[6.15.2707] Everybody's Hunting Something (Search)

[Kit]

Tesni shrugged. "Kaitoth has never Searched a Candidate that did not Impress. She does seem...fearful, but perhaps a lifemate is just what she requires. They say that your dragon complements you, fills in all your missing pieces. There's nothing quite like it, that's for sure." She turned as Ronasha came back into room. The girl had surprisingly few belongings.

"No, its all right. Goodness, I've waited much longer before. Now, say goodbye to your father, and we'll be on our way." Tesni was dreading the return flight. The girl would faint, as like as not, or puke..and that would be worse.

[lithle]

With a quick nod to the rider, Roni was at her father's side, peering up at the stern man through the fringe of her hair. He smiled at her, an expression as genuine as it was rare, his breath leaving him in a slow huff that was almost, but not quite, a sigh.

"You're to listen to the rider. And your brother. You do the chores they give you, and you do them well." The smile was already gone, his words were firm, though not forceful. "And you stay away from boys, Ronasha. Especially Weyr boys. They aren't to be trusted." He touched her cheek, a brief, but affectionate gesture. "I know I'll be hearing good things about you, when I attend the hatching. I'm proud of you, girl."

Roni simply nodded, with none of the eye rolling that many her age might have done at such instructions. When he was done speaking, she stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek, before turning away, sniffling a bit despite herself. When she returned to the rider's side, her eyes were bright with tears, but her posture was still determined. "I'm ready now, Searchrider."

[Kit]

Tesni smirked a little at the comment about weyr boys being untrustworthy. Everyone seemed to think that. But she'd grown up in a Hold, and the boys there weren't any better, just more secretive. She nodded to the man and then looked down at the girl. "All right, lets go." The Searchrider led the girl back through the thinning crowds my memory, periodically looking back to make sure she was still there. Finally, they reached Kaitoth and the firelizards. Itzal settled on his pet's shoulder with a nuzzle while Indra swooped around them excitedly before coming to get her affection as well.

Tesni scritched them under their chins before walking up to her blue and stroking his cheek.

Ready to go home?

Yes, I am. I suppose this one will take no fancy flying?

We'd better not. Kaitoth snorted his annoyance and then settled at a look from his rider.

"If you'll give me your bag I'll stow it away. Wouldn't want to lose it between."

[lithle]

As they made their way back to Tesni's dragon, Roni stuck as close to the searchrider as possible. Her father had ceded authority to the woman. If her presence was not so comforting as his was, she was still the one that Roni knew to look to for now. And that made her, if not safe, then at least less threatening than everyone else on Pern.

The dragon, however, she was still wary of. Handing her bag obediently to Tesni, she looked from the woman to the dragon and back again, before biting nervously at her lip. "Will it hurt him? Kaitoth. Me, I mean. Carrying me." The choppiness had returned to her speech the moment they'd left the woodcarver's presence. "I'm heavy. I could be. Too much I mean. For him." She looked to the dragon, remembering that he was perfectly capable of commenting on the situation. "It'd be bad. If I hurt you. Sir."

While the Searchrider had corrected her use of ma'am, Kaitoth had said nothing against the use of sir, yet. And she planned on remaining as polite as possible, especially to any creature large enough to eat her.

[Kit]

Tesni stowed the bag in the cargo net after making sure it was firmly closed. "You hurt Kaitoth? Goodness no. Even a blue can carry much more than that. They say that a dragon can carry as much as they think they can. I don't know if its true, but certainly you won't make much of a difference to him. He barely notices me."

I appreciate your concern. But Mine is right. Your slight weight will not be a burden. I carried three on our last Search, and could still fly upside down. he said with a hint of pride.

"Ok, well, this is officially your first lesson as a Candidate. How to mount a dragon. Just watch me. Kaitoth will stick his knee out." The blue bent down and bent his forearm. "You just step on it, I assure you it doesn't hurt him in the least, and grab the straps like this, and pull yourself up." Tesni did it slowly, so Ronasha could see. "Once you get up a bit, I'll help you. I promise you'll soon be doing it without thinking twice." This would probably be the most difficult part, because there was no way to make it easier. She had to climb Kaitoth to mount, and she was just lucky he wasn't bigger.