The boy smiles and starts eagerly into the story.

                                            "...and after your done that you can help Feena with dinner."
                                        Matthew sighs and mentally goes over his list of chores in his head.

                                            Media glares at him.   "Have you got all of that?"

                                            Matthew patiently repeats the list she gave him and Media smiles.
                                        "Good.  Now don't fool around."

                                            Matthew sighed again.  Of all the punishment's Media's given him,
                                        this was one of the worst, double chores.

                                            Feena laughs, smug in the belief he's getting everything he deserves.
                                        He shoots Feena a look that should have, by all rights, turned her to
                                        stone.  She turns back to her chores and he starts the first chore on his
                                        list:  Get meat for firelizards.

                                            Reading her friend's mind, Kar appears beside Matthew.  Matthew
                                        laughs.  "I knew you'd be more than glad to help me with this chore,
                                        Kar."  The firelizard chirps happily as Matthew gets the meat.

                                            "Ow."  Matthew exclaims and inwardly curses Feena.  He then turns
                                        and talks to Kar.  "Of all the families in Adanuk Weyr I have to foster
                                        with her's."  He tosses the empty bowl in the kitchen and heads off
                                        across the weyrbowl.  He'd been in Adanuk Weyr for almost a turn
                                        now.  His brother was at Inobi Hold with Feena's sister and he was
                                        here, stuck with Feena as a foster sister.  He sighed.  He always missed
                                        his brother, mom and dad when he thought about them, but he was an
                                        optimistic sort and knew he would seem them again soon, and then he'd
                                        be rid of Feena forever.
 
                                            He's about to start his second chore of the day, report to Celeste
                                        for further instructions, when a dragon descends from the skies.  He
                                        smiles to himself.  "So that's why I get so many chores today.  Media
                                        and Magika would kill me if  I messed with the searchriding."  He
                                        knew he shouldn't, but his curiosity took presedence over his common
                                        sense.

                                            He approached the dragon from Xaviea Weyr from the side,
                                        muttering softly.  "There's a nice dragon, I just wanna say hi."

                                            The dragon hears him, although it's rider doesn't.  It looks at him.
                                        No one notices him.  Mattew smiles.  He moves closer to the dragon
                                        and reaches out to touch it.  He closes his eyes, almost expecting the
                                        dragon to attack him.   It doesn't and he opens his eyes to see his hand
                                        on the great blue flank.  He stares at it in wonder.

                                            "Matthew."  Weyrwoman Magika calls, seeing him and then glancing
                                        towards Media.  Her look asks Media what happened to keeping him
                                        out of trouble.

                                            Matthew's too astonished by the sight of the dragon to make up an
                                        excuse.  His mind tells him that now he's done it.  Magika will kill him,
                                        he'll be sent home.  He panics.

                                            "I'm sorry, I didn't mean too,  I didn't know..."  The searchrider
                                        laughs.

                                            "How old are you?"  Matthew's too stunned to answer, so Feena
                                        answers.

                                            "He's 14 turns, sir."  She answers.  The searchrider turns to him.
 
                                            "Is that right?"  Matthew nods.  "Well, "  the searchrider continues.
                                        "You're old enough."

                                            "For what?"  Weyrwoman Magika asks.

                                            "To become a candidate."   All mouths drop.  "What do you say?"

                                            Matthew's mouth hangs open, words fail him.   Feena cuts in again.
                                        "He'd love too."
 
                                            The searchrider smiles.  "It's settled then, get your things, we leave
                                        soon."  The searchrider starts looking over the other hopefuls, picking
                                        out a few other young candidates.
 
                                            Matthew, Kar and Feena all head off at a run to his room.

                                            Matthew quickly throws some things in a bag and turns to leave.
                                        Feena stands in the way.

                                            "Umm..."  Matthew stammers.  "Thanks."

                                            Feena smiles, not a sarcastic smile, but a nice one.  It's the first time
                                        she's ever smiled at him like that.  "No problem.  I knew you'd want
                                        to."  Matthew smiles back at her and starts to say something but she cuts
                                        him off.  Her tone is a harsh one again.  "Besides, I'd do anything to get
                                        you off my back."  Matthew smiles and pushes past her, running back to
                                        the weyrbowl.  As he gets on the blue's back he realizes something,
                                        he'll actually miss Feena.  He looks over his shoulder and sees her
                                        standing beside Media watching the dragons take off.  He thinks fast.
                                        He takes off a shell pendant he's wearing and throws it to her.

                                            "Catch."  He calls.

                                            "What's this for?"  She cries, catching it.

                                            "I'm coming back for it, Feena.  You'll never get rid of me."  He can
                                        see her smile just before the dragon goes between.

                                            Matthew takes a deep breath after the long story.

                                            You smile.  You were right, they don't hate each other as much as
                                        they think they do.  Feena returns.