We Could Go On A Trip

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 5th November 2017

Characters: Erivana, D'ren
Description: Erivana and D'ren catch up
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 2 of Turn 9

Back at River Bluff this would be a chilly day, but for Dragonsfall it
was warm and D'ren wanted to take advantage of the nicer weather while
it lasted. He sat on the plateau, safely away from the edge but with a
good view of the plain below where Menanth was hunting. Sympathetic
hunger pangs rumbled in his stomach as the bronze swooped down on the
panicking herdbeasts.

Erivana was taking a walk along plateau to look over it and
familiarize herself with the terrain and see it. Maybe there were
still some bright spring wildflowers around to pick - and soon, the
summer ones would be emerging. As she walked, she recognized a
familiar figure sitting. She didn't know D'ren well at all, though
she'd seen him around River Bluff a few times. That existing
familiarity gave her the courage to walk up to him and offer a smile.

"How's the view?"

He turned, a little surprised, and offered her a smile. A fellow
refugee, sent here on the winds of chance. "Incredible. It's one of
the best things about this place." Rolling green hills stretched as
far as he could see. Menath neatly made a kill and started feasting.

"It's different from the old overlook. That was all beach and sand, or
the river and trees. This is so rolling and so green. I like the
flowers," she offered as she stood next to him. "Those little purple
ones dotting here and there. I've got to walk out sometime."

"Having a few of those around might cheer things up a bit," he said,
thinking he might pick some for his weyr.

"I bet those pretty orange-yellow ones will come out in the summer. I
have no idea what will happen in autumn." She indicated the ground.
"May I sit with you?"

"Of course." He wasn't particularly in the mood for company, but he
wasn't opposed to it either.

She gestured down at the bronze in the feeding pens. "He looks good,"
she offered.

"Even with blood all over him?" D'ren chuckled. Menanth was making
quick work of the herdbeast. The bronze wasn't a particularly messy
eater, but he wasn't dainty about it either. "Thank you."

"He looks better than most dragons I get to see," she said with a chuckle.

"I guess you don't see--" Then it clicked. She was an apprentice
dragonhealer. "Ah, right. Well he is fit and healthy."

"Good," Erivana said. She alternated between looking out at the
horizon and looking over at D'ren, feeling content to just sit near
someone she knew. "So which wing did you wind up in?"

"Azure. The Weyrleader's Wing."

"Congratulations!" she said, grinning at him.

"Thank you. It is quite an honor." D'ren hoped he lived up to the
Weyrleader's faith in him. "How about you. Have you settled in?"

"It's not nearly as different as I thought it would be to be a
Candidate. I'm still waiting to get slotted into the dragonhealers'
rotation to help during Fall itself. There's only so much I can do
there until I Impress, but I'd rather craft chores than the generic
chores," she said.

"Yes, definitely. I was happy to continue my Harper training when I
was a Candidate."

"I think it's much better to have a Craft than not, I feel bad for all
of the holders who come in without one." She couldn't imagine that.
"Did you get to bring all your instruments or any other craft stuff?"

"I took my songwriting materials and the one gitar I'd made, but I
left the rest behind. I knew the Weyr would provide whatever I
needed." With the Harper Hall in Dolphin Cove's territory that made it
even easier at the time.

"A gitar you made? Impressive," she said. "I managed to save some
things that mattered to me, too."

D'ren laughed. "It wasn't very impressive, believe me. What did you take?"

She flushed slightly. "It's going to sound silly," she warned. "A
stuffed toy I've had since...well, forever."

"Aw, that's sweet. I don't think it's silly to want something
comforting and familiar in a new place." The world was harsh enough.
People shouldn't be ashamed to take comfort from whatever they could.

She gave him a shy little smile, glad he hadn't mocked it. "I was glad
nothing happened to it in the barracks," she said.

D'ren wrinkled his nose. "Ah, yes. Candidates like to pull pranks, and
some people are just outright mean."

"A few people have thought it was childish," she confessed.

"Our childhood makes us who we are. Why not carry a little piece of it
with us?"

"That's a lovely way of thinking about it. Thank you," she said with a
smile.

"Speaking of lovely, the flowers here are so pretty. What do you think
it'll look like with all the snow?"

"Cold," he said with a little smile. Menanth had finished the
herdbeast and was cleaning himself at the edge of the paddock.

"It'll be the first time I haven't lived somewhere tropical. I guess
it will be interesting to find out."

"We got a little snow in deep winter where I grew up, but nothing like
winters here. At least I can escape to somewhere warm if it gets to be
too much."

"That must be so nice," she said a little enviously.

"Maybe Menanth and I could take you on a trip? I don't think he'd
mind." Menanth rarely objected to anyone. In fact he'd probably
encourage his rider to spend time with someone.

"Well, if you're sure you don't mind, I'd love that," she said. Not
that she wasn't liking Dragonsfall, but the idea of getting out and
seeing places was also nice.

"Thank you for the offer."

"Of course if you get lucky at the next Hatching, you won't need me."
D'ren smiled.

"It might still be nice to go together anyway, if you'd like."

He really needed to make the effort to find new friends, so he said,
"Sure. Once your dragon is old enough. Your potential future dragon."

"I'm going to hold you to that," she said with a grin.

Last updated on the November 7th 2017

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We Could Go On A Trip