The dragons of Pern protect Pern from the deadly menace of Thread. They are huge, flying creatures that, after chewing a rock known as firestone, can emit a flame to burn the Thread in the air. When they hatch, they are telepathically linked with their riders, which is known as Impressing. Dragons that aren't full grown are known as weyrlings. After the weyrlings learn how to fly well enough, they learn to go between Going between means that dragon and rider instantly teleport to a new location. Dragons were genetically engineered from fire-lizards, smaller versions of dragons. Dragons come in five different colors:gold, bronze, brown, blue, and green.

• Gold: Only the female queens are gold. By far the largest of the dragons, the gold queens are also the only ones to lay eggs and bear young. Queens cannot chew the firestone that enables the other dragons to breathe flames. Instead, their riders must use flame-throwers.
• Bronze: The largest and strongest of the male dragons, the bronzes are the most likely to catch the queen in her mating flight; the successful bronze not only fathers the next clutch of dragon eggs, but is looked to as the lead male dragon (his rider assumes the title of Weyrleader). Bronzes are usually Wingleaders.
• Brown: The next largest size. They have good endurance and a longer flame than the blues. Occasionally a brown will actually beat out the bronzes to catch the queen in the mating flight, though this is rare.
• Blue: The smallest male dragons, stronger though not as fast as the smaller greens. Good staying power during Threadfall, though flame is shorter than the browns' flames.
• Green: The green dragons are the smallest dragons, fast and sometimes a bit flighty. Although female, they do not produce any eggs. They don't have good endurance and only fight half a Threadfall, but they are manuverable.

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