Candidate Pranaven
"Pranaven you are impossible! Maybe if you actually came to dinner you wouldn't have the need to ask such empty headed questions!!" Renavae scowled at her younger brother. "If you spent half as much time with your own family as you do outside with that mongrel..." she threw her hands up in frustration. Her 15-turn-old brother basically lived outside unless there was Threadfall. He needed to spend less time with nature...and more doing his part for the hold.
"Even when I do show...no one even looks at me." Pranaven shifted the young canine on his lap. No one was ever satisfied with him when they saw him...but the things he did when no one looked were always appreciated.
"Put that ugly thing down! You need to do your part for this hold and stop thinking only of yourself! Running off into the woods or out to the beach as soon as no one is looking...The nerve of you!" she tried to grab the pup out of his arms. It whimpered, and when she tugged harder, it snapped at her.
Pranaven clutched Algani to him. She was his. No one else’s but his. Renavae had no right to try and take her from him. "Leave off Rena! Why do you care where I am anyway? You're not mother...or father. You never will be." he turned away, standing.
"How dare you say that to me! How dare you!" Renavae stormed out of the room. She'd just tell her uncle...he'd put that little brat in his place.
Pranaven sighed. It wasn't like he cared...By the time his aunt and uncle were ready to deal out punishment, he'd've "run off and deserted his hold" again anyway.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As he walked through the small grove of fruit trees behind his cothold towards the beach, Pranaven wondered why he even bothered to return home. He felt much more secure and inspired when he was outside. There were caves all along the shore, why couldn't he just find a nice sized one and stay in it? What was stopping him? No one understood him at home...no one. He sighed...even if he decided to leave, he couldn't do it yet. It'd take planning.
He walked along the beach, either carrying Algani or letting her run along side him. The sun was just starting to set, and its orange glow was cast over everything as far as he could see. He smiled a little...it was so beautiful. Another sigh. He'd have to head back home soon...and he couldn't go back empty handed. What was he going to take back with him? Despite what Renavae had said, he always brought something back to the hold after his excursions. Of course, she chose to ignore that...
Algani started to bark, and wriggled her way out of Pranaven's arms. She took off down the beach, her master following close behind calling her name. She ignored him, and was soon out of sight, being faster on the sand than her human.
He picked up his pace a little until he finally caught up with her. He stared at the scene before him. A Queen firelizard was hovering over her hardening clutch. At the edge of the small mound of sand, his canine was jumping to try and reach her. The little gold would screech in rage, and dive that the pup, who would growl at her and just miss getting clawed in the face.
Pranaven called out to his pet, but she ignored him yet again. If she kept up her "attack"..she was going to get hurt. He ran out to her and scooped her up off the sand, startling the gold /between/. Holding the pup to his side, he looked down at the eggs. If he took one of those back with him...The queen wouldn't miss one or two...so he grabbed two of the eggs towards the edge of the mound, stuffed them into his shirt, then headed back home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As soon as he arrived home, he placed one egg near the main hearth, then took the other to his room. He had wanted one for himself too. His sister would probably claim the one he'd left in the main hall...but he doubted she'd be able to Impress it. He felt a twinge of guilt for sacrificing the unborn lizard to keep himself out of anymore trouble...but it was too late now.
He wrapped his egg in a warm sleeping fur, then placed it by the little hearth in his own room. From the feel of the shell it would be hatching soon. Algani sniffed it, then deciding it was safe enough, curled up next to it on the floor and went to sleep. Pranaven smiled a little at that, then quietly went down to get himself something to eat...and something for the flit when it hatched.
He sat by the window in his room and gazed out at the view of the grove of fruit trees and the hills beyond as he ate. He loved the view...especially during sunrise. When he had finished his meal, he checked the egg one last time before retreating to his bed and falling asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pranaven woke early the next morning to one his sister's fits of hysterics. He slipped out of bed, patting Algani's waiting head before checking on the egg. Just as he pulled back the fur...it cracked. He hurriedly grabbed a piece of stewed meat from the bowl beside the egg, and held it out for the hatchling once it was out of it's shell.
A small brown head burst out of the top of the egg and immediately started keening in hunger. It struggled to get the rest of it's body free, and once it had, it inhaled the meat being offered to it. Only when the bowl was virtually empty did the little brown quiet. He curled up in Pranaven's safe arms and went to sleep.
Pranaven smiled down at the little creature and pushed a piece of dark hair out of his eyes. His sister was still at it, though it seemed she had calmed down. Usually, he just ignored her fits, but since he had a feeling it had to do with the firelizard egg...he decided that he should go check. He stood carefully, not wanting to wake the little brown, and made his way downstairs.
He stopped in the kitchen doorway and peeked inside. His aunt, Syrrah, was there, standing behind his near hysterical sister. Across the table was a man he didn’t know…but he looked to be a Dragonrider. What would a Dragonrider be doing here??
“Ahh, there he is. Pranaven?” The man stood as Pranaven walked in. This is him, Imalth, isn’t it?
Yes. That is the one I want. Him.
W’son smiled a little and was about to ask the young man if he’d like to be a Dragonrider when Renavae turned and stared at her brother. Actually, she was staring at the flit in his arms. She flew out of her chair, knocking it to the floor and went after him.
“Give it to me! It’s mine! You don’t deserve it! It’s mine! MINE!” She reached for Enkain, trying to grab him out of Pranaven’s arms. The brown was now fully awake and gave a startled squawk, burying his head in his friend’s chest.
Pranaven twisted around, trying to protect the hatching, and got clawed in the face by his sister for his efforts. “Get off me! You had your chance…You can’t have this one!”
“Give it to me you sharding brat! It’s your fault mine went /between/!! All your fault! Now give me that!” She shrieked, and grabbed at him again.
“Renavae! Renavae you stop that right now!” Syrrah continued that chant to no avail, and was pushed backwards as she tried to pull her niece away.
W’son stared at the commotion, not sure of whether he should try and stop it…or let the family deal. Imalth solved his problem with one loud, angry bugle. Rena stopped and looked at the Dragonrider. She flushed an almost impossible shade of red, then ran from the room, cursing her brother under her breath through her tears. Syrrah was right behind her, leaving Pranaven alone.
“Well, now that that’s over…” W’son smiled a little. “Have you ever considered being a Dragonrider? There’s a clutch at Dawn Sisters Weyr in need of Candidates. Are you willing?”
Pranaven stared at the young man for a few minutes, absorbing what he’d just heard. He grinned at W’son. “Of course I’ll go. Let me pack.” He ran back up to his room and began to pack his things. Why bother telling anyone…they’d only say he was deserting again. He slung his carry-sack over his shoulder, then picked up Algani and made his way back downstairs.
“All ready? Good.” With that, W’son led him out to his waiting Imalth and helped him and his “belongings” up onto the blue dragon’s back.
Algani was Adopted @ Dawn Sisters Weyr.
Enkain was Impressed @ Dawn Sisters Weyr.