(1.2.2762) Searching, searching... (attn. Searchrider)

[Paula]

The sun was absolutely blazing. It was noon and the yellow orb was high up in the sky. Most of the holders were out working, so that meant that not many people were around. Consequently it was the best time to sweep the main courtyard. And who should get the job but your local misfit? Neela grumbled as she moved across the space with her broom, her clothes soaked through with sweat. She really needed to get out of here. Perhaps another raid in the jungle...? But no, there wouldn't be any flitter clutches at this time of year and she had no time for fool escapades that would bring no profit. She just needed to grit her teeth and endure for the next few months. Then she could vanish for a while. 

A welcome cloud drifted across the sky, casting shade over the courtyard. Only when Hopper appeared on her shoulder, squawking in alarm, did she realize that it was no cloud at all. It was a dragon circling over the hold, looking for space to land. Neela froze, broom in hand, only dimly aware of pounding of feet and excited voices around her. She stared up, torn between fear and admiration, as her firelizard's claws dug into her clothing.

[Arielle]

Kalenia was more than happy to be back in the saddle, literally and metaphorically. She loved her new baby more than she had ever expected to, but months in the Queens' Wing followed by another two busy with her son and her weyrmate, dragon, and just making sure she was still physically fit had both exhausted her and chafed. A day out with her green, Searching, was a good relief from everything. Besides, G'ste needed some alone time with Galen for father-son bonding, and who was Kale to say no to that?

Circling over Eastern Hold, Ilyenath debated whether and where to land. [[Feel anybody worth examining more closely?]] the rider asked her dragon, waiting only semi-impatiently while the green thought. ((Yes, a few individuals stand out from this distance. The order to land wasn't necessary as Ilyenath was already descending; not that she'd have necessarily condescended to accepting an order at all. The last bit of downward flight was steeper than entirely safe or wise, but dragon and rider knew each other well and such a descent was the norm rather than the exception for them.

One girl, holding a broom and bearing a shrieking blue firelizard, stood apart from those people who had run out from their homes and places of work to greet the dragonrider come to call. Without waiting for Kalenia to dismount, Ilyenath stalked forward, folding her wings with perfect control as her motions were designed to highlight her stunning markings and form. [[Show off,]] Kale said to her dragon, both amused and slightly disparaging. The green didn't dignify the comment with a response, perhaps too enamored of the waif of a child before her. Finally pausing in her forward movement, Ilyenath leaned her face in close to Neela, sniffing delicately. ((Hush, little cousin,)) she told the blue flitter, her tone characteristically haughty, though not unkind.

Sliding off her dragons back, Kalenia moved to the fore and affectionately pushed at her dragon's cheek. "Hello there," she said to the girl that so interested her dragon, as well as to the group of people at large. "I'm Searchrider Kalenia and this is Ilyenath." [[Is she a Candidate, Ily? Or are you just putting on a show to make these Holders respect us?]] Kalenia shifter her head, angling it slightly forward and to the left, observing the girl in question with intense grey eyes.

[Paula]

The whole courtyard fell silent. Neela tried to stay as still as possible while the green sniffed her, afraid to even breath. She had never seen a dragon so close. She was... magnificent. Beautiful. Terrifying. Hopper was still on her shoulder as well, head cocked, radiating confusion and curiosity. And then there was a thump as the rider jumped out and the dragon got pushed away. Neela stared at the woman dumbly, not really registering what was being said. The silence stretched for agonising seconds and then a quick patter of feet brought close one of the assistant headwomen of the hold. The woman put a steely hand on Neela's shoulder, smiling at the greenrider ingratiatingly.

"Excuse me, my lady, she's just a simpleton. An orphan. Is there something we can assist you with, here at the hold?"

Neela huffed with indignation. She was not a simpleton! But the grip on her shoulder tightened, promising trouble if she didn't stay quiet.

[Arielle]

Kalenia resisted the urge to smirk at the headwoman, though she appreciated a more formal greeting than had been offered thus far. She was a dragonrider after all, but she had also been a troublemaker in her day, and knew what that sort of grip on a shoulder often meant. At her shoulder, Ilyenath snorted, having no need to hold in any sort of emotions due to politics, and blinked slowly, turning her attentions on the headwoman as well. ((Does she think I do not know my job? How very repugnant.)) Kale offered the woman, and the crowd, a smile. [[Sure, but we can handle this. Is this girl or is she not a Candidate?]] Ilyenath returned her focus to the child.

"Nothing that I can think of beyond the hospitality I'm sure you're known for, mistress. I'm simply here on a Search." It wasn't the official kind that would send out wings of dragons at a time to pick up as many Candidates as possible for a Clutch hardening on the Sands, but Searchriders often went out on their own to see if they might find anyone worth taking back to the Weyr. "I'll try to make sure Ilyenath doesn't terrorize someone just because she's interested by them."

[[Well?]]