A dragon's worst nightmare (Courtesy of Miki)

[Tenma]

Nira nodded her head slowly from side to side. It is being handled well. Three smart-mouths knocking some sense into each other, whether they realise it or not. I have a feeling that this new girl, will teach those two to respect their dragons more, if not all of the other dragon too." Nira explained. "Only if things become physical, will we be needed." She added.

[Miki]

Miki hiked the bag up her shoulder. "You are lucky I don't knock some sense into you. Show me my room already and leave me alone." She had had enough of this prat.

The new Candidate then spun to Sorcha. "And you," she said, pointing, "I said it wasn't my choice and wether or not it was all that dragon or not, I barely came here of my own will. So keep your mouth shut and your nose out of other people's business."

[Tenma]

Miya scoffed. "Just to let you know, trying to knock some sense into me would only do you harm. I'll take to your barrack only to get you out of my hair, but remember this, my offer to take you home still stands and always will." She turned around sharply on her heels, causing her hair to flip. She walked off, without even checking to see if Miki was following.

The two headed towards the candidate barracks. As she arrived Miya stopped. "That is the boys' side and that is the girls' side." She began, motioning with her hands. "You are not allowed in the boys' barracks without permission and you are never allowed there at night." She said curtly. "Any other questions?" Miya asked, obviously eager to leave.

[Spirithawk]

P'rin poked his head in the Candidate's barracks and caught Miya's curt question to a newcomer. Kilzanth was finally sleeping but P'rin wasn't free. He had chores before the first official lesson that afternoon. The WLM had already posted the notice on the W'ling board as well as chore postings. P'rin had glowbasket duty in this side of the Weyr. He had already changed the ones in the W'ling barracks. He had the ones in the Candidate barracks and the Dining Canvern left to do before he could relax a bit before the lesson.

P'rin gulped. He had never come into contact with the newly promoted Jr. WW but he had heard about her sharp tongue. "Jr. WW." He said with a respectful bow. The dark skinned lad was taller than the goldrider. He still had his blue-black hair down to his shoulders. He had cut the rest off because most riders didn't want to deal with long hair. He prided himself on his long locks.

His pale blue eyes flicked to the Candidate. "Welcome to Dark Moon Weyr ma'am. I am P'rin, rider of weyrling bronze Kilzanth. I am also a Master Tanner." He bowed again just the barest tilt of his lean upper body to give the Canididate a proper greeting.

"I am sorry for interrupting you. I have glowbasket duty today since we only have a few Candidates and some of the drudges are sick. If you don't mind I will change the girl's side first so that I don't interrupt you later while you are unpacking."

Where have you gone now?

"Excuse me, Kilzanth is awake now." I am doing my chores. I am in the Candidate Barracks if you want to join me. P'rin's bronze didn't answer but the lad could tell that his dragon was on his way, grumbling about a rider that wouldn't be there when he woke up. I am sorry that I have other duties and you were sleeping.

The dragon sat on his rump after telling his rider to open the door. P'rin reached behind him to open one leaf of the large door.

"This is Kilzanth." The bronze spread his wings, puffing his chest out proudly. The golden and brown flecks on his wings shimmered despite the dim light in the Barracks, contrasting with the black edges of his wings. His red-tinged hide gleamed with oil. His belly bulged from his morning feeding. He was a good-sized dragonet but his head barely came to his rider's knees partially because the Master Tanner was so tall.

.

[Miki]

Miki didn't feel like talking. When she was taken to the barracks she was already walking away when the Junior Weyrwoman was asking if she had questions. She stopped, though, when someone else came. She turned around lazily and looked at the boy. She listened quietly to him and shrugged. When he introduced his dragon, though, she took on a different perspective.

Miki rolled her eyes halfway when he first mentioned the dragon. It seemed nobody could talk of anything else. When the dragon had actually appeared, she wasn't at all impressed. She knew the size for an average dragonet and what a healthy one looked like. She remembered a lot from her years in the Weyr. She lifted her head up and turned it sideways as if to try and avoid looking. Oh how she loathed her uncle.

[Tenma]

Miya turned to P'rin. "Good day P'rin. I hope you and your new dragon are doing well." She said politely, but her voice was distant, like it was just something rehearsed and not meant. She glared at Mika as the girl refused to look at the dragon. The girl obviously had problems with dragons, but she was going to have to get over them if she wanted to impress, though it didn't seem like she wanted to. "Anyways," she said addressing Miki, "if you have a problem or want to leave, just let me know. But if you want to discuss whatever problem you have, I suggest talking to Christae or another dragon-rider, not me." And on that note, she walked away.

[Spirithawk]

"Kilzanth is well Jr. WW and I thank you for your courtesy. I hope that Reinath is well." He bowed as she left. "I can show you around if you want." He offered politely to the Candidate. "It is a rather big weyr to try to find your way about alone." His deep voice was low, polite. The young dragonrider looked like he only offered because he wanted to be nice.

The large bronze dragonet peered at the Candidate with a bit of interest but remained silent. He folded his magnificent wings and swept his jewel-faceted eyes around the room.

[Torva Anian]

Sorcha rolled her eyes. She didn't like the girl's attitude but decided it was good. It would take the interest off her. If everyone was arguing with the new girl they'd forget about Sorcha ...right. She just hoped she didn't take it too far. Dragons had rather large mouths and she wasn't all that big ...

Her grin widened as she imagined ways that a dragon could snap up the girl. About half way through she switched the girl to Miya. She eventually caught herself and shook her head. She must be tired indeed to be in such a foul mood.

It appeared the two had left her here while she had poofed into her own daydreams. Perhaps it was just as well. She idly started to wander the Weyr. She hoped to have at least an hour before the pesky dragonet woke up again. It seemed the dragon liked to argue with her over minor things.

[Miki]

Miki only looked at Miya from the corner of her eye. She made no response other than the hint of a smile as the Junior Weyrwoman exited. Once the goldrider was good and gone, Miki relaxed into a normal pose. She looked up at the boy for a moment and then shot her head to the dragon.

Whenever she saw a dragon, Miki always faltered but quickly hid it with a glare. Was she scared of them? One did kill her father, after all. She had every right to have a little fear. No. She was nto afraid. She was angry. She was so mad she would flinch. That was all.

Miki did do the boy the courtesy of looking at him when he spoke. She kept her face void of emotion, though. When he finished, she considered for a few moments then looked at the dragon. The candidate opened her mouth but for a second or two nothing came out. She closed and reopened it to say, "Is the dragon coming with us?"

[Spirithawk]

P'rin glanced at the bronze and his eyes unfocused for a few moments.

We will be traipsing all across the weyr do you want to come? She doesn't seem to like dragons all that much. That's a first.

It makes no difference to me. I think I will go play in the lake. P'rin nodded and spoke aloud. "Just don't get into trouble Kilzanth." The dragon snorted. The bronzerider opened the door and the dragon left the way he had come, heading for the lake.

"Sorry about that. He said that he wants to go play in the lake. He is either eating, sleeping, fussing to be fed, or swimming." He shook his head. "Sometimes I think that dragon is going to grow barnacles."

He went to one of the glowbaskets and replaced the used one with one of the new ones on his arm. "I was from Nabol before I became a Tanner appretice and started traveling. Where were you from?"

[Miki]

Miki looked wearily at the bronze dragon. It was obvious the two were talking to each other. She waited surprisingly patiently. She was bored of arguing now and just wanted to know her way around the weyr. She didn't like it when she didn't have a grasp of her locations.

The dragon did leave and his rider explained where the magnificent disgusting creature went. "They aren't hard to figure out," she said quietly to herself.

Miki looked back at P'rin when he spoke again. She hadn't realized that he had moved. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I was born in a weyr. Both my parents were dragonriders." She stopped for a moment and decided to say, no, yell what happened. "Until a dragon killed my father and my mother died of a broken-heart!" She stopped again, took a breathe, and continued. "Anyways," she said awkwardly, "I moved into a Hold with my uncle."

[Spirithawk]

P'rin heard her comment. "They aren't hard to figure out when they are hatchlings like Kilzanth but they get smarter as they get older. They just don't remember things for long."

"Some kid dream of being the children of dragonriders but I like my Holder background. My family was really loving and I didn't have to be fostered out. I just didn't fit in with them. That's why I went when I was offered an apprenticeship with the Tanner Hall."

P'rin's pale blue eyes widened. "A dragon killing? That is impossible. A dragon can never harm his rider. They wouldn't even think of harming another dragonrider much less their own soulmate. Dragons and riders are bonded in mind and soul. They are incapable of harming each other. Sure a dragonet will maul a Candidate when it first hatches but after it Impresses it thinks of nothing but the health and love of its rider."

"I used to think that dragons were ferocious creatures but now that I have Kilzanth I realize just how wrong I was. They are only really fierce when someone threatens their rider or a Queen's eggs and when Thread falls."

"Maybe the dragon didn't have the right coordinates /between/ I have heard that there are a few dragons who die there because they jump without thinking or they are too tired. Word is that its more likely for W'lings to go /between/ and not come back. I am nervous about that part of our training but that won't come for a while because Kilzanth needs to grow big enough to carry me."

The lanky lad went to the other glowbaskets and finished the Barracks quickly. "Well if you want that tour now I am done here."

[Miki]

Miki looked a bit disgusted. He wouldn't believe her either (and for good reason, considering she was wrong). Nobody would. She turned her head and gave a huff. "Obviously they would. My father was a great rider. He wouldn't make such a foolhardy mistake."

It was clearly going to take a lot more to convince Miki. Perhaps it was because she didn't know that when a rider died, so did his or her dragon. No, she never came upon this scrap of knowledge which might of changed her whole view. But by then she had already made a few enemies -Miya- that she did not like, even if they were right. She didn't like the attitude that rider had given her.

Everyone told Miki the same thing. A dragon would never do that, they said. She didn't believe them. It had been how many years that she had her current belief. She couldn't be so easily persuaded. Not about something of this scale.

Miki was so lost in though, she hardly realized the boy had spoken. She guess what he said but what she heard and nodded sullenly. She had occasionally thought she might be wrong. Perhaps it was her father who had faltered, not the dragon. They had been together for so long and they seemed so fond of each other. Miki felt her blood run cold. Her eyes began to gather a few tears. She was barely conscience of what was happening but she knew she didn't want to cry. She kept her eyes open, not wanting to push out a tear. She couldn't bring herself to wipe her eyes. She just let her hands hang by her sides, not able to move.

[Spirithawk]

P'rin shrugged. "Maybe the dragon didn't get the right picture. Sometimes that happens. It doesn't mean that the dragon is a killer. Maybe one day you will understand. Perhaps you will Impress at the next Hatching. Then you will understand. Riders and dragons are paired for life. If one dies, the other usually dies. The only dragon that stayed alive after her rider died was Moreta's Queen and that was only because she had eggs to tend to. Most riders suicide if their dragons die. Some don't" He shuddered." But they live half-lives, like part of their souls are missing. Our Weyrlingmaster likes to stress that point. She said they lost too many dragons and riders from her group back when she was a W'ling and they don't want to lose any of us."

[Miki]

Miki stood still but she could hear what he was saying. She stood and listened and waited. About three seconds after he finished, she snapped back into reality. She quickly wiped her eyes and spun to the boy.

Miki looked back angrily. "And why should I believe you," she managed not to shout. She took a deep breath, her shoulders lifting to her ears and then lowering as she exhaled. "How do I know you are right? Why should I assume my father was the one who screwed up. Shards!"

With her final curse, she spun around and ran out of the barracks. She ran off but she wasn't sure where. He seemed so level-headed when she screamed. It annoyed her. He acted like it was no big deal. He would probably just shrug this off and return to his stupid dragon.

Even if she no longer blamed dragons for the death of her father, she didn't think she could like them. She had made so many reasons to hate them and they would still stand.

Miki finally slowed to a quick walk. She had no idea where she was and sighed. She saw ledges rising into the sky with a few dragons laying around. Blue and Green and Brown. Very many. She wondered if the gold was around. Obviously she was in the area for the riders weyrs.

[Spirithawk]

P'rin looked at he with confusion and then tore after her. "Hey! Wait, you are going to get yourself lost!" The lad was lithe but she had a head start. He caught sight of her whipping around a corner and followed. When he stopped he was breathing a bit hard but mostly because he had been up and active since early workng with his dragon.

"Look, I never said your father messed up. I said the dragon could have misunderstood or might have been tired. Anything could have caused it but a dragon would never murder his rider. And I don't know why you should believe me. I am just some strange W'ling. But at any rate, I know what it is like to be a dragonrider. It is the most awesome feeling. I feel like I will never be alone again. I have someone who loves me no matter how bad I screw up and I love him. Its hard to explain but believe me when I say that a dragon could never willingly hurt its rider." His voice was earnest. His blue eyes were dead serious.

[Miki]

Miki's teeth were grinding. She struggled to hold back her yells and her tears. "Show me to my room," she said quietly, "And that'll be all."

She didn't feel like talking. She got a headstart on him, knowing somewhat the way to go.

Miki was mad. She did not want to hear this. This wasn't true. And even if it was, it didn't mean dragon's were good. They still had so many faults. Stupid creatures, they were. She huffed angrilly.

[Spirithawk]

P'rin shook his head. He was normally calm and rational but this was one thing he couldn't see letting drop. "Why are you so keen to believe that dragons are horrible? Maybe you are just mad at your parents for leaving you. Maybe you want something to blame so you put the blame on the dragons."

"I don't even know your name and yet here I am arguing with you. You won't like being here if you yell at every dragonrider because if you haven't noticed, most of the people here are dragonriders. There aren't even any Candidates left because we all Impressed."

"I can see that you don't want to listen to me but that doesn't matter. I can talk to the air. Come on. I said I would show you around the weyr and show you around I will. This is the Weyrbowl. The lake is over there." He turned and pointed.

"If you ever have any problems you can go to the Headwoman."He pointed across the bowl. "That is the Lower Caverns. She can usually be found there or in the kitchens which are just off the Dining Cavern. The huge opening across it is the Hatching Grounds. I could show you that if you want. There aren't any eggs but it is pretty impressive. Anyway, you can find Headwoman Uslanee there."

"Or," He turned and pointed to the largest ledge. "You can go to the WW. She is really nice from what I can see. I have never talked to her myself but no one has ever complained about her. They used to complain about the former WL though. You can see her dragon from here." Sure enough the massive gold was sleeping out in the weak sun on the ledge.

"The infirmary is in the Lower Caverns but there is another passage you have to take and there is an opening there." He pointed. "I can show you better if we walk there." He was not going to let her bad mood affect him and she needed to see that not all dragonriders were deserving of her sharp tongue.

[Miki]

Miki only half payed attention to the boy as he rambled on. She put out the 'Oh," and "I thought so," when it seemed fit but for the most part kept her eyes ahead of her, staring at the ground as if there was a picture show. She saw the tips of her feet just enter her line of vision with each step they took. They kicked up a tiny spurt of dust each time they hit the ground.

She was so tired. Why was this boy being so dense? Was it possible? She didn't want to start up a conversation again, though. She would try to be kinder to the dragons and their rider but what could be expected of her?

[Spirithawk]

P'rin gave a rueful smile. "You aren 't really listening to me. I may be stubborn but I am not dumb." Sometimes I wonder. Hush Kilzanth. "Come on." The bronzerider's long legs carried him swiftly as he went to lead her back to the Candidate Barracks.