Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows

Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold

Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold

Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall

Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: Heather
Date Posted: 24th November 2017

Characters: T'kala
Description: T'kala thinks back on his time at Dolphin Cove and a new person of interest
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 9

T'kala was quiet, keeping his thoughts to himself as he rubbed his hands over Dagreth's hide, watching as the water pushed the suds down into gently lapping water of the Weyrlake. Dagreth always preferred the Weyrlake for baths as opposed to the ocean water. T'kala had no preference, but if it pleased his dragon, then it made him happy as well.

}:You're thinking about Neavith's rider again?:{ Dagreth asked, turning his dark, midnight blue head around to regard his rider with one large, whirling eye.

**You noticed,** T'kala picked up his brush and began scrubbing Dagreth's back flank.

}:Of course I noticed. I am always listening. I am always here.:{ Dagreth said this with warm feelings of support.

**It's stupid, I shouldn't be thinking about him anyway.** T'kala answered.

}:You felt good when you were with him. What makes you sad?:{ The blue wondered.

T'kala thought about that, shielding his musings from his lifemate as he tried to sort through his memories

A month or so before River Bluff had gone under, T'kala had been asked to help a struggling male greenrider out. He was a virgin, holdbred, and needed a little experience before his first mating flight. T'kala, having come from a similar background, had been asked by a member of the Weyrlingstaff to help.

At first T'kala had done so out of duty, knowing that it would make things better down the road for E'yen, but over the course of the month, he'd found himself developing genuine feelings for E'yen, feelings he'd thought were mutual. After their first night together E'yen had certainly been eager enough to invite T'kala over on most nights.

Then River Bluff had fallen and they'd been shipped off to Dolphin Cove. Once they'd arrived T'kala had expected things to continue like normal with E'yen, but E'yen had other plans, there were new people at Dolphin Cove to meet, and now that he'd gained much experience with T'kala he hadn't needed him anymore.

It stung to know that he'd been developing feelings, while E'yen had just been learning. It was his own stupid fault for thinking emotions had anything to do with their arrangement, but... E'yen had been everything that T'kala enjoyed in a man, delicate, but in a strong way, and witty, yes, E'yen had been sharp and intelligent.

He supposed that his feelings of not being good enough stemmed back to his early teenage Turns. Before he'd Impressed Dagreth T'kala had been bullied, a lot. He'd been short then, and small, so skinny that it was easy for older kids to pick on him. Back then he'd been shy about his sexuality, but after Impressing Dagreth that had quickly come to an end. It hadn't happened over night, but over the past six Turns T'kala had really come to know who he was and what he wanted. He'd gained the confidence to know that he was enough, and that he was good enough. E'yen deciding to cut ties with him didn't change his self-worth.

**It's nothing, Dagreth. I guess I just miss him some. Probably because I know so few people here at Dolphin Cove.** Even though they'd been at their new home for a while now, T'kala hadn't made any concerted efforts to make new friends aside from the River Bluff riders he already knew.

There was at least one new friend he would like to make, and he was pretty sure his name was A'vel.

}:Yes, that is Tsogath's rider.:{ Dagreth informed him.

T'kala had seen the greenrider, but just in passing, he'd never introduced himself. The first time he'd set eyes on A'vel had been during a flight where Dagreth was chasing Tsogath, he hadn't won of course, against those bronzes, but he'd tried.

}:I'll get her next time.:{ Dagreth sniffed, pride wounded.

**Of course you will,** T'kala said with a little smile as he smacked his brush playfully against his lifemate's hide. And tomorrow, T'kala would introduce himself to A'vel, there was no point in dwelling on the past any longer.

Last updated on the December 10th 2017