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 Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2020 5:16 am
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It had been quite a few weeks now since Khamaith's clutch had hatched and Surel found herself finally with a free moment to seek out Etansi. While Surel wouldn't call herself particularly social, she did have a small group of friends that she enjoyed spending time with. Etansi was in that little group and since the hatching, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of her friend. That was to be expected, of course. Junior weyrlings were moved from the Candidate barracks, their schedules changed, and she had a dragon to care for now so every spare moment was surely spent strengthening their bond and enjoying some relaxing time together. She certainly didn't want to intrude on any of that, but it was strange waking up in the girls dorms and not seeing the familiar face. Sure, there were other friends that hadn't Impressed - Dystzha among them, though she was a newer friend who Surel found herself spending more time with now that people like Etansi had been removed - but Surel didn't want a friendship to wither and die simply because they were no longer in close proximation to one another.
And yet...Etansi hadn't come to find her. Surel knew that was a ridiculous thought to have considering how busy Etansi probably was, but she was insecure at heart and being the one to reach out was hard. She'd resolved to seek Etansi and her little white out and, if they looked busy, would retreat and call it a day. She didn't want to infringe on Etansi's time, nor did she want to make her feel pressured to continue being friends. Maybe she'd just been very polite this whole time and now could use being in different living areas as a good excuse not to-
No! No no. Stop that. Don't put words in Etansi's mouth. Surel scolded herself lightly as she walked, keeping an eye out on the sands as she walked along the beach. She was pretty sure today was the weyrling's break day and while Western weyr didn't have a true winter, it did get cooler and many dragons took to the sands to stay warm. She hoped she'd spot them quickly as each step she took put more and more doubt into her mind. Surel began to make a plan in case Etansi seemed busy or like she didn't want her company and repeated it over and over with each pace. Find Etansi, say hello, congratulate her on her new partner, assess the situation, leave if things seem off.
She didn't realize quite how far she got down the beach as she murmured her little mantra over and over to herself, but a flash of pale rainbow and bright white caught her eye a little closer to the water, making her stop. There they were! Oh, Surel felt so silly...she didn't even know Etansi's beautiful dragon's name! She faltered where she stood, feeling so uncertain that she couldn't even call out to her friend. Hopefully friend.
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 4:31 am
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While white dragons seemed to have a rainbow on their pale hide, nearly all of them anyway, Etansi was still convinced that Quinineth's beautiful wings were the best of all. Sometimes when the light played over them you could see the most beautiful of colors, especially freshly oiled.
It was incredibly hard to focus on much other than her little white dragon, the other side of her, which was why she was starting to understand a little bit why her brother and her friends had had so easily forgotten about her for a time. Now it made sense, everything finally seemed to make sense for the first time, though she admitted that the influence was likely Quin, his calm and proper brain picking through and easing the stress that hers always seemed to be under.
As if on cue a warmth pressed over her, even if there were no words reassuring her it was the gentle contact that Quinineth offered which had the teenager breathe out a sigh and quirk the smallest of smiles. Quite large for her given everything she'd been through, but warm enough.
Quinineth on the other hand, while offering up reassurance to His also had his blue eyes turned towards a face he plucked out of Etansi's memory. But she was waffling back and forth in such a manner that it made him curious if she'd been attempting to walk their way. Well then, all the better to aid the thing along now wasn't it? It's such a beautiful day to stand so far from the water, what brings you here Etansi's friend? He'd left it so that Etansi could hear his words of beckoning, which snapped the dark teen from her reverie and to her feet from where she'd been seated in the sand.
Face turning a darker shade with her flush, the thoughts she'd had of how her brother and Astriana had forgotten her suddenly rushed to the front of her mind as she realized she'd... well she'd been the one to do it this time and the look on poor Surel's face. But she wasn't the type for universal expression of affection, even if she sometimes would smile a little wider and get a little hyper with situations. Etansi let a sheepish grin cross her face for a moment and slunk forward as un-awkwardly as she could manage. "Quinineth's better at spotting people." The sheepishness wormed its way into her gravely voice, almost making it less so for the briefest of moments. "Did you come to meet him?"
I believe, my adorable one, she came to greet you. There was laughter in the white dragon's tone but it wasn't the least bit mocking. At his bonded's raised eyebrows he snorted. One can come to greet two people at a time and it appears that you've been shirking your responsibilities to your friends.
At this she had the humility to blush.
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 6:54 pm
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Surel stood at what she figured would be a safe distance - close enough to be seen but far enough away that if Etansi didn't want company she could pass off the quick interaction as just passing by - as she weighed her options. She could call out to the pair to let them know she was there, or perhaps she could move a little closer, or maybe she could start whistling a tune to draw their attention, or maybe-
A voice was suddenly in her mind, one that was a bit...fancy? Was that the right word? Her memories of the white dragon in his shell were brought back to the front of her mind and she decided that proper was a better word to describe how he spoke. Each syllable was pronounced, each word well thought out and weighed. Surel couldn't help the little smile that was brought to her face at the thought of such a well-spoken dragon choosing her less than proper friend, but when said friend turned quickly and spotted her she felt her face flush a deep shade of red.
"That's all right," she said quickly as Etansi sort of apologized for not noticing her. That wasn't uncommon, really. Surel didn't go out of her way to stand out and be noticed, after all. More often she was trying to find ways to stay in the background. She had been rather quiet and she hadn't plucked up the courage to even draw Etansi's attention by the time the little dragon saw her so she couldn't blame her at all! The question was answered before she could reply and she had to bite her lip to keep from smiling too broadly. Oh, but he was precious!
"I was hoping to meet him, yes, but also to congratulate you," Surel said to clear things up. "And please don't feel badly in that regard," she added as the dragon chimed in about friendship responsibilities, even though that was the reason she'd set out to find the pair. Etansi wasn't very big on emotions and Surel understood that, so she kept her touchy-feely things to herself. "You've got a pretty good reason to be occupied." Turning her gaze from her friend to the dragon, Surel's expression softened as she got a good look at him. He was bigger now and the subtle rainbow shimmering on his wings was easier to see in the sunlight.
"I'm Surel," she offered, realizing that he'd called her 'Etansi's friend'. "Um. It's very nice to meet you. I've never actually met a white dragon before." She'd seen them of course, but they were just about as rare as golds. Only one, maybe two hatched per clutch and even then sometimes there were none at all.
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 5:13 am
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Despite what Surel said about not feeling bad about it Etansi let that exact emotion sink in deeply. She deserved it after all, in fact she deserved quite a lot more than just seeing the look on her friend's face. Yes she'd forgotten about everything unless Quinineth had pointed it out, it was far too easy when her brain was entirely white and rainbows from the very joy of him. A warm rush of love passed over her courtesy of the little dragon and tried not to steep herself on Surel's words. Oh she was a bad friend.
Only one way to be better about it then, yes? The little white offered to her privately and made a motion with his head towards her friend.
"Thank you, it was the best thing ever to finally meet him." Etansi offered, bluntly and with an earnest sort of honesty that showed her whole heart if just for the briefest of moments. She was getting better at showing that as she made more friends, as Quin helped her, but it was still just a small gesture compared to how well others showed their own emotions and joy. She stalled a bit when Surel turned to speak to Quinineth but it wasn't awkward for once and the little white was much smoother than she was after all.
Well then! Now I have a face to put with that name and it's quite a pleasure to meet you as well. Though we may be small and few I'm certain you'll meet more white dragons, just you wait. His eyes were swirling purples and blues and just for an added flourish he gave a little bow and spread of his wide wings.
One hand reached down and ran from the base of his neck up to his headknobs once Quinineth sat back up and Etansi smiled down at him and then up once more at Surel, less awkward for once. "'m sorry I didn't come and introduce him to you first, it's hard to think of anything but him sometimes, even if he tries his best. I'm hopeless." Her laugh was rough just like her words with her gravely voice. "But he knows who you are, even if he's just being polite."
Snorting in exasperation, Quinineth shook his head, It's called being polite dearest. He would need to work on the finer points of that sort of acting when she was able to grasp them, for now Etansi showed no signs of being anything other than direct. Oh the pain of it all.
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 7:13 am
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Despite not knowing what it felt like to be bonded to a dragon, Surel knew very well that once a baby dragon chose you, your life was completely different. There was another being living in your head, another set of emotions and thoughts to contend with. The dragon was your second half, after all. How could she blame Etansi for getting so wrapped up in this new, wonderful part of her? She certainly couldn't fault her for something that happened to every dragonrider at some point in their life.
When Quinineth responded to her and gave a bow she couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand to hide a little giggle. Oh dear...he was so different from Etansi! Well spoken, polite, and absolutely dripping with manners. She always wondered how opposite attracted both with dragons and riders, as well as with other relationships, but clearly they did in this case.
When another apology came from Etansi, Surel turned her gaze back to her friend. The worries that had plagued her on her walk over here were slowly being brushed away as it was clear that the other young woman had been forgetting everything and everyone, not just her.
"I think that's the norm after a hatching, Etansi," she admitted with a shy smile. "Most people seek out the new weyrlings rather than the other way around. Really, it's all right." And it was, wasn't it? She wasn't pushing Surel away, coming up with excuses to leave. It had all been Surel's anxieties and worries making up stories and non-existent problems, as usual. As Etansi showed Quin's hand about knowing her, though, her shy smile turned into a light laugh.
"That's good to know," she admitted, glancing at the small dragon again. "Oh, watching you two Impress was the most wonderful thing. That you had the courage to go help him out of his shell was absolutely perfect." Surel would never be able to approach an egg like that, even if it called out for help. Perhaps if it was directly asking her and her alone, but she'd be shaking like a leaf in a storm the whole time. "I'm so glad I was there to see it."
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Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 2:18 am
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It seemed like the concerns that Surel had were gone as her expression eased up just a bit and it soothed something deep within the shorter girl. As it turned out she was finding that she disliked when her friends were upset or possibly upset with her. Either way, it didn't matter now and a sideways smile cracked over her face.
But she would need to get better about all of the things she now had to pay attention to. Lessons, her bond with Quinineth, her bond with her friends that she was still getting used to. For a child that had once been all but a feral canine it was a lot, luckily there was the gentle underlying love of a little white dragon to help her see it through the whole way. Hopefully Surel would find this same sort of love, hopefully all her friends did. Because it wasn't something that her own limited knowledge could manage to put into actual words.
Etansi was just... happy. Over the moon happy.
"'s a good thing you did or I'd be in lotsa trouble." She rubbed the back of her head, her fingers brushing over the newly shaved portion and stopping for a moment. "Can't let you all think I forgot about you. Quinineth would see me march through the whole Weyr to make apologies."
As if to emphasize her words, the white dragon was nodding his head where he was seated emphatically. While Etansi had something she wanted to say in response to Surel being glad that she was there to watch them impress, Quinineth pressed silence at her and instead looked up at the other woman with interest. You'll find when an egg asks for help you'll be in the perfect position to help, I'm most certain. For how could such a kind person let a request to be free go unheeded? Trust me my dear, the time will come and you'll do fantastically.
Etansi's eyes widened, so other people had the same sorts of thoughts and worries as herself, even her friends who she thought were much more stable than she could ever be. "You worried?" Her right hand reached up to rest on the side of Surel's arm gently.
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:25 am
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Surel couldn't help the little giggle that escaped her at the though to Etansi - strong, tough Etansi! - being marched through the weyr as Quinninath tried to find all of her friends, acquaintances, and anyone she may have looked at or spoken to since she started her Candidacy. She hadn't been around the little white for long but she could already tell what an odd but perfect pair they made given his mannerisms. He was so polite and fancy while Etansi was extremely rough around the edges. Why Quin had picked her would only be known to the two of them, but Surel couldn't picture a more perfect partner for her friend.
The cheerful expression faded just a bit, however, as Quinniath spoke to her. She gave a little half-shrug, trying to agree without actually agreeing, but Etansi's hand on her shoulder and the concern on her face let her know she wasn't getting out of ignoring what had been said so easily.
"Oh. Ha- well. Wouldn't be me if I wasn't worrying about something," she said with a little laugh. "Mum always calls me a worrywart and she's not wrong." Surel had been worried about the dragon inside the egg asking for help, but she'd also been worried about the queen becoming angry, about the other babies still free to roam about the sands, about any ill emotion that might set a baby off...
"But it all turned out just fine," she said, quickly changing the subject back to who it belonged on, that being the dragonrider and her white. While it was true that worry and anxiety plagued Surel, she was also a happy young woman and at times like these it was impossible for any bad feeling to victor over good. And truly, despite her worry of being forgotten or unwanted as a friend, she was overjoyed at Etansi's success on the sands.
"I'm so happy for you. The both of you, really," she said, turning her warm smile from Etansi to Quin. "I can't imagine what it's like to find Yours on hatching day. And for Etansi to be the one that helped you from your shell...it's just a perfect match. Well chosen, Quinninath."
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:24 am
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An awkward sort of grin crossed Etansi's face and she wanted to reach up and hide it with her other hand for being so random and unwelcomed. The thought of another being as worried as she was shouldn't have relieved her, especially since that someone was Surel, a friend. But just knowing that she wasn't alone, that she wasn't the only one who worried about everything... it felt a bit more relieving than she was expecting it to be.
"Worry about things too, everything. Gotta be one step ahead of danger, gotta be walking a narrow line, stay outta trouble." Etansi had been more trouble than the Weyr had likely expected to have, she and her brother both now that she thought about it. Erastan was flying in a wing again but... "Worry keeps you safe."
Indeed it does. Quinineth chimed in gently. He'd seen the deplorable way some of his siblings had carried on pre-impression and if it hadn't been for the incredible thickness and hardness of his shell he might have come out much sooner and had a word or two with them. But alas he'd been stuck. Blues swirled into his eyes and the little white inclined his head, wings tipping forward elegantly. I feel you should know soon enough, you've plenty of time after all to meet yours, they're just being slow about the process. But all good things take time, do they not?
The teen thought on it a bit, one finger crooked so her knuckle tapped at her chin thoughtfully, Quinineth hadn't taken much time at all. What exactly had she felt that day other than concern, anxiety and panic when she'd felt that thought of Between enter into their minds for the first time. It had been the first time she'd ever been more than herself, the very first time she'd taken a breath in life it felt. And she'd already been a twin, she'd thought that had been strange enough when others said they didn't experience the same instinctive feelings towards their siblings.
But her dragon...
"It's like... like..." Etansi stammered slightly, her face screwed up in thought for a moment, "BOOM!" she exclaimed loudly, putting her hands on her head and then thrusting them outward, palms wide. "More brain."
Yes... It... For his part Quinineth tried very hard but his voice was lanced through with painful embarrassment and he covered his whole head with one of his wings, a groan escaping him. I suppose. Vocabulary lessons might not be remiss in an attempt to make that more understandable.
Her teeth shown brightly out of her face as she grinned.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:06 pm
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Surel mirrored Etansi's smile and nodded as she spoke. It was nice to know she wasn't alone in her overactive worrying, but to her Etansi certainly had a better grip on it. She acted on her worry - or it seemed that way to Surel - and used it to drive her forward, to avoid danger as she'd said. When Surel worried she let it consume her and cripple her, rendering her nearly useless until she managed to talk herself out of it as she had done when going to find her friend today. She'd put off searching for Etansi because she worried she'd bother her, or that she was avoiding her, and maybe not knowing the answer was better than finding out. But at the same time she understood the relief in finding kinship with someone over something that ate away at you whether you dealt with it defiantly or not.
Quinnineth's comment drew another nod from Surel, this one a bit more certain.
"Oh yes, that's actually one thing I'm not worried about," she admitted with a little laugh. She had Turns to go before she aged out and, as Quin had said, good things took time. She'd wait until the last possible clutch she could stand for for Hers if that's how long it took and, should there be no dragon in her future, she'd surely find another way to help at the Weyr. She'd be a bit sad about not being able to join her mother and brother in the skies to defend Pern but perhaps her calling was elsewhere.
Etansi's explanation as to what Impressing was like had Surel grinning again, hiding her giggle behind her hands. While Etansi wasn't one for many words she had a certain way of expressing what she wanted to get across that was very effective, even if Quin found it embarrassing.
"Oh, no, I understand. As much as I can without Impressing, of course. I think that's honestly the best way to describe it," she said, laughter still clear in her voice. It wasn't mocking but delighted and she gave her friend another wide smile in return.
"I know you haven't been in your new lessons very long, but how is it? A lot more hands on I assume?" she asked, curious to know how weyrling lessons differed from Candidate classes.
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