Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ritsa stood among the other candidates with a similar height to her own. She had learned where she stood in the candidate lines the first day G'deon had brought her as a candidate. She had basic information that everyone knew at the time, had spent her time listening and studying. Everything said here wasn't something she hadn't heard before, and while this was her first time seeing the hatching sands she wasn't sure she agreed with the teacher. A dragon had already risen, that was the whole reason Ameleia had accompanied G'deon on his search. You couldn't have two golds in the Weyr at the same time when one was in the process of rising. They were territorial and possessive about the males that chased them and that often resulted in death of not one but two gold queens. It made sense the gold was told to leave.

Resisting the urge to clear her throat at the need to correct the teacher, Ritsa shifted from foot to foot. Even though her gear, she could still feel the warmth of the sand in her feet through the soles of her shoes. Unlike past masters, this candidate master didn't seem as strict as the rest of her Masters in the past. Tilting her head to the side to stare at the small white knot on her shoulder, she had been forced to relinquish her hold standing upon being searched. She had predicted loosing her hold status but not as soon as it had occurred. What she hadn't want to loose at the time, was her Journeywoman status.

Her eyes followed the woman before her, even in the early morning she remained bright. Ritsa couldn't help but let her shoulders sag at the thought. It was a wasted effort to have searched her, and pull her from the hold. There was no way she was going to end up impressing any dragon, it was just a fairytale that so many other individuals dreamed off. But she had heard so many stories of people getting mauled in the sands. Of individuals acting out in front of the queen at the last moment. Candidacy was a hard thing, and nearly as hard as her apprenticeship. She had however adjusted to the life rather well and enjoyed the hours she could spend with her nose in a book or scroll.

Looking at the other candidates RItsa wondered just how many turns many of them were. And from the look of some of the rolling eyes she wondered if that meant it had been more than enough for some of them. There were even two or three that looked like this might be their last chance at impression. How long would they keep her here? Her heart dropped at the thoughts, it was painful idea that she would stand in front of dragons she wanted so much to impress only for the to reject her time and again like they had so many.

She waited patiently for someone to answer the question posed to them. No one seemed willing to step forward and voice it. Raising her hand Ritsa made a point of not making eye contact with Lavi. The answer to her question was simple and detailed in their history. Touchings hadn't always occurred in pern.

Mairin was one of those already familiar with the sands. They were a place of great joy and also endless frustration. There was honestly no telling what could happen out there. Well during a hatching anyways, her experience with a touching and the stories she'd heard meant they were generally pretty sedate affairs. Although there had been brief concern last time over one of the less responsive eggs. Calith had been quick to check on it and assure the candidates that her maturing brood were all fine.

Mostly what you had to prepare with that sort of thing was having your mind poked and prodded at and having strange feelings you couldn't control washing over you. Candidates got told about this of course but Mairin felt like no amount of instruction could really prepare you for the full body and mind experience that was participating in a touching. She felt the experience was equal parts getting to know a little something about the dragons-to-be and being evaluated on terms you didn't understand while generally not knowing if you passed muster or not.


Of course the eggs could let you know if they just outright didn't care about you or want to be part of the process, Mairin mused as she fiddled with the tip of her braid. The young woman was pleased when another of her peers offered to answer the question currently being posed. She was one of the newer candidates and it was always a good sign when they were confident enough to speak up in front of those often older and more experienced than them. At least it was in her opinion anyways, she liked that sort of attitude in people.