A Kiss for Luck! (Olivia)

[Rowana]

N'rik hadn't been down this way in over a turn. He shook his head in amazement. Had it really been that long? Sometimes it seemed only yesterday he was a candidate, eager for the next hatching. Sometimes it seemed like he had known Ophiuchusth all his life. Of course, without his knots, many people would still think him a candidate. Even at fifteen turns, he was still small. He liked to think he carried himself like a rider, though, even if he still felt like a kid sometimes.

Today he trotted into the common room, glancing around with a combination of hope and nervousness. He'd been steeling himself up for this for a week and had even worn some of his least dirty clothes. His hair was combed, though it still looked messy and Alph and Ophi were freshly oiled.

"Olivia?" Part of him hope she was here or he might have to go hunting for her. Part of him hoped she wasn't, because they would have an excuse not to see her. "You in here?"

[Zephyr]

The girl was hanging out in the barracks, perched on her bed. She had just finished chores and was busy going through her clothes, decided what to wear to the hatching. Nitrath's eggs were hardening on the sands and Olivia found herself having to get ready for another hatching. She was only fourteen, and she had been left standing so many times. It was difficult, even for her with her sunny disposition to be upbeat about things.

Still, she looked through her clothes silently, holding some up now and again. Pippin was stretched out on her bed, seemingly asleep, but his ears were twitching every now and again. Impala was curled up in the crook of the dog's body and Merry was perched happily on Olivia's headboard, watching her silently with rapt eyes. The girl was holding up a rather sad looking shirt when Pippin perked, head shooting up. Impala gave a croon of confusion as the dog suddenly jumped up and bounded off of the bed, claws scrabbling on the floor as he raced into the common room.

The sudden movement startled Olivia, who let out a squeak and dropped her shirt, whirling around to watch a very dazed and confused Impala. Blinking a few times, the girl stood, scooping up the firelizard before wandering after the dog, unprepared for what she was seeing.

Liv froze, blinking a few times as she watched Pippin prancing around a familiar boy. "N'rik!" Her eyes brightened instantly, approaching him and giving her canine a stern look. "Pippin, chill!" The dog stopped, letting his haunches his the ground and yawned wide with a whine. Liv snorted lightly, rolling her eyes at the dog before looking back at N'rik. " What are you doing here?" She asked brightly, unable to hide her happiness.

Not that she ever bothered.

[Rowana]

Path leaped playfully out from behind the boy to pounce Pippen's tail. It was good to see her friend again! She loved her boy dearly, but sometimes it was better to have a proper canine to play with. N'rik wasn't watching them though, instead meeting Olivia with a bright, but nervous smile. "Hi! I...well..." He hesitated. How many times had he practiced this with Ophiuchusth and he was still messing it up. He took a deep breath and brought out the small bunch of wild flowers he'd picked and showed them to her. "I wanted to give you these." His face was already turning pink, much to his embarrassment. "For luck at the Hatching," he added lamely.

[Zephyr]

Pippin was getting bored with the human talk. The canine flopped onto his belly, stretching out his forelegs in an exaggerated gesture and opening his mouth in a jaw splitting yawn that brought a whine from the depths of his throat. He eyed Path as the smaller canine pounced on his tail and he whined lightly, falling over onto his side to paw at the other canine lazily. It was nice to have another canine to play with. Olivia's pets were nice, but they weren't much fun to play with.

Impala was confused and gave a cheep to tell Olivia so. The girl crooned and set the firelizard on the couch. "I know baby." She soothed the blind firelizard lovingly before turning her attention back to N'rik.

She watched him with confusion. What was he so nervous about? She was about to open her mouth to ask when he brought the flowers out from behind his back. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. She got over it in a second, eyes lighting up. A giant smile stretched over her face and she took them from him reverently. "They're so beautiful!" She beamed, clearly trying not to prance where she stood. "Thank you!"

And without really thinking about it, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around the older boy in a hug that was all about affection.