Catching up with a Friend

Writers: Avery, Emma
Date Posted: 12th February 2021

Characters: Kadira, K'dee
Description: Kadira continues asking around for informal advice.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 20 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: J'lor, A'kades

The thought of Standing was still on Kadira's mind, more than she'd
thought
it would be, and it was beginning to get to a stage where she just
wanted to
make a decision so she could stop thinking about it. Signs pointed to
deciding to do it, so she could get it over with and say 'see, it wasn't
that special', and then she could put it out of her mind. But she liked
to
research and consider things and get perspectives, and there were sides
she
was missing.

Conversing with J'lor had helped with her thoughts, but there was
another
person Kadira wanted to talk to. Jadirel was all glory and
action-focused
and talked about how fighting Thread was what mattered about it, and
J'lor
talked about how he had the best of both worlds - the love of a dragon
and
still doing his Craft. She knew from her father A'kades that not ever
dragonrider got a lot of time to their Craft, but Healers and
dragonhealers
seemed to get a lot of that time because of how critical theirs were.
But
Threadfall had risks and dangers, ones she saw as a Healer very
intimately,
and riders who paid significant prices. Would they still encourage
Standing
despite the challenges it had put on them?

When she saw K'dee heading to the weyrlake one morning, she fell in step
and
said, "Hey K'dee. Heading off to bathe Vatonth?"

"Yes, what gave it away?" said the bronzerider with a grin, as he
shifted a
bucket stuffed with supplies to his other hand so that he could balance
properly. "The soap sand and oil, or the brushes?"

"Nah, lucky guess," she teased. "Want some help? I have free time and I
would love to catch up."

"That would be good, Vatonth always appreciates extra admirers," K'dee
replied. "It's splashy work though, he won't be the only one getting
wet,"
he warned.

"I don't mind, I can just strip down and help out," she said cheerfully.
"How have you been doing lately?"

"Been flying some longer sweeps, anything is better than night watch
duty!"
K'dee grinned. "Got out almost to the point where out territory meets
Far
island's. It's pretty up there in the mountains."

"That sounds really lovely. Is it one of the places you'd seen before at
River Bluff? I know territory changed a bit when Dragonsfall adopted
some of
their territory, and then Barrier Lake took some back over."

"It was a bit new to me, but both of us were so pleased we managed it. I
mean my balance isn't so great, so long flights aren't always that easy
for
us." The bronzerider adjusted his balance. "I mean look at me, I knew
the
risk when I went on the sands, but I guess neither of us picked blooding
to
be the thing that caught us out."

"Father said that and /between/ are the worst time for a
Weyrlingmaster,"
Kadira said. "It's rough to be injured _any_ time though, right? I mean,
would it have been any better if you'd flown a few turns first?"

"That I don't know." K'dee said with a sigh, shifting the bucket of
dragon
bathing supplies again. "I never thought about it before now."

"I'm just curious, but I don't want to bring up anything horrible and
make
you feel bad."

"No, no you didn't." K'dee hoped he sounded reassuring. "I mean it's
happened now, and at least we're both still here."

"We lived through the Collapse, too. I'm glad for that." She knew folks
who
hadn't. Some who'd been injured riders or dragons, like K'dee. She was
glad
for his survival.

"I was thinking about Standing for one of these clutches, or both,
but...I
dunno. I could use some advice. From someone who isn't gonna tell me
it's
all perfection and all your dreams."

"All I'll say is that if a dragon is meant fo you, they will find you,
whether you stand formally or not. They just know who their person is
meant
to be." K'dee was saying what all weyr residents knew, stands impression
was
rare, but did happen. "What have other people told you?"

Well... he had asked. Words started pouring out of her.

"My brother thinks it's all glory, getting recognized as a dragonrider
when
you leave the Weyr and having others find it special, and flying Thread
and
saving Pern, but he's not Impressed yet. I don't think he thinks about
risks
at all," she said. "You'd think after our father was scored, after River
Bluff, he would know how impermanent things are. How risky."

"I like Healing and I don't want to give it up. I've wanted to do this
forever, but my mother was like, oh before you become a Journeyman you
should Stand in case you decide you want this so you don't regret not
Standing later. I can understand not wanting to be her age and having
regrets, if that's what she has. So I talked to J'lor, because he's a
rider
and a Healer, and he was like,I have time for my Healer craft as well as
for
fighting Thread. He makes it sound like I can do both easily. But I
dunno if
it's really that easy. I mean... there's all those other riding
responsibilities like sweeps and watches and passengers jobs, right?"
She
asked him.

"It really depends on your craft, if it's something that compliments
being a
rider, like healing, or the tanning, or even a Starsmith like me." K'dee
grinned. "Predicting weather patterns can help with planning for fall.
Healers help keep us all safe, but I know you know all that."

"Is being a Starsmith why you have so many night watches?"

"Partly that, and partly because we can't fly fall properly. Besides
I've
got to see some cool things, like Belior and Timor eclipsing each other
and
the Dawn Sisters."

"I wasn't sure if Starsmithy was why they stuck you on night watches
versus
day ones. Those sound really pretty. Maybe I went into the wrong thing,"
Kadira joked.

"I'm sure you'd be good at it, and if you do impress, there are some
basic
classes in weather prediction," he was half serious. "But anyway, still
want
to help me scrub that monster of mine? Before he gets too upset that
he's
being ignored."

"I would love to help scrub him and spend time with you both. It's
repayment
for all the questions, good practice, and some good time with friends.
What's not to like?"

K'dee grinned. "In that case, we better get going before he tried to
soak us
in revenge for making him wait!"

"So tell me anything else neat you've seen, or good gossip," Kadira
invited
as she fell into step with him.

Last updated on the February 19th 2021

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