Welcome to Gaia! ::

H'ran lead the weyrlings to the barracks.
"Girls there!" He pointed to the left when the corridors split. "An' boys there!" He pointed right. "Pick a chamber and a bunk. You'll be sharing with one or two other weyrlings. You'll see some supplies in a basket there. Bring them out and don't let your dragons bed down! They still have to be bathed and oiled before they bed down, and you'll have to learn."

“Hmm, how about in here Niadeeth?” Evabrie asked as she pointed to the room Kyra had just walked into. Niadeeth stuck her head in the doorway, gave a chirp, and pranced inside. When Evabrie followed, she found that the dragon had already sat down on one of the miniature stone couches. I like this one . Evabrie saw that another girl was already in the room and turned to her. “Hello, my name’s Evabrie, over there’s Niadeeth. She seems to have found herself a spot she likes, would it be ok if we roomed with you two?”
I do like this one. Oh! Did you want it? If so, I’ll move. It took Evabrie a second to realize Niadeeth had been asking Xanth. I didn’t know I could hear her talk to other dragons as well, she thought to herself.

Karra walked into the left side of the barracks. There were two girls in a room already with their greens. She passed them by, and entered the next room. Tanneth crawled in behind her and began sniffing around, as Marrin balanced on Karra's arm looking around.

Is this truly where we will be sleeping? It is small.

"I know it's a little small for you, love," Karra said. "But I doubt that you will be sleeping here. I do have to share with one or two others, you know. That will make a tight space, with Marrin flitting around everywhere."

She patted the firelizard. Tanneth's eyes whirled a little faster at the thought of being away from his lifemate for so long. Karra walked forward and sat on the edge of a bed. She looked around; sure enough, there was a basket full of supplies. She pulled the basket toward her and peeked inside. There were thick brushes inside as well as rags and all sorts of other things she couldn't place. Briefly, she wondered is you used sweetsand to bathe a dragon. She smiled. She and Tanneth might smell the same as well as being lifemates.

There is no comparison between smelling the same and being lifemates. Will you bathe me soon? I am sandy, and I feel itchy.

"I'll bathe you and oil you soon," Karra said. "If you think I'm going to do something I shoudn't, please tell me. I don't find being reprimanded by H'ran the most desirable thing, even if it's only my first day. I have, after all, had the good fortune of being prepared by Marrin. I think it's much the same. I hope."

Of course. Although, it is my first day as well. I would not know what to do.

Marrin chirped in agreement, and Tanneth's eyes whirled pleasantly. Karra smiled and leaned back on the bunk. It was soft, and she could feel Tanneth's desire for sleep mixing with her own exhaustion. But she reluctantly stood up and walked to the door of the chamber.

The two girls in the other chamber were talking loudly, and Tanneth said that the two greens were conversing as well. Girls were a talkative lot, weren't they? But they'd best listen, or else Karra had a feeling H'ran would not be so pleased or forgiving. He was the one, afterall, who was responsible for their training. Listening, she couldn't quite distinguish what tey were saying. But she supposed she needed to know their names.

Tanneth, who are they?

They are Kyra, rider of green Xanth, and Evabrie, rider of green Niadeeth. They are greens as well. Will they be nice to me?

I hope so. I so for their riders' sakes. Anyone who is mean to you, love, will not be mean again.

Karra's response was so fierce that Tanneth looked at her in surprise. Karra retreated to the bunk she had chosen, and deftly placed Marrin on top of it.

"Keep it safe for me, won't you, Marrin?" she said. "If you must, check on Tanneth every so often to be sure she is comfortable. If I am doing some wrong, please fell free to correct me."

Marrin chirped smugly, making it plain that he thought himself the only one on Pern suitable for the job. Karra laughed. The firelizard was just as bronze as a dragon.

Evabrie felt herself release a breath she hadn’t know she was holding. She hadn’t realized how much the approval of the others meant to her. “Thank you, I’m glad I found a roommate so quickly!” She said, not only noticing several Weyrlings still looking about in a daze in the hallway, but genuinely delighted with her room assignment. I am happy too. We go together well. We are green and you are both yellow. Niadeeth announced with more than a little pride at her epiphany. “Yellow? Oh, you mean blonde! You’re right, the four of us do match in a way.” Yellow hair is called blonde dearest.
Oh, oops.
Not at all, it was still quite clever my dear. Evabrie actually had no way of knowing what was clever for a dragon, especially a newly hatched one, and what wasn’t, but she had found that a compliment was hardly ever harmful if given with good intentions. Just then she noticed something green dart around Kyra. “Whoa, you have a firelizard too? Minim did I hear you say? She’s a true beauty. When did you Impress her?”
I itch.
“Ah, yes we should get you bathed shouldn’t we.” She grabbed one of the supply buckets by the handles. “We’ll talk as we walk then,” she suggested to Kyra.

((@ Druid Tigeress: Karra's dragon is Tanneth, not Niadeeth. Thought I should point that out, to avoid confusion in the future.))

Karra heard the other two girls leave their chamber. Probably going to bathe and oil their dragonets. I should get giong too. A little guiltily, she picked up a bucket of the things she would need and went to the doorway.

"Stay here, Marrin," she said. "Come on Tanneth, we have to get you all clean."

Clean! Will you make it stop itching as well? It really itches.

"Of course," Karrasaid, laughing. "Now we have to go."

Karra let Tanneth into the hallway first and stepped in behind her. She could see Kyra and Evabrie with their greens ahead of them. She felt a little lonely, hearing them talking. But she pushed off the feeling hastily. not wanting Tanneth to think she was distressed. The two kept a little way behind the others, but it wasn't long before Karra's arms were getting tired from holding the bucket of supplies. She set it down and stretched her arms.

Does it hurt?

Tanneth's eyes whirled yellow with anxiety for her rider. Karra chuckled and patted her head.

"Not a bit," she said softly, aware that the others would be listening. "I'm just a little stiff from carrying the bucket."

Tanneth looked at the bucket then back at Karra. Why do you carry it? I could help.

Despite herself, Karra laughed openly at her lifemate's statement. "You can't carry a bucket!" she said, still laughing.

She bent down and grabbed the bucket, hoisting it higher above Tanneth's head. Tanneth's eyes whirled blue and green, though she pretended to be offended. Karra lowered the bucket and let it rest on her hip, eyes shining down with pride at Tanneth. She couldn't have asked for a dragon better suited to her.

You cannot ask for a dragon more suited. We are one, and that will never change.

I know. I'm glad it won't, either. I couldn't live without you. I don't know how I did before.

Neither do I.

“No, only one person at the Weavercrafthall had one, we’re not high up on the list for clutches that are found, and since we’re not near any beaches, we never found any of our own. My younger brother never let that stop him from looking for some though,” she said with a laugh. Why do they whisper?
Whisper? Who? Evabrie then turned around to see another weyrling and her green dragon a little ways behind them. I don’t know, but if they were whispering, why were you listening?
Niadeeth responded with a grumble and a snort.
Ha! Well, the least we can do is introduce ourselves.
Why? I can just ask for their names and tell you.
Sorry love, but humans would consider that distant and rude. We don’t want to come off as snobs now do we?
I still don’t quite understand, but if you say so. Is it rude to be quick about it? I itch! And the green accompanied the latter word with a wiggle to communicate her discomfort, causing Evabrie to stifle a chuckle so she wouldn’t offend her dragon. “Hey Kyra, why don’t we walk with the other green rider back there? Oh dear! What happened to your leg? Are you alright?”

“Oh, well that’s good, your leg I mean.”
Evabrie noticed Kyra’s hesitation and turned, partially to greet the other weyrling and also to hide an understanding smirk. She had once been a little timid herself and she knew how awkward these situations could be. Oh! Xanth, wait for me, I want to meet her too! And Niadeeth started waddling towards the new green. Slightly taken aback, Evabrie laughed and commented, “Well, they’ve absolutely no reservations now do they!” Slow down Ni, or else you may run them over, with your body as well as your excitement! Niadeeth stopped and arched her neck around so she could see her rider, a puzzled expression plain on her face. I’d never. Oh…well…that was just that once… she exclaimed, suddenly remembering her own Impression. Evabrie then bent down and lovingly stroked her dragon’s eye ridges. Don’t worry dear heart. I know you would never hurt anyone. And I wouldn’t have had us Impress any other way. Then, remembering where she was, Evabrie looked up at Karra. “Hello, my name’s Evabrie, this is Niadeeth. Ha, that is, if she didn’t already tell you while she was trying to bowl you over.”