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It had been a long trip to get this far. Crossing seas and wild terrain, it had been quite the journey. Of course, it would be worth it in the end. Surely anyone who passed through the huge tunnel leading into the bowl would feel the same, awed momentarily as they were by the view of the weyr unfolding before them. The arching walls riddled with ledges that dragons came and went from were glorious, and as those dragons passed overhead one almost felt like they were welcoming newcomers, showing off to say 'See what you can accomplish here?'

Laflan had come for that reason. To attain a future beyond that which could be had at his original hold or on the high sea where he would have spent the remainder of his life plucking unwary fish from their watery home. Yes, it had been a hard battle, fought and won on the grounds of heated arguments and challenging terrain. And now...now it was just as he had dreamed. This was his new home, provided they would take him. And such perfect timing. They surely could not turn him away with a clutch in the making. And if they did...well he would simply try the hold, and present himself at search there.

A smile proudly declared Laf's mood to all around, and he resettled the canvas bag over one shoulder as he crossed the sands towards the main tunnels of the weyr. He would need someone to serve as a guide, he decided. He could find his way eventually, but things would be expedited with someone who knew the land's lay. With that in mind he kept a sharp eye out for any passerby on foot. With luck he would not be long with the Weyrwoman, of whomever he would need to see. Provided he was allowed in, he found the thought of unloading and then perhaps a nice bath ideal for the day's end. As he stepped into the main tunnel, his first real step into Ista, a glint of light on the stone walls announced the sun's final appearance for the day. It dropped quickly out of sight beyond the ridge of the bowl, leaving the area swathed in a rosy orange-pink glow.

Laf had been busily studying the walls of the tunnel, admiring their lack of a salty coating. In a seahold things invariably became covered in sea spray, and from there salt. Though Ista was on an island it had managed to avoid that fate somehow. Already thinking of home, he wondered if there was a trick to it. He'd be certain to write home later that night and see if his da had any ideas. More than once he'd been tussling in the halls and not only scratched himself on a wall lined with salt crystals, but been stung by them. Literal salt in the wound even as it was being made, and if there was a cure for something like that which would otherwise have to be manually ground down and chipped away, the better. Ironically, he could see his da rejecting such an idea...after all, salt was a valuable spice, wasn't it?

The boy turned and ducked out of the main of the hall when someone called to him. The rider was still a way off, he noted, but he was thankful regardless. Oh, but perhaps she knew where to go. As she neared he reached a hand out a ways, moving it side to side to flag her down. His grip shifted on his bag, and he swung it down from one shoulder to recline against his right shin.

"Excuse me ma'am," He yelled loud enough to be heard over the echoing of the runner's hooves on the dirt and stone of the tunnel's floor. "Would you be able to tell me the way to the Weyrwoman's place?" He joined his words with a smile. A bit of thought brushed against his mind as somewhere Nogard decided to wake and declare to all within range that he was hungry, and fish was on the menu. He'd have to remember to teach the little firelizard some manners eventually. The weyr ones might not take to such a bumpkin, even if it came wrapped in blue skin and fluttering wings much like their own.

Laflan had watched as the runner and rider slipped by and then wheeled, turning back. Her glance wasn't the kindest, but she had stopped, and he nodded a bit in thanks and respect. "Ahh," He shrugged when the woman admitted to also being new. "You too then? I'd offer a welcome but..." He shrugged again. He hadn't even been welcomed himself.

He chuckled a bit and nodded. "Nogard, yeah. He's around someplace. Probably making trouble for poor unsuspecting folks." Thinking to rein the little nasty in, he tilted his head to one side. In a blink a little blue lizard appeared, perched calmly on his shoulder and eagerly chattering at the lady on the runnerbeast. The thing had a surprisingly loud voice, probably from wanting to be heard over surf and sail at sea. Laf seemed nonplussed and patted the beasty on the head, which seemed to silence it.

"Ah, I'm Laflan. With luck, a candidate." He moved as if to offer a hand, but eyed the runner before getting too close. Dolphins he knew, fish and the nasties of the deep were all too common...Runners were a rarity. "Do you think he'd kick if I got close?" He asked plainly, not afraid, but not charging right up either.

Noting Elmina's enjoyment of Nogard, Laflan made a small gesture towards her to the firelizard, who eagerly leapt off his shoulder to flutter over and perch on her head. "Social's for certain, but I'd not bank on the well trained. He's done well enough for living out in a place like Nerat, but he's probably a bumpkin compared to the Ista ones." Nogard meanwhile had slid down to Elmira's shoulder and was busy making small talk to no one in particular.

He nodded as she repeated his name correctly. His smile returned and he did offer his hand then. "I suppose that's not too bad. If he bites me then I probably deserve it for spooking him." It couldn't be worse than some of the stings he'd gotten from some of the things they fished up from the deep, anyway.

"Nice to meet you, Elmina. What's your craft?" He offered a hand for the runner to sniff, holding his ground despite this meaning he might indeed be bitten. "Beasts?"

Nogard seemed pleased with the attention and pressed his head to the woman's hands, eager for more. Thoughts of fish turned to mental images of hands scratching a blue firelizard, obviously his way of asking for more. "Ha, kind of you to say," Laflan chuckled. "Until he tries that at the dinner table, or worse, appears from nowhere in your bowl of soup." Nogard twittered a bit indignantly, and ducked around to Elmina's other shoulder.

Assuming the runner had accepted him, Laflan patted it's nose briefly before finishing the gesture of offering a handshake, tugging one old glove off to proffer his equally worn hand. Hauling lines and tying rigging didn't leave one with delicate hands by any means.

"Ah, right. Yes, I'm to be a candidate. I was a sailor before, on my da's ship." A shrug. "I'm glad Nerat's beholden to Ista. The fact that it's an island makes me feel a bit more at home than I imagine I would if I'd gone inland." He liked to be able to smell the sea, and he'd already determined he'd have to find a quick route to the beach in the next few days.

"I suppose I should let you get on then, so we can both find our places. It's been nice meting you, I hope the weyr treats us both well."

Laflan nodded. "Thank you. I'm hoping I've made the right choice. If not," He shrugged. "Well I at least will go back to the boats." He chuckled. "Like you seem to know, not everyone has sea legs. They'll use my help gladly if the dragons won't." It was understandable. Some folks were bad with animals, some couldn't cook to save their lives. It only made sense that some fair number of people couldn't sail or fish.

Another shrug. "You might as well. He'll come back when he's ready, or once he's fat from eating and wants a nap." The blue always found him at some point or other. He'd gone to bed alone and woken to find him curled on his pillow mere inches away many times.

Nogard trilled and wrapped tighter around Elmina's neck, rumbling into her pettings and adoration. "There, see? I fear if I plucked him off you now he'd never forgive me. Or at least he'll be a handful for the next day or so. Go on, keep the lout." He waved the pair off and hefted his bag. With luck he'd be settled in in another candlemark.