Taleran
:Story::Search::Candidate::Hatching::Weyrling::Adult:
:Dark Moon Weyr::Tripaldi Weyr

Taleran liked it at Dark Moon, he really did. He sighed as he realized it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. The truth was he missed Jyxa terribly despite the way she’d snubbed him. He regretted leaving her without even saying goodbye and wished he could fly back to Tripaldi that instant to apologize. But he was far too busy and the candidates weren’t allowed to leave because the clutch was due to hatch very soon.

Taleran sighed again as he scrubbed the floor of the candidate barracks. He didn’t mind the work; he’d had chores like this for as long as he could remember. He was just discontent, despite the fact that he was starting to make friends with the other candidates. He finished scrubbing the floor and stood, taking his bucket and scrub brush back to the storage closet he’d gotten them from. Then he wandered out to the weyrbowl and looked up at the sky. He’d gotten the floor done faster than he usually did, if he was reading the sky right he had about an hour to spare before his evening lessons started. He groaned thinking of sitting through yet another lesson. At least here at Dark Moon he wasn’t listening to all the same people as well, that was some relief.

Before he realized where he was going Taleran had wandered out of the Weyr and was walking along the beach. He realized he needed some time to himself and continued walking. He rounded a dune of sand left there do doubt by some high tide and found himself face to face with a wolf. He gasped and jumped back, staring in wonder as he saw the wings attached to the creature’s back.

“Hello,” says the creature and Taleran’s eyes became like saucers as he gaped at the talking winged-wolf. “My name is Minya.”

“I’m Ta-Taleran,” he stuttered, still not quite believing his eyes or his ears.

“Nice to meet you Tataleran,” replied the wolf pleasantly and Taleran shook his head.

“No, just Taleran,” he corrected her and she nodded pleasantly.

“Oh, I see, well did you come for a fire lizard egg Taleran?” Minya asked, turning her head to look in the direction of a mound of sand that no doubt concealed a clutch of flit eggs.

“I was just taking a walk,” said Taleran, scuffing his toe in the sand.

“Well, if you want a fire lizard you’d best act fast, they’re about to start hatching!” Minya said with a wolfy smile.

“Thanks,” said Taleran, still not entirely sure about the wolf despite her pleasant manner. He glanced toward the mound of sand and did indeed see some movement there.

He walked forward, not sure if he really wanted to have a fire lizard but curious as to the process. He’d never wanted a fire lizard at Tripaldi, but now that he was a candidate he was eager to compare the process of impressing a flit to that of impressing a dragon. He made his decision in that moment and knelt, brushing some of the sand from a frantically wobbling egg. He lifted it, taking some of the proffered meat from Minya. It broke open to reveal a tiny black hatchling. Taleran’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at the bombarding emotions of the tiny flit and he quickly fed it the scraps of meat before his own stomach started to rumble in response to the black’s swirling emotions.

Before long the fire lizard’s hunger was sated and Taleran stared down at the black female slumbering in his arms. He flashed Minya a smile of wonder and she smiled in return. He stood then, careful not to disturb the little beauty in his arms.

“Thank you,” he said to Minya, no longer wary of her.

“What are you going to call her?” asked Minya with another wolfy smile.

“It’s probably kind of stupid but I think I’ll name her Negra. I once heard negro meant black in another language.”

“I think that works well.”

He smiled and nodded to Minya as he carried the flit back to the Weyr, realizing that he should probably hurry back so as not to be late for his lesson.