"Not my fault I was the only one left to go with you!" he breathed. If there was something good about the boy, he could talk quietly. Even more quietly than Melea, and still eunciate clearly. Melea took a deep breath. Antino was Harper, like herself. And he had been the only left back at the gang hideout for her to take with to go and find Canthyi and Helia. It wasn't like the pair to just not come back after being sent out on a mission.

"Which Healer Hall were they sent to?" Melea used, eyes focusing on the building in front of them. Antino blinked.

"There's more than one on this island?" he asked dryly, and Melea sighed once more. She couldn't stand the boy, really she couldn't.

"No. They might have been sent to mainland for some reason... can't figure out why, though. Way out of any of our territories." Melea referred to the other gangs that inhabited Kelvar, and not always a peaceful inhabitance.

"So then they were sent to this one," Antino suggested sensibly, with the air of someone who has solved a not-very difficult problem and is assuming they are superior.

"We must consider all possibilities. If they were sent to the mainland, then they'd take longer and they wouldn't be in trouble." Antino nodded, and gestured for her to continue. "Or they were sent here, in which the delay is something worth investigating," Melea rattled off.

"Or there's a third option. Or fourth, really. Three, they've run off and four, they've been Searched." The voice was light and teasing, and Antino whirled around to face the speaker. Melea moved more slowly, stepping back and discreetly pulling Antino back so they blended into the shadows more.

"I'm sure those are always options, sir, but our.. friends would do neither of those things." The man shrugged.

"I wasn't aware that Searching was something one did if one was not a dragonrider." Antino's eyes were focused on shoulderknots.

"But for Searchriders, it is entirely appropriate," Antino agreed. Melea's gaze followed Antino's, and she mentally smacked herself for allowing the young one to get a step ahead of her. "Antino and Melea, both Harpers." Antino stepped foreward to complete the introduction, holding out a hand. The man took it, and gave a similar introduction.

"T'yr, rider of blue Lajuneth. What was it about your friends being missing anyway? Usually patients stay for a long time in the Hall." Melea nodded, running her hands down her pants. It would have been more proper for her to have been wearing skirts, or for Antino to announce her as a boy, but she couldn't control that now.

"Yes, but they were supposed to have gone back home by now, rider. And we were merely worried about them." T'yr gave a wordless approval, and nodded his head.

"Though why you wouldn't just walk up to the door is beyond me," he added.

"There's bad blood between Melea here and the Healers. Which is why I was dragged into it," Antino explained.

"I merely volunteered you," Melea corrected huffily, guessing that that would keep the dragonrider from guessing the deception. "Obviously now we will have to come back in the morning." T'yr shook his head.

"Of course you won't. I'm a dragonrider, remember?" He smiled and Melea had to admit it wouldn't be as easy to escape as she thought. "We'll go up and ask. It's not that late, so I'm sure someone will help." T'yr pushed them out of the bush-lined road and onto the path towards the Healer Hall. The bluerider gained them entrance, and a Senior Apprentice greeted them, somewhat nervously.

"Who was it you were looking for?" she asked, reaching for the cards that listed all the of past and present patients.

"Ah.. Canthyi, and Helia," Antino supplied helpfully. He knew the rumors that dragons could tell the difference between a truth and a falsehold. Even though Lajuneth wasn't in sight, that didn't mean that the blue couldn't hear them. Right? The Apprentice frowned.

"When would they have gotten in?"

"About two days ago," Melea lied, having absolutely no qualms at all, unlike Antino. She had read it in his face, and the subtle glance at T'yr. The bluerider wouldn't have that sort of ability to read people, right? The Apprentice shook her head.

"Not in these records, I'm sorry."

"Then they must be at the mainland. I'm sorry for bothering you," T'yr apologized, flashing the Apprentice a grin. The girl whispered back a weak "No problem" as T'yr hurried the two out of the Healer Hall.

"We're perfectly able of taking care of ourselves," Melea informed the 'rider crossly. "At twenty-two, I'm perfectly able to go into a Hall and-"

"Twenty-two? That's rather old, but doable.." T'yr studied her for a moment. "Ah, who cares. Melea, Antino? I ride on Search for Sunstone Weyr. There's a small clutch on the Sands, and Laj' says you're both suitable for it. You'll fill up the clutch, I believe. Will you come?" Melea shot Antino a glare. Was there anything to do but accept? This rider must not know about the Gangs. He probably already didn't have clue who really ran Kelvar Hold, but they wouldn't release any excess information. Melea fixed a grateful smile on her face and nudged Antino.

"We'd be delighted to except, 'rider," she replied, and Antino bobbled his head in agreement.

"Of course we would. There's too many Harpers for us to be really useful anyway, isn't there, Melea?" he asked, widening his eyes innocently at Melea's unspoken question.

"Yes, yes, of course. We'd be able to come back home, though, right?"

"Of course," T'yr assured them, and slung a companionable arm over the two new Candidates' shoulders. "Come with me, and I'll show you Lajuneth." The bluerider paused. "I'm forgetting something, I know I am.." he muttered, and his eyes lit up as it came to him. "Ah! Belongings. Anything you want to bring with you?" Melea signalled Antino to remain silent, as the younger boy opened his mouth.

"A few.. they're back at the Hold, though. We were there on leave, and there's not much, but we don't need much, aye? The Weyr will provide proper clothing and such? There aren't any personal belongings, and we'll be able to send a note home?"

"I wouldn't see why not. Lajuneth and I could take you home, explain it.." T'yr blinked as both Melea and Antino emphatically assured him no, that was fine. A note would do. He shrugged amiably. "That's only a few minutes faster we'll get to Sunstone then." Antino smiled in reply, but Melea's answering smile was half-hearted at best. She was already planning on how exactly they'd get out of the Weyr, and back home with out notifying any dragonriders.

sunstone weyr: http://www.soul-star.org/Sunstone/