Ixtapa laughed with some of the other candidates about how bitterly the women would complain. They didn't get to leave the sands for half a candlemark sometimes, when their dragon had eggs upon them! Fussing and turning the eggs seemed to take up so much of their time!
Until the one day when it actually was time to attend the hatching! Summer time, warm everywhere -- even warmer upon the sands!
The first two eggs to hatch were a brown and a blue, each of them trying to break first. But it was the brown, healthy and pretty with strong wings, who flopped about on the sands until he reached Ixtapa.
The little dragon had no coordination whatsoever, Ixtapa thought, as he landed on his back with his little head draped between his feet.
"Tshoth, you've really to to learn to be more careful!" Ixtapa said, realizing that he knew the dragon's name before he'd been bespoken.
I know, I am so sorry. But it got me here... may I eat now? And maybe you might want to check my wings. I think there is sand EVERYWHERE on them!
Laughing, Ixtapa, now deciding his name is I'x, helped the young dragon up and swept the sand from his wings, tail and everywhere else he'd managed to get on him, rolling along to impress.
Well I have never! It is not fair!
"Tshoth, you'll be spending the rest of your life in the air, why not enjoy it while you can..."
That seemed small consolation for the dragon whose larger, older inspirations were winging through the cloudless sky over Talor Cliff. From their ledge, I'x and Tshoth watched the younger weyrlings practicing their drills, and the older ones lining up for Thread sweep duties elsewhere.
When do we get to do that?
"After we've learned how to go between, Tsho, and not a moment earlier. If you get those beautiful wings of yours scored, I'll never hear the end of it!
It is dark and cold there, I'x. And there are voices.
"I heard them too. But you just ignore them. I'll see about keeping them away from us."
But who are they? I didn't like listening to them! They wanted me to come to them!
"I know... They're not alive any more, Tsho, so just keep with me and the living. Where it's warm and we can look at the sky instead of the darkness of between forever. Okay?"
That is okay by me, I'x. Ooh! Thread is falling! We're being called!
"Then let's go! Just like I thought, over the ridges and Scatterhold. Good! My charts are accurate!"
