At the same time as the Oldtimers are settling in Ruatha Valley, F'nor brings the Southern weryrfolk back. R'gul gives F'lar and Lessa the news. R'gul is deeply concerned about the Weyr's ability to fight Thread, and takes umbrage at F'lar's nonchalantness (he hasn't yet told R'gul about Lessa's journey). F'lar tells R'gul that the Weyrs had come forward. R'gul thinks that F'lar's finally snapped under the pressure. When he saw that the Weyrs had, in fact, come forward, he "got quietly drunk". F'lar tells Lessa about the Queens' Wing, and that he plans to keep Kylara at the Southern Weyr.