A direct descendant of the early Asian settlers of Pern, Zephyr lives up to her name, and her family.

With only one sister, and no extended family save an uncle on her mother's side, Zephyr is expected to be the best at whatever she chooses (or whatever life chooses for her). Nothing less will do, for her father Zapran and mother Pyahra. Sister Pyaz may yet follow in her steps, but Zephyr leads the way.

Born and bred in the Weyr, though among crafters in her family, Zephyr was sent into the Harpers classes at a very young age, nearly 5 turns, and came away from the experience knowing that she'd best never sing again. She cannot make instruments, but she reads and writes very well, and quickly can jot down notes. Her experiences with the Harpers taught her more how to learn than anything else, so she went into the Starcraft and mapmaking.

By the time she was 15 turns old, Zephyr was a senior Apprentice in Starcraft. However, being in Blackstone Weyr does something to a person. She began to look around for other hobbies and Crafts to work at, much to the distress of her parents.

Yet, she has promised them that if she doesn't find anything more to entertain her, she will walk the tables as a Starcrafter and be happy there.

To their further amusement, of course, Zephyr was Searched.

What now, they would ask her if she remained still for half a moment? She never rests, studying the Ancients work and the future alike.

No Harper class taught her the history of Earth, she found it on her own.

"Coming through!" Zephyr called out, loudly. The halls of the Weyr were filled this time of day with drudges and workers carrying out their busy work. Women with laundry piled high in baskets clung to the walls when they heard Zephyr's voice. They knew better than to get in her way!

The young woman finally drew into a room at the end of one hall, not out of breath even though she'd been fast-walking for several dragonlengths. "You wanted to see me sir?" She snapped a salute to H'lis, the weyrleader.

"I did," he said, tapping his pen on the desk before him. "And there is a good reason. There is a search rider from Navi weyr, here to look over candidates."

"... Navi weyr? But, not here?" Zephyr bit her lip. She'd always assumed that the dragon who searched her would be from the weyr that she would stand at!

"No, Zeph, sorry. But if it's any consolation to you, We've heard very good things about them. It's a new, but well organized weyr. You'll like it."

Zephyr sighed, and tried not to look disappointed. H'lis stood, and went to her side. "I'll take you there if you wish. If you don't impress there, you can come back and we'll put you on our sands."

Zephyr paused, and then her thin eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean, IF I don't Impress?" She said sharply. "Of course I will impress! I will impress and hopefully that dragon and I will be allowed back here to show you how good a pair we are!"

There was an edge to her voice, and H'lis recognized it. Of course. Blackstone was her home, she'd only visited a few other places, and had been taken to one of his private hide-outs, at Landing. There, he showed her the ins and outs of the huge complex under the broken volcano.

She herself was rather like a volcano: prone to sudden outbursts when everything seemed calm otherwise. H'lis knew that she would rather be standing on their home sands, but something in him told him that she'd be best off somewhere else. She would understand, the moment of Impression.

With his wisdom guiding her, Zephyr trusted her weyrleader implicitly but she didn't have to LIKE it, the young woman nodded once and turned to leave.

"When must I be ready?" She said, listless.

"Tonight, please. The search is going on down in the landing area, right now, but I'd rather have you out there before hand, so you can get used to the eggs. If that's something you think you'd like to do?"

More enthusiastic, Zephyr turned and smiled. "Good! Yes! I would. How many are there, anyway?"

H'lis bit his lip and said, quietly, "six."

That froze her again to the spot. "Six? What is that? Did something happen to them?"

"No, nothing happened, there were six eggs laid, and they need riders."

"But six eggs isn't even ... I mean, that's like a Green clutch or some-- It's a green clutch?" There were tears brimming in the sixteen turn old's red-brown eyes. "A green?" She squeaked again, as H'lis came out from around the desk and closed the office door.

"Yes, Zeph, a green's clutch. But you have to understand that Navi weyr isn't like other weyrs. They've had some unusual dragons come from their eggs, and this one might be another special clutch. We won't know until they hatch, will we? It isn't like you can choose your dragon after it hatches!"

She pulled in a breath, half a sob, and nodded again. She straightened up and tried to keep from quivering. A green. Not a gold, she wouldn't even have the chance to stand at a gold's clutch?

But he... he was right. H'lis' pale grey eyes looked calmly at the tiny girl, he stood more than a foot taller than she and she probably would never be big enough even as an adult to look him eye to eye. She met his gaze with red rimmed eyes.

She knew that he could sometimes feel thoughts. Not just ones from his dragon, or others, but from people.

So she did something very deliberately: she thought hard at him. You could have waited. You could have let me attend a gold's clutch. My parents will be furious if I didn't even get the chance to do that.

Taken aback, and proving that Zephyr was right about the weyrleader's abilities, H'lis blinked and looked concerned. "Zephyr, you must understand that every clutch is important. Pern depends on dragons for its survival, and that includes every green, blue, white and other kind that you could think of. You know that."

"I do," she said, low. "And you have to know that if it were a gold's clutch I wouldn't feel such anger. It isn't anyone's fault they want me there now, for this. And I'll have to act better around their Weyr than this. I'm sorry. My behavior is terrible."

"You're right," H'lis said, "it is."

She wasn't expecting that. Spinning on him, she was about to even attempt to strike out at him, hard nails balled up into her fist. But then she calmed. He was right. Every clutch WAS important. And if there was a chance of something special, it wouldn't usually be from a Gold's clutch anyway.

She looked at the floor and sneered at herself. "I am sorry, sir. If you think that I will be best at Navi, then I must impress the best they have to offer." With her head held high, and a look of determination on her face now, she said, "Nothing else will do. Green, blue, white, whatever." She reiterated his words.

"That's a girl," he said, "Now, go pack your things. Be prepared for anything."

Nodding once more, bowing formally as she had learned to in her home as well at Landing from their historical database, she exited and sped down the hall back to her weyr.

Now that was interesting, bespoke Synesth. Do you think she will like what she finds?

She'd better, H'lis told his dragon. Otherwise I think I'm in trouble...

Zephyr stood with the others, nervous. This was the moment of truth. This green clutch, on an almost untested sands, was to be for her.

She swallowed back another sob. She got a grip on her anger, her depression and her silly thoughts long before. But this was hard on her. The beautiful green dam, Kith, nosed at the eggs on the sands, as they hatched. The first was an amazing greyish color, platinum in the light. Then, Cortez impressed himself a blue!

The big egg rolled around until it finally hit the wall and broke. Then yellow, red, orange and blue came tumbling out of it! But there were two dragons, a blue, and the other red, orange and yellow flames. How unusual! The crowd took its breath in, but Zephyr stared at the pair of dragons as they BOTH approached HER!

Could it be? ... Could one of these dragons want her? How could they both be ... wanting her? Could both of them impress?

No. They couldn't. In fact, neither did. They both went off to find their partners, and left Zephyr on the sand shaking with tears in her eyes. But there were three eggs left, and only Zephyr and Thoza on the sands. What would happen to the other egg?

When the green dragon came out of her shell for Thoza, Zephyr concentrated on the other dragonet. While everyone thought that it was male, since it was blue for the most part, the most amazing thing about her was the colors dancing over her head in many shades. And more: that "he" was a SHE!

Even though I am from a green's clutch, I am proud. You should be too. A gold is not worthy of you. Only me! I am Tsuyoith!

I'm so glad I was searched, now! Zephyr bespoke her dragon, touching the delicate but strong mind with her own.

***

Zephyr and Tsuyoith have participated in the Halloween Frenzy at the Healing Den!