So You Won't Forget Us

Writers: Noli
Date Posted: 26th June 2025

Characters: H'rell, Taniq
Description: H'rell prepares to move to Barrier Lakes and receives a parting gift.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 7, day 13 of Turn 12

H'rell grunted as he pulled the transport straps on Coranth tight. He gave the large trunk that he had just finished securing an experimental shove, and was satisfied that it would not shift too much when the brown launched himself skyward. Climbing down, he gave his dragon an affectionate pat on the foreleg and walked back to his weyr, inspecting it one final time before it was time to leave. He gazed impassively at his home for the past 8 or so Turns, wondering who would take his place as Weyrlingmaster Third here at Far Island and thereby inherit his quarters.

His musings were interrupted by a small, shy knock on his door. H'rell felt a flash of irritation, wondering who it could be. He didn't have many friends at the Weyr, despite being a lifelong resident, and he certainly didn't have any that he would expect to come knocking on his door as he was making final preparations for his move to Barrier Lakes.

He flung the door open.

There, standing in the hall before his weyr, a young boy stood. The lad's eyes widened with anxiety and fear at the sight of H'rell, and the brownrider realized belatedly that he was scowling.

H'rell relaxed his face into a more friendly expression. “Taniq. What are you doing here, lad?”

Taniq was a candidate for the next clutch when Far Island's senior gold rose, hopefully next month. The boy was young, only 12 Turns, and was the quiet sort. H'rell had often tutored Taniq outside of the regular candidate classes, as the boy was holdbred, and that combined with his young age made it hard for Taniq to keep up with the rest of his peers. H'rell tried hard to support the youngsters, giving most attention to the youngest candidates and weyrlings. He vividly remembered his own experiences with Impression at 13 Turns despite the decades that had passed since that fateful day.

“Um… I…” the boy stammered, not able to find his words. Suddenly, he flushed, his brown skin taking on a decidedly warm pink hue around his ears. Pulling his hands out from where they had been hidden behind his back, the youngster shoved something at H'rell.

H'rell took the proffered item gingerly and brought it close to his face to examine it. It was a tiny carved dragon, crude and somewhat disproportionate, with long slivers and obvious knicks showing where the carving knife had slipped. It certainly hadn't been made by a craftsman.

“Did you make this?” “H'rell inquired, his voice now soft and warm. He turned the little carving over in his hands. It had been painted brown. Like Coranth, he realized.

Taniq nodded, still wordless.

“You did a fantastic job, lad.” H'rell grinned as he gave the boy a friendly thump on the shoulder. He started to hand the little dragon back to its maker.

“It's for you,” the boy finally blurted, making no move to accept the figurine back. “So you'll remember us.” In Taniq's eyes, H'rell saw that fear had been replaced with affection and sadness. He felt his throat tighten.

“Thank you, lad. This means a lot.” The words came out gruffly again. H'rell carefully placed the little wooden dragon in one of his riding jacket's inner pockets, then stuck out his hand to shake Taniq's. “I certainly will remember you. One day, you'll have to come visit Coranth and I. Once your bronze hatches.”

Taniq accepted the handshake and grinned timidly up at H'rell. “Not bronze. My dragon will be brown, just like yours.” The boy's tone belayed his unshakable faith in the accuracy of his prediction, and admiration for his mentor was evident on his face.

H'rell felt the tightness spreading to his chest now. Shards, he had to get out of here. Withdrawing his hand, H'rell gave a grunt of approval. “Brown then. I'll look forward to meeting him some day.”

Taniq beamed at the older man, then hastily retreated down the hall with a small wave over his shoulder.

Returning to his dragon, H'rell climbed slowly aboard.

}:It is about time. You do know there will be more young ones where we are going, don't you?:{ Coranth had sensed his rider's mood shift and was trying to cheer him up.

**Yes, I know.** H'rell did not try to explain the intricacies of his thoughts to the brown. Coranth was an extremely sociable dragon, and he made friends easily wherever they went. The dragon would not understand his rider's despondency over leaving his young students like Taniq, because in the brown's mind, the hole left would be easily filled with new faces from a new candidate class. Oh, well.

**Alright, old fellow, I guess let's get on with it. Take us to Barrier Lakes.** H'rell felt the world lurch below him as Coranth complied, leaping into the air with a mighty downstream, then climbing steadily until reaching altitude. H'rell drank in the familiar sight of Far Island Weyr from this airborne vantage point. Then, with an excited bugle from Coranth, the pair winked /between/.

Last updated on the July 3rd 2025

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So You Won't Forget Us