Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman 
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jul 16, 2012 15:15:59 GMT -5
He ignored the offered hand for long enough that the dragonrider backed away. Tussbuul could not meet his escort's clinical gaze as he swung each of his legs to one side of the dragon's neckridges. After massaging his thigh, as if he might soothe it into cooperation, he scooted out to the round of the pebbly shoulder. He looked down to the talons relaxed on the Bowl floor, then began pushing himself down the bicep. When he caught in the crook of the elbow, he pulled a length of polished wood from its fastening to his back and climbed to his feet. The point of the cane made transient little dents in the dragonhide, and though Tuss eyed the first he knew better than to linger on what "damage" he might inflict on a dragon.
A sidelong glance confirmed the rider almost at his side when he dismounted the dragon's toes, both hands clasped around his baggage. Tussbuul gave the shallow, small Bowl a look before he held out his free arm for the bags. The rider slipped the loops across Tuss' hand and over his shoulder, then stepped back; a quick learner. Tuss pulled on the strap cinches till he was able to lower his left arm without the bags slipping off. He nodded to the other man, and watched him dart up his dragon's leg nimble as a whersport. He swallowed as the beast's wings flung out to double the span of its body, and fluttered once, taking it away into the night sky. Though he'd been standing quite close, the first critical beat of the ascent brushed a mere whisper of wind against his face.
The lingering purple stains of the sunset hung close enough to touch, clouds capping low on the Rim and penetrating the Bowl as a sticky-looking fog that nonetheless ran cold as a glacial stream. Even dragon wings could not broach the coalescing soup of atmosphere, and there were many gliding through the Bowl at this early evening hour. Tuss tried not to duck each time the enormous living aircraft cut into view and rumbled over his head. He rubbed his gloved hands together, rolling the cane wood between the heels of his palms as he clenched and unclenched his fingers. The sky was looking like snow, but he'd heard that was rare at Dalibor.
The distant clamor of running water he heard had to be the waterfall feeding the Weyr lake, which was deathly quiet for its own part. Tussbuul almost stepped into it as he searched for a reasonable landmark to guide him through the mist. He found a stone bridge, but he was already on the correct side of Dalibor: his new home was tucked under the southwestern wall, behind the Weyr's students and babies. But he was hungry too, torn from that priority only by the threat of having his weighty bag as a dinner guest. The metal buffer on the point of his cane touched back down on the stone with a muted tock, all straightness sliding out of his silhouette as he leaned on it.
Master Tussbuul headed southwest.
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Gray
Wingrider 
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jul 16, 2012 20:09:10 GMT -5
I wasn't much further, that she knew. It would be near the bridge, or at least, she thinks that's the bridge. Peering at her 'map', Kidanyr tried to match up one blob with the arched construct. Truthfully, it wasn't even a map. It was a napkin with a Klah stain on it, but to the imaginative 4 turn old, it was a map that lead to treasure. Good treasure, she was sure of it. Firelizard eggs, and bubbly pies, and pretty dresses. Bundled in her winter clothes, she waddled forth, one hand grasping her 'map' as tightly as she could.
There was a bounce to her step, this would be a good adventure, she could feel it in her bones! There would be lots of stories to tell Quintin. The pillie did hate the winter, and Kida was careful not to bring her out too long. No, this was an adventure only for hardened explorers like herself. The dragon was the first thing she noticed, lifting a gloved hand, Kida eagerly waved. She didn't think she knew the rider, nor could they see her when they were so up, but it became habit. Plus, she would have felt bad. Looking at the sky, she sighed happily. She liked watching them fly, it was the best.
It was the sound that pulled her away. It was a soft sound, but one she didn't know well. The click of metal on stone was getting closer. Her interest was now pique. Quickly, or as quickly as she could while bundled, she made her way closer to the sound, bouncing happily when she saw Tussbuul. Brightly gloved hands once again became a little blur as she waved furiously.
“Hello! Hi!”
She didn't know who he was, but guessing from the bags? Well she figured he was new, or here for a shot stay like some hapers or runners. She would just have to find out. How else would she tell Quintin and the other weyrbrats?
“My name's Kidanyr. This is Dalibor! Are you gonna live here? I live here. It's a good place to live, I think.” She spoke a mile a minute, a flurry of high pitched childish questions and statements that sometimes blended together.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jul 17, 2012 9:52:18 GMT -5
Tuss' silvery head tilted away from his destination to the beating of jewel-bright wings, squinting till they resolved into tiny hands. The girl was very insistent about capturing his attention, and though she had it he took a moment to reply.
"Hello," he said, a smile coalescing on his drawn face. He listened to her, then tapped his way over. Though the Master sometimes found himself outgrown even by women, he towered over this child, and found himself in the position of standing a bit away from her just so he did not ache his neck looking at her. "I am. For now." His fingers worked on the knob of his cane, and then he leaned down to put his left glove within range of Kidanyr's chubby little arm. She might only manage to greet one or two of his fingers, but it was the thought that counted, right? Pale eyes blinked at her.
He had not seen many children since he was one himself, and even fewer distanced from the protective curtain of their mothers' skirts. But this was a Weyr. The offspring of dragonriders and the normal types that served them were allowed to run wild as unclipped wherries- or something like that. The miniature blonde in front of him did not seem troubled by her liberty, so he would not take concern on her behalf. "It's not as cold as where I come from," he suggested, corroborating the tot's argument. "My name is Tussbuul."
The miner had noticed the thin trinket held captive by Kidanyr, but he could not distinguish if it was an object worth investigating or a highly coveted used tissue. He didn't feel like asking. "My home is supposed to be close to the creche." He gave a hopeful glance around the foggy air, then shook his head and smirked back at the girl. "Do you know any experts on Dalibor that might lead me there?"
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jul 17, 2012 11:19:31 GMT -5
New person, new person! Kida bounced on the tips of her toes. Oh, and he was a tall new person! Of course, everyone was tall compared to her. Other children might find it intimidating, but it was hard for tall to be intimidating when you lived around dragons. They made tall people look puny. Prancing forward, she grabbed a hold of his hand, though it was only a few fingers technically, and shook it in typical childish fashion.
“You'll like it here. It's really nice. Lots of good food and people.” She nodded sagely. She knew all about Dalibor and wouldn't mind sharing her knowledge.
Wyerlife was different, and Kida probably should not have been out of the creche, but she did have a habit of sneaking out. She couldn't explore properly when stuck to the under halls. Plsu if she hadn't who would have met this man? It would have been really sad if no one had greeted him!
“It's nice to meet you Tussbuul!” She pronounced his name slowly at first, as was her habit. She hoped she hadn't pronounced it wrong, though she often messed up somewhere. Names were difficult.
“Where do you come from? My momma says we came from someplace really cold too. But I don't remember it. I was jus' a baby.” Kida knew lots of stories about High Reaches. But she couldn't really form an opinion on the place. Dalibor was where she had always been.
Shifting on the stones, she placed her 'map' in her belt. She could get to that another day. This was far more important. Maybe the map had led her here on purpose though. Maybe Tussbuul was who she was supposed to find. She didn't know of maps led to people. But this one did.
“Oh! I live in the creche! I can show you! I can!” She was back to bouncing, holding one hand in the air eagerly. As if there was anyone else close by to do it. But by the first egg she would be the tour guide. Surely she knew Dalibor better than anyone else.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jul 17, 2012 12:02:16 GMT -5
"I do like food," Tussbuul said, reminiscing on his farewell pastry from Telgar. He had taken it several hours ahead of his scheduled transfer to Dalibor, never sure how his stomach would take to Between. Perhaps he had acquired an immunity to it from his handful of trips, for he did not feel nauseous at all. He considered Kidanyr's attempt at his name. "There's a 'z' hiding in there," he offered. "Tussbuul. It wouldn't show up if you wrote it on a hide, though, and I don't think my parents would mind either way. They appreciated a good word prank."
He lifted his shoulders, grinning. "I suppose most people know winter, at least. Hazard of the North. I was near Telgar...but I started in High Reaches. Pretty names for such places..." High Reaches was one of the few major holds to take a title honoring the land instead of some long-dead man. He would have thought the new Weyr would be auspicious enough to take Sorka's name for its own, but perhaps highlighting more recent history suited it. It was inexperienced and it shone with youth. A child.
Tuss repositioned his cane and turned to the southwest. "Thank you for being so gracious," he chuckled to the wriggling girl. He lifted the cane tip and pointed in the expected direction. "I was thinking this way." The Craftsman looked back at Kida. "But you're the Master."
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jul 17, 2012 20:07:42 GMT -5
She loved food too. Already her stomach rumbled at the thought of bubbly pies and warm roast wherry. She'd have to eat after all this touring. At his explanation of his name, she tried again, though she put too much emphasis on the 'z' sound. Kida laughed a bit.
“You have a fun name!” Kida didn't think her name was so fun. Kidanyr. It always sounded funny to her. Kida was much better. Nice and short.
She didn't know much of other places. She was learning the names of all the holds and Weyrs, because that was important. But she didn't know much about them. She made a mental note to fix that. She was sure if she asked really nicely people would tell her! Tussbuul had just insured that some people would be getting very hyper interviews.
“It's thatta way! I'll lead, ok? Then maybe you can meet quintin. She's the best. She's good. My momma says she keeps me safe.” She marched forward, looking back every now and then to make sure Tussbuul was following. She didn't want him getting lost. If he did, she might have to get a dragonrider.
“Are you gonna be a candi-date?”
Kida figured everyone wanted to be a candidate. She did. But they said she was too small. Even Zabelith said she was too small! Hm. She'd show them. She'd impress an awesome dragon. She just had to nab herself one of those robes, so the baby dragons knew she was there too! Because, of course, that was exactly how it worked. Kida didn't remember it well, but she was sure that Dolphineer had a Robe on under his normal clothes.
As they walked, she was sure they were getting close. She could tell! Spying a door, she added a skip to her step! Man she was just the best! The best guide in the entire weyr! Maybe the best in all of Pern! Harpers would sing songs about Kida the Adventurer/Explorer/Guide/Dragonrider/Pillierider!
Except the door she had spied did not, in fact, lead to the Creche, but to the infirmary. That she didn't know until she was in the middle of the room, looking at the beds, the medicinal stink of fellis prickling at her nose.
“Oh. Yes. This... Is not the right place.” She sighed and bit and tutted under her breath. Kida was sure the Infirmary and the creche had switched places on purpose, to make a fool of her.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jul 18, 2012 8:37:08 GMT -5
"I'm a bit out of the range for it," Tuss said. "And had I any aptitude, I expect High Reaches would have noticed." Kidanyr was absolutely right. Every child wanted to be a dragonrider. But Tussbuul was no longer young, and he had long ago put away that dream like any other baby's toy.
They were journeying north, against his best recommendations. From the flank of the Weyr he picked up the olfactory announcements of afternoon snacks and fires gurgling over dinner. At least he knew where the food would be. His head stayed tilted after the dining hall for long after they passed it, but he caught Kida swerving in front of him from the corner of his eye. He stopped on the lame idea that he might actually step on her, but she had already taken off for a gap in the wall.
The miner stumped after her, and into the veil of herbal odors marking the infirmary. All the patients were human today. One of them was groaning; it sounded close, but for all his examination of the area Tussbuul could not find the sound's source. "Just somewhere familiar then, to help me get my bearings," he murmured in reply, then ticked his cane purposefully out of the stinking cavern. He stood in the entrance, back to the healers' work, face embraced anew by the winter cold.
Tuss glanced south, but smiled at Kidanyr and took a few suggestive steps even further to the north. He could hear but not see Dalibor's famous Bowl waterfall rattling in the fog. "Perhaps there is something interesting this way. Lead on."
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jul 23, 2012 22:03:28 GMT -5
Kidanyr worried at her bottom lip with her teeth. She had just made a mistake. The sharp tang of medicine hurt her nose and coupled with her frustration, was starting to give her a headache. Oddly, she wasn't frustrated about leading Tussbuul to the wrong place, but she was upset at herself. She knew where the creche was! How could she get herself turned around? Kida sighed softly to herself, then turned to grin at Tussbuul.
“Sorry! I got it wrong.” It was all she said before looking around, squinting at the area, as if willing it to become the creche.
Now all she had to do was figure out what she had done wrong. Kida was certain she had gone the right way! Peering out the door, she looked both ways before pulling back. Ok. She was a bit more lost that she had previously thought. Walking to one of the healers, she tugged lightly on his shirt until he looked at her. Whispering, she conversed with him, asking directions. The healer, taking it in stride, kept his voice low as well.
Directions in mind, she pranced back to Tussbuul, giving the healers a merry wave.
“I know now! I turned wrong.” Kida giggled a bit. She still had difficulty with remembering which way was left, and which was right. With out the different colored bracelets her mum gave her, she tended to get lost a lot. But not now! The four turn old was certain she knew the way now. It just required a little turn. There was no possible way she would get lost now.
Eagerly she walked north, remembering that yes, the waterfall was away from the creche!
“I wanna be a dragon rider! Or I wanna have a Wher! Whers are big. An' I think they are cute. I wanna meet one, but my momma says they are mean. I'm gonna meet one any ways. Because I'm not scared of them. They keep us safe. An' anything that keeps us safe can't be mean. I know that for sure!” Kida immediately picked up their prior conversation the moment they were away, and jabbered on. The girl talked quite a bit as she trudged on, following one of the paths that she was now certain lead to the creche.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jul 24, 2012 14:39:50 GMT -5
Tussbuul followed. Even as he was, he had to step slowly to stay in the girl's wake- and carefully, as she had a meandering quality to her advance that threatened to go under the point of his cane. His caution caused him to fall behind, but he was so busy trying to look through the fog that he did not notice till Kida's voice piped up like a trumpet in front of him. He listened, but did not process a whole lot of her praises for the defenders of Pern as he stepped up beside her. They had found the edge of a seep, which his ears told him was the pool into which the falls emptied. The walls were steep rock, and though he did not snatch at Kidanyr he did lean a little ahead of her.
Coils of fog slinked along the surface of the water, and a wind blew moisture off the waterfall's landing at him. He raised his arm in front of his eyes, then turned around to get to Kidanyr's other side, then gestured to a stone railing protruding from the mist.
"You could just get one of each," he mused in a dry voice he hoped was soft enough that no dragons or whers could hear. A warbling behind him made him think his indulgence to Kidanyr would cost, but the noise evaporated into a chitter, then a creel. Tuss squinted over his shoulder. The noises were small for dragons, and this fog too bright for whers. Firelizards then, or...Weyrlings, of course. Dragons were babies at some point too- an even stranger concept than the one where his introduction to Dalibor was being conducted by a child. The youthful liveliness of this place was entirely alien.
He trekked after Kidanyr to a path that had no chance at all of leading to the creche. Tussbuul stepped under the overhang anyway, if only to escape the surges of mist off the falls. He blinked in the dim corridor, detecting a patch of light ahead that was being warped by the passage of water: the falls' backside. His silvered head bent to regard the cool lighting playing down the path before him, the stone worked into a natural staircase. All the steps were uneven, each one ajar from the last, and from the bottom a faint promise of heat. "Maybe not," he judged the passage, turning around. "Your mother transferred- came -from another Weyr?" he inquired, both from curiosity and as a lead to get Kida to follow him back outside rather than scampering down that strange stair. "I thought it rare for dragonriders to..." He didn't want to use the word betray, even if that was his impression. "...leave the place their dragon Hatched." It went without saying that Kida's mother was a rider, at least to him. The quintessential Weyrbrat was always the off of riders, with extra canonicity awarded to those spawned from Flights. "Which was it?"
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Aug 9, 2012 3:29:09 GMT -5
Both! She had never thought of both!
“Both would be nice. Yes. Both.” She nodded, as if it made more sense now. She would just impress both. It would be easy! Surely if you could have Pillies and Firelizards and Dragons, she could easily have a wher and a dragon! Then she would fight thread during the day and night! A perfect idea.
For a moment, she wandered off the path to inspect some frozen plants. The light bouncing off their dark, brown, frost covered exteriors. Soon. Soon they would grow fresh and green and there would be flowers! Then she and Mum and Zabelith could go out and collect them. Spring would certainly mean babies. Dragon babies. Firelizard babies. Pillie babies. All the babies. And she would be able to find them, because she was the best at finding things. Her thoughts bounced from one subject to another before she remembered she was guiding Tussbuul. Looking behind her, she skipped eagerly to him.
“This is the way. I know it is.” There was no wavering qualities to her voice. She was 100% certain in the way only the young can be. She marched on her path until he spoke again. For a moment, she regarded the staircase dubiously. She was sure it was down there. But well, not she wasn't so sure again. Her nose scrunched up as the weyrbrat thought it over before she skipped back to Tussbuul once again. She made no mention of her mistake, but answered his question.
“Not another Weyr.” She shook her head, causing her hair to tangle around her face a bit before she quelled the thick mass.
“From High Reaches. She got searched and then we were brought here. I don't remember. Not very well at least. Zab'ith hatched here. I saw it!” She nodded proudly, for Kida was extremely proud. She had been there to see her mother impress! How many other weyrbrats could say that?
“Zab'ith is younger than I am. I'm four turns! She's only...” She paused for a moment to count out on her fingers.
“Two. Two turns.” In fact, Kida was almost five turns of age! But she felt no need to rub that in.
As she explained, she lead him on the path that, for now, certainly had to be the one to the Creche. For there were not many paths yet! And this one was wider, like it was used more often. Certainly, this one, led to the Creche and Staff housing! As long as Kida did not stray to one of the lesser used paths that led to the Storage areas, that is.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Aug 15, 2012 11:54:13 GMT -5
She was Searched and we were brought here. The Weyr had stripped a new mother of her hold just to collect another Candidate.
Yet everything had worked out. Kidanyr was a healthy, happy tot, even strong in her independence. Since when did Bully start suffering on behalf of the little children? He shook off the infant instinct before it could nestle up against his heart.
"You're her big sister then," he heard himself saying, and he felt his feet tapping against a changing plateau of igneous stone as he followed Kida's direction with all the private verication of an ovine. His head craned in the blatantly correct direction, though the fog made his proper destination impossible to pick out. He still shuffled after the girl, and found himself in a dim, dry tunnel. The shift in the quantity of light and quality of air left him dizzy, leaning on his cane more than what his leg demanded. He pressed his left hand to his lowest ribs, glancing to all the sidetunnels that appeared to have lights at their ends.
A few Weyrfolk meandered out of one and down another, paces casual, chatter high. Tussbuul's gaze followed them out of sight, then he waved his cane-point at one of the corridors that, by the white tone of its illumination, simply curved back around to the Bowl. "This way." He led this time, back out to the impeded sunlight. "I need to put this bag down at some point," he lamented. "So I think I had best go this way. I sense there's a place to put it." And he started southwest, slow enough to allow Kidanyr to keep up. He could see an enormous opening lining the wall he left, and jagged shapes rustling inside: watchwhers. Tuss put his back to them, focusing on not wandering onto the dragons' misty feeding grounds instead. He followed a tall fence, unable to see the animals. He just smelled them. He could almost forget Kidanyr was even there.
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