A Little Encouragement

Writers: Ames, Devin
Date Posted: 8th April 2013

Characters: Z'ku, Malyna
Description: Z'ku offers some congratulations and gives Malyna some encouragement about life as a weyrling
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 6 of Turn 6

Z'ku

Malyna was busy with all her weyrling duties, she'd hardly had time to
do anything else or spend time with any of her old friends.

Z'ku recognized that harried, tired look. Weyrlinghood was tough,
especially the first few months. "Hello, Malyna. Belated
congratulations on your Impression." He knew the young woman, but not
well.

She smiled at him, though it was a tired smile. "Thanks," she said,
allowing herself a moment to wrack her brain for names, "Z'ku, right?"
She should know his name, but right now she was lucky she knew her
_own_ name!

"Yes. Where are you headed?"

"No where in particular. I was just eager to get away for a bit and
not have to worry about training, classes, and weyrling duties. At
least until Cayleryth needs me again," Malyna replied.

"Is she sleeping?"

"For the moment, yes. I have no idea how long _that_ will last. I
swear for a small green, she is hungry all the time _and_ has the
itchiest hide I've ever seen!" Malyna heaved a sigh at those words.

Z'ku laughed. "She'll be able to feed herself soon enough. Of course,
then there will be more of her to itch."

"You would have thought having grown up in the Weyr, I wouldn't be
_surprised_ by all this, but honestly watching others go through it
isn't the same as actually _doing_ it yourself!" Malyna declared.

"I was Searched, and I thought that because I paid attention in all my
Candidate classes that I was well-prepared for Impressing. I don't
think anything can really prepare you." His weyrbred clutchmates had
some trouble adjusting too.

"Now that's the truth!" Malyna declared with a sigh and a smile.

"Are you friends with any of your clutchmates?" That was probably
likely since she'd been weyrbred and a Candidate for so long.

"Yeah, they aren't bad. I, mean, I got to know them all slightly
during our candidacy together, but I guess I was perhaps a bit more
stand-offish than I intended to be. I mean, I've _been_ through this
so many times that I didn't really put forth the same effort I
sometimes do. Anyway, now that we've all Impressed, we're getting to
know each other better. L'cor has been the friendliest of the other
weyrlings so far." Malyna. She paused and gave him a little shoulder
shove. "Though I have to say I've had more fun with some other
candidate groups in the past." She gave him a goofy grin, thinking
back to things that had happened during their own candidacy together.

He nodded. "My clutchmates were quite the group. I wish you'd been
able to join us." They had been a large group, and it had been fun,
exciting, exhausting, and sometimes heartbreaking.

"I do too sometimes, but then I wouldn't have had my Cayleryth. I just
had to wait a bit longer to find my lifemate," Malyna replied, "I
wouldn't change anything now." She smiled thinking of her little green
dragon who was resting back in the barracks.

"Just like I don't regret coming here from Rising Moons. It meant
leaving friends behind, but Xemroth was waiting for me." And he'd made
new friends.

"Right. No point wishing to change the past. We make our choices and
we live with them," Malyna commented.

"Indeed. I should let you get back to your free time. You have little
enough of it." Z'ku remembered how precious those moments were.

"Thanks, Z'ku. I appreciate the encouragement and all. I can't wait
until we're old enough to join the wings with you guys." Malyna smiled
at him. He'd always been kind and friendly towards her, but since he'd
Impressed, they had drifted apart in the Weyr. Maybe now, they could
rebuild a friendship of sorts.

Last updated on the May 30th 2013

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A Little Encouragement