"Gerna, get over here!" called Lika, mother of Gerna and numerous other half/whole siblings. Living in a Hold was OK, but the cramped quarters sometimes got to Gerna. That was her excuse for many things, and for that she was known as overactive.

Gerna got off the stone couch quickly, smoothed her undyed-weyrwhide jumper and walked over to her mother, who had four brown-curly haired young children hanging on her, one in her arms and two around her legs, all of varing young turns. Not too long ago, or so it seemed, that Gerna was one of those children. Kids in the hold grew quickly, because after you were old enough to eat by yourself, you got chores and responsibilities. Then you aged mentally. But, Gerna liked that.

"Yes, 'om?" She said, as she towered over her mother, a short full-figured woman of about 50. Even though Gerna had seen only 14 summers, she was quite a deal taller and less figured than most of her siblings that were still around, most had been fostered at about 10 turns. Gerna couldn't ever figure out (along with alot of other things) why she wasn't fostered too.

Her mother smiled up at Gerna and freed an arm to smooth a wrinkle in Gern'a jumper, "Can you please take some of these young'n's if you've finished your chores?" It was obivious that Gerna had no chores left, it was late in the day (with plenty of time past to get them done) and why would she be lounging on the couch if she did?

Gerna plucked two of the messiest off her mothers legs and held them close. Katila and Heni, she thought, that's who they are. They wiggled in her arms and she told her mother she'd be back after she gave them a bath and left. She held them like one of those oval-shaped balls that one of the boys in the Hold had created in his spare time, maybe it was called a throwball? Hmm.. maybe not. She carried the youngsters down the hall and towards the main bathing pool which, thankfully, wasn't too far away. The squirmed and she hushed them, "Please? You guys know you need a bath." She said and oldest (Heni of about 3) objected, "Not bath! Nop bath!"

That made them squirm even harder. One found her long arm hair andst6arted pulling it. She mentally screamed.They're little wherries! Hard to catch and hard to tame. The Aden Hold type, anyway. she thought, I really hope I wasn't like that when I was young!

She reached the pool and felt the warm updraft before peeling off the childrens' clothes and putting them in the shallow end. She dived in the deeper end and came up, her clothes were soaked, but they needed a good wash too, less to do later. It was very refreshing and warm. Luckily, the two were sitting contentedly playing with the pool's sandy bottom. As she waded towards them, hiking up her sopping shorts, Heni squealed, "Fun! Fun!" and Katila happily tried to say fun too, only it came out "un un!" Boy could they change their minds quickly!

She scooped up some sand off the bottom as she sat new to them and rubbed it in Katila's curly hair. She washed it out with handfuls of water and did the same for Heni. After she bathed them with some nearby sweetsand, she found them some big weyrhide towels and wrapped Katila and Heni in them. She gathered up their clothes and took two contented children back to her mother, who smiled knowingly as she mentally compared the two kicking chilren that left to the two happily sitting on the floor.

Her mother thanked her and Gerna went back to her small room and put on some dry clothes, a faded red spun dress. She set her wet clothes on the ledge under the small window that provided light and a bit of warmth for the low-ceilinged room. She'd return the weyrhide towel later when it dried. Now, she thought, for she wasn't a girl of excess words who talked for nothing, I've gotten a bath, washed my hair (which was curly and short like her siblings and a pleasant light-brown), now what should I do?

As an afterthought, she grabbed up the towel and settled herself on a worn chair and thought while she dried her short hair with the towel. Now it'll really be frizzy! Oh, well. She looked around the room hopefully, maybe something there would give her an idea, but all she saw was the usual items, a small used table, a one person bed pushed up against the cold wall, a few unlit glows on the wall and a wooden wine rack. The wine rack was her prized possesion, she had gotten it from her real father when she was 10 turns. She remembered the day like it happened yesterday, It was a dreary day, not good for anything, and she had not yet finished her chores in the kitchen. Her father came in, a bundle under his arms and had given her a hug, at 10, that wasn't so embarassing. He had a twinkle in his blue eyes (blue eyes which she had so luckily inherited) which always meant he had something special for her. He put the mid-sized package on the main table and had told her to open it only when she was done. Then he left. Well, needless to say, her chores had gotten done in record time and the package opened in a blink of an eye. It was the wine rack. Why her father had given it to her she never figured out, as a child her first thought had been that maybe she was supposed to be a winecrafter, the rack being her father's helping hint. She tried making wine with help from the Hold's winer quite a few times, but each batch had turned sour snd the winemaster had basically given up on her as an apprentice.

Since then she hadn't used it, just kept the dust and crawlies off it and kept it in good condition. Since trying to make wine, she had also tried to be a weaver (how do those loom things even work?), a woodsmith (she ruined too many pieces of wood accidentally), a metalcrafter, which caused too many burnt fingers and one slightly-disfigured finger (left hand pointer that dosen't bend well and is scarred), and a beastcrafter. None of the crafts had gotten along with her except for the beasts. The beast were quiet, powerful and peaceful creatures (well, most) and they suited her wonderfully. Gerna often grungy work hides and went out to the field or the stable every other day and learned from the stablesmaster how to care the beasts. Her favorite runnerbeast was a smoky-grey foal originally from Talor Cliff Weyr named Kilantito (key-lan-teet-o) he had a calm disposition and a great sense of runnerbeast humor. He would be very handsome when he grew up! Today was not a day to visit Tito, Gerna's nickname for Kilantito, but she couldn't wait untill the next. Maybe if she got enought coins one day, she would have enough to buy him. But that would never happen, she always spent her coins when she got them on tubers or sweets for Tito. A favorite always gets the good things.

Gerna got off the chair, fluffed the matress of rushes and laid down on the bed after pulling down on her dress (which was handed down and a bit too short and big), she was suddenly tired. She pulled the few blankets there around herself and was asleep untill the dinner bell rang and vibrated throught the halls.

She arose a bit groggy and sat on her bed. Those rushes really poked through their fabric covering she thought as she rubbed her back. She stood and yawned. The second bell rang and she knew to hurry. The first bell meant warning, the second meant it was time to sit, and the third meant the meal was being served. She walked to the door quickly and opened, it sqeaked and unnerved her.

She tugged on her red dress and noticed a few spots she'd have to take extra care on. She hurried down the glow-basketed hall and paused to check that she had closed her door. The dining hall wasn't too far compared to some of the distances some of her friends had to travel. Her stomach rumbled and she quickened her pace. She found the hall in dissaray. A searchrider was here from Talor Cliff Weyr and would be eating while her blue dragon looked out for possible candidates, it ddin't need to eat now the rider assured the headwoman who was flitting around trying to make the rider and her Bonded more comfy. An odd Search, but a Search nonetheless. Gerna frantically smoothed her dress, patted her frizzy short curls down a bit, then she put her hands behind her back and composed herself. She knew the outward appearance didn't matter to the dragon (or hatchilings), but it couldn't hurt to look nice. She found her regular spot quickly and sat nervously next to her tablemates. The din quieted and everyone took their seats (with the rider in the seat of honor, or course) as the third bell tolled. The Hold musicians took their places and played a lesser-know ballad about dragons and thread while the drudges came out of the kitchen (which was to her left) and began to serve the numerous long tables that dotted the dining hall. The rider smiled at the musical piece and her blue poked its head through the large opening at the head of their table. The dragon looked over the tables and what relaxation Gerna had temporarily felt from the music dissapeared. She turned from looking at the rider and whispered to Tessia, the girl on her right side and she found comfort that Tessia was nervous too.

The headwoman stood and informed everyone that the dragon would on Search during the meal and inform its rider after. Startled looks anwsered that statement and Gerna's long face mirrored that. Her thin mouth dropped and her eyes went wide. That look passed her face and Gerna cleared her head and took some meat from the plate as it passed her way, she couldn't forget to eat. Poor musicians, she thought, do they eat before or after they play? She always thought this because the same four musicians played the whole meal through. A steaming bubbly pie passed and she eagerly took a large helping, pie was good and Aden Hold didn't believe in seperating dessert and dinner that much. She and the other teens that would be considered, ate stiffly and all held stern faces in hopes of being allowed to stand. The meal fininished quickly, for everyone (parents counted) wanted to know who would stand for the clutch.

For Gerna, the meal passed too quickly, then as the rider stood up and her eyes blurred a little (as much as Gerna could see from her angle) the music stopped and everyone looked at the rider, she pointed at several teens a table away from Gerna. Gerna's stomach rumbled and it felt as if a wild wherry was there, running scared and ignoring all the food she had just put in there.

The rider pointed at Tessia (who was now behind her as everyone watched the rider with rapt expressions) and Gerna stood, thinking it was her. The rider stiffled a chuckle and pointed behind her at Tessia. Gerna started to sit, a red flush overcoming her tanned face and the rider pointed at her. She looked around quickly and everyone laughed. The dragon had truly Searched her!

She took her leave following Tessia, as the other chosen ones did and they gathered in the hall. They waited and wondered who else would join their little happy throng. It turns out only a few more came. They waited untill the rider made her way out to the hall where they were. "Go! What are you waiting for? Get your basic stuffs! We'll send for the rest later." The rider told them with a teasing smile as her brown eyes twinkle merrily. A good Search always seems to bering out the best in people. Gerna thought as she took the riders words and acted on them. One thought passed her mind: Did she bring the winerack or leave it for later?

Visit Kilantito in the stables.