Pick A Card, Any Card [Cloudchasers]

What W'al called "twelve candlemarks free," Day'ar called "absolute nightmare." Assisting the healers always made him feel seriously ill, and he had to have a lie-down of his own in a quiet corner of the infirmary with a wet rag over his eyes once he was finally dismissed. Packing firestone usually wasn't bad at all - he'd been doing it for so long that he was even developing muscles, so he no longer ached the morning after - but he spent today with Serah murmuring into his ear and the ugly feeling of being watched. Starfall was out there somewhere, plotting against her little sister, and Day'ar couldn't really think about anything other than the imminent attack. Which, of course, then never came.

Naturally his distraction didn't please Serah, who roundly blasted him for it, and he had to spend a good ten minutes soothing her. By this time Ambrith had gotten into a spat with Halventh, who was a silly-minded, vain little creature, and nothing would calm him down except strutting off to the herdbeast pens with Day'ar sadly trailing in his wake and personally choosing the proper meal for the day. By now he was big enough that Day'ar didn't have to cut up the beast for him, but it still led the already-grumpy Ambrith to argue with him, this time about Day'ar's habit of covering one ear and propping Serah up to the other to drown out the sounds of screaming.

First of all, they do not scream, because they are entirely too stupid to scream. Sometimes you make things up to be upset by just because you're already in a bad mood,[/i] Ambrith said, ignoring the fact that sometimes he did the exact same thing. He trotted along to the river, easily punctured the ice with a paw, and washed his bloody maw. Second, I hope you realise it is extremely embarrassing for me to have the herdbeast attendants know that my rider is afraid of screaming, which, as I have previously stated, doesn't really happen.[/i]

"I still don't like the sounds they make when you chase them," Day'ar said pathetically. "Or the sounds you make when you eat them."

She'll be far too big in a matter of months to put up by your ear. Are you going to make things worse by flopping on the ground so she can chatter in it?[/i]

This was a problem which had occurred to Day'ar, and he flushed, giving a shrug. Probably not. He had a keen sense of anti-mortification. It was just that he also had a keen sense of not hearing this stuff.

Speaking of that,[/i] Ambrith said austerely. It is quite natural for me to eat them and as my rider it is quite natural for you to attend to me while I do. This is one of those instances where I think I must put my paw down.[/i]

Nobody else got bullied by their dragon, Day'ar thought sullenly, patting Ambrith's side. Nobody.

This was probably untrue, and after a nap Ambrith was feeling much better about life and delicately nosed at his rider. The viridian really did love him, and Day'ar really loved him, and it would have been a beautiful reconciliation if Starfall hadn't finally chosen that moment to appear from under the bed and lunge at Serah's bowl.

Day'ar was in the middle of simultaneously sopping up the spilled water and giving the gray a severe set-down when Kerath called, and he and Ambrith quickly rushed outside. For once, Day'ar was not carrying his pillie's bowl; this was because said pillie was plastered to the back of his head, happily talking away until he shushed her so he could listen to W'al. Starfall followed and, as contrite as she was capable of being, suctioned onto Day'ar's leg in her favourite spot. Day'ar sighed, balanced himself accordingly - shards, she was huge and didn't belong there, but he loved her too much to shoo her until it was necessary - and listened.

Ambrith thoroughly disapproved of the presence of Q'sis and Unath, who must obviously be huge failures if they had been set back, but his scathing comments to Day'ar were tinged with anxiety. What if they were held back? Day'ar did his best to mentally soothe Ambrith while mumbling, "Hi, Q'sis and Unath," shushing Serah again, and manfully ignoring the cramp in his leg. Honestly, did anyone have as many problems as he did?

Then the whole day got even worse. Time to pick weyrs. Day'ar and Ambrith had long since chosen the one they would prefer, a vacant one just above the infirmary, but Day'ar was by no means reconciled to the whole concept of weyr-living. What if he sleepwalked and fell out? Never mind the fact that he had never been known to sleepwalk and that Ambrith would be right there to catch him; obviously it could happen. What if they were too tired to get up there and had to sleep in the Bowl and were dead of exposure by morning? What if other dragons landed on the ledge and they became trapped? And what was to become of Day'ar's pillies?

Day'ar gave W'al a speaking look at this, since the Weyrlingmaster was by no means unaware of his problem with this, but he hurried forward. "I don't know what to do," he said, ignoring Q'sis and speaking with mounting anxiety. "You know we've been looking at 398, this one right here, but then I keep thinking 345 down here is right on the ground and it's just by the infirmary too. Except I've been looking at the size suggestions and restrictions and I think this one is too big for us. That is, it's meant for subqueens. And some of the subqueens, you know, they want to eat me. As in, they've tried before. Damask could walk right in off the Bowl and use me as a chew toy."

Ambrith felt a need to interfere at this point. I would not let her. I would eat her,[/i] he informed W'al, one of the few people to whom he ever spoke directly.

Day'ar waved his arms frantically. "Do you see? Do you see? And then we'd be thrown out into the cold for killing a bonded wher. What happens to dragons who eat bonded whers, anyway? I think we need to have a lesson about this because I'm really not easy in my mind at all. And I think that amber pillie that Starfall's been dueling with might try to come into my weyr. It needs a door. How can we live in it without a big door?"

(OOC: Day'ar and Ambrith will ultimately choose 345 after all, I think!)

Contrary to how things were going for her brother, Reylia thought this was a fantastic day. They hadn't had so very many things to do, after all - well, there were the chores, of course, but by now it was becoming second nature to clean, stuff firestone sacks, and make sure Recath stayed appropriately fed. Alright, so Day'ar didn't adapt so well. There was only so much she could do to help her brother, when it all came down to it.

Kerath calls. He has more lessons for us, maybe. Recath commented in a slightly anticipatory tone. He didn't get so many ideas of his own, but he appreciated the novel things that their Weyrlingmasters introduced to them.

Only one way to tell. Let's go see, Reylia replied silently, already heading to gather with the rest of their class. She could just barely restrain a bounce at the news. Their own weyrs! They were going to get to pick their weyrs today! She did have to hide a smirk at the announcement that Q'sis would be joining them. She had heard about him, but never met the tanrider - but she'd heard more bad than good, and she couldn't approve of someone who had such a poor opinion of women in general. She'd thought the Weyrs would be a little above that kind of thinking by now.

Flocking into the line, Reylia peered at the chart when her turn came. Not the low-level weyrs her brother favored for her - with her usual decisiveness, she pointed at a smallish one high up on the west wall. "I would like that one, please, Weyrlingmaster. Number four-hundred four."


((OOC: 404 on the west wall for Reylia, please!))

Metal flowers decorated the dragon's couch, a veritable mound of them piled in one corner. Tercath had insisted she keep them close, despite them not smelling as nice as real flowers. Real ones, dried and dead, littered the area as well. The green's bulk settled comfortably among her hoard. That was until the clarion call of lessons came! Waggling with excitement, Tercath knocked over some of her scrap metal flowers making a rather bothersome sound. Thankfully hers had not been around to hear so there were no scoldings! It was such a good day already!

Oh Adamiiiiine. Oh Adamiiiine. Guess what. Kerath has called for us. We are to assemble. Doesn't that sound grand?[/i]
Adaline could do little but grumble under her breath. She was stuck filling sacks of firestone for other riders. More advanced riders. Rider's who's dragons didn't desire to chase flowers more than fight thread. To make it worse she had to help in the infermary. Sure, she had done it with the calm, cordial, and some what sugary demeanor. But behind every smile was a grimace of distaste. She had better things to do. Tercath was still a bit behind in flight. She kept getting distracted, then frustrated. She was clumsy in the sky, Adaline was trying to encourage her. She noticed Tercath was getting better, she was sure she was being too subtle though.

Dusting off her hands she stood and bid the others farewell, though surely the would be joining her.
Meet me out there. Practice your flying while you are at it. I want to see at least one smooth turn before you land. A wave of apprehension and annoyance flooded Adaline's mind, but she did her best to ignore it. Stopping to rinse her hands real quick, she smoothed out her clothes before joining the other riders. Tercath was a bit behind, and Adaline had plenty of time to listen before she spied the green in the sky. It took three turned before she did one successfully smooth and landed with a look of triumph on her face.

We will be getting our own weyrs. There are eggs now. It wasn't like Adaline hadn't expected it. It would just be... odd. Though what was really odd was their new 'classmate'. She eyed Q'sis a bit. He was the only male tanrider, and he was in their class? She was sure his class had graduated already, if she was correct in guessing when he impressed.
Oh, she is big. Isn't she? The green's attention was obviously on the tan. She curled her tail protectively around Adaline.
Don't worry, she's not going to attack. She is tan, you know how passive they are. Adaline doubted they had the ability to be mad. But still the green kept her protective hold over Adaline. That was until Adaline dislodged herself and got in line. She waited patiently with the others, thinking about where she would want to be. She wasn't really peculiar. She knew she would use it to hold her things, and to sleep in. The rest of the time she would probably be out or working on a project. Tercath just wanted some place high. Where she could see everything!

When her turn came, Adaline looked over the clipboard for a moment. There were so many weyrs to choose from, yet she kept focusing on one. Looking up to the Weyrling master, the pointed to it.
“This one. Number 321.” She had not picked one high up, no that would be too annoying. Something near the kitchens and dining hall sounded good to her.
But I wanted one high! Tercath pouted a bit.
You can still see from here. Plus the creche is below. You can watch those annoying snots when you want. Adaline could not understand why, but the green seemed to adore children. Turning to Q'sis she smiled a not very kind smile.
“If you are to gather our things, please make sure to grab even the dead flowers. Tercath and I worked rather hard to press them.”

–

The morning for Lyr was nothing out of the ordinary. She had taken the time to visit Kida before reporting to the infirmary. Where Adaline's kindness was false as could be, Lyr's was not. She would go out of her way to help. She would sit and hold hands, she would change sheets, rewrap bandages, and get Klah for anyone who needed it. And unlike Tercath, Zabelith was always near by. Satin was as well, though it was mostly due to Sequin being an insufferable 'mother'. The copper couldn't take it any more. So she perched on Zabelith's head. Zabelith too was trying to help, by speaking soothingly to the dragons there if needed, and alerting her rider to varying needs.
If you do not mind, this blue could use a small scratch, he can not reach it. It has become quite the bother.

Lyr smiled a bit as she washed her hands and went to the blue being worked on and scratched behind his headknob for him.
“There you go.” She smiled brightly before whisking off to help others. Infirmary duty, while not her favorite, wasn't a chore she minded. Really, she didn't mind any chore. But at least she felt useful in the infirmary. Even if it was just comforting and doing menial tasks.

But soon it was time to work on firestone. They were to stuff the bags. Thanking those whom had helped her, and saying goodbye, Lyr left. The moment she was out, Satin zipped over to her and chirrupped. With a chuckle, Lyr quickly ran to Zabelith and climbed onto the pink's back. Satin too her place at the pink's head again and chirruped again. Taking long strides, Zabelith took the trio to where they would fill the firestone bags.
Firestone! How interesting. We someday will have such bags you know. Someday I shall flame with the best of them. Will that not be quite the treat?[/i]

Slipping from the pink's back, Lyr nodded.
“Of course! It will be scary, but we'll be protecting everyone, especially Kidanyr.” Zabelith crooned in reply and waited patiently as Lyr went in to work. She had started to dose in the cool winter air when Kerath called.
Apologies if I am interrupting, but Kerath has called us. He and His desire to see our class. I would like to start our lessons soon, so if you could hurry that would be exquisite.
Zabelith rarely gave orders, but when she did, the dreamy pink was polite about it. Stretching, she stood and waited patiently for a sooty Lyr to join her.
Oh, dear, mine you truly are a mess. But we should not dally. You must go as you are.

Lyr just laughed a bit and once again climbed upon Zabelith's back. The pink made long strides and was quick to make it to the others. The moment she spotted them, she started her greetings.
Hello everyone! You are all looking well. She settled down next to her Viridian brother and trilled softly.
Salutations Ambrith. You looked like you have eaten well. Are the pens filled well today? As Lyr slipped from her back, she nudged the woman towards the others.

Q'sis' landing made Lyr double take a bit. She had stood with him. She had been there when he impressed. It was odd to see him in her class now. Part of her wondered as to why, but another part said not to bother. It was his business. It would be rude to ask. So she averted her eyes after giving him a smile. Zabelith was not of the same mind.
Good day Unath. I am glad to have you among us, if there is anything you need please do not hesitate to ask.

Lyr just got in line with the others when prompted and waited, waving to her fellow Cloudchasers as a greeting. She hadn't expected to be moved to her own weyr until she graduated. She hoped her room wasn't too much of a mess, the idea of a stranger rummaging through her room made her uncomfortable.