No Life Like It

Writers: Ainsley1, Vix
Date Posted: 19th June 2007

Characters: Yara, Jaimon
Description: Yara takes a swim with Jaimon and Meel
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 4, day 23 of Turn 4

Having come down to the beach for a morning swim as was her habit, Yara dove
into the waves and reached a comfortable swimming depth with ease. The
journeywoman found herself paying more attention to the sights and sounds of
her new home than to her swimming, however. She kicked onto her back and
floated lazily for a few moments then grinned as she noted a man playing
with his dolphin partner. Strong measured strokes brought her closer to the
two, and Yara hoped they didn't mind the intrusion.

"Who?" The question was uttered in the high-pitched voice that was typical
of dolphins.

"Don't know," replied the dolphineer, still holding the dolphin's fin. "But
you won't be happy until you find out." He let go of the fin and flipped
onto his back to float.

The dolphin swam toward the woman, circling her once, diving, and surfacing
immediately in front of her. "Hi!"

"Hello," Yara responded, "I'm Yara. Who are you?" she asked in the straight
forward fashion that was common among the dolphins.

"Meel." The dolphin replied with the one word and then butted his snout
against the woman's shoulder.

"Jaimon here." The dolpineer waved, still on his back but watching with
interest.

Yara rubbed her knuckles across the dolphin's melon, loving the opportunity
to meet one of the local pod. "Very nice to meet both of you," she offered,
giving Jaimon a grin and a quick wave.

The dolphineer watched her interaction with the dolphin with interest. "Are
you new at the Hall or from the Weyr?"

"I'm new here. Junior journeywoman, just transferred from the Northern
Hall."

"Ah. . ." Jaimon's nodded in recognition, moving closer and holding to
Meel's fin. "You must be the granddaughter that Swift has been expecting."

"That I am. You know my grandfather?"

"Who doesn't? There's not a thing goes on in that kitchen and dining hall
without him knowing of it."

Yara chuckled. "I quite certain of that. Something tells me he'll know
more about by comings and goings than my parents ever did," she added fondly
not caring in the least. "How long of you and Meel been partnered?" she
asked while treading water.

"It's been three Turns now."

"Maht. Meel ma." This utterance was in the high-pitched voice of the
dolphin.

Jaimon laughed and patted his partner's side. "Meel tends to speak in very
few words and expects everyone to put them together. He's telling you that
his mother is the partner to Maht - Mahantan - my uncle."

"The Master of Apprentices?"

"The one and only. He's the reason that I became a dolphineer."

"Both of my parents are dolphineers," Yara replied with a grin, "How did he
draw you into the Hall?"

"I was the oldest in my family and my mother had several difficult
pregnancies, so whenever she was expecting, I came to stay with my uncle and
his wife." He shrugged, at least as much as he could while holding to the
dolphin's fin. "By the time I was old enough to apprentice, there was
nothing else that appealed to me."

"I can appreciate that," Yara answered with a nod. " I never had any
question about wanting to be a dolphineer."

"There's no life like it."

"Dolphin-eerz good," Meel announced to both of them, slipping from their
hands and circling them.

"The only thing to make it better would be a partner like you, Meel," Yara
answered with a grin fanning her arms wider to keep her balance with the
disruption in the water.

"Meel find Yar!" announced the dolphin, rising up and tail-walking away from
them.

"Uh-oh," laughed Jaimon. "It sounds like he's ready to engage in some
dolphin-human matchmaking."

"More power to him! Looks like he's done with talking. Mind if I swim with
you?"

"I'd enjoy the company." Treading water, Jaimon whistled toward the dolphin.
"C'mon Meel, take us for a swim!"

The dolphin circled back between them, pausing as Jaimon placed a hand on
his dorsal fin.

Yara took hold of Meel's dorsal fin as well and prepared for one of her
favorite parts of being a dolphineer. Jaimon was right, there was no life
like it.

Last updated on the June 21st 2007

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No Life Like It