K'dhav and Hanogth

K'dhav has Impressed Light Brown Hanogth!!!!!!!! Look at how he's grown. They get so big so fast. He's now an adult!!!

The scorching sun beat down from its zenith in the sky making the air crack and sizzle with the heat of the afternoon. Sweat beaded the farmer's muscular back and shoulders as he urged the herdbeasts onward. The plowing had to be finished before the rains came. There was only a sevenday left and still a quarter of the land left to be plowed. If the weather cooperated and the herdbeasts stayed healthy, he should be able to get it all done in the next three days. Then he'd have the remaining four to finish the seeding. Luckily his kid brothers and sisters were already in the process of filling the furrows with grain seeds.

Kedohav grunted and wiped the sweat from his brow with a dirty rag as he urged the herdbeasts on. There was still half a day of daylight left, and he intended to use every bit of it. There was too much work to be done for him to stop for any length of time. The fate of the hold rested on his broad shoulders and this harvest.

For the past two turns since his father had died of a wasting illness, Kedohav's family hold had been behind in their tithes. The Lord Holder had been more than patient and understanding, but now he was demanding that they make up for the loss. It would take more than half of their harvest this turn to take care of the tithes they owed the hold.

He was only eighteen, but he had taken the responsibility upon his young shoulders. His older brother was doing what he could as well. Between the two of them, they might be able to save the hold. It was largely dependent on this field of grain that he was working with. Kedohav had always had a knack with the particular plant even when he was young and putting the seeds in the furrows as his younger siblings were now doing. He had watched his father very carefully studying every move and mimicking them until he had eventually had to take his father's place. Unfortunately the weather over the past two turns had been bad damaging the crops despite his tender care. He hoped against hope that this turn things would be different.

Kedohav guided the herdbeasts down another furrow the plow dragging behind them digging into the slightly resistant soil. It was dry and more than ready for the rain. Soon it would be soaking up the water from the clouds as though it was a lover trying to kiss away each drop in turn and stop them all together like tears on the face of its beloved.

A cool breeze caressed his skin as a shadow darted close by. He was greeted by a familiar chirp as Tare landed on the plow. The blue flitter shook his leg at the blonde haired man trying to draw his attention to the note he carried there.

"Hey Tare, What do you have for me," Kedohav greeted his friend with an eyerub as he halted the beasts. It had to be important because he'd ordered Tare to stay with his mother, and she would have only sent him if it was an urgent matter. The young man took the hide in one of his calloused fingers and once again considered how fortunate he was that the harpers had taken the time to teach him how to read and write so he could impart that knowledge to others. "Curious," he muttered to himself as his green eyes took in his mother's hastily scrawled message.

He had seen the dragonriders pass over earlier in the day when he'd begun the task beset him, but he'd paid little heed to them. The plowing was more important. Now however, he would have to set the work aside, gather his siblings and go home to see what the riders wanted. Evidently they'd come back to the hold and now his mother was calling him and everyone else back to see them. She said something about a search from Aneris.

It took him a good quarter of a candlemark to walk from the center field where he'd been working back to the hold. He was able to spot a large blue dragon and his green companion long before he actually reached them. Tare chirpped a greeting to the two and flew ahead of his owner to land on Kedohav's mother, Kedrina's shoulder. "Here he is. Kedohav, come meet the dragonriders. They're here from Aneris on Search for a clutch at Ryslen."

Kedohav nodded to the pair of dragonriders as he joined his mother. This was certainly a matter important enough to drag him from the field. "On Search? For a weyr other than your own? I've never heard of that practice before."

A young woman with dark hair stepped forward. "Well Ryslen is not a weyr. It's not even here on Pern. A messenger from there came to us asking if we knew of any bonders or likely candidates for a large group of dragon eggs they have on their sands. Of course we agreed to ride out and see what we could find. Weyrwoman Rhiannon is not as hidebound as some of the other weyrleaders."

The young man listened intently as the bluerider spoke. At least, that is what he thought the knots on her shoulder indicated. "Why have you come here on search? Our hold is small and most of my siblings are too young yet to be put to the egg. I'm only eighteen, and my next oldest sibling is ten. My oldest brother is twenty-two. We'd be the only two of interest for search, and we're both needed here."

"Bold words for a young man. The reason we are here, Kedohav, is because the dragons sense that there is one here who should be put to the egg, and since you walked up Solath has not stopped talking."

"What?" Kedohav's eyes grew wide. "He can't possibly want me to go to this Ryslen place and stand for the eggs. I have to plow the field and take care of the grain or we could lose our hold. I'm sorry, but I just can't accept this search."

"Kedohav," Kedrina said softly, "I want you to do this. We can take care of the hold. Your brother and I will manage. This is a once in a lifetime chance for you." She placed a gentle hand on her son's shoulder and turned him toward her. "Please. Your father would've wanted it this way."

His green eyes locked with his mother's blue ones. He saw the sincerity and love in their depths and couldn't tell her no. She was right. His father would want him to take this opportunity. Besides, he wouldn't be leaving her without any help. She still had his older brother, Ohavrin, to help with the fields. He may not have Kedohav's knack, but he was just as a hard a worker. The young farmer turned back to face the pair of riders. "Alright, I'll go, but not until I've finished the plowing. I started the task and I'll finish it. It won't take more than three days."

Analyssa smiled at the young man. "You have yourself a deal, Kedohav. We'll come back and collect you in three days to take you to Ryslen. I'm sure you'll be pleased with your decision." She clouted the young man on the shoulder. "Come on, R'del. There's more holds to Search. Good day to you." With that the two riders mounted their dragons and left.

"Three days," Kedohav murmured softly to himself. In three days, he was going to go someplace he'd never been before and stand for some eggs that might not even want him. In three days, his life would completely change. He'd been Searched and accepted. There was no going back now. With these thoughts filling his head, he kissed his mother and headed back out to the plow. There was a job to finish first and foremost. Everything else could wait.