Beachcombing
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Shawna, Sia
Date Posted: 18th May 2024
Series: N'kevyn's Firelizard Hunt
Characters: Aydhara, N'kevyn
Description: N’kevyn takes his favorite daughter firelizard hunting
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 11, day 15 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Aydhan, F'lin, Haysh, Rabain, Ketlyn, Sareya Gently references "Hands-On Experience" by Dusk, Corrin, and Shawna
N’kevyn was ready, waiting by Avicath’s side. He looked ridiculous- wearing cut off pants and his flight jacket, and he had an overstuffed picnic basket in his hand as he waited for his daughter. It was time for what he was sure must be a right of passage for a new resident in the South- firelizard egg hunting. He’d asked for tips from some of his new wingmates, and received many, although he had a feeling some had been jokes.
He’d told Aydhan what he was up to today and she laughed and gave him even more pointers- courtesy of F'lin, the wingsecond of Ash Wing.
That seemed like permission enough for a new pet, so he’d found out when Aydhara would be free and made plans.
Aydhara considered turning around and going right back into the candidate barracks when she saw her father looking like a retired 9th Pass Masterharper. But the call of firelizard eggs was too much, and she gathered her courage to meet them in the 'weyrbowl'. She too looked ridiculous in an overlarge sunhat and backpack of 'essentials'.
"Ugh, Dad." She said in a typical teenage fashion in place of 'hello'. "You look ridiculous."
“I am dressed for success,” N’kevyn protested with no shame. “Do you need a boost onto Avicath?”
The bronze himself took offense to that, dropping down lower, just in case, but he took a particular amount of pride in the fact that he was good with his rider’s offspring.
**What are you doing?”**
}: She doesn’t need help.:{
**Then why are you helping?**
Avicath ignored him.
"Aw, Avi!" Aydhara ignored her father too. "That's so thoughtful of you, buddy." She expertly reached for his riding straps and climbed aboard, not waiting for N'kevyn to help her buckle in.
}:See?:{ Avicath sounded smug as he straightened back up, not offering his rider the same courtesy of crouching.
“No matter how much you charm him, you can’t steal my dragon from me,” N’kevyn said as he swung up onto the bronze, checking both their straps. He didn’t sound completely convinced.
"He would if he could." Aydhara said with a little too much seriousness and patted the bronze hide in front of her. "But I'm going to get a good boy just like Avicath one day."
Avicath puffed his chest up with pride before launching them all into the air- he believed it.
“Hey, a good girl would be fine, too. You don’t need to do everything the hard way,” the bronzerider cautioned.
"A good girl would be okay." Aydhara agreed offhandedly, because that stopped any further questions or caution. **It can be our little secret.** She thought 'at' Avicath, unsure if he could hear her but doing it all the same. She leaned into the dragon's movement as he leapt into the air, enjoying the rush of the wind and the dizzying feeling of the ground disappearing beneath them. She remembered just in time to grab her hat and tuck it under one arm.
If Avicath did hear, of course he didn't repeat it. Any dragon would be lucky to Impress one of his favorite people.
They blinked /between/ and came out in blinding sunlight and oppressive heat. N'kevyn had expected it- he didn't take the children anywhere they hadn't tested the coordinates for first, but he still let out a grunt at the first deep breath of sandy, salty air hit lungs still more used to High Reaches chill.
Avicath landed quickly, finding a nice bare section of beach where he could stretch out his entire bulk, and as they climbed down, the bronze was already making happy sounds as he hollowed out a little wallow for himself.
“Do you see any?” N’kevyn asked Aydhara even as he scanned the beach- as if spotting a fire lizard would be that simple and quick.
}:Don’t rush,:{ Avicath scolded almost too quickly. }:I want a nap.:{
Aydhara wasn't looking, she was watching the big reddish bronze wiggle and roll in the sand. Then, as she fixed her hair and jammed her giant hat back on her head, she looked around the wide expanse of beach. "We probably have to get a bit aways from Avicath." She suggested as she rifled through her bag.
She pulled out ancient smoked-glass glasses, with thin black frames and big grey lenses. "Try walking along the beach and see if a gold dive bombs you?" She suggested helpfully.
“Oh, but Avicath was so eager to help,” he said sarcastically, looking at where the bronze was finishing half-burying himself in the sand. “He’s going to be filthy.” But N’kevyn wasn’t going to let that ruin his afternoon. “Alright. Look out for anywhere that looks dug up.”
He didn’t make it far up the beach before he found himself asking, “So, how are you settling in? Tell me about your new friends.”
"It's fine." Aydhara said with a shrug. "It's mostly Searched kids or construction crew folks looking to shoot their shot, so it's a different energy than back at High Reaches. Means the boys are extra macho and determined that only bronzes exist. Ketlyn and Sareya are nice, though." She nudged a small pocket of sand in front of her with her toes, finding nothing but sand.
He laughed, “Don’t they know greens and blues are a lot less work? Still, good for them giving it a try. Are Ketlyn and Sareya weyrbred? Or just more sensible than the boys?” He spotted a darker spot in the sand and pulled out a little rake to check the spot with no luck.
"Sareya's weyrbred. Her Dads are from Vista Point. I think Rasme is her grandmother? Ketlyn was Searched but at least she's been here for a few turns. Girls are more sensible anyway, usually. Golds are so rare there's fewer girls looking that starry-eyed." She carefully but quickly made her way over to another odd-looking (to her) patch of sand and sifted through it. The sand was hot under her fingers. She did find a neat, half-broken shell that she pocketed.
“I would like to defend the boys… but you aren't wrong,” he chuckled.
N’kevyn straightened from inspecting another suspicious spot and let his eyes scan the sky, trying to decide if he'd seen a sign of movement in the distance. “How have your other studies been going? Gotten to hit anyone lately?”
"I know! Ugh, you should see Haysh and Rabain walking around the barracks, flexing at each other. They should just kiss already and get it over with." Aydhara huffed. "I did smack Nularl pretty hard the other day when we were practicing. He didn't move fast enough." She said that part with pride. She was small, but she was fast and feisty.
It took him just a moment to recall those names and he turned back to his daughter, “Haysh and Rabain! I met those two. They wanted the opportunity to try out some real dragon care. I let them help me give Avicath a bath. Seemed like alright boys. I don't know this Nularl, but nice work,” he said with more pride than he probably should have for a story that involved his daughter hitting people.
Aydhara made a noise of disdain. "See? Real dragon care. These Searched guys looking to Impress even though they've never even bathed a dragon before. Ugh." She kicked a pit of sand and (thankfully) she hit no eggs nor an angry gold firelizard, just sprayed a wave of sand out in front of her.
“Look on the bright side,” N’kevyn said cheerily, “you’ll be the star of your weyrling class without raising a finger. Oh, hey, look at this,” he bent to dig around in the sand and came up with… a fish skull near the tide mark. Your mother will be so sad she didn’t join us.” Maybe a firelizard’s lunch? He scanned the sky again.
"We can only hope." Aydhara said with a grumble. There were only two clutching Queens here now, with Tymborikath added in. There were fewer chances here, and she wasn't getting any younger. "You should bring the fish skull back as a token." She offered. "Mom can clean it up and put it out with the tunnelsnake."
He gave a long sigh, “I should. I married the skull girl,” he muttered to himself mournfully, a very old private joke. He tucked the fish skull carefully into a breast pocket. “What are you grumbling about? Of course you'll be top of the class.”
"Give me some competition, though." Aydhara grumbled. She leaned back to sit where she had knelt, digging into sand she had determined 'looked weird'. "Y'know, we've been here a while. I think it's time for a break." She slid her backpack off her shoulder and rifled through it, pulling out a little lunchbox and a thermos.
N’kevyn lowered himself to the sand with a little grunt, pulling out his own thermos, “Yeah. I’ve been grossly misled about the firelizard population around here. But we both know how to keep trying, right?”
Last updated on the May 24th 2024