Errnak walked through the Weyr, as he usually did on rainy days like today, and looked around at the many dragons flying in and out. He had always wished to become a dragonrider, but it didn’t seem like that was going to happen anytime soon.

He had applied to many of the clutches that had been open over the years, but the dragons had never found him suitable, or so he thought. His parents also didn’t have the best impressions of the dragonfolk, and didn’t really want their son to become one of “their type”.

Errnak sighed. “All I want is to have someone that will keep me company and love me like no one else does,” he said to himself as he walked down the hallway that led to the hatching sands.

He opened the heavy doors and looked inside, seeing two greens lying by their small clutches. “If only,” he said as he closed the door sadly.

He started to head back to his weyr when he stopped and headed in the other direction, towards the firelizard hearth.

As he walked in he smiled, seeing that there were a few eggs that were beginning to rock back and forth. “If I can’t have a dragon, I don’t see why I can’t have the next best thing,” he whispered as he kneeled down by the hearth.

He looked the eggs over and then picked the one that rocking the hardest. He grabbed some meat from a nearby table and then sat back down, concentrating on the egg in front of him.

He looked the eggs over and then picked the one that rocking the hardest. He grabbed some meat from a nearby table and then sat back down, concentrating on the egg in front of him.

After a few moments the egg cracked open, spilling a bronze colored hatchling onto the warm sands. Errnak hastily handed it the meat and was amazed by how fast the little creature finished it.

When the bronze had eaten all it could he crawled up Errnak’s shirt and curled up on his new owner’s shoulder. He issued one more croon and then promptly fell asleep.

Errnak stood up carefully and then walked over to the table so that he could register his new pet. “What to call you,” he said as he tapped the pen against the table lightly. After what seemed to Errnak like hours, he thought of a name. “Kyslir,” he said happily as he wrote the firelizard’s name and color on the registration form.

He walked towards the heavy oak door and opened it, walking out and heading for the stairs that led up to his weyr. He had made it about halfway when a dragonrider trotted up to him and stopped him.

“Hey maybe you can help me,” the dragonrider panted as he looked Errnak over. “There’s just been a couple dragons abandoned and Sarilyn wants me to round up people who might have a chance at re-Impressing them. Would you life to try?”

Errnak shrugged and said, “I don’t know. I’ve stood for a couple clutches already and I’ve never Impressed. I’m not sure if I’d be any help at all.”

The dragonrider shrugged and said, “Well perhaps one of the abandoned dragons will take to you, you never know. How about you just come down and check it out?”

Errnak shrugged again and said, “Well I suppose, but I don’t think I’ll have any luck re-Impressing one.”

The dragonrider led Errnak down a hallway and stopped when he reached a large door. He pushed it open and let Errnak enter first.

Errnak gasped as he saw the dragons, three blues and a green, sitting or lying around the room. “Are these dragons unhealthy?” Errnak asked. “I’ve been at this Weyr for quite some time now and I’ve never seen any dragons that were such a dull color.”

The dragonrider nodded sadly and said, “This is what happens when a dragon’s lifemate abandons them. Most go between but the ones that are really strong willed tend to stay around, for awhile at least. Their color drains because they are so unhappy and they find no reason to live so this is also caused from malnutrition.”

Errnak nodded sadly and walked around the room, looking at the dragons one by one. He stopped when he came to a small, pale colored blue who was lying on one of the dragon couches and breathing lightly.

“Hello,” Errnak said softly. “I’m Errnak.”

The blue opened one eye slowly and said, That is all good and all Errnak, but I would prefer to be left alone now.

Errnak frowned and asked, “You don’t want to remain here the rest of your life do you?”

The blue sighed and said, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for a human.

“I can understand why you don’t trust humans anymore,” Errnak said. “However, I wouldn’t leave you like your other rider did.”

The blue sat up a little more and looked into Errnak’s eyes.

Errnak shivered, but a feeling of warmth and comfort flooded through his body at the same time.

I am Kelaith, the blue said.

Kelaith sighed and said, Do you think that we could go flying today?

E’nak smiled and said, “Kel we go flying every day.”

The blue shook his head slightly and said, No I mean, can we go somewhere different today? We always make the same trips to different Weyrs but we never go exploring.

The bluerider nodded and said, “Alright, well where do you want to go?”

Kelaith shrugged and said, I’m not quite sure actually. Well, this is the Southern Continent so there are many places that haven’t been explored. Let’s just go wherever the winds take us.

E’nak smiled and said, “Ok, let me change into some clothes that I can get muddy and such and then we’ll go.”

The blue warbled and said, This will be fun.

When E’nak walked back out into his dragon’s chamber he was already on the ledge, waiting for his rider.

E’nak climbed up to his dragon’s back and situated himself between two of the neck ridges. “Ready?” He asked as he grabbed onto the ridge in front of him.

Kelaith warbled and walked to the edge of the ledge, diving off and letting the wind catch his wings and lift him higher into the air.

“Let’s head west,” E’nak said as he looked in that direction.

What is to the west? Kelaith asked as his changed direction and settled into a long-distance flying pace.

E’nak shrugged and said, “I’m not quite sure so I guess we’ll just have to find out.”

They flew for about three hours and when Kelaith spotted a lake in a clearing of the jungle E’nak instructed him to land.

The blue yawned and said, that took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I like this place. Do you have any idea where we are?

E’nak dismounted and laughed. “I have no idea but you’re right, this is a nice little spot we’ve found.”

May we stay here the whole day? I would enjoy just lying by the side of this lake for a few hours, Kelaith said.

E’nak nodded and said, “Yeah I don’t see why not. We don’t have anything to do today and Thread isn’t scheduled to fall for another day or two.”

Kelaith sat down on his hindquarters and then lowered his entire body down onto the sand.

“We’ll have to keep out eyes open for canines and felines though. This is an uninhabited area so there are bound to be wild beasts around, especially by a lake,” E’nak warned.

Kelaith shrugged and said, I don’t think we’ll have to worry too much E’nak. I mean, I don’t think they’d attack if I’m here.

The bluerider nodded and said, “That’s true.”

He walked over to the lake and sat down by the edge, taking his boots off and then sticking his feet in the water.

Kelaith looked over and asked, Is the water cool or warm?

E’nak looked back at his dragon and smiled. “It’s cool, but not too cold. It’s very refreshing actually.”

Kelaith stood up and walked over to the lake, testing the water before he completely submerged himself.

When he came back up he said, I will remember this place E’nak. Can we keep this our secret place?

The bluerider nodded and said, “Yes I don’t think it would be the same if there were about twenty or so dragons lying around the shore with us.”

Kelaith shook the water from his face and then said, I don’t think twenty dragons would… He cut himself off and looked in the direction that they had come from, and cocked his head as if listening to something off in the distance.

“What is it?” E’nak asked, beginning to get a little nervous.

Kelaith got out of the lake quickly and shook off, looking back at his rider. Red Alioquith says that Thread is falling! We have to get back E’nak!

“Thread?” E’nak asked as he pulled his boots back on quickly. “But there wasn’t supposed to be a Fall for another two days!”

Kelaith crouched down as his rider climbed up and said, Alioquith said that it is a fluke.

When E’nak had sat down between the neck ridges Kelaith took off, gaining altitude quickly and then transferring between so that they could participate in the Fall.

She is wonderful E’nak, Kelaith sighed from his spot by the lake.

“Who?” E’nak asked as he looked around the lake, trying to find who his dragon was talking about.

Ziareth, she is wonderful, Kelaith repeated.

E’nak rubbed his chin in thought and then asked, “Who?”

Kelaith snorted and said, the lovely white Ziareth. She is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.

E’nak smiled and asked, “How come you’ve never mentioned her before if she’s so lovely?”

Kelaith crooned and said, I met her yesterday when we flew to Talis Weyr. We talked for a moment while you went about your business. She is wonderful rider-mine!

E’nak shook his head in amusement and asked, “Did you two get along? You know how females can be sometimes.”

Yes I know how they can be, but she was not like most females E’nak. She was, and is, perfect, Kelaith crooned.

E’nak smiled and asked, “do you know if she’s rising soon?”

Kelaith pondered this for a moment and then said, I think she is. However, she is not rising here, she’s rising at Talis Weyr. May I still enter even though the Weyr is far away?

E’nak shrugged and said, “Why not? The Weyr isn’t far away if we skip between right? Would you like to go now and see if she is on the mating flight board?”

Kelaith warbled and said, Of course I would! Do you think she’ll choose me E’nak? He asked as his rider climbed up onto his back.

E’nak smiled and patted his dragon’s neck. “I hope she does Kelaith, I really hope she does,” He said as his dragon dove from the ledge and headed towards Talis Weyr.