You look around yourself, taking in the weyr that was now Kare's. On the walls you notice that there is something that looks like old etchings, the even have some color to them but are now too old and faded to even try to figure out what was there. As you looked about you notice that there is a hamock hanging by both it's loops on one of the hooks that hung between the archway that lead to the dragon's weyr. In the middle of the room you see a weyrling saddle in the makings and a few blank writing hides on a small table made of pine wood.
Not seeing Kare in your immediat sight you finally deside to make your pressence known to her if she doesn't know you're there already.
"Kare? Kare, it's me, the Journyman Harper from Talor Cliff Weyr's Gather," you call out, at the same time as turning on your heals to see if she's behind you, "You know, the one who was there when you were searched by blue searchrider Nora and green aprentice searchrider Beka?"
"Long time no see, Harper," she says, her dead pan voice is still there but it is very happy now, "Let me introduce you to my life mate, Oroth." With a flurish that came close to matching her dragon's, Kare made a show of whirling her arm and bowing to her lifemate. "Ro, this is the nice Harper who questioned me only minutes before I was searched at the gathering a few months back."
The dragon seemed to smile at you and coos a hello. Kare flips her brown bangs out of her face and her green-gray eyes look at her lifemate lovingly. For a moment they cloud over and the dragon nods happly.
Of course, Kare. I'd love to give the Harper a thrill. Good day to you, Harper. Thank you for cheering up Kare so much that Gather. Because of you she was to be lonely no longer. You blink and take a step back it was rare for a dragon to talk to anybody but their rider... but then again Kare did ask Oroth to talk to you. That she did Harper. And I am happy to talk to you, you are part of the reason she was searched and I am glad. Had you not taken the time to talk with her I may have been left on the sands because Kare would not have had the nerve to answer Nora and Beka's questions.
"Very compationet isn't she?" you half ask. Kare chuckled in agreement.
"Yes she is," the thirteen turn old girl replied and hugged the wedged shaped dragon head, "She's helped me move on better than anything in all of Pern... But then she also is one to take Center stage, weither you want her to or not. She's not even old enough to think about being flown by a male dragon and she's already flerting with them, even the bronzes who are too large to even try to fly her!"
"I see," you reply with a chuckle. With a wave of her hand, Kare motions you to sit down as does she.
"Khal?" she asks offering you the favored morning drink on all of Pern. You nod in exceptance and sip your mug of the spiced drink careful not to burn yourself. You notice itially that Kare's eyes cloud over for a moment, after pouring herself some khal. She looks at her white dragon questionably, "You want to try some of this, Ro? You know you only eat meat and drink water." Just a sip, Kare? the white dragon pleaded letting you hear her again. Kare shook her head in deffeat, "All right, m'love, but only one sip."
Oroth's eyes whirled green and blue as she moved her muzzle over the mug. At the last second, you spot a twinkle of mischief in the many-faceted eyes of the dragon. The next second Kare looks back at her mug and sees that it is empty. She looks back up at her dragon and mock frowns.
"Forgot that even though you one of the smallest dragons you still drink down more than me in one sip," with that she poured herself another mug of khal and sipped at is sparingly.
"Looks like she might be a hand full for the dragon that would like to fly her when she's ready," he tell her.
"Luckly that won't be for at least two turns," the whiterider sighed in exasperation, "Whoa to those who impress at her clutches." As this was said Oroth's chest puffed out even more than before and Kare chuckled rubbing her dragon's head nobs.
"So what does your family think of your new dragon," you ask her.
"Well," Kare thought for a moment, "All of my brothers and sisters, except for Cokaren, seem to be deeply jelious. Telka is still to young to understand much about dragons though. Oh, and before you ask, my mother, Brecoka, has still not had my newest little brothers or sisters. But within a few months that should change."
"How about that fire-lizard you mentioned thinking about getting last time," you ask coyly.
"I'm still thinking about it," she grins sheepishly, "But right now I've got to get into my working schedual with Oroth." I'm hungery, Kare, and I itch too. "Well, sorry to say Harper but I have work to do now, curisy of this lump of snowy hide."
You chuckle as you get up to leave.
"One question," she stops you with the two words, "I never did get your name, Harper, I'd like to know the name of the person who was willing to talk to me after I pretty much gave them the cold shoulder on the day we met."
"My name is Ralamar," you tell her with a bow.
"Thank you again, Ralamar," she says and gives you a hug and a kiss on the cheek again, "I expect you to visit me again."
"Don't worry, lass," you smile, "With that white, I'll make sure I visit you as much as I can." With that you wave good by to her and Oroth and leave, not being able to wait for your next visit. Yet you go on to see about other riders perhaps. On this though you suddenly smell a bubbly pie and head for the lower caverns, best to visit on a full stumack so as not to impose.
"Kare! Kare, where are you?" you call out.
"In Ro's weyr, Ralamar," she calls back to you cheerfuly. You walk through the curtians that seperate the 14 turn old rider's living quarters from her dragon's. You quickly spot the dragon and her rider near the sunning ledge.
You chuckle and walk over to scratch her eyeridge. "'Course, Ro," you tell her by her rider's nickname for the white, "and even more showy, as always."
"So how's the canidate life, Ralamar," she askes in her dead pan way, giving you a wink at the same time, "Is Headwoman Kila giving you work again?" You grin sheepishly and Kare laughs, her laughter sounding close to a well made bell.
"She's been trying to get me to work," you smile, "I just managed to get away right after I got done with my latest duties."
"And what was that, Canidate Harper," she said enjoying rolling the two titles together.
"*Cough*Dish washing.*Cough*" you tell her trying to hid the words in faked coughs while blushing slightly.
"Well, now we have a dish washing Harper in our mists, Oroth," Kare smiles a bit mockingly, "Isn't he special?" Yes he is, after all, he was searched by Mitanth and Reth. And they searched you earlier so I trust their judgement. Kare chuckled her green-gray eyes showing her happyness and she hugs her dragons head after making a final swipe with her oiling cloth.
"So how's life been for you and Oroth," you ask.
"Great!" the brown haired girl seems to swoon, "We just learned to fly between yesterday, only a month after we learned to fly! D'tol says we're very fast learners, even his brown Easoth complemented us... Or for him it was a comlement. He told us we weren't bad."
"Wow," you reply with true surprise, "that is a compliment from that brown! He's a bit harsh around the canidates."
"That's because you haven't impressed yet," Kare smiles, "Even when you do he's still a bit harsh and not quick to give compliments." You nod with a smile.
"Ralamar!!!" you hear the voice of the Headwoman calling you, "Ralamar, where in the name of Faranth are you? Come here now or I'll give you extra work for the rest of the time you're a canidate here!"
"You better go, Ralamar," Kare tells you surpressing a giggle, "she sounds really mad. See ya' later, and if I don't, I'll at least see you on the sands the day you impress." You smile and dash off with a quick wave of your hand in a good-bye expression.
