However far away, I will always love you

[PhazonDragon]

[ooc: Open. Keltin's arrival. I'll play I'nao for sake of simplicity.]

Three

Two...

One...

Below him, the blackness opened up, revealing a large mountain range. The cold and bitter air wasn't welcome over the cold of between but that didn't stop of the look of wonder on Keltin's face. He stretched up in his seat, leaning over the edge of the blue dragon to get a better look of what was below. While the dragon flew forward, the rocky land below rolled on. The dragon's shadow imitated the blue-purple beast, and chased onward on the ground. The single sun was directly overhead, and if it wasn't for the cloud cover above, Keltin would have had his back cooked to a nice well-done. As such, he tightened his grip around I'nao's mid-section as Zimanrath dipped his wings, and they glided closer towards the weyr's location.

Ahead, the distinct shape of a weyr bowl loomed. Tapped his good friend on the shoulder, Keltin pointed forward--words would get lost on the wind. I'nao nodded, having seen it too, and mentally told his blue to land there. Zimanrath growled, and the sound carried back to reach Keltin's ears before it was swept away by the wind whistling in his ears. The wind bit at his fingers and nibbled his ears. Keltin only wished for a warming riding jacket. He should have expected it, he should have brought more with him. As it stood, the young man only had the clothes on his back and the friendship of I'nao and Zimanrath. The blue started to drift downwards, the gap towards the weyr bowl crossed in a matter is seconds for the speedy dragon, and Keltin saw that the blobs of color on the ledges were dragons. Mostly greens and blues, but a few of the other colors as well, not to mention white.

"This is where we leave you, Keltin," I'nao said, flipping his long brown hair out of his eyes. He placed a hand on Keltin's, patting the young man as they sat on the back of the blue in what could pass of as a loving embrace. Keltin raised an eyebrow. I'nao was a friend, and Keltin was his plaything. "Mmm..." the bluerider murmured, pulling off Keltin's hands as Zimanrath landed gracefully. "Here we are." I'nao climbed out of the saddle, and half-slid, half-jumped down the blue's foreleg. He bent his knees on landing, paused, then straightened and turned to offer his hand to Keltin in a womanly flourish. "Coming?"

Relatively unshaken, though a little confused, Keltin swung his legs over the side of the dragon, and mimicked I'nao as he slid then jumped down the dragon's foreleg. He grabbed I'nao's hand and used it to help himself to stand. "Thank you. This is Rocky?" He took a look around, dropping his grip on the bluerider's hand, and turning on the spot. It definitely wasn't the same as home, and he couldn't wait to leave. The sky was of a different shade... And they had one sun. Keltin stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest. His light shirt pressed against his skin uncomfortably. "What now? Do I just go in and I'm part of the weyr?" he prompted the rider, facing the flamboyant man again.

I'nao shrugged. "It's not as simple as that, I assure you," he said. "Zi, dear, could you... like call someone? Or a dragon? Or something? Please, my dearest blue?" he pleaded with the dragon, stepping over to his side and scratching at his chest. "You know you're handsome..." he purred, though he stared at Keltin.

Of course, Zimanrath nobly  responded, standing up straight. Dragons of Rocky! Mine has come with a candidate! May we speak to those in charge? We are in the weyr bowl![/I] The blue's voice boomed through the minds of the dragons at Rocky. Now he awaited a response to his request.

[Wesku]

Gruulath was already in the air with T'sai when the Blue issued his call. Curious, T'sai instructed the Brown to head over to the Blue's location and check things out. The Weyr wasn't expecting a candidate today, but that hardly mattered. What the candidate was Standing for did.

I wonder if he'll be a wher or dragon candidate. What do you think, Gruulath?

The Brown snorted.

We will see soon enough Mine. Have patience.

T'sai grinned and leaned forward a little. Even though Gruulath had been speaking fluently for almost a month now, the final traces of depression had finally left his eyes completely. It was a good day indeed.

Once they reached the weyrbowl, Gruulath bagan to spiral down until he had landed beside his smaller cousin. T'sai wasted no time in leaping off Gruulath's back and landing lightly on the ground where he could better study the new candidate as well as the foreign rider.

"Hail, I have never met you. What Weyr are you from friend? I am T'sai of Brown Gruulath and formerly of Igen Weyr."

Gruulath shifted and nodded towards the Blue.

Greetings Blue. I am Gruulath. My rider is T'sai.

[FaizahPandora]

Gorth was just leaving his weyr to head to the lake when he heard the call. He called His to him, who came with more than a little apprehension at the mention of a new candidate. Kain asked Gorth to call Faizah and Surth down.

When they reached the blue and the two strange men Kain nodded not only to them but to T'sai and Gruulath. "Welcome. I am Kain, the weyrleader here. This is my bronze Gorth. The weyrwman, Faizah, will be here momentarily. We weren't expecting a candidate today..." Kain introduced.

[PhazonDragon]

The first to arrive was a half-blind brown, and his rider. The larger dragon approached from above, flying in from overhead. Zimanrath stood proud as the brown landed. The brown's rider leapt down from the dragon's back, and was quick to greet I'nao and Keltin. Hello Gruulath, the blue introduced himself with a dip of the head, This is my I'nao, and his... friend, Keltin. He had to pick the right word for Keltin, and his choose his words carefully.

I'nao dropped his hand as Keltin let go, and turned to face T'sai. "Why hello there, Brownrider T'sai," the bluerider said with a deep bow. "I am I'nao, and I ride Zimanrath--"he motioned to the purply-blue hide behind him, "--and this is Keltin." I'nao smiled warmly, patting the younger man on the back. "We come from Fort Weyr, bringing Keltin as a wher candidate." These last words were rushed as I'nao was easily distracted by the appearance of the bronze dragon. "Weyrleader Kain and Bronze Gorth, pleased to meet you. I'm I'nao, and this is my blue, Zimanrath," the rider repeated.

"I'm Keltin," he jumped in. I'nao didn't have to introduce him; he could introduce himself. He gave both T'sai and Kain a nod in greeting. Kain was the weyrleader, and Faizah was the weyrwoman. Keltin committed those two facts to memory. It wouldn't do if he forgot their names, despite the fact that he wasn't planning on staying all that long. Keltin flinched at the weyrleader's mention of no new candidates. "Uh, well, you see," he stammered, trying to think of an explanation.

A friendly smile on I'nao's face still lingered. He placed a hand on Keltin's shoulder. "It was a bit of a last minute thing," he started, "Keltin's a wher candidate, and we didn't want to wait too long for a message to get through..." I'nao's smile left, but his eyes stayed warm. "Besides, Keltin needs some time to adjust. Earth is different than Pern... And he needs some time to get acquainted with everyone at Rocky Weyr."

You're pushing it, I'nao, Zimanrath warned, folding his wings to his side. And you seem to be getting clingy. Do you not want to leave Keltin behind? Tell him how you feel, not show him. The blue's murmurings went unnoticed as I'nao ignored him for the sake of keeping his mind on one conversation.

[FaizahPandora]

Kain arched one eyebrow at the explanation given. For some reason he didn't believe it entirely. But atleast there would be one more candidate for Samarsk's clutch. He vaguely noticed Gorth attempt to get comfortable, despite his broken wing having been splinted. Kain asked the bronze to relay the explanation to Surth and then to Faizah. Then the bronze introduced himself.

Greetings to you, Blue Zimanrath.

At that moment Faizah flew in on Surth, landing more than a few feet to the side so that a collision could be avoided. She smiled as she approached. "Hello, I am Faizah. The Weyrwoman of Rocky. I just sent my firelizard to Fort to tell them you had arrived."

Surth moved forward and took up a seat next to Gorth, on the same side that Gruulath was on. He spoke to both the brown and the blue. Greetings Blue Zimanrath. I welcome you and yours to Rocky for your time here. Surth turned to Gruulath. How are you and yours on this day, Gruulath?

[Wesku]

T'sai nodded politely as I'nao introduced himself and then the new candidate, Keltin. The rider seemed polite enough and T'sai saw no point in returning his politeness with rudeness. Turning as the Weyrleaders came up individually, T'sai nodded politely to them as well.

"Greetings again I'nao and Keltin. Greetings Weyrwoman and Weyrleader."

Gruulath was responding in almost the same manner as his rider. Nodding to Zimanrath, the large Brown turned to address his leaders.

Both Mine and I are doing well Surath. Thank you for your concern.

As soon as the pleasantries were out of the way, T'sai turned back to Keltin.

"So you are a wher candidate? You look like you can handle one of the brutes. I would be far to impatient to constantly deal with their fierce temperaments. It takes a special person to want a wher. Welcome and good luck. I hear it is a Gold clutch, so there is a high chance of a higher ranking color."

[PhazonDragon]

Both I'nao and Keltin noticed the splint on Gorth's wing, and the two cast each other a glance. Keltin raised an eyebrow, while I'nao was more noticeable with visible shrug, confused frown, and audible slur of words that formed 'iunno'. If either of them were to ask, it would be I'nao, but the situation didn't call for that, and Keltin was thankful. Both of them missed Kain's doubted look about I'nao's explanation, which might be for the better. "Ah, the Weyrwoman," I'nao said, noticing the gigantic white dragon that landed, and the female that climbed down.

"The Weyrwoman rides white?" Keltin said with disbelief. He now had his own doubts as to this weyr. He was going to leave soon after bonding to a wher... He knew that. He assumed it. I'nao would be back to pick him up. He wouldn't have to stay at the weyr with a leading whiterider. A gold-sized white didn't mean one could run a weyr... The firelizard didn't help matters. Fort would know about I'nao's leaving to take Keltin to Rocky. They couldn't know--how much communication could a flitter have anyway? Keltin nodded. "Good to meet you, Weyrwoman, I'm Keltin, this is I'nao," the candidate responded, ignoring I'nao's shocked look.

Zimanrath regally dipped his head to the white, though he shared Keltin's feelings, more so since the blue was weyrborn. Hello Bronze Gorth, and thank you, White Surth, the blue finished, shuffling to settle into a sitting position. His tail flicked at the tip, and slowly snaked around to attempt to curl around I'nao and Keltin. However, the two stepped forward, and Zimanrath was content with twisting his tail around his legs. He sat back, staying out of the proceedings happening on the ground below him. The blue was the smallest of the dragons present, though he wondered if he was the oldest.

"So you are a wher candidate?" T'sai started, talking to Keltin.

He nodded as T'sai continued. A special person to want a wher indeed. "Thank you. Yes, we've heard it's a gold clutch too," Keltin agreed, though he didn't have much to say about the ranking colors. On the one hand, why not? On the other, so much responsibility. Of course he'd be able to deal with it, but would everyone want a male prostitute in charge? "It'd be nice to get a ranking color, yes," he finally managed to say. "But it's up to the wher, and I'm not going to force that."

[FaizahPandora]

Kain caught their confused expressions when they set eyes on Gorth's wing. He decided to try and explain, even though Faizah had arrived. "Gorth had a run in with green Crucith. A very foul tempered green. For some reason, she decided to try and attack me, but Gorth stepped between. His wing was broken in the scuttle."

Faizah smiled as she was greeted by who must have been the blue rider. She turned to the one who was the wher candidate with another, almost apologetic smile. "Most are apprehensive about a white rider leading. Surth and I aquired the job due to being the first Earthian pair to have to return to Earth."

Kain and Faizah both fell silent when T'sai asked the boy, Keltin, about being a wher candidate. When the comment about ranking colors came into the conversation, Kain laughed. "If Faizah's sister can Impress that foul bronze, I'm sure Keltin can Impress a ranking color!" Kain explained his fit of laughter as best he could.

Faizah scowled at him, then turned and attempted to explain her sister's wher. "Lakeesk is very protective of my sister. Bordering on possesive of her." It was after a moment of near silence, with the exclusion of Kain's continued giggles, that Faizah remembered her manners. "Would you like to come inside? There I can offer you a drink. And your blue, Zimanrath was it? Your blue could go and help himself to the feeding grounds."

[PhazonDragon]

The explanation of Gorth's injury made I'nao's eyes widen with concern. Well clearly the bronze was alright, but a green tried to attack a bronze? Or rather, the rider of a bronze. Either Kain provoked the green or she just decided the lash out. For all it's worth, greens don't randomly attack bronzes. I'nao couldn't say much though, since he wasn't a resident here. He didn't know about the greens at Rocky. "Keltin, you better watch out for her then," he chuckled, nudging the boy in the back.

Shrugging off the bluerider's half-hearted warning, Keltin nodded in understanding of Faizah's explanation. It was only fitting that someone was weyrwoman before the golds matured. Keltin did assume that once a gold Rose, the Queen and the winning bronze would take over as leaders of the weyr. With help from Kain and Faizah, of course. "Well, thank you for your confidence," he hesitantly replied to the laughing Weyrleader. Oh so that was it--a protective bronze wher, the handler being Faizah's sister. Weren't the weyrleaders good friends...? Keltin suspected, with the way Kain joked about the Weyrwoman's sister. "Yes, I think it would be great to go inside," he commented, turning to Faizah.

"Did you hear her, Zi?" I'nao said, spinning around to look at Zimanrath, and mentally prodding the blue. "Help yourself, but don't over stuff. You still have to carry me back," he finished with a wink. "Go on, I'll call you when we're done." I'nao daintily raised his arm to wave the blue off. With a look that could pass for one of mock annoyance, Zimanrath stood up and took off, heading for the feeding grounds he passed over on the way in.

Glancing at I'nao, Keltin questioned Faizah's invitation. Would it really be best for the bluerider to stay longer than he needed to? It might ruin the point of him arriving unannounced--too late. I'nao was already stepping forward having seen the blue off for a few minutes. "Are you sure you want to come with, I'nao? Don't you have something else to get to?" he pressed, holding up the rider a hand to his shoulder. "We wouldn't want to keep you here if you need the extra time..." he nearly hissed through his teeth, the underlying tone telling the rider to call his dragon back and return to Pern.

"Don't be silly, Keltin. I have nothing to do anytime soon! Hah!" I'nao's feminine face lit up in a smile as he laughed, patting Keltin on the back. "Lead the way, Werywoman!" he said with a short bow.