Candidate Morrisey

"Juliara...I'm...I'm so sorry. I never meant to Impress her myself..." Morrisey looked down at the little green flit in his arms. She'd been hurt and Juliara had run to him asking for help..he was a Journeyman Healer after all. He'd tended the little green...ministrations that included a feeding to be sure she was all right. He'd never thought that the creature had been brought to him unattached. The young girl next to him wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and sniffled. She'd so wanted a firelizard of her own...all her siblings had one. When she'd reached "her" nest, most of the eggs were already hatched...only the green in Morrisey's arms was left...and she'd been badly injured. Juliara hadn't been quite sure how to Impress a firelizard...and had been too worried about the injury to try what he mother had told her...Feed it. She sighed. "S'alright...I...I guess...I'll just haveta...find another clutch...right?" She sniffled again, and cast a longing look at the little creature. Morrisey closed his eyes. He wished he could give the flit back to her..but that would never work. They Impressed like dragons did...well...for the most part. He felt so guilty...but it wasn't really his fault. "I'll find you another egg. I promise." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Well...well...how is she?!" An older woman clung to the Master Healer's arm tightly. How could he have sent a mere "apprentice" to attend to her littl girl?! "She is perfectly fine Niara. *Journeyman* Morrisey is a fine healer...and I have total faith in his ability." Master Deallon pryed the woman from his arm. "I believe...that under the circumstances...he did quite well indeed." He led her away from her daughter's room. Morrisey watched them go from his spot in the corner. He twisted the message hide in his hands...he needed his Master alone to break the news...but with Niara fretting for no reason, it'd be awhile. Why all of a sudden didn't she trust him? She'd been willing enough to do as he'd asked when he was treating Juliara...He sighed, remembering he still owed her a flit egg. He reached for Midori, only to find her asleep. It was just as well that she was anyway. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Searched?! How can that be?!" Master Deallon looked at the hide, then at his Journeyman. "Ryslen Weyr wants you...My most promising student..." he sighed. "I've never denied a Weyr...and I won't start now." "Thank you Master...It's a surprise to me too...I'd never thought of being a dragon rider..." Morrisey took the hide back from Deallon and tucked it in his belt. "Just...don't forget all your training. You're too talented for that...and besides...the Weyr's always need another healer...Human or Dragon. You could make quite a place for yourself...I've every faith in you. Good luck." The old master clouted him on the shoulder and offered a small smile before walking away. Morrisey grinned. He had the approval of the one person he admired the most...and he wasn't going to let him down. He knew of a few people who were both Dragonriders and Healers...he'd do both...he'd make it work out. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Two sevendays later, Morrisey stood on Ryslen's Hatching Sands, his dark hair hanging in his pale blue eyes, watching the eggs shatter and spill the young dragons onto the ground. Each time one of the Hatchlings started for the group of boys he stood with, he stepped forward with one or two of the others and looked intently at the small creature. But each time he was passed up. So he stood there...and watched the others Impress those beautiful and rare little dragons with no expression. He didn't even notice that there were others around him who were just as dragonless as he. They hadn't wanted him...why? The Searchrider had said he'd be sure to Impress...but...none of the hatchings had wanted him. He wasn't good enough. He'd always thought that Search Dragons were never wrong...but...the one that had picked him had been. Morrisey shrugged a hand off his shoulder and didn't even glance at the rider that was escorting everyone else off the Sands. Why couldn't that rider just leave him alone? Didn't he have to take care of *his dragon*? Why didn't he go do that...and leave Morrisey alone? He walked past the group of new Dragonriders feeding their life-bonds...and ignored the happy looks on their faces, and their half-hearted apologies to him. He ignored the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader as they tried to console him. Couldn't they just leave him alone? He made his way back to the Candidate Barracks, only stopping briefly to see his parents. They'd come all the way here only to see him fail. He stared at the man behind them...Master Deallon? It was him. His old Master gave the same tired speech as everyone else. About how sorry he was...and about how maybe Morrisey could Stand for the next clutch...and that he was still proud of him. Morrisey stared at the ground throughout the whole thing. He admired Master Deallon more than anyone. He'd never thought that the Master Healer would come to see him. Had Morrisey Impressed it would have made his day even better...but now it only made it worse. He mumbled an excuse to his family and mentor, then slipped away and ran into the barracks. Midori appeared from /between and perched on his shoulder, wrapping her tail around his neck. Well...at least he had her... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Morrisey spent the next sevenday next to his bunk in the Candidate Barracks...just so he wouldn't have to see all the new Weyrlings. He didn't want to see how happy the were. He didn't want to see those adorable little dragons waddle up from the lake and back down again. He just wanted it all to go away. He sighed, and looked at the small egg beside him. There'd been a firelizard clutch in the Lower Caverns, and he'd managed to get one for Juliara...finally. He wondered if she was any better. At least he hadn't been a failure in healing. He sighed again and got up, wrapping the egg in one of his sleeping furs and pulling on his jacket before he slowly made his way outside. He'd asked one of the Searchriders, D'run and his blue Okserth, for a ride back home so he could deliver the egg. D'run had only agreed because he'd been going that way on Search anyway...and Morrisey's cause was a worthy one. Midori squeaked excitedly as they appraoched the blue dragon, and swirled around his head chittering a greeting. Morrisey didn't know if that greeting had been returned, but Midori sat on his shoulder quietly from then on. He glanced at D'run, looking for any signs of irritation at being kept waiting, but found little or none. He apologized anyway, and recieved a friendly clout on the back. Morrisey realized that he wasn't looking forward to this dragon ride as he had been the last time. Right now he was sort of dreading being astride Okserth. He wasn't afraid of the dragon...he was just...still a little bitter about not Impressing. Yes, that was most likely it. The wound was still there...and still open. Maybe he'd just have D'run leave him at home...and he'd go back to being a healer. And that was the thought that he took with him /between/. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "There you go lad. Be careful with that egg. I'll be back to get you after I've finished the Search." D'run smiled down at Morrisey before he and Okserth took off again. Morrisey sighed...would be going back to Ryslen with D'run? He wasn't sure yet. He made his way up the path towards the hold, cradling the egg in his arms. Once inside he looked for Juliara. He pushed the thought of her condition worsening out of his mind...she'd been improving when he'd left. He smiled a little when he finally found her. Juliara was sitting on the floor near the hearth playing with a small cloth doll. When she looked up and saw him she jumped up off the floor and ran at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Morri! Lookie! I'm all better!" she grinned up at him. She spotted Midori on his shoulder and stood on her tip-toes to pet the little green. "She got big since you were here last. I guess that means she got better too...huh?" Morrisey pushed the hair out of her eyes and smiled a little. "Yeah, she got better, just like you. I brought something for you." he held out the wrapped up egg. She looked at it, then took the bundle and pulled the fur off carefully. Her eyes grew wide and she looked up at him again. "For...me?? Really??" It was just what she wanted. She hadn't been able to go out to and look for another clutch since she'd been sick. "Of course it's for you. I promised I'd bring you one, didn't I? It'll hatch soon, put it next to the hearth so it doesn't get cold. I'll get you something to feed it." He watched as she set the egg on the fur next to the hearth carfully, then went to find some meat for the flit when it hatched. Midori perched herself above the egg on the back of a chair and started to hum softly. Juliara watched her until Morrisey came back. "She has a very pretty singing voice Morri." Morrisey looked over at his little friend and frowned slightly thinking of the hatching again, but quickly changed it to a small smile for Juli. "Yes...she does...doesn't she? That hum means the egg's ready to hatch. You'd best get ready." He set the bowl of stewed meat beside the egg, then leaned agianst the table. Juli picked up a small piece of the meat and leaned forward. Mirdori's humming got louder until the little egg stopped shaking and shattered into a dozen pieces. The tiny bronze flailed on the sleeping fur, creeling with hunger. He didn't have to wait very long. Juli held out the piece of meat to him and he practically inhaled it, then screamed for more. When the bowl was empty and the hatching was asleep in Juli's arms, she finally noticed his color. She stared at him for a few minutes, then looked up at Morrisey. "He's...he's bronze..." Morrisey smiled. "So he is. I guess I picked a good egg then." Juli beamed at him and nodded. She layed her flit on her shoulder like a baby and stood up, hugging Morrisey again. "Thank you thank you thank you! I'm gonna go show momma!" She held the flit close as she ran off to find her mother. He smiled as he watched her go. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Morrisey was still next to the hearth that evening when Deallon found him. The Master Healer had found D'run waiting outside...and when the Searchrider had said he was waiting for Morrisey, the healer promised to find him. And he had. "Morrisey...D'run is outside waiting for you. I'm sure he'd like to get home...don't keep him waiting." he walked over beside his former Journeyman and put a hand on his shoulder. "Tell him to just leave. I'm not going with him. I'm not a Dragonrider. I'm a healer." Morrisey stared at the table intently. He'd made up his mind...he didn't want to go back and face that kind of rejection a second time. "I'm telling him no such thing. Now come on...get out there." "I said I'm not going. I won't go through that again." Deallon pulled him up out of the chair. "There have been many times you've failed as a healer...but you have never quit. Now all of a sudden you decide that you're going to stop trying?? Being taken on a Search is an honor! One that you deserve...but not if you're going to be such a disgrace." he scowled at the young man who stared back at him almost shocked. Deallon had never had to even raise his voice with Morrisey...he'd never even gotten angry at him...but he was passing up a once in a life-time chance...Deallon wouldn't let that happen. "Now you get out there and onto the dragon or you'll be out in the fields...because if you stay here Morrisey...I refuse to help you with your Mastery." Morrisey stared at his Master openly. He'd never seen that look on his face before...or heard that tone of voice. He was too shocked to protest when Deallon shoved him out the door. He looked from his Master to D'run and his blue dragon for what seemed like forever before he slowly made his way over to Okserth. Deallon smiled then turned and went back inside. He wouldn't mind attending another hatching...or two...or however long it took. Morrisey'd Impress...he just had to find the right dragon. D'run helped Morrisey up onto his dragon and waited until he was settled before he told Okserth to take off. Midori curled herself around her bonded's neck and crooned softly as they ascended. Morrisey rubbed his cheek against her side. He hoped he was doing the right thing...he didn't want to be left dragonless again. Well...the only way he'd know is if he tried again...and that's what he'd have to do. Midori was Impressed @ Ryslen Weyr Back Disclaimer