"Southern is too big to be adequately protected against Thread which still falls there," N'ton said.

These dragons, linked telepathically with their human riders, would form the mainstay of the colonists' defense against Thread.

It was sort of like the formation of fighting wings going against Thread, T'lion thought.

We must have a fail-safe against Thread!

Men managed to forget completely that there had been a secondary measure against Thread.

Legends said that watchwhers had been used in the earliest holds as the last-ditch defense against Thread.

We have got to have an aerial defense against Thread.

The truth is we are very badly positioned to defend ourselves against Thread.

Especially when the young dragonriders were trying so very hard to perfect themselves for combat against Thread.

If dragons won't be needed against Thread, they'll be looking for other things to do.