callaron2

Finally sighting Callaron in the mill of young boys and girls, Casan calls to him and rushes over. Unsure on how Cal's emotional state would be, Casan asks frivolous questions about the weyr, which Callaron was happy to answer.

Finally exhausting all of the questions, Casan turned back eagerly to the searchrider, who was still having a lengthy chat with the Lord Holder.

Callaron watched on, a pained expression on his face as he realised the searchrider was female. A blunt reminder of his mother, and she seemed to resemble Dalea too, and her dragon seemed exactly like Fewelath. But it was all in his mind.

At last the searchrider and Lord Holder stopped their discussion. The greenrider looked in amusement at the croud of children, and made a comment that made those around her laugh.

Her expression abruptly changed as she got down to the business of searching. Her green swung her triangular head back and forth in the packed square, and finally her whirling facetted eyes came to rest on Casan.

Hastening over to the boy, the greenrider stopped in front of him. Casan looked at her with round, boggled eyes, torn between the dragon inspecting him and the rider doing the same.

"Sveiketh thinks you would make a good candidate." she stated blandly.

Casan's eyes widened even more.

"I'm Anya, on search for Dark Moon Weyr." she said unnecersarily.

"I.. It has always been my dream to become a rider."

"Well then, come with me..." Anya turned away, expecting the boy to follow. Which Casan did eagerly, not noticing his half-brothers face, devoid of any emotion.

Suddenly Anya turned back around.

"Why do you watch my back like a large feline predator, boy?" she asked of Callaron, not unkindly.

"You resmeble someone I once knew."

"Ah... troubled, are we? Would you like to be a dragonrider?"

Stunned, Callaron stared at Anya. "No." he said bluntly.

"Can you give me a reason why you would forego an opportunity almost any other young man on Pern would give anything to have?"

"There are too many memories." Cal said after a long pause.

"You can only overcome your fears and memories if you confront them. You'll have to do it someday."

"No, I don't. You're wrong. They don't need to be confronted."

"You will find, young man, that sometimes you have to take what is being given. I hav given you a wonderful opportunity to do something with your life, instead of moping around this hold. And you reject the offer because it has too many memories for you. Think about that." Dismissing him, she walked back over to where Casan was waiting. Casan shot one despairing look over his shoulder and then followed the greenrider.

They were almost into the Hold when Callaron called out.

"Wait! I'll go."

Turning slowly, Anya sized the boy up. His head was held high, and his shoulders squared. Casan beside her was grinning from ear to ear, glad that his brother had finally come around. Sveiketh's rider nodded, motioning Cal to follow behind.

"Is this what you want?" she asked.

Callaron nodded slowly, and contented himself with a small smile.

"It's what I have always wanted."

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