Candidate

About a month after Cenfre arrived at the Weyr he went down to Impress a firelizard, so that he would have some company until he Impressed. He walked down the long flight of stairs and down the hallway that led to the FGPC, or Falas Genetic Program Center. They bred extremely rare colored firelizards and some have even been known to talk like a dragon does. Cenfre wasn’t interested in a talking one however. He walked through the door, signed his name on the slip and walked into the incubator room where there were eight cases of eggs set into the wall. He looked at each case and then stopped when he reached the sixth case. The eggs in this one were beginning to rock so he took an egg out of the case and placed in on the small table in the middle. He grabbed some meat and stood by the egg, waiting to see what color he would Impress.

The egg now rocked so hard that Cenfre was worried that it might roll off the table so he cupped his hands around the base on the egg. Tiny cracks were now beginning show along the surface and Cenfre squeezed the upped part of the shell, trying to help the little firelizard out but his grip didn’t affect it. How can a little firelizard poke its way out of this shell if I can’t even squeeze it a little? He thought. He was about to try again when a small hole appeared near the top of the egg and a small cream colored snout poked through the opening. It squawked once and Cenfre picked the shell apart until there was about a third of it missing. The firelizard rocked the egg back and forth until it landed on its side and then it crawled out slowly. When it realized Cenfre was the only one there it chirped hungrily and Cenfre handed it the meat. It wolfed it down and then creeled for more. Cenfre did as it asked and after the third helping the firelizard’s eyes started to droop. Cenfre picked it up and placed it in the crook of his arm, where it promptly fell asleep. He smiled and then walked back into the other room so he could fill out the registration form.

He walked back down the hall after he filled out the form and headed back to his weyr, where he placed the sleeping firelizard on his pillow. He walked back into the main chamber and sat down, picking up the book he’d started when he got here, but never had time to read. Luckily today he didn’t have much going on so he could afford to sit around all day today if he really wanted to. He opened the book and began to read. Just as he was really getting into it the firelizard squawked and half ran half flew into the room. Cenfre looked at it curiously and the firelizard hoped up into his lap. He stroked the creature as he opens the book again. The lizard

crawled to his shoulder and chittered his opinion of the book. Cenfre laughed. “Alright, what do you want?” He asked as he put the book down. The cream hopped back to his lap and looked up at his, eyes whirling. It tilted its head this way and that way and then chirped again. Cenfre stroked it and said, “You know, you really need a name little cream.” The firelizard chirped again and Cenfre said, “How about Jonerat? I like the sound of that.” The cream warbled and curled up in his lap, fast asleep. “Ok Jonerat it is then,” he said as he picked the book up again.

About an hour later he looked out the small window in the rock and saw that the sun had gone down and now the two moons were up. Jonerat was also stirring and Cenfre patted him on the head before returning to his book. The cream stood up and stretched, warbling as it did so and then flying into the bedchamber. It remained there for about fifteen minutes before walking back out and jumping to his owner’s lap. He crooned at Cenfre and pulled lightly at his ear. When Cenfre tried to brush him away Jonerat chirped and pulled harder. “Ouch! What do you want?” He asked. The firelizard chittered again and pictured a bed in its mind. “Fine go to bed, I’ll be there soon,” he said as he turned a page in the book. Jonerat warbled angrily and pictured his owner in the bed. “Fine, I’m going,” he said as he put the book down unhappily and followed Jonerat into the bedchamber. He changed his clothes and then lifted the covers, climbing into bed. Jonerat climbed up the furs and fluttered to the pillow. A few moments later they were both deep in sleep.

The next morning Cenfre awoke to the sound of the watch dragon’s bugle. Wondering who was arriving so early in the morning, Cenfre shoved the sheets out of the way and ran to the ledge. There was a blue dragon settling down but there looked to only be one passenger on his back. Disappointed that it wasn’t anyone exciting he turned and went back to the bedchamber. Jonerat was now waking and stretching his wings. Cenfre smiled and walked to the bed, allowing him to grip his arm and climb to his customary stop on his shoulder. Cenfre walked to the main chamber and called down the service shaft for breakfast and then went to the ledge again. The blue dragon was gone and he wondered who the visitor was here for. “What do you think Jonerat?” Cenfre asked of his firelizard. Jonerat chirped and looked towards the main chamber. He looked where the cream was and was startled to find another person standing in the shadows, obviously looking for someone. Cenfre slowly got up and walked over. “Can I help you?” He didn’t turn but instead said, “Maybe you can. I’m looking for a certain brother who didn’t send a firelizard to let me know that he was trying to Impress.” Cenfre smiled, recognizing the familiar voice of his brother Ranevin. “Sorry Ran I wasn’t exactly planning to send one until hatching. Ranevin turned around and was about to punch him on the shoulder but he saw the firelizard bristle and decided against it.

“Who’s your friend?” Ranevin asked. Cenfre looked to his cream and said, “This is Jonerat, I Impressed him down at the Falas Genetic Program Center. Don’t mind him, he’s actually really friendly once he gets comfortable with you.” Ranevin nodded and gestured to the two chairs in the middle of the room. Cenfre nodded and they sat. “So how is your life going Ran? Still waiting to Impress as I am?” Ranevin smiled and said, “Actually I’m not. I Impressed a brown/bronze a few months back.” Cenfre smiled and stroked Jonerat, who had curled up in his lap. “And you never sent a firelizard? Shame on you. What’s his name and what’s your honorific now?” Ranevin looked at Jonerat before answering. “His name is Makototh and I’m called R’nevin now but you can still call me Ran, I don’t really care.” Cenfre nodded and scratched his head. “A brown/bronze? What does that mean? I thought there were only the one toned colors in dragons.” R’nevin nodded. “Usually there are but I don’t know about mine, Maybe he didn’t know what to become so he decided on a little of both. He had the hatchery people in an uproar trying to figure out what happened.”

Cenfre showed his brother around the Weyr after they had finished talking and R’nevin seemed amazed. “Its amazing how each Weyr seems so different don’t you think Cen? Actually no, you wouldn’t know yet. Can you take me to the hatching sands?” Cenfre nodded and led him there. When they reached the sands a woman greeted them. “Do you wish to sign up?” She asked of R’nevin. He smiled and said, “No I’m afraid not. I don’t think my lifemate would be very happy with me if I were to Impress again.” The woman smiled and sat back down and the small desk. R’nevin looked at the queen and said, “Who is this?” “This is Rhaith,” he said without a second’s worth of hesitation. R’nevin nodded. “Only fifteen eggs? That’s odd for a queen. Did a brown catch her?” He asked, as he looked her over. Cenfre shook his head. “No bronze Jerith caught her and I don’t see a problem with her only clutching fifteen eggs Cenfre, for one is bound to be mine.” R’nevin nodded but asked, “How many candidates did she call for?” Cenfre frowned, knowing what his brother was getting at. “Twenty –five but if I don’t Impress I will stand for the next one Ran, I will not give up because my lifemate wasn’t in this clutch.”

After R’nevin looked at the sands he told Cenfre that he must go, for the transport dragon would be arriving soon. Cenfre nodded and saw his brother to the hunting grounds. “I’m sorry if I upset you while we were in the sands Cen,” he said and he watched the blue circle. Cenfre nodded and said, “Don’t worry about it, and when your dragon is old enough, come visit me again ok?” R’nevin gripped his shoulder and then walked briskly towards the blue, who had just landed. He climbed quickly to his neck, strapped himself in and then waved to his brother as the blue sprung into the air. Cenfre watched as the blue gained altitude and then disappeared between. Jonerat squawked and Cenfre stroked him, heading back to his weyr and another day of waiting.