Candidate Duty

Writers: Cait, AL
Date Posted: 20th January 2009

Characters: Ri'len, Navan, Abrinda
Description: The candidates chat while heading to chores.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 20 of Turn 4

Drumming his fingers on the desk, Navan waited a bit impatiently for the class to end. He liked sitting at the back of the class, gave him a chance to watch people when he got bored, as he was now. Forcing himself to stop the impatient movement, he looked around. It seemed like the girls outnumbered the boys ten to one, not that that was a surprise with a queen egg in the mix, but still, it was a bit disconcerting. He'd noticed there was a new boy...well, boy was stretching it a bit. He made Navan look little and looked near the same age. **Holdbred,** he thought. Maybe it wasn't fair to assume that, but Navan was pretty sure he was right, he just had the look of one. Not to mention he was paying a whole lot more attention than most of those who'd been through this before.

The sound of Navan's fingers caused the new 'boy' to turn his attention to the other. He nodded politely and cast a glance over at Sorsha. They would be dismissed to chores as soon as class was over. He was supposed to help with the herd beasts and the slaughter yard. He didn't mind that. It wasn't his favourite thing to do, but he'd rather do that than peeling tubers. When the class came to an end, Railen gave Sorsha a peck upon her cheek, then left to head off to his chores. It was going to be a messy job, so he would definitely have to wash and change before dinner.

Navan sighed. He was a healer, he felt odd doing these types of chores. Not that he hadn't helped with slaughtering before, it just always seemed strange to him to be killing things when all his training had been geared towards trying to save them. But he didn't mind. Besides cleaning out the stables or other things having to do with bodily fluids, Navan truly didn't mind chores. Seeing that the new candidate he'd noticed in class was headed the same direction, he lengthened his strides to catch up. "Don't think we've met yet, I'm Navan."

"Hello." Railen stated softly as he gave a polite nod to the other candidate. He didn't pause in his stride, however, as Navan seemed to be going in the same direction as he. "My name is Railen." He glanced about, taking note of a couple of other candidates that were headed in the same direction. The other two were girls. In his experience, girls weren't necessarily the best suited for the sort of work they were about to do. It wasn't that they could _not_ do it, but their reactions were generally less than pleasant.

"Nice to meet another guy, seems we're pretty heavily outnumbered," Navan added with a grin, also noticing the other candidates. "So where are you from?" He asked curiously. He wanted to see if he'd guessed right, not to mention be friendly. He wasn't sure how much the other candidate really wanted to talk to him, but he was going to give it a try.

"Willet Grove Hold." Railen pulled his attention away from the girls. He really hoped neither he nor Navan would have to babysit them. "My father's hold. We raise runners." The yard was coming into view by then, and already Railen could smell the odor of animals. "You?"

"This kind of chore must be routine for you then. Not the slaughtering, but caring for the animals," he added, then smiled. "I'm actually from here, been here since Thayan Peak collapsed. How are you liking the Weyr so far? Everything you expected?"

"Yes and no. There are some things that I expected, many others that I didn't." Railen shrugged. "But yes, the caring of animals isn't new to me, though I know more about runners than anything. I guess it seems so mundane to you since you've always lived in a Weyr."

Navan shrugged. "It wasn't until I became a candidate. As a healer, I usually didn't have too much to do with animals but candidate chores tend to involve a lot more dealing with them and at least I learn fast." He grinned. "Hopefully our fellow candidates will too, if they haven't done this sort of thing before."

"Done what sort of thing?" One of the girls trotted along side of Navan and peered over at Railen. She flashed him a smile. Melina...no...Meledei. Yes, that was her name, Railen remembered. "What did we do? I didn't know we had done anything yet."

Navan laughed, genuinely delighted. "Meledei! I didn't even notice it was you! I meant this slaughtering business, well, I bet you have, given your apprenticeship."

"Oh that. That's nothing." The other girl had come up beside them as well and paled at the mention of slaughter. Well, he had been right about one of the girls. "I'm used to it. I prefer other aspects of my craft, but I have no problem doing it as long as it's done properly."

Navan nodded. "Well, at least three of us have experience, so it shouldn't be too bad." He smiled encouragingly at the other girl, not wanting her to feel too bad. "It's personally not my favorite chore in the world but it's gotta be done."

"You'll get used to it." Meledei cast a sidelong glance at the other candidate, Abrinda by name. "You'll have to learn how to deal with it as ifyou impress, you will be required to prepare the meat for your dragon."

"Sounds...appetizing." Abrinda stated hesitantly.

Navan laughed. "And from what I hear, they eat a _lot_ of meat."

"They sure do, but it doesn't last forever. Eventually they eat more but fewer times." Meledei assured the other female candidate. "And they eventually learn to hunt." Railen pointed out with a small smile.

"Thank Faranth," Navan grinned. "There's a lot you have to take care of in the beginning and definitely all not pretty, but I'm sure it's worth it."

"I know it is." Meledei stated firmly. "I don't have a dragon, but my father is a dragonrider."

Railen glanced between the other two candidates. Was it worth it? In a sense, he was standing because of the need for riders, especially ones who could fight as soon as training was over. To be honest, another reason he was standing was because of Sorsha. He'd be lying to himself not to admit that. Was it worth it? He certainly hoped so.

Navan noticed Railen's hesitation. Truthfully, he understood not being sure. Faranth, his own sister had put off Standing for Turns because she hadn't been sure. He nodded. "I don't have any dragonriders in the family, but the bond alone would make it worth it. I see dragonrider pairs in the infirmary more than I'd like and I'd give anything to have that kind of unbreakable connection with a creature, knowing that no matter what you do or what you say, they'll be there with you. That's...just unbelievable."

"Yes, it is." Railen found it rather difficult to believe himself. Of course, he saw it all around him now that he was at the weyr. Perhaps he may even have gotten the slightest hint of a glimpse in his relationship with Sorsha, though, he knew, not really. There was nothing like that in all of Pern outside of the dragonriders. So was he prepared for it? He couldn't say. He hoped so. "Do you think you'll impress?"

Navan shrugged. "Truthfully, I have no idea. I've been Standing for two Turns and I only have one more before I'll be too old to try anymore." He sighed. "So I hope for the best, but at the same time try not to hope too much, the disappointment can be a little hard. I think the hardest part is knowing that the decision isn't up to you. There's nothing you can really do except hope that your dragon is in one of those eggs."

Railen nodded slowly. Would one of those dragons be waiting for him? Waiting for Sorsha? It was impossible to tell. Even search dragons could be wrong. Lenlee was chosen, but she might not impress - might never impress. Well, their father would only let her stand once, so if she didn't Lenlee wouldn't get another chance. Would he? Would he stand again if a dragon wasn't waiting for him this time? It was his duty to do so, wasn't it?

Last updated on the January 21st 2009

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Candidate Duty