"No," she said swiftly, wanting to please the older woman and, if she were honest, needing this place to be shared with her. "I won't tell anyone, Lady." She turned a slow circle, gazing around. She e

"I meant no offense, no disrespect," Yiyu said, suddenly feeling like she was picking her way bare footed across hot sands. She turned to face tTyne, to look into her eyes. "I will you call you Tyne,

Yiyu smiled at her, hoping to reassure this odd woman who seemed so very mysterious to her. Maybe she would ask Rennitz about her. FOr now, though, she simply joined her in companionably breaking her

"Like it?" she repeated. "I suppose I do," she admitted with another brief quirk of lips. "It's not easy. Not for me as a person, raised as I was, not for any candidate, working hard to Impress and be

"You were a Candidate?" she asked, swallowing back the questions that rushed up. Something in the eyes looked wrong and she refused to ruin this lovely outing. "I was raised to do as I was told, when

"I don't understand." The words slipped out, resulting in Yiyu nervously biting her lower lip. Something in the eyes again. "Not that I need to, La- Tyne."

Dark eyes followed every motion, watching the firelizards' reactions, then Tyne's movements. Her teeth bit down harder on her lower lip as she regarded the worn rider's knots and understood. Even as s

For several moments, she let the ex-goldrider. simply hang on. Then with her free hand, she picked up a sweetroll. They ate in pure, comfortable silence then, until Yiyu caught sight of the sun. "I'm

Yiyu had stood, immobilized, for several seconds. Then the squawk had erupted from the opposite end of the barracks and she'd turned to spy the metallic firelizard trapped. Oh, by the egg of Faranth.

Yiyu studied the bronze flit closely. She'd learned while dealing with Tyne's group that she could look, but not quite touch. Still, it -- he -- needed help. Rubbing her behind ruefully, she climbed t

Sighing softly, Yiyu took her life into her own hands and stepped forward. Her fingers were swift and deft, releasing the bronze in a matter of seconds. Stepping back, she regarded him as he did her.

The more time she spent here, the more she loved the Weyr. The more she loved the Weyr, the more she refused to think about leaving, failing, and/or not belonging. Because of course she did belong. Al

Yiyu caught sight of the collar even as she extended one hand for him to sniff. She considered her current state of being: wet beneath the outfit she wore, hair dripping water down her back, and decid

Yiyu squeaked as she emerged, startled by his tallness, his lankiness, his *maleness*. Recovering quickly, she tilted the basket of glows to better look at hims while she thought up an answer: fast. "

"It's nice to meet you," she said, accepting his slightly grubby hand. She shifted the book under her arm. "I borrowed all of these, so we must take extreme care. Would you like to stay here and a rea

She bristled, just a little, but took a seat, opening her book silently. She stole glances at the other Candidate now and again, wondering what to do with him, loathed to give up this hiding spot to h

"I found this place first," she said, finally, when thoughts of resentment had bubbled long and hard. She turned to study him, the messy appearance, the distracted look. "Look at me," she demanded, su

She nearly backed down. Nearly. "I found this place first. You should have respect for more than just books here."

Shards, he had her there. Even so, she felt strange. Somehow as though he'd invaded her privacy, in spite of the simple fact that she shouldn't have expected this place to remain her own. Sighing, she

"I'm not going to take it," she explained, wondering if anyone could really be this infuriating. "I just thought we might talk, too If I'm sharing books and space with you, I'd like to know who you ar