term, with the permission of her wL. If she carries the child to term, then once again she is faced with a decision. Dragons and Threadfall demand most of a rider's time, leaving very little room to raise kids. Most riders choose to foster their children out to Lower Caverns people for them to be raised by the entire Weyr, instead of one individual who cannot devote their entire time. Some riders do choose to raise their own children, and may ask to be transferred to the Watch Rider's wing, again, pending the approval of their wL. Or they may remain on active duty and receive aide from others in caring for their children. All in all, weyrbrats tend to be more common among non-rider females then among gold or greenriders, but anything is possible!
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