Searching

[fidelli]

and i need you
and i miss you
and now i wonder

;;even as rukbat stayed far overhead, two dragons rose from the weyr, each taking off from the same scored ledge. one was a gray creature, tiny - the other was a much much larger purple creature. each had wings twice the size of normal dragons, although the gray's looked natural on her sleek body. it is the gray we will follow, even as the rider's on their back waved to each other and spread apart lazily, the purple without a harness on and his rider barely dressed, the gray wearing a proper harness and her rider decked out.

;;a'mor slapped his dragon's neck with a gloved hand, sweating in the sun but grinning none-the-less. it was too cold between to argue the sake of wearing the leather. are you ready, love? the gray rumbled beneath him, an earthquake of agreement. excellent! with a picture of crescent hold firmly in his mind, the rider slipped it to the silent gray and between they flashed - once, twice, thrice a cough and they were back out in the sunny warm autumn weather. he stripped off his gloves and removed the helmet from tawny tumbled hair, blue eyes flashing joyously as they scanned the hold together.

;;land down there, love? the minorhall first, i think. he knew, had noyth felt a candidate nearby, she would have told him no, but she altered the impossible large wings to glide down and backwing lightly down, leaving her loud rider to hop down and yell in the courtyard, "we come on search!" only now did the gray speak, something that was a rare thing - although a'mor generally knew what she was thinking. it is rather pointless to point that out. i would not be here if not for the clutch on the sands. he smiled up at her, reaching up and petting the soft nose. i know, love, but they're all most likely idiots. just a quick glance through and we'll move on. the small gray settled down on the warm bricks, letting out a happy croon as they began to gather, apprentices and minors streaming from hot forges into the sunlight. as you say.

if i could fall into the sky
do you think time would pass me by
and you know i'd walk a thousand miles
if i could just see you tonight

[kyrillion]

Metalworking was always something of a chore in warm weather, though not so much here, on the coast, as it had been at Kyrillion's former Hold. Still, the thick leather apron and bulky leather gloves - a bit too big on her, but they always were - felt uncomfortably heavy and sticky, unbearably hot, and she was only too glad for the distraction when, from somewhere outside the shop, the call for a Search went out. Pausing mid-stroke - she'd been in the process of hammering flat a small strip of steel - she nudged her safety goggles off, letting them hang loosely around her neck, and glanced out at the open door at the far end of the room. Through the sunshine-lit portal, she could just make out the darting shapes of dozens of people, young and old, scurrying down the street. Whether to watch or participate, the event was clearly attracting a decent crowd.

She hadn't ever seen a Search up close, before... And she was nearly due for a break, anyway - this was a perfect opportunity to get a good look at a dragon, catch some air, and escape the oppressive heat of the forge (if only for a little while). She intended to take advantage of it.

Her mind made up, she set about clearing up her space so that nothing would get in the way of another worker while she was gone. Laying down the hammer on an empty workbench, she doused the steel and set it out of the way - she'd be back for it soon enough - before putting up her gear and heading for the door. Pausing at the entrance, she caught her grandfather's eye and held up a hand, a gesture that said 'five minute break', and then stepped out into the street and the sunlight.

Following the general direction of the crowd - most of them had to be headed to the Search, right? - she absently ran a hand through her hair to try and calm it down (the goggles always did strange things to it). She knew it was probably a lost cause, though - her face was undoubtedly streaked with soot from a morning's worth of work, and she still had the goggles hanging from her neck, dirtying up her clothes... It really wasn't much of a bother, though. She just wanted to see the Search, and then she'd be heading right back to the forge.

The flow of traffic was emptying out into the courtyard outside of the mining hall, where quite a sum of people were already gathered. Skirting the edge of the crowd, she was forced to hop up onto a low wall in order to see clearly, - she wasn't the tallest person around - and when she did she spied a lithe gray dragon reclining on the bricks beside her rider. One of the new colors, then - she was quite pretty. A small smile crept its way across her face, and she turned her gaze to regard the line of young boys and girls that was gathering before the pair. Some were as old as she was... Should she be there, then? It wasn't as if she'd never considered standing for Search - everyone had. Everyone her age, at some point or another, had dreamed of becoming a dragonrider... And yet it had seemed like such a distant dream until now. And she was happy, wasn't she, apprenticed in the Smith hall and working with her grandfather...? What business did she have, standing for Search? But how could she say no, when there was a chance she might be picked, taken to the weyr. Get the chance, at least, to Impress...

Standing atop her little perch on the wall, a pained look flashing briefly across her face was the only indication of her inner turmoil. To most observers she would appear to be merely a spectator, watching with quiet interest as more and more gathered around to greet the dragon and her rider.

[fidelli]

what would you think if i sang out of tune?
would you stand up and walk out on me?
lend me your ears and i'll sing you a song,
and i'll try not to sing out of key.

;;a spectacle they made, and a'mor relaxed in the bask, leaning against the shoulder of his gray. she was a tiny little creature, but to some of these miners who had never seen a dragon - why, she must look huge. a faint grin, even as he ran a hand through tawny hair and rubbed at the gold stubble on his chin, trying to remember if he looked presentable. noyth only snorted, and shifted out from under him so he stumbled, although he caught himself by grabbing at her snout and whirling around, hands on her cheeks and giving her a gentle kiss on the nose. of course, i don't look anything like you do, my heart. you are a beauty all your own. her eyes whirled a soft contented blue as she washed the male with love, and for a moment a'mor forgot that he had a scene to play out. all too soon, they were interrupted - and noisily at that.

;;from the air overhead burst three firelizards, an obnoxious bright colored orange, a chubby green, and a brilliant sapphire blue. the blue streaked straight for a'mor, silent and ignoring the other two arguing girls, but sending enough pictures that a'mor could have readily guessed at what they were squabbling over, crossly snarling and chattering at each other like heckled cats. "lady." the orange - not properly named - turned her nose up at the green and streaked for the arms of her's, turning her anger squeaking to meekly insulated. but thankfully, a'mor wasn't falling for it, yanking a piece of jerky from his pants and handing it to the broody sub-queen. with a happy caw, she had snatched it and flashed back between - leaving him with a curling green on his shoulders as she complained bitterly. "bubbly -" shut up, flapper. we are busy. noyth cowed the green into silence... but she was quick to forget and drape herself around her's neck with a fat contented sigh, leaving fellis - the blue - to perch on noyth.

;;handling his charges had taken enough time that most had streamed into the courtyard, and a'mor rubbed the humming green's eyeridge once before eyeing the crowd. he didn't find it necessary to speak quite yet - better to let them jostle and find themselves places. however, with a prod from the gray - she didn't like dealing with the stupid humaninglings much longer than she had to - he raised his voice to call over the noise. "hello! i'm a'mor, and this is gray noyth. if you will all just hold still, noyth will be seeing if anybody has what it takes to be a candidate." her entrance done, she rose - fellis still perched on her head - and picked her way to the first row. those people there found themselves with a large eye thrust into their faces, or occasionally snuffled at, although she was careful not to touch them.

;;meanwhile, a'mor had slipped into the crowd, checking that those of the proper age had stepped forward. people gave way for him, some greeting him and asking for news of the weyr, but he kept his answers brief and polite, a grin on his face as he shoved those kids up - the nearing thirty one year old man had no qualms about shoving people and bossing them around. a quick scan, that should be the few that had held back... and then he saw her. she was standing on the low wall slung around the courtyard, watching noyth perform her search - they smell. he barely heard her, trying to get through the crowd to her. that's nice. badly, a'mormine. mmhmm. must we stay any longer? when you finish going through them, we'll go. s[/b]he snorted, and discarded another group of young men, turning to the second row.

;;"now darling, although you may be able to see up there, noyth can't check you out properly from all the way back here." he offered a hand, gallantly gentlemanly, although he ruined it by cocking an eyebrow at her appearance. "my weyrmate looks like you when he rolls out of bed on a bad day. what have you need doing?" blunt and to the point, as always. it was true - the soot stained girl looked like f'del. of course, it wasn't really fair as f'del had insomniac and tended to stay up all night working on his pictures only to collapse covered in charcoal... but that wasn't the point. "come on - she's getting restless." it was true - the gray had taken to rustling her extra-large wings crossly every time another one proved unworthy, making fellis leave her head for one of a safer perch. his was talking to a girl, and she looked nice! over to her he landed, on her shoulder with a light croon, but a'mor only ignored him, and hoped the girl would do the same. or at least not screech. he hated screechy girls.

oh i get by with a little help from my friends.
oh i get high with a little high.
mh, gonna try with a little help from my friends.

[/blockquote][/size][/right]

[kyrillion]

"Now darling, although you may be able to see up there, Noyth can't check you out properly from all the way back here."

Startled from her thoughts, Kyril tore her attention away from the dragon, glancing down to find... her rider? How had he gotten all the way over here? Not quite sure how to answer his comment, she moved to take the proffered hand when he spoke again,

"My weyrmate looks like you when he rolls out of bed on a bad day. What have you been doing?"
Grasping his hand, she stepped down from the wall - and while she'd been looking down on him before, she found that on equal ground he had several inches on her. She wore a small, amiable smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of amusement,
"I've been working in the forge since this morning - it isn't the cleanest of places."

While she had been torn before, being addressed personally by A'mor had more or less made her decision for her - it would be rude to refuse his request, wouldn't it? A quiet excitement had stolen over her, and though she kept it firmly in check, she couldn't help but steal a glance at the Gray dragon, who was moving through the crowd with an air of authority and disdain. While she feared rejection - the sour looks on many faces told her just how much that would sting - she was still looking forward to encountering a dragon up close, in person.

"Come on - she's getting restless."
Moving to follow the rider back through the crowd, she was brought up short by a flash of blue and a sudden addition of weight to her left shoulder. A widening of the eyes betrayed her surprise but, luckily for A'mor, she wasn't a screecher. When Fellis crooned at her, her stoic resolved melted briefly. Grinning, she reached up a hand to tentatively stroke his brilliant-blue head, muttering a quick,
"Hello, there,"
And then she was trailing after A'mor, grateful that the crowd was moving to accommodate him - she'd have never made it through by herself. As they neared Noyth, the apprentice smith clasped her calloused, soot-streaked hands behind her back to keep them from fidgeting, and unconsciously straightened her posture. Here goes nothing...

[fidelli]

What do I do when my love is away?
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day?
Are you sad because you're on your own?

;;He liked the fact she took his hands - showed she wasn't too girly to refuse help, but the solidness under the callused limb showed she could take care of herself. Oh, he hoped Noyth liked this one. Pretty, too, despite the dirt. He did like the fact she was shorter than him, and he grinned down at her with amusement, even as she answered him. 'I've been working in the forge since this morning - it isn't the cleanest of places.' A'mor watched her - it was something to do when Noyth was busy. While before she had seemed like she was just watching, now the girl really dug in her heels, and he found her excitement catching. Yes, searching's were fun.

;;More and more he found no-name enjoying. He always did like meeting new interesting people, and the fact that she was startled proved she was human - Fellis had been sending him pictures of her face as he led them through the crowd - and his enjoyment at being pet made the rider grin. 'Hello, there.' He chattered back at her, puffing out his chest and speaking so fast that he seemed certain she would catch on. "He likes you." The remark was thrown over his shoulder, even as they reached the front of the crowd and A'mor reached around to capture her shoulder in his grip, a reassuring squeeze. "Just stand right there, she'll get to you," he told her before moving back into the empty space in the courtyard and back to watching his dragon.

;;Smelly, too young, too mean, too old, reeking of fish - she sneezed all over him - they weren't any good! Growing impatient, the Gray scanned through the last row and snorted her farewell at a young girl who would be a candidate - but she was so tiny, she would not impress right yet. Mincing her way through - and totally ignoring Her's at the moment - she almost went by the minergirl, until she realized she had missed her. A'mor was all over her, the husky sweet smell of Her's catching the now annoyed Gray's attention. She doubled back, peering one purple whirling eye up at her quite close. She looked as dirty as Altith's did... But she was an interesting one, smelling nice, holding herself tall - and there it was.

;;Her. It was one of the few times Noyth spoke to any but Her's - the imperious call rang through the minds of all present, and the Gray nudged her in the chest as a finale before moving back to Her's. Are you able to see it to, Mine? The man shook his head, grinning widely. No, love, I can't. I was just making sure you had all of them. She settled back down on the warm bricks, closing her eyes in the sunlight as Lady popped back in to land on her, Fellis crooning an apology to the girl before going to do the same. She knew that the females took the longest to get ready to go, and her job was done.

;;A'mor ignored the rest of the people, walking up to the girl now instead. "Well. How would you like to be a Candidate, Miss -?" His grin was broad and cheerful, even as he gestured to Noyth. "We have a clutch on the Sands, and Your's might be on it. Noyth has never picked a Candidate who hasn't Impressed, when we can her to search at all." It's boring, and I dislike the humaninglings. Except you, MineOwn. Of course. I love you to.[/i]

No, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm I get high with a little help from my friends,
Mmm I'm gonna to try with a little help from my friends

[/blockquote][/size][/right]

[kyrillion]

"He likes you."
"I like him, too."

Intrigued and amused by the little creature's chattering, she reached up a hand to give Fellis another quick pat atop the head as she navigated the crowd. The grin was gone from her face, though, her excitement now overshadowed by a certain nervousness - an emotion that itself unsettled her, as there wasn't very often anything for her to be nervous about. She was level-headed, though, as always - she could feel that familiar calm washing over her, quelling her anxiety. She clung to it as she prepared to meet this new, unique experience.

A'mis' hand on her shoulder brought her up short,
"Just stand right there, she'll get to you."
She nodded once, to show she'd heard him, and then turned her complete attention over to Noyth as she continued her rounds.

She thought for a moment that the dragon was going to pass her by completely - she let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding - but before she even had time to feel disappointed the Gray had doubled back and was holding one, opalescent purple eye very much up in Kyril's personal space. She didn't mind, though - she was intrigued. The dragon's eyes were gorgeous, and she really was a beautiful creature. She'd never stood this close to a dragon before, not even half this close...

Her.
A shiver went up her spine.
Me?

Her stoic expression melted away completely, this time, and didn't return for several, long moments - a wide grin took its place as the dragon nudged her, as if saying it again, this time in a way that was physical and real, not just a voice in her head that she might have imagined...

The elation came crashing down pretty quick, though - what about her grandfather? She was pretty sure she'd be able to continue her apprenticeship, Candidate or not, but he'd be left alone. Her father wasn't really around anymore - came to visit a couple of times a Turn, at most. But then, it wasn't as if he would be completely alone. He'd carved out a niche for himself in this new Hold faster than she had, in fact. He'd made plenty of friends, and moving to the Weyr wouldn't mean she'd have to stop working on their new forging technique. Perhaps she could enlist the help of a willing firelizard to pop notes and specs back and forth, every now and then? (Of course, she had no idea if doing so would be some sort of breach of protocol or manners, she knew next to nothing about weyr life).

And he'd want her to go, right? She wanted to go, didn't she...?
Yes. Yes she did.

"Well. How would you like to be a Candidate, Miss -"
"Kyrillion. You can call me Kyril."
"We have a clutch on the Sands, and Your's might be on it. Noyth has never picked a Candidate who hasn't Impressed, when we can her to search at all."
She smiled at Noyth and nodded her - what, her thanks? Her acknowledgment? Something - not knowing if the dragon would notice, or care for that matter, but she felt she ought to do something.
Your's might be on it... She hoped so. It was so strange to think of it as a real possibility as opposed to an idle fantasy. This would change everything.

"Thank you... What do I do, now? Is there some sort of protocol? I'll have to talk to my grandfather..." She didn't say it in a hurry - each question was measured, calm, as she tried to work out a plan of action. She had something to do, she wanted to get down to it - make herself useful. And that feeling of excitement was back again. She paused, though, long enough to give the little blue a smile as he went winging back to Noyth, softly crooning a goodbye.

[fidelli]

Would you believe in a love at first sight?
Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time.
What do you see when you turn out the light?
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine.

;;She was a relaxed type of girl - he was pleased for that. He hated when Noyth searched those little prissy ones that had to jump up and down and make the others feel bad. No, instead she just stood there with a wild grin on her face and he - being the jumpy one he was himself - wanted to jump up and down for her. 'Kyrillion. You can call me Kyril.' A name - that was always nice to know, as he watched Kyril closely. Generally, there were always questions...

;;'Thank you... What do I do, now? Is there some sort of protocol? I'll have to talk to my grandfather...' His pale gold eyebrows shot up, disappearing behind his bangs. Interesting. She spoke calmly, even when elation had been spilling from her very pores before... An idle hand reached up to scratch at the eyeridge of the nearly purring green flitter on his shoulder as he contemplated this, almost forgetting he had to answer her queries. "Well... First off, the choice is wholly yours - I have permission to take you, only if you want to. You don't have to think that your grandfather will say no and you can't." He had had these troubles before in the past, parents who were thrusting uneager children to go, boys and girls begging their parents for the chance to Impress and them firmly denying their rights. These idiots didn't understand that Their's would go Between, did they? A'mor.

;;The voice distracted him from his musings, and he looked back at the girl, Kyril. He would forget it if he didn't repeat it a billion times, and he peered at her from lazily hooded eyes. "Now, you go pack - lightly, mind, you don't need every article of clothing you own" - he had had that happen before too - "and you say your goodbyes. As an official Searchrider of Dalibor I can talk to your grandfather for you, or any other parent." That was it, wasn't it? He hurriedly searched his mind, just incase, but he didn't think so... "You can clean up, too, if you wish. I think you might scare them all with wild hair and soot all over." His blue eyes were laughing now, slightly teasing as he settled his light build back on his heels and waited.

Oh I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm I get high with a little help from my friends,
Oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends.

[/right]

[kyrillion]

"You don't have to think that your grandfather will say no and you can't..."
"That isn't it at all - he'll want me to go. And I'll want to apologize for leaving him."

Her expression mirrored her pain, for a moment, but it was quickly replaced by a look of determination and resolve. While she had been staring absently at Noyth before (uknowingly - her mind was elsewhere), she now turned to meet A'mor's gaze.

"As an official Searchrider of Dalibor I can talk to your grandfather for you, or any other parent. You can clean up, too, if you wish. I think you might scare them all with wild hair and soot all over."
"No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I will take care of it... I'll try not to take very long."

And with that she nodded at the rider and turned, heading hastily back towards the forge, her mind a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions that she found surprisingly difficult to keep in check. By the time she reached her destination, however, they were suitably calmed - enough to deliver the news and her goodbye to her grandfather without breaking down. A tear appeared in his eyes, though, but he was happy for her - a fact for which she was extremely grateful. Promising to find a way that they could continue their research while she was gone (which might be quite some time, she reminded herself), she gave him one last hug before heading for their home.

It didn't take her long to pack a few changes of clothes and some personal belongings - the entire set up fit comfortably within a small shoulder-bag she found lying around - and so she decided to take the rider's advice and clean up a bit. When the soot had been removed from her face and her hair, she ran a comb through the latter in an effort to calm it. It worked - sort of. In any case, dusting off her shirt so that it didn't look quite so ragged and dirty was the last step, and then she was out the door and headed back to the mining hall.

It wasn't until she reached A'mor and Noyth that she realized her safety goggles were still hanging around her neck. Too late to do anything about that, now...

[fidelli]

Do you need anybody,
I just need somebody to love,
Could it be anybody,
I want somebody to love.

;;'That isn't it at all - he'll want me to go. And I'll want to apologize for leaving him. No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I will take care of it... I'll try not to take very long.' His own expression blanched at her sudden onslaught of pain, and he bit his lip, unsure of what to do. Despite having raised a little girl, he still was very foreign to them. However, he did know this much, and understood somewhat. Despite his own family ties - or lack of - she was connected to her Grandfather. Think if it as if Anima were to want to leave to better herself - she would apologize to you first. Put into these proportions, he understood - barely. The argumentative side of him had to point out to her that, Nim would never want to leave, and his dragon just shifted her bulk into lying down and nuzzled him gently. "I see... Well, we shall be right here."

;;They spent the time the girl had left relaxing. Noyth drifted off into a sleepy doze after making sure Her's was leaning up against her side and comfortable. She liked being able to touch him, and soon she was coiled around him, her head placed in front of his lap like a giant nest. He didn't mind - the male took the time to relax on his own, just about drifting off to sleep with Lady fluttered down and demanded to be oiled. He consented, of course, and oiled her - but then Bubbly was asking if she too could be oiled, and he called down Fellis where the polite Lizard had refused to ask. "Come here, Fell. You too." Them oiled, he turned to his sleeping dragon. She murmured her agreement and stayed in her sun stupor. He oiled the dull hide, working at her head first and down. Despite the careful way he did and the three lizards that gleamed from the oiling, Noyth never became brighter - her roughly hewn marble hide stayed the same - soft, but dull.

;;He had only completed up to the base of her neck when the girl came trotting back, and A'mor stared over her shoulder for a few moments to think about how many trips they would need to carry all of her stuff. That is all she has, A'mor. Startled at this, the rider glanced at the much cleaner girl infront of him. Just a shoulder bag? Interesting. "Well then, shall we?" He helped the girl aboard the dragon back, settling her where he would normally sit. Then he came up behind her - Noyth could barely carry two people comfortably, and it was a good thing that she was small - and began to buckle her into the harness, nimble fingers moving quickly and he kept talking in a cheery breath, explaining to her the parts of the harness and why he was putting what where. He wouldn't need it for the ride back. Settled finally, he sent the green Bubbly - the last flit left - ahead, and patted Noyth on the shoulder.

;;The Gray, with a grumble that could clearly be translated to finally and made them both shiver slightly as it traveled down her hide, expanded great wings and coiled her muscles, pushing off with a huge sweep. They were aerial in just a few moments, and A'mor let her glide for a few minutes, trying to let the girl in front of him relax. Noyth's huge wings took one sweep to other dragon's three and four, and she found a thermal easily to glide on. "Ready? We're off between." He yelled, and with the word Noyth snapped them into the cold, dark oppressive silence of between. One two three coughs he counted silently in his head, and they were back out above the Weyr, Noyth sending a polite roar to the Watchdragon. In tight spirals she landed on the Bowl floor, outside the Candidate Barracks, and he quickly undid the harness before asking her with a smile, now that he was able to be heard, "Did you like flying?"

I get by with a little help from my friends,
Yes I get by with a little help from my friends,
With a little help from my friends.

[/right]

[kyrillion]

Kyrillion didn't miss the startled look he shot her bag, but its significance was quite lost on her. Did other Candidates not pack their things in shoulder bags? She dismissed this line of thinking promptly - she was far too focused, now, on the thought of actually riding a dragon.

"Well then, shall we?"

She paused, for just a moment, to do a bit of self-evaluation. Was she frightened? Not at all. Excited? Very definitely. But more than anything, she found she was curious. She had never had a problem with heights, but there was a difference between... well, standing on one of the sea-side cliffs looking down into the ocean, and actually climbing a-dragonback and entering the lower atmosphere. Absurdly, the mere thought sent a grin sweeping across her face.

"I'm ready." She affirmed with a nod, and then he was helping her into place between Noyth's shoulders and buckling her into some sort of harness. Her curiosity piqued, she was grateful for his commentary, explaining the function and workings of the device. Listening with rapt attention and nodding every so often - that makes sense, yes - it wasn't long before she was secured, and A'mor was taking a seat behind her.

A rumble ran through the dragon, and the smith felt her stomach knot in anticipation. She admired the gray's enormous wings as she extended them, - thankfully there were no buildings nearby - and Kyril could feel the dragon's muscles tense in preparation. Holding her breath, she placed a hand on the Noyth's neck for balance when she vaulted into the sky, air currents catching them and buoying them swiftly higher. She felt a ridiculous compulsion to laugh, but bit it back - the wind through her hair, the weightlessness... it was a completely new sensation, and wonderful.

"Ready? We're off between."
Though between wasn't quite so pleasant as flying, she nevertheless felt a sweep of disappointment when they lit into the weyrbowl and touched down.
"Did you like flying?"
"Very much. I should like to try it again."
She couldn't keep the happiness out of her voice, as her attention was already being consumed by the weyr. So many dragons and people, all running around, all busy... The place was enormous. Realizing that the harness had already been undone, she dismounted belatedly and landed in the grass next to A'mor. Smiling apologetically, she said,

"Thank you very much. Both of you." The second bit was directed as Noyth, and she again nodded her gratitude to the dragon. Resuming her examination of the weyr, she waited for what she hoped would be some sort of introduction or set of directions from the rider - she had no idea what she was supposed to be doing, now.