Lopa
Too much attention, that was what Lopa got. She didn't want it, and she never did. All these guys were so annoying. All except for one. His name was Lan'ch, or at least, it was now that he had Impressed blue Restrasth, but she had met him before he had Impressed.
  He had been there when she had arrived. They had chatted a bit before he had collasped due to something this stupid bronzerider's flit had done to him. She hadn't seen him after that until the clutch had hatched, and she was at the celebration dinner.
  She had been speaking with one of the many riders who had been paying her mind since she had arrived when he sidled in next to her. She was thankful of it though she was quite enjoying the company of the young whiterider. As soon as Lan'ch - then Alanch - sat down, R'lexi - the whiterider - leaped to his feet and started to leave.
  "R'lexi, don't go!" Lopa exclaimed, noticing the whiterider walking away. "I didn't mean to ignore you. It's just that there were so many, and Alanch had gotten hurt and missed the hatching, and you started talking..."
  She wasn't really sure what she was saying. She was so torn between herself. She didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but there were just too many men to deal with at once
  Serves you right, Jasmith laughed.
  "Oh, shut up!" Lopa shouted. "I...I was talking to Jasmith," she sighed to R'lexi.
  R'lexi managed a smile, though it looked like he was forcing it, "Just hope dearly that Jasmith doesn't end up the way Resonzath did," he suggested. "No offense, Resonzath!" He added quickly.
"Yeah," Lopa sighed, feeling Alanch's hand hovering over her waist.
  "Well, I'd better go and check up on Je-" R'lexi cut himself off. "Um, check up on Resonzath," he said, covering up the obvious mistake.
  He took her hand, about to kiss it again, but something stopped him. Lopa felt him gently squeeze her hand.        Lopa squeezed his hand back and watched him walk away. She felt like she was going to cry. Never in her life had she thought she would feel worse than the night her parents had died, but right then, she did. She turned back to Alanch and sighed, swallowing her tears
  "All right, what were we talking about?" Lopa sighed.
  "I'm sorry," he apologized as Lopa tried to resume the conversation. "I really didn't mean to do anything that would make him leave, or to make him think that you didn't want to talk to him. I'm really, really sorry. We were talking about going swimming," he muttered quietly. "But it's okay if you don't want to go, and don't say that you do want to go if you don't. I've already made your evening miserable, and I don't want to make it worse."
  Lopa smiled. He was so sincere. Lopa couldn't stand to see people upset.
  "It's all right," She said as Jasmith bound over to her. "It...I was the one ignoring him. It's my fault." Lopa smiled and knelt to her little gold, "Having a good time, love?" She sighed.
  Much better than you did, Jasmith quiped. Why don't we go talk to them? Then all of us - You, Alanch, R'lexi, his white, and I - can go swimming. Maybe Mivi, Sixja, and Yikran would want to come, too. Of course, Yikran and Everesth are busy right now.
  "Sounds, great, Jas," Lopa sighed, standing. "Good sir," She laughed, extending her hand to Alanch.
  "Of course, fair lady," he said, giving a sweeping bow.
  Lopa beamed. That was when she fell in love.
  "When did Jasmith hatch? I mean, was she the first, or what?" Alanch sighed as he and Lopa walked down the Weyrhall.
  Lopa laughed, "Well, I was the last to Impress...or was I the third, second, or first...oh, I hate going backwards and forwards in time! I'm not sure the order we were dropped off. I think I was at the third hatching...I was so worried I wouldn't Impress at all. Oh, well, I have Jasmith now, and nothing else matters."
  The crooning of the UnImpressed hatchlings hit Lopa's ears as Jasmith stopped in front of the door, Lopa, can we stop here? Jasmith crooned. I want to talk to them. Can we?
  Lopa nodded and turned to Alanch, "Do you mind if we stop here? Jasmith wants to speak with the UnImpressed."
  "I don't mind at all," he said.
  As they entered the den, Alanch hestited. His eyes wandered to the large blue over in the corner. Jasmith hid behind Lopa as the attendent addressed Alanch about Impressing one of them. He turned a questioning gaze to Lopa. She smiled.
  Go on! Go on! Jasmith exclaimed.
  Lopa smiled and placed her hand gently on Alanch's back. Jasmith wrapped her tail around Lopa's leg and crooned softly. Lopa heard the slight whispering of, Right in front of you. Turn towards my voice, that Jasmith was sending the blind blue. She smiled softly as Alanch stepped cautiously towards the large blue and extended his hand. Lopa placed her hand on Jasmith's head and held her breath waiting for some sign of rejection or Impression.
  Alanch knelt to cradle the swinging head of the large blue. Lopa smiled, knowing that Impression had been successful.
  "I'm up here, big guy," Alanch, now Lan'ch, sighed.
  As he said those words, Lopa's heart sunk. It hit her that the blue would never be able to chase Jasmith.
  "Right here, right here," Lan'ch sighed.
   Rubbish! Jasmith exclaimed, letting out a loud creel. He is nearly as large, if not larger than, Yikran's bronze, and by the time we grow, Lan'ch will be able to see for him.
  Lan'ch jumped at Jasmith's creel, "Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized, turning to Lopa. "It's just... He's Restrath," he said.
 
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