Sylvan Weyr

[Sever]

Sever leaned against the tree, the breeze licking through her hair. She watched with respect and excitement as dragons flew overhead, especially appreciating the sight of a blue. Of the regular colours, those were one of the most beautiful in her eyes. Sweet creatures, they were, and their scales were absolutely splendid. Sever still favoured the new, unusual colours, however. Something new and different. The things that others considered strange and alien were usually the ones that appealed to her the most, partly because she had been labeled "strange" before. She couldn't put why. Was it the way she talked or the fact that she still didn't have a dragon? Or perhaps she was alienated by her height, 6'1" wasn't usually a height reached by anyone her age, let alone a girl of her age. Meh, it made her upset at first, but by now it didn't bother her one bit. She stared at the Blue until it disappeared from sight. Sever sighed. She hummed one of the many songs she knew softly and closed her eyes, leaning against the tree while deep in thought.

[obeah]

A blue, considerably more groundbound than the one Sever was watching, rocketed past the girl. His snow-patterned hide gleamed from being freshly oiled. Just following him, a flaxen-haired child tore after him. Her boots were muddy, and her pants were rolled up to her knees. Pursued by an insistent "Hey, Fletch, come back!", the girl was running awkwardly, one hand pulled tight to her chest, and she soon disappeared into the mass of riders' huts along with her blue. A sigh could be heard from the other side of the tree, in the same quiet voice as the previous demands to come back had been.

Habit, on the other hand, could not run after her. Thankfully, it wasn't a matter of being out of shape, as she swam rather regularly when she could find time away from her infirmary. It was just her injury--she'd never run the way she used to, not for more than a few excruciating steps. She didn't make up for it by shouting, just came to a grinding halt beside Sever and sent a pale green firelizard chasing after the girl. Knitbone narrowed her eyes and took off, flashing between to go find Berlioz or perhaps Frostith, who wasn't as good at hiding as his bonded.

"She thinks avoiding proper aftercare for that broken thumb'll keep me from noticing she tried to swap my powdered yarrow with itching powder last time," Habit said softly, steadying herself against the tree. "Doesn't realize she's not as sneaky as she thinks sometimes." Only then did she realize that someone was already standing beside it, a very tall someone with candidate knots on her shoulder. The metallic tang of jealousy rose into her mouth very briefly. Habit had never been Searched, despite Turns of dreaming. After that disastrous Threadfall two Turns ago left her with a pegleg, she never would be. She swallowed, keeping the daydreams about dragons at bay for now.

"Sorry to have disturbed you. I'm Habit." She extended a hand toward Sever in a friendly way. Her knots spoke to her rank, senior journeywoman, and her post as Weyr's Healer.

[Sever]

Out of nowhere, a blue dragon and blond girl bolted past Sever, nearly hitting her in the face with flailing hands and wings. Okay, Sever had seen more blue dragon than she normally did in a sevenday. She shook it off, slightly peeved that her train of thought had been disrupted, but went back to her collected state rather quickly. As she was about to close her eyes once more, a peg legged woman skidded to a halt, sending a green firelizard between. The ebony-skinned woman mumbled to herself and leaned against the tree Sever was on. Sever must've made some noticeable noise, for she had stopped humming a time ago. The woman looked startled and glanced at Sever's Candidate knots.

"Sorry to have disturbed you," she said, putting out a narrow hand. "I'm Habit." Sever took Habit's hand gently, shaking it in greeting.

"Sever," she stated. "I'm new here." This was the first person she had met in a while. She now could see Habit clearly. From her knots, Sever could tell she was a journeywoman, a Weyr Healer as well. "You are posted at the infirmary?" Sever raised her eyebrows inquisitively. Sever herself thought that the medical arts were fascinating, intensified by the bizzare anatomy of dragons. Maybe Habit would be a kind friend, and a helpful one in battle.

[obeah]

This girl was interesting, Habit had to admit. She was tall, but she had a gentle handshake. And, like Habit herself, a name that served a more common function. The healer had a sudden flash of curiosity, as the Pernese were typically named with parts of their parents' names, like her mother Hannalea and her father Karbit. "A pleasure to meet you, Sever." The weyrhealer thought for a moment, feeling Knitbone send blurry messages her way. When Sever asked her post, Habit nodded. "Seven Turns now," she explained. "Eight in a sevenday. Been Weyr's Healer for three of those." It was a long time, Habit realized. Especially given that she'd started at eighteen, right after the Weyrwoman perished. Shells, but that was considerably longer ago than she had thought.

"That was Fletch," Habit nodded in the direction the blue weyrling had gone. "I'm not entirely sure what the Searchdragons saw, but she's a good kid underneath it all." She looked to one side. "I think, anyway." She studied the taller woman's face. "I think I remember seeing you at the last Hatching," Habit finally remarked. "What did you think?" If Sever hadn't been there, Habit would be terribly embarrassed, but she was fairly certain on this point. Her memory for events was pretty good in most regards. Sever seemed to have an eye for detail, and she was calm. No more picking up apprentices every time you meet someone, the pessimistic part of Habit groused. Besides, you don't even know, maybe she passes out at the sight of blood.

[Sever]

Sever nodded as Habit explained that she had been a Healer for a good while. Almost eight Turns. "Fletch," Sever repeated as the woman nodded in the direction of the blue weyrling. At the mention of the last Hatching, Sever softly groaned to herself. "Yes, I was there. The new colours are quite intruiging. What do you think of them?"

Sever stood, remembering dragons that walked past her, inspecting her with a speculative eye, before moving on. It was disappointing when all the hatchlings had found their partners, Sever was still without a dragon. It was the same as many others; there were always more Candidates than dragons. Sever was hoping for more luck at the next hatching. Perhaps one hatchling would walk to Sever and that would be that instant partner. But Sever had learned. Don't get your hopes too high, or we'll all go home upset.

"And I've heard rumors that there is to be a Hatching soon. Do you know?" Sever inquired. She pushed her jet black hair away from her face. In Sever's hopes, the Hatching would be a good one, whenever one came.

[obeah]

Habit nodded thoughtfully. She had yet to formulate a stock response about the new colors, though by the time of the Gather, she'd need to have one, most likely. "I wish they weren't as divisive, honestly," Habit said. "There are a lot of riders who are mistrustful, and they don't need to be, because from a healer's perspective, they're right as rain." Well, not counting the fact that the two chromes were genderless, and that she wasn't entirely sure about the sable's ability to flame.

"Well," Habit answered that question slowly, swallowing her own daydreams so that Sever's could be better fostered. "There's only one dragon here mature enough to clutch," she said, "although there are two young females who might also be able in a Turn and a bit. Most people are hoping they'll be like the greens they're the size of." She shrugged. "At any rate, after Dafnierth's in the air to mate, there's two months while the eggs grow inside her, and another month after they're lain before they'll hatch."

She could see that Sever was feeling forlorn about being passed over, and she wished she had something more heartening to say. At least you're still able to Stand was rather too bitter to be at all helpful. "There is a Gather coming quite soon," she told the candidate. "If it'll make the wait shorter to have a firelizard, I could always use apprentices if you needed a few marks."

[Sever]

The only dragon mature enough to clutch was Daniferth, and considering that she had just risen a short while ago...Sever accepted the wait. Patience makes it worth it in the end.

At the news of a Gather soon, Sever nodded. And then Habit threw in the need of an apprentice. "Well," Sever said, mulling the offer over. She did need some marks, and if it helped more people than just Habit, she would certainly take the job. "It would be an honor to be your apprentice, Habit." She gave a genuine, friendly smile. All was going well, for now.

[obeah]

"How much experience have you had with healing?" she asked. She wasn't going to turn the woman away if she said she had none, but even having been a patient was better than nothing. "What made you accept so readily? I've met few people so instantly interested."

"It's not an easy job," she warned. "You'll have to continue doing well at your candidate chores, and beyond that there's several hours of work per day for me. But there's no place you'll get more hands-on experience than at the Weyr."

[Sever]

"Not much," Sever answered, blowing her hair away from her face again. "But I had to help my brother when he fractured his leg in the woods."

"I find the medical arts quite facsinating. Humans have an amazing anatomy. And healing dragons, well, that would truly be something," She answered Habit's inquiry honestly.

She nodded at Habit's warnings. "I am up for the challenge, and I will strive to do my best in all my classes and my work." Which was true. Sever had to keep her mind occupied in all ways, and if she didn't she would be overwhelmed by boredom. Her Candidate duties were going smoothly, and the offer of a new experience was too good for her to refuse. She propped one foot against the tree. "I will do my very best."

[obeah]

Habit nodded. "That's an excellent start." Working on family was hard. If Sever had the fortitude to handle that, she would do well as an apprentice. She listened calmly to Sever's explanation. She didn't feel like crushing her dreams by pointing out that dragonhealers needed to ride, in order to communicate properly with injured dragons. Shells, for all Habit knew, Sever would Impress first next hatching.

She nodded. "I'd send you after Fletch, or Finger, or whatever she's decided is her nickname today, but that would be a hazing too cruel for even the most hardened healer." She shook her head. "Meet me in the Infirmary tomorrow morning between chores and lunch," she said, "for your first lesson." Then she padded off into the space between the huts, searching for Berlioz and her wayward blue.

{Nice threading with you. At any rate, most of Sever's lessons will be off camera. I'll set up some PC lessons for you and Tirean soon. Feel free to have her threading anywhere in the Infirmary now, but beware--Habit doesn't tolerate mistakes in medical care. This makes for good plot--see Esleren at the Hatching as an example.}