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 Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:25 am
Arolon was wandering around deep in memory. Now and then he'd step over someone sleeping on the floor, used to the overcrowding but still hating it. He grew up here in Ista Weyr, he knew this place like the back of his hand. Memories of his youthful pranks, his half-brothers as his partners in crime flooded his mind. He even remembered his older half-sister chasing him down the halls. He grinned in amusement, remembering her indignant yells. Then he frowned, remembering as more and more outsiders invaded his home, making it crowded and miserable. He remembered Renna, Alstor, and Moira and how they gained up on him. Home was where the heart is, but something was pulling him from this place. The opportunity to go somewhere new both scared and excited him. He still wanted to be a dragon rider, maybe his dragon would be there at the new weyr. He would make a new home there. He wished he knew where it was.
The rumors were all over Ista Weyr, stirring everyone up. Some wanted to join this new weyr, like him. He was currently in the lunch room, asking people if they were transferring like him. He wanted to talk to someone about the move. "What about you, you moving to the new Weyr?" Some shrugged, others shook their heads no.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:47 am
Moving.
In the end it had been a tough decision to make, but the only realistic on so far as he could see. Ista was not the place he had once known; change had come suddenly, harshly, had thrown everything he had ever known out of balance. Some would probably say he ought to stick by his home, wait for things to improve, stay the course, fly straight and true. Flying straight in Threadfall would get you scored. By leaving he was giving his home two less mouths to feed, and frankly escaping a situation he hated. The tiny Weyr, the declining quality of food, the crowds everywhere, Lyveana...
Then there was the new Weyr, the Weyr they knew nothing about. He had noticed in listening to and participating in chat about the whole affair that not many really experienced riders were going to move. Cynically, a part of him wondered if this was because many of the experienced riders he knew had rank and feared they might not retain it should they choose to move. Still, whatever was to come, whether he remained a wingsecond or not, experienced riders were a must especially given Favan's youthful impetuosity. A few steady souls were needed alongside bold young explorers. He supposed he could have argued that he was only doing his duty whether he had chosen to leave or to remain, but as it was it seemed to him that the arguments for the former were strongest, so that was what he was doing.
A voice caught his attention then; a young man speaking to the occupants of another table. Given that he was only lingering over a glass of fruit juice, R'than rose from his place and wandered over to the speaker. "I'm going," he said with a nod, extending his hand to the youth. "R'than of brown Garith, glad to meet you." He recognized the lad, which was vaguely surprising given how many people there were in the weyr these days... Yes, he'd seen this one around before things had started to change now he thought of it; the boy had grown up here, or at the very least arrived as a young child.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:58 am
While many others had trouble deciding whether to stay or to go, to risk it all with a chance at the new Weyr or stay and be assured of their positions, Liniyie hardly give a second thought to his decision of leaving the old for the new. His return from the Crafthall to find Ista overcrowded had not pleased him, not that the population at the halls were any better or worse in his opinion, but even someone as social as he was found it difficult to continue living in this way.
Even now, as he tried to make his way through a crowd of people who seemed to be doing nothing and going no where, the young man found himself in want of a place were less was more and he wasn't required to have an elbow in his ribs whenever he turned a corner. He sighed softly and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, the sigh morphing into a yawn as it seemed more appropriate for the gesture, when he found that his feet had lead him towards the dining hall and the conversations that were occurring inside.
Gossips and whispers, occasionally someone laughing as though what they'd heard was one of the funniest things in Turns, echoed against the walls from each table and its occupants. It wouldn't be hard for the youth to simply sit down and join in, despite not recalling any names or faces from his childhood, and he did just that as he watched a man he knew to be a rider approach someone who had asked about the Weyr transfer.
"I...believe I will be transferring as well. To the new Weyr, that is."
He waited until the other man was done before he spoke, his steps landing him on the other side of the table then the conversing pair.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:12 pm
Arolon looked up at the man who spoke. He recognized him as a wingsecond, due to his fascination with riders and his having grown up here. "Wingsecond R'than?" He shook his hand respectfully. "My name's Arolon, just a candidate, grew up here." He admitted, unknowingly confirming the man's suspicions.
"I'm glad to know some riders will be coming along." It was truely a comfort to him. In the new weyr HE would be the outsider. Some familiar faces, some riders to look up to, was appreciated. He put R'than's face and name to memory.
"Have you heard anything about the new weyr or when we're leaving?" He asked curiously. He already had his meager belongings packed, but despite his listening to all the rumors he didn't know anything about where they were going. Where was this new Weyr?
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:23 pm
R'than turned to smile and bob his head as the newcomer joined in. "Good to hear a few more people are planning to take the leap. I thought I might be all by myself for a while there. Arolon," he turned back to the other candidate, "I thought I recognized you... I think I might recognize you too," he said to the boy on the other side of the table, "though I couldn't begin to guess your name I fear." He seldom found on the names of candidates or weyrbrats; even when Ista had been less crowded it wasn't easy to keep up with who people who moved in different circles to you were.
"I've not heard a lot to be honest," he went on as he sat down at the new table. "I know we're going, and that we're going soon, but really that's all. Where the new Weyr is, and what the situation there is, I haven't a clue. Hopefully we'll find at least something out before we go, other than the details for the dragons to make the jump between that is." He had to admit to being a little nervous despite being certain he was doing the right thing. All his life he had lived on this island, almost fifty turns now (fifty!); it was probably going to be difficult to adjust. Still, he and Garith would persevere; it would come out alright in the end.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:36 pm
"My name is Liniyie, and I too must admit I do not know either of you by your names. I may have been born here and spent some of my childhood in the Weyr, but I spent many Turns away at the Healer Hall. I only returned here a sevenday or so ago, and I must admit I was surprised at the state. I do not remember this many people before I left, but then again the memory of a child seems to be picky as to what it wants to hold."
Liniyie didn't sit, preferring instead to stand at the table and continue to speak. If their conversation actually lasted at all he would rest when he legs grew weary, but for as much running around as the Candidate had been doing lately he had enough stamina to last.
"I only hope the new Weyr is someone slightly colder. I don't know if I can take heat like this, we're all going to eventually melt. Not to mention the smell of overcrowded bodies crammed into a small space that is entirely too hot."
It was a weak joke, but Liniyie smiled faintly at it as if he expected the others to understand. He thought they probably would, seeing as how no one in Ista was a stranger to the work that made you sweat.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:37 pm
Arolon noticed the other across the table and sat down as well to stay in the conversation. He didn't recognize Liniyie ethier but that didn't matter. He was comfortable talking to them both.
"I did hear Favan would be the new queenrider there." He announced. He didn't know anything about her though, had never met her.
He hadn't thought about the jump between, he hoped no one would be lost on the way never to reappear. That would be a disaster to rival even the recent blue hatchling not impressing! He felt confident in Ista's riders though.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:28 pm
R'than nodded to the introduction, and then smiled wryly to Liniyie's half-joke half-truth. "Personally I'm all for heat, but a few less bodies would certainly be nice. Last... three or so turns it seems to me things have become very crowded. This move is quite timely, I just hope that there aren't so many transfers that the new Weyr gets crowded." Shaking his head slightly, R'than took another sip of his drink. He did hope it wasn't anywhere too cold, he hated being cold, and his joints agreed with that sentiment increasingly. Just so long as it didn't snow more often than the sun shone bright, he would cope.
"Yes though," he nodded, "Favan is to be the senior queenrider... I can only assume that she will be the only one too if they had to send outside their own Weyr for a candidate. It's possible there's a very young queen, but I'm almost certain Cheoth will be the only one mature enough to rise." That meant fewer eggs, so probably fewer candidates searched, and with luck that would mean the place didn't get as full as Ista was right now.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:46 pm
"Young Queen or Old Queen, all that matters is that we have one to rise, right? I personally would love to see this Cheoth in flight, as I've never been around when a clutch was laid. . .at least not to me memory. There probably were several when I was younger, but I was just a Weyrbrat and didn't get the chance to see an do as many things as I will be doing now. It's exciting."
Liniyie moved and folded his hands together in front of his body, the tips of his fingers pressed against one another as he spoke.
"I think when this all comes to pass, those who have moved will learn something wonderful and those who have remained will learn something wonderful. Either way things will turn out for the better, even if we fail."
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:50 pm
"I don't know anything about Favan. Only know Cheoth, Helirra, and Arioth with Rinfala." He had been focusing on memorizing riders, dragons, and their drills, not the queens. He planned to be loyal to the new Weyrwoman, he was just curious what she was like.
He listened to R'than's comment about queen maturity when it came to rising. He hoped Favan's queen would rise soon enough for him to impress, he sincerely wanted to be a dragon rider. It was in his blood! He hadn't thought of that either when he made his choice. He was determined not to back out of it now.
"As for weather I kind of want someplace with colder weather too. I've never seen snow before. Ista rarely becomes cold enough for it." He could imagine the white flakes covering the ground. It sounded like a lot of fun, watching it fall from the sky like thread, but cool to the touch and harmless.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:04 pm
"Ah, snow," R'than gave a crooked smile. "It's wonderful, so long as you're not trying to work outside. I've seen it quite a few times when I've had reason to go north, a landscape all covered in it is quite spectacular. If you get carried away with playing like a ten turn old though you end up feeling so cold you'd wish to go between for the warmth."
"You were not that cold Mine," Garith began, "very cold yes but not as cold as... Ah, right," the brown gave a slight mental smile, "hyperbole."
R'than chuckled. "Yes Garith, hyperbole. He thought I was being serious for a minute there," he told the pair of candidates with a shake of his head, "never was the swiftest to catch onto a joke. Ah well, nobody is perfect I suppose... I'd expect Cheoth to rise again sometime this turn," he went on, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Late on, but either this turn or very early next I should think; the queens seem to be rising more and more frequently of late." That was supposed to be one of the signs that Thread would soon fill the skies again. Shells knew he didn't want it to, of course he didn't, it would be wonderful if the stuff never came back... but it was his purpose, their purpose. If there was no Thread, what was the point of dragonmen?
"I certainly hope we all learn something from this," the grey-haired rider continued after a moment of musing. "One is never too old to learn, to grow, to improve. Wherever this new Weyr is, I am sure those of us who go there will experience many new things that we would never had experienced here." Like winters so cold that rivers froze. Brr.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:23 pm
"I don't think I've ever seen snow either."
When the Rider spoke with his dragon, Liniyie could feel the backs of his ears pink up with the thoughts that he was indeed speaking so casually to a Rider. He'd never really met any, save for those for training and other purposes, but even then he didn't just sit down and speak like fellows. He was supposed to be professional at those times, not a brat just expressing his opinions.
"I wonder how the Dragons like the snow? I bet their hides change and they need to be cared for twice as much, and they could get injured easier. If small creatures such as us humans have troubles, then who knows what comes from beasts as great as they?"
The thought of having his own dragon hadn't really clicked in to the Candidate, even after he'd been Searched and brought back home. It was like he was still focused on one thing over another.
"I'd like to be able to take care of dragons more, to become a Master Healer. Here at Ista there are so many Healers running around I don't think I have a chance to show what I can do, but if I were to go to the new place I think I might have a chance to prove that I was meant to do what I want to do. If there is snow at this new Weyr, and lots of it, then maybe I'll get my chance."
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:57 pm
"A Masterhealer in training? Good luck with that." Arolon offered with smile. It would be nice if he knew his possible future dragon would have good healers to take care of him or her in case of thread injury. He didn't want his to between like the blue had.
"I imagine it must be cold for them, especially in the wings. They don't wear clothes like us for protection. Maybe their fire could warm up the air around them temporarily?" He suggested, shrugging his shoulders. A weyr in the north probably was more protected than an open volcano.
He nodded in agreement. He wanted to learn as much as he could so that he could be a great dragonrider. "I'm hoping to learn too, I'll teach what I learn to others when I'm old enough." The thought of teaching didn't repluse him, it sounded like an honor. To become wise enough that you share your knowledge with the younger generation.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:11 pm
"I understand they can cope with cold," R'than said with a nod, "Garith was alright the short while we stayed there, but the dragons who lived there seemed more comfortable than he was. I suppose they acclimatise as we do. You don't see many dragons just dozing out on ledges when it's that cold though, they seemed to spend a lot more time in their weyrs which I suppose is understandable; I wouldn't want to lie out in the open with icy winds and drifts of snow al around."
Glad to have something to do other than worry, R'than sipped at his fruit juice again and settled into ramble-mode. "I didn't actually ask any of the riders I met, but I imagine they have to oil their dragons more often than we do here. Hide needs more care after hops between because of the cold drying and cracking it up; stands to reason living in a cold climate all the time would have the same effect. No doubt you'll learn all about how to how with such things Liniyie, I am sure you will be an exemplary dragon healer some day."
"I hope it is not too cold," Garith put in to his rider, shivering slightly up on his ledge at the thought. "I do not remember any ventures to the north Mine, but I do not think I enjoyed them. I like the warmth... but we must go whatever the new Weyr is like. we have made a commitment, we have a duty."
Yes, his old brown hadn't been too pleased by northern weather. They would both have to adapt though, if north was where they went. Only time would tell; they had made a commitment, and they had a duty.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:26 pm
Pale cheeks blushed slightly to match his ears as Arolon spoke and give the youth some well wishes, the young man not quite used to hearing strangers compliment him or give him hope.
"Thank you. I...I hope you do well in what it is you're wishing for as well."
Liniyie nodded his head to the information the Brown Rider gave to him, his eyes wide as though he were just a little Weyrbrat listening to a great tale instead of someone talking about the future weather and its effects on dragons and people. He was very impressed with this elderly man, a like for him already growing inside the youth's mind, and he smiled a bit as he leaned into the table; his legs weren't tired just yet.
"I wonder if the dragons who live in the north have less issues with going between as well? I know it's a bitter cold, nothing the likes any of us have ever felt, but would staying in freezing temperatures help one gets used to it?"
The question was spoken innocently, but no sooner has it escaped Liniyie's lips then he realized that not only did he sound like a complete Deadglow, he sounded like one who had no idea of how anything worked.
"Ah, well, shards. Forget I said that, I'm just rambling."
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