A Wind to Fan the Flames

Sometime during the night, a few nights after the hotspots were found, the calm, breezeless weather that had plagued the Xanadu area all summer changed. It began with a gentle, but steady breeze at sunset that slowly increased to high winds sometime during the night. As the holds and Weyr slept, those quiet hotspots yet undiscovered began to glow with the increased oxygen flowing over them. At first flames licked at the already-burned and spent fuel, then wind-borne leaves, dried from the Summer drought were swept into them and carried beyond to the dry forest. Hungry, the fire ate and ate, gorged itself and grew as unsuspecting folks slept peacefully. The wind carried the smoke towards the mountains and the fire followed after. No one smelled, saw or heard it. The nightwatch, bored, had long since fallen asleep while the sky beyond glowed orange… By morning, the conflagration was well into the mountains and black smoke clearly rising to the sky. The Weyr mobilized, but it was too late…