[PRP] Search & Search again (Ryala, Roana, searchrider)

[Ryala]

As the next group took to the stage to start the final set of the evening, Ryala allowed herself a small sigh of relief. Though she'd sung at Gathers before, this was only the fifth that had been any great distance from the Harper Hall, and it was certainly the most rowdy. A couple of times, she'd even felt a bit... uncomfortable... beneath the weight of the stares from a few men here. Shivering at the memory of those looks, she turned away from the stage, the first song of this set already catching the attention of the audience as she started towards the table that she shared with her fellow Harpers at the edge of the square.

"Very nicely done," one of them said by way of greeting. "Klah?"

"Please," she replied, taking her seat.

Another chuckled. "One's first performance at Rivercrest tends to leave them feeling drained." The others at the table agreed. She certainly had no argument with that assessment, as she revived herself some with the warm brew. A plate was passed to her, which she gladly accepted. Though she'd eaten earlier, it had been a light meal as she'd known that she would need to sing. This looked a bit more substantial...

She'd barely taken two bites of the wherry slice when something moving out in the darkness caught her eye. That was odd... it had almost looked like there has been a flickering light, though it seemed to be neither glow nor flame. It was gone now, though she was certain that she'd seen it... there it was again! And coming closer...

"Ryala..." the Harper sitting across from her snapped his fingers in front of her face, trying to get her attention. With a start, she realized that she'd not only missed whatever had been said, but had also let her knife and fork fall still, hovering over her plate.

Before she could explain, the guitarist for her group, seated next to her, also saw it. "What in the name of Faranth...?"

The ghostly vision drifted closer as everyone else at the table turned to see what it was. Eyes widened in surprise, they watched the wavering wraith swiftly wisp closer... and suddenly, the creature was revealed in the light as It flew directly for Ryala. Or, more accurately, for her plate.

Shocked by the sudden approach of the tiny blue flit, it took her a moment to collect her wits. Before the little thing could do more than spirit away the last bite of meat that she had cut, she began using her knife in earnest, cutting bits small enough to feed him. The others had shaken off their momentary paralysis and spoke in hushed tones, and though she had no idea what was said, saving her attention for the tiny blue, she became aware of the Harpers shifting, as if to shield the sight from the rest of the Gather.

The blue fiend was trying to grab the food as fast as he could, but she managed to pull as many morsels towards herself as possible. When the entire wherry slice was cut, she seized the opportunity to offer the little ghostly one a piece at a time.

In short order, the meat had disappeared, the bulging belly of the beast being the only evidence of where it went. Fast asleep, the blue now rested in a content ball in the crook of her elbow. Only now did her focus return to the others...

"... never seen anything like it..."
"... just came out of nowhere, and right for her..."
"... dragon will, once in a while, but a firelizard...?"
"... smelled the food..."

Ryala looked up, now a little uncertain. Were they upset that she had taken over, and not given anyone else a chance to Impress the flit? Looking around, it didn't seem so. Though, why hadn't they tried?

Opening her mouth to ask that very question, she instead found herself asking, "Umm... why did you try to keep anyone else from seeing?"

The guitarist chuckled. "Are you kidding? Did you want someone else to see, and try to lure the flit away from you?"

"Hmm... good point. But where did he come from? I've never heard of a firelizard hatchling just appearing before a random person, looking for food..."

"It has to have hatched nearby, certainly," one of the others stated. "If it was attracted by the food, and your meal was the closest..."

"It could have been an egg that belonged to someone at the Hold," another pointed out. "If the egg hatched while they were busy at the Gather..."

"You dimglow, there's still a closer source of food there to catch it's attention," the guitarist said.

Though they reviewed theory after theory on where Ghost (as she chose to call him) has come from and why he had chosen to go to Ryala (though most still favored the notion that the food had attracted him), they were still none the wiser when the last set came to a close.

((OOC... sorry, I wanted to get that out of the way first.)  

[Sinders Path]

Roana stood tall among-st the crowd as she scanned the dwindling mass of people. Her gaze purposeful and searching. Her special focus was reserved for the pop up bars that were still serving a few hang back customers while the rest of the stalls from the day started to break down their structures and back up. The music from the harpers had faded but the pirate could still hear a few drunken songs drifting on the wind. Folks determined to continue with the days merriment.

After a time, she was able to follow the loudest of the off key singing to a wooden stall. It was hung in white and blue baring pictures of frothing tankereds and glasses of wine to advertise it's wears. A trio of young men just past legal age shared a bench beside it and were the source of the singing. Roana spared them a passing glance, secretly wishing she were able to join them. But no, she had another task for sitting just inside the awning was the hunched grizzled figure of her uncle.

Gathering her courage she tapped the man on his shoulder. Her uncle swung around and threw out his arms in welcome. "Ah, Roana there's my beautiful niece that ruined my life."

Roana's heart shuddered and she took a shaky step back. She was getting used to that over used jab but it still took her breath away and being hit with it as an opening blow had shocked her. She grit her teeth, narrowed her eyes and replanted her feet.
"It's time to come home Uncle. The gather is over, it's time to go."

"Home?" Her uncle spat. "We don't have a home anymore Roro."
"Yes, you do, it's with me. And we can discuss this back there away from people." She was still trying to keep her voice soothing, cajoling and pacifying.
"Hah, this is more a home than that place. My only home is the sea.
And its not with you."

That was it. The thin thread of Roana's self control snapped and her temper flared like consuming fire, burning away what was left of her restraint.

"Everytime! Everytime you throw that in my face! And you know what? I really do wish I'd let you drown! Go down with your beloved ship like all the old harper stories. I thought it would be a waste, that you'd come back to me, but now, I'm just stuck with a useless drunken old fool!"

Uncle Remmy was on his feet now and he was shouting as well, gesturing wildly with his hands while he leaned against the bar to keep himself upright. They both had the famous family temper and neither would be out done. "I should have never taken you onto my ship. You selfish ungrateful brat...."

Before he could continue Roana shot out and slapped him hard across the face. "I save your life, get us a place to stay, try and keep it all together and I'm SELFISH?"

Uncle Remmy was momentarily stunned but then he gathered himself and struck out with a return blow that made Ro's ears ring and her vision swim.

The next moment she had grabbed him and they were a mess of limbs, both lashing out at each other, kicking and punching with equal fervor. But Rembone was drunk and his movements were sloppy and often missed, so even thought he was physically stronger it didn't take long for Roana to gain the upper hand and wrestle him to the ground. Her lip was bleeding and there was the beginnings of a bruise under her eye but once her uncle was down, she managed to keep him pinned. "You stupid, idiotic old fool. I saved you because I didn't think I could live without you, now I don't think I can live with you. Stay here if you want. I'm done with you." She scrambled to her feet, turned on her heel and stalked away. If her uncle tried to stop her, she didn't notice as she was swallowed by the crowds ignoring the gathered spectators to her family drama.

Once she was safely away,she ducked into an unlit sidesteet, put her head in her hands and let the hot angry tears wash over her face and blur her vision.  

[Hattaki]

Crowds had formed during the verbal sparring and had actually, and somewhat inexplicably in her swiftly angering opinion, stayed to watch a grown man and a teenager grapple in the dust. Not surprisingly the teenager won, her mass of curly almost red hair sparked a note not far from the surface that stilled the thin strip of woman that had been making her way towards the disturbance. Form hidden from sight by the milling throngs of despicable humans that did nothing to help the child so clearly distraught. Her body held rigid in anger that boiled just below the surface of her skin and surely showed in the way she held herself, arms crossed and back rigid as she forced herself to watch, seeing despite the mass before her.

She was on Search and that dictated a certain degree of restraint that Nicara did not feel she could contain if she were to advance much further than her current position.

"Do you see her beautiful one?" The words hissed out of her like steam from a kettle. The harshness was ignored by the blue wings in the air that danced just out of reach of sight.

Side street, the energy from before is still there but it has morphed into... something else. Are you sure it is best to investigate this before the other? Both are showing fair signs and the other would appear to be in a less emotional state.

The crowd of people she had been standing in dispersed and left Nicara exposed, standing completely alone but the anger still showing on her body. Blue eyes widened briefly at Diesteth's comment and then narrowed to focus on the battered man only three strides before her. Standing with her back straight and her arms bracketed over her chest still, as if restraining her own anger, Nicara was unintentionally looking down her nose at the man with a scowl adorning features that normally held no such look.

The red tint to the girl's hair had reminded her of a small child who had come from this same Hold many turns in the past. Situations were quite different now though and the feeling her dragon received from the girl's presence could not be denied. Though there was yet another she needed to find in this Hold she would not let this girl slip through her fingers.

Nicara sensed an asset to the Weyr.

"Show me the street and then go see to the location of the next. Let me know anything you may discover Diesteth. It could be important.", Nicara was already moving as she spoke, her feet carrying her in the direction the girl had taken.

Flashing brilliantly through her mind came the image, the girl stood completely alone down that street, though the dark discouraged much more than words. Feeling rather than seeing Diesteth's wings carry him back towards the square with a graceful flourish caused her eyes that matched her dragon so well to roll in amusement. Despite the anger she felt at such an open display, despite her need for reservation and a distinct lack of emotion, Nicara still felt giddy each time she felt her beautiful blue dragon wing through the sky. The only better feeling was being astride his strong back.

Shaking her head, Nicara set right her features and turned down the side street Diesteth had shown her in the brief image. Close now, the tall girl was just before her, the slim woman drew herself up to every inch of her utterly average height flipped the long black tail of her hair from off her shoulder. Things were dangerous in dark streets and despite herself she tried to affect a calming image that one might trust and dropped her arms down to the pockets of her wherhide jacket. Non-threatening despite her ramrod straight posture, she managed a gentle smile that even made it to her icy eyes.

"You know, I've always found that there are safer places to escape to when I'm upset.", Nicara offered the words in the gentlest voice she possessed, one that had calmed Diesteth when he had been a mere hatchling that had ripped her shoulder wide on the sands.

The blue had repeatedly apologized for his actions and Nicara had insisted that she felt no need to be angry, even when the wound was fresh. The constant insistence did nothing to assuage him from his guilt but Diesteth had proven to be the perfect partner and after aging quite a bit the blue was the reason that she had come all the way to Rivercrest Hold. His delicate senses had picked up not one but two possible candidates in the area and felt a certain amount of strength pouring from this girl despite the explosive first impression. She felt this worked towards her favor and knew from experience that many a fiery young girl had come to Impress dragons on the sands of Western Weyr.

Rumbling with pleasure, Diesteth informed her that he'd located the second and that she was equally blessed with red hair.

Glorious, surrounded by redheads once more.

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Allllllmost forgot this. lol

Ryala

Sinders Path

 

[Sinders Path]

Roana had spent her formative years among a bunch of rough and ready sea crafters which meant she held firm to belief that it was personal shame and weakness to give into her tears. As soon as she heard a voice she dashed them away violently with her sleeve. She even managed to ignore the pain the action inflicted on her fresh wounds while she rounded on the new comer with her eyes narrowed and fierce.

She still felt wrung out. Hurt and betrayed by the man she loved more than her own parents, even if she was loathe to admit it now. The only emotions she had left in her after he encounter were sorrow and anger. Since exposing her sorrow was out of the question she instantly lashed out with her remaining wrath. She drew herself up to her full height to look down on the smaller women, her shape was outlined vaugley in the little light drifting in from the open end of the street so the height difference was obvious.

"Well I am pretty sure I didn't ask for your advice or your sympathy. Because, it is exactly none of your business." She snapped at Nicara irritably. "I might have just been in a fight but I'm not hurt, get any closer I'll lay you out." She took a step forward to punctuate her threat and then she saw it. Her eyes adjusted enough to make out some details of her would be comforter. Including her clothes and knot of rank. A hiss of air sounded as she drew in breath quickly over and through her teeth which had fixed themselves in a grimace.

"Shells, You're a dragon rider." The shock of that revelation alone did a lot to deflate Ro. Everyone knew that dragons didn't hurt people but sailors loved to weave yarns and tell stories. And every single one of them swore blind to know of at least one exception to the rule. 'My cousin cheated a rider a cards, when he found out he had his dragon come an eat him, big bronze b*****d, snapped him up in one bite.Quick as you like." And things of that nature. All of those stories flooded back to the teenager now.

"Look, I won't hurt you okay, it's not been my best day ever, so just let me past, I want to go home now."  

[Ryala]

As the harpers began packing up, their sharp ears picked out the sounds of arguments in the distance... and more than one, at that. The square was clearing out, with a few people heading back to the Gather stalls, not quite ready to call it quits. Others remained slumped over at their tables, goblets with reach that held varying levels of wine. A few people wandered back and forth, seemingly looking for something lost. Ryala even spotted a trio of children, who should certainly have been in their beds at this hour, gathered instead at the edge of the square, speaking in hushed tones as they looked at the dispersing crowd.

Ghost remained oblivious to it all, as he contentedly slept off his first meal. Gazing at his slumbering dark/light form, Ryala continued to wonder over his mysterious origins. Certainly, there has to be an answer somewhere, if she could only find it. Not that she wished to argue about the outcome at all... he had flown strait to her, after all. But it would be nice to have some some knowledge of where he'd come from...

As the guitarist for her group helped Ryala to shoulder her pack, the little blue awoke momentarily. With a sleepy chirp, his tiny eyes opened as he tilted his head skyward, seeming to see something there.

"Handy, that is," the guitarist chuckled as he adjusted the strap on her shoulder. "Guess that means our ride is here."

Trying to keep her arm cradling the sleepy flit steady, Ryala looked up, but could make out nothing more than darkness. "Well, his senses are certainly keener than my own," she replied, turning her gaze from the blackness overhead back to the little blue. His eyes were closed once more, but somehow she knew that he was still just on this side of consciousness, curious to see the larger cousin that he'd heard.  

[Hattaki]

Why, by the egg of Faranth, did anyone taller than her instantly assume that she would be intimidated by a few inches of difference? Nicara had grown up around dragons much larger than any human and the threat of a roaring angry dragon far surpassed that of a teenager bristling in anger.

Blue eyes crinkled slightly around the edges seconds before a fit of laughter overtook the blue rider. She waved a hand, as if telling the younger woman to ignore her for just a moment as she tried to rein in her mirth for the overall situation. Her shoulders shook as she pulled herself together and she stood more relaxed suddenly, her arms crossing once more as she let a grin cross her face and the weight of her body shifted to her good hip.

"Sorry, but I've never understood why everyone loses their wind the moment they discover my rank. I meant no sympathy with my words, whatever way you took them, just exactly what they were. Dark, unlit streets hardly seem the place to hide oneself after a fight.", Nicara's grin slowly vanished as the words escaped her. It was truth, she rarely sympathized with anyone even if they were sobbing directly on her shoulder. An act that had happened only once.

No rider would respect anyone that poured their emotions into every action with all the grace of a bucket being kicked over. At least the young woman before her seemed to hold emotions outside of anger back, though the full rainbow of emotions had yet to be seen.

"Also, Diesteth won't ever harm you, if that's the reason why you backed down so suddenly. Weyr dragons are hardly the dangerous sort of dragonkind. He was the one that sensed you here in this Hold while we were on Search.", her hand waved once more to the nasty rumor. "I've known quite a few Candidates that came from Rivercrest Hold and the waters surrounding it. Haven't been disappointed yet."

Let that sink in for a moment before she could run away.

In the air above the square, hidden from sight in the growing dark, Diesteth kept his eyes firmly on the young girl he'd seen holding a blue fire lizard. Little beast had already detected him, so a good set of eyes that seemed to match a good heart to go with vocals. The large blue had heard her singing of course, it surpassed even what he'd heard Onasta sing to Jibasth and himself when completely alone and he found himself further impressed by the skill. Though he could hardly base his entire decision upon it, the dragon loved music of any sort. Proof of this was strapped to the riding gear at the base of his neck, the violin that Nicara carried with her at all times.

Twirling in the air from pleasure, he weighed the merits of descending himself before his rider returned with the first. If she did, he could feel the emotions coming from the area quite well even so far up. Mind made up, the blue tilted his wings and swooped down gracefully for the empty spot in the courtyard not far from the girl. His eyes whirled their normal blueish green color as he touched down and looked in her direction, patterned wings folding across his back languidly.

Found you.

Doubtless the girl could not hear him, there had been none that could speak to all dragons for turns and turns, but Diesteth had said it mostly for himself anyway. Searching was a secret joy of his, even if his cool demeanor did not give much hint to it.

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Sinders Path

Sorry, but she would have found that funny no matter what. XD; I swear she is a nice person.

Ryala

 

[Sinders Path]

Roana's brows rose and she froze when the rider near enough collapsed into peals of laughter. Whatever the joke was the young sea crafter had missed it. How exactly was anyone meant to respond to that? Roana's reaction was too look behind herself for another escape, however the street was blocked off by a separating fence which meant Nicara was blocking the only exit. Roana just had to wait it out.

The laughter really hadn't helped her mood. "If you don't understand than you were clearly raised in a weyr not a hold." she muttered. "More so now thread has returned. Also, if you didn't want me to take it as sympathy you shouldn't have used that tone. I am not a child or an injured animal." However Nicara had meant it for Roana, a grown woman, it had only sounded patronizing.

"And as for your dragon...." she trailed off, her brain had finally started to work past her indignation. Her face morphed through a range of different emotions, pleasure, shock, fear, suspicion and then settled on disbelief. "I don't know what our feeding it, but if he/she just told me I'm a candidate. I think it must be sick. I am just a sea crafter, I belong on the ocean not in the air. No dragon is going to have someone like me, going back to a weyr would be a waste of time." Not to mention she could barley read or write and was quite terrified of being forced into the weyr's near militaristic life style. Though she decided not to voice either of those thoughts.

She took a deep steadying breath before deciding that was quite enough of that. Making her body solid and her muscles tensed for resistance she pushed forward and past the blue rider to get back out into the well lit streets. The side street had been well shielded by the heavy lean of the buildings on either side and its limited space, so when she was back out in teh air again the noise, smells and illumination assaulted her senses strongly.

It forced her to pause and gain her bearings. But then she was back to her self and she struck out running. She weaved her way between the workers and hangers on from the gather, ducking down a back road that was her usual short cut.

It might have been a clean get away if her path hadn't lead her straight into a secondary square where Diesteth had just made his graceful landing.

Hattaki

 

[Ryala]

The arrival of a rather marvelous blue dragon probably wouldn't have attracted much notice, had he not landed in the still occupied square. Still, he had chosen a spot that was clear, and most of the people were gone. Turning to watch as he landed nearby, she noticed the varying shades of blue on his wings... and that was all she really had time to take note of before his glgowing eyes turned towards her. Or was he looking at the guitarist, who was still standing at her shoulder?

A sleepy cheep informed her that Ghost was also taking note of the proceedings. A pair of lightly whirling blue eyes looked up at this much larger counterpart, curious. He could sense that the big one had come looking for his friend, but didn't mean any harm. But why was he looking for Ghost's companion, then?  

[Hattaki]

No response made it from her lips before the subtle changes in the girl's demeanor and the way she held herself indicated her initial flight. Dragon insulted, rank insulted, and way of life dismissed, Nicara's brows and eyelids had slid further down into a look of annoyance. This girl knew nothing of her and yet reacted by pushing her own assumptions on her, much the way the rider had done previously. Any apology she may have formed was lost as the girl babbled on, not making much in the way of sense outside the words Thread and her speech about the sea. Anger licked just below blue rider's skin, but she knew where she'd made her mistake and Diesteth had been correct. Following emotional teenagers was not her best idea, she hadn't been one herself and so could not relate.

No one insulted her dragon, emotional or not.

A quick step to the side allowed the girl past without a word or complaint, far be it for her to do anything. Some of those found on Search chose not to accept and there was nothing much that she could do to get an angry girl to understand an opportunity that her brain could not grasp the very edge of. Others were out there, others that would prove well equipped to fight the damnable Thread that darkened Pern's skies. It was those of strong character that she chose due to this, those who would wish to see it burned from the skies rather than run from it.

Still, it was an unfortunate turn of events. Under less dramatic circumstances she was certain the girl might have accepted an offer and her spirit alone had the substance to Impress. It would have been nice to see another female blue or brown rider, even green, but the opportunity was past.

Dashing such thoughts from her mind, Nicara reached out to Diesteth and found him already landed in the square. Fortune seemed to have aided him in attracting the attention of the next possible candidate and she was determined to at least have a more civil interaction with this girl. Anything would be an improvement over her last failure.

I don't often inform you of your responsibilities beloved one, but the Emotional One has stumbled upon the courtyard. Perhaps you could come along and waylay any anger or violence?

Or not, glorious.

Ignoring the string of quietly muttered explatives that had become his rider as she stalked towards the square, the large blue turned from the first girl to the second that had appeared not far from him. Wings re-settling on his back and wedged head looking back and forth, Diesteth tried not to heave a sigh, one may have been easier than the other but both had qualities that stood out. It would be hard to ascertain which to choose of them.

"Both!" the words were spoken quite a distance away but he heard it all the same and let out a rumble that passed for a laugh.

Which to focus on then, maybe the one holding the tiny fire lizard that had acknowledged him? Or should he turn his glowing eyes towards the one that had angered his rider so? She showed fire, but her emotions were all over the place currently. That left one valid choice then and he turned to focus on the singer. Diesteth tried to decide if he'd felt her presence first but it was currently a mystery. He didn't know enough about her.

A hum resonated from him, directed at the tired hatchling, belly full of food and content in the warmth of it's newly Impressed owner. Surely the small thing had been drawn to her for some reason and it was a reason he sought.

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Sinders Path

Ryala

 

[Ryala]

As the dragon turned his head away, then back, then away again, Ryala moved slightly, until she could see what else has captured his attention. Or, rather, who. Spotting the other redheaded girl, she watched as the blue continued to shift his focus back and forth until, for reasons that she was starting to comprehend, his eyes once more stopped on her. And this time, there was no mistaking it...

There could only be one logical reason for this behavior. Awed surprise once more welled up in her as she looked from the great blue to the familiar faces around her, certain that the expression in her own face must likely mirror theirs.

Uncertainty made itself known to her as well, though she tried to hide it. She'd been at the Harper Hall long enough to learn a few things, like the fact that there were no guarantees to Impressing a dragon. She'd read through enough records during the course of her studies to know that even Weyrbred folks had been known to be left standing. Yet, she had absolutely no intention of turning this opportunity down. If opportunity, indeed, it was...

Unbeknownst to any of them, Ghost picked up on the inaudible question from the dragon, and responded as best he could, being yet barely a candlemark out of the shell. Darkness, the feeling of movement, the thing he was in breaking. Then, freedom, a different kind of darkness, the feeling of a being very near who was unconscious and reeking of fumes, the smell of more fumes coming from the red stuff spilled nearby. An image of flying into the dark, looking for food. The sensation of sensing something curious, of following that feeling until he'd seen the lights and the people. The smell of food, coming from the thing in front of the one who had the curious something in her, the thing he had followed.

Yawning, he sleepily blinked up at the big one.

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If you didn't catch that... The original owner of his egg had fallen into a drunken stupor, and was still out cold when the egg hatched. The rest, I think, you can figure out.

 

[Sinders Path]

Roana was brought up short. She might have been angry but she wasn't brain dead. She wasn't about to direct any violence against a dragons. In fact she was rather in awe of the beast. Like many hold born she had never seen a dragon up close. Up until this point in her life dragon had been points of colour high up in the sky. She always enjoyed watching them, and to see them suddenly vanish between but it had always been a distant thing. Sometimes she toyed with invented stories about where the pair where going but that was as far as it went. Old world terra inhabitants would have recognized the feeling. It was like seeing a plane and wondering what exotic and distant land the passengers were going to.

Roana stood her ground and stared back at the dragon when it fixed it's large multi faceted eyes on her. Contrary to any option Nicara had formed of her, she wasn't a coward. If the rider had offered her a flame gun and asked her to go out into the fields to fight thread, she would have accepted there and then. But dragons were all together different and far far removed from her comfort zone.

So Ro let out a soft breath when the dragon turned away. She knew there had been a mistake. Most of the people in the square were still stood shocked and still staring at the dragon in fear or awe. Mostly a mixture of the two. It made it easy for Roana to circle the edge of the square and get to the next street. But the rider had way layed her for too long. Someone was shouting her name.

Roana turned in response only to recoil when she saw her uncle stumbling towards her, still drunk and red faced. "Roana! For pern's sake girl slow down." Despite herself, Roana found her feet coming to a stop. He might have brought her to despair but he was still family. "That's better. I knew you didn't mean it."
Roana's heart constricted. "I did mean it." she replied coldly. "I'm not going to prop you up anymore. you hit me!"
Her uncle waved it off. "J..just a scuffle which you started, besides, where are you going to go? Theres no work, you can't afford to live alone.We're stuck with each other thanks to you." It was true. half the river crest boats had been destroyed by thread, there were to many sea crafters jostling for the few that remained and she didn't have the age and experience to compete. plus, she was female.

Roana searched around for an answer, naturally her eyes fell on the dragon. He was by far the biggest thing in her field of vision. "That''s not true. I am going to the whyr. On that dragon" she announced in a flash of pique and impulse. It had the desired affect, her uncles jaw dropped open but no sound came out. He turned, blinking owlishly in the direction of his nieces finger as if he had only just noticed the blue.

Thinking fast, and having rather talked herself into a corner Roana cast her gaze around. Spotting Nicara emerging from a side street she brushed past her uncle to hurry over to the smaller women. Once she reached her she bent, whispering urgently and quickly. "Look,I changed my mind, I'm sorry about what i said about your dragon, he's very impressive so, just get me out of here.Take me with you." She glanced over her shoulder to see her uncle still staring between her and the dragon drunkenly, but that wouldn't last. "sooner would be better." she added. No she didn't have any right to ask the woman for anything after what she had said but her eyes reflected her pleading tone.

She still didn't really believe she had the stuff dragon riders were made of, but in that moment, the weyr was more attractive that going back to live with her uncle.And maybe, after she failed to impress and came home, things would be better.  

[Hattaki]

Faceted eyes swirled a mix of blue and orange before settling back to blue again, the response only to the images that flashed through his mind. Such an unfortunate way to come into the world, but it had been food and a general calm that had drawn the small one towards the girl and it was clear enough that despite the look of uncertainty that crossed her face she held a strong character. His senses had certainly not let him down this time.

Diesteth offered the girl a hum of her own and lowered his large head towards her, not willing to move until he completely understood the command coming from his rider. Only that had stilled his stepping towards her. There were still those that feared dragons, even if most were coming to understand their purpose once more. What had once been a growing dissent and belief that dragons and dragon riders were parasites on Pern was now morphing into a healthy respect and approval. Funny how the threat of Thread changed the minds of those at risk so completely.

She will make a fair candidate, there is strength deep in her, beloved. I can sense that she will make an asset to the Weyr.

Despite his growing displeasure in looking away and giving off the impression that he was not interested, Diesteth tore his attention from the girl and looked towards the larger man who smelled of alcohol and salt. Sailor then, but it had been he who had dared lay a hand on the other girl. Red flooded to his eyes but he made no motion to move, knowing that it could prove a problem for everyone involved.

Nearly there anyway, Nicara came to an abrupt stop when she saw the taller girl running in her direction. Her body language likely implied her feelings at the moment, so she did her best to blur it and fixed the girl with two blue eyes like stone. Surely this turn of events could have been foreseen, who would want to go back with someone that had just hit them and clearly held an animosity towards them for something. She'd heard the exchange of course but there was no indication of such on her face and her thoughts belonged to only herself and Diesteth. The big blue was not telling anyone.

Leaning forward to hide her actions behind the girl's body and speaking in only a hiss of air, Nicara relayed her agitation with the words, "You are an utter headache!" All the same she pointed at her, "You'll make a fantastic addition to the Weyr, but don't think I'm not keeping an eye on you the moment we land! Get over there by Diesteth now."

Keeping up appearances she straightened up and crossed her arms, a grin forcing it's way across her face managed to look mostly candid despite the situation. "I'm glad to see you've come to your senses about my offer. If you'll step over towards the big blue we'll be on our way shortly. I just have one more piece of business to attend to, you aren't the only possible Candidate here this evening." Her hand waved towards her large dragon as if the previous conversation had never happened and she looked across the courtyard towards the other girl.

Hopefully, if everything went in the direction that she planned she wouldn't have to try and intimidate the larger man with her size, or her dragon. She'd be able to talk to the other girl and be on their way if she easily accepted. This was not her favorite night ever and she really wanted a chance to pull her bow over the strings of her violin in a manner that would exorcise every bit of anger from her being.

Lift up your wing for me lovely and use it to shield this girl when she comes over.

Doing just as he was bid, Diesteth raised one large wing from his back and glanced at the girl expectantly.

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Ryala

What a cutie Ghost is. XD

Sinders Path

 

[Ryala]

The unexpected whirl of orange in the dragon's eyes brought about more uncertainty in the girl, this time based on the fact that she was unsure what, if anything, it meant. At any rate, it seemed to last but a brief time, after which his eyes seemed to assume a calmer color. When he hummed and moved his head closer, Ryala was once more frozen by uncerainty... and mentally shook it off. Allowing her unfounded fears to control her would get her nowhere. Besides, she'd ridden other dragons before, going to and from Gathers lately, and he was quite charming. If she truly wished to go to the Weyr, she needed to learn to cope with being around dragons.

Having calmed herself somewhat, Ryala was about to step forward... when the great blue head once more turned away. This time, though, she had a fair notion why. Guessing that he was likely looking in the direction where the other girl had gone, she decided to wait patiently. The guitarist, however, had other ideas. Coming up behind her, he lightly nudged her shoulder. "Go ahead," he said softly. "It'll be ok. We'll explain everything to the others at the Hall, and have your stuff sent along. And don't stress at the Hatching, either. Just imagine that you're on stage, and they're the audience. You know how to handle that."

Turning as he spoke, she took a calming breath and nodded. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." The two shared a brief hug, carefully mindful of Ghost, before she readjusted the weight of the pack on her shoulder and turned resolutely back towards her destiny.  

[Sinders Path]

Ronana rolled her eyes at the riders need to chide her, even if it was only fair. However when the woman gave in a grin of triumphant flashed briefly across her features. She should have agreed to go from the start but she was also unreasonably pleased that she had been able to get under the riders skin. "Oh, you have nothing to worry about." She promised sweetly. "I'll behave now. At the moment you are the better option." How could the rider not be flattered by that?

Still mulling over what this new turn of events might mean, and leaving the holds for the weyr, Roana straightened to walk over to the blue. Hesitantly she lay a hand on his upper foreleg, her touch as tentative as someone testing an electric fence. Then she gave him a more solid pat. "Thanks for the cover." she told him indicating the extended wing.

She could no longer see her uncle, sometime during the exchange the crowds around the dragon had thickened again and he had been lost in them. He was just a much a stranger to dragon kind as she was, so she knew he would be reluctant to approach again.  

[Hattaki]

Had she just called her 'the better option'? Nicara held in an exasperated sigh until the girl followed her instructions and headed over to Diesteth, rubbing her hands over her face she released the sigh into them to mask it. She hadn't even caught the girl's name and she could not keep swining back and forth between calling her 'the girl' or 'the young woman' forever. That remedy was going to have to wait until she had a chance to talk to the girl surrounded by Harpers first, then she'd get both names and manage to salvage some decorum on this Search if it was the last thing she ever did!

Stalled waiting until she made certain that Diesteth lowered his wing to block out any invading eyes from the girl, he had called her the Emotional One after all, the thin woman wove through the growing crowds towards the girl her blue had found. How amusing that she was a Harper as she'd once been herself, she'd have to inquire as to her rank when she had a moment, for now she simply walked up to her with the intent to introduce herself.

Your nerves are still frazzled a bit, be nice!

This from you?

All the same, she found a calm spot in herself, one filled with music and wind that managed to pull her up from where her thoughts had slid. It was not the fault of the Search Candidates how she responded to them, rather it was her own fault for not taking in the particulars of each personality. Calm would help.

"So you're the one that caught Diesteth's eye tonight, though clearly he isn't the first." She gestured towards the sleeping baby fire lizard in the girl's arms with a grin, "This has been a fortuitous night it looks like and I'd like to offer the chance to make it more so. The gold dragon Vimiath is due to lay a clutch of eggs any day now and I'm looking for those that might Impress one of the dragons from that clutch. You seem to have just the spirit that Diesteth was looking for."

Crooning despite himself, the large blue dragon bent his head down to take in the human beneath his wing. Yes, she had infuriated his rider but that did not mean that she had upset him in any way. Rather he had been politely amused at seeing Nicara deal with someone who could unsettle her in such a way. Sensing her slight trepidation from her initial touch, likely the result of never being so close to dragons before this, Diesteth swirled his eyes to a soft blue and hummed his welcome. There was nothing for her to fear in him, but certainly she had already begun to understand that.

Or so he hoped, for soon she would be surrounded by dragons larger even than himself. As size went blues weren't quite as impressive as the truly giant metallic dragons that humans so desired to Impress, but he liked to think that his colors set him apart.

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Ryala

Sinders Path

I promise to get less distracted after this! XD; My bad you two!