Not That Urgent

Writers: Emma, Kastaka
Date Posted: 17th February 2009

Characters: Vasha, Rondera
Description: Vasha and Rondera discuss their future chances and other Weyrs.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 12 of Turn 5

Candidate classes were much more sparsely attended now the clutch was hatched and nothing would be on the Sands for some time. The large clutch had seen many Impressed, the Holds and Halls had taken back some of their own until nearer to the next opportunity to Stand, and some had been chasing just the gold or had already moved on to new opportunities in case they were too old to Stand by the time the next Hatching came to Dolphin Cove.

Vasha sat down next to Rondera and favoured her with a smile as she got out a hide and under that a hide with her half-finished dragonhealing homework.

"Well I guess we're both still here," said Rondera stating the obvious.

"Yeah," replied Vasha, shuffling her hides around to get just the right impression of concentrating on the class and doing her dragonhealing work at the same time. As she was doing this, a thought occurred to her. "We wouldn't have been in the fighting wings when our dragons were ready anyway," she said. "So maybe they knew that and didn't pick us this time, knowing that Dolphin Cove needs all the fighting dragons it can get."

"I suppose," Rondera said. "That sounds a lot like what my Da said to me."

"Well, he'd know how dragons think better than either of us," replied Vasha, glad to have her wild theories corroborated.

"He also said that my dragon hadn't been shelled yet."

"Makes sense, if there is a dragon for you," replied Vasha automatically, her thoughts momentarily elsewhere. She'd never really bought into this 'there is one dragon for you' business. There were too many Weyrs, too far apart to Stand at all of them - politically more than geographically, given the ability to go dragonback to them - and yet there were very few hatchlings who failed to find someone compatible enough.

"I hope there is," said Rondera, a note of anxiety perhaps creeping into her voice. There was so much about being a rider that intrigued her.

"You've got a good chance," Vasha reassured her, "possibly the best, what with your family and starting early and everything." She smiled at the other candidate as her thoughts assembled themselves. "Have you ever been looked over by a Searchdragon?" she asked. "That might put your mind at rest a bit, if you've just been Standing because you're weyrbred."

"Ummm..." Her father's weyrmate had had that ability, but since she was killed in fall. She'd have done it if Rondera had asked her, of that there was no doubt. "Not recently," she settled for saying.

"You could have a chat with Zelle," suggested Vasha, "she didn't seem to mind at all when I pestered her. Now you're the right age to be a Candidate it's a better time to have one look at you."

"I don't know," Rondera said.

"I guess it's not that urgent," replied Vasha, trying to take a different tack, "there not being another Hatching for a while now. Have you thought about heading over to River Bluff? They should have eggs on the Sands any day now."

"Maybe, I mean it could be worse there. My Uncle..."

Vasha looked slightly confused at the other candidate trailing off, and hoped that she would continue her thought.

"He's the Weyrleader there."

"Is that good or bad?" Vasha knew quite well that family could be both, sometimes.

"Both, it's bad enough here where Da's a Wingsecond!"

Vasha smiled. "You shouldn't have to go anywhere if you don't want to, we've plenty of time yet. And if you wanted to get away from it all but still stay in the area, there's always Dragonsfall." Although Vasha had always thought that Weyr was rather unfortunately named, and also it was reportedly far too cold up there.

"Too cold in winter there - I like to see the sun."

"Guess you're stuck down here with your family then," smiled Vasha as the instructor showed up to begin the class.

Last updated on the February 20th 2009

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Not That Urgent