Ranks That Separate, Ideas That Mingle (Nia)

[kia]

Nikianeth had been resting. Her hide grew increasingly brighter with each day. Nia was starting to become stressed, worried, and anxious as the days passed one by one. Niki had never Risen before. And, the last time she had sent a letter to her old Weyr, Niki`s Red Clutchsister had not Risen yet and was not showing any signs of it soon. When Niki had heard this news, the Orange`s pride and ego rose as she laughed. Even from another Weyr, I can still best my own Clutchsister. She was a fool, thinking that she could even match power or prowess with me. I am an Orange, and she is a Red. And even though we are both sub-Queens, we both know only an Orange can rise to the job between the two. And, I hate to use this example, but even an Orange is leading the Renegades as their Queen. Oranges are clearly the superior between the two. Nia had been grateful that the Queen had tried not to hold herself equal to Kalith. Then again, within the recent months, the Orange had become even more awed and graced by the Copper`s power. Kalith is truly a Queen among Pern. Not even the Queens of our old Weyr, not even my own mother can match the grace, beauty, wisdom, and power of Kalith. If our old Queen were to come to us and ask us to follow her, I would refuse. I am glad to be under Kalith`s Weyr. The Rider felt happy, prideful even, that the Orange had come to an understanding of her position. Though, the topic of Callistath had not been breached, Nia had noticed that the Orange`s attention had recently turned to watching Callistath, the Gold and Jr. Queen of the Weyr.

Nia stared at Nikianeth`s hide. The Orange did seem to match Nikianeth`s pride and attitude. The Orange was dragon unto herself. Niki had been outraged that Dalibor had allowed the Renegade Queen to clutch on THEIR Sands. But Nia had tried to soothe and calm the dragon, saying that if Kalith was fine with it, they should be too, but they still would have to be on watchful guard. And, sure enough, they had every right to be suspicious. A Lord Holder had Impressed at the Hatching, leaving Pern in havoc that such a thing had been done. Nikianeth had been furious that Kalith had let the other Orange live and had wanted to chase when they had the chance. Nia had spent as much time trying to prevent the dragon from chasing after them as she had done when the Orange had clutched. But at least she knew where Nik`s allegiance lied in, which was a sure sign that they had picked the right Weyr to call their home. Again, Nia felt pride in this fact.

Suddenly, the Orange began to stir from her sleep. She became restless as her claws began to scrape the rock that she slept on. And, without warning, the Orange opened her eyes. There was red in the corners of them. Nia stood still, froze with panic, as she stared at the dragon. Niki could not be Rising now. Not today. Nia was not ready. She would never be ready. Couldn`t Niki just never Rise her entire life? Niki? the woman called out, reaching for the mind of her dragon. Upon reaching the dragon`s mind, she could feel many feelings over-whelm her mind. There was fear, lust, angry, want, desire, some hunger, and a slight need to fly. Nia was about to step back when Fajra`s voice rang out through the Weyr. Kalith was Rising, and Niki knew this. And inside Niki, the dragon was fighting the need to fight Kalith and wish to stay pinned to the ground. Niki had a good heart but what if the primal desire overtook her and a fight did ensue. Nia could not bear the thought of losing her beloved dragon. She grabbed her riding staps quickly and put them on the Orange, being fully aware of the fight going on in Niki`s mind. The woman, grabbing simply her jacket and not worrying about flying garments, climbed into the saddle in her dress. Niki, stay with me. We are going to our special spot and away from Dalibor for a while.

The Orange was already reacting positive toward the woman`s mental voice. We must tell and show Callistath. We must protect them too, the Orange responded. Niki Rose into the air while the Copper was still grounded, being overcome by her Mine to blood the creatures that were in her mouth. Nia spoted Avalle`s weyr and told Niki to send them the image of the place they were heading too. Hopefully, the pair would arrive shortly after they would. Callistath, Mine and I would like to take you and your Mine to our secret place until Kalith`s Flight is over. We wish for you to join us and that we can keep each other company, the Orange called out, sending the Gold the image. Niki did not have time to wait around for Callistath and her Mine to join them in the air. If Niki did not go soon, the primal urge might overcome her to fight Kalith, even with her Mine on her back. Nia held her breath as Niki betweened, the darkness enveloping them both as they cough three times, eight seconds, before the light received them again.

Nia opened her eyes and looked around her. They were above a plain, a peaceful place somewhere in Western Continent, far away from Kalith. The Copper`s influences and Flight would not reach them this far, and Nia felt a sense of relief drift through her body. The woman reach out again to her dragon, touching minds. The desire were all gone. There was only peace and a need to rest in the Orange`s thoughts. Even the red had disappeared from the eyes, returning to shades of green, blue, or mixes of the two colors. Nia could almost have laid back, completely happy that the two of them had made it out without incident. Though, Nia was still worrying about Avalle. But they would arrive soon. She had a feeling. Nikianeth moved to land on the ground, landing as graceful as her Orange figure was. Even though the Orange was feeling better, safer even, her pride was unchanged as she laid down and moved to groom herself as much as a feline does when they lay down. Nia chuckled as she slid off the dragon`s back, her eyes turning to the sky to look for Avalle and Callistath.

[Nia]

Avalle sat by Callistath on her dragon couch, content to lay against her dragon as the two sat together, talking about nothing, really. Callistath enjoyed talking with Avalle, as she sometimes managed to pull words out of Her's mind that she hadn't known before, further expanding her vocabulary. Avalle just enjoyed the constant company. She'd never liked being alone in the first place, and now she never would be. It was a nice feeling, and Avalle had never quite gotten over that fact, even though she was nearly out of Weyrlinghood already. That, and the fact that both Nikianeth and Kalith looked like they were about to Rise had gotten Avalle thinking about what would happen when Callistath rose, and when she was going to.

Are you nervous?

[/i] the Gold questioned. She knew the answer, though. Avalle was nervous, she was incredibly nervous. For one, the person who won wasn't even the one she'd... you know, have to do that with. She already knew she was going to sub O'ris in for someone, and while it was amusing to think about what was going to happen to the winners and losers of the Flight, it didn't really concern her anymore. She just had to wonder about how O'ris was going to feel, though she was sure he would sub in for her with no problems. A little, Avalle finally answered, sighing. Okay, so if it wasn't because the Flight was going to decide her Weyrmate, it was probably just because Callistath and her were going to have to decide the Jr. Weyrleader of the Weyr, which was a huge decision. Since Avalle didn't feel much for their riders, well, nothing beyond friendship, it was going to be all up to Callistath to decide.

Avalle had been about to ask Callistath if she had any ideas about who she was going to pick, when the Gold lifted her head and her eyes began to whirl. What? What's happening? Avalle asked, standing up. Callistath wasn't as close to rising as Nikianeth, not nearly as close, but her eyes still began to whirl. It wasn't much longer after that that Avalle heard Fajra's yell and knew immediately what she had to do. She had to leave, she had to get out with Callistath. They'd talked about this in another one of their private lessons together, her and Fajra that is, but Avalle was still rather nervous. She couldn't count on Callistath's level-headedness right now to calm her down, so she quickly regained her composure and put on her serious face. This was good practice for her own Flight.

Come on, we have to leave, she all but demanded, climbing on to the Gold. Mine, you can relax. I am fine. Nikianeth has offered to show us to her secret place, so we may keep each other company while Kalith's flight is going on,[/i] Callistath informed Hers after Avalle's influence had calmed her mind. Avalle smiled with relief. Alright, that sounds like fun, she replied, and with the image firmly in both their minds Callistath jumped off her ledge and into the air. The coldness of between trapped the two for a few moments before they burst into the air above Nikianeth and Nia. Wow.... Avalle thought, looking at the Orangepair's secret place. Callistath landed rather elegantly for one her size.

"Hey, Nia!" Avalle waved, giving a small smile to the Orangerider. She'd only talked to Nia a few times, but it was enough to learn the other girl's nickname. "This place is really nice, how'd you find it?" she asked, looking around again. Greetings, Nikianeth. I agree with Mine, you do have a very nice place here. Thank you for allowing us to share it with you,[/i] Callistath said eloquently, thanking the Orangepair where Avalle had forgotten to.[/blockquote][/size]

[kia]

Nia returned a smile to the younger woman, glad to see that Avalle had made it safely to the plain. "Hello, Avalle," she responded, not sure whether to bow or anything to the girl. But, she figured out here, formality was not needed at the moment. They were here, relaxing, enjoying the company of friends, away from a Queen`s Flight. Nia looked around her when Avalle asked her how she had found this spot. "I was not the original finder of this spot," she said, pausing, remembering the past. "It was my father. He found it one day while he was off scouting. There was a time in his life he could not decide what Weyr he wanted to spend his life in. And on one scouting mission for another Weyr, he happened to find this place. He would come here whenever he needed peace to think. and from this spot, he finally decided the Weyr he would live in the rest of his life. When I was just a little girl, after my father had managed to get me away from my mother to raise me himself, he brought me here, telling me to always keep this place in my mind. And I did. So, when Nikianeth finally graduated, we traveled here several times to relax. It was here that we made our final decision to come to Dalibor, just as my father had decided on his Weyr," she said, smiling. "And, Avalle, you are free to use this spot as well. You and Callistath, I know, will not bring harm to this area or reveal the secret. Maybe we could, in some way, make this a Queen`s get-away spot," she said with a small chuckle.

Nikianeth nodded at Callistath as her Mine explained to Avalle the significance of this place. It really was not a problem, Callistath the dragon responded. My Mine and I know what a problem it could be if two Queens were to fight just because they both are close to Rising. Unfortunately, in this situation, you and I both were going to Rise around Kalith`s time. We need to protect each other, even if we must mainly protect you. A sub-Queen is not always guarenteed a Clutch, but a Queen is! the Orange responded. Though, it was hard to tell if her response was said out of friendship or formality. It was possibly that it was formality, due to the fact that Nikianeth had not met or talked to Callistath very much. Even though she, an Orange, was considered a sub-Queen, and she also appeared to be the only active sub-Queen as of this moment, people did not gaze at her beauty like a Queens. And this made Nikianeth sad, because she was a sub-Queen that rode in the Queen`s Wing.

[Nia]

Avalle looked around the plain curiously while listening to Nia's story about how this place hadn't actually been hers, but her fathers. It made Avalle think back to her own parents. She hadn't seen them in a while, maybe some sort of visit was in order. Shards, she wondered what her sister's reaction would be if she showed up with Callistath! Or the entire Hold, for that matter, though she didn't really keep in touch with anyone else there. But she wished her father had showed her something as interesting as this place, and she felt glad that Nia was willing to share it with her. They had a lot in common, perhaps the two girls could become good friends. A fleeting thought that maybe she could bring O'ris here and they could spend some time together crossed her mind, but she quickly ignored that thought, not wanting to start blushing in front of Nia and having to explain herself.

So instead, she grinned. "A Queens get-away spot sounds great! Faranth knows how stressed I'm gonna get when Weyrling training is over," she muttered the last sentence. Avalle was looking forward to finally being an official Junior Weyrwoman, rather than just a Weyrling, but she wasn't exactly looking forward to the stress of running a Weyr. "This place just seems really nice and relaxing," she said, looking around again. Just being here made her feel calm.

Callistath rumbled good-naturedly as Nikianeth explained. That is very noble of you, Nikianeth. I am very appreciative of your concern. But you are far closer to Rising than I am, and I am glad you got out safe,

[/i] the Gold said. She was being friendly in her own, ladylike way. She was not really as arrogant as most Golds were, prefering to take more of a proud, calm way about her. She knew her rank and behaved as such, but she certainly didn't look down on the ranks below her. A true Queen didn't have to flaunt her rank constantly.[/blockquote][/size]