Luck vs Unluck
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: Shawna, Sia, Yvonne
Date Posted: 26th July 2024
Series: N'kevyn's Firelizard Hunt
Characters: Aydhara, N'kevyn, F'lin
Description: N'kevyn goes on that firelizard hunting play date Aydhan tried to set him up on. Aydhara doesn't help
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 13, day 11 of Turn 11
N’kevyn had arranged for another firelizard hunting trip with Aydhara, even reaching out to F’lin per his weyrmate’s instructions. The man had been happy enough to agree to show them a prime hunting spot, and they headed off. He hoped it would distract his daughter from the disappointment of the recent hatching.
Aydhara stayed up on Avicath's back, fishing out her sunglasses and her sunhat before tossing her backpack down to N'kevyn. "You owe me a firelizard egg!" She called down. "C'mon Avi, you're taking me swimming, right? I bet you can go faster than a dolphin."
}:Of course I can. I’m the best.:{ Avicath agreed, heading towards the water with the girl still on his back.
N’kevyn watched them head for the surf, calling out, “Don’t forget to remove his straps or you’ll have to clean the salt off them!”
Then he turned to F’lin, “It looks like I’lll be doing all the digging today I guess. Listen, I appreciate you giving us some tips on this. Even if I know my wife tried to set me up on a play date like I was a toddler in the creche. You weyrmated? It's rough sometimes,” he joked.
"I'll trade tips on finding firelizards for tips on weyrmating, although I think I'm getting the better bargain. I don't think that many people recommend taking tips on firelizards from someone who doesn't have a firelizard." The Wingsecond finished taking the straps from Seneth's back, and the bronze ambled toward the water after Avicath and his rider. F'lin draped the straps over some large rocks nearby to keep them out of the sand. They were only a few candlemarks flight from River Bluff Weyr and the air hung heavy and hot beneath a burning sun. "How long have you and Aydhan been together?"
"I think it's probably the same tips- make sure you're having fun with the chase?" N'kevyn turned away from the water as Avicath paddled out into the surf with his daughter on his back, looking like a silly bronze boat. He scanned the beach briefly before rifling through his backpack and pulling out his newest acquisition, "See this? I got a smith to make a rake with a hinge in the handle so it folds- it's fun whether it works or not!" He snapped it out with a flourish. "But anyway, Aydhan and I have been together... Oh, let's call it twenty Turns. That's when she was pregnant with our oldest, and I talked her into marrying me." He raised his hand, showing off an old but still shiny band.
F'lin grinned. "Belated congratulations to you both!"
"Of course then she Impressed Tymborikath and became my ex-wife," he grinned. "The Weyrlingmaster at High Reaches back then was a little stuffy- he stressed that Impression ended silly things like marriage."
"Really? That seems kind of-- restrictive." F'lin shook his head, wondering what his grandmother would have said about that. Nothing good, he suspected. "I'm glad it worked out for you and she didn't kick you out when she had the chance."
"Well, by that point we had Aydhara," he nodded towards the teen still on Avicath, "so if she got rid of me, she'd have to change diapers. There's a tip for Weyrmating- be useful. They're more likely to keep you around."
"I should have brought a hide to write all these good tips down on." F'lin stretched, then gestured down the beach. "I did say that I'd trade you tips, and I've heard that when people do find a firelizard clutch they're in sunny dips in the sand above the surf line. If it's a fresh clutch then there might even be a ring in the sand from where the fire lizard pushed it around to make her nest."
"Well, let's see if we can find something to try my new toy on," N'kevyn said. "So, asking about weyrmating tips out of curiosity, or do you have someone in mind?"
"Me? Naw." F'lin started down the beach. "Between work as a Wingsecond and everything that happened with River Bluff, the move... there hasn't been time for that."
"Well, I recommend making time for it. Family is worth the work. I didn't know you were from River Bluff. My condolences," N'kevyn's expression sobered. He'd heard the stories by now.
"Thank you. I grew up at Topaz Sea Hold, too. You sure you want to be at Barrier Lake Weyr with your family? Natural disasters seem to follow me around," F'lin said.
"Eh, I'm not worried," N'kevyn said, "I'm a lucky guy. I'm sure we'll balance out."
F'lin rolled his shoulders to warm up for the challenge. "Let's test it out. If you find a firelizard nest, you're luckier. If we get swept out to sea by a rogue wave, I'm unluckier."
But it seemed they were equally lucky, and all that happened was a lazy afternoon searching for firelizard eggs in the hot sand and finding nothing.
Last updated on the July 27th 2024
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