Just Like That

Writers: Clancey
Date Posted: 5th March 2012

Characters: K'dall
Description: Kadall becomes K'dall much to his surprise.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 11 of Turn 6

He had been at the Weyr for some little time now, but he had grown used to
it in the same, solid manner he did everything. It took alot to ruffle
this gentle soul and generally the most worried he became was when one of
his "charges" - the beasts of the Weyr - was sick with something that
caused them to suffer. He helped them through it but still, it was hard
to see their pain.

He had been befriended, surprisingly, by the young goldrider who's Clutch
was now about to Hatch, if the hurried way the Weyrlingstaff was rushing
all of the Candidates - himself included - into their white robes was
any indication.

Well, he would Impress, or he wouldn't. Either way, he was staying here in
Dolphin Cove.

But he held out hope for something much more strongly that he ever had
before, he who just simply adapted and went on in his kind way.

He hadn't made too many friends in his Candidate classes. He was kept very
busy with his Crafting and his classes and found little time for
_people_. Though he found plenty for the animals that also called Dolphin
Cove home.

His canine, Trapper, was told to stay behind, and the canine would never
think of disobeying, even though he could feel the excitement on his person
and in the other two-legged creatures around him.

Still, he lay down with his head on his paws, and his favorite toy near to
hand, and settled in to wait until he was released.

With a final pat to Trapper's head, Kadall stood up, raised his chin, and
marched after the other white robed Candidates.

It was both harder and easier than he'd expected. He'd learned well what
they had to teach him in his Candidate classes, but he hadn't dared hope a
dragon would want him. But on the other hand, what more perfect partner
could someone so fond of animals in all their guises want? A dragon!

Not only a big, wonderful, intelligent animal, but really a partner. A
partner in the way Trapper could not be, though he tried hard.

As he stood on the hot Sands, he found that the sounds around him - the
humming of the dragons, the cracking of eggs, the tangible excited murmurs
of the crowd, and the excited squeals - and sometimes frightened - sounds
of his fellow Candidates disappeared. He could hear nothing but his own,
steady calm breathing. He was neither nervous, or scared. If a dragon
was here for him, they would find each other. If one was not, he would
Stand as many more times as possible at his age.

Walking in a cloud of silence, he moved toward the eggs almost as if an
invisible hand was drawing him closer, dodging clumsy dragonets as if he'd
been doing it for turns instead of it being his first time. His footfalls
were steady and solid in his boots, carrying him unswervingly toward that
irresistable pull. He paused to help a younger girl who'd fallen to her
feet, patting her shoulder in that comforting way he patted animals, and
then he moved on a little, his eyes now focused on the cracking eggs.

For one long moment, in that perfect silence, his mind wandered dreamily
down the path of Impression and what that would mean for him.

He could be a dragonhealer. A most noble, needed Craft.

He would be able to flame horrible Thread from the skies and keep his
beloved animals safe.

He would have a true friend, a real friend, for maybe the first time ever.

He would have a _dragon_.

And that simple thought warmed his heart and his mind sent out a thought to
those eggs promising love, care, and kindness for all their days if there
was one, just one, that thought they might like him.

And then one did.

A dark brown body stumbled once, then headed directly toward
him, crooning. Hunger pains, as sharp and sudden as any Kadall had ever
had as a growing boy, penetrated the somewhat dreamy fog of his mind and
then all the NOISE came back! Loud and raucous, his ears were suddenly
assaulted by all the wonderful amazing sounds of a Hatching in full swing,
just as his stomach was assaulted by those hunger pains.

But one noise was louder than the others.

One voice called him the way nothing ever had in his life.

}:I want you to be mine. Will you feed me? I am Tallandrath and I am
yours!:{

It both went by too fast, and lasted forever, that instant.

He looked into Tallandrath's eyes - his dragon! - and nearly cried with joy
at the love and warmth radiating from that sturdy brown body. He was so
beautiful!! With Kadall caught almost in a trance, the newly born brown
shoved his snout toward his rider.

}:Hungry!:{

Guiltily reminded, he hurriedly began to lead his dragonet - HIS! - out to
where he knew there would be food waiting.

Stunned, surprised, and not really sure how to feel, Kadall - now he was
K'dall, he remembered - spent one moment in awe and thanksgiving over the
wonderful idea that a dragon wanted him. Him - the quiet, gentle
Beasthealer who was not very good at talking to people, but could talk to
any animal ever born. But then, his turns of training on how to care for
animals took his body completely over. And just like that, he became
K'dall, weyrling to brown Tallandrath.

Just like anything else in his life, he adapted in an instant,
and determined to be the best rider this brown dragon would ever want,
need, or know.

**You are beautiful. I will always take care of you, Tallandrath.** He
promised with all the weight his 19 turns could give his words, and so his
life as a dragonrider with the same ease he began his training as a
Beasthealer.

Only this time, he was going to have much more to show for his love, his
time, and his training than skills.

This time, he was going to have a dragon. And this time, he would become a
dragonrider.

Last updated on the March 9th 2012

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Just Like That