Cruisin' for Confusion [Zeis!]

[Sakoru]

Khemres was fairly sure he was going insane. Not because of his failure to Impress, but because he was actually wandering into the wherhandlers' quarters. What am I thinking? Am I even supposed to be here? he wondered to himself, feeling his way along the unfamiliar corridors. Hoping fervently that he wasn't getting himself lost, the candidate shook his head slightly. He was genuinely crazy. "That you are. I mean...look at you. Or don't; you can't see anyway. And you don't even know where you are, do you?"

Muttering to himself, the albino tipped up the brim of his hat so as to maybe catch a little more light, but it soon became apparent that he wasn't going to be seeing anything without a glowbasket. It hadn't occurred to him even to bring one of those along, since he knew fairly well all the places he frequented. The wherhandlers' quarters were not one of those places. "Sharding stupid, is what you are. Why'd you go and get yourself lost? Some handler will probably find you and ask his wher to attack you. It'll serve you right too, idiot," Khemres informed himself. Shaking his head with a sigh, the candidate continued on his way, eventually crashing into a wall he hadn't touched yet. Biting his tongue to hold in a yelp, the albino stumbled back and turned, feeling slowly around the spot he had managed to trap himself in. Apparently it was a dead end, for he felt no doorways or blank spaces anywhere.

"Oh no," he whispered aloud. Well and truly lost, Khemres finally wound up and unleashed a violent kick on the wall, grunting in pain as his booted toe smashed into the stone. Hobbling back the way he had come, with arms stretched out helplessly in front of him, the candidate grumbled almost ceaselessly to himself, wondering who he was going to run into. Someone evil-minded, who wouldn't mind playing a prank on a person dumb enough to wander out of their depth? Or maybe someone who could tell him how to get out of here without being lost and entombed so long he died and withered away to skin and bones? Hopefully that wouldn't happen to him. But you never know when you're involved. If there's something silly to be done, you're entirely capable of doing it, Khemres reflected to himself. Heaving a weary sigh, he suddenly wished for nothing more than to return to his room and sleep. Why had he come down here, anyhow? What was the point? He didn't even know any of the wherhandlers except that one who had freaked him out in the dining hall. And he didn't even remember his name, if he ever knew it.

"Honestly, Khemres. You can be such an idiot when you want to be...now get yourself out of here before you crash again. And for Faranth's sake, don't kick any more walls."

[zeis]

Tarhune leaned back in his new bed with a grateful sigh, glad that the chore of unpacking his belongings was behind him. He crossed his hands behind his head, and propped his still booted feet up on the slightly overflowing chest at the foot of this bed with a resounding thunk. Today had been a good start to their new life here at Dalibor. He'd met the Alpha Handler, had a nice chat with a dragon rider, and now fully intended to take it easy in the company of his beloved Tarhusk, and perhaps work on a song or two. One hand lazily moved out from behind his head to flop over the side of his bed and feel around underneath for his mandolin case.

Tarhusk was dutifully inspecting her new couch. It was bigger than the one she had been given at Benden, she had noted with slightly gleeful greed. The White Wher propped her front claws on the bed and tested it, before climbing on and snuffling around, using her blunt nose to push around the pillows into an organization that pleased her. She circled once, twice, and third time before settling down with a smugly pleased look toward her Handler.

"What tune would you like, my dear?" Tarhune asked as he pulled the slender wooden box onto his stomach, and clicked open the small metal hooks that held it shut. He opened the box reverently, and withdrew the well polished wooden instrument from its silky bed. He pushed himself up a bit to prop his back against the headboard, and stretched out his gangly legs. A deft hand plucked the pick gingerly from the box, and gave the instruments strings an experimental strum.

Tarhusk's multi-faceted eyes sparkled with delight, and she shifted on her couch to give the matter some serious, if fragmented, thought. She liked music, all music really, though she could never remember the whole piece or all the lyrics. Tonight was special to her handler, and to her, so it should be a special song. She had just decided on a snatch of music to give to Tarhune as an answer when a mildly distressed echoing voice caught her attention. The White froze for a second, and then lightly sprung off her couch, slinking briskly to the doorway into the general caverns of the Wherhandlers Quarters. She had been trained to stand guard over her home, to fight thread if need be, and also to rescue people if the situation called for it. Trouble, Tarhusk thinks. We go.

"Trouble?" Tarhune blinked, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. He swung his legs over his bed, gently placed his mandolin and pick back in its case, and lightly snapped the lid shut. He slicked back his wildly curly hair, and rose to a stand. What kind of trouble could there be here? He strode over to his Wher's side, and leaned out into the dark of the hallway, squinting his eyes to peer off into the distance. That was a voice... wasn't it? Tarhusk didn't wait for her Handler to make a decision, and slunk off into the darkness, already making the chirrups and whistles that he would need in order to properly follow her. Chuckling, he gladly did so, sliding his hands into his pockets as he leisurely followed the White's lead.

Tarhusk had no problem following the boys scent or the sound of his voice, and soon prowled into the correct hallway. She made a brief triumphant crowing sound, and regarded him stumbling around in the dark with sympathy. It was tough for people to see at night, was it not? They did not have Wher eyes, after all. How unfortunate for them to rely on light so badly. She crooned calmly to him, aware her sudden appearance might have startled him. Boy is lost?

"Found the lad, did you?" Tarhune chuckled as he rounded the corner himself, and made out the figures of his Tarhusk and the strange boy in the dark. He looked pale! Had he really had that much of a scare? And that was an odd style of dress, wasn't it? It was so... creative! What an interesting person to meet out in the dark. He smiled sunnily, and offered his hand. "If I am not mistaken, you need assistance, and I am just the person to offer it. Tarhune is my name, and this snowy beauty beside me is my Tarhusk. Don't worry, by the way, she's the sweetest thing alive."

[Sakoru]

Boy is lost?

The soft voice playing through his head didn't startle Khemres as much as the triumphant sound before it. Drawing in a sharp breath, the candidate whirled to face the source of the noise, violet eyes wide. A few seconds passed before he realized it was only a wher, and gave a soft sigh, swallowing nervously. "Er...hello, wher," he greeted the unfamiliar creature in a tone both friendly and apprehensive. It was then that another shape appeared out of the dark, looking vaguely like a person, and the albino squinted hard in an attempt to make out his features. Failing, he merely listened to the friendly voice, and shook his hand with nerveless, cold fingers. Hastily he drew back, however, and tried to focus on the white wher and her handler at the same time.

"Er...I-- I am a...a little lost," he confessed shyly, twisting his hands a bit nervously behind his back. "I'm...Khemres. It's - um - it's nice to meet you, Tarhune and Tarhusk." Offering up a weak smile, the albino tried to pull himself together, releasing a quiet but huge breath as he processed the other's friendly voice. His wher seemed gentle as well, giving a soft croon after the terrible scare she'd given him. If Khemres had possessed any colour at all, it would now have been returning to his face in normal quantities.

As it was, however, he was blushing furiously at being found in this predicament, and pulled his hat down over his eyes. Focusing on the wher, he allowed a small smile to appear on his face. Though only dimly able to make out her form in the dark, he told no lie when he next spoke, for to him all whers were beautiful. "She really is lovely...and you do seem sweet," he commented quietly, addressing the second half of his speech to the wher herself. Whers were not simple runners or herdbeasts, after all - they knew when they were being spoken to, and they could respond for themselves. At least, the whers he had encountered had been able to, and whites were supposed to be extremely intelligent. All indications pointed towards that fact, too.

"Er...th-thanks for finding me, I guess," mumbled the candidate. He was grateful - he just didn't know how to say it without making himself look sillier. Being lost was no fun at all, as he had learned many a time after stranding himself in some obscure part of the Weyr. At least he was meeting a wherhandler with a beautiful (and friendly) wher, though. That was much better than he usually did.

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[zeis]

Tarhune happily accepted the boys hand and shook it gently. Judging from the boys numb and somewhat stiff grip, he had had quite a scare indeed! He supposed in the dark one might mistake Tarhusk for a spirit of some sort. The silence with which she walked, her shining white hide, and gleaming eyes. Granted she was the size of a common dog, so one would have to be pretty easily unnerved already. Smiling at the image, he spoke calmingly, noting the boys fidgeting posture. "Well, Khemres. It is a bit of a maze, isn't it? This is my first night here, and I imagine I'd be lost myself without Tarhusk here to guide me."

Much thank, Khemres. Tarhusk crooned in reply, beaming at the compliment but prudently choosing not to comment on her Handler's previous statement. He really would be lost with her! He needed a strong, smart Wher like herself to keep him out of harms way and in good cheer. A service she was more than happy to provide in return for companionship, and affection on his part. She remained seated, and chose not to venture nearer to the boy as he still seemed shakey if slowly recovering. However, she craned her head forward a bit to sniff at him, and eye him curiously with that bent head-knob of hers making her look all the more like an inquisitive canine. Much welcome.

"Indeed." Tarhune echoed the voice of his companion with a resounding affirmative. He took a good look at Khemres himself, planting his hands on his hips, and tilting his head to the side. Khemres looked comfortable at least in regard to his White, and seemed no stranger around Whers. Plus to be roaming the halls so late at night! Perhaps a wherling? But if so, it was unusual for him to be so bereft in the dark. Tarhusk seemed to detect no presence of a younger Wher about the boy either. "I'm sure we can get you where you intended to go, my lad! Perhaps somewhere with a bit more light, and a little less twists and turns?"

[Sakoru]

Khemres' nervousness changed slowly into curiosity as he heard what Tarhune said, and tilted his head slightly. Though he couldn't actually see him, thanks to the barrier of his hat, it was evident from his posture that he was interested. "It is, kind of...it's your first night here...? Well, er...welcome to Dalibor, I guess..." How could that be, he wondered? He never met people until they had been here for ages...was he really one of the first people to greet the whitehandler? If so, he was both honoured and extremely nervous. What on Pern did the other think of running immediately into a lost candidate? Of course, he seemed friendly enough, but...

"Oh...you're welcome, Tarhusk. It's true," he elaborated with a smile, slowly relaxing. Tarhusk seemed very friendly, as did her handler, though he was automatically more unnerved by the human half of the pair. Despite the fact that he couldn't really see the white or her bent head knob, he could hear the soft sounds of her sniffing, and he relaxed a little more, pushing his hat back up, if only a little bit.

"I'm sure we can get you where you intended to go, my lad!" made him pause, however. Blinking in the dark, Khemres leaned back slightly, squinting hard at the wherhandler in an attempt to see him. Destined to failure, he paused for a long moment before speaking. Even then, it was in uncertain tones. "Er...well, I didn't really have anyplace special in mind...I was just kind of...wandering, I guess," he mumbled, looking back to the dim form of Tarhusk. She certainly seemed capable of finding people; he was reasonably sure that it was she who had discovered him.

Remembering the mention of light, Khemres shook his head negatively with a small laugh. "No...light hurts my eyes. But...but I guess I'll need to find the way out. E-eventually, I mean," the candidate admitted sheepishly, blushing violently red. He paused for a moment, and then went on, tones wavering somewhere between embarrassment and nerves. "I kind of get lost easily. I don't, um, have a wher to help me around...y-yet, anyway."

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[zeis]

Tarhune listened patiently to the young man's stammering, and he stood casually and comfortably in the dark as they spoke. He was more than used to darkness now, and his well trained eye could see at least somewhat proficiently in it. No where near as good as a Wher's sight, but what she saw he also saw occasionally projected into his mind upon request. He smiled indulgently down at Khemres, and chuckled quietly. "Indeed, it is. We arrived on Dragonback not a handful of candle-marks ago. And thank you! This Weyr really is beautiful isn't it?"

He blinked slightly at the boy's halting explanation, but nodded in understanding. "Well, that's fine. Truth be told, I was just lolling around in my quarters anyway so I don't mind the distraction." Perhaps Khemres was also fairly new? There had been Risk's hatching recently, and perhaps he had either left standing for it? Or maybe he was simply a new arrival for the next clutch? Poor thing. "Oh, of course. I meant nothing more than what light a Wher can see by anyway."

He was about to continue and offer to at least show Khemres out of the Handler's Quarters when he murmured something about not having a Wher yet. His heart twinged a little in sympathy, and he paused briefly not sure where it was prudent or not to comment. There had been people chased off the sands at Tarhusk's hatching, and there had been people who had simply been ignored by the Wherets. Some he knew had taken it quite hard. "All good things come in time, Khemres. Until then, I'm sure Tarhusk and I would be happy to ah, rescue you should you need it?" He offered in a kindly joking voice, attempting to take the edge off any disappointment the other felt.

Tarhusk's large glowing eyes whirled in colors of sympathy and kindness. The boy's face was red, and she recalled that expression on her Handler many times before. Embarrassment and nervousness, feelings she was familiar with by proxy. She blinked slowly, and spoke soothingly. Nice boy is Khemres. Wher will choose him.

[Sakoru]

Only candlemarks ago? Well, then! Khemres really was one of the first people that Tarhune had met! The idea made him smile: he, oblivious Khemres, had actually met a new handler almost before anyone else did. "Oh, wow...and yes, it is, isn't it...?" Agreeing with the other though he had no real idea what the Weyr looked like, the candidate smiled, still blushing but not as fiercely as he had been.

"Me too...that's why I came, er, exploring," the albino explained sheepishly. Tilting his hat up a little, he listened to Tarhune's next remark, and nodded with a small smile. Pausing for just a moment before speaking, he fiddled with his hands behind his back, but his shoulders weren't hunched up anymore. Indeed, his entire posture was gradually relaxing as he found the handler less and less threatening. "I kind of wish I could see as well as a wher. I, um, might not be lost that way," remarked the candidate.

But you also wouldn't have met these two, he chided himself silently. That was a very true fact - had he been able to find his way around, he wouldn't have gotten lost, and therefore wouldn't have had the opportunity to be found by the beautiful white and her handler. Maybe there's a good side to all this. Well, actually, there definitely is. Tarhune seems nice. So does Tarhusk...though I guess I'm a little prejudiced there, right? Being a candidate and all.

Oh, dear. Tarhune was speaking to him, and Khemres had almost missed half of what he said. His face had already turned brilliant scarlet just a few moments ago, and it was growing steadily more so as the seconds went on. Hastily processing what the handler had just said, the candidate gave him a small smile, grateful at least that he hadn't really commented on his foolish announcement. "Th-that'd be nice...if I get lost down here again. Wh-which I probably will."

Again he was startled by Tarhusk's voice in his head. This time, however, Khemres didn't jump. Instead, an uncertain smile spread across his face until he was nearly grinning. Lifting his good hand to tilt his hat back, the albino looked down at her with a genuinely sweet expression. "You really think so?"

For once, however, his voice wasn't shaky. Delighted by the white's apparent confidence in him, the boy's grin grew, and he laughed. He had been told much the same thing by the girl he'd met by the river, but it meant a great deal more coming from Tarhusk. A wher knew better than a human did what whers wanted in their handlers - and she'd said a wheret would pick him. Him! Irrationally pleased by this idea, Khemres apparently melted and he stopped fidgeting, that bright smile still on his face. "Well, if one does, I hope it's as sweet as you are, Tarhusk. She's wonderful," he added for the benefit of Tarhune. Maybe it was worth getting lost again, just so he could be found once more by the white wher. Perhaps she had only been telling what she perceived as the truth, but...the candidate was taking an immediate and strong liking to her, and he liked her handler as well. Both of them seemed like kind souls. "Did you really only get here a few candlemarks ago? You seem...m-more familiar with the place than I am. N-not that that's saying much..."

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