trisshatch

I still don't understand how you could not think this looks appetizing. Noriath said as she dove into her breakfast: a bucket of raw herdbeast chunks. The first time Triss had fed Noriath, the green dragonet had offered some of her food to her new rider, and was surprised when her rider refused. Noriath had actually stopped eating to stare at Triss in amazement.
"Do you think bread looks appetizing?" Triss asked affectionately, reaching down to pull the bucket out from under Noriath's greedy muzzle. She'd been told before not to let her dragonet eat unrestrained. She had to give the dragon chewable chunks. Triss rolled her eyes at the thought, and gave Noriath a handful of meat. The green gobbled it quickly, and opened her mouth for more.
It did before I found out it tasted like, like, like wood! Noriath squeeled, and tried to snake her head around to get into the bucket. She hated it when Triss fed her like this. It just made the hunger worse, not better.
"Hey now, none of that." Triss remarked, and gave her dragon a larger piece. While Noriath was contedidly chewing, Triss thought bemusidly over the past few days. She couldnt' really believe she'd Impressed, and how easy it had been. She'd just been standing on the sand, tired and angry from being awakened so late in the night, and the next moment there had been Noriath, sharing her mind. It had happened to fast for Triss to be amazed by it, or in awe of it. It happened, and it was wonderful, but Triss didn't understand the people who walked around in a half daze over Impressing. They had their whole lives with their dragons, so what was the big deal? Noriath huffed then, finished eating and growing rapidly tired.
I'm not a big deal? Noriath's mind voice sounded worried, and Triss smiled reassuringly.
"That's not what I meant sweetling. I just meant...well, uh....." Triss didn't know how to explain what she meant to her dragon.
Oh nevermind. Noriath said, and started waddling over to where the other dragonets were piling up for a nap while their rider went off to lessons. Triss waved the hatchling off, and turned to go when she saw Noriath cuddled safetly amongst her siblings.
"Triss!" Someone ran up behind her, and Triss saw that Ithialin, no, I'lan now, was leaving his Numarth behind as well, and joining her in lessons. Ithialin had so far attended one of the weyrling lessons. Attendance wasn't required for another two days, and then it would be mandatory. This gave the new Impressors time to get used to the care and feeding of a dragonet, and time to adjust to the change it made in their lives, but the Weyrleaders weren't too leniant. 'Give 'em four days, and then make 'em go' was there philosophy, and as much as four days only because it was Quinalt's first clutch, and even the Weyrleaders had to figure out the best way to organize the rowdy lot of former candidates.
Triss, who had attended all the classes so far, reached out and hugged her brother. She loved Ithia...I'lan, and liked to show it. She hadn't seen her brother for such a long time, and now that they were together nearly every day, she realized she hardly knew him. He'd had a male lover, something their mother would never in a thousand turns approve of, and he'd developed an uneasiness around people that Triss didn't remember. Even around his sister Triss could tell I'lan wasn't truly himself. She wanted to tell him she wouldn't betray him, in anything, he could be easy around her. But Triss, who understood people better than her brother, didn't push it. She knew Ithialin would open up later, and only then if she proved worthy of his full trust.
"How's the large Numarth today?" Triss asked, and was rewared with an indulgant grin from I'lan.
"Hungry, as usual, and growing angry over the way the his golden hued sisters get more attention than he does. Or why they get priority over everything. I had a hard time explaining that to him."
"Full of himself?" Triss queried, and I'lan shook his head.
"No, just upset over the injustices of the world. Hey, what kind of stuff are we doing in class anyway? Only half of us are going to be there, so we can't really go over the really important, essential stuff can we?"
"We've already been over the really important, essential stuff before we Impressed, which is why we're getting time off. No, we're going over some of the finer points of dragon care, and some of the older weyrlings are showing us, secretely of course, how to not break your body to bits doing chores like sacking firestone." Triss paused, and continued, trying to show her brother she was open with him, so he should be so with her. "I was never much of the strong, burly type, I suppose it'll be tough for me to get used to it all."
I'lan chuckled lightly, and shifted a step closer to his sister. Triss smiled inwardly, and realized how much she herself had changed in the few sevendays she'd been at the Weyr. She concentrated mostly on herself now, herself and Noriath, and seemed to have matured for turns in such a short time.
"You're stronger than you think sister. But you knew that, Noriath surely indicated so by choosing you?" I'lan nudged her affectionately, and than shouted out and ran ahead to someone else he wanted to talk to. Triss couldn't tell who it was, no one she recognized. Maybe someone from DawnSisters had come to visit Ithialin. Afterall, Ithialin mentioned something about some friends there.
What I need is some good friends like that. Triss mused, and reached out her mind for Noriath. The dragonet was awake, and scolded her rider.
I am your good friend. Noriath objected. You shouldn't think you have none.
Sorry love. Triss told her dragons, and felt, rather than heard, Noriath's satisfied grunt as the dragonet went back to sleep. It was at that moment a group of the other girls attending the class caught up with Triss and called to her to walk with them. Triss smiled, and quickly obliged.