Time to relax (open)

[summerrain]

07.25 early afternoon

Wynah had finished with her Candidate tasks for the day and decided to work on some target practice. She hadn't gotten the chance for a sevenday or two, and with a new Hatching imminent, she might end up Impressing and not have as much time any more. The targets were set up, and she pulled her antler bow out of the quiver on her back. It was a present from her adoptive father Telsan, and had been made from the antlers of her first felled forest beast. She drew an arrow and set it against the bow, using one finger as a guide. She fired, hitting the first target dead center.

The targets were set up at various distances and angles, testing her range. Fifteen targets, fifteen arrows. Well, fourteen now with the one lodged in the closest target. There was no expression on her face as she fired the remaining fourteen arrows at the other targets, one arrow to a target. Each arrow hit the center of the target it was aimed at.

She stuck the bow, still strung, into its place on her back before going to retrieve her arrows. Five Turns of hunting for her Cothold, and another two spent hunting to feed herself had made her an expert when it came to aiming. She was always perfect. Now at least, anyway. Of course she hadn't always been, but she had learned how to kill a forest beast with a single shot so as not to waste any.

She sat on the ground and looked at the sky. So blue... She slipped her quiver off and set it next to her before laying back. She put her hands behind her head and watched the clouds. Relaxing was all one could do sometimes.

[shapeshifter]

Saphierah found herself day dreaming as she walked around the WeyrBowl. She looked to the sky above her to see flitts flying, almost dancing, with one another. It was such a wonderful sight and not to mention amazing at how breath taking their bodies were when they moved through the air. She long hoped for a flitt but had never at the opportunity to impress one.

As she rambled around, exploring every turn that was more familiar than not, Saphierah's green eyes found the form of another Candidate practicing her shooting. That was something Saphierah never took a fancy too. She found herself involved with exploring, watching, and learning everything about the Weyr, especially the dragons. Impression at the next Hatching was her biggest goal, not particular about what color or rank...she just wanted her /mine/.

Saphierah watched the girl and after she had finished her targets Saphierah decided it'd be time to make friends with another Candidate. "Hey there! Nice shooting! What kind of bow is that?" she called out as she walked over to the girl. "I'm Saphierah."

[summerrain]

Wynah sat up, hands behind her. "It's made from the antlers of my first forest beast kill," she said. "I'm Wynah." She pulled the bow from the quiver. "Telsan made it for me. A congratulatory present for becoming a true hunter." She placed a hand on the hilt of her hunting knife. "He gave me this too."

She wrapped her arms casually around her knees. She wore simple trousers and a shirt, both earthy colors. The sleeves of the shirt went only midway down her arms and were tied at the end with strips of leather.

"Are you new here?" Wynah asked suddenly. "I know most of the Candidates here, as I've been one myself for two Turns now." Her eyes glimmered curiously. She wanted to know more about this new girl. She saw a future friend in this girl, but wanted to wait and see where it went first. She knew most of the Candidates that shared the barracks, by face if not name. She made a friendly appearance, despite her distrust of most people. She didn't smile, but she allowed her emotions to show in her eyes. Living on the streets for so long made her learn to control her emotions, to hide them and even appear cold and cruel when she needed to be. But she didn't need to be with this girl.

[shapeshifter]

"Actually, I have only been a Candidate for a few days. I'm a weyrbrat so to say, I grew up here with both of my parents being Riders off doing their own thing." She said, acting like the last part of her sentence left a bad taste in her mouth. She disliked how her parents just left her here for scrap and it didn't make things easier when the Headwoman went missing...and was found. "I just never got out and about around everyone, I'm a social person and I love people...I just felt trying to educate myself with everything about this Weyr would be a task." She smiled and said, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Wynah. I moved in the Barracks last night; trying to get used to the move." She liked her new room but wasn't sure whether to get used to it or not.

Saphierah straightened the peachy colored tunic out around her waist. She was wearing dark blue, perfectly tight trousers and light brown riding boots her father had surprisingly sent her after he found out about her Candidate acceptance. She may have not been happy with her parents leaving her but at least they sent gifts to her on occasion.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Mobrey, having finished with his Candidate chores, was on his way out to the fields with Karatos, intending on a nice, long run. Well, Karatos was going to run. Mobrey intended to ride Palavaris, actually.

He ambled out into the WeyrBowl, smiling at the flitts that were dancing through the sky, only to notice another couple of Candidates were out there already. They were standing and talking to each other, and one of them was holding a bow.

Mobrey’d never been particularly good at the hunting skills, having typically assisted the Caravan by helping with the runnerbeasts, but he did enjoy archery. Straightening his yellow tunic, he approached them.

“That’s awesome,” he said, having caught the tail end of the story about the forest beast. “Can I try and draw it?” he grinned, a friendly beam, as he asked.

[shapeshifter]

Saphierah looked at the new comer with her big eyes, "Well hello..." She said, noticing not only was he male but around the age of 14 or 15 turns. She was so much older than a lot of the Candidates around Rainbow Mists but that was her own fault. Most full grown Riders were her age.

She looked down and noticed the canine, "Well isn't he precious! I've always loved canines! The pups that would be found about the Weyr were always a delight to play with!" She grinned at the canine and asked, "What's his name?"

[summerrain]

Wynah's face darkened, and she turned away from the girl, a snarl on her face. "At least you had someone to look after you..." she muttered darkly. She turned back to Saphierah face softer now. "Such is the fate of a Rider's kid," she said. "I never knew my parents." And that was all she said on that topic.

She looked over at the new boy. "Sorry," she told him, shaking her head. "It's very special to me. But I can show you my skills." She stood and slipped the quiver onto her back. "I've been hunting for many Turns now." She took her place in front of the targets, about fifty meters from the first one. She repeated her earlier target practice, hitting each target in the center.

[shapeshifter]

Saphierah was taken back by Wynah and snapped, "Knew my parents? I saw them once a year till I was five, after that it was the Kitchen women who watched after me. My parents were Riders as well." Saphierah did occasionally receive those gifts but she felt it was just so her parents would feel less guilty leaving their child behind in the Weyr. "Either way, we're both Candidates and we'll be better than our parents." She knew that was her main goal; striving to be a better Rider than her father would be the best objective to reach. He was a great man but he came with a darker past than most would ever dream. He was once a Rider of Dark Mists, until he met Saphierah's mother.

Saphierah's gazed was caught by some wild firelizards zooming overhead, chasing one another as if playing tag. It was funny to see how quick the Green was with her size, but how powerful the wing beats of a Bronze were in comparison.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Mobrey turned slightly, so that he was facing the slightly shorter, longer haired woman.

“His name’s Karatos,” he answered. In an aside to Karatos, he added. “These are friends.”

Karatos opened his mouth to pant, then stuck his nose forward to nudge at the longer-haired girl. He sniffed at her, storing her smell in his memory as someone he could say hello to.

The shorter haired woman politely declined her permission, which Mobrey could understand, the bow was a truly fascinating piece of work, and her skill with it, which he did indeed turn to watch, was truly impressive.

He took a startled step back from both of them when the longer haired woman snapped the comments about her parents, but he, recalling some advice that Saddyr had given to Saddyris before the trip to the Weyr, over a Turn previously.

“Wow, that is awesome shooting!” he exclaimed. “My cousin’s been hunting for years, and he’s not that good.”

[summerrain]

"I wasn't Weyrborn," Wynah said, not looking at the other girl. "If I had been, maybe I would've turned out different..." The last line was muttered softly.

"My parents were both dead before I was old enough to remember them," she said, still turned away. "Telsan, the man who came here with me two Turns ago, basically adopted me. Taught me how to hunt, to fend for myself in a respectable way." She looked down at the bow, really seeing the scars on her palms. "When you have to hunt to survive, you learn to never miss your target."

She looked up at the wild flits, eyes widening at a very interestingly colored Silver one with Gold wings. It was young, only months old, but already rather large. The Queen flit turned, as if hearing something, and flew toward the personal weyrs. Not a wild one then. It was a lovely color. Oh, she'd love to know that bond one day...

Wynah sighed and went to collect her arrows, sticking each one in the quiver before moving on to the next.

[shapeshifter]

Saphierah bent down to the canine and petted the top of his head and proceeded to scratch behind his ears. "You're too cute! You kind of make me want to adopt my own." She grinned and stood back to full height. "Either way, all of us are Candidates...what are you guys hoping to impress?" She inquired.

Saphierah only hoped for a female dragon, a male would be just as wonderful but she felt a female bonding would be the best. The rank and hide color? That was no big deal at all. She had no objection to any of the colors, however she would love a bigger dragon. A Brown sized would be the best to her, for the power and the speed! Her bonded would have to love to do aerial stunts, just to show off and experience a thrill.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Karatos pushed against the woman’s hand a little harder, so that the pressure of her hand behind his ears increased. Taking her friendship as a given, he twisted slightly and licked her arm.

Mobrey nodded, uncharacteristically solemn for a brief moment. He could certainly understand a correlation between survival and skill at those things that kept you alive. He probably would have died if it hadn’t been for Amaris and Pryana.

Mobrey shrugged. What did he hope to Impress? He really wasn’t sure about that. There were so many options, after all.

“Something small and quick,” he answered, surprising himself. “That way I can still visit the Caravan without worrying about room to land.”

[summerrain]

They hadn't noticed her lapse as she spoke of her upbringing. Wynah was thankful for that. She didn't need any more questions. There had been enough of those thrown at her when she first arrived at the Weyr two Turns ago.

"Dragon?" she asked, intreagued. "Well, I'd be lying if I said Queens didn't pique my interest, but I'm not sure I'm suited for leadership." She counted the arrows, making sure she had retrieved all fifteen of them. "I would never be able to stand dragons like the Purples. Pranksters who just have too much energy. Or the Greys. Always depressed, they are, for one reason or another." She looked up at the sky, catching sight of a Wing doing drills. "I'd love to ride something powerful. Something big that couldn't be overlooked." She'd spent a good part of her life being overlooked unless she was stealing something. She wanted to be acknowledged for doing something good. Her eyes shone as she spoke about the dragons. She did so love dragons.

"But I think my favorite that I've studied is... Maybe the Azure," she admitted hesitantly. "It's so mysterious. Almost nothing is known about Azure dragons. I'd love to be the one to discover something new about them." Her face had a dreamy expression on it, something never seen on Wynah's face unless she was talking about the dragons.

[shapeshifter]

Saphierah looked at her, "Well I think Queens spark everyone's interest. I'd love to Ride one, however, the dragon is the one who picks the Rider." She then was astonished at her next remark, "An Azure? Are you trying to be cursed? Curse the Weyr?" She cringed at the thought of the things that she was told about the Weyr's history happening again. "Either way, if I had to choose a Queen? Gold or a Rainbow would be lovely, but the Abyss dragons have always caught my eye in the stories I was told as a child. Vain, yes, but their drive to be respected is outstanding. I want respect and getting from me it should be earned." She then paused and followed up with, "Now, non-Queen/Kings? I'd say most likely a Blood or a Starlight...both such beautiful dragons." She crooned over the thought. "Right now though, I'd love to find a firelizard to impress! That would be grand."

"Often I wish I could find a wild nest of eggs hidden in the beach sands, I've even gone looking but of course, nothing to be found." She said as she eyed the firelizards that flew off to other places. She was disappointed she was never given the opportunity to impress such wonderful creatures. Either way, she WOULD have one soon. She would see to it.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Mobrey nodded. Certainly, from what he had heard already, many of the other Candidates dreamed of Impressing the royal colors. He, personally, was pretty sure he’d rather have a small dragon, but he definitely wanted something colorful, perhaps a Flame or a Sunset, although Bricks and Midnights also looked pretty cool.

“If I had my pick, I’d go for bright and colorful, or at least colorful,” Mobrey admitted.

“Maybe we can get everyone together and tag team a firelizard clutch hunt?” he suggested. He’d always tried to look for the eggs when he was near a beach, but that hadn’t been often, being as the Vrishna Caravan spent most of their time at either Melisong or Dragonridge.

Sighing, Karatos laid down, leaning his back against Mobrey’s calves. The canine was happy to be near friendly people, but also wanted to run. They didn’t get to go outside much since the Weyrling had been kidnapped.