Relieved Arrival

[missing]

Pala looked back to the ship that they had arrived in, not out of any real interest in the vessel, but she needed a focus so could think. A'zael said that they could still work in the infirmary during the chore hours, which made the idea of actually becoming a candidate more enticing. It would be a golden opportunity to learn about dragons really, and wasn't that what she had wanted to do when she got here anyway? This was simply a different route than she had initially planned, but she could adapt. True, if both her and Mya impressed they would have to send for new Healers but impressing was rare right? The chances of both of them impressing seemed slim, and Mya was definintely the more together one of the two in Pala's opinion.

Candidates also had to go to classes right? She was sure there would be some on treating and caring for a dragon, after all there weren't too many actual Healers who specialized in that department except at the Weyrs. So really, what better way to learn more about them than by standing on the sands as a candidate and watching the hatching up close?

You could impress and become a rider....

Pala shook the silly thought from her head, she wasn't a child anymore. She smiled thankfully at Z'mer, "Thank you but I'm fine, just caught off guard... "

She finally turned back to the candidate master, ready, "If what you say is true then I guess there is no harm to it..."

[tealah]

"If that's the case, then I accept."

That may have seemed a little sudden after all her earlier reticence, but really Mya's choice had been made when she'd opened her mouth earlier after the dragon's teasing. She'd said she was going to do it, and she wasn't going to go back on it now. All this talk was just wasting time that she could be spending in the infirmary or getting to know her way around the Weyr.

Ok, and maybe that blue-eyed rider's sympathetic suggestion to let them settle in first was what had spurred her to accept her candidacy so abruptly, even if he'd left before she'd spoken. She didn't want or need sympathy and she could make up her own mind without help, shard it!

Mya clamped down on her temper. "So are you going to do it?" she asked Pala, and to the candidatemaster went the question, "I'm a candidate, then. What now?"

Chief chose that moment to come barreling silently out of the crowd to land with a flying leap on Mya's bag. He accepted Mya's absent-minded scritch as his due before he spotted the others. Pala wasn't a stranger to him, but the rider got a suspicious chuurr. Then he spotted the dragon, and momentarily froze before backing cautiously down the bag to hide behind Mya's shoulder. He peered back out, and Mya recognized the thoughtful way his wings were pulsing between yellow and blue - he was considering whether he could safely fight the Big Thing.

"Ah, this is my gemtail." She stroked the furry green tail wrapped around her belly. "I'll try to keep him out of trouble."

[missing]

Pala nodded, "It should be a good opportunity I think."

She was glad that Mya had asked what came next, because she had no idea. Shards they hadn't even left the harbor yet! She sighed, what had she gotten herself into by coming here?

She smiled at Chief, "I don't think you're going to get anywhere by picking fights with a dragon Chief. Unless your goal is to end up in his stomach... In which case you should be able to achieve that goal fairly easily." She spoke the words quite seriously, and if not for the smile on her face, it would be hard to tell she was joking.



Chief had been the first gemtail Pala had seen, they certainly couldn't afford such a thing at the cothold she called home. She had seen a few others since meeting Chief, but not so many as there were said to be here. Personally, she found the little creatures quite curious.

[Zen]

A’zael clasped his hands together behind his back and grinned, quite glad they’d accepted. Navith opened one eye to peer at Mya and rumbled once more. He liked this one, she amused him. You can thank me later.

He ignored the dragon, “Well, now we can get you settled in and-oh! Do forgive me, ladies…,” he gave a showy bow in apology, “I’m A’zael, Candidate Master here at Western Weyr if you hadn’t gleaned that information for yourselves already. Lellen!” He looked over his shoulder at the young man, who turned his head slowly to look at him, blinking and looking a bit confused. A’zael shook his head and motioned for him to join them, “Lellen here will be taking you to your new quarters. He’s been a candidate for a few Turns now so you can feel free to ask him anything you want to know. I’ll be staying here a bit longer to see if Navith Searches anyone else.” Also, A’zael didn’t trust Lellen to stay here on his own and lead anyone else to where they needed to go without getting distracted. He was alright if he had a task to do but leave him to his own devices and he’d drift off….

He blinked in surprise as the Emerald Gemtail appeared. They were becoming quite popular around Western but he’d heard they were rather rare throughout the rest of Pern. He chuckled at Pala’s words to the little creature, “I don’t think Navith would eat a Gemtail, not much to fill his stomach. I think there’s another candidate with an Amethyst…. Anyway, after you’ve gotten settled in you have free use of Lellen as a guide through the Weyr so you don’t get lost, and then once you’ve got your bearings you can do as you wish for the rest of the day. I’ll clarify anything you want me to tomorrow before chore assignments. Off you go then.” He waved them off, giving Lellen a little shove to remind him to focus on the real world for a while, “And do help the ladies carry their things if they need it.”

Lellen stepped up to them, “So, need help with anything? If not the candidates’ quarters are off this way… see ya Navith.” He waved back to the Blue and Navith lifted his head and swished his tail in response. Lellen liked Navith, Navith had been the one to Search him and the Blue would still talk to him every now and then.