"Oh, Zecan, don't tell me that another Weyr wants you," Reivalia groaned. It was horrible having a younger brother who was desirable to the Searchdragons. She'd been Searched twice, and had turned down both offers. Zecan, though, was scarcely 12 Turns and already had several Weyrs that had offered to take him early. Her father, Z'baon, had declined every Searchrider that questioned them.

"Talor Cliff!" He said proudly, and Reivalia had a double-take. Her younger brother smiled jauntily, his wavy mouse-brown hair hanging into his gray-green eyes. Reivalia was the only one in her family that hadn't gotten her mother's beautiful eyes and black hair. Even Ierila, who shared Reivalia's facial features, had the hair and eyes.

Reivalia gasped. "Talor Cliff?" She asked, and Zecan nodded. "Oh, Shardit, Zecan, how do you manage to do all of this?" She asked, and he shrugged. Being Searched for any Weyr was an honor, but Shards, Talor Cliff? That was probably the most respected Weyr on all of Pern, except for maybe Dawn Sisters Weyr. Of course, there were several other Weyrs that were just as respected as Talor Cliff, but everyone wanted a chance to stand there.

"And Father still won't let me go," He sighed. "It's not fair. You've been Searched twice, and you could of gone. But you turned it down. I'd jump at the chance to be Searched, if Da would let me."

Reivalia groaned. "The 'joys' of being goldrider's children, eh?" She asked, and Zecan grinned slightly. The two siblings, although not close in age, had always been great friends. "Ierila was lucky enough to Impress," She said. "And that wonderful brown Tiaveneth, too. I'd love to stand, but I'm afraid that I won't Impress. Think of what Cenilai would of said!"

The two siblings had never called their mother "mother," because she had never really been around during much of their childhood. She had died, though, when her golden Schatteneth had trouble with laying an egg. The fear of "what Cenilai would of said!" was still strong, because their mother had been harsh and unforgiving if her children ever did anything that was wrong or not up to her standards.