N'sten and Rymeth's record
Nesten's version of the disagreement - in his own words Deep in the inner caverns of the weyr, Nesten, and his older brother, Yanir lay waiting as the tunnel snake approached them in the dark. Yes, Nesten much rather preferred hunting to kitchen duty. At full height, both boys were tall but Yanir still had a few fingertips advantage. Nesten, being younger, had the broader frame, much to his older brother's envy. Yanir had black hair, while Nesten's was deep brown. Both had the same brown eyes the seemed to pierce right through you. Yanir was older by only 18 months, and had just completed his 16th turn. Nesten, was 14 turns, soon to be 15. Nesten silently went over in his mind his proceedure to lay the strong net. His brother lay ready with his knife, and Nesten was to make sure that the tunnel snake was caught fast in the net. Last turn's end, their mother's second husband had given Yanir the knife, and Nesten his own carved bow. While the bow was of no use in the dark caverns, he had left it with his other few possessions in the boys' sleeping quarters. Today, he only brought the snares they would need to catch the snakes, relying on his brother's talent with the knife to kill them. Waiting seemed unbarable to Nesten as the scrapes of the creatures claws brought it nearer the bait laid near the trap. He wouldn't move and inch, even though he knew Yanir was thinking he needed to be reminded. And when would Yanir realize that he wasn't a child anymore. He wouldn't botch this up. Lovingly, his thoughts returned to his mother back home. He had only been 5 when his father had died of the fever, and when she had married their step-father, he had been thrilled to have a father again. It was also nice to have those 5 younger half-siblings that had come from that union who joyed in doing his beck and call just as Yanir expected him to do. Yet, with all the rivalry between him and his only brother, he was grateful that they got along as well as they did. Silently they waited, barely daring to breath. As soon as the tunnel snakes' fangs close around the bait, Nesten reacted. With the skill of practice, he pulled the snare closed as he lunged to tackle the captured prey. As he fought to maintain control of the thrashing beast, he hoped that Yanir would act as quick. With one quick strike, Yanir ended the snakes life, and the beast ceased struggling. Crawling over to the glow basket they had brought, he opened it filling the previously dark cavern with light. There, at their feet lay a tunnel snake that had to be at least 2/3 his own height in length. "Well done Nesten! Caught and killed. That's the biggest one I've knifed yet!" he heard his brother exclaim. Seething inside over Yanir's comment, Nesten wondered if his brother realized he had helped too. There was only one thing Nesten would change about his older brother. Yanir always took all the praise and none of the blame. He had been the one to hold the beast down, and now Yanir was here acting as if he had done the heroic thing by poking it with a little knife. Well, the thing was dead now, and they had to despose of it. To make matters worse, his brother offered, "Here, I'll carry the snake if you want to bring the gear." What! Just what Yanir wanted, to carry it, AND take all the credit for the kill. Sure, then it wouldn't bleed all over him, and he would have the lighter load, but just for once, he wanted to carry it. "No, Yanir. I'm carrying the snake. You can clean up our stuff." Nesten said in a angry huff as he hoisted the dead, bleeding creature over his back and stormed off towards the entrance. As he reached daylight, Nesten set his burden down to rest a moment. Why did Yanir have to be how he was. They had been fine until after they caught this one. Not wanting his brother to catch up, he quickly picked up the snake again and trudged on. Hopefully those eggs would hatch soon. Just as long as Yanir didn't get a higher ranking dragon than he did. It was hard enough with him bossing him around as it was. How would he ever bear it if he was in authority over him? Days later, Nesten sat in the stands as the first group of eggs was ready to hatch. Yanir would be presented to these hatchlings while he had to wait. Emotions full of pride and laced with jealosy surged through him. Silently he watched the blue egg crack, revealing the small blue dragon. Tenderly on new legs, it made it's way over to Yanir. It looked as though they were locked in conversation when Yanir's searching eye found Nesten. "His name is Skyth! Want to help me feed him?" For once, without a second thought, Nesten scrambled down the stands to help. A few days later, Nesten passed by the Sands again. When would his bunch of eggs be ready? It had been so long. Yanir Impressed a blue. That had been a good day for him and Yanir. On the far side of the sands rested a speckled blue egg all by itself. Longingly, Nesten wondered if that might just hold his future lifemate?
Impression Nesten stood on the hot sands while dragons hummed all around him. Finally, his day had come. Mabey now he would show his older brother, Y'nir, rider of blue Skyth, he could Impress too. At 15, Nesten was now as tall as his brother and larger built. Scratching his deep brown hair, Nesten remembered he should have washed it today of all days. Well, if Y'nir hadn't insisted he help oil Skyth he might have had time. Y'nir could be so demanding. Nesten's thoughts were interupted as the first hatchling made an entrance into the world. Rarely did blue dragons hatch first. He was big for a blue, almost as big as a brown, and he had extra large feet. A couple of steps were fine, and the occasional stumble were to be accepted, but the flop this young dragon made tore at Nesten's heart. All the candidates made a few steps forward silently urging the blue to rise. When he did, he looked at Nesten while he attempted to walk again. That was all it took. In a few strides, Nesten was at his side soothing him. "Rymeth don't worry about it. You'll grown into your feet someday."
By the time he had helped Rymeth to the exit in search of much needed nourishment, Y'nir joined them. "N'sten," Y'nir called, stressing his shortened name, "Congratulations!" "Need any help?" Usually, to admit he needed help from Y'nir was almost impossible. This time however, he agreed to the offered assistance. "Thanks Y'nir, we appreciate it."
The Test Anxiously, N'sten waited while the weyrling master, R'mir looked over Rymeth. Starting from his head, the older rider worked his way past Rymeth's wings, legs, feet, and all the way to the tip of his tail. Finally finished, R'mir turned to N'sten. "Well, fellow blue rider, it looks like you're ready to join the weyrlings in training," he said with a grin extending his hand to congratulate N'sten. Relieved that Rymeth was now strong enough to join the other weyrlings, he couldn't help ask, "R'mir, do you think he'll grow into his feet, or will they always be large?" "Never seen a dragon with feet that big myself, but I wouldn't worry about it. Now get yourself something to eat in the Lower Caverns, and let Rymeth hunt while you're there. You start practice this afternoon!"
"Will you pass the good news on to Skyth and Y'nir?" N'sten asked his dragon after R'mir left. "I already have. Your brother comes," was the response.
|
