Never before in the entire long history of the planet Pern, full of dramatic twists and turns, has there been such a disaster as the one faced by the young horsewoman Laurent. Dragons are being decimated by an unknown deadly disease. The epidemic is spreading like wildfire during the dry summer... and the next cycle of the Fall of the Deadly Threads is only days away. Laurana must somehow find a way to salvation before all the dragons - including her incomparable Arit'a - fall victim to the disease, leaving the defenseless Pern doomed to extinction... Note: Despite having Anne McCaffrey's name on the cover, this is the first solo book by her son, Todd McCaffrey.