Aterri hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her mother was already making breakfast and her father was already out working with the herd beasts. Her younger sister, Mala, and older brother, Mikal, both weren't up yet. Aterri smiled. This was her favourite part of the day. The only part of the day when she had her mother all to herself.
Aterri snuck up behind the older healer and hugged her. "Good morning, Mother."
Her mother smiled and continued with breakfast. "Good morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?"
Aterri began to help her mother as they chatted about nothing in particular. "Very well. That stuff worked good."
Her mother gave a little laugh. "I told you it would. Mix the drink right and your patient will be in dream world in minutes."
Aterri studied her mother. Her mother was a short woman, rather plump, with bright, hazel eyes. She was well into her 40th turn, but never acted it. Her mother was also the best healer in the hold and was teaching her daughter to follow in her footsteps.
Aterri had wanted to be a healer for as long as she could remember. She wanted to help people and animals ever since she was 5. Her mother and father had laughed as she carefully planned out her life from that moment on, naively thinking that everything would work out the way she wanted it to. Aterri's mother smiled at her little girl, not wanting to ruin her dream by telling her that life probably had another plan for her.
Aterri saw her mother's little smile and grew suspicious. "Mother, you're hiding something."
Aterri's mother's smile broadened. "Am I?"
"You have a secret. Tell me. Please..."
"I'll tell you when your siblings are up."
"Mother...." Aterri pleaded. "They won't be up for another hour."
"I'll give you a hint." Aterri listened intently. "Your father is not in the herd beast field. In fact, he isn't working at all today."
Aterri puzzled over that odd clue, until breakfast was made and her siblings arose.
The family was prepared to sit down and eat when suddenly, Aterri's father returned. That's odd. Aterri thought to herself. Where could he have gone and returned this quickly? The mystery was just about killing her.
Her father sat down and the table and grinned at his children. "I have a surprise for you three."
"Really papa? What?" Mala asked impatiently.
"Well....." He delayed as long as he could, watching the suspence build in his childrens' eyes. "I went to Mooncrest Weyr this morning with M'non."
"And?" Mikal prompted.
"I picked something up for you three." He reached into his pack and pulled out three bags, handing one to each of them. They each quickly pulled the bag open and glanced in.
"Firelizard eggs." He finished, seeing his children in awe. "One for each of you."
"Oh, thank you, papa." Mala ran to give her father a hug. She was followed by Mikal. Aterri just sat looking curiously into the bag. A firelizard was not part of my plan.... She smiled at the thought of the little creature helping her carry her supplies, making her patients smile, giving messages to healers in other holds. But I could work it in. She thanked her father and brought the small egg to firepit, with her brother and sister.
"We'll only be gone for a couple hours, honey. You sure you don't want to come?" Her mother asked for the hundredth time.
"I'll be fine Mother." The rest of Aterri's family was heading out to a gather, the first one in a long time at her hold. Usually Aterri would have jumped at the mention of a gather, but today she felt oddly...tired. She didn't want to have to watch her little sister, or deal with the crowds, or have to sing. She'd decided to stay home and read. Her mother couldn't believe this.
"Are you sure you're feeling okay Aterri?"
"Fine mama. I just feel like staying in today."
"Okay." Her mother was uncomfortable with the thought of leaving the young girl alone. "I'll come back to check on you in an hour. If anything happens, find M'non. He'll help you. Good-bye love."
"Good-bye mama." Aterri shut the door behind her mother. She made it seem like such a big deal. She worried to much.
Aterri pulled a book of the shelf and started to read near the firepit. She was interupted by a loud cracking, just as she reached the good part of the book. She looked up and around, wondering what could have made the noise. Seeing nothing she continued to read. At the sound of another crack she jumped up. What on Pern is making that noise? she wondered. Then a thought hit her, the eggs. She rushed over to check them and sure enough, they were hatching.
"Oh no!!! What am I supposed to do?" Somewhere in the back of her mind a voice cried find food for them, so she did. By the time she was done finding some meat a tiny blue hatchling had crawled from it's egg. It cried angrily for food and started to wander towards the window. Aterri beat it there. Oh no. she silently commanded the little firelizards. I can't let you get away. Mala and Mikal would kill me. The other eggs hatched releasing a tiny brown and green. These two joined the blue in creels for food. Aterri obligingly stuffed their faces.
When her family returned they found a very frazzled Aterri with three little hatchling clutching her.
Aterri looked up as they came in and grabbed two of the little creatures. She pushed them towards her siblings. "Here! Take them!" Mala took the green one and Mikal took the blue. The green and blue immediately began to creel loudly. They both pushed their way out of Aterri's sibling's hands and crawled back to her.
"What?" Mala asked bemused.
Her father sighed. "They've already impressed to Aterri. You can't give them away now."
Mala snorted and stomped off to her room, muttering about how Aterri got everything.
Mikal sighed and returned to the gather.
Aterri's mother began cleaning up and Aterri's father went to talk to Mala.
Aterri herself sat in the broken egg shells near the firepit. Her dress was stained with blood from the meat and ripped from the tiny firelizard claws. The three creature curled up and fell asleep in her lap, as Aterri sat hopelessly staring out into nothing. "What am I supposed to do with three firelizards?"