Fort Weyr - Lake Shore
This lake shares many features common to mountain lakes — a brilliant blue jewel nestled amongst the rocks. The waters are crystal clear, and the north shore slopes gently before abruptly falling away into the depths. This lake does have one significant differentiating feature, however. The south shore of the lake is a tumbled mass of rubble, rock and earth of an ancient rockslide smoothed only by the elements in the intervening years. This rubble, as well as the rather sheer east and west faces, makes for the north shore to be the only one easily accessible.
Springs arrival is noted by the disappearing lake ice. As it melts it breaks up into smaller icy bergs. These bob randomly throughout the choppy waters, slowly disappearing as the temperatures rise. They also frequently provide sport and entertainment for the bathing dragons. The emerging shoreline is inviting, though the water remains chilly for their human counterparts. As spring draws nearer to summer, the waters begin to feel quite invigorating with Rukbat's growing shine.
With the arrive of spring and the promise of summer, Sonya is taking advantage of a bright, clear, sunny day here at Fort. With no immediate tasks required of the crafter apprentice she's basking in the sun! A small basket is set up beside her blanket that she's seated cross legged on. In her hands rests a sketchpad. Her attention is focused on a smaller green dragon way out in the water frolicking with several fire lizards and no rider in sight.
Bright, sunny days are also the best type of day for children to burn off energy - particularly when their adult companions are *trying* to have a conversation. A girl of maybe six is the first to appear, arms stretched out from her sides as she comes running towards the lake shore, swerving and dipping as she runs. "Look! I'm a dragon!" She squeals with excitement, her voice carrying not just to the pair of adults who trail behind her, but also to anyone else who may be trying to enjoy the day, as she runs along the beach, tossing up sand as she goes. The adults consist of a man - Z'tan - and an older woman who bares some resemblance to him, and the pair lingers at a distance, talking softly, with occasional glances to check on the child just in case.
Kids typically have no sense of adult conversations. After all for littles, they tend to need a lot of attention! Distracted by younger voices breaking her attention Sonya looks up towards the source of the sound. A faint smile appears on the crafters expression as she watches the young child being a dragon. If the child happens to look her way Sonya will give a finger wiggle in greeting. "'allo"
Oh no, now she has done it. The 'dragon' is drawn by sound and movement, and suddenly the girl is banking back around to target the source, zooming back towards Sonya before she is 'crash landing' with a tumble near the apprentice's blanket, a pile of arms and legs and sand and giggles as she flops into a sprawl, turning her head to grin widely at the teenager. "Hi!" She returns cheerfully, even as she is composing herself just enough to sit upright. "I'm Enari!" A pause, and she giggles. "I mean, I'm Enarith! I'm a dragon!" Zel, for his part, is still occupied talking with the older woman, the two of them forgetting for now to check in on Enari - sorry, Sonya.
Scrambling a bit to ensure she's not crashes into Sonya stashes away the sketchpad somewhere she thinks may be safe. Under her beach towel. After a quick look to ensure the youngster didn't injure herself she manages a bright smile. Perhaps not the most comfortable around littles she's not entirely uncomfortable either. "Enarith." she plays along with the bright eyed giggling child. "I thought, though." she speculates. "That dragons only spoke to their chosen." a wide-eyed look follows. "Am I you're chosen?" she asks.
Enari pauses, pondering this question for a moment, before she gives a little nod. "Yep!" She declares. "But, I don't know your name? Don't dragons always know their rider's name?" She asks, before she shrugs, and flops back into the sand, staring at the sky and sprawling with limbs stretched like a starfish. "Sometimes dragons talk to anyone though. My not-mommy Jaz, her Szeta talks to -everyone-." She considers, staring up at the sky. "Ysgie, though, he only talks to us when he thinks we're being bad." Which, as 6 turn olds, is probably reasonably often. Luckily for Sonya, it seems that Zel has finally realized that he can no longer hear the screaming dragon that is his daughter, and sharing a quick hug with the other woman, he is jogging towards the beach, slowing to a walk as he nears. "Uh, sorry. She's…" Fast? Trouble? And instead of finding the right word, the bronzerider just waves his hand at the child. SHe's a child.
Sonya looks chagrined a bit as she's evidently chosen and unchosen rather quickly by the dragon-child. "Well…my name is Sonya but I suppose, Enarith, that you aren't my dragon if you didn't know that. But that's okay." she assures the little. Watching as the kid flops bonelessly back in the sand she covers a smile with her hand as she listens. Before she can answer though, if she even had a reply to all that information, someone is jogging over. Presumably a father figure. "Oh no worries." she hand waves the unspoken words in regards to the child laying there. "She's cute." she chime in that adjective. "You're quite lucky to have such a cute dragon who talks to others."
"Thanks, she's also.." And Zel is cut off as Enari props herself back up to stare at Sonya with wide eyes, looking almost guilty as she realizes the effect of her words. "I guess not, but I bet you'll find yours. I can't wait til I'm old enough, I am sure I'll get to Stand. Ysgie would never say no." Childhood confidence leaves no room for any doubts at this age, and the girl starts to sway back and forth a little. "Maybe it won't be right away, but I know the perfect little green will find me. And maybe Em and Lan will, too, and it'll be so much fun." At least she doesn't hate her brothers. "Have you gotten to go on the Sands, Sonya? Mommy won't let us yet, says Chauth wouldn't like it." She continues to ramble, even as Zel makes another attempt to interject. "She's friendly." He suggests, even as he is moving to crouch near Enari. "Did you interrupt this nice young lady?" He asks, slightly considered, even as the girl hurriedly shakes her head, dismissing her father's concerns outright.
Sonya's attention shifts politely from Zel back to Enari as the flow of the words just…well flow. Nodding here and there she seems to agree with Enari finding a green. As well as her siblings finding their 'mates too. "Oh I am sure your brothers could also find life mates too. Maybe blues or bronzes." she ventures a guess. "Ysgie is who?" she is kind of confused on that part. As for her own Sands experiences she nods. "Actually yes I have Stood. Just the once though…." she gives a faint shrug and look around. No dragons near her claiming her. Other than the 6 turn old child. As she rambles Sonya glances up again towards the rider. "Oh that's okay…she didn't really interrupt much. I was just going to do some sketches of the dragons out in the water today. Rest day for me." she explains.
"Ysgieuth is my lifemate.." Zel offers in explanation, even as he is straightening up with a soft groan and a crack of his knees. "Have you? Here?" Z'tan asks with a bit of interest, as Sonya mentions having previously stood. Enari though? Enari is way ahead of him, bouncing to her feet, showering sand on her immediate surroundings, closing the distance to her dad and tugging on the bottom of his jacket. "Da, did you hear her? We could take back with us, for the eggs. Maybe she'd find her dragon for real, and not just me!" There is no attempt to whisper, no attempt to quietly plot, as Enari has no volume control. Even as she is finishing her thought, the girl is turning to stare at Sonya with wide eyes and an excited look, and Zel laughs a little shaking his head with a sigh. "If you feel like it, she isn't *wrong*. We have a clutch on the Sands at Monaco…"
"I have…here yes…" Sonya's words trail off as she watches in amusement as Enari scampers to her feet. With no volume control whatsoever Sonya easily hears. A faint blush quickens on her cheeks as she ducks her head. Clearly thinking that this is just some kiddie question that'll be outright dismissed by the rider she looks up so quickly in surprise that a small pop is heard from the back of her neck. "Wait…what?" she says. Doubt wars with possible hope in her expression. "Monaco.." she murmurs more to herself than the family pair. Still though…."…really?"
"Aye, Monaco. We've 8 eggs, and if you've stood before, you're definitely welcome to come try again with us." Zel elaborates, even as Enari is dropping her hands from his jacket and turning to drop back to the sand infront of Sonya, lifting her hands to fold beneath her chin, looking hopeful. "Please say yes!" She pleads a bit, wiggling as she is unable to contain her excitement. "They aren't Chauth's eggs, so you don't have to worry." Whatever that means, its likely the child is just repeating something she has heard the adults around her say. "If you'd like, I mean. No pressure.. But Monaco is lovely.." He offers, with a bit of a shrug. "I mean, if there is anyone you need to talk to, I am happy to put in a word, too."
Sonya peers between the two evidently trying to ensure they are serious. Eventually she determines they are and she's resist the smile that emerges once more at the little girl's pleading and enthusiasm of the wiggling kind. "Chauth's eggs…" she'll perhaps find out more later what that means. She makes a mental note to ask someone another time. "I've never been to Monaco. Is it anything like Ista weyr do you know?" as she's asking this she's standing up to gather up her items. "I'm um..well I suppose I'll have to confirm with my craft but they didn't mind me standing here….." again there's a pause as her word trail off. Remembering she hasn't actually officially accepted she rectifies that. "Yes. I'd love to join you in Monaco and stand before the eggs." a swallow of nervousness follows that declaration.
"You'll, uh.. You'll find out later. It doesn't matter now." Zel looks perhaps a bit uncomfortable about Chauth's eggs, and if Ysgie was around, it would probably even make the bronze uncomfortable. "It is, but -I- think its prettier. Especially if you like being outside all year." As she stands and gathers her things, Zel nods with a grin. "I'll be here, letting Enari run off some energy, so she doesn't fall off Between because she can't sit still. If you want to talk to whoever you need to, and get your things." The girl, for her part, squeals excitedly, clapping her hands as she jumps to her feet, running down the beach. "I have a candidate!" She continues enthusiatically, running turning to jumping and twirling, celebrating in her own way.
Sonya assures him. "Oh I /do/ like being outside all year. Winters here get….colder than I like." admits the crafter turned once again apprentice. Watching the happily jumping child she continues to gather up her stuff. "Sure…won't take me too long to find who I need to talk to and get my stuff." she doesn't have too much after all. That being said she puts action to words and heads off to do all that stuff that needs to be done.
With Sonya gathering her belongings, Enari continues to run around the beach, burning off her energy, even as Ysgieuth finally appears, the bronze settling himself between the girl and the water to avoid any impromptu splashing (and a cold ride home). And so they are there, ready to go when Sonya returns, to settle their new candidate in at her new home.