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Post by Kendrall on Nov 4, 2010 15:32:55 GMT -5
It had only been a couple of days since Mordecai arrived at Nova, and already he was spending time alone in the Infirmary. Well, he wasn't exactly alone - there were a few others with him, but each potential Candidate had his or her own sleeping quarters. A common room was shared by all present in this part of the Infirmary; apart from interaction with everyone else, Mordecai felt a bit cut off from the rest of the outside world. He didn't know anyone personally who suffered and died from cloudlung, but he knew plenty of people in the mines whose breathing took a toll from exposure to all that rock and ash.
The young harper stretched out on a cot in the common room, his fingers laced behind the back of his head as he stared up at the ceiling. Mordecai wondered how his parents and his little sister were faring after his departure from Tuath. Amicai, his father, had expressed his distrust of dragons and their Riders. Word had drifted from South Sands not long ago of caravans being raided, young children kidnapped and taken to some remote place and forced to Stand. That remote place turned out to be in the South Polar Regions, where one of the Wingleaders and his Bronze dragon were being held hostage. Amicai's distrust was based upon those news, and he didn't want his son to have any part of it. It took Mordecai to convince his father otherwise - with the help of a certain Searchrider - and eventually his father agreed to let him go.
A sigh escaped the young man's lips as he recalled the events surrounding his arrival at Nova. Meeting the Candidate Master, and then meeting Tesni, one of the Healers in charge of watching over the new Candidates. She was a pretty thing, Mordecai reasoned, but a bit too old for his tastes. Not that he wasn't interested in females; he was, but didn't think he could find time to pursue any serious relationships.
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Post by Jammi on Nov 8, 2010 12:45:17 GMT -5
Tara new quarantine was a necessary evil, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Here she was only half way through the whole deal and bored as all get out. She had already read and re-read all the scrolls she had brought from home, but what else could she do? Grabbing one at random, the animal healer made her way to the common room where she hope she might find company.
Sure enough there was someone there, and he looked bored too. Excellent! Someone to talk to if nothing else! So in typical Tara fashion the teen plopped ungracefully into a nearby chair and dropped the scroll into her lap for safe keeping. Then for good measure at a noticeable entrance, she plopped her booted feet onto the nearby table. Knowing that should do the trick -for it certainly did at home- Tara smirked and introduced herself.
"Name's Tara. I take it you're a candidate too? I didn't come here thinking I would be, I got shipped off to be foisted on some estranged relative. But they asked when I got here if I was interested. So what's your story?" She asked wiggling into the comfy chair. Boy if all the weyr was as comfortable as the quarantine rooms, Tara had no problem staying here!
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Post by Kendrall on Nov 8, 2010 15:29:29 GMT -5
The sound of booted feet clunking against a tabletop was enough to snap Mordecai out of his reverie, and his head quickly turned to the side to see what the commotion was all about. A young, slender, wiry thing, really; the girl was probably the same age as he, perhaps slightly shorter. But definitely not bad looking. The way she carried herself, though, suggested she wasn't a typical young lady. Definitely more here than meets the eye, the Harper thought to himself as he brought his hands around to grip the sides of the cot, then sat upright to face the newcomer. She had introduced herself as Tara, and judging from things it sounded as if she wasn't too pleased with being brought to Nova...yet the wriggling in her seat suggested otherwise.
"Well met, Tara," Mordecai said, extending his hand in greeting. "Name's Mordecai, and yes, I'm a Candidate as well. I hail from Tuath originally; my father wasn't too keen on my being Searched but he said I was old enough to make my own decisions. I'm not your average Harper, either; I prefer to spend my time spelunking, exploring, and charting new trails across the lands than anything else." He studied Tara for a moment, curious. "So if you don't mind my asking, who's this relative you've never met, and why were you brought here to live with him or her?"
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Post by Jammi on Nov 8, 2010 15:59:08 GMT -5
Tara's smile widened as her actions got a reaction although the searching glance didn't sit with the tomboy too well. Squirming in her chair once more, she wondered what exactly he saw. Odd thought for a tomboy, especially one who grew up more like a second son than the first born daughter. Finally the gazing halted and the candidate began introducing himself.
"Mordecai," She tried out for a moment letting it sit in her mind to be filed away. "Nice to meet ya too. Me, I'm from Ryuu. Papa's a farmer out that way. I tried to follow in his footsteps but beasts of all kind just called to me. I knew as a young thing that I needed to help the sickly ones. I don't think I'd do too well underground like that. But then again I've never done any thing like that spelunking thing," She paused for breathe shortly before plunging in again. "As to why I'm here, I'm afraid I don't know ya that well to tell ya the whole thing. But the long and short of it is I had to leave before someone got hurt. This 'relative'," She quoted with finger movements before digging in once more, "Of mine, I have no idea who it might be. Mama said they would find me, but how am I to know who... Let alone when? Enough about me... Let's find something else to talk about!"
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Post by Kendrall on Nov 8, 2010 17:08:53 GMT -5
"As to why I'm here, I'm afraid I don't know ya that well to tell ya the whole thing. But the long and short of it is I had to leave before someone got hurt. This 'relative'," She quoted with finger movements before digging in once more, "Of mine, I have no idea who it might be. Mama said they would find me, but how am I to know who... Let alone when? Enough about me... Let's find something else to talk about!"
So Tara was a farmhand? A Beasthandler, no doubt; Mordecai was no slouch when it came to beasts of burden, but his knowledge was limited at best. Tara then pressed on about her uncertainty of being underground, but admitted she had never gone on a spelunking expedition before. That brought a grin to Mordecai's face. Passing up an opportunity to teach a novice such as Tara would be interesting indeed. Someone he could definitely welcome getting into trouble with.
He listened as Tara continued; because they barely knew each other, she wasn't going to open herself up to him right away. That was fine, there would be enough time later to learn. But the relative part was interesting. Just who was this relative of hers that she was sent to live with?
Tara wanted to change the subject, so Mordecai decided to oblige. "So, uh...what do you like to do for fun?"
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Post by Jammi on Dec 8, 2010 15:10:07 GMT -5
Great, Tara thought. More about me.... Why does he ask so many thrice darned questions? A slightly forced smile came to the short-haired girl's face. While she thought she placed a callused finger along a scarred cheek. Thin lips pursed in deep thought as she tried to come up with something half witty or at the very least something unique. Sadly not a thing came to mind save riding runners. As tempting as it was to make something up, Tara decided to be truthful before she was caught in a lie.
"All I can think of is the runners my brother took care of. Boy was it fun to ride them bareback with Fiara! Now a question for you.... Hmmm.." She murmured as she pursed her lips once more. What to ask.... How did one make friends any way? Tara never had any problems with beasties. Why were humans so hard?! Suddenly an idea came to her and a wide grin took over her face, "What's your favorite beastie? I'm sure you can guess mine!" She half challenged with a twinkle in her dark eyes.
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Post by Kendrall on Dec 13, 2010 14:27:08 GMT -5
Mordecai watched as Tara seemed a bit uncertain, as if she were suddenly on the defensive. The young Harper wanted to kick himself. Wasn't a smart move, but his curiosity about the girl just ached to be satisfied...
Hm. Riding bareback on a runner? Somehow, that didn't seem to sound rather comfortable for someone like him. Not if he valued something that practically defined his manhood...but now the onus was being placed back on him. What sort of beast did he appreciate? Tara now seemed to be playing with him, but Mordecai would be betweened to be the loser in this feline-and-mouse game...
"Well," he started, reaching behind the back of his head to scratch at an itchy spot, "I've always been an animal lover myself, but if I was to choose a favorite I'd have to say felines. Graceful creatures, really, and they can be rather affectionate. A friend of mine had a couple of small grey felines once; both eventually died of old age." Mordecai bent down to look at his hand for a moment, then willed himself to look into Tara's eyes. "It's been a long time since I was around runners. Would you mind helping me become reacquainted with them after we're cleared to move to the Candidate Barracks?"
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