Change is Coming (tag: Searchriders)

[hbk]

Kethemar grunted a little as he tried to reposition himself in the bottom of the small boat he'd commandeered. A life preserver was tucked under his head, and his feet were propped over the edge of the boat, allowing the waves to lap up around his ankles as his small vessel floated aimlessly. True, Kethemar had been told that he was never allowed to take a boat out by himself again after he'd crashed one the Turn before, but what was life without a little adventure here and there? Besides, he would return the boat he'd taken to the pier and no one would be the wiser.

As he was floating along a large 'crack' filled the air, making him jump up right and nearly capsize his small vessel. "Shardit!" He cursed as he quickly sat back down so that the boat would right itself and stop rocking back and forth. Shielding his eyes with a lifted hand, Kethemar took in the sight of two dragons in the air above the Hold. There'd been rumors spreading about dragons from the South coming through the North searching the remaining remnants of people.

Deciding he wanted to get back to the Hold as quickly as possible in the hopes of earning a ride out of this forsaken land, Kethemar took down the main sail of the small boat and then began rowing, his legs braced on either side of wooden vessel, his arms pulling as he used his full body to row. In no time at all he would be back at the Hold, he just hoped that he got there in time.

[Yuu Kanduet]

Kalith gave a brief, lazy loop as she and her rider reentered the skies of Pern from the frigid between. There was a brief hum in the back of her mind that was a product of D'isk's overwhelming excitement. The boy had never been out of the South, and he was eagerly awaiting his first contact with the people of the North. Kalith admitted she was mildly curious as well.

With a whoop to his companion rider, D'isk was about to challenge the other man to a race when Kalith gave a sort of jerking halt that caused the poor rider on her back to slam into her hard hide. This caused a mightily inelegant sound of pain to dredge it's way up through D'isk's throat as he sat up winded, gulping in air, and rubbing his abused nose, but Kalith's sharp mental prod silenced his complaints.

D'isk, darling, look down. There appears to be a man in the water. He feels odd, like we should be paying attention to him.

D'isk rubbed his nose some more as he turned to his companion.

"Hey, K'dan! Have you seen that guy down there in the water? Does he feel funny to Osirith?"

[Na Qaiah]

K'dan and Osirith came out from between still in perfect formation with D'isk and Kalith. When the pair started their silent spiral, Osirith joined in. The pair made quite a spectical looping around each other in perfect sinc. K'dan noticed that Kalith sort of hiccuped in the air, it caused Osirith to change his path a bit to keep in time. He had been curious about the north, and was glad they got the chance to see it and search. He hoped good things came from their visit today. When D'isk shouted at him about the person in the water, he looked down. He was about to ask Osirith when his thoughts were interupted.

Minekdan, something is different about this one in the water, I would like to see him closer[/color] Osirith was vibrating in excitement. As he started to turn toward the water beyond the small sail boat, coming back around and flying slower over the man in the boat, Osirith turned to look at his rider. Yes mine, I want to see this one closer.

"Yes, D'isk, Osarith wants a closer look, is Kalith as excited? We are headed back over where we should greet the holder, are you ready?" K'dan asked his fellow rider. This might end up being a perfect trip after all. He hoped all went well when they landed.

[hbk]

By the time Kethemar reached the pier his arms were screaming and beginning to go numb. Hurriedly tying the boat to the pier, he scrambled up onto the wooden deck and took off at a quick clip towards the Hold. He could no longer see the dragons in the air which meant that they'd already landed and were already being greeted by others. Even though Kethemar, and most of the people at the Hold, had never met a dragonrider or dragon, Kethemar had a feeling that people would be flocking the pair, anxious to push their children into candidacy. Young though he was, Kethemar knew that families such as his, that had trouble feeding so many mouths, would be trying to send their children to the South in search of a better life.

Kethemar had no illusions about being chosen, he was just the son of a fisherman after all, but he at least wanted to get up close and personal with a dragon. Besides, there was never this much excitement and activity around the Hold.

As he passed through the throng of people heading towards the courtyard where the dragons had landed, Kethemar noticed that people were smiling for the first time in months. There was a glint of hope in their eyes that made their gaunt faces look alive again.

[Yuu Kanduet]

D'isk and Kalith had shot off into the sky like a rocket. There were flips and loops and all manner of hair-pin turns as the two showed off over the steadily approaching Hold. The two were known for their particularly crazy stunts, stunts that had gotten them into a good deal of trouble back in the day of weyrlingdom. Now people just tended to ignore them.

Before landing, Kalith gave a mighty bugle and lunged upwards in order to barrel roll and dive downwards with gusto. The small Green waited until the very last moment before snapping her wings out and slowing her decent so that she could begin the typical spiral down for the few dozen yards that remained.

When he feet touched down, Kalith arched her neck and back artfully to better show off her beautiful hide and equally handsome rider. D'isk was beaming and waving cheerfully as he hopped down from his dragon's back. Too a new observer D'isk might appear intimidating. At over six feet in height with shoulders broad enough to put a runner beast to shame, people could feel small around him. It didn't help that he had a sheathed claymore slung over his shoulder. However, his broad smile and relaxed swagger put people at ease.

"Heya! Name's D'isk. My dragon's name is Kalith. Nice to meet you all!"

Kalith was preening with all the attention lavished on her, but for the outward craziness of the two, both dragon and rider were on the lookout for people who shared that strange oddness of the boy in the boat.

I have begun to sense him again D'isk. The boy in the water is near-by. I will ask Osirith of his views.

There was a pause in D'isk mind as Kalith withdrew momentarily to speak with her fellow dragon.

Osirith, do you sense the boy in the water as I do? Will you help me locate him as he gets closer? I feel as if he is important to us. Perhaps that is what we Search for.

[Na Qaiah]

K'dan and Osirith were enjoying being able to show off. Weaving in and out and around Kalith showed not only how agile the dragons are, but the perfect timing it took to keep from smashing into each other. This kind of flying would get the pair into trouble back at the Weyr, in fact it still did on occasion. But today it was just the pair of show offs performing for the Hold people below. Grinning like a fool, K'dan totally enjoyed himself.

Osirith let the pretty green land first, after all Kalith was a lady. When she bugled the rose to barrel roll the beautiful blue maintained a perfect hover out of her way. K'dan raised his fist in a dragonriders salute to the gathering crowd below before giving Osirith the ok to land. The beautiful blue added his own bugling voice as he slowly decended. It was very difficult to hold a hover, but even more so to decend as slowly as Osirith did.

When he landed just behind the green, he flared his wings for all to see then folded them close as he gave a small hop to come even with Kalith. K'dan jumped down and walked over to stand next to D'isk. ''Hiya everyone, my name is K'dan and my dragons name is Osirith. We are very pleased to meet you." He greeted them all still smiling.

That one from the water is near mykadan, I can feel him. Kalith wishes me to help find him. Osirith told his as he rose to stand on his hind legs for a better view. He spotted someone running from the docks. When the lad got close Osirith turned to look at K'dan.

Minekdan, this one feels right.
Are you sure Osirith?[/i]
Yes Minekdan, Kalith says he feels funny to her too.[/b]

Kalith, he is here near the front watching us, do you see him?[/b] Osirith said as he lowered himself back onto all fours as he shifted to his left. He stretched his long neck out and lowered his head to look straight into the eyes of the one that felt funny. Is this him Kalith? This one feels good to me. Osirith asked his eyes whirling slowly turning blue.

K'dan turned to see who Osirith was looking at. "D'isk, do you see the lad Osirith is interested in, he says the lad feels right to him." He whispered to the rider beside him. What do you think? Osirith says this is the one Kalith wanted him to help find."

Osirith pulled his gaze away from the lad. He turned to look at Kalith to see what she was feeling. His body and senses were humming. This one definatly felt right.

[hbk]

Kethemar finally managed to elbow his way to the front of the crowd, his lips curving into a victorious smile as he found himself just feet away from one of the dragons. Having never seen a dragon so close, Kethemar found himself marveling at the beautiful green and blue hides of the beasts. The way their skin glistened in the sunlight was breathtaking. Some people in the Hold had been under the misconception that dragon hides were scaly, but being so close Kethemar could see that there was nothing scaly about their hides. If anything they looked soft and supple. Having heard about dragons in stories and harper ballads, Kethemar knew that there were other colors as well: brown, bronze and gold- but having his first glimpse of the green and blue dragons, Kethemar couldn't imagine the other dragons being nearly as beautiful.... Of course that could change if he ever got the opportunity to see them.

With his eyes zeroed in on the dragonriders, Kethemar took in everything about them. It was in his nature to size people up, and in this instance, he needed to see what made them so special as to be chose for dragons. If he could at least compare to them then he felt he had a good chance of being chosen to go back with them to the Weyr.

His eyes first traveled to the blonde. Kethemar was left to assume that this man rode the blue dragon because he stood close to the beast. It was easy to see that the bluerider was a good looking sort and probably had no trouble with women, or men, back at the Weyr. What astounded Kethemar about the bluerider was that he was so tall. He'd never seen anyone as tall as the dragonrider.

Kethemar broke his eyes away from the blue dragon and his rider to survey the green dragon and the man that stood beside of it. This man had dark hair and eyes, and his skin was a dark bronze as well. Kethemar had never thought of himself as pale since he spent a lot of time outdoors and sported a natural tan, but neither was he as dark as the greenrider. The greenrider too, Kethemar noted with surprise, was incredibly tall, nearly as tall as the bluerider. What do they feed the people at the Weyr to have them grow so tall? Kethemar wondered.

[Yuu Kanduet]

Kalith snaked her head around to better scrutinize the man that was now before them. It was quite evident that he was going to be Searched. Nodding to the Blue, Kalith gave him a mental heads up as she told D'isk to move on with things.

D'isk, darling, time to recruit our first candidate!

The Green gave a soft hum in excitement and pride, and D'isk echoed her hum with a bright grin of his own as he made his way over to the other man. D'isk walked with a lanky and loose stride that made him seem playful even before he opened his mouth.

"Well hello there Boy in the Water! In case you missed it, my name's D'isk and the Green is my Kalith."

There was a brief pause where D'isk extended his hand in greeting.

"Wanna know something neat? You're being Searched! Yeah!"

[Na Qaiah]

K'dan grinned as D'isk told the young man he was being searched. Osirith was still humming as his eyes started to whirl in excitement. He joined D'isk in front of the young man still grinning. Osirith took a moment to nuzzle Kalith in happiness.

"Who do we need to talk to about your coming to the Weyr, and what color would you like to ride?" He asked.

[hbk]

"My name is Kethemar." He clarified to D'isk as he accepted the man's hand in greeting. Adrenaline was coursing through Kemethar's veins as he tried to come to terms with the fact that he had been chosen to go to the Weyr. Although he was fairly confident of his worth, it still was an added bonus to have a dragonrider confirm it.

When the bluerider spoke Kethemar lifted his shoulders in a shrug, "I'll leave that up to the dragons to decide." Even though today was the first time he'd seen a dragon up close, Kethemar had still been taught the old ballads and knew that it was impossible to choose which dragon you Impressed. The dragon always knew and chose the Candidate.

"You don't have to talk to anyone about me leaving. The people here will be thrilled that I'm getting to come South."

Was the bluerider kidding? Kethemar wondered. People here in the North were scrambling at any opportunity to get to go live at a Weyr where they could be protected from Thread and famine.

[Na Qaiah]

"Good answer lad, good answer." K'dan said laughing. "I was meaning which color you would like to ride back to Refuge weyr TODAY!" He said putting the emphesis on the word today. Just because Osirith and Kalith thought the lad felt funny didn't mean he would actually impress. Ever.

"Well then, Disk who do we speak to to verify his claim to no family? I'm not wanting to get into deep dragon crap just because of his say so." He spoke quietly for the greenriders ears only, turning to make sure the lad couldn't read his lips. He pretended to be looking over more of the crowd gathered here. They sure looked like times have been even harder here then they were told.

[hbk]

Over hearing the dragonrider, Kethemar shook his head and spoke up, "Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear... I didn't say I didn't have family. I said that we're all desperate here to go South. I'm of age to decide where I go. I suppose if you feel it completely necessary to talk to anyone you'll need to know that I'm in the fishercraft." Kethemar crossed his tanned arms over his chest as he surveyed K'dan and then glanced up at the two dragons.

People in the North were eager to pack their children onto the back of a dragon and send them to the South where safety and a future were promised. What would make K'dan think that people would actually want to stay in the North, or that they would prevent their children from doing so? Apparently the bluerider was disillusioned as to the way things really were in the North.

"And I'll ride the green." Kethemar nodded towards D'isk.

[Na Qaiah]

Turning back to face the lad, K'dans smile stayed in place but his eyes narrowed slightly. The lad was starting to get under his hide a bit. Keeping his voice as light as possible while still sounding serious, he spoke just loud enough for him to hear. "Listen here, we have rules to follow just like you do before you sail. We just don't go taking other peoples 'children's because our dragons like them. If your sailors ignored the rules, or the order in which they did thing it would end up being a desaster for all concerned. Something you had better get into your head fast. There are no shortcuts being a dragon rider, if you try it you could lose your dragon to death or you both could be badly injured or die. I'll even venture a bet that you weren't supposed to be out there on the water by yourself either. Now, if you are done being rude, please show us who we need to speak to concerning your leaving." He finished with a nod of his head.

Turning back toward his search partner he made a face, this time making sure the kid couldn't see him. "Sorry Disk I couldn't help it." He muttered. It wasn't often other people got under his skin, but rude and obnoxious were some things he didn't tolerate. He didn't care who they were. Most he just let slide off him but the kid here, he didn't give a wherries ass how tough the things have been. They were here to help, and if they were all going to be as rude as this lad was, he could leave him here to his fate and choose another for all he cared.

He walked back over to stand in front of Osirith, the big blue lowered his head over his riders shoulder to offer comfort. K'dan wrapped his arms around Osiriths nose and softly stroked his muzzle. No thoughts were exchanged, they didn't have to be. K'dan knew he was both wrong and right. There was nothing left to say. He would would not lose his cool no matter what. He kept a pleasent smile on his face and waited.

[Yuu Kanduet]

D'isk awkwardly shuffled his feet a bit while the argument was going on. The Greenrider briefly lifted his hand as if he was about to cut in and say something, but K'dan started speaking causing D'isk to drop his arm. For such a large man, D'isk managed to droop spectacularly. His shoulders were slumped, his head was down, and his arms hung listlessly at his sides. This was their first Search! There weren't supposed to be any fighting.

When K'dan had finished and stalked off, D'isk looked back at Kethemar with an expression that was somewhere between upset and exasperated.

"I'm really sorry about the misunderstanding. I'm sure K'dan meant well."

Kalith rumbled impatiently, letting her rider know that she was feeling left out. D'isk made a gesture that told her to go on, and the Green cheerfully greeted the new candidate.

Greetings Boy in the Water! I am Green Kalith. Make sure you hold on tight to Mine. If not, the ground will be far away.[/color][/i]

D'isk easily leapt astride his Green's back in a way that spoke of long hours of practice. Once the large man was situated, Kalith crouched so that Kemethar could easily mount. It was still higher than a runner though, and D'isk politely extended his calloused hand.

[hbk]

If all blueriders act like that then I certainly don't want to Impress a blue. Kethemar thought to himself as he watched K'dan retreat. It was as if the dragonrider couldn't comprehend that no one would oppose his leaving, in fact, they'd probably try to bribe their way South if they could. Shaking his head, Kethemar shrugged off the bluerider and his slow wit in favor of the green dragon that was talking to him.

"Thank you, Kalith." Kethemar said with a smile, not quite sure how the dragonriders communicated silently with their large counterparts.

When D'isk extended a hand Kethemar leapt, caught the offered hand, and then swung up into his place behind the greenrider. Luckily Turns of scrambling around on a pitching boat, or the mast of a larger ship, had given Kethemar a good sense of balance and agility.

"Again, thank you very much for the ride." Kethemar spoke to D'isk.