Ryu
Ryu hopped on the rocks
and dived off in the warm summer waters, just outside the small Seabay hold.
He and his 2 younger brothers had been out swimming on this nice day when
there was little wind to sail and fish. His father had given them the day of
and told them to go and wash, because tonight the dragonriders would come on
search. There had been a clutch in Cincanta Weyr, the first after the spring
storms and everybody hoped it would be a good hatching with strong little
dragons.
Ryu got out of the water and laid on the warm rocks,
to dry his skin. He looked at his brothers and sighed...he was small for his
age, he was almost 18 turns but he looked like a boy of 14, and his brothers
where big and strong. He envied them to look so good, the girls all swarmed
around them and forgot about him. He was shy as well, making it even harder
to get noticed.
His father had caught a lot of fish the past week, so
they could feed the dragonmen on search...and to feast!! Well, maybe he
would find a nice girl on the diner that noticed him.
The sun was rising to it's highest point. The brothers
went back home to help prepare for the diner, setting tables in place and
even making a small podium for the resident Harper. Ryu thought they were
going out of their way...the dragonriders wouldn't stay that long, they were
a small hold, not somewhere they had to stay long. But he never argued with
his father.
Late in the afternoon one rider arrived, only
one...his father wouldn't like that. The green dragon landed and her rider
jumped off. He talked to her for a minute and then walked to the people that
had gathered around. Suddenly the green lifted her head and started looking
left and right...then stopping and staring straight at Ryu. the dragonrider
approached him and said: "Aeloith likes you, you should come to the
hatching". Everyone stood baffled and looked at him...he started to blush
(oh no!). But he could only stand silent and looking at the green, not
knowing what to say or do.
His father came forward and said: "he'll be there".
Ryu nodded and was glad he didn't have to speak. The truth still not quite
registering in his brain. He looked around and saw the people noticing him
again...like it was the first time they saw him, probably it was. The first
time they saw him as a possible dragonrider.
The draonrider left early, as Ryu had expected, but he
had caused some commotion. He couldn't wait to get to the hatching.
~***~
HATCHING
Ryu and the other candidates stood on the hatching
sands, the green fussing over the little egg. It was almost sure to be a
white. Maybe he would impress it? Who knew. The cracking of the eggs reached
his ears and he turned to the eggs. A blue appeared out of nothing it seamed
and made his way to the 2 girls. One of them straetched out her arms, but
the blue hissed and turned the other way, started the run and colided with
the first obstacle on it's course, namely Ryu.
"Are you allright my rider? My name is
Zyanth."
"I'm all right, Zyanth." Ryu
hastily replied..."my you really are hungry..." and they headed to the food
ZYANTH
~***~
WEYRLING
"Zyanth!
Come out, you can't bathe forever!!" Ryu yelled and sighed, this dragon
was way too clean for him. Sure, he liked the occasional swim and definately
liked the hot springs in the lower caverns bathing room....but Zyanth just
seemed to want to soak of his hide so it would remain clean.
"Wait just a
minute, I have found this dry spot under my left wing."
"I'll oil
it, I should do your tail as well, I see some patches, you have been growing
well"
"Of course
I'm growing well, I'm the best dragon around!"
Hmmm, he was vain
too, maybe he'd better work on the dragon's attitude.
"My attitude
is quite good you know, yours is bad. I like you, you are my rider, but why
can't we go and fly with the others? I now I can fly as good as any
white."
"Ah, but
see, my dear Zyanth, there is work for us to do, we shouldn't sneak
away."
The dragon did see sense
in that, but "Can't we go and have fun
once?"
"Deal, the
next time I am of duty I'll take you to a quiet place and we'll practice our
flying."
"k, but there
better be a lake, so I can clean up afterwards" the
dragon answered happily
Ryu sighed and
thought: "Will he never stop?"
A sound like laughter
echoed in his head and Zyanth's eyes whirled with pleasure when he said: "A
river would also be ok."
Ryu pretended to
faint and smiled as they went in to oil the mischievous dragon.
Three days later, Ryu couldn't stall the trip anymore. If
people would ever say to him that dragons didn't have memories, he would prove
them wrong with that story. So he asked for permission for a field
trip and strapped on his riding gear.
He had to
say Zyanth was a pretty quick dragon, he wouldn't say he could outfly a
white on agility, but he came pretty close. Of course, he was still smaller
then the average blues.
~***~
ADULT
"Zyanth, don't
be so bad tempered about not winning her for you."
"But I wanted her."
"Maybe she wasn't a poetic soul like you are."
"I don't care."
the dragon put his head down again.
"What do you say we go home?" Ryu tried.
"Wouldn't make a difference."
Zyanth answered.
"I know there are more females rising, you could chase them. I'm sure you
learned all kind of tricks that last flight." Sucking up sometimes worked...
"I will look at them. But they better like
my poetic side!" the dragon said, eyes
glowing a bit red.
Ryu and Zyanth lay waiting on the
sunning heights. Waiting for better times to come. Several females past by.
"How do you like that one?" Ryu asked.
"Nah, too shy, too normal, she doesn't
inspire me."
"k". Ryu sure hoped the mood wouldn't stick.
About five minutes later Zyanth suddenly jumped up.
"That's the one I want!"
"You're sure?"
"Yes, she's fresh as summer rain. Confident
as a shadow in the night. She is all I want."
"k, but please remind yourself that there are other dragons chasing her.
Chances are you won't win."
"Bah, you have no faith."
Zyanth turned his head away and started to compose
more love poems.
~***~
Ryu impressed at Cincanta Weyr.