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 Syatti slipped from the green's back into the dusty weyrbowl. She gazed in amazement at all that was going on around her. It looked like the dining hall as everyone was leaving. People were everywhere. Weyrlings and their dragons wove their way through the crowd. A little ways away, dragons were bathing in the weyr's lake. "You look lost," a young woman said suddenly behind her. Syatti nodded. "Where is the infirmary? I just got assigned to Ryslen and I have no idea where anything is." The woman smiled sympathetically. "It is a confusing place at first. You'll learn your way around. The infirmary's over that way." Syatti turned to see where she had pointed and sure enough there was a sign next to a pair of double doors that read "infirmary". She turned to thank the woman but she was already off, snaking her way through the crowd. Deciding to thank the woman later, Syatti waded through the crowd to the infirmary. It was much quieter inside the cozily lit infirmary. A few healers were tending to patients in neatly arranged rows of cots and someone was mixing some sort of oil at the other end of the room. "Excuse me," she tapped one healer on the shoudler. "I'm the new healer from the hall, where's the Weyrhealer?" The man smiled. "Ah, Syatti, isn't it? Welcome. I'm Weyrhealer Rinagil. The Masterhealer tells me you're quite the healer." Syatti smiled. "I try to be. I'm not sure if I'm up to the challenge of a Weyr though." "It's not a challenge," Rinagil assured her. "All those horror stories about Thread injuries are rare cases and often exagerated. Dragonriders are very good at what they do, it's mostly minor injuries with new Weyrlings and the rest is nothing worse then you'd see anywhere else." Syatti managed a weak smile. "I'm sure. I guess we've just heard the horror stories." "Probably. Would you like to be shown your quarters first or would you prefer to get right to work?" "If I leave to go to my quarters, I doubt I'll be able to find my way back," Syatti replied. Rinagil introduced her to a boy named Derkin who had broken his arm in a fall and needed to have it set. While Syatti worked, she talked with Derkin. "I've been at the Weyr since I was born," Derkin was saying. "But I've never seen anything so sad as an abandoned dragon." "Abandoned dragon?" Syatti asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Yeah. Their riders leave 'em for some reason. Don't know how they do it, but they do. Sometimes they come back, but most of the time they don't. Just a few days ago, this little green Alianith was abandoned. She's barely a turn old." "How horrible!" Syatti exclaimed. "Don't dragons die with their riders, though?" "They do," Derkin replied. "But abandoned dragons don't know if their riders have died or left or what, and they're pretty mad at em for leaving so they rarely feel bad enough about losing them to die." "How could you just leave a dragon?" Syatti wondered, thinking of all she'd heard from her sister about Impressing that little nusiance of a flit and how much more it must be to Impress a dragon. "I dunno. If I Impress a dragon, I'm never gonna abandon him," Derkin told her, suprising the healer with the feeling packed into his voice. "I don't blame Alianith for threatening to flame her rider if she ever comes back." "A dragon flaming a human?" Syatti sucked in a suprised gasp. "She wouldn't." "You haven't met Alianith," Derkin scoffed. "A few girls I know have been oiling her, and they say she's mean as a wher sometimes." "I don't think she could possibly be that bad," Syatti insisted, feeling a sort of pity for the abandoned dragon. "Go see for yourself," Derkin told her with a shrug. "The Weyrlingmaster says she'd better find someone soon, or she might be hopeless." "I just might," Syatti told him, sounding a lot more sure of herself than she felt. "Where does an abandoned dragon live?" "In a weyr, like any other dragon," Derkin explained in a tone that clearly said she ought to have known that. Syatti finished with Derkin and, telling him to keep his arm as still as possible, left to find the Weyrhealer again. Her thoughts were filled with that little green dragon, Alianith. How horrible to be abandoned. "I think I'd like to be shown to my quarters now," Syatti told Rinagil. "I've got to unpack." Rinagil nodded. "Understandable. Be sure to put on your overtunic though, it's colder than Between out there." A drudge met Syatti to lead her to her quarters. They were not as small as her quarters back at the hall had been but not huge either. They had a nice homey feeling to them, and some thoughtful drudge had already put glows in the glowbasket. Syatti half-heartedly began unpacking, putting a few of her clothes into the drawers. Her thoughts, however, were still occupied by Alianith. She'd never actually met a dragon, but from the day she was old enough to speak a respect for dragonkind had been pounded into her. How could anyone who had been accepted by a dragon just abandon one? The thought to Syatti seemed impossible, but evidently it was all too possible for whoever Alianith's rider had been. After the evening meal, Syatti discovered by questioning various weyrfolk that Alianith would probably be down at the lake after the meal and if she wanted to meet the little green, that was her best bet at doing so. Sure enough, there was a smallish green dragon bathing in the lake after the evening meal. A few weyrbrats, none old enough to be her rider, were helping her, and she appeared to be tolerating them. Syatti walked to the edge of the water, wondering amusedly how many of those weyrbrats would end up in the infirmary the next morning with colds for being knee deep in the freezing lake. You're a bit old to be visiting me, a voice suddenly filled Syatti's head. Somehow, she knew it was Alianith's voice. How to respond, however, she wasn't sure at all. Just talk back. Don't tell me you don't know how to talk, Alianith scoffed. I don't know how to talk to a dragon, though, Syatti tried, thinking the words in her mind. You obviously do, Alianith replied, making Syatti flinch. Or I wouldn't be hearing you would I? Syatti chuckled. You're Alianith aren't you? That's a dumb question, Alianth told her. Of course I'm Alianith. I'm the only abandoned dragon at Ryslen for the moment. I'm sorry about your rider, Syatti replied, not sure if she was supposed to be sorry or not. Don't be, Alianith said flatly. I'm not. But don't you miss having a rider? Syatti asked, suprised by the green's lack of feeling. Not one who doesn't care enough about me to stick around, Alianith scoffed. I'm sure there's someone out there for me, I've just got to find them. The green's voice took on a wistful, dreamy tone as she said these last words and Syatti realized how much Alianith really did miss the companionship of a human. Who oils you and takes care of you? Syatti wondered suddenly. The weyrbrats do, Alianith replied with a draconic shrug. None old enough to be my rider. Not many people are interested in being my rider, it seems. Syatti felt an overwhelming wave of pity for the green. She wished she could do something about it. But how did one go about becoming the rider of a dragon who had already been Impressed? She was too old, at any rate. Twenty six was much older than most Candidates. Don't take pity on me, Alianith snapped suddenly. When I'm ready, I'll choose a rider. No one will choose me. Syatti let that subject slip from her mind and fell back into talking with Alianith. She was a snappy little green but overall a good companion. When Syatti left the lake, Alianith followed, the weyrbrats having been called back to their mothers long ago. Syatti watched for a few moments as Alianith flew up to a ledge and dissapeared inside and then left for her own quarters. As she settled into weyrlife, Alianith became part of her daily life. An easy friendship was growing between the two, Syatti replacing all but the most persistent weyrbrats as Alianith's oiler. She never brought it up, but Syatti hoped that someday Alianith would allow her to become her rider. While Syatti and Alianith were watching the Flurry take place in the skies above Ryslen, Alianith wasn't affected by the feelings of dragon lust for some reason, Alianith made a shocking announcement. Syatti, she began, you should stand for the clutch. Syatti looked over at her friend in disbelief. Stand for the clutch? But Alianith, I thought you - Alianith cut her short with a snort. As much as I like you and I wish you could be my rider, you can't. But you will make a very good companion to some young dragon. But I don't want to be any other dragon's rider, Syatti told her. I want to be your rider or just continue being your friend. Alianith dragon-smiled. That's very nice of you to say that, but I'm going to be a fighter some day, probably the best they've ever seen. I wouldn't wan't you hurt. I won't carry such a skilled healer into a Threadfall. You and your skills are needed too much. Then I'll stop being a healer, Syatti pleaded frantically. The thought of losing Alianith scared her to death, even more than the thought of losing her rank as a healer did. How could I be happy if I knew I was taking you away from something you loved? Alianith asked in the saddest voice Syatti had ever heard her use. Realizing Alianith was right, Syatti gave in. But... couldn't we just go on as we are now? Just good friends? Alianith shook her head sadly. I need a rider. I need to fight Thread. The skies, she gazed up through the blizzard, are calling to me. I know that sounds stupid, but it's true. I can't fight Thread without a rider. Syatti sighed and leaned her head against Alianith's side. You're right. I hate it, but you're right. I know I am, Alianith replied, some of her usual sharpness returning to her tone. And just because you go on to another dragon and I to another human doesn't mean we won't still see eachother. That's true, Syatti admitted. Just make sure you find a nice, caring rider who'll take good care of you. I don't want to see you on your own again. Believe me, Alianith scoffed, I won't make the same mistake twice. But Alianith, Syatti realized after a moment, I haven't been Searched! How do I know I'll make a good Candidate? A dragon knows, was all Alianith offered for an answer. Sure enough, a few days later, a rider named R'lan came to the infirmary and asked to see her. He told her that a green had told his Ancith that she would make a good Candidate and Ancith had officially Searched her. Syatti accepted the Search gratefully. Thank's Alianith, she said in her mind, hoping the dragon would hear. Don't mention it. | ||||||||||||
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