Haddar and Blue Jarmuth, impressed at Seascape - written around 2000

Haddar

Stocky of build and not overly tall at 5'8", he will be a muscular and tough addition to anyone's Weyr. He has deeply brown skin, square features on his face, and black hair which he keeps at his shoulders. His eyes are golden yellow. He is as strong as he looks, he is not flabby in the slightest.

Haddar is a quiet, gentle soul, often too quiet. He is not meek, he will stand up for himself when the need arises, but he will only voice his concerns if things get out of hand. He is endlessly polite, but won't be called a brown-noser -- not to his face anyway!

He has training in crafts such as stone cutting and mining, he is used to the dark interior of a mine shaft for his parents were both miners. He can recognize a stone or ore, and is good with excavations.

If Haddar Impresses: he would be happiest on a Brown, though a Bronze with a calm strong personailty would suit him as well. It would be doubtful that he'd actively pursue a mating Flight, but would be very interested in the results, loving children and thinking the world of others'.

Haddar and the other Candidates gathered with expectations and worry.

He hurried into the weyr bowl, standing on the hot sands with bare feet like the others. 'How can they stand it so hot!?' He thought to himself, looking at the dragons who were already about.

It didn't take long, before the crooning of the great dragons above, and the various Fire Lizards below, had come to a peak. Then the first of the eggs hatched and a wonderful Green came tumbling out, bonding to a girl nearby.
Then a Brown, and a laughing boy Impressed that one!
A green and a blue came out nearly at the same time, and the green chose a quiet lovely girl.

Then... Haddar's eyes met the Blue! The mind met Haddar's and was both cheerful and solid inside.
I am Jarmuth, my friend! bespoke the dragon.

Haddar happily announced this to the group, though in all honesty he barely acknowledged the presence of the rest!

He and the small Blue walked with confidence and a bit of trembling excitement off to the food area, where Haddar began to hand sliced meat to the hungry dragon.
"I know you're so hungry," Haddar said. "Slow down!"
Jarmuth slurped up the last of the wet meat into his snout, his long tongue slipping out and searching for more.
still hungry! I smell more!
"Of course you do, there's more for the other dragons! Leave some for them!"

***

By the time Haddar and Jarmuth left the feeding table, several others had come along, including a girl with her Blue (how amazing! thought Haddar) and finally a long time later a pleasantly healthy Gold.

Haddar heard rumors of a strange 'dud' egg, one which hatched, but try as he might, he could find no one who would tell him what happened with it.

He thought about asking Jarmuth, but by that time, they were both exhausted. Haddar lifted his tired arms with yet another handful of oil, moving the slick stuff onto the quickly drying skin on the blue.

"Here, Jarmuth, you've earned this," Haddar said, and offered the dragon another small slice of meat he'd snuck from the tables.
Jarmuth happily scarfed it down, and then settled into a long sleep.

"Well, I guess we've got our work ahead of us," Haddar said to one of the other now-Impressed candidates. "We'll start flying before you know it!"

"What's your new name, anyway?" Asked the boy, and Haddar smiled broadly.

His shoulders rose and his chest puffed up, as he said, "I am H'dar, rider of Blue Jarmuth!"

***

Over the last few months, Jarmuth and H'dar have learned how to ride and fly, as the dragon grows larger every sevenday!

H'dar has no trouble finding leathers for the riding harness that he made, and becomes popular for the harness latches that he learned to wrap in soft leathers (so they wouldn't get cold to touch while Between!). His contacts at the mine craft are always willing to send more small latches, in trade for things that the weyrlings might find on their short flights -- herbs or pottery clay from hard to reach locales...

H'dar begins his search for a weyr-mate, hoping to find someone easy to get along with -- perhaps another Blue rider?

***

H'dar and Jarmuth began flying through the skies as soon as they were able!
Just as soon as he'd turned around, Jarmuth was as large as he'd get, a medium sized Blue who was strong enough to hold his own in the wing, and who was small enough to still be playful with the younger Weyrlings.

"Look at the new clutch," H'dar said to Jarmuth, while peering over the edge of the high Weyr wall. The eggs were few in number, but they were guarded well.

"I wonder who will come out of those eggs, eh?"

Jarmuth crooned quietly, and thought, You always wonder, but you never go check. Why don't we go check our clutch mates, now?

"To see how they fare, I think we should. I wonder about the girl on her Blue, I'm still amazed at that!"

There is nothing wrong with it, Jarmuth bespoke, slightly put off. She was right for him, so you cannot say that it is odd.

"You're right, of course," H'dar replied. "You're always right about that.

H'dar continued his search for a weyrmate, later.

***

"H'dar would you come here for a minute?" M'ran called out. The tan skinned rider gave a salute, and stood before M'ran wondering what could have happened that he garnered this attention.

He was always on time, and swift with action when it came to Thread fighting. True, there had been that incident on the beach with the runner beast and the caravan of travelers... But that was moons ago!

M'ran cleared his throat.
"We have been changing things around in the weyr, certainly you have noticed."

"A bit," H'dar said, half smiling.

"Well, we have also come to the decision that your predecessor Shard will be moving into the weyrling training area."

H'dar looked to see Aer'n, renamed himself to Shard, grinning like a total idiot.

"I see that," H'dar said, "but what does ..."
He trailed off. "My... predeces... my..."
H'dar's eyes blinked several times, clearing whatever odd mist there was before them. "You mean I--"

"Stop stammering, rider!" M'ran barked, and H'dar heard Shard laughing at the barracks door. "As of today, you and Blue Jarmuth are the Wingthirds of Diamond Wing!"

Shard flipped a small emblem through the air, and on riders' reactions, H'dar caught it. It caught the light coming in from the wide weyr entrance.

Wingthird...

Smiling like he never had before, H'dar accepted the braided band M'ran offered, and saluted again.

"I won't let you or the wing down, sir. This is quite an honor. Thank you."

M'ran nodded, smiling, and turned. "Thank me after you've been in the position for a couple moons..."

He and Shard exited the weyr, leaving an exuberant H'dar behind, celebrating with Jarmuth trumpeting outside.

***

The exuberance lasted but not forever. Instead, somewhere along the way, perhaps while they were out fighting Thread... Seascape weyr simply vanished. It disappeared and was not to be found.

H'dar and some of the others, including the woeful Shard, decided that it was time to move themselves off to other places. Several followed Shard, the born leader that he was even though his dragon was but a blue.

"I know some people who... know some people," Shard explained with a pained smile. "I only wish that I knew what happened to Jere's clutch."

They flew off to Blackstone Weyr, a central locale on the Southern continent. There, Shard met up with a bronze rider named H'lis, old friends apparently. His cousin Skylar and other relatives offered support, a new location for the weyr, and more...

***

I know what it is like to wait, H'dar, bespoke Jarmuth.

"And what does that mean, my friend?" H'dar said, while polishing a large stone he intended to use as a marker for the Weyr.

It means that I have waited long enough. I am more than four turns old, I want to fly in a mating flight.

H'dar stopped his work. "Jar? What brought this on? Who is rising?"

You catch on quickly my rider. I always liked that in you. It is a pretty green named Zaith. She is very very pretty you know.

"Ah," H'dar said, "and who is Zaith's rider?"

A girl named Petzel. Zaith comes from Andromeda. She is small but she is very quick. I think that we can catch her. I mean... I am the wing leader of the Sea Blessed wing, right?

H'dar laughed loudly, and ran his hand along Jarmuth's wing edge, "you are right, my friend. Where is she?"

She is rising at the Healing Den. You know the place? Where the little dragons come from?

H'dar had heard of it, but hadn't ever been there. He was certain that his dragon would lead him right to this Zaith and her rider Petzel. Since they had been in charge of the Wing, Jarmuth was much more commanding than he had been, even while they were wingthirds for the Diamond wing at ... Seascape. He drew in a sigh.

"Well then, Jar, let's get you over there and signed up. I would like to meet this girl, anyway. I hope her dragon's up to your antics. And your appetite!"

***

It turns out that she was! Jarmuth and Zaith's clutch is at the Healing Den, and had six healthy eggs!

9/30/01
Mortimis on Brown Arabicath
Derzonil on Blue Skaarpath
Miza on Blue Hawk
Nemato on Green Foamyth
Haliria on Green Luck -- abandoned as adult
Stephion on Green Mukuruith

***

(( Here's the flight and hatching, because otherwise I guess it's nowhere now)

Zaith was outside, sunning herself on a ledge..although the past days had gone fairly well, she was not the 'boycrazy' dragon she had been when her green scales had first become vibrant. As she stared at the passing dragons below, she felt so contemptable she could spit. It seemed as if the only ones worthy were the bronzes..and knowing that they could not fly her was a blow. She hissed angrily, and spoke;

"Stupid males! You cannot hope to catch me!"

Petzel, who was inside her weyr, entertaining a friend who had come for klah, heard the remark, and gasped. The friend nodded, knowing that look.

"You better go," she said.

Petzel nodded, and ran outside, frightened by her mingling feelings of Petzel/Zaith, just as Zaith vaulted into the air, toward the feeding grounds. In Zaith's haste to get into the sky, she tumbled through the air, barely righting herself with a series of aerial acrobatics. Rumbling in fury, as if the sky was plotting against her that day, she raced toward the feeding grounds. It would be her first Flight, and her rider was pale and trembling, but Petzel chased after her, as if she herself were the competing males. But no, those males, and their riders, were following her, to the feeding grounds..

"BLOOD it, only, ZAITH!" Petzel screamed, but, since she was still little more than a young lady, and barely a woman in her mind, Zaith manage a quick bite before won over by Petzel. Petzel sobbed once, but stood, echoing the fury her beautiful dragon glared at her through reddened eyes. Finally, this ordeal was over, and Zaith spun, roaring her hatred, at the males, and, claws digging frantically in the ground while she ran to give her power. Her wings filled with air as she caught an updraft, and she glorified in the height of her soarings. However, the males followed fast. ::Two browns, and two blues:: she thought, ::Well! None of them could ever catch me!::

But they would try, as was proven as Brown Irjath went spiraling upwards, in an attempt to catch her. He missed, but apparently was not down for the count, as he tried again..This time, though, Blue Aeshoth got in his way, and the two quarrelled for a long time, scratching at each other, and biting, tangling themselves. Eventually they noticed how far behind they were, and dejectadly sailed downward, where their riders consoled them.

Petzel noticed nothing, because by now she was deep inside her dragon's mind, seeing everything. She roared happily, scoffing at the two males that had failed to win her. Petzel glared at the two losing riders, as they tried to catch her with arms that had lost. She snapped at them, and tore herself away.

Zaith was getting a little bit tired by now, because Brown Amontilath was constantly on her tail, and nearly grabbed hold. She seemed to remember that there was another blue dragon out there..but she had no time to think of that. All she wanted was to get away. But as she released herself from Amontilath's grasp, a blue shape came hurtling after her, missing her, but barreling into Amontilath . It was Blue Jarmuth! Amontilath was so bruised that he decided to go back down to the watching people, but Jarmuth decided to hide once again in the clouds..Zaith was pleased. It appeared that no one would catch her, because all of the pursuers were gone!

Suddenly, a stronger force than she had imagined blues to have, the force of determination, wrapped around her, and as the red in her eyes faded to a swirling blue, and then a purple-white, she knew she had fallen in love with Blue Jarmuth . They took their time getting down, but below, H'dar had already taken his new mate, Petzel , to the room arranged for them..

--------------------

It had been so long on the sands that people were wondering if these eggs would ever hatch! Truth be told, it was only as long as normal for a green's clutch to harden, perhaps a little longer than a gold's. The six eggs trembled softly at first, but then grew more and more steady until Zaith alerted Petzel to them.

The eggs will hatch. I want the candidates back on the sands!

Petzel ran to Baeris, and pointed out that the eggs were about to hatch – flailing her arms about until Baeris calmed her. “I'll see to it that the candidates are brought. Now, you go settle down with Zaith. This is a big moment. Look sharp. And make sure you remember to greet the candidates, it's your dragon's clutch, after all!”

Petzel went off to her temporary weyr, near the sands, so she could be ready. She paid attention to her appearance and then got someone to send for her friends and others she felt should be at this momentous hatching. While they were arriving, she was still busy preening.

The other candidates, though, were what bothered Baeris the most. There had been a number of them, wandering about waiting for the hatching. They'd been learning their lessons on flight and healing their dragon's ills, patterns for fighting in the air, and the like. There had been a number of truly intense candidates, but... Where were they? Where was the big felinoid Kyria? And whatever happened to that peaceful and observant pottery maker Noam? Baeris sent Striker out to look, but when he chirped back that he'd have to look between for them, she knew they would not be there for this hatching. It would take too long to find them at this rate. The eggs were snapping around on the sands, and the other dragons present were crooning in a beautiful chorus!

No time to think. Baeris shooed the other four, chosen before hand, to the sands. Haliria, shy sweet and intelligent. Miza, demanding and snippy almost to the point that Baeris threw her out of the Den more than once, but searched is searched... Then there were Nemato and Mortimis, two who had remained on from the Fools Day gathering. Both of them knew they were dragon-riding material, though they were both somewhat broody about their not being chosen by the abandonlings before.

Abandonlings! That was it! Baeris ran down to the abandonling chamber and saw that true to form, Stephion was still there looking at the caverns where the abandoned dragons would be. Most if not all of them were out of their weyrs, actually, either having been bonded again to someone, taken back their original impressed rider, or simply out cheering the eggs on. Even this event could bring a depressed abandonling out into the light of day.

As if they had day. Baeris shook her head and tapped Stephion on the shoulder, “Stef, there's a hatching. It's time to come and get in there. You could very well impress, you know, and we need the candidates. I haven't the time to explain.” She shooed him into the hall, and he bolted down to the hatching sands in a hurry! This was great news!

Baeris saw that one of the fine search riders for Falas weyr – the future holder of the old Protectorate Isle's lands – was there with a boy named Derzonil, and Baeris almost cried for joy. “Thank goodness you've come, just in time too,” she breathed, panting from her running about. She urged Derzonil onto the sands as well.

There they were, six ragtag kids in their normal clothing – there hadn't been time to actually stuff them into any candidate robes, and besides, it was always uncomfortable for them to wear. Baeris knew that the dragons would find their companions with or without the “editing out” of clothing and colors below the candidates' faces. It was a tradition they'd abandoned anyway.

So, with the crooning of the dragons above, and the sighing of the sands below, the hatching could finally proceed! Those in the stands were largely members of the Den's populace, but Baeris saw several relatives and friends, search riders and there was H'dar and his friends too. The blue's rider would be released back to the Protectorate's wings, where he felt most comfortable. Shard wasn't there, but that was just as well. The man would gloat and grin as if he'd laid the eggs himself! With that on her mind and a chuckle in her throat, Baeris saw the first of the small eggs begin to break open.

The egg was the larger of the bunch, and darkly cream-colored. The deep brown snout which broke through the cracks in the shell was followed by an even deeper body and wings. His wing sails were wetly transparent though, and underneath were light. He was a truly beautiful dragon, and he shook his wings off before strutting in front of the candidates. He stopped at Mortimis.

You've waited too long, and you've been punished with bad karma. But no longer! I shall assist you in your life. I am Arabicath, don't you love me?

With his eyes wide, and fingers trembling (as if with a coffee buzz, which they were) Mortimis reached out to touch his new life mate. “Arabicath... did you know you smell great? Just like a mocha java!”

They went to the kitchens to get food and to explain to the dragon that no, he did not in fact need coffee even though he was so tired.

Next to burst out into the open from their shell was a pale mottled blue dragon. He angrily tossed aside the broken shells, and sprinted over to Miza. I have been waiting for you for – forever! I remember you coming to my egg! And now I can finally see you for myself. I'm Hawk!

The dragons in the nooks above grumbled to one another. So, there would be Alskyran dragons in even this clutch? How odd!

Miza looked defiantly at Baeris and smiled widely. “I knew he'd come to me! I just knew it! Finally I've got my dragon!” Baeris only nodded and smirked. It'd be a good match, this pair.

Then two eggs shuddered, and opened up revealing two greens of very different appearances. One was a dark color, clouded with slate, the other was a minty green, bright and cheery. The darker of the two slunk around, groggily. At last, she perked up and looked up to Stephion.

You too have waited. And you were so disappointed. I hope you are not disappointed with me, though. I am Mukuiruth, your reward for remaining here. I was not certain I would find my partner among the other candidates here. She cast a glance away, but only for a moment. Her eyes were fixated on Stef, whose own eyes were tearing up.

“I did wait! I'm so glad I did!” His blue firelizard propped himself up onto Mukuiruth's shoulders, and rode her out of the area.

Then the minty green bumped into a stunned Haliria. I'm looking forward to seeing my home, Liri! My name is Luck, can you believe it?

“Oh, I can! I do! I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you!” She laughed, and hugged Luck's neck tightly. Her golden flitter hummed and nuzzled both of them, and seemed to agree entirely.

That left two eggs and two boys on the sands. When another green poked her nose from her shell, Nemato perked up. She was the color of sea foam, sort of greyish-bluish-greeny-sea. A lovely color.

I am Foamyth, by the way, she announced herself kindly to Nemato, and I will enjoy being whereever you would like to be. Would you show me this sea, that I look like? I think I would like that. Do not be disappointed any more, we'll fly and dive and do all those things you want to! But right now, I want something to eat, can you help me do that?

“I—of course I can!” Nemato said, with a stronger voice than he'd had before.

The last egg was still shaking when they left the sands. It'd been moving around for the whole hatching, and finally it broke half and half, almost right down the middle. Everyone applauded when the blue came striding from inside it, unfurled his wings, and then flopped onto his back and rolled around on the warm sands.

It feels so good, Derzonil, you have no idea how good it is to be out of that egg shell!

“I don't?” he replied, and his two green flitters chirruped and sprang into action. One of them dive-bombed over the blue's belly, apparently either wanting to tickle him, or gut him, no one was sure and she was hardly big enough to do the latter. The other clung to her master's shoulder, while he knelt down and rubbed the blue's neck. “Well, I know now. I can feel every bit of you in my head.” He looked up to Blyzska and thumbed up. “Thanks!”

Skaarpath, bespoke the blue as he got to his feet, my name is Skaarpath, by the way.

Derzonil announced that, and followed the tracks of the others into the kitchens, as everyone went their own ways.

Baeris looked at the empty shells, and the weyr which would soon be cold. Zaith and Petzel would be leaving for their home Weyr, and... these sands would become the backup sands for the Den. They were not of any use any more, since...

Baeris pushed a tear out of her eyes, and chastised herself. This had been the last normal flight, the last bunch of normal eggs that the Den would host. Since Pern was now only a memory and a cold teleport between away, she knew that there were never going to be any ‘plain old dragons' coming from the Den again.

She glanced up at greeny-golden Dulath, and smiled broadly again.