Kacey and Kit Harless

Kacey (left) Kit (right)

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Fire Ridge

The pair of brothers actually did learn a bit about magic, but just enough to realize that T'shen was right. They had their own personal abilities and it would just be a waste of time to try and muddle that with learning spells on top of that. And their crafts didn't need anything more than they could now give.

It was day after day then, of learning dragons. They'd gotten a little bit from T'shen, but not nearly the depth that they'd need while taking care of hatchlings, should they bond.

They both always added that last - if they didn't bond up, they would have less to be disappointed in the end. But ...

The day was stunning, and they'd just finished up a lesson on wing-spar treatments for sprains. There had not been thread in days, and would not be for another handful, so there was no reason to worry about being outside on a lovely day. It felt odd to be back on the old world - if that's really where they were - and looking at the sky they knew that something was up.

The dragons were circling, attentively. Kit heard an excited dragon mind, and then another - he wasn't yet very good at distinguishing individual minds, but he was determined to learn. The bellowing that went up, crooning and singing from the dragon sands, told both young men that the day of truth had arrived.

"I'll race you," Kacey said, and bolted to their den. They put on their more comfortable cerimonial garb and ran to the dragons - they would be transported down by one of the many smaller dragons. Arriving just in time to see the weyrwoman herself come along, they saluted her and the dragons, and then went in.

A pair of eggs broke open shortly, one being a bronze and the other a lovely green. Kit turned to see whether anyone they knew was in the stands, should he wave? What about that girl that they'd been in classes with? Was she on the sands now? He was nervous, but determined to make a good impression.

He suddenly realized that the bronze had sat down before him - and was waiting for him to notice. Finally, the bronze nuzzled Kit's knee, bumping his head at the man's waist and then told him, I am Hywesteth! You are going to be a great rider, with me.

Kit's eyes glazed over. The bronze chose him? How in the world - a bronze!? Wildly happy, and with the sudden influx of many dragon minds into his own - Kit hugged the dragon warmly.

"I can feel them all now, but they're easy to ignore," Kit said to Hywesteth.

That is good because I am the only dragon you ever need to worry about. The bronze said, straightening up and looking on proudly.

Another person found their dragon - then a blue and a beautiful bronze-white. Two more blues, a couple greens and a brown broke their shells and then paired off. One by one, they wandered through the sands and approached their new bonds.

The gold - one lone gold in the clutch- found her bond emotionally and elicited a ton of praise from everyone. Those who had been in classes or around Iseri for very long, knew that the bond was just right.

Then, another dragon shattered through his brittle shell, to show off to the world that he was as much bronze as brown - a duotoned mix of color. Proudly, he got the last of his shell and the sand off his wingtips, and walked around to see the crowd. They seemed to love him - and he loved them right back. Kacey knew, he just knew, that this gem of a dragon was to be his own bond. He laughed a bit, and thought how great they would look together.

Hey, it is my time in the spotlight, Kacey, do you mind? He offered the crowd a last bow, which they applauded, and then turned back to Kacey, who was laughing so hard he could hardly stand.

You'll have plenty of spotlight later my dear Electranath, or did you not know of the party after this? Kacey said privately. They strode over to their brothers - the humans smiling broadly and the dragons seeming to look each other over to determine whether their bond was best.

They apparently decided that it was proper, but they would bicker in the future about which one of them was a higher ranking.

Brown is a low rank, said Hywesteth, just ask our riders! Bronze is a metallic color so I must be best.

You're only the best because you're the biggest pain. I'm more rare than you and so I'm the best.

"You're both incredibly good at being annoying," Kit growled as they were trying to sleep. The party had all but worn them out, they would be starting their new lives as riders tomorrow!

ELEKTRANATH participated in flights, and has offspring from the Eriol Weyr Backwards Frenzy