B'tor

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Mooncrest Weyr

Baritor was awakened by a hand urgently shaking him. "Eh? What?" he mumbled blearily, blinking dazedly up at the dragonrider standing over him. "The Hatching, boy, the Hatching! It's starting! Now!" J'layle hissed, and ran out to the next Candidate's weyr.

Baritor shot out of bed and was down to the Hatching Grounds a few tense heartbeats later, still pulling his robe over his head.

Two more eggs left. Baritor couldn't believe his eyes as a second brown hatched, and out of the egg he had been talking to! The young man held his breath as the hatchling tramped decisively towards him. Where are the little ones with the little, little ones? piped up an eager voice in his mind.

It took Baritor a few seconds to realize what had just happened. And another few to figure out what his dragon was talking about. "Oh, they're nearby I'm sure, Uneth." B'tor smiled radiantly at his brown. Oh. There was a momentary silence as Uneth (Oo-neh-th) digested these words. Then--Can I get something to eat now?

"Aren't the stars pretty, Un?" B'tor remarked, staring up at the brilliant points of light. He and Uneth were out on the ledge of the weyr they and another weyrling shared. The rider was leaning back against his brown's chest, inside a circle formed by the two forearms. Spring and Autumn were curled up together between the dragon's headknobs, sleeping soundly.

Uneth's mutli-faceted gaze moved up to contemplate the night sky, his own jewel-like eyes more beautiful than any star in B'tor's mind. They are very interesting, rider mine. Why? the brown replied thoughtfully, looking back down at his rider. "One day we'll be up there, you and I, soaring under the stars." B'tor told him, his voice quiet and dreamy.

They look too far away to soar under. Isn't the sky big enough? Uneth asked, sounding puzzled. The rider laughed and reached up to stroke the brown's soft-downed eyeridges. Uneth obligingly bent his neck, crooning in pleasure at the caress.

"All the same, Uneth my love, we'll be there someday."

"Uuuuggh this heat is killing me!" B'tor flopped down next to Uneth, who was basking in the hot sun. The big brown extended a wing helpfully and fanned his sweating rider gently. How can heat kill someone? I like the sun. the dragon asked.

Leaning back, B'tor grinned. "It's an expression, dear." he explained, "And that ocean looks very inviting..." the rider jumped up, ran forward and dove into the cool water. Uneth whuffed and launched himself after the young man, creating an enormous tidal wave that bowled the rider over. B'tor laughed as soon as he came up, sputtering.Sorry. the brown said contritely, wallowing happily with just his head and neck above the surface.

B'tor chuckled mischievously and splashed at Uneth's head, making the dragon snort in surprise. Soon they were in an all-out water war, with Uneth winning rather obviously. He was a dragon, after all.

Suddenly the brown stopped and looked up. B'tor spat out a mouthful of seawater and followed his dragon's gaze. Flying gracefully above them was a green dragon. She is very beautiful, don't you think? Uneth asked dreamily. B'tor just looked at him. "Er....right." he stammered. The brown didn't notice, still intent on watching the gliding green.