Tessia

"Alright! Everyone, listen up!" Sweat poured down her brow and she limped as she walked over to the other youth. She winced. Every movement was pure agony, but when she saw the faces of her friends she smiled. They're just as beat up as I am. She realized as reached the small group. "Okay." She was breathing deeply, near exhaustion. "We can do this. We just need to hold on a little longer." There were nods from all around the small huddle. Tessia beamed with pride as she pushed a piece of blond hair out of her face. The stupid stuff never seemed to stay in her pony-tail. "We're only a goal down. One good play and we can have the game!" More nods. "You guys are my team and we don't lose!" The group of youth errupted with a cheer and took their positions on the field. Tessia clapped Ty on the back.

The youth winced and glared at her. "Very motivational." Tessia and Ty took their postions next to each other on the field. "You sounded like a general. It's just a game."

Tessia grinned. "I take my games very seriously." She braced herself for the referee's signal.

Ty smirked and ran his hand through his short brown hair. "Then, commander, lead your troups to victory."

Tessia grinned at her friend, then turned her attention back to the game. All players stopped breathing as the referee held the flag above the ground. The flag was dropped and all hell broke loose. Tessia grinned as she charged at the ball and the unfortunate opposing player with the ball. Troups, She smirked. Charge!

"OW! NO! STOP THAT! DAMMIT! OW!" Tessia yelled and swore at everyone and everything near her. "I don't need a healer!"

Ty was severly tempted to drop the girl on the floor, broken leg or no broken leg. The older boy took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying desperately to have patience. "Tes." He said in a soft voice. "You can't walk and you're leg is very obviously broken." He personally didn't like the sight of blood and the bone sticking through Tessia's lower leg was making him slightly sick. "I think you need a healer."

Tessia pouted and fumed. She hated healers. She didn't consider the fact that the only reason she wasn't screaming in pain was because of the numb-weed a minor healer at the game had given her. Healers, in her mind, were bad-news. Ty carried her into the healing caverns and placed her on one of the beds. He covered her with a blanket and rubbed her head, messing up her already messy hair. "I'll go find Master Healer Celeste."

Tessia sat alone fuming while the feeling, and pain, returned to her leg. "Stupid game. I had possession of the dumb ball. That player should be thrown out." She clenched her fist and bit her lip as the numb-weed completely wore off. "Dumb leg. Dumb game." Although she tried her best, tears slipped unbidden down her cheeks. The pain was overwhelming. She began to see spots of colour dance in front of her eyes. She felt dizzy and nauseous. The walls around her began to spin and she was falling....

"Tessia!" She heard a voice that sounded far off yet familiar. She tried to look for the speaker. She moved her head only a little, but it was enough to turn the planet upside down. She groaned.

Ty caught her as she slipped off the bed, craddling her in his arms. "Tes." He carefully lifted her back to the bed. "Tes, you okay? Say something."

She laid her head on the pillow and wished that the pounding in her head and leg would stop. "You take the one on the left, and when I'm done here..."

Ty looked sympathetically down on his best friend. "Something coherent, Tes."

She tried desperately to focus on her friend. She could tell that he was saying something, but she couldn't decipher the words. The pain was a road-block to the sane part of her mind. She moaned. "Make the colours stop! They're hurting me!"

Ty sat on the bed and craddled her head in his lap. Her forehead felt like fire. "Shhhh. It's okay. I've got Master Healer Celeste here. She'll make the colours go away. Shhh, Tes."

Tessia sobbed in her friend's lap. For once in her life she was a cooperative patient.

"Feeling better?"

The comment prompted Tessia to open her eyes. She was greated with sunlight, painful sunlight. She moaned and closed her eyes. "My head..."

Ty smiled. "You're feeling better."

Tessia pulled a pillow over her head. "What makes you say that?"

Ty pulled up a chair and sat down at the head of her bed. He was carrying a tray of soup. "If you were feeling bad you would have said 'My leg.'"

Tessia sniffed. Soup had never smelled so good. Until Ty entered, she didn't realize she was starving. She reached for the bowl and he handed it to her. "Nice logic. So, what's wrong with me?" She ate while Ty filled her in.

"You broke your leg." He grinned as she glared at him. "But you probably guessed that." He stared at the ceiling as he repeated, word for word, what Celeste had told him. Ty had an amazing memory. "In your collision the bone of your left leg snapped and pierced the skin. The numb-weed probably saved you from dying. It stopped the pain and partially disinfected the wound. Unfortunately, it still got rather infected. The infection gave you a high fever and even after the wound was bound the fever made your injury life-threatening. You're a young girl though, and will probably pull through."

Tessia greedily finished the last of the soup. "So, doc. Will I ever play again?" She said it jokingly, expecting Ty to tease her. Instead the smile fell from his face. She felt a small knot of fear start to build in her stomach. "I was joking. Laugh. Smile. Say 'That's funny Tes, of course you can still play.'" She grabbed his arm. "Say it."

He stared at the floor, not wanting to be the one to break the news to his friend. "Tes, calm down." He pulled his arm away from her grasp. "I talked to Celeste about that. She said it was a really bad break and, on top of that, a really bad infection. You're lucky to be alive."

"Stop avoiding the question." She glared daggers at her friend. She knew this wasn't his fault but he was making a good scapegoat.

He sighed and looked Tessia right in the eye. He blinked twice and took a deep breath. "You'll probably walk again, but ...." He gulped. "...not run."

Tessia felt like she'd had the wind knocked out of her. "Probably walk again?"

Ty grabbed her arm. "Look, Tes, I'm really sorry for all this. You're a strong girl. I have no doubt that you'll bounce back to 100%..." He trailed off as he realized Tessia wasn't listening. She was staring off to some point above his right shoulder.

"Probably." She whispered the word. She felt a small ache start in her leg. Ty was worried about her. She wasn't taking the news well. He was about to say something when he noticed a change in the look in her eyes. She bit her lip and glared at the wall. "Probably, my butt. I'll be walking as soon as this dumb cast is off and playing within the turn." She folded her arms over her chest. "What do stupid healers know anyways?"

Ty, realizing that an angry but determined Tessia was better than a sulking, moody Tessia, neglected to mention that if it weren't for Master Healer Celeste she'd be dead right now. He smiled and hugged her. "I knew you'd be fine. I just repeated what Celeste said."

Tessia was going to reply, but she was cut off by an odd noise. She looked around. "What was that?" The noise repeated itself. It sounded sort of like a muffled 'mew'.

Ty smiled and handed her a bag. Something was obviously rather alive inside the bag as it moved and mewed in her hands. "A get-well present."

Tessia opened the bag, although she'd already guessed at what it contained. "A kitten!" She pet the tiny creature. "Awwww...Ty. It's so cute." She cuddled the speckled kitten.

Ty laughed as he watched her greet her new pet. "And here I thought you were a big, strong woman. Now you're cuddling that cat like a child."

Tessia stuck her tongue out at her friend. "I'm only 17 turns and I'm injured. I'm allowed to act like a baby."

Ty laughed. "What are you going to call her?"

"Speckle." The newly named kitten began purring and curled up in Tessia's lap.

"Okay Tessia. Just a few more steps." Celeste prompted the girl gently.

"I can see that!" Tessia was slightly exasperated. She leaned heavily on the two beams beside her. They were both postioned at about waist level and were supposed to only help her keep her balance as she tried to learn how to walk again. Right now they were the only things keeping her standing.

Celeste wanted to help the girl as she was obviously struggling, but she knew her help wasn't wanted. Tessia was a stubborn girl. She did things her way. "Just a few more steps and you've got it."

"Would you stop saying that!?! I can see!!!" She only had to walk the length of the bars, some 9 or 10 feet, but it felt like she was walking miles. She swore under her breath and collapsed. Celeste moved to help her, but she glared up at the healer. "I'm fine. I just....tripped."

"How could you, you weren't moving." Celeste muttered the comment under her breath and watched as Tessia struggled to stand.

Ty sighed. "Want a lift, Tes?"

She glared daggers at her friend. Her face was covered in sweat and her hair was, as usual, escaping the confines of her hair-tie. She looked like she'd just run a marathon, not walked 6 feet. "I don't need your help. I can walk." She reached her arms up and grabbed the bars. Using all of her upper body strength she pulled herself to a leaning position. She looked smuggly at Celeste and tried to force her legs to move. She fell again. This time Ty picked her up despite her threats and pleas.

"You just need a rest Tes. You can try again tomorrow." He carried her to the bed and set her on it. Speckle happily jumped into her lap and began purring. The cat had turned out to be a great companion. She could sleep anywhere and made it her mission in life to spend every possible moment on Tessia's lap. The girl absent-mindedly stroked the feline's fur and thought. "What's wrong with me?"

Celeste sighed and sat down on the bed beside the girl. "Nothing. Your leg healed fine."

Tessia rolled her eyes. "Then how come I can't walk?"

"Because neither of your legs did any actual work for almost an entire turn. While the cast was on the muscles in your legs shrank from lack of exercise. You just have to build the muscle tissue back."

"Oh."

Ty sat beside his friend on the bed and threw one of his arms around her shoulders. "C'mon, Tes. Cheer up. You'll do better tomorrow."

Tessia sighed. "That's what you said yesterday."

Ty opened the door slightly and peeked in. Tessia sat knitting and playing with Speckle. The feline chased the wool that Tessia was trying to knit and Tessia purposefully dangled it just out of the feline's reach. She smiled to herself, but didn't laugh. She hadn't laughed in along time. He sighed and shut the door. She'd also stopped therapy. She didn't even bother trying to walk anymore. He leaned against the wall outside the room. What happened Tessia? It's not like you to give up.

"Ty!" Feena ran into the hallway beaming. "Searchriders are here. Everyone's wanted in the Weyrbowl!" The girl quickly continued on with her good news. Ty's heart slightly leaped at the though of being searched, but it settled back into it's place quickly. He'd decided along time ago that he wanted to be a builder and not a dragonrider. A thought jumped into his mind. But Tessia would jump at the chance to be searched! He spun and threw open the door to Tessia's room. "Tes! Quick! Searchriders!" He helped her to her feet before she could say one word.

He guided her, as fast as he could, up to the Weyrbowl. She sighed and let him, not bothering to fight. A bad sign.

"Ty." She said softly. "I don't want to be searched."

He snorted as they entered teh Weyrbowl. "That's a lie and you know it."

She sighed. "Fine. Embarrass me." She tried to sound aloof, but her sarcastic nature ruined it. She sat on a bench and sulked, knowing full well that Searchriders didn't take cripples. This is all your fault Ty. I'm gonna get you for this... She trailed off threateningly in her mind.

Sh'cril, Azuth bespoke his rider. Sh'cirl was the head Searchrider for Tarizal Weyr and Azuth, his blue, had a knack for picking out the unlikly candidates. That girl. The one who's sitting on the bench. Go talk to her.

Sh'cril smiled. She going to be a candidate?

The dragon looked closely at Tessia. I have a feeling that that is going to be entirely up to her.

Sh'cril gave his dragon an odd look, but approached the girl. "Hello." He said standing in front of Tessia. "What's your name?"

She looked surprised that he was even talking to her. Her mouth hung open for a second, then she snapped it shut. She was amazed that a Searchrider would bother talking to her, but she'd be threadscarred before she let him know that. "Tessia."

"Hmm." Sh'cril didn't know exactly what to say to her. Azuth didn't exactly search her. Little help Azuth?

The dragon didn't look their way. He was obviously busy examining someone else. She can come with us if she can stand up.

'Shards sake Azuth! That's got to be the dumbest condition you've ever given.

The blue smirked. Trust me. Just get her to stand up.

Sh'cril shrugged. Azuth had never been wrong before. "I'm Head Searchrider Sh'cril from Tarizal Weyr. You've been searched, sort of. Just stand up and come with us..." The Searchrider was stopped by the look of pure hatred in Tessia's eyes.

"Do you think you're funny?" She demanded angrily of the Searchrider.

Sh'cril quickly backed up a few paces. "Whoa! Calm down, Miss Tessia."

She glared past Sh'cril to his dragon. "Did your dragon tell you to say that? Does he think it's funny?" Tessia was fuming.

Sh'cril looked to his lifemate for help. "Azuth. Was that a joke? Because I'm beginning to think it wasn't funny..." The Searchrider backed up another couple steps.

"I can't walk." Tessia blurted out quickly and leaned back on the bench. "So get lost before I..."

What? Azuth interupted, approaching the girl. You said yourself you can't walk. We take two steps backwards and you're helpless.

Something in Tessia snapped. "You big hulking blue mass." Fire burned in her eyes. She braced her back against the wall and slowly go to her feet. She leaned heavily against the wall, then got her balance and stood, shakily and unsteadily, up. "I'll come over there and rip your wings off you... you..." She took a tentative step towards the dragon, then another, then another. In a few minutes she was tired, but leaning against the dragon side. "I'll..." She panted for breath after walking the ten or so feet to the dragon. "I'll..." Tessia closed her eyes and rested against Azuth's side. "I'll catch my breath. Then..."

Azuth smiled and cut her off. Come with us back to Tarizal Weyr. You stood up. You're searched.

Ty grinned and ran to her. He picked her up and swung her in his arms. "I knew you could do it. I knew you could!"

Tessia smiled and stood on her own, smiling for a few minutes. Suddenly a thought hit her. She whirled, almost falling but catching herself at the last minute, to face Azuth. "You did that on purpose. You and your rider. You just tried to make me upset. What if I'd hadn't been able to walk? What would you have done? You're rather careless with my feeling aren't you? Why I oughtta..."

Sh'cril quickly mounted. "Ride with Jr. Searchrider Cerlayn. See you back at the Weyr." The blue leapt into the air and dissappeared between.

While Ty quickly packed a bag for her, Tessia stood in the Weyrbowl fuming at the absent Searchrider and his dragon. She smiled briefly at Ty though as he handed her the bag and helped her mount the other Searchdragon.

She shook her head, still complaining. "The nerve of some people." The green leapt into the air and soon was out of sight.

Celeste smiled. She'd seen the whole thing. "From immoveable to intolerable in minutes."

Ty smiled and said a silent prayer for his friend before turning back to Celeste. "It's Tessia. What did you expect?"

Tessia is a candidate at Tarizal Weyr.
Speckle's picture from White River Weyr.
Tessia's picture from Caleah's Anime Avatars.
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