"Adanuk Weyr." — moved in front of Trici and Mikanth. They’d just graduated and were being assigned to the various weyrs. A lot were staying with Ryslen, but Trici and Mikanth obviously weren’t.
This came a surprise to the half-feline. She was just getting used to Ryslen, to the people there. They accepted her for what she was and they were used to her as well. Now she was being shipped off to some unknown little speck of a place and she’d have to go through this whole process again. Maybe he’s confused. She thought to herself. Maybe he thinks we’re someone else. "Where are we going sir?"
"Trici and Mikanth right?" The Weyrling Master looked the half-feline over. "Adanuk Weyr."
"Are you sure sir?" Trici resisted the urge to drop to all fours, she wanted to look this man in the eyes as he sent her away.
"Yes. Why?" — was unaffected by her gaze.
"I sorta...well I thought...y’know that I’d...." Trici sighed wrinkled her nose. "Why there?"
"Weyrwoman Magika came by during your Weyrling training, saw you and Mikanth and asked for you." — started to move on. "You should be proud, not many weyrlings are requested."
Trici sat down and twitched her tail back and forth angrily. "I didn’t want to be requested."
Mikanth nudged her with his head. The Weyrling Master is right. You should be proud. We’re obviously a good team. The light brown sat up striking a pose. She’s probably never seen a light brown like me before.
Trici couldn’t help smiling. "Yeah. That’s it." She stood up and began walking towards their soon to be vacant weyr. "Either that or she’s never seen a person like me and likes collecting oddities."
Naw. She’d notice me first. Mikanth smirked and followed his rider towards the weyr. The light-brown realized that this wasn’t cheering his rider up. Maybe she saw us in the air and actually thought we were a good team. It’s possible. You don’t have to be too pessimistic.
Trici tried to smile as she began packing her things. "Maybe you’re right Mik. It’s just that I was starting to like it here...feel like I fit in...then I find I’m leaving, being traded off like a commodity. Tell me that’s not a blow to the self-confidence."
When you look at it like that... Mikanth lay on his dragon bed and watched his rider continue to throw her possessions into a leather bag. She didn’t own much so it didn’t take long. Why don’t we stop by and visit Elayon? We haven’t seen him in a while.
A visit to the Harper that had raised her and her self-worth usually cheered Trici right up. The dragon had only seen Elayon twice, once when he came right after Trici’s impression and once when they first learned to between. The second visit had been rather a surprise to everyone since they hadn’t planned on visiting the Hold. Apparently what the rider was thinking about outweighed the co-ordinates she’d spent hours memorising when it came to where you end up out of between.
"Sounds like a plan." Trici tied the bag around her waist. "I can pick up Tars, Talka and Genomi too." She walked out of the weyr, followed by Mikanth.
You have to take the cats? Mikanth loved his rider dearly, but he wasn’t as fond of the felines. He kept almost stepping on them and then they hissed and hated him.
Trici smirked, walking on all fours. They were my loves long before you were Mik.
In other words I should start purring? Mikanth sped up slightly, preparing for takeoff.
Trici laughed. That’d be an interesting sound.
Mikanth beat his wings and leapt into the air. Now I’m leaving without you.
Nice try. You know you’re first and foremost. She began running underneath her dragon. In a move they’d rehearsed in private and dazzled their classmates with, Mikanth dove, brushing the ground with his wingtips. Trici ran beside him and leapt to his back, claws clutching the saddle. They disappeared between right before they would have crashed into the wall of the Weyr. Gotta make an exit... Trici thought as the darkness of between gripped her. She grinned as her beautiful light-brown appeared mere metres above the ground in the middle of the gather grounds, startling everyone. And an entrance.
* * * "Oh!!" Trici quickly dropped to all fours as she entered Elayon’s rooms. "Tars! Talka! Genomi!! Preciouses." She purred and rubbed her head against the felines’. The cats loved her.
"To what do I owe this pleasure miss?" Elayon stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised.
Trici grinned. "I’m me! Trici!" She knew that Elayon was just joking about not recognizing her, but she felt like playing along.
"Really? I haven’t seen you in so long...are you sure?" Elayon grinned at her.
Trici leapt at him, knocking him over and licking his forehead. "Corse it’s me."
"You rat!" Elayon hugged her. "You promised to visit!"
"I’m visiting!"
"It’s been almost half-a-turn!" He sat up and rubbed her head. "I’m surprised your cats still recognize you."
"They’d know me anywhere." The cats purred and rubbed up against her.
"Obviously." Elayon stood up. "How long are you staying?"
Trici sighed. "Not long. I’m being transferred."
"Really?" Elayon didn’t seem to realize how much this upset her. "Where?"
"Adanuk Weyr."
"Really?"
Trici smirked. "That’s what I said. Apparently the Weyrwoman saw me and Mik and liked us so Tiyanni just traded me there."
Elayon grinned. "It’s not like that at all Tri. Weyrs can’t keep all the dragon’s they spawn. Most riders go back to their home Weyrs."
"I don’t even know where Adanuk is! How can it be my ‘home Weyr’?" Trici leapt to a chair with Genomi and pouted.
"Adanuk’s the Weyr that looks over us. Weyrwoman Magika was at the hatching and she talked to me after you left. She watches out for people Searched in her domain."
See. Mikanth decided to make his presence known, the cat was getting too close to his rider. Magika was looking for you.
I guess. "I should be going. ---- told the Weyrwoman that we’d be there now." Trici picked up Genomi and let Tars and Talka follow her to the door. "I’ll visit more often know that I don’t get in trouble for betweening without permission.
Elayon smiled and rubbed her arm. "Give them a chance."
Trici smiled. "I know."
And put down the cat.
Trici smiled. Don’t be jealous. It doesn’t suit you. "I’ll see ya."
Elayon kissed her forehead. "Now actually visit."
"I will, promise."
* * * "Trici I presume?" The woman standing over the half-feline seemed nice enough.
Trici stood up straight, trying to match the older Weyrwoman’s height. "Yes."
Magika seemed to know what Trici was doing and smiled. "Welcome to Adanuk. You’ll be in Shuhan Wing. The Wingleader is Jr. Weyrleader K’rik and his bronze, Finisheth, but you’ll be flying under Wingthird Tessia and Briaseth. Tessia wanted to know as soon as you got here. She’s in her weyr, down the main hall, down the hall marked ‘Shuhan’ and it’s the third door on the right." The Weyrwoman noticed that Trici was feeling kind of overwhelmed. "I know this place is kinda confusing at first, but you’ll get used to it."
Ryslen was bigger Trici. Mikanth tried to get her to say something in response to the Weyrwoman.
"Yeah..." Trici murmured, finally thinking of something to say. "How will Mikanth get in to the weyr?"
Magika turned to face one of the large walls. "See that brown on his ledge?"
"Yeah." Trici spotted the large dragon easily.
"Two down and three over." Magika grinned. "Go see Tessia. She’s anxious to meet you."
"Really?" Trici was surprised. From everything she’d heard she thought that the only reason she was here was because she was Searched from one of Magika’s Holds.
Magika nodded. "Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Tessia’s a new Wingthird, she’s not used to leading. You’re her first Wingrider. She found you herself and demanded you."
"Why?" Trici’s jaw practically hit the floor.
Magika grinned. "You’ll see."
* * * When she knocked on the door it slipped open. "Hello?" Trici wasn’t sure if she should poke her head in or not.
*Meow* A speckled kitten stuck her head out the door and began purring. Trici dropped to all fours beside the cat and began purring herself.
"What’s your name?"
"Tessia. You must be Trici."
Trici stood straight up, startled. She looked into the brown eyes of a girl about her age. The Wingthird’s long blond hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she had a friendly smile. "If you meant the cat, her name’s Speckle."
"Oh." Trici blushed. Great way to meet someone who you’ll be working under.
She could hear the amusement in Mikanth’s voice. At least she’s not laughing at you.
No one asked you. Trici stood up. "Sorry. I didn’t hear you coming."
"I didn’t hear you knock. I just got up to see what Speckle wanted. Come in." She stepped back and let Trici in.
"Thanks." Trici mumbled, feeling stupid.
"I’m glad you’re hear." Tessia sat down on a chair and let Trici take the couch across from her.
"Why?" Trici couldn’t help being bluntly honest.
Tessia grinned. "So I’m not one of a kind any more."
"What?" Now Trici was really confused.
"Hey Bri." Tessia called out to the dragonledge. A large brown came walking back into the weyr and bespoke his rider. Tessia’s eyes blurred for an instant before she shook her head and motioned to the brown. "Meet Briaseth."
"He’s beautiful." Trici commented, ignoring Mikanth’s comment about how he was so much better. "Darker than my Mikanth."
Tessia grinned. "I know. As soon as Magika said that she was planning on asking for you, I asked for you because of Mikanth."
"What?" Trici wished she could form a sentence that didn’t involve a question.
"Until you, we were Adanuk’s only female rider, male dragon pair." Tessia stretched. "I thought it was time that changed."
"That’s the only reason!" Trici had to fight to stop her fur from standing on end.
Tessia laughed. "No, no, no. Of course not. I saw you’re flying." She smirked. "Mainly that wonderful takeoff."
Trici’s tail continued to flick back and forth. "We were told to show off for you ‘searchers’, but I couldn’t have been that impressive."
"Let’s just say it was something my friend said about your trick that won me over."
"What?" Trici asked the question for the millionth time that day.
"If I recall correctly, Ty said, ‘Shards Tes. She reminds me of you.’"
* * * I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever come back to me. Mikanth raised his head from the dragonbed as Trici finally entered her weyr.
I haven’t been gone that long. I just got talking with Tes. Trici yawned and walked towards her bed, accompanied by Tars, Talka, and Genomi.
It’s been over four candlemarks. Mikanth yawned. The sun had set long ago and he was tired. Suddenly he realized something about Trici’s comment. Tes? Whatever happened to her title?
I don’t call Elayon, Journeyman Harper Elayon do I? Trici smiled to herself as she curled up in the bed provided for her.
Yeah, but he’s your friend. Mikanth put his head down as he realized that he’d answered his own question. Oh. Guess I can call Briaseth, Bri then.
You two have a nice talk? Trici yawned.
Yeah. Mikanth stretched his neck out and nudged Trici. I’m glad you made a friend.
Trici smiled to herself. I’m glad we’re home.
* * *
Read Trici’s weyrling story.
Read Trici’s hatchling story.
Read Trici’s candidate story.
Trici impressed Mikanth at Ryslen Weyr.
Tars’ picture is from White River Weyr.
Talka’s picture is from Blue Star Weyr
Genomi’s picture is from Gallimim Weyr.
Background from Myrror Images.
