Lost in the Lower Caverns {Open!}

[Nia]

This had been a really, really bad idea from the start. Shards! Why was she so stupid?! Exploring the sharding Lower Caverns?! She'd only been here a few days! She barely knew her way around the Candidate Barracks, let alone the rest of the Weyr. But nooo, she'd had to go and wander around until she got pathetically lost. And she was way too embarassed and prideful to ask anyone for help. Not that anyone was even down here besides her. This had been such a stupid idea, she wished she'd never come down here.

"I think we've passed this same storage room five sharding times now," Avalle snapped to Yulari, who rubbed against her bonded's cheek, trying to help calm her down. This was just so frustrating! Why didn't she have a sense of direction that actually worked?! "You know, you could fly ahead and figure out the way for me," she said to the yellow who was currently wrapped around her neck like a scarf. The yellow sent feelings of alarm and fearfulness, what if something had happened to Avalle while she was gone?! She could be attacked! The brown-haired girl sighed, Yulari wasn't going to be convinced to find a way out on her own, so she might as well just give up. Useless fire-lizard.

Well, she might as well try to find a way out on her own. It's not like she was going to suck up her pride enough to ask anyone who walked by anyway, so she figured she should get used to living down here, since she was never going to find a way out. Frowning prominently more than usual, the girl continued wandering through the Lower Caverns, growing more annoyed with each step and each wrong turn she took. She really did have an awful sense of direction.

Growing even more frustrated, she pounded her fist against one of the walls angerly, as though she could break through it and get out. "We're just walking in circles!" she almost screamed, hitting her head against the wall lightly. Yulari chirped in concern and nuzzled Hers repeatedly, trying to get her to calm down and think rationally. Or at least, that's what Avalle figured she meant with her strange pictures and feelings. Sighing, she leaned against the wall she'd just been hitting her head against, rubbing her temples in annoyance. "You can stop now, I'm fine," she muttered, and Yulari went back to being curled around her neck while the girl stopped to think. She would just have to go back the way she came! Easy....

Or, she could suck up her pride and ask the next person who walked by if they could help her out. But that was so embarassing and she could take care of herself! Well... maybe this proved that she very well couldn't.

[kia]

This is different. So very different from what he was use to. But this was good. He liked this change. So very different. And they were not here. Not here anymore. To ever bother him again. To be mean to him. To pick on him.

Okeris had decided to go exploring the Weyr after arriving a few days ago. It was something he needed to do. He needed to know where he would go after he Impressed or where he would go if he did not Impress. He would not return home. He was here for life. If he Impressed, then he would hopefully be able to join the ranks of the amazing dragons that fought Thread. If he did not Impress, maybe his lifestyle of working hard would impress others to let him work in some of the most trusted jobs. And maybe he could be used for help from dragonriders?

Lira was circling him, sending him pictures of dragons and of a Flight. Kalith`s Flight that had been earlier. Lira chirped and switched a picture of some yellow dragon and a pink dragon and so many other colors. Okeris had a mental smile in his head, but his physical smile did not show. Crazy little bugger. Lira was an enjoyment. One of his cousins had two Fire lizards. How did she handle them? He could only imagine.

Lira started chirping rapidly, sending images of something yellow and brown. He looked up and noticed that Lira was focusing in on a Yellow Fire Lizard that was snuggling up to the brown hair of a girl. Was she lost? She did not look lost. Then again, he was sort of lost. But it was the lower caverns. All you needed to do was find the rocky stairs that lead upward. But still, he couldn`t help but stare at the girl, more in curious than anything. Should he offer to help or not? That was his predicament.

[Nia]

Avalle had been ready to suck up her pride at any moment there happened to be a stranger that wandered by. But when Yulari sent her the image of a boy and another flitter approaching, she'd tensed up. She couldn't help it, really! It was a natural reaction to be kind of nervous when meeting new people! It wasn't like she was anti-social or anything! Well... maybe she was... but she just didn't want to embarass herself! That was just so hurtful to her poor pride. And Avalle didn't think her pride would be able to take much more after this.

She was tempted to just walk in the other direction and ignore him, but then again, he might know the way out! She could leave! It shouldn't be as hard as it was to find some stupid staircase. She'd probably just been making the same wrong turn over and over, but was too frustrated to notice. Yulari tangled herself in Avalle's hair some more, seeming kind of anxious. She wanted to go back to the open sky, but she didn't want to leave Avalle alone. So she wasn't going to. If only she could carry Hers out of there, then everything would be easier....

Anyway, taking a deep breath, Avalle turned to face Okeris, trying to put on the friendliest smile she could manage and probably ended up looking a bit demonic in the process. Toning it down a bit, she lifted her hand in a slight wave and walked towards him. "Um, hi," she said, feeling rather awkward. Yulari chirped at Lira in greeting, crawling around Avalle's neck to her shoulder to get a closer look at the other fire lizard. Her tail was still wrapped around Avalle's neck though, but if it was to keep her balance to stay closer to Avalle neither could say.

"I, uh, I think I'm lost," she said with a nervous laugh, her face reddening. This was so lame! Getting lost in the lower caverns just seemed so pathetic. Not to mention that asking for help just made her seem so dependant, which was something she never wanted to be seen as. "Could you help me? Maybe?" she laughed nervously again, trying to hide her embarassment which was quite obvious. Whatever, she just wanted to get out of here and never come back. If she ended up not Impressing she'd just... uh, sneak herself into the Candidate Barracks forever, or something. It was possible! But she sure didn't want to come back here ever again. Shards....

[/blockquote]

[kia]

Okeris was slightly shy himself. But he was not anti social. More than anything he was person who sat in the corner and watched everyone, listening and reading them and their expressions. Humans were a very interesting creature to watch. They had an array of emotions. And it somewhat surprised him at times how Fire Lizards, Dragons, and Whers also shared the same feelings and thoughts as well.

But back to the present situation, there was a girl here and she said she was lost. He could have offered her a friendly smile. He was in the situation. But his Turns of not really showing much emotion got the better of him. It wasn`t that he was not capable of showing emotion, it was that others either ignored him or tend to sneer at him, not giving him much chance to show that just wanted to have friends.

He worked his mouth finally into that small smile. "I am sorry," he said, finally speaking. But it was quiet sounding. But even if it was quiet, his voice had that tenor tone that had some sort of command and authority behind it. It was amazing that he did not speak more. And that was the reason he got picked on messed with at the old Weyr. Out of his friends, they had dubbed him the leader because he would start and finish the work and stand up. And that made him vunerable to attacks from Candidates and Weyrlings. And that fear still laid within him. But this is a new place. He did not need to fear people anymore. More than anything, everyone he had met was nice so far.

"I am sorry," he repeated again. "I am afraid that I am lost too. I was about to send Lira, my little friend here, off to find an exit. Maybe if you wait a minute, we can find a way out," he said, sending images of an exit to Lira to find. The little Green chirped in question till an image of a meatroll popped into Okeris` head. She thrilled at the thought of her reward and was up in the sky, off to look for this exit.

[Nia]

Avalle had truly expected Okeris to at least smile or something at her, so she started to feel even more awkward when he didn't. Oh, shards. She must look like so sharding stupid, grinning like an idiot and claiming she was lost the Lower Caverns. He was probably laughing at her in his mind and this assumption made her feel a bit angry. Her own smile lessened as she tried not to fall back into her regular scowl. But, soon enough, he did smile a little bit, which made her feel a little more comfortable. Maybe he was just shy or something.

While the smile made her feel hopeful, what he said dashed her hopes again. She sighed, resisting the urge to cry out in frustration and pull her hair out. But she didn't, and it's a good thing she didn't, because what he said next pulled her hopes up yet again. Yes! His firelizard wasn't useless and she was going to find a way out! Yulari took offense to this thought, and curled her tail tighter around Avalle's throat. Sorry, sorry. Jeez... you chose the stupidest moments to suddenly understand me, she thought to the firelizard. Who obviously, didn't understand everything, but did understand the appology, and loosened her tail, moving back to her place wrapped around Avalle's neck rather than reaching out to look at the Green.

Anyway, back to this boy in front of her. The tone of his voice was rather commanding, and she didn't think she liked that. He'd better not think he could order her around, because she was an independant woman and wasn't going to let some man take control of her! Which completely went against why she was asking for help. Yeah... she had asked for help, so he probably saw her as weak. Whatever, it's not like she ever had to talk to him again after this.

"That's a good idea," she decided to comment, ignoring the tone of his voice for the moment. He had a way of getting out, and Avalle didn't. She was the one at a disadvantage here, not him. So she might as well try to stay on his good side. "I tried that with Yulari, this thing here," she gestured to the yellow that was contently rubbing Avalle's cheek again, "But she refused to leave my side. Seems to think something was going to attack me while she was gone," she laughed good-naturedly, but the yellow seemed to take offense to this and stopped rubbing against Avalle's cheek. Which made the brunette rather relieved... it was kind of embarassing to have such a doting firelizard. Public displays of affection were kind of awkward.

[kia]

Okeris nodded. He understood what it meant to have a protective Fire Lizard. Lira was of him, but he could manage to assure her that he would be fine. But he still could not go anywhere without her. But at least she was not so protective that she would chase other people off so no one could possibly hurt him. If she did that, then he knew he would never have a chance to Impress.

"It could be worse," he added. "She could be so protective that she could chase off any human, even your future dragon from Impressing to you, so that way no one could ever get close to you," he replied, clearing his throat a little. He would never try to command her or force her to do anything. He was not really that way. Then again, having a lot of girls in his family helped shaped him to be polite to those of the opposite sex.

Lira came back down and sent him of an image. They would have to walk a little distance, but at least Lira knew the way. She chirped, wanting her meatroll now, but he told her to be patient and wait till they get to the kitchens to get her reward. She chirped sadly until the boy took the Fire Lizard in his arms and hugged her, smiling at her. He cared about her too. And when he returned the Fire lizard to his shoulder, he gave another smile in Avalle's direction.

[Nia]

Aw, he was funny. But that was an awful thought! She glared down at Yulari, who looked innocently back at her. Imagine if she was so protective that she'd scare away everyone and even her future dragon! Scary thought. Scary, scary thought. Luckily Yulari wasn't THAT bad. She was still bad, but not that bad. It was more a clingy-ness rather than protection anyway. Still... Avalle shuddered at the thought. She really did want to Impress, and the thought of just Yulari for company her entire life was awful. ... not that didn't didn't like the flitter, or anything.... Anyway, she decided to speak her thoughts aloud to Okeris.

"Oh Faranth! I can't even imagine having a firelizard like that. I kinda like talking to people, and I REALLY want a dragon. Don't jinx it," she said with a laugh. More friendly than she usually was, but this boy was funny. Maybe even without trying. She felt herself starting to like him. Not like that! Just, you know, like friends. She didn't like anyone like that. It just wasn't what she did. Flirting was something that lesser beings did, and definitely not anything Avalle was going to stoop down to.

As Lira came back, she found herself sigh in relief, as it seemed the little Green knew the way. That's a REALLY useful talent! Avalle made sure to think strongly in Yulari's direction, but the little yellow oblivious snuggled closer to Avalle's neck. So much for that. It didn't look like she was going to be able to ever leave the girl's side. Whatever, it wasn't like she NEEDED it or anything....

Anyway, she grinned back at Okeris. "So, she knows the way, right?" she questioned. She wasn't blushing anymore, at least. The brunette felt quite comfortable already, perhaps bonding in the Lower Caverns was how she should meet all her new friends. Seeing the display of affection between boy and firelizard made her feel less embarassed about Yulari snuggling with her all the time, too. Firelizards were very lovable creatures. Well, most were, that is.

[kia]

Okeris listened to the girl as she said she wanted to Impress and not to jinx her. Why would he do that anyways. He wanted everyone to Impress and have a lifemate for life. Even those who were very rude and mean should be able to Impress. But even still, with Impressing, he would hope those mean people would become nicer and more responsible people.

But Okeris nodded. "She knows the way, though her images are mostly from the air. But if we use the landmarks, I think we will be able to get out of here," he replied, receiving the first images of place from Lira. The Green chirped as if asking if she did a good job, in which Okeris sent her feelings of happiness.

He started walking toward the general direction and stopped, turning back to see if the girl was following him. She really did not seem that bad. Maybe just as nervous as he was too. Of course, when it came to meeting people, some people were very nervous. And others just bounce in and become friends automatically. Well, back to the present thought, she was nice. She remind him of cousin Kris, who was full of spirit and nice. And she had a nice attitude about her. Maybe, if in the end, they could be friends. Maybe.

[Nia]

Okay, it was easier to be nice than Avalle had thought. She hadn't snapped at him yet! That had to be a new record. Maybe he was just the type of person that clicked easily with her, because she felt more like smiling and less like rolling her eyes in annoyance at him. Which was what she did to most people. Yulari seemed very pleased that Avalle wasn't snapping in an angry rage like she usually did, and was making an odd noise almost like a cat's purr. Stupid firelizard. She was just asking directions and some help to get out of the Lower Caverns! So what if they might become friends later, it didn't matter! Hmph.

She was very happy at the prospect of getting out of the place she'd been trapped in for the last hour, so Avalle grinned widely and nodded as Okeris explained that Lira had found the way out. "She deserves a ton of meatrolls for this!" the brunette said with a cheerful nod. The yellow flitter around her neck kind of gave an indignant chirp, so Avalle quickly muttered, "You had your chance!" Because, well, she really did have a chance, and she hadn't taken it. Oh well, it's not like it mattered to Avalle either way.

Clenching her fists in excitement (hey, she'd been lost in the Lower Caverns for more than an hour already, she's allowed to get excited about stupid things like this) and ran forward to catch up to Okeris, who had already started walking but had stopped to wait for her. "I, um, really can't thank you enough," she muttered, turning a little red just at the thought of actually thanking someone, "I don't know how much longer I could have lasted down there," she wanted to add "by myself" but thought better of it. She wasn't going to seem dependant on anything! Especially not to someone she only just met.

She quickly managed to calm herself down and lessen the reddening of her face, trying not to think too much about it. If she thought about it too much, she'd quickly start thinking some very deep/strange things and end up blushing even further. But she wasn't going to, because she had more control over her mind than that! Plus, she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. So she managed a quick smile and a laugh, seemingly laughing at nothing. She could easily just blame that extreme cheerfulness on the fact that she was escaping her rocky prison, but decided instead to not say anything. It was easier that way.

[kia]

Lira chriped happily at the word of meatrolls. She wanted meatrolls for the job she had just preformed. She loved Okeris till the end of her life, but she had been hungry and the only way to entice her was to bribe her. Okeris knew that. And he was recieving happy feelings and images from the little Green Fire Lizard when Avalle complimented her. Lira was very easy to please, but also easy to displeased. If Okeris was in trouble, then Lira would panick and come to his aid.

"It is no problem," he replied when she thanked him. He gave a light smile back at her. Helping people was naturally in his blood. He liked helping people as long as the did not bully him or anything. It wasn't like he was a sensitive soul and would cry if people called him a loser, he just believed that those those who were kind and helpful deserved to be helped in a time of need. And as for people you barely knew, help them anyways cause from the time you meet them to the time you say goodbye forever is the time that you knew them. Even if they bullied others in the past, at that time you met them they were not a bully. They were a human in need.

He saw the redness of her cheeks for a moment and his thoughts immediately whirled toward the male part of his brain. Was she blushing because she liked him or thought he was nice looking? But the redness was gone. Maybe she was just eecited on getting out of her or was so tired of being in the lower caverns that she was ready to leave. Well, it was time for them to leave and depart from this place for the time being. If Okeris did not Impress, the Lower Caverns could become his home. Maybe. And he was off again, with Avalle next to him and walk along too.

[Nia]

All the traces of Avalle's frustration and bad mood was gone now, and she was very happy. The happiest she'd been for a while! She made a friend, maybe, and she wasn't going to be stuck in the Lower Caverns forever! It had been a good day. Of course, she felt sure that something bad was destined to happen to her in the future because that's just how her luck was, but for now, she was content. She had a policy of living life in the moment rather than worrying too much about the future or the past. Things that happened happened and things that were going to happen would happen. It was too hard to worry about all that stuff, and she was fine staying right here in the present.

She glanced around the Lower Caverns once before going up the stairs with Okeris. Yulari nudged her cheek again, and Avalle figured that if she didn't Impress, then she'd just come live here. And get lost every single day... which suddenly gave her newfound determination to Impress. Yes! She was going to Impress... as she wasn't sure she'd be able to deal with being unable to find her way out of the Lower Caverns again. Well, maybe she could just finally train Yulari to uncurl herself from around Avalle's neck and actually do something.

Or she could just Impress. Anyway, that didn't really matter right now, and she glanced at Okeris, getting a better look at him now that they were out of the Lower Caverns and she wasn't as angry. He was... cute. Oh, no, she couldn't blush again! Wait, had he seen her blush before?! What if he thought she was flirting, and then thought she was one of those girls.... But no, Avalle didn't think he was the type to assume things anyway. And just a little blush didn't really mean anything. It happened to her all the time! Usually when she was flustered and a little embarassed... like normal people. Like everyone else!

Pushing those thoughts aside, she let out a small sigh of relief at finally being out of the Lower Caverns. She sure wasn't going down there any time soon. "You're a Candidate, right?" she asked, breaking the small silence. His shoulder-knots would certainly answer this question for her, but it felt nicer and more conversational just to ask. "I am... if it wasn't obvious already," she said with a small laugh. Yulari sent waves of happiness to Avalle, as if to say, see? It isn't THAT hard to be nice to people!

[kia]

Okeris walked in silence for a little longer, not really sure what to say. He had already mentioning not being able to possibly Impress if you had an over-protective Fire Lizard and had helped her get out of the Lower Caverns. Was this how it was going to end? Just helping each other and then just go separate ways, only to say hello once in a while when they passed each other? He rather hoped not, but he was bad at starting coversations. It wasn`t that he did not know what to say nor was he afraid to say hardly anything, but he never good at knowing how to start the conversation. A weakness that neither of his cousins possesed. Of course it was his fault he was no longer in contact with them anymore. One was off at her own Weyr and the other was waiting Impression like him. That much he knew.

And then she spoke. He turned to listen to her. He heard her, but while he listen, he was looking at her a little better. Coming out of the lower caverns, the sun`s rays were now on them. No longer were they in shadows but they were back in the light. And was able to get a better look at her. She was actually prettier that he originally thought she was. The shadows and stone walls had successfully hidden her beauty. And with the sun out and looking at her a little more clearly, he felt his head turning a little hot. He was not blushing or anything, but he was fighting off that little voice inside his head that told him to keep staring at her. That would be very rude. He did not want her to think he was some creature, ready to pounce at every opportunity. No, he had more respect than that for the opposite gender. They deserved to treated politely.

He nodded in response. "Yes, I am hoping to Impress. I have been trying for the last three Turns. I finally left my last Weyr for reasons that many understood. I wanted a possible better chance and also a chance at making new and better friends," he replied, trying not to delve too deeply into his past. He was not weak, but he did not want to tell his story in fear of people thinking he could be weak. But he knew he wasn`t. And even though he had no Candidate knots, Miner clothing (though it was his late father`s clothing) should say he was realtively stong. "What type of dragon do you hope to Impress?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going and truly interested in getting to know her.

[Nia]

Avalle wasn't too good at starting conversations with her hidden shyness, but once she got going she steadily got more comfortable with it and it was easier for her. Besides, she felt a sort of... attraction to this boy. No, not like that! At all! She didn't like boys like that. They were just friends, that's all. He simply seemed like someone she would be able to get along with easily. He hadn't tried to hit on her or, er, touch her at all yet, unlike some of the other more flirty Candidates. Avalle really didn't like flirting. It was just so awkward! Didn't people have any shame?! Yulari curled herself around Avalle's neck more as this thought filtered through their mindlink, hoping to comfort Hers. She really was a sensitive firelizard.

"Yeah, I've been trying to Impress for a while too...." she trailed off, thinking. She was still young. Afterall, she was only 17. But wasn't the cutoff age 18? That kind of made her tense up a bit. Did she really only have a year left to Impress? Unless the age was 24. Then she'd have a long time... but Avalle was pretty sure it wasn't 24. It might be somewhere in between those ages. But still, she felt kind of old. Though, even with her mind slightly occupied by this depressing thought she was able to note that he seemed to have something about his past that he wasn't telling. That's okay... everyone had things they didn't want to tell, things that made them weak. Avalle could certainly understand not wanting to seem weak... it was one of her biggest fears. They had that in common, although neither of them would probably ever know.

Anyway, she laughed easily as he asked her what she wanted to Impress. Shells, she hadn't even though of THAT yet! "I don't know, really. I kind of just want to Impress, you know? If a dragon finds me worthy I don't care what color it is," she said with a smile. It was true. Sure, every girl dreamed of Impressing big, but Avalle was sort of on the realistic-pessimist side. Dreams were unrealistic, and they were unlikely to come true. "It's kind of funny to see the people that expect to Impress really high-ranking dragons freak when they don't Impress at all," she commented with a sly smile. She'd known plenty of snotty girls back at Fort who thought they were sooo much better, only to not Impress at all while a girl they bullied Impress a Queen. Fate worked out funny that way.

[/blockquote]

[kia]

He nodded, listening to her as she spoke. He agreed with her very much on her comments. He just wanted to Impress to his future dragon and lifemate. But he gave a faint chuckle at her comment about those who thought they should Impress high rank dragon do not Impress at all. He knew a few cases that later turned into where they Impressed Greens or Blue. And those Candidates he was thinking of were the ones that bullied him and his "friends." But that was in the past and this was the future. Lira nuzzled his cheek and tried to comfort him. At least she was here and would be with him forever. And Okeris appreciated the little Green`s thoughts and emotions that she was sending him.

"I know a few of those people that you are referring to. And then, a few Hatchings later, they would Impress to Greens and Blues. I am like you. I just want to find my dragon. I am not afraid to work if I have to," he responded and gave her a light smile. "I can see you Impressing a Queen. You are very nice and sincere, and those are qualities that a Weyr needs," he added and then paused, a little embarrassed with what he said. He was being nice and honest, but he felt like his words were like flirts. She was nice and pretty, and he was nervous when it came to relationships. He was interested in girls as friends. Ah, he needed to shut his brain up.