Meeting New Faces {Knight}

[matsi]

The halls still held an unwelcome feel to Catori. All of this was just so confusing to her, and so intimidating. She walked down the halls, her shoed feet hardly making a sound against the floor as she moved, looking for a friendly face.

Oh, how I wish i knew more people here, She thought to herself silently. It was all dark to her eyes, the morning light not yet breaking into the stale darkness. This dread-filled light only added to the feeling of emptyness and being alone in Catori's chest and mind.

''Oh Tor, why did you decide to walk alone, NOW?'' she asked herself aloud. She was not one for good ideas, or for cowardly thoughts, but this was a different experiance.

[theknightwhosaysni]

Dark halls were the places that, one day, Frino would feel at home - if he Impressed, anyways - but, for now, they were still as confusing as ever. He still hadn't memorized the paths through the Candidate Barracks, and wandering through them late at night probably wasn't the brightest thing he'd ever done, but it was a little late now.

The darkness closed in around him, not a single prick of light illuminating the world around him, the only sounds in the air were his breathing, his thumping heart, and the brush of his bare feet against the cold floor.

Frino wasn't sure how long he'd been walking, though, if he had to guess, he'd estimate around a candlemark, but he wouldn't have bet anything he couldn't stand to lose on it.

A voice echoed in the hall, startling Frino, and he stopped walking, listening closely. He'd assumed that he was all alone in these halls, the only person who would wander through the darkness like a fool.

"Hello?" Frino called out, his voice echoing in the silent air. "Is there someone else out here?" Okay, a stupid question, but Frino was rather curious as to who else was out here. Why would anyone want to wander around in the halls at night, anyways? It hadn't been Frino's greatest idea, and who else would bother to go out and wander this far around at night? Another wher Candidate?

Still, it would be interesting to meet whoever this was, and who was Frino to not talk to some stranger? Talking to people was fun, after all.

[matsi]

An echo of a voice. Catori froze and looked around, a chill running down her spine. She looked behind her, and then in every direction she could, scared.

''It is Catori, Candidate. Who is there?'' She called out with a slightly shakey voice. Her blueish eyes looked around more, searching for a shadow of another person, but finding none.

Slowly, she began to walk forward again, her ears waiting and wanting to hear a reply to her own question. Was she just hearing things? Did she imagine that voice? Or was it something else? Something beyond her understanding.

''Oh shut UP Tor! Your letting your mind wander again!'' She snapped at herself as she peered over her shoulder again. Goosebumps covered her arms as she crossed them onto her chest. Her foot steps were small and quiet.

[theknightwhosaysni]

The silence had fallen for such a long time that Frino had begun to suspect that he'd imagined it all. Still, he stood, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he waited for a reply. Finally, it seemed as if it had been ages, a voice reached him. "Frino, wher Candidate." He announced it loudly, with a hint of pride in his voice. He liked whers, after all, and being a wher Candidate was nothing to be ashamed of.

Slowly, Frino began to walk forward again, heading towards where he'd heard Catori's voice originate from. "No need to scold yourself yet," he began after she was finished berating herself, "You might as well wait until you get scared again." he grinned, squinting to make out the shape of a girl standing just in front of him, her face pointed over her shoulder and away from him.

Frino smiled, even though no one would be able to tell, and waved lazily in Catori's direction, just in case she was looking. He wasn't sure, considering it was kinda hard to tell in the darkness.

What had possessed him to go out this late at night without a wher, again? Well, it didn't really matter why, he was still hopelessly lost. "Do you know where we are?" Frino offered up the question with another lazy smirk, "I'm rather lost, to tell the truth." he nodded his head to himself, looking almost proud at the fact that he'd gotten lost.

Not that he was. He was just bored.

[matsi]

Catori jumped as she turned to look forward again. Where had HE come from? Her arms uncrossed and she reached down slightly, towards her shoe where a hidden blade rested.

''Dont DO that!'' She snapped with a look of surprised anger. Her heart was beating in her chest like a hammer, her breathing had picked up pace from the scare, but was once again slowing back to normal.

''Sorry, you scared me,'' She said as a sigh escaped her and she stepped closer to Frino to see him better.

''I was hoping you knew,'' She smiled slyly, almost proud of herself for not knowing much.

''This is only my first night here,'' She laughed slightly and looked over her shoulder again. ONe could not be too careful. Her eyes narrowed as she turned back to look at Frino and over his shoulder. IT was times like these that she wished she had a wher, or even the canine she had had when she was very young.

Catori's harsh and stoney outter shell began to form again.
''Why are you even out here?'' she growled softly as she glared at him. She wasnt too sure about him. She wiggled her foot and leg in her boot, making sure the blade was still there, though she was almost sure she wouldnt need it, even if she did get into a fight with him.

[theknightwhosaysni]

Frino smirked at her frightened reaction, "Do what?" he questioned innocently, biting back a snort of laughter. "All I did was introduce myself, is that supposed to be bad or something now?" Frino made a big show of being confused, but, in reality, he was just having his fun around here.

Frino shrugged, "No need to apologize." he snorted to himself, "You'll get over it, and so will I, so it's not really a problem." he grinned, "If it were something like you knifing me, I'd be a little more annoyed, but you snapping at me didn't do much. You're not all that scary..." he shrugged again, snorting a little louder.

She was hoping he'd known? Whoops... "Guess we're both hopelessly lost, then, huh?" Frino grinned, "It could be worse. We could be lost separately, you know? And that would most definitely be worse." he nodded his head cheerfully. It didn't seem to bother him that he was lost; he knew they'd get un-lost sooner or later, so he was willing to wait a little for that moment to come.

"Oh. Well, on second thought, it couldn't get much worse. If you don't know the geography of the weyr, we're in trouble..." Frino laughed to himself. "Ah, well. I could've picked a worse person to get lost with, Catori, Dragon Candidate." he grinned into the darkness as he peered over her shoulder.

"Me?" Frino glanced over his shoulder, making sure that no one else was there for her to question before going on, "I just got the 'itch', ya know?" he shrugged, smirking, "I had to get out of my room, and I was looking around for Rethalt, but I took a wrong turn somewhere, so here I am now."

[matsi]

Catori couldnt help but letting out a small snort of laughter. Oh this was bad.
''Umm...I..would...never do such a thing!'' She said nervously as she thought about the blade again. Now she was slightly happy that she hadnt pulled the blade out first thing.
''Who is that? Rethalt I mean. Are they a candidate too?'' Her curiosity was overflowing now. She wanted to know more about the people in these barracks and in this area.

She stepped back a few steps and leaned on the wall. Atleast he wasnt annoying or a jerk..yet. Catori was thankful for that.

''Yeah, i guess you are right, though. I think I would go crazy if i was in here alone.'' She smiled now, her stronger outter shell falling away quickly as she grew more comfortable with him. She fell silent, listening to the sounds around them, though there wernt many, only their breathing and movement.

''Guess you are going to regret scratching that itch though,'' she finally spoke again, her silverish blue eyes looking up at him again.

[theknightwhosaysni]

Frino smirked lazily, "I'm sure you wouldn't." There was a small degree of disbelief to his words, but that was mostly because he was latching onto her awkward nervousness. "It doesn't matter, though. It was just an example." he grinned in the darkness, lounging back against a wall. At least that way, he could watch his back. Darkness always made him awkward.

There was pride in his voice as he replied, "Rethalt is a wher candidate; he's a good friend of mind, I suppose." he grinned at the thought of his friend. "But then I got lost in the halls, and here I am now." he shrugged, straightening up. "Here with you." he nodded, grinning.

His breathing froze as she leaned against the wall opposite to him. Frino didn't like the silence. "So, what brings you to these darkened halls this late at night?"

He snorted cheerfully, "Little late now. I think you and I have already gone crazy if we're out here and entirely lost together." Frino grinned, peering into the darkness in the direction he thought he'd come from. Or maybe it had been the other way? Ugh, this was so confusing... "We're all crazy out here!" Frino grinned a little bit wider and tucked his hair behind his ears.

"I doubt it. Getting lost isn't so bad when I have such interesting companions like yourself." It was a compliment of sorts, but Frino might not have meant it. It was hard to tell. He wasn't sure himself. He hardly knew her, after all.

Then again, she was fairly interesting. That much was true. That didn't mean he wouldn't regret it later on.

[matsi]

Catori looked down both sides of the hall, wondering where she had come from and wondering where she should go. Her thoughts began to wander for a moment, as they always did, and her wandering mind was beginning to scare herself.

''Umm, i just got lonely in my room,'' She said, a hint of flirtation in her voice, left over from her terrible thoughts. She thought cleared her throat, catching the changed tone. She hoped that he hadnt heard it, yet atleast.

''Interesting, hmm? Well,'' She paused and leaned her head back against the wall.
''Thats one thing i haven't been called yet,'' She commented with a giggle.

''I have never met a wher candidate before. I am thinking i might have to find more,'' She said with another small laughing snicker. Oh yes, if there were more like this Frino, she would deffenently have to go wander with the wher candidates.

[theknightwhosaysni]

The flirtatious tone to match such ordinary words made Frino glance at Catori again, with a more measuring gaze. "Ah..." it didn't really make sense, but who was he to question? "So you just decided to come out in the halls and go wandering about...?" there was a hint of disbelief in his words, but Frino shrugged it off, "Not that I'm complaining, of course. Any company around here is welcome." he grinned cheerfully, hoping that the grin would carry into his voice.

Frino grinned again, "Well, you have now!" his eyes gleamed with amusement as he lounged against the wall. Sure, he rather wanted to get moving (anything was better than just talking in the darkness), but he was having fun!

"Not all wher Candidates are like me, though. Rethalt's pretty fun, and so's Wrynri, but they aren't like me." he paused with a smirk on his face, an idea forming in his mind, "Still, I could introduce you to a few of them, if you wish." he exhaled with another smile, "They're interesting, though certainly less so than you are..." Frino let his voice trail off with a lazy snort. He didn't intend to do it, really. He'd much rather keep this Catori for himself. She was already proving herself to be quite entertaining.

[matsi]

Catori laughed.
''I don't think i deserve that honor'' She said as she adjusted herself on the wall. She shivered slightly as a chill ran up her spine. She shook her head and sighed, loosing her train of thought. Why couldnt she think? Was she that tired? No, she couldn't be.

She pushed herself off of the wall and stretched. Her hands ran through her blondish hair and she yawned. Soon following the stretch, another shiver ran up her spine.

''Shall we walk and TRY to find where we are?'' She asked as she stepped so that she could see Frino's face better. Oh yes, she was happy for meeting him, not only for his kindness and personallity. She smiled to herself and looked into his eyes, lost for a moment, but quickly caught herself and looked down.

Just another boy, She thought to herself and she smiled again. She was playing her old cards again, and she couldnt think of a better feeling.

She rolled onto her toes and back onto her flat feet over and over again, rocking gently as she waited for him to either move or answer her. What ever he wanted to do, she was going to do too. Oh yes, she would. Sure, she might beg a little, push him, test him inside and out, but not to breaking. It was all part of her hand. She had to play these cards correctly, it was more important than anything at this moment.

[theknightwhosaysni]

Frino grinned. "Honor or punishment, it doesn't matter. You're going to have to meet them now - you know you're curious." Too curious. He loved the darkness right then. It hid the gleam of a plan of his eyes and the smirk on his face. Sure, he didn't like it general (especially when he was alone), but, with this Catori girl, he found it quite enjoyable.

Listening to her yawn made him want to yawn as well, and Frino was just barely capable of stifling that yawn... Until a few seconds later, when he gave a wide, gaping yawn. Of course, of course. He would yawn right then, just when Catori was talking.

Wait, she was talking? He should probably start paying attention now.

Noticing that she'd stepped forward, Frino smirked. TRY to find where we are?, was the only part he'd heard from what she'd said, but he nodded his head lazily. "Works for me. I don't like being lost, anyways." No, of course he didn't. He didn't like being lost because then he wasn't in control, but then, it wasn't that bad to be lost with her.

"You going to lead the way, then?" Hiding as best he could just how unsure he was about which way they'd come and which way they'd go, Frino gestured vaguely with one hand in the direction he hoped that he hadn't come from, waiting 'gallantly' for Catori to take the lead. "Ladies first, after all."

[matsi]

Catori seemed a little unsure to move forward through the halls, to lead. ''Uhg...I guess, kiss up,'' She growled with a smile on her face. She took a step toward the direction he had motioned and then stopped, hesitating. She looked back at him, still unsure. She sure didn't know her way around.

''Um..you sure you Don't want to lead? I think you might have a better idea of where we are,'' She grinned slightly. After her grin, she then found herself wondering if he was even able to see her face and her menagerie of facial expressions.

She had tried to ignore his yawn, but it still affected her. Even after so many moments of doing something else, she had to hold back another yawn. She shook her head slightly, making her hair move out of her eyes and face. She was trying her best to hide the fact that she was a slight bit drowsy.

Being tired when someone is around is rude, She thought silently as she looked down the halls again, thinking.
And being Tired makes one less aware and less active, She added in her mind.
And being less active and aware lessens ones success rate with the flirting.

Sure she wasn't Focusing on flirting with Frino, but it was deffenently in the back of her mind. He would be her first target, her first try. She didn't know, or really care, if he was going to be one that she would end up sticking with, but it was all about the fun.

[theknightwhosaysni]

Frino snorted at her choice of words. "Kiss up, hmm? Your mind sure jumps to the forbidden conclusions, doesn't it?" Chuckling to himself, Frino grinned, "Though I suppose one could call me a name such as that." His chuckle rapidly became fully fledged laughter after he spoke. Perhaps it wasn't all that funny, but it had sure made him laugh.

"Certain." he replied almost immediately, "I'll pass on the leading, really." He paused, "And I have no idea where we are, honestly. I'm sure you know where we are more so than I do." Frino grinned to himself, welcoming the darkness once more.

Catori was quite the interesting dragon Candidate. She should choose to stand for whers instead. Whers were more interesting than dragons, after all, and interesting people needed to bond with interesting animals. Which, of course, left whers.

"But then, judging by your last comment, neither of us knows where we are, so we might as well just pick a direction and start walking. Trial and error is the only way to go." Frino nodded to, grinning lazily and taking a step forward before pausing as if to say 'You coming?'. However, he didn't say it out loud, just waited for her to catch up.

The silence buzzed in his ears, and Frino frowned, turning back towards Catori. "Which way do you want to go first?" Yes, he'd broken the silence. Big bad old him. Giving a sarcastic snort at the thought that had popped up into his head, Frino waited for her reply. He wasn't above starting without her, but he didn't really want. Being alone was certainly annoying. And boring, too.

[matsi]

Catori thought for a moment and looked around. She pointed back the way she was pretty dure Frino had come.

''That way, I guess,'' She said with a snicker. He was right. There was nothing else they could do, besides wait for sunrise, but she wasn't really willing to do that. So, Yes, that left Trial and error.

She started off back in the direction she had pointed and then stopped to looked at Frino.

''Coming, Kiss Up?'' She asked with a snicker. Oh yes, she liked the nickname for him. A name she could tease him with. She enjoyed this all too much. It gave her some enrichment that she had been longing for.

She was thankful for the darkness at that moment, because she could feel her cheeks growing a slight bit warm as she let thoughts wander through her mind. A smile formed on her face as her mind kept wandering, further and further from the matter at hand.

She shook her head and cleared her throat, embarassed.