Search (searchrider R'fuin)

[Kisha-Ra]

((Post an introductory post to be Searched by R'fuin.))

[morgan]

Aniqa was, as usual in the Healer Hall, at work. Today she was cleaning up vomit. It had to be the third time that sevenday that she was doing so. Sometimes she thought that the kitchen workers improperly cooked food just to have the girl apprentices clean up what invariably didn't stay down. However, she did what was needed. At this rate, her Journeywomanship couldn't be far off, could it? Besides, she could tell by the lack of chunks in the puddle of sick that this particular batch was not the result of improperly cooked meals.

She decided to try to make her task more "fun" by making designed in the puddle with her rag. First a swirl, then a design that looked like dragon wings, then what looked like a disk with a whole in the middle or a target. A cry rang out through the Hall.

"Search!" Ani paused in her task, looking out the nearby window. Sure enough, a dragon was coming to land in the courtyard. Noticing the colors, she dropped her rag into the bucket and ran past people in th hall before they could recognize that she was a girl. If they had, she surely would have been prevented from showing herself, like all the other times.

Usually she would have avoided the Searches anyway, but the distinct purple and white encouraged her to get onto the grassy lawn with others of Impression age. Purple and white; the colors of her home Weyr.

[Kisha-Ra]

Cold air hit R’fuin’s face as Ylonth emerged from between low over healer hall, it was less cold than between, but not much. The bluerider knew he was taking a risk by riding Search in the North but with the current state of the war between Fort and Benden both Weyrs were concentrating more on each other than the Holds and Halls, not even bothering to post watchriders according to his sources. If it wasn't a trap there would never be a better time to Search the North than now.

No other dragons nearby.[/color] Ylonth reported neatly spiralling downward, alert but not feeling the same tense, trembling excitement that his rider got from Searching right under Fort Weyr’s muzzle, so to speak. It feels good my R’fuin. There is potential there.[/color] the pale blue added, feeling further comment was called for.

Let’s get down there then, there’s probably not going to be much oppertuinity to get those potential’s away from the other Weyrs R’fuin answered and felt the change in the muscle movements beneth his legs as Ylonth drifted yet further downward, tucked his hindquarters underneath himself and backwinged furiously, raising a cloud of debris.

‘Search!’ he bellowed, leaping off his dragon’s neck as soon as Ylonth’s feet touched the ground. ‘I want to see any youngsters between twelve and twenty who feel they can leave their craft.’ He didn’t add that they would be leaving the North as well, they would know that he wasn’t a northern rider from his behaviour.

As the hopefuls began to assemble Ylonth walked forward, warbling softly and prodded the fist few people to approach with his muzzle, the bulky dragon seemed to require physical contact to find the ones who would be good riders. Or handlers, we have a wher queen at Selenitas now.[/color] Ylonth reminded his rider as he walked past a group of boys without showing any interest. Apparently Ylonth was focused on just one person in this crowd.

I see her![/color] Ylonth called as a few more youngsters came outside. The heavy set blue nearly wriggled with impatience as he approached his target slowly so as not to startle her and almost delicately touched her head with his nose. This is her. I will look for others but this is the best one here.[/color] Ylonth announced and turned away, he had found his candidate, it was R’fuin’s job to make sure she came back with them.

R’fuin strode up to the girl Ylonth had picked out and smiled charmingly at her, she seemed a little young but her eyes told a different story. That was the North for you these days. ‘Hello. I’m R’fuin. My dragon Ylonth tells me you’d make a good dragonrider.’ He wished he was a bit better at the recruiting speeches, if this girl was as good as Ylonth thought then Fort or Benden would snatch her up soon and ruin her, just like they ruined everyone with their stupid war. He had to say the right things.

[morgan]

Aniqa at first didn't see the blue dragon land, and only realized that it had done so when the cloud of dust and other trash rose and swirled in a mini wind storm in the middle of the courtyard. 'Lazy apprentices,' she thought dryly before focusing on the pale blue dragon that landed. It was no wonder she almost missed him. From afar, he was a lot more defined, but close up he almost resembled the sky. She suddenly felt more comforatble around him, as he reminded her of herself a bit. His rider was a dark haired and tan young man that couldn't be much older than herself.

He shouted "Search," and Ani smiled slightly. She, aong other apprentices eager for the chance to go to any Weyr, had already entered the courtyard and were milling around, trying to get the Blue's attention.

"I want to see any youngsters between twelve and twenty who feel they can leave their craft." More people moved catiously forward, hoping that they wouldn't be punished later for volunteering to leave if they don't end up leaving. Ani however stayed in her original spot near the front of the group, waiting for the dragon to either choose her or pass her by. She despiratly hoped it would be the latter. Finally the blue walked speculatively among the assembled people. All of them except her, she noticed, were boys.

The blue prodded a few with his muzzle, but kept moving. He simply passed by more, but seemed to brighten and he focused on someone. Her. He came slowly toward her, but she could tell that he was restraining himself as he moved closer. After seeing his treatment of the others, Ani wasn't too surprised that he touched her head with his nose. She was about to reach up and stroke him when he turned back to his rider, apparently conversing with him.

He apparently liked her for a candidate, because his rider strode up to her and smiled in a way that she expected most people found charming. "Hello. I’m R’fuin. My dragon Ylonth tells me you’d make a good dragonrider." She decided that the akwardness was because of her appearance. She looked about four or five turns younger than she was, and most prospective Candidates were older during a Pass, she'd read in her perusals of the archives and records of the Weyr.

"I'm Aniqa and I'm sixteen," she said, hoping to disspell any doubts about her suitability for Candidacy.

[Kisha-Ra]

Okay, so trying to be charming was a wasted effort judging by the girl’s expression, he might as well have not bothered. Well nothing new there. Oh and he seemed to have somehow insinuated she was younger that she really was. R’fuin had no clue how he’d managed that, he’d only said one thing so far, he decided to just ignore the age comment and get on with the recruitment.

‘Okay then Aniqa. Would you like to come to Selenitas and be a candidate? There’s not any eggs on the sand right now but our wher queen just Ran and our junior queen is due to Fly soon.’ The bluerider decided to just get to the point and state the facts. Aniqa who was sixteen could make up her own mind. Why the exasperating one Ylonth? He asked his beast rhetorically. She is good.[/color] Ylonth replied exasperatingly.

[morgan]

"...be a candidate?"

Ani's face brightened at the offer. She was genuinely smiling now, and knew that the candidacy was a chance of a lifetime. So what, there were no eggs hardening on the Sands. The Wher queen was undoubtably growing egg-heavy, and soon a queen dragon would, too.

She barely took any time to think. This was the reason she was out here, in the courtyard, instead of still cleaning that puddle of sick. "Yes! Oh yes! I would love to! Thank you Ylonth and you, too, R'fuin!" She reached out to pat Ylonth's leg, but paused. "He doesn't mind, does he...?"

[Kisha-Ra]

Judging by the enthusiastic response R’fuin didn’t need to do more than make a statement of fact. ‘Oh no Ylonth doesn’t mind being touched at all,’ He smiled. ‘In fact he always plays up to holdbrats when we’re on Search so they’ll scratch him.’ He paused then continued. ‘I hate to hurry you along Aniqa, but Ylonth and I won’t be welcome if we’re found here, so could you make your farewells and get whatever things you’ll need, remember we probably won’t be able to pick up anything you forget.’

Ylonth snorted, R’fuin was such a worrier, always hurrying, why direct Ylonth here at all if he was going to rush off. His candidate was coming with them though, that was the important thing. The blue lowered his head to Aniqa’s level and blinked a blue and green faceted eye at her. You could scratch my eyeridges first.[/color] he suggested shamelessly.

[morgan]

Aniqa was about to turn around and leave for her apartment and get her stuff. She had no farewells to make, really. It was easier just to leave. After all, the faster they left, the less of a chance she had at being stopped.

She was a little startled when Ylonth lowered his head so that he could look at her directly and his voice entered her head. You could scratch my eyeridges first. She obligingly reached up and scratched his eye ridges. When she thought that she had been thorough enough, she turned and rushed to her dormitory, where her things easily fit into the leather carry-sack. On her way back, she passed two journeymen and a master, but before they could stop her or even speak, she was past. She didn’t have to do what they said, anymore. She belonged to her Weyr now, or at least will in a minute.

“I’m ready,” she said to R’fuin.