when silence is all that's heard [open]

[shapeshifter]

She gave a little squeak of a noise when they came from between. She felt chilled to the bone, however the chill didn't stop when they erupted over the snowy Weyr Bowl of Ice Stone Weyr.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of dragons flying in, out and about the Weyr, the hustle and bustle preparing for the heart of winter seemed to intrigue her. When they landed, the Rider leapt from the Black dragon that brought them there, extending his arms out to her. He gestured with his hands for her to come to him, so she threw one leg over and hopped downwards, into the Rider's strong arms as he spun her down till her feet touched.

She blushed slightly at his handsome appearance and nodded in thanks to him, knowing he wouldn't understand her hand gestures she normally used at the Hall in thanks. He handed her the two bags she brought with her. She already knew of her assigned home, where she made her way to. The lower caverns were much warmer than she thought with all the cold stone the Weyr was made of.

When she found her room, glows had already been lit with a welcoming basket of fruits and new furs on her bed. She noticed a little fire lit in the small hearth used to warm her room, immediately finding herself by it. She loved the warmth radiating up her back, making her hair stand on end from the tingling feeling it gave her against the bitter cold she had been exposed to.

She was happy to be able to breathe with ease for once, her allergies no longer a problem in this frozen kingdom. She smiled out of sheer contentment. As she turned around to warm her front side, she gazed at the flames, knowing that she would never hear the crackling of a fire seemed to slightly pain her heart.

She brushed off her feelings, something she had grown used to doing, and realized a more physical feeling of her hunger was sinking in. She managed to unpack her things, putting her books on her desk and her clothes in drawers before heading down to the Kitchens.

She walked through the halls, nodding at people as they walked past, noticing their stares as they said something and she wouldn't reply. Not that she knew what they were saying. She could tell some found her rude as she didn't notice their greeting, turning around to see them whispering behind her back as if she couldn't hear them....oh right, she couldn't hear them.

She walked into the Kitchens, where the Rider who brought her there was currently eating with a few other Riders. He motioned for her to help herself to the food, and she sweetly smiled, nodded and began to fix herself a plate and a cup of klah. She found herself sitting at a table over, even though he had offered for her to sit with them...she declined. She sat in pure silence, eating and drinking her fill, wondering how long it would take to at least meet one person in this Weyr.

[Itoshii]

Among the riders, near the end of the table, Cier nibbled a piece of buttered bread and listened to the banter among the others. She was still having trouble adjusting to her new position as Weyrleader and found herself hiding among the ranks as often as possible. Luckily, the majority of them were more than happy to let her, though there were still many that gave her strange looks or even more hateful ones.

A rider, recently returned from a journey to the Healer Hall to restock some of their supplies, had joined them. A Blackrider, her memory for faces and ranks having served her well in her first sevenday and early training as Weyrleader, she listened to the news he brought back with mild interest. When he spoke of having brought back a rather peculiar Journeywoman with him she perked up a bit. It was a part of her station to know all the names and faces that came through, after all, and they had been expecting her since the Hall had sent word of a newly table-walked Journeywoman who was interested in studying abroad with them. But it wasn't so much the fact that there was a new arrival in the Weyr, more so that she had an impairment that caught the woman's ear.

The rider explained to the others that she could not hear spoken words, and spoke of how awkward he had felt as everything he said had to be re-spoken through a confusing series of gestures by the Healers. "I don't know how she's going to do outside of her element here." he shrugged, though his voice was tinted with a bit of concern for the girl, before shoveling a mouthful of stew into his mouth. The man then took notice of someone who had entered, waving towards the food for them to serve themselves. She followed his gaze to see an unfamiliar face of what could only be the deaf Healer the man had brought with him.

She watched as the girl, she recalled the Blackrider calling her Hunter, got herself some food and a cup of klah before heading to sit down. Though her courier beckoned her over to sit with them she seemed to decline before sitting at the next table over. She felt Brignith stir in the back of her mind, the lazy lump of cloud enjoying his new and prized sunning ledge.

Mmm... whossat. 'M hungry. She scolded him mentally We have a new arrival. she replied, ignoring his statements of hunger. The new Journeywoman Healer. It seems she is deaf. The Cloud stirred curiously, not that being deaf meant much to him. Words spoken to the mind bypassed such trivial physical problems, but he understood the implications of what it would mean for the humans around the girl. Well, go on then Weyrleader. Greet your new charge.

Cier startled a bit when her dragon used her new title. She didn't think she'd ever get used to the male title being used in reference to herself. But Brig was right. She picked up her tray, taking care to make sure her half-full mug of klah would not spill, and made her way over to sit across from the Healer. It wasn't until she sat that she realized how much of a task greeting the young woman. She awkwardly cleared her throat, suddenly a bit glad Hunter couldn't hear her. She suddenly got an idea and pulled a spare piece of parchment and charcoal from one of her pockets before scrawling, in surprisingly neat handwriting. "Well met, I'm-" she paused, wondering if she should introduce herself with her title or not before deciding she may as well be up front with the other, "Weyrleader Cier of Cloud Brignith." She then slid the paper over to Hunter before picking up her bread and taking another bite.

[shapeshifter]

Hunter blankly stared at the woman who found herself sitting across from her. She had the look of curiosity suddenly spread across her face as she pulled out parchment and charcoal; beginning to write to her. Her face lit up in enjoyment that someone was actually trying to communicate to her!

She read the paper, "Weyr....leader." She spoke, "Muh-my n-name is Hun-...Hunter." She spoke in a very soft tone, using hand gestures with her words. It was habit for her to sign as she tried to speak to Healers, so she would learn if she was saying the words right. It seemed to work, even at this age. She then took the charcoal and paper she always kept on her, basically a writing pad, and wrote back, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cier. I am Journeywoman Hunter Bendam of Healer Hall. I have admired this Weyr for many reasons and am happy to be apart as one of your Healers." She slid the paper across to her, with a smile gracing her face. She took a sip of klah, waiting on a response, noticing out of the corner of her eye the riders at the table over watching how they were communicating.

[summerrain]

Chiara was finally free from the overbearing eyes of the Lifewings and Healers, his scars completely healed over at this point, with no damage of them breaking open again. Though he didn't like having such heavy scarring before he'd even Impressed, he could deal with it rather easily. Most of the damage was on his chest, with a bit on his upper arms, currently covered by his white long-sleeved shirt. He had on a simple pair of brown trousers, and over the shirt he had an old riding jacket of his sister's that she'd given him when she outgrew it.

He went down to the kitchens to get some food, and he fixed himself a plate of bread and cheese with a mug of klah. There was someone he didn't know. He decided to go over and say hello, when he noticed the pad with words written on it. Was this the girl that the other healers had been talking about last time he went to get examined? Maybe so. He put his tray down and waved at her, smiling. He pointed at the pad, then himself, trying to ask if he could borrow it. Then he motioned as if he were writing something, so it would be more obvious what he wanted to do.

Hello. I am Chiara Cavernborn, from Icy Caverns Hold, and a Candidate here. It's nice to meet you. He passed the pad back to her. Suddenly, a Silver-Gold flit appeared over his head and settled on his shoulder. He reached for the pad and began writing again. This is Grace, my older sister's flit. My sister Yuki is at Rainbow Mists Weyr right now, and should come back here in a few months. You should get to meet her when she comes back. He gave Grace a square of meat that he'd grabbed for her just in case, and she took it happily from him. She flew in circles around his head for a moment before vanishing between, bound back for Rainbow Mists.

[shapeshifter]

Hunter smiled and waved a hello at the newcomer. She was eager to let him borrow her pad and charcoal as he sat down with her. She noticed the Riders were becoming more intrigued with the attention she was attracting. Most new comers didn't like the attention...Hunter was one of them. She wasn't much for being out in the crowds, that was obviously shown through her extensive mounds of healing research, however, she did enjoy new company when they actually tried to communicate to her.

The flit startled her some, not expecting a firelizard to be that close to her unexpectedly. She was beautiful, that was for sure. She read the message Chiara slid back to her, understanding where the Gold-Silver Queen had come from. She grinned and began to write back to him. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Journeywoman Hunter Bendam, of Healer Hall. Your sister has a beautiful firelizard! She pondered her thoughts for a moment, which was an excellent thing about her having to write things...she could always correct something before it is said, I would love to meet her! Now, you say you are a Candidate? Are you hoping to Impress at the upcoming Hatching? If so, what color sparks your interest most?

She always loved watching dragonets Impress. She knew she would never be chosen for a Candidate spot; her disability would be a justifiable cause for her not to stand. She always wondered what it would like to be a Rider or at least a Candidate; her hectic Healer life seemed to keep those thoughts at bay most days.