He was a bit worried about Boots, because the cat couldn't come along with him to Baskar, where Lars had been accepted as a candidate. Aspirant, something like that. He wasn't quite clear on it, and he was even less clear when the dragons were called draks, but weren't really even like the ones in the pictures his mother showed him of Icarian Draks. But the ones at Baskar came in a lot of different flavors too... Some had four wings, some had two... They were all far more beautiful than most Pernese dragons though.

That at least he could say for sure. Now, don't get that the wrong way: he lived on Pern, still, in Ablan hold with several siblings (and their dragons) at that time. But ... these dragons, they had fluffy fur, manes which were often combed and the free strands or the cut ones from the beautiful military types, were used as accents in the riders (the knights he recalled) hats and other such things.

Their skins shimmered with glowing colors, their wingsails and fur accented it or contrasted. And... they spoke. Out loud. Sort of like Dulath was often heard to do now, in the Healing Den out there. The Nexus had been kind to his family, Lars knew he had several new half-siblings out there - that was no surprise.

If he could only settle down with a nice woman - but ... what was 'nice' and who Lars often dated were quite different. It was said, that actually he fancied women that were in temperment like his aunt, Cheyanne. How that was possible, since they'd never met, was beyond anyone's knowledge. But he tended to go for fiery, pent-up and rather aggressive women. He didn't know what to do with them when they turned on him, so he more often than not simply stopped asking to see them.

None of that was on his mind, execpt for Boots' safety at home, when he got to the castle at Baskar. It was like a procession - he didn't know that the candi... the Aspirants didn't get to see the eggs. The dam of the clutches saw to that. But they did get a great little line of dragonets marching across the courtyard.

From little to big, mottled and solid, the draklings came by. One of them decided to pull up short, next to Lars. The dark storm-cloud colored youngling tilted his head, and then said, "thisss one mother!"

The day colored Galia turned to look, chuffed once, and nodded. The storm turned back to Lars and announced, "I am now yourss! We are joined! I am now called Bales apa Larsis'Iann!"

Lars stood somewhat in shock. ".... Really?"

Yes, really, the dragonet thought to him. His mind was eager, friendly but alert and a little stronger than Lars expected. Will your feline like me?

It was obvious that blue Bellfry liked the dragon, he'd set up shop in the fluffy mane between the young dragon's ears.

"I think he will, you're... you're warm." Lars discovered this because he'd reached out and started stroking the dragon's nose, it was like he'd never even seen a dragon kin before. What was true in a way was that he'd never seen his dragon before.

***

"Ooooh," Bali cooed, joined quickly by their sister Sebra, "a black! Wow, nice!"

"A storm," Lars corrected her. He sat on the dragon's narrow shoulders, having visited the Healing Den for a while to allow them to grow up. That was nothing that the siblings hadn't done otherwise, timing it through the Nexus was easy for them. It ran in their blood. It was a bit harder for a portal-creating dragon like this, their system worked a little differently - even if they weren't like their four-winged companions on Icarus they apparently tweaked their teleportation skills toward this method. But still they arrived when and where they'd intended. Just a few days after Lars had left, so Boots had not had time to worry much.

In fact the cat had set up shop in Lars' basket of spare furs, so everything seemed fine...

PERSONA: Lars
GENDER: Male
AGE: 19
ORIGIN: Buenos Weyr
OCCUPATION/RANK: Leather Craft Journeyman/ Harper (artist) apprentice
HAIR: chestnut brown, fairly curly, kept to his shoulders and often falls in his eyes
EYES: very blue, slightly almond shaped
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6’0” / 160
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: wide shouldered and tall, strong for his frame, with large, sure hands, has a good tan which reddens often
VOICE QUALITY: deep and pleasant, often laughing
LITERACY: fair to good
CLOTHING: mostly made from his work shop, likes the feel of leather and has made many things for himself with it. Usually has thin hide pants or leggings, a longish tunic with ¾ lenth sleeves, and contrasting belt and badge colors, with soft and often furry boots.
JEWELRY: has an earring in one ear, and likes to play with chains
FAMILY: third born and only Son of Baeris and Satel
CLOSEST FRIENDS: ???
SEXUAL ORIENTATION/ RELATIONS: Lars loves women. He can’t keep one with him to save his life, but he loves them none the less
PETS: fire lizard a lazy Blue, Bellfry, who is fatter than you’d want a lizard to be, and a feline: Boots, a brown male cat with white boots known to get into his work and sleep on the soft leathers
SKILLS: leatherworking and tanning of course, an excellent judge of sizes and shapes, can look at an animal and tell you what he’ll make of their hide and who it’ll go to, he is proficient with making clothing but wants to work on it further (he’s a much better creator of raw leather products than of actaully stitching it together, but he has more than the basics already), an artist of accuracy but little flair, he is able to quick-sketch things with a charcoal pencil like nobody’s business (a good courtroom artist)
PASTIMES/HOBBIES: reading up on history and events, which he then collects tapestries and pictures depicting them, breeding cats (he can’t really claim it’s his fault but Boots is rather ‘active’ if you know what I mean), documenting events himself
PERSONALITY: simple and pleasant, Lars balances himself between hard work and easy relaxation times, when work is over he’s done and if there is an emergency of any kind he’s often taken by surprise, he likes structure to his day

Name: Bales apa Larsis'Iann
Color: storm (black, shiny black, shiny grey-black)
Species: Dragon Mutt [Legend Drak]
Gender: male
Abilities: Winged Flight
Portal Teleport (open and closed, but can dimension hop and time travel with this ability as any other dragon might)
Acid Breath
Telepathy/Empathy
Father: mud Kaion apari'Ilas
Mother: day Galia ilbala'Aenn (also from the Baskar Giveaway)
Siblings: night Kothav apais'Iann, male (unbonded, did not change name)

MATES: Bales participated in the Checkerboard Ball 2021/2...3 whatever, with Merajanay and sired both Pieces and Pawns (in large quantity)