TANIS' Weyr and Impression Story!

Excuse me while I get this feline off the table... Sorry. She's always up there getting fur all over the place.  Now, who... Oh! You're here about the Candidacy! Yes, I've become a Candidate at Gallimim Weyr!  You should go check it out if you haven't seen it. **Sits back, another pair of cats jump onto her lap.** Me, my name is Tanis. But you probably knew that, because that little sign on the door says so. Unless you can't read... But enough babbling. I've always been attracted to animals, and I suppose you could tell that it works both ways, huh? I hate to see people chasing after their cats... You know they don't like being chased under tables and into where they like to hide. My mother Raanatani says that I have a good chance of being a Dragon Healer, or a beast crafter with my skills, and I hope that she's right. Do you like my dress? **fluffs the puffy sleeves** I had it made for me, just a couple sevendays ago. I wonder if I'll have time for those kinds of things if I impress? **looks away, gets batted at by the feline on her lap** Well, perhaps I will and perhaps I won't. It isn't the dress that is important if you're riding a dragon, right? **Turns, yells at the cat again, and you can see her watching you carefully, out of the corner of her hawklike eyes.** I see you watching me... **smiles** I can't think of anything else to say, except... I'm hoping for Gold... **smiles wide and slow, while the cats pur on her lap**

The dragons continued to croon long after all the candidates had arrived. It seemed their very noise would crack the eggs, wouldn't it? Tanis arrived with the others, neither ahead nor behind any of the other girls. She distinguished herself in many ways, though she already stood quite taller than most, and her "womanly traits" were quite well developed already compared to a couple. The most eye contact she offered to anyone was as a superior kind of gilmmering, then looking away. There was a gold egg out there, on the sands. And though Tanis' heart said 'any egg that opens for me is a good egg' she still hoped, very nearly wishing it to happen...

Then abruptly, the eggs began opening! Boys and girls alike strove to be "the one" for this hatchling or that. Tanis waited. Her heart was in her throat, her pulse was banging against her ears (or was it the constant droning of the dragons above?) and her foot began to dig into the hot sands. Finally, the largest egg, the one guarded most closely by the great mother of all these beautiful eggs, began to sway! Another lanky girl moved a bit in front of Tanis, getting a bit of a sneer from her at first, but then when the egg began to erupt...

The girl fainted away! The head coming from that large egg was the richest shade of sunlit gold Tanis had ever seen! She turned her still-wet head about, eyelids finally fluttering open and landing... Tanis trembled, and felt a wonderful, fufilling sensation like she'd never known before! 'I'd wondered if it would be like impressing a flit,' she thought, 'but it isn't... it isn't anything like that at all!' She strode forward at the same time as the beautiful hatchling Gold propelled herself out of her broken egg shell! The dragonet landed with her neck over Tanis' arms, looking directly into her pale teal colored eyes, the dragon's matching them in shade and intensity. Inside Tanis' mind, she felt the words before they were really spoken -- the dragons' mind touched hers deeply for the first time and Tanis hoped that the voice would never leave her mental ears! >>I am Zanilanth! I am so hungry, my friend, will you feed me?<< "Zanilanth!" Tanis cried out, "you're perfect! And hungry! Me too! Only..." Tanis finally looked about, seeing the awed gazes and those jealous looks on the other girls, as she said, "but I'm not going to eat your food! Come along, you'll walk strongly soon, and I'll clean you up so you shine this way forever!"

"Forever" takes a long time! Tanis continued to scrub that golden hide for more than a Turn! And now, look at Zanilanth! Tanis leaned back against her weyr wall. "You're still as beautiful as the moment you broke from your shell, my friend." She said, and Zan purred a dragon-pleased sound. I am glad you think so, Tanis. Your brother has Impressed, you know. "He has, has he?" Tanis laughed and climbed onto Zanilanth's harness. "The let us go visit the little squirt. He'll be all goofy and hungry, like I was with you." You are a cruel woman, Tanis, I love you. Zanilanth bespoke with a hint of sarcasm. Together, they flew to Gallimim's hatching grounds, and watched as Tanis' younger brother Vanaard, now named V'naard, walked out triumphantly with a small, Green dragon! "Green?" Tanis whispered, "I thought he would be going higher than that... But it does fit him, doesn't it sister?" She patted Zanilanth's neck, and the Gold trumpeted her mirth. Others down on the sands and in the feeding pen looked up to see the pair and V'naard particularly looked up and waved. He is so proud, Zanilanth bespoke. And she says her name is Zadmith. "Welcome to the Weyr, Zadmith! V'naard!" Tanis laughed loudly, and Zanilanth leapt into the sky to circle with the other adult dragons. This day had been a good one for everyone!

Later on in the day, Tanis and Zanilanth did the "right thing" and went to the Weyrling quarters to share stories of washing and eating and all the work that goes into raising a dragon from a hatchling. "Green Zadmith," Tanis said, "mother will be happy with you," she scratched the little hatchling on her eye ridge, and V'naard found himself grinning like a child. "She is tired, sister," V'naard said. "And so am I." "Then we will leave you to your weyrling business... Oh, and you'll have to muck out the weyr constantly, until they learn to between..." "Thank you so much," V'naard called out while they left. You and your brother are very similar, Zanilanth thought. Tanis snorted and laughed, but then agreed. I shall be ready soon, for a flight. For mating. Tanis jolted at that, but smiled widely. "At least it won't be with V'naard on a Bronze..." That thought both bothers me and intrigues me, Tanis my friend... Why would you say such a thing? He will enjoy the same as you... "And might even enjoy the same partner, Zan, if some Brown comes to you..." She burst out laughing, not able to really see that happening in anything but fevered imaginings. "But you are serious, aren't you, you're almost old enough to have a Mating flight." Tanis smiled. "Good. Start looking for the right bunch of bronzes, my girl, and we'll start making the boys squirm." I shall repeat, my friend, you are cruel and I love you!

This cute little green flit is called Ivy, and I got her, where else, but at Gallimim Weyr! She... well, she "helps" me gather things for my craft practice, and she loves playing with the felines.

This tiny blue flit came to Tanis and Zanilanth, springing off the sands just after their visit to watch V'naard eat. Several of the young yearling riders had found these eggs, suddenly the air was filled with chirping and laughter! His name is Moonset, his fading color seems like the hazy fade of a moon in the distance! Of course, this was at Gallimim.

This pretty piece of jewlery came from Inuda at Gallimim Weyr, she just insisted that I have it! There were other pieces, too, but this one I liked the most. I must find a way to repay her, or give her something nice in return! One can't have enough bangles and shinies, right kittens? **dangles the piece but then thinks the better of it, and gets some string instead!**

Sootie here is usually into something, like chasing my new necklace! I got him at Naronis Weyr, along with Pants.

This is Pants, from Naronis Weyr. She got her name because she doesn't like the hot sun, and NEVER goes out when it's warm, she pants a lot trying to stay cool.

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