Jevikel is the eldest son of a Holder, living at an isolated farmhold on the eastern edge of Bitra. Duty has been drummed into him from birth; he must follow in his father's footsteps by marrying and raising a family who will do exactly the same in their turn. But when his cousin Kadin arrives at the Hold, he realises he can't hide his secret feelings any longer.

Shortly after the end of the Eighth Pass, five of the six Weyrs on Pern are found empty. Zalna, a junior weyrwoman at Benden Weyr, tries to discover what might have caused all the other weyrfolk and dragons to disappear and where they could have gone.

This is a prequel to 'Gone Away, Gone Ahead' set at Fort Weyr near the end of the Eighth Pass of the Red Star. Triumphs and tragedy await the weyrlings of Kadoth's clutch in their progression to become fully fledged dragonriders.