[PRP] Things We Both Want [Jacquol/Xanael]

[ShinosBee]

The stables? Yeah, they stank. Herdbeast was delicious, but the animals themselves? Phew! Worse than her crew two months out from shore. Why did she have to much out the stalls? Why did she have to drag hay around? She had no interest in the animals (they weren't sleek or cute or cuddly or edible...at the moment) and had no real willpower to do the chore assigned to her. She had always and forever been a 100% surf girl, not a turf girl!

Thankfully she hadn't been left alone to do the work. There was at least one other fellow around...scruffy looking thing that he was. He seemed to know his way around the animals though, to rather like them well enough...and that gave her an idea. It might not work, but then, she'd never been one to want to be told the odds. Throwing herself at the problem to see if anything stuck was vastly more to her way of doing things.

Step one, of course, would be to get his attention. "Hey," She blurted out, pausing her efforts. She stuck the pronged fork into the ground, leaning slightly against it, one hip cocked out and a hand atop it. "This ever get less smelly? I mean, I know of plenty of ways to get dirty and work up a sweat, but this is a bit ridiculous, huh?"

Okay, so maybe that was laying it on a bit thick, but that sort of thing'd worked really well before...!

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

For his very first assignment this was the best possible thing he could have found himself doing, really it was. In the scheme of things Xanael still wasn't sure where he fit in the foodchain of the Weyr, though he at least understood that he was lucky that he and his brothers, all of them, had been accepted in light of how they'd arrived. If he looked at all disheveled still after only one bath for the first time in a month or more and exhaustion that had his dark eyes even more narrowed than usual because he really needed more sleep than he'd gotten since he'd left his hold along with his twin and younger brothers, well that was just how it was. Things like cleaning out stalls in a stable was second nature to him, something that he'd done hand in hand with his master in the past before even being allowed to work towards healing the same creatures. Or rather creatures of any kind. His master had been insistent.

Motions like this were mechanical for him, the movements coming naturally as he shut his brain off from thinking on all the terrible things that he'd been seeing and doing. All he really wanted was to sleep and check on his little brothers again, make certain that they were doing okay in the place he'd been forced to leave them. What was it called again? Creche? He'd been promised by someone in charge that they would be fine and taken care of but no matter what he thought he couldn't really tell how this was all going to go.

Words cut through the thoughts that were running through his head even though he'd been trying to shut his mind off and Xanael started a bit, eyes blinking as he turned to look at the younger woman standing before him that had stopped working. She was a new face to him and her lack of motion in the interest of talking was... different. But he'd grown in a hold where you were expected to keep doing no matter the situation or your feelings on them, smell was inconsequential in the face of punishment for shirking duties given to you and things just got done faster if they were continued until the end. But she seemed friendly at least and though he didn't stop completely he at least shifted so he was facing her for his words to be projected in her direction.

"Honestly it never really does, it isn't their fault though, can't really go Between to get rid of the less desirable smell part of it like dragons can I hear." a chuckle came from him just thinking about what the Weyrlings had to go through while their dragons were still growing. He'd been given a cursory explanation of what he'd have to deal with and had studied a little bit before that with the information he could get while they were stuck in that sodding sea hold for so many months awaiting a ship. That was the only reason that either himself or his twin might even have the faintest grasp of what it meant to be near dragons. He liked them well enough but beasts had always been easier on him. "Hay helps them have something soft to walk on but it gets smelly when stuck inside the stone walls like this one. I was used to wooden ones at the hold before but those got eaten up by Thread, so I see why they do it."

He had patted one of the cold walls with his left hand as he spoke, registering how cold it was under his palm before pulling it back to the handle of the pitchfork and going to move automatically. This was just one part of dealing with animals that most didn't like but he loved all of them and if he could he'd really like to care for the animals of the Weyr in his free times that he'd been told he would have. Maybe after a few days at least, he really needed sleep before that.

"Is this your first time cleaning out stables? It gets easier at least, even if it never stops smelling overmuch." his crooked grin flashed over his face sardonically as he remembered the first time he'd ever cleaned one.

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

Oookay, so that hadn't been quite the reaction she'd been fishing for. No matter. It was clear in his first sentence that those sorts of tactics were probably not going to get her anywhere. The awareness of stables, the way he kept right on working even as he talked, the passively accepting way he muddled through the mess and stink. No. This guy was a Hard Worker. And those were just the worst to try to wear down! Stupid responsible types, what had she done to be saddled with one now of all times, with this of all chores?

Because she probably could manage to get out of the work, put it all on his shoulders, but this was just the kind of guy that she'd actually feel a bit bad doing that to. Stupid good-natured types!

She flicked a bit of hay off her pants, idling as long as she could before her buddy's inevitable glances (because the Hard Workers always noted when you slacked off!) drove her back into action. "Not my first time, no," She'd stolen a beast or two in her time, though honestly it'd never been anything too expensive or important. "Just my first time getting such an...intimate view of the process." And thank Faranth for that. No more filching from stable boys at holds they passed through, nope. They had it hard enough. "I'd rather be scraping barnacles off all the boats of Half Circle, but this is where they put me, so..." The price of her own dragon (hopefully) she reminded herself. "I take it this is just routine for you then, huh?"

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Letting stillness settle between them as he processed her words, let them run about in his exhausted brain so that he could form some sort of response, Xanael allowed that silence to drag for a moment as he worked before stopping and looking at her with curious eyes. It was evident this wasn't her favorite thing to be doing, just her actions spoke to that and never-mind the actual words she'd spoken towards the fact as well. A sea-faring girl from far across the ocean, even further across the northern continent than he himself had lived at one time while so close to Nabol. Tied to it really. Maybe a different approach would be best.

"You've come quite a ways to be mucking out stables when you clearly feel so fondly for boats. Honestly I'd switch with you in a heartbeat, two dragon heartbeats even, if it meant staying in stables. My brother and I were stuck at a sea hold with our younger brothers in tow and just the memory of scraping barnacles for a handful of marks..." Xan shuddered a bit at the memory of the crusted on things and how often he'd gone to the cot he'd shared with his brothers, hands bleeding from new experiences he'd have done much to forget. "You're a really hard worker."

Slowly he twirled the pitchfork on one of the tines and glanced down at it, watching it spin as he mulled over his answer for a moment more. "Yeah, I'm a beasthealer, so this is just general duties. Before my master would even let me apprentice with him and learn I had to muck out stalls and clean the stables from top to bottom, just to be accepted! Being a journeyman is much easier now, or rather it was before thread returned and I came here. So at least with this it's second nature and it puts me near the creatures I know."

It would be curious to see if he ended up with double shifts working in the stables thanks to his background but only time could tell what the future would hold, since there was still so much to learn here. Still, it meant he could be near the very thing that brought a smile to his face and had kept him sane for nearly a turn in a sea hold, just keeping up on all the wounded and sick beasts that it had to offer. With dragons it would likely be different, there would be new things that he would learn to watch after them, but he was no dragon healer even if he'd accepted a position as a Candidate, so watching from afar was best.

"My name's Xanael, it's nice to meet you!" He offered finally, remembering his manners if only just by the skin of his teeth. "I haven't been here long enough to learn your name yet I'm afraid, or anyone else's, or even the rules beyond the basics." That drew a laugh from him even as he twisted the pitchfork back into the hay once more..

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

In all honesty she'd always hated scraping barnacles. It wasn't the sort of work for her at all. The stables smelled worse, but were comparably much easier.

Not that she planned to tell him that. And ruin his impression of her as a hard worker who was just out of her element? No thanks. She'd just keep right on along with this way, thanks much. "Jacquol," she thrust her hand towards him, coppery-tan palm aimed up, her own faintly sea-calloused fingers reaching for his, ready for a shake. "Pleased as a well-fed wher to meet y'Xanael. Welcome to Western and all that, aye?" Her grin stretched from friendly to almost cheshire. "You'll learn them soon enough. And which you're fine to dance around, and which you really ought to stick to. There's more of both kinds than you'd think, so if ever you're not sure, just come to ask ol Jackie, won't you?"

Perhaps reading his continued fiddling with the pitchfork as an anxiousness to get back to work, she lifted her own tool to take a few stabs at it. She wasn't going to rush about it, or really even make too much effort at getting it done. As long as it looked like she was, that'd probably be enough to soothe her new friend. "So, a journeyman, huh? I guess you could say I'm the same." That thought made her laugh, internally. Sure she was! She was a journeying woman. And she knew more than her own way around a ship. That was close enough to being a journeyman seacrafter, right? "And you ended up here! Looking to mind something a bit bigger, hmm?" She was positive any dragon would hate being compared to an animal, but her sense of humor had never been horribly kind. not that she meant to provoke. Good thing none were here to hear her!

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Jacquol, 'Jackie', that name reminded him of another he had heard at some point, but she came from a seafaring family so that likely was the reason that he'd heard some similar names while at the port hold. A grin flashed over his face impishly when he took her calloused hand in his own scarred and rough one for a shake, so she was one of those that stood on both sides of the rules, straddling the line. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that, Xanael had his own problems after all and not all of them were entirely legal per se, his own twin often harped on him for his sticky fingers when situations came about that would put them in danger. Back at the port he'd managed to get along without succumbing to that too often, but there were times that it still happened despite himself.

"Well if I ever have any issues figuring out which points I can push and which I can't I'll make certain to come and find you for sure." Xanael was rather certain that all the rules were important after all, especially since he'd just gotten here and heard about the tongue wagging that they'd gotten not all that long ago concerning behavior at touchings and hatchings that got one of their own killed and one very nearly eaten. That of course had stuck in his chest when he'd heard it and ever since the man had been spending as much time in the stables as he could, lingering a bit even if it wasn't really that good to do so. Surely in the past, in his hold where it was 'safe', he would have rushed through it and gone on to try and find some runner or wherry that needed healing. But here that wasn't often an option for him since they were teaching him things about dragons and likely didn't want him to fall back into his craft no matter how much he loved it. If he became a dragon rider he wouldn't have time to focus on that anyway, so it was good that they were taking this time to break him of his original craft now rather than continue to allow him to pursue it.

That did not for one minute mean that he couldn't work slowly of course, couldn't spend as much time in the stables with the scent of runnerbeast while he could take the time to enjoy it. Some scents weren't the best, but others were nostalgic. The scent of warm hay and the certain smell that came with a runner's presence.

"Things in our original hold necessitated this move, I would never have considered it an option at first until we arrived and a dragon and their rider suggested we go meet Master A'ral. Hopefully while they're vastly different, a dragon is as easy to get along with as the beasts that I'm used to. In the meantime I'll just continue to spend as much time here as I can while I get my bearings." Xan said wistfully, beginning to work again as she did beside him, though a bit slower for his thoughts. "How long since you quit your craft and came here yourself Jacquol? Did it take long to leave it behind?"

If there were ever a question in his mind it was exactly that, how long it took to forget, how long it took to adjust. Right now it felt as though he couldn't give it up, couldn't let that last facet of his old life completely go.

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

His smile caught her slightly off guard, something mischievous in it that she'd not thought to look for. Maybe not such a goody-two-shoes after all? That would be ever so much more her speed, and she felt herself relax just slightly more, the urge to be more herself, and less the image of herself, if he'd not take umbrage to her...not-quite-pure hobbies and instincts. Not that she was a bout to go secret-spilling, but still.

His own almost lack-luster (excepting that it was only his speed that was sub-par, and not his attention to detail, and being sure the job was well done, which bore thinking on later) performance did not go unnoticed, but Jacquol wasn't the type to pick up anyone's slack, not even her own. This job'd get done on his account, not hers, but she was very fine with making it take all day. Then there'd be no chance of being given more work to do after, after all! She did wonder at his wording. 'Necessitated'. That was never a good thing, she'd found over the turns, being 'necessitated'. Hopefully it'd been nothing too traumatizing. The lad seemed a good sort, so far at least. "I'd sure hope they get along better, especially if they're yours. How many times've you had to deal with a stubborn beast and wished you could just explain what you were doing or why? W'a dragon, you can! Easy as thinking it!" She beamed brightly, recalling the times her elder brothers', and Ambrin's dragons had spoken to her. "Just like talking to another person, honestly."

"How long?" Ah, now that was a thought to ponder. "Oh, not long. Was Vimiath's flight just under a turn ago that...led to my coming here." Of course, the searchers were out in droves when a clutch was pending. In truth it'd been the flight itself that'd snared her here. A gold overhead, and her unprepared, thinking only of visiting the Weyr to see her brother dearest and get a free meal or two, she'd instead ended up caught up in it all, and fallen into bed, quite literally, with a fetching rogue of a brown-rider. His attentions and inclination had wooed her before his brown had alerted her to the potential he felt inside her. She'd been quite happy with the plan of playing bed-sport for a bit, seeing the eggs laid, and then scarpering with all her arms could carry...but the damn fool'd made her into a fool too.

Of all the Weyr's residents beyond her sibling, Ambrin knew who she was. And he approved. And encouraged her to seek her own heartmate of a dragon. Her mind drifted, caught up in the fantasy of their supposed future, the scourge of Pern, the pirate queen and her cutpurse lord...

Ah, but back to the question at hand. Thankfully her tanned skin hid any blushing well! "I don't know that I ever really left it behind, but I did leave the sea behind. That took some time to move beyond. But not having it readily on hand, not having my ship to crew, there was nothing to do but cut ties, for now, with it, hmm? Though I think some part of me will always think of this as just an extended shore-leave, at least until I impress, or am turned loose from aging out. There are days I miss it terribly but...I know the sea'll always be there waiting for me, if I need to go back to her. And now I've got all you fine fellows to get to know too, so that's a sporting distraction from how strange the lack of salt makes the place smell, or how odd it is not to feel the ground shift under me. Nice thing that, can always beg a ride off a rider if I need to feel the wind in my face and the pull of it against sails...of a different nature, mind!...again."

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

The same grin flashed back to his face a bit when she described dragons being easy to communicate with rather than beasts. She was right of course, but he hadn't had very many issues with beasts over the turns, generally getting along with them better even than people as they were always upfront with what they were thinking and feeling. It was just a bit harder to tell when one was in pain and what it was. But a dragon, oh a dragon could tell you and a dragon could speak which was something that a beast could never do no matter how often he'd wished it or how loud it screamed. Xanael had been trained to listen to what beasts couldn't tell him, watching them for exhaustion and sickness, keeping an eye on how they moved and what they were doing that might indicate pain. What would a dragon be like though, probably tell him everything that he needed to know.

That was actually rather intriguing as a healer. "Too many times to count for certain, they tell you in ways other than words what they're feeling and as a beasthealer you have to see them and catch the actions when they happen. For a dragon or a person... that would be much different, especially if they can alert you to a problem that you can fix quickly rather than letting it go because they don't have a way to inform you of their pain or they want to hide it thanks to instincts." Xan's eyes closed as he thought of all the beasts he'd ever lost or seen die because they simply couldn't get past their own instincts to alert a handler or someone that could help. Canines, runners, wherries; all of them lost because they couldn't speak. Dragons would break his heart less for certain. "I wonder if there are classes to take in becoming a dragonhealer? I've never heard of any, but then we didn't have many around our hold, most of them stayed in Nabol or avoided that area altogether."

So she'd come for the most recent Western flight. Oh he'd heard quite a bit about Vimiath's flight, or rather the hatching that had come of it where a candidate had been killed on the sands following a girl nearly being eaten at the touching and one sneaking onto the sands. Just thinking about himself or one of his brothers out there, let alone his twin (for yes he'd heard it was a twin that had been killed protecting his brother), filled him with a feeling that he couldn't quite put a thumb on. Not fear certainly, but his anxious nature would have made it very easy to slide into fear if he so chose to feel that way, it was just that he had been taught not to protect anyone on the sands and if it came down to his own death or his brothers... well Xanael knew exactly which of the two of them would walk off of the sands.

It had him pondering his decision, if dragons could kill so easily while unbonded, but that was a worry for another day really. "Came to stand and try to Impress a dragon but couldn't quite leave the sea behind eh? You and I aren't so very different." One hand reached out to run down the beam of a stall, the stone different than the wood he'd grown up with even if he understood the reason for it. "I've heard it's a really hard thing to do, finding a dragon to stand beside you and fight Thread, they tend to pick a certain type of person apparently." Or at least so he'd been told by those that had seen dragons from his Hold. Really Xan had no clue what to expect from a dragon.

"Dragons and those that ride them are tied to the Weyrs that they Impress to from what I understand, but there looks to be a sort of freedom to that as well, once you can fly on your own and once you know enough. It looks as though it would be the most wonderful thing ever, to fly up in the sky without having to worry about what's happening on the world below during that time. Just focus on your other half and how they're keeping you in the air." Xanael had often watched sea wherries flying, all the fire lizards and even the occasional dragon and their rider that floated through the air above when he'd been a child, watched with wide eyes and wonder for how they stayed up there when he could never conceive of it. "You'll definitely have some adjustments to make but I think you'd do really well on a flying dragon given how well you know the sea. I could just barely stomach being on the water myself, but it was a lot of fun to see the dolphins!"

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

She kept at her work half-heartedly, well more interested in the conversation than in getting anything done. "There's classes'n everything, if ye'd want'ask. Candidatemaster ain't so bad, maybe express th'interest to'm! Certainly a role they'd be needin' around here. And dragonhealers can be dragonriders too, of course." It'd be a better use of patient minds and hands, that, than scooping out stables for sure. She knew she'd want the best of healers minding Jacomus', or Ambrin's dragons should the day come that it was needed. And her own too, of course, if that day came!

She did laugh though, at the thought that it was hard to be the right kind of person to appeal to a dragon. "Really now? An' where'd y'hear that sort of thing?" Her eyes danced as she thought back over the assorted impressed pairs she'd seen over her two clutches. "No, no, the dragons are as varied an' different as we folk are. It'd be like askin' a room of folks to pick their best friend! Each one wantin' something different, really. Your dragon'll be just right for you, an' no other will fit as well for either of you." She stepped a bit closer, eyeing him over. "Maybe a nice sturdy brown, t'match your beasty history, hmm? No, but really, I've seen all sorts find their matches. You're as apt as I'm, though I should hope you won't go nauseous just riding the thing. Might be a bit inconvenient in threadfall."

"Might be a bit of a wait too, of course. We had all those High Reaches folks here come last time...given much thought to standin' up there, should one of their golds rise first?"

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

At the mention of classes he stopped entirely in what he was doing and gave her his full and undivided attention, dark eyes curious as something flashed behind them. Turns it had been since he'd taken classes and even just being in the Weyr and standing as a Candidate meant that he was taking them as it was, so double the classes... couldn't hurt could it? "Master A'ral can make that decision? Let me take classes in dragon healing on top of candidate lessons?" Xanael always felt like he was so far behind even if he'd only gone to a class so far and only been given one duty since he'd come. Exhaustion had been a coat that he'd worn since they'd left their hold, since they'd been stalled in that sea port hold and since they'd come to the Weyr. Surely he could continue on, keep being exhausted, if it meant that he would learn something that might help this place that had given him a chance.

It felt like a foolish chance on their behalf but he would meet if if he could. "I don't know that I'd still have what it took to Impress to one of those dragons, but if I got the chance I'd love to learn how to heal them up too, since with threadfall they have to be taking some heavy damage and pain. Even if I don't Impress that way I could still be of some use, I've got older brothers in this Weyr and up and High Reaches who have dragons that might need healing someday." Xanael's voice was contemplative as he spoke, but in it was a sort of solid resolution. "A brown would be a lot of fun to get to know I think... a dragon that's perfect for me. Seems like a pipe dream really, but just being here...."

The grin returned to his face after he trailed off and the laugh that came was rough. " Seems like the dream's that much closer seeing actual riders, seeing actual candidates get the opportunity to stand and meet their partners."
Still laughing he pondered what she said, the question posed about having the chance to go and stand at High Reaches and it didn't take long for him to remember his eldest brother that was stationed there. "Well, because of my family at both Weyrs I suppose I could go to either and stand, give me a chance to see how the different ones function and train differently right? Honestly if I had the chance I'd take it, might have to talk to my twin about signing up for it as well really. How about you? Would you stand at either Weyr and leave behind Western?" It felt like an odd question since they'd been training them, it felt odd to even consider leaving but really, if it gave them a better chance to meet their other half and fight for Pern right?

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

She shrugged a shoulder, casual as you please. She really didn't know if they'd be allowed to do both at once, most candidates gave off their training to a craft while on the sands. "If not now, then s'long as y'show interest, I can't see why they'd say no. Even if y'don't impress, I mean, you could do that. Weyr needs riders to fight, and riders need healers to keep their dragons fit. At least a few of our riders are healers too, though y'might have to do one, then the other, not at th'same time, now's I think about it." It was a truthful answer, though maybe not the one he wanted. No harm making his desires known though, that was the idea, and as long as A'ral was made to know...who knew?

"Me? Go up there? Naaaah, no thank you," She scoffed, though it was an amused chuckle, not an angry one. "I've brothers at both too, and th'one up there's a right stick in the mud. Not to mention my lovely fellow's here, he and his brown keepin' Western safe until...well, they're hoping, an' I'm hoping, I impress a nice speedy green in time." She tossed him a wink, all bold and brassy even as she added, "I think his brown'd like a lady to catch as often as my love catches himself some affection, y'know?" She was a willful think, a spitfire, and not at all the type to hid her actions or thoughts. Hopefully her fellow candidate wouldn't be too offended.

"So no, I think not. Stuck up in th'mountains for howevermany turns, though that's not reason for you not to. We've both got more time than some, though. Plenty to see where the wind carries us. Never know when the right egg'll come, though I certainly hope the next batch here's a bit less rowdy, and thank you very much for it." She really wasn't keen to see another candidate die, though the scars left on some of the new weyrlings and candidates had been mightily impressive, after.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

That opened up a whole slew of options for him should he not impress. Of course he would continue to show an interest in the beasts that he had always loved and felt close to but if his twin brother or his little brothers impressed to a dragon then he could always be there to help them and heal their dragons should they get wounded. There had been others that had become Journeyman in two different fields before, especially with healers since they were so important. Not that he in any way considered his own skills very important but he knew that other healers were, his brother was! "It took a lot of years to get up to Journeyman in beast healing but it was worth it. Dragonhealer would be worth it too for sure, but might have to start trying that soon if Master A'ral says it would be possible."

That would require a lot of focus on top of his normal classes and teachings, they were already looking like they'd be a lot but he was interested in learning as much as he could as quick as he could for sure. Her scoff brought Xanael from his plans and he chuckled at her adamant refusal to leave, that was extremely telling on top of how she mentioned her 'lovely fellow'. "Well I doubt he'd want you to be away from him for five turns after all, nor would you want to." Her wink made him chuckle again as he wondered what sort of dragon that he would want, though he'd never gotten the chance to meet very many of them to really consider it hard. Someday he might know what dragon would match well to him, but for now he was always interested to see what others thought of dragons and from just this short interaction a green dragon or any dragon with some spice would fit Jacquol nicely it seemed. "There's not a thing wrong with wanting to match to a dragon that your lover's could catch, I might not know a lot about dragons but I've heard tales of what it means to be caught up in a flight, especially when there's a gold involved, but two riders with two dragons chasing and running... that would be an interesting experience I'm certain." Xan wasn't a stick in the mud after all, he'd been around enough turns to know what interest and love could lead to.

"Rowdy dragons dens't sound very safe, no. I'd hate for my brother to end up getting hurt from some rambunctious baby dragons that can't find their match right away, or come out of the egg with some vendetta." He'd seen too many young creatures come into the world with wild and out there personalities that were volatile enough to do damage to a handler that got too close to them while they were still a bit wild and untamed. A baby dragon and the way that Jacquol had spoken of the previous Western clutch made him think of the two. "It couldn't hurt since I'm not tied to anyone other than my twin here, but being split wouldn't be the first time. We've both been in different crafts for a long time anyway, plus with dragons the ability to Between is pretty fantastic to go and visit, means you don't have to wait months for a ship under active threadfall." Xan laughed roguishly even if there was a bit of lament there for how long he'd spent in a port hold. "We'll see how it pans out in regards to finding a match, could be amazing all the same."

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

He seemed really keen about the idea. She wasn't quite sure about how long was normal to reach journeyman—after all, her crafting wasn't quite the official style of seacrafting, and she'd never walked any tables...well, she'd walked ON tables, but that wasn't the idea—but he made it sound like a fair bit of work. "Probably a start in beast healing would help though. Leg's a leg. Heart's a heart, aye? Bigger'n a dragon, and a dragon's got two hearts, but same general idea. Maybe. Far's I figure, you've got plenty of time. A dragon'll have you, or one won't. Either way, you get choices. Whatever you want to do, you should do it." A shrug. "I certainly can live by that motto!"

"Yeah...to be honest, going forward on the sands I plan to stay limber. I don't think they mean to be rough on ya, but y'never know. It'd be a scary thing, I think, to be born knowing you desperately need...someone...but not knowing where they are." Still, she'd seen some maulings that looked entirely intentional. "I don't think being apart from your siblings' a bad thing. Then again, I've got almost as many of them as you've got fingers, so tryin' t'be near'm all'd be impossible, even wit ha dragon." She shrugged a shoulder. "Have a brother here, though he's a rider already. Figure he'll watch next time I take the sands, so I've only t'look out for me m'self and I."

She fiddled with the rake a moment, idly plucking with it at the hay in the bottom of the stall. "Figure even if it was a rowdy dragon, I'd rather pick up after it than these critters, still." A wink. "Same as when people have kids, aye? 'It's all different when it's your own!' and all that!"

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Just the way that Jacquol summed that up had Xan chuckle a bit, she wasn't wrong after all! A dragon might have had a slightly different anatomy than beasts, but he knew full well that if he'd been able to become a Journeyman in Beastcraft he could work slowly through his candidacy to earn his same title in Dragonhealing if he focused the way he had with his last master. It wouldn't even be all that hard since he'd always been split between lessons and his family before, now it would be his candidacy with extra lessons and everything.

He was resilient at least. "I can absolutely see you living by that motto, and it's not a bad one to live by in a Weyr it seems. There's a lot of opportunity that's been placed before me even just coming here in the first place before my twin and I were searched. Seems it's both hard work to be here and fortuitous at the same time considering the chances." Xanael leaned on the rake he was holding and let some thoughts run through his head, a chance to meet a dragon... well he'd been told all the same things she'd just mentioned when he'd been searched. The dangers, the chances and how baby dragons reacted to different things, including people's emotions. Really, it was all things that he was used to from his beasthealing, he'd seen quite a bit and learned that any beast could have a personality ranging from incredibly sweet to terribly wicked, it just depended on circumstances and their own inner needs. Couldn't be that different with a dragon, just that in their case they could spook Between if you moved to help or stop them like you might a beast.

All things took training and getting used to, that was what he was here for after all. "Given that my twin and I have different crafts it's been interesting, but we were always side by side in everything." A twisted laugh, "But Impressing a dragon would separate that a bit if only one did and the other didn't, would be a first even if it would be odd."

"Oh a calm dragon impress to someone with so much life? I can't picture you getting a little docile baby and I've only known you less than a candle mark." Xan offered her a wink in return for hers. "Maybe it's because I've always been around beasts and the like, I can't imagine what it would feel like to say "Maybe when it's your own", but the day will come. An adventure that'll start!" And a good one this time that didn't involve being stuck on the ground in a port hold, an adventure with a dragon meant flight!

ShinosBee