Kindred Spirits

Writers: Clancey, AL
Date Posted: 5th March 2012

Characters: Meledei, K'dall
Description: Meledei meets a new Candidate and finds something of a kindred spirit ..and a daydreamer.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 23 of Turn 6

He would be a new face to the young goldrider, who's dragon's first
clutch was hardening on the Sands. But he would not be one that put
himself forward to attract attention unnecessarily.

As with most things in his life, or his Craft, he accepted his new
position with ease and calmness that made him seem older than 19 turns,
yet when you got to know him, his quiet, simple way of looking at life,
usually through the eyes of his animal charges, made you think he was
much younger. Still, he was often smiling, even as he got used to the
Weyr and all the differences between his father's cothold, the
Beastcraft Hall, and the Weyr itself.

He had found, even after being here for only a few days, that a Weyr's
beasts needed tending the same as any other place he'd lived, and so he
went about his work, as assigned by the Masters at the Weyr as if he'd
been at Dolphin Cove for turns instead of days, and had even taken to
his Candidate classes with that same ease. Though, admittedly, he
found _that_ work somewhat harder than his Craft work.

He had also found he grew hungry at about the same time each day and the
Weyr's kitchens put out just as plentiful an amount of food as any hard
working young man could want.

So, he sat alone at a table, Trapper curled up alertly at his feet, but
quietly out of the way so as not to annoy anyone else seeking to make
their midday meal. His plate was piled up high with tubers and
meatrolls, and he had a bubbly pie quietly waiting for him to finish
the main meal. Trapper neither begged nor was fed from his person's
plate, because both were bad habits, and Kadall wouldn't own a animal
with bad habits, nor would he contribute to them with his own behavior.

But he was smiling as he enjoyed his meal, and occasionally would speak
to Trapper as if the canine might speak back, caring not a whit for what
anyone thought of it.

"Wow, thing you got enough food?" The tone of voice held light humour
in it and it was accompanied by a form when the body it belonged to
came around to the other side of the table and stood just across from
the young man. Meledei's face was lit up with a friendly smile and in
her hand she had a plate which wasn't piled up quite so high as the
boy's. She motioned to the chair directly across from him, the piece
of furniture quite empty and it would be difficult to make up an excuse
that included 'someone's already sitting there'. "Mind if I join you?"

She had seen the boy around recently and had noticed the knots that he
sported - candidate and Beastcrafter! Of course that would catch her
attention. As a candidate, he would Stand for Elleth's clutch. As a
Beastcrafter, he was a part of the very same craft that she had been
learning before Elleth had chosen her from the sands. Both gave them
things to talk about, and really, Meledei _liked_ meeting new people
and she was even more curious about those who would stand for Elleth's
eggs.
"I'm hungry." He smiled that gentle smile and looked curiously at his
surprising visitor. He had not been here too long just yet, but he had
heard the other Candidates talking about Meledei, the rider of the gold
who's eggs he was to Stand to see if the dragons wanted him. He had
been mostly caring for the beasts of the Weyr in his free time out of
Candidate classes, but still, he'd heard of her, and once, he'd even
heard one of the boys saying she was very friendly, and they could all
talk to her if they wanted to. Not like other goldriders.

Well, that had been what the other boy had said, though Kadall had not
really been trying to listen.

He thought this might be her, by her knots. How nice! She really _was_
friendly! Her smile was quite impossible to resist, so warm and open.

It wasn't in him to approach others, but just the same, it was not in
him to deny company that wanted to join him. "Sure, Lady. Please
sit. Mind Trapper, there, he is very friendly, but is not to have
tidbits from your plate." His voice was warm as he spoke of his
canine, his best friend, really.

"My name is Kadall." He offered. "I've just come to the Weyr, well a
few days now, I'm guessing. I'm a beasthealer, been out getting to
know your animal friends." He quit talking then, almost as if he'd
quite run out of things to say. He didn't talk to other humans, much,
after all, and took some more bites of his overloaded plate.

Meledei leaned over to peer beneath the table at the current resident
there. She reached out with a toe to let him sniff at it and try to
scritch him with her foot if he let her. "Well welcome to Dolphin
Cove!" The goldrider straightened and grinned again at the young man.
"A beasthealer? I was a beastcrafter before I impressed. Where did
you come from originally?" And now that she'd asked a question the
young man had to answer, Meledei took a turn to eat some of her own
meal.

He had to think about how to explain where he was from, and finally
said, "Oh, just a small cothold in Emerald Falls territory. I have
studied at the Beastcraft Hall, though, for the last 7 turns. I had
only just earned my Journeyman knots when the Search dragon came
through and said the dragons might like me." He seemed quite calm
about it, willing to take whatever his future brought, be it dragon, or
beasts. "You were a beastcrafter?" He seemed genuinely interested,
he who rarely was interested in other _people_. "I think being a
Beastcrafter must be good training for being a dragonrider. Almost
like the very best way you can _be_ a Beastcrafter, with the best
beasts every to take care of, all the time."

He trailed off into silence to eat, though it was a silence that did not
seem to demand an answer, but was quite willing if one was
forthcoming. He wanted to give her plenty of time to enjoy her own
meal, she who probably didn't get much free time.

Almost as an afterthought, he mused aloud, "Maybe I can study
dragonhealing. I was just a general beasthealer, good with most
animals. But... maybe...." He fell silent again, ate a little more,
watching Meledei curiously. Was she sorry she'd chosen such a poor
conversationalist to eat with?

Meledei listened attentively and nodded. "Dragons would know. So
maybe you'll Impress from one of Elleth's brood." Meledei grinned.
She pegged the boy as a brownrider. That didn't mean she would be
right, but for some reason he just seemed like that would be what would
choose him.

When he mentioned dragonhealer, Meledei nodded. If he had the patience
and gentleness to be a beasthealer - which really, if one wasn't
patient or gentle, they shouldn't be in the craft - then he would do
well. "Yes, I think that's a fine idea. We can _always_ use more
dragonhealers." Thread kept them in great need, and that wasn't even
counting injuries from other issues or just general illness which
happened from time to time. "You know, you could ask and see if they
would let you work with the injured dragons. It would probably have to
be during what little free time you have, but it would be good
experience. There are lots of things those without dragons can do to
help."

Kadall's smiled broadened as he considered her suggestion. "What a
wonderful thought, Lady. I should like to work with dragons and make
them feel better. I hope they will let me. I spend all my time in
classes or with animals, now, so changing some of that to spend with
the dragonhealers wouldn't be too hard." He contemplated again the idea
of caring for those great beasts with something akin to awe. "Being
their healer would be just fine and quite amazing enough for me. I'm a
man of simple pleasures. But actually Impressing one..." He couldn't
believe one would pick him, but he sure hoped they would. He liked
the idea of having a friend that talked back to him. Trapper was a
great friend, and sometimes it did seem as if he talked, but a
_dragon_...

He trailed off into dreaming silence, his lack of social skills showing
their face.

Meledei didn't try to get more from the young man. After all, they
didn't need to talk and the silence was friendly. She let him
daydream, a smile playing over her lips as she watched his expression.

Last updated on the March 9th 2012

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