While his family stewed at the Morai House, Josin was escorted through Firestone weyr and treated to the delight of meeting their young Weyrwoman. Lisanth and her eggs upon the sands were resting, but the golden dragoness made a strange sound upon seeing this dark-skinned man. She went directly back to sleep, but Josin wondered what had transpired between the mind of the dragon and her rider.
Very soon, the night after he had arrived in fact, the eggs chose to hatch. The dragons in the sands area hummed loudly, heralding the impending arrival of their new siblings.
Josin was as patient as ever, though he smelled something in the air. His own relatives, Jaan and Felen. They hid themselves well, he thought. But they were there all right. The eggs began to hatch and Josin watched as candidate after candidate impressed.
It was an odd sensation resting in his gut which proved able to send a small smile across the man's thin lips. He was truly excited? Almost the same feeling he had when he hunted in wolf form. But different... An unplaceable feeling.
One which was saited when a big dark bronze hatched. He broke his shell as if it were the only thing he'd ever wanted to do. Then, he strode up to Josin.
He sniffed at the man, who did in fact feel quite out of place wearing the white impression robes. But then the mind of this beautiful dark dragon pressed into Josin's.
Josin Morai, There is something different about you. yet, I will allow you to ride me.
That was expected, he thought. "I accept your offer, Wolventh." Then they turned and went to the edge of the sands, where Felen and Jaal were standing. Both had strange expressions on their faces -- even though Felen was in his canine form.
"You've impressed a dragon," Jaal pointed out needlessly. "How are you to run a Hold and ride a dragon?"
"I will manage, my aunt." Josin scratched his brother behind the ears, getting a growl, but when the wolf-creature snapped at his long hand, Felen had a surprise coming to him -- Wolventh snarled loudly and snapped at HIM! Josin laughed, and stroked the still-wet skin of his new dragon. "I think you and I will get along famously, Wolventh."
You do anything you like with style, what about things you do not like?
"What do I not like?" Josin asked, a quirky grin on his long face. "I like doing nearly anything regarding you, my fine friend."
Then bathe me.
"You're FAR too big! You have already learned to do it yourself, lazy beast..." Josin was going to say more, but that selfsame lazy beast had raised his bloody face from his kill and gave him a whirling-eyed plea.
I never thought a beast like you would be able to do that to me, Josin sent to the dragon. After you are finished. I shall bathe you, and you will enjoy it because it might be the last time I have the ability to do so.
You will enjoy it too... You just do not remember when you would help me clean. And do I not find good kills for you and your brother to hunt?
"You do. But we at least bathe OURSELVES afterwards!"
Why do you want to kill the plants? I thought that plants were important.
"They are, but those don't help anyone. Except perhaps my brother and his four-footed bretheren..."
And on thinking of Felen, Josin furrowed his brows. He hadn't seen his half-wolf kin in some time, and wondered if something had befallen the man. "We should look for Felen, again."
He hides well, my rider, do you think that he may have died?
"Jaal would have said something. I wonder where he has gone... Perhaps I'll keep the outer topiary grown like it has. He may slide back in some day on his own."
Wolventh rested his head down on the ground, and held his leg down so Josin could dismount.
"I will have the grounds combed... You should keep your nose keen for his scent."
He has not been here recently. But there is still a nest below that tree where he often sleeps. He will return. You take care of the Hold, and I will watch.
Josin nodded, and smiled at his bond. "What other estate could ever say they've got a dragon standing watch over them?"
