H’zar could hardly wait to graduate from being a weyrling so he could formally join the Black Arrow Wing.

Be patient. Udeventh had told him time and again.

The morning after the clutch of Naoth – and Sxoith – had hatched, Weyrlingmaster D’lrik called the light dragons together one last time. Some riders took the pins the smithcrafters had made, others didn’t. H’zar couldn’t decide if he wanted one or not.

Get one for me then. I like it. Udeventh said, nudging his rider forward with his snout. H’zar grinned.

"Good t’ see you happy, lad. Some of ‘em look depressed to be faced with the choice of leaving." The Weyrlingmaster clapped H’zar on the shoulder.

"I hope they come visit, at least. Udeventh will miss them so." H’zar said, looking at the sharp pin in his hand.

"I just hope some of those beauties choose to rise here... Aurekinth has his eye on that green..." D’lrik laughed. "Though I doubt her rider has eyes for me."

"Udeventh has his favorite as well..." H’zar admitted, not ashamed that his light blue dragon was eager to give chase to Texia’s Remembreth.

D’lrik laughed heartily, though H’zar had not breathed the dragoness’ name. "I hope he wins her then - but just you remember how fast Aurekinth is." He said.

H’zar thought it was... interesting... how fast D’lrik went from instructor to friend. H’zar laughed.

I don’t see what’s so funny. Udeventh said, getting up and walking toards his rider once the others had moved.

Just don’t tell him that! Udeventh said, and H’zar grinned.

"I’m going to go and try to find Q’wil and the rest... They’ve been waiting just as long as we have." D’lrik grinned and waved him on his way.

"I don’t get it, Texia. Won’t he look here first?" Syrinx said, lounging on the sofa in the loughe just off the balcony where the Black Arrow Wing normally gathered. There were nooks like this all around Ryslen, and many wings, groups of friends, and candidates claimed them as their own – though anyone was welcome when they weren’t discussing business.

"Don’t you trust me, Syrinx?" Texia asked with a giggle, brushing her hair away from her eyes. One blue, one brown, and they glittered mischeviously. Q’wil snickered, and poured a mug of klah before moving to sit in a rather plush chair.

Nearly half an hour later, H’zar appeared at the door to the lounge. "I’ve been looking all over for you! I would have never guessed you were in here." He said.

Texia laughed. "But H’zar, we’re always in here. Come in and take a load off, H’zar."

Q’wil grinned. "And you’d better stop impersonating a weyrling. Your knots are on the table."

H’zar stood in the doorway. "You mean... I’m really in the Black Arrow Wing?"

T’lri laughed. "You think we would lead a great guy like you on?"

H’zar nodded. "The nice guy always finishes last..." he said. Texia smiled like she was laughing at a funny event that somehow repeated itself.

"Just get in here, H’zar." Syrinx laughed.

"On second thought," Texia said as H’zar finally came in. "How about we all go out? White River’s clutch is going to hatch?"

"Orinocth’s? When?" Syrinx said, standing up.

"In about an hour and a half."

"Texia, you still amaze me." Q’wil said.

"Who do we know there?" H’zar asked.

"Iora and Ga’voh." Texia replied swiftly, using the name like it was commonplace.

"Ga’voh?" H’zar asked, looking at Texia like she’d lost her mind.

"I mean, Ganaivoh."

Syrinx laughed out loud. "You mean that glasscrafter...?"

Texia nodded.

"If I’d known Ganaivoh was going to be joining us, I would’ve brought him up for a drink before he went back." T’lri said, rising. "Are we going, or not?"

--

Soon they were all seated in the front row of the stands. When the Rainbow dragoness’ eggs began to hatch, it was spectacular. From the first egg came a tiny duplicate of the mother. The tiny rainbow hatchling went straight to Iora. "How cute!" the Black Arrow Wing chorused, entirely accidentially, of course.

Iora laughed. "Her name is Shanath, and she says thanks!"

"So where’s Ganaivoh?" H’zar asked.

"There." Texia pointed.

"And his dragon?"

Texia pinched H’zar. "Just because I see the future doesn’t mean I’m telling!" She said with a smile.

A blue-bronze hatched, and to the Wing’s delight, chose Ganaivoh.

Ga'voh's Story