Is it Initiative or Is it Stalking?
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
Writers: Duskdog, Shawna
Date Posted: 5th July 2025
Characters: Nidre, Cirina
Description: Cirina is trying to make herself helpful to Nidre
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 2 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Aeoluth (O'rosin)
Cirina was becoming a menace. Any time she wasn’t strictly required to be elsewhere, she was outside the hatching grounds, ready to spring to her feet at the slightest hint that Nidre was stirring. She brought things. Meals and tea and baked goods, and once a shawl when the temperature had dared drop below balmy.
Every time she presented an unasked for snack or returned from an errand, the candidate peeked in at the eggs with barely hidden longing.
Nidre hadn’t even made it out the doorway this time before Digger chirped and Cirina scrambled to her feet. “Weyrwoman, can I get you something?”
Nidre wasn’t even surprised anymore. She wasn’t necessarily unused to people _occasionally_ going a little overboard waiting on her, but Cirina’s attention had been very particular lately, and it wasn’t hard to guess why. “Cirina, how long have you been waiting out here?”
“Since my last lesson,” Cirina said brightly. It was the truth, but non-specific enough that it surely couldn’t be taken badly. ‘Were you going somewhere?”
“I was, in fact. What are you going to do if it’s not something you can help with?”
“Ummm ask if there's anything I CAN help with? Maybe you need something cleaned? Or I could come back at a better time,” considering how often she'd been under foot lately, it was likely she was going to do that anyway.
Nidre rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Or you _could_ just ask me for whatever it is you’re wanting to ask me for. In the meantime, you can come along with me, though -- I need some things from the archives and you can help carry.”
Cirina fell into step with a bright, “Alright! I just, you know, want to be helpful. And maybe if I’m really helpful, Jossenth will take pity on an old candidate and let me see the eggs early?” When Nidre glanced over at her, the grin on her face was so wide and hopeful it almost looked unnatural.
“Well… this is an upgrade from you sneaking out there on your own this time, at least, isn’t it?” Nidre couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I wouldn’t recommend doing that, by the way. Jossenth would probably be amused, but Zarkarth definitely would not. Anyway, I fully plan on letting you all get a chance to touch once the eggs harden a bit more -- would seeing them early make any difference?”
“Yeah, that didn’t work so well,” Cirina admitted. “I can still smell the infirmary in my hair when I close my eyes. I don’t know. It might help. Maybe I’m an acquired taste, and I just need a little more time than most candidates. It certainly couldn’t hurt. I’m very gentle.I didn’t even mess up a firelizard egg, and they’re way more delicate than a dragon egg,” she pointed up at Digger where he rode on her shoulder.
“I like to think that taking care of a firelizard is a good sign that someone has good potential with a dragon, at least,” Nidre agreed. “As for time… maybe your dragon just hasn’t hatched yet? I know you’re probably sick to death of hearing it, but it might just be true.”
“I’ve taken care of a baby dragon, too! Aeoluth came out just fine.” Cirina slowed a little, her footsteps scuffing against the dirt. “I hope there's not just one chance at a dragon. That might mean mine is buried in the rubble of River Bluff,” she said morosely. “It's easier to hope I just have to convince one that I’d be a good rider.”
Nidre honestly hadn’t thought of it that way. She had been lucky -- she wasn’t even weyrbred, and her own dragon had hatched early for her. “It’s hard having to wait,” she acknowledged. “To think there’s nothing you can do to affect the outcome, no action you can take. I get it, I wouldn’t have dealt with that very well, either. You are _definitely_ the go-getter type. Hence you being here.”
“No no. I’m here because I do think there’s something I can do. I figure, the egg touching must help, or we wouldn’t do it. So more touching would help more,” Cirina spoke with the earnest enthusiasm of a teen that thought she had found a loophole. “I just need to give one of them a chance to… acquire a taste for Cirina. I would be a very good rider. I’m very good with dragons.” Or so she thought.
“I don’t doubt that.” By this point, they had reached the archives, and Nidre took a moment to confer with the archivist on duty. They’d spoken earlier about the material she wanted and most had already been gathered, but they would need to wait a few moments for the rest. “Well, nobody really knows what makes a difference, which is frustrating, but you’re right -- touching might help. More touching? Maybe, who knows?” She paused. “It would ultimately be up to Jossenth, you know. And it wouldn’t be a lot of time, because it’s probably best that the other Candidates don’t know you’re getting something they aren’t.”
Cirina’s eyes widened and her breath caught, and she rushed to say, “Of course. I wouldn't mention it.” If for no other reason than because the others might have the same idea. Besides, they should have thought of it themselves. “I think Jossenth likes me. She hardly splashes me when I help with her bath. Would you ask her?”
**Jossenth, what do you think about--**
}:YES,:{ Jossenth replied immediately. }:I am so bored here. Even with Zarkarth. Don’t tell him that, I do not wish to hurt his feelings..:{
**If you’re really that bored, I could speak with R’lor about letting the whole class come a little sooner…?**
The gold hummed thoughtfully, in her head as well as (probably) out loud. }:The eggs aren’t quite ready,:{ she decided with a regretful sigh. }:But just one would be okay. That one is trying very hard. She can come.:{
Nidre glanced around to make sure that no one was lingering close by. “Okay. She says she’s bored. So you’ll have to do a little entertaining afterwards, I think.”
“I can be so entertaining,” Cirina said seriously. “Digger does tricks. Oh and I guess I can sing,” as if she’d forgotten she was, technically, a Harper apprentice. “After I help you with any other errands, of course.” She hoped there wouldn't be more than the record carrying.
Last updated on the July 7th 2025