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 Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:56 pm
Lanamine, I feel silly.
"Oh, hush up and come on," Lanakirene said cheerfully to her dragon, turning around, looping her arms around Isonth's neck, and tugging her bodily into the deeper water of the lake. Isonth squalled and thrashed, wings and tail sending up sheets of water as she lost her footing and got tugged into water that would have been collarbone-deep on her girl. La let go of her as soon as they were at the same depth, grinning and splashing playfully at Isonth, who was paddling with her head far out of the water, eyes flickering with yellow in her annoyance. La herself was stripped as much as was decent, floating on her back and watching her dragon with amusement. "Oh, sweetheart," she said softly, laughing. "Stop being such a spoilsport."
Oh, hush up, Lanamine. It wasn't often that the happy little dragon sounded so entirely grumbly. This was no way to be spending one of the sizable breaks that weyrlings got to care for their dragons. They could be doing something more fun, like eating again. Or getting oiled. Isonth, calming down after her rider's sudden surprise pounce, relaxed and swam closer to La, head low like some sort of lurking waterbeast.
La didn't realize what her dragon was doing until it was far too late, and managed a strangled yell before a thrash of the tail took her under the surface. Fighting to the surface again and sputtering furiously, La got to her feet and scowled at the dragonet. Isonth's eyes whirled with mirth, and she paddled back to shallower water, standing up as soon as her feet could touch bottom again and shaking, sending a deluge of water straight at La.
Spluttering and gasping, La threw her hands in front of her face. "All right, all right, I get it! Isonth! I get it!" she said, leaning down and splashing a few palmfuls of water at Isonth's face as soon as her dragon had stopped the onslaught. Hissing in a half-playful, half-annoyed manner, Isonth lowered her head and charged forward again, accompanied by another sizable wave.
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Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:39 pm
Mirea, who was sitting on a rock not farm from the lake on one of her rare times to herself, sat up as she heard splashing. Nervous she might be intruding, she quietly glanced behind her, toward the lake. There she saw a weyrling and her dragon in the water. A smile danced in her brown eyes as she watched the two play. Once again her thoughts wandered to what it must be like to be connected to a dragon, mind and soul. Fleetingly she pictured herself in the same situation, before shaking the thought from her head. There was no guarantee she would impress. She scolded herself once again. With a sigh she decided, for the second time since coming to the Weyr, that she would try to make friends.
She stood, stretching as if she had casually had enough of sitting on the boulder. With all the confidence she could muster she strode up to the water's edge, letting the waves hit the souls of her boots. "Hello there." She called, trying to sound cheery, and confident. Even though she felt nervous and silly. Absently her first finger picked at her thumbnail as she waited for a reply.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:57 pm
Laughing wildly and diving aside from Isonth's onslaught, La almost didn't hear the call of the other girl, but when she did, she stood straight up and faced her, cocking her head to one side and reaching out to still Isonth, who was sneaking up on her from behind. She wasn't sure she had met this girl; recently, a lot more candidates had been showing up (she was beginning to wonder about them; there were only so many dragons to begin with...and with the Weyr so crowded already...) and there were a great deal of faces she hadn't managed to get to know yet. She wondered if Nan would know her, then laughed at the silly question. Of course Nan would know her.
She appraised the girl briefly, a sly smile flickering over her lips before settling in a broad grin as she jerked her chin up in acknowledgment and ran a hand through her hair. "What ho!" she called out, glancing down as Isonth made her way to her side. Resting a hand on her dragon's head, she scratched between her headknobs and waited for a response from Mirea.
Who is this, Lanamine, Isonth asked, and La gave a mental shrug and shake of her head. Couldn't tell you, Isonth, she answered silently, praying that her mental speech would go through and make sense to the dragon. Satisfied, Isonth bumped La's waist affectionately with her head and then looked at Mirea as well. She doesn't have a dragon, she said conversationally, and La nodded.
So she's waiting for the next clutch.
Yep. That's right.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:05 pm
Mirea's grin turned into a full smile as she was received warmly by the weyrling. Thank the first egg she had run into someone pleasant. Mirea wasn't sure she could handle an unhappy rider at the moment. She knelt to dip her hand in the water.
"I'm Mirea of Ista Hold." She said, by way of introduction. "I'm a candidate and an artisan." She smiled, always proud of her craft. "That's a beautiful green you have there." Truly admiring the dragon's color, she hoped, for the millionth time since coming to the Weyr, that she would Impress.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 4:14 pm
"Well, good day to you, Mirea of Ista Hold," La said with a grin, dropping a low, flourishing bow and then tipping her head up so as to avoid breaking eye contact with Mirea. When she complimented her dragon, La laughed softly and hugged Isonth roughly to her. Hear that, Isonth? She loves you!
I can see that, Isonth answered with a grin in her voice, and her eyes whirled blue as she tugged away from La and moved over to inspect Mirea and the rock on which she was sitting. She is a sweet girl, Lanamine.
She's just a flatterer, La shot back with a laugh, then walked up behind her dragon and nodded. "Isonth thanks you, as do I. Lanakirene, junior weyrling and rider of green Isonth," she said easily, reaching out to shake Mirea's hand.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 4:43 pm
Mirea's eyes twinkled as she watched the affection between dragon and rider. She hadn't seen many dragons in her day but she meant what she said about this green. She was lovely indeed. As the dragon moved toward her the candidate silently held her breath. She had never been this close to a dragon, save when she was searched, and even then it was just that short, stomach wrenching flight and the passage between. She shuddered at the thought. There was nothing like that experience, not one she ever wanted to repeat though, she knew, she would have to if she became a rider. Her mind wandered until the rider spoke again. She dipped her head respectfully at the introduction and gladly took the outstretched hand. "Isonth and Lanakirene," She said out loud so as to commit the names to memory. It would do her well to remember everyone she met. After shaking hands with the rider Mirea took a chance and held a shaky hand out to the young dragon, hoping against hope that she didn't offend the pretty creature.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 4:57 pm
Hmm. Flatterer or not, I like her, Isonth decided, sniffing Mirea's fingers after her girl had shaken hands with the Candidate. After a moment, she bumped her nose against Mirea's hand and then reared up, putting her forefeet on the rock so as to better look into Mirea's eyes. Yes, I think she's nice, she said decisively, turning to look back at La with a bright gleam in her eyes. La laughed and dropped her hand down to rest between Isonth's wing's.
"How long have you been here, Mirea?" she asked lightly, watching Isonth and making sure she didn't intimidate the girl. The last thing La would need was for an overzealous happy dragon to tip the poor girl into the lake. After a moment, she reached up and gently pulled Isonth's nose back down to a more managable level. That's enough, sweetheart, she said gently, and Isonth tipped her head to look at her.
Why?
Because you don't need to go frightening the candidates, dearest, La answered, kissing her dragon between the eyeridges and looking back to Mirea again.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:43 pm
The nervous candidate giggled, lightening her mood, as the dragon bumped her hand. As the dragon rose to her level Mirea couldn't keep from feeling a little apprehensive but far less nervous then before, to be sure. "Only a few days but I love it here." She said to the rider, her eyes dancing at the thought of weyrlife. Her smiled dropped a bit as the dragon was pulled down. She was enjoying both of their company immensely. "How long have you been here?" She asked conversationally. She hoped it wasn't a silly question but she wasn't sure what else to say. What did a candidate talk about with a rider? They were close in age but they seemed dragonlengths apart in life experiences.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 7:35 pm
"Um, about four turns or so," La answered after a moment's thought. "Came here from Ista Hold as a Candidate," she added, then nodded and released Isonth's nose when she realized that the other girl seemed to be all right with the dragon. Isonth, freed from her hold, leaped upward, scrabbling at the rock and pulling herself up onto it. Flicking her wings a few times, she shook from nose to tailtip, completely disregarding the girl standing next to her as she dried herself off. After a moment, she lay down with a good number of complicated movements, curling her legs under herself, laying her head on the rock, and spreading her wings to catch the sun.
Shaking her head, La climbed up after her. "You'll have to forgive her, she's just a baby," she said apologetically. "I hope she didn't get you too wet."
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:17 pm
"From Ista hm?" Mirea smiled at the thought of the hold that had been her home the past two turns. "It's lovely there. Of course, not as lovely as here." The last bit was said hastily, so as not to offend. She giggled as the dragon shook. Reaching down she flicked water back at the dragon. "You can have it back thanks." She said playfully. With a smile she watched the weyrling. She shook her head earnestly. "Not at all! It feels nice anyway." Glancing at the sun she sighed. She knew she should be returning soon to begin on her chore but she didn't want to. It was so nice outside and quite the experience interacting with this pair. Searching for an excuse to stay out was proving fruitless.
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:03 am
"Ista Hold is beautiful," La agreed. "Did you ever have a chance to visit the glass-smith hall? It was gorgeous as well." Pausing, she considered the girl's assertion that Ista Weyr was more beautiful.
It's grey all over inside, Isonth pointed out, and La tipped her head. Hush, dearest. It's beautiful outside, La shot back before nodding slowly to Mirea. "I think Weyrs and Holds are pretty in different ways," she said aloud. "The Weyr is very different in its looks than the Hold. But both are pretty."
Mirea's easygoing behaviour with her dragon made La smile; it was good to know that this Candidate, at least, wasn't going to be scared stiff on the Sands when it came time to stand for next clutch. That was certainly an improvement over La's first Hatching. Isonth, on the other hand, was somewhat surprised when Mirea flicked water back at her. Lifting her head and blinking several times, she looked at the girl, casting surprise into La's head. La giggled and sank down onto the rock beside her, hugging her gently. "She's playing with you because you got her wet," she remarked quietly to the little dragon, speaking aloud for Mirea's benefit. Isonth glanced at her, glanced back at Mirea, and then snorted and put her head down.
You humans and your splashing games, she said, feigning grumpiness. Dragons know the proper uses for water; none of this splashing around like drowning herdbeasts. La giggled and shook her head. When Mirea looked at the sun, La made a face as she realized this girl was probably still learning the run of Candidate chores. "Where are you set to be heading off to next?" she asked.
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:38 pm
Mirea angled he head as she tried to remember her days at Ista. Damn her terrible memory. "Yes, I'm sure I have. My old master used to scurry about the Hold like a wherry with it's head cut off and I, being his apprentice, had to follow." Her eyes glossed over for a moment as she remembered the days of her master's health. Now of course, he lay in a sickbed at Ista Hold, simply waiting for his time. She shook her head to clear the memory and smiled.
"The Weyr is more beautiful to me because of all the fascinating people." She smiled at Isonth as if to say the dragons were fascinating as well. As Isonth lifted her head Mirea momentarily froze, had she offended the young dragon? With a sigh of relief Mirea heard what La said and relaxed.
"Ahh, I've got to go back to the lower caverns and copy records." She made a face at the mention of the lower caverns. She hated it down there, it was terribly eerie and no natural light at all. With a sigh she stepped out of the water and began using her sleeve to dry her feet so she could put her boots back on.
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:51 am
"All of Ista is gorgeous, really," La said, inspecting her fingernails for something to do while she listened to Mirea. When the girl mentioned that she liked the people more, and included Isonth in that comment, La nodded slowly. "Dragonriders and weyrfolk are a different breed completely," she agreed. "And I've made more friends here in four turns than I did in fourteen back at the hold. And I have Isonth. So I can't say I don't like it more here."
Good, Isonth said, and La shook her head and laughed. When Mirea mentioned she'd be copying, La perked up. "You must have wonderful handwriting," she said, obvious surprise written on her face. La herself was literate, but her penmanship was abysmal, and she had never had to copy records of any sort. Watching Mirea dry her feet, La didn't get up.
"I could walk with you part of the way if you like," she offered after a moment.
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:02 pm
Mirea laughed in spite of herself. "Yeah friend's were never my thing before I came here." Still grinning she nodded. "You could say that. My master used to say my handwriting was 'Fit only for records'" She puffed out her chest to do an impression of her master. With a woosh of air and a smile she rturned to her normal self. "I'd love that." She said pulling on her second boot. Once it was laced she stood and stretched. The sun was so nice that she was loath to leave it's warmth, but she knew, if she was going to make it on time to her chore she'd have to leave now. With a light sigh she pointed herself toward the entrance to the lower caverns and waited for La to join her.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:35 am
La laughed at Mirea's imitation of her master and then nodded, standing up and brushing the dirt off her legs. "I left my clothes on the bank," she added, pointing to the totally disheveled pile of cloth and boots she had abandoned earlier. "I'll only be a tick," she added, stepping lightly down off the rock and dashing toward the clothes. Isonth followed, at a significantly slower pace. I don't see why those are so important, Lanamine, she remarked, and La burst out laughing.
"Because it's inappropriate to go running around the weyr half-naked, you silly thing!" she answered, pulling her shirt over her head and stepping into her boots. Not bothering to lace them, she ran her hands through her hair in an effort to un-muss it that just made it messier, and then walked back over to Mirea. "All right then. Lower caverns, ho!" she said brightly, and Isonth snorted.
I'm not going down there, but you can walk her inside, at least, she said. La looked at Isonth and then nodded. Glancing ad Mirea, she gave an apologetic shrug. "Isonth's not comfortable with tunnels, but I'll walk you part of the way."
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