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 Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:09 pm
C'mor chuckled softly. "Thanks, that's kind of you. I'd probably get eaten alive if there was anyone in there at the time... well here we are, this is the dining hall." He gestured around at the large room; it was empty save for a few individuals sitting around sipping at klah as they pored over hides and pieces of parchment and a few heading to the serving hatch to get a snack of something or a drink. "Up there's the serving hatch," he said with a nod to it, "you can drop in any time of the day and ask for a drink; water, juice, klah. You can usually get a snack for yourself if you need one too, nothing fancy, just some bread or maybe a meatroll. The whole place is packed at mealtimes; I usually come along early to avoid the crowds. Of course," he chuckled, "food tends to be best at the start too which is a bonus. By the end everything's either gone cold or cooked on for too long; alright if you're starving but not as good as it could be."
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:58 pm
She growled playfully, laughing. "We're so vicious, you know." Oasea focused on the dining hall, memorizing where it was from her room. It seemed like a large enough room, just how many candidates were there that some decided to transfer? How many candidates were needed to make this room packed? Hmm.... "I'm not too picky so..." It'll be okay. While being spoiled by her parents was all well and good but she was a big girl now. She didn't mind eating cold food, as long as it was edible.
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:20 pm
"Good to hear," C'mor smiled and nodded, pausing for a moment to let Oasea look around a bit more before turning to leave. "It's probably best to make sure you don't jostle anyone with fancy shoulderknots," he went on as they stepped back into the passageways. "Most riders and people of ranks are normal enough but some, well they can be as vicious as you girls. The crowding issues have everyone a bit on edge. I'm not saying you should slink around, but if somebody's looking thunderous it's probably best to stay out of their way." Things had been like this for so long now that he hardly recalled what Ista had been like uncrowded. When had it started?... he supposed it had been building all his life really, but things had first started getting really bad when he'd been... fifteen? He was eighteen now. That was far too long. Something should have been done by now.
"Bathing room and one set of latrines are back towards the candidate quarters," he explained as they headed back they way they had come, "but the teaching rooms and the way out to the bowl are that way as well. This place can be such a maze," he added as they passed by a corridor that for a few moments he couldn't remember the course of, "really they could do with putting up some signs or something... Of course, laundry," he nodded over his shoulder, "I was trying to remember where that went." Signs to all major parts of the Weyr, yes, that would make sense, and labels on the doors of public rooms. Maybe signs that indicated an area was private as well so that nobody could claim ignorance. Was it smart and efficient to think like this, or just silly and pedantic?
"Here," C'mor came to a halt and indicated a door on the left, "female candidate bathing room. The closet latrines to the dorms are just their, the next door along."
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:27 pm
"Thanks, I'll remember that." One must always avoid self-important people. Moving on, she kept pace with him. It made sense that some people would become aggitated over the crowding. It didn't bother her yet though, seemed like a good thing for her goals of popularity and multiple friendships. With such a packed weyr there was plenty of chances to meet people.
"Hopefully not too much of a maze. If they won't do it why not let a willing candidate put signs up as long as they were helpful?" She asked, taking note of laundry room. "I'll probably end up doing chores there more often than not." She opened the door and peeked into the bathing room, simple to memorize it. Then she stepped back and was grateful to hear these latrines weren't too far from the girls dorms. Hopefully the adults kept the latrines working!
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:06 am
C'mor rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Who knows? It would probably be far too sensible or something... Right, teaching rooms." Giving a nod, he set off once more, pondering how the signs might best be made. If they were painted some smart arse would probably wash them off and or change them. Carving them into the rock sounded initially like a good idea, but what if the function of a room changed? Well, the rocks could always be smoothed back and a new sign put up. He should probably stop thinking about signs, they were almost there.
"Here, teaching room," C'mor said softly, coming to a half outside the room most often used for candidate lessons. A voice came from inside, recognizably Z'nal... Ah, they were talking about manners today, what fun those lessons had been.
"Nothing that exciting inside," he went on in a more normal voice once they were a distance away, "just benches to sit on, tables to work at. Weyrbowl next, I'll ask Naedreth to come down and meet us outside."
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:28 am
"Is that him?" She was looking at Z'nal curiously, judging his character by how he looked and behaved. This was the strict one? She almost missed her tour guide leaving and hurried to catch up. "Sounds awful boring really..." She agreed with him. She would just have to get used to it.
She perked up at the thought of meeting his dragon. She smiled in excitement. She hoped he liked her, this C'mor's bronze. If he were as nice as his rider she figured things would be fine. She was also eager to see the outside again, the veiws were great. She silently practiced saying the dragon's name in her mind then stopped thinking the dragon might hear her thoughts. Naedreth...that was a mouthful! She wondered if he were a young weyrling or an older adult.
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:49 am
C'mor nodded as they wended their way towards the exit; light from outside was already visible. "Yes, that was him. He's alright so long as you stay in line, but some of the things he teaches are dull... possibly just because I already knew a lot of it, being Weyrbred has its advantages."
And then they were outside. The sun was bright, but clouds on the horizon promised heavy rain later on; pretty typical Istan weather. It looked a thousand times more beautiful a moment later. C'mor smiled to himself as the light glimmered off a bronze hide; Naedreth must have been sunning himself somewhere way up on the side of the bowl, and here he came to meet them. The bronze had grown up big; not abnormally massive for a bronze, but there was that qualifier 'for a bronze'. Muscular, on the larger end of the normal spectrum for his kind, and with his hide in perfect health his Naedreth made an impressive sight to say the least. He was biased though, heavily biased.
"There he is," C'mor said with a proud grin and a nod as his lifemate began his final approach, "Naedreth."
The bronze touched down a short distance from where they stood, his huge wings whipping up a momentary breeze as he shed the last of his momentum before folding them by his sides. "Please tell this one that I am pleased to meet her and that I hope she settles in well," Naedreth said, his eyes whirling brilliant green as he dipped his head both in greeting, and to be on a better eye level with the two humans.
"He’s pleased to meet you," C’mor passed on with a grin as he began to cross the distance between himself and his lifemate, "He says he hopes you settle in here soon, too." As he drew level with his dragon he raised his hands, and the massive creature dipped his head further so that C’mor could reach to rub his eye ridges. "How are you doing then ‘Dreth?"
"Well," the bronze responded, "I was just relaxing in the sun with a few others. This is more fun though, I like meeting new people." he liked His to meet new people too, they needed all the allies they could get... Somehow, despite his typically draconic memory, Naedreth was left with the impression that he thought that quite a lot. Well, at least he was consistent!
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:18 am
Her eyebrows lifted in a surprised expression. He was weyrbred?! What about all those rumors of weyrbrats being arrogant and uppity? Or even mean? This guy was really nice, the stories were all wrong! She beamed, glad to figure out the truth. No more listening to rumors, no more! She couldn't have met a more helpful dragonrider. He was really fun to talk to too. He was one of the few people she didn't need to use her act on, she really did like him.
Then they were outside. The weather was perfect, and she gasped when she finally spotted him. Naedreth. Was. Stunning! The sunlight reflected off his hide, wind from his wings blowed her hair into the air as he landed. His eyes were the greenest she'd ever seen. He was big and powerful looking and he greeted her! She was speechless for a minute. It touched her heart, the love between dragon and rider. C'mor was so proud and happy. She hoped she would impress someday. The bond was obviously stronger than words could describe. She reigned in her awe and smiled warmly. He really was as nice as his rider! "Pleasure's all mine Naedreth. My name's Oasea! C'mor here was giving me a grand tour of Ista Weyr, I think I'll learn to love it here. He spoke fondly of you."
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:13 pm
"Oh, she is nice Mine! Oasea. I'll forget it soon, but nevermind, I like her." It was nice to be appreciated, and nice also to see His getting on well with somebody new.
"She certainly seems to be," C'mor agreed, "maybe we've found ourselves another friend here, eh?" Patting the bronze's neck, he turned back to Oasea. "We could go down to the lake now if you like, it's quite a popular place to spend free time amongst everyone in the Weyr. You can see it just over there," he gestured, "so it takes a few minutes to get there on foot. Naedreth can get us there quickly though if you don't mind a brief flight." Oooooh... Naedreth didn't have his straps. He wasn't sure how happy he was taking an inexperienced rider up without straps... but if he put her in front rather than behind he could hold onto her, it would be alright.
"I promise to be most careful Mine. Slow take off, easy glide, slow landing. I will not allow either of you to fall."
He trusted Naedreth on that; his lifemate was not agile in the air but he was very reliable and steady. It took a really impressive wind even by Ista's stormy standards to bother the powerful bronze now he was full sized. With nice calm air like they had right now, keeping an easy course would be no trouble at all.
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:45 pm
"I'd love to, if it's alright with him?" She looked up at Naedreth curiously. Where were those things dragonriders used to hang on? Those leather strap thingys? He didn't mention going between so it'd be safe right? She'd been between only once in her life, on her way to the weyr. She didn't think she could hang on to the bronze if she were too cold to feel him.
No fancy loops in the air, no diving, no stunts to scare the wet behind the ears candidate? She tried to remember how to get on. You step on the dragon's leg, then what? Hmmm. Who'd be hanging on to who here? She relaxed after a moment, they wouldn't do anything to endanger her.
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 5:34 am
C'mor nodded and shot Oasea a smile as he climbed up onto his lifemate's neck. "Take my hand," he extended it down to her, "step up on his arm and then I'll pull you up in front of me so I can hold onto since he's not go his harness on." He'd probably get a good dressing down for this if F'sey saw him even though he wasn't a weyrling anymore, but F'sey would not see them and he didn't intend to let anything go wrong that would allow the greenrider to find out.
"Neither will I," Naedreth informed his rider as he dipped his stance a little lower than usual to make it easier for the inexperienced girl. "Smooth and gentle, nothing for you to worry about Mine; I am not foolish enough to let anything bad happen."
Ah yes, great and amazing Naedreth. Just so long as he left his ego on the ground this one time? This would be the first time they'd taken a passenger without straps; make no assumptions, take no risks, could he manage that?
Naedreth sighed before saying; "Yes Mine," in a long suffering tone of voice.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:57 am
She took his hand and waited for the dragon to bend a little lower for her before she stepped up on his leg then was pulled up by C'mor. She sat, holding onto Naedreth's long neck as that was the only thing she could think of to hold onto. She blushed lightly as C'mor held her from behind, for her own protection. Now that she thought about it, it was stupid to worry. Naedreth wouldn't risk his own rider's life, let alone hers. She hoped no one saw this flight, they'd just misunderstand and think C'mor and her were a couple when they weren't, they were just friends.
"Alright, we're ready." She announced when they were both situated and positioned for the flight. It was probably unnessesary, the two were probably communicating silently to one another without her knowing about it. She wondered what it was like, to talk with just your mind link? Okay focus! She stopped letting her mind wander like a wherry and held on, determined to not fall off. This would not become an embarassment where she falls off the dragon and everyone yells and laughs at her at the same time. She could do this, she was a future dragonrider!
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:00 am
Naedreth rumbled his assent to that and, once he had checked that C'mor was happy to go too, he spread his wings and gave an experimental flap. All seemed to be in order, so he gathered strength in his hind legs and sprang into the air. Strong beats of his wings carried them into the air, and once he was satisfied they had enough height he turned slowly before making for the lake.
Once they were actually in the air, C'mor relaxed; this was the easy bit, it was taking off that had concerned him the most. Both he and Oasea were still aboard however, and he didn't predict any further problems barring sudden Threadfall.
"Mine do not joke about Thread!" Naedreth said with a rumble of amusement. "I nearly spun around to look for it."
"Ha! Sorry," C'mor chuckled and shook his head at himself. "I was just thinking that given take off went well there shouldn't be any issues save sudden Threadfall. Naedreth said he nearly spun around to look for it... Ah, here we go." The lake was just before them now, glimmering brilliantly in the sun. It didn't look as though there were too many other people around; a few riders washing their dragons, a few people just relaxing or swimming but nowhere near enough to make the place crowded. "Down we go then," he said, nudging Naedreth to take the hint.
The bronze gave a mental eye-roll as he began his descent; he hadn't needed the nudge. Just because he'd nearly reacted to the word 'Thread' didn't mean he was stupid, it meant he was a dragon! Fighting Thread was what he had been born to do, and he would do it well! As they neared the ground Naedreth made a conscious effort to lose speed slowly, and thanks to his efforts they touched down with barely a bump.
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Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:54 pm
Oasea grinned weakly. He almost spun around... that would have been unexpected and scary. Not as scary as threadfall but...Cutting that thought off she glanced up at the sky nervously for thread. If that stuff fell while she was on the dragon it wouldn't be pretty. They'd want to fight it upon sight, she'd want to get off and she'd have to hang on for dear life if the dragon sped up. She was in front, would she have to feed him firestone? Did they even have firestone on them?
"Down we go then," C'mor announced. Naedreth's wing strokes changed to help loose speed in his decent. She barely felt it as he went down. Their landing was rather gentle, she was almost sad to see the ride end. Perhaps one day she would be able to ride freely with her own dragon. She could hope for the future...
"What's the plan here? Swim, sandweyrs?" Have fun? She could hope! She would help bath Naedreth too if they allowed her. Good practice and he was a decent-sized bronze, a helping hand wouldn't hurt.
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Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:14 pm
"Swim sounds good," C'mor agreed with a grin, sliding to the ground as Naedreth adjusted his stance. "It's been turns since I built a sandweyr though, and I was never all that good I must admit. Mine were always just sort of vague cone-shapes." As he spoke, he also found himself needing to explain the concept to his lifemate. The concept seemed to amuse the large dragon somewhat, but he could at least see the point; satisfaction in making something, and perhaps games of pretend. If you made your own Weyr, you could run it how you liked after all.
"Stone skipping's something I do quite a bit these days," C'mor went on after a moment. "I'm getting pretty good at that, though of course it helps that I can get Naedreth to go to the very bottom of the lake and collect all the good flat stones up for me; just another one of the fun little benefits to being a rider you don't find out about until you actually are one."
He almost wished he hadn't said that bit; it seemed cruel to get any candidates hopes up with talk of how wonderful dragons were... But then again he remembered being a candidate, remembered that he hadn't needed to hear how amazing it was to be bonded to get his hopes up. It was just there, all around you, all the time. There was no escaping it, no way to avoid watching riders and longing to be them. Besides, he'd liked hearing trivia about what it was like being bonded, even though it had made him long desperately to experience it himself. Maybe that was just his own insatiable thirst for knowledge, but C'mor had a feeling that most candidates felt the same way; who wouldn't want to know more about dragons?
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