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Alone in the night, a battered girl sobbed over the small bulky form in her hands. It shuddered one last time and was still, the kind of stillness that lasts forever. Unnaturally pale hair caught tears in the light of a stolen candle as the stain of fresh blood seeped into the girl's ragged shift, barely visible against the pre-existing filth. The watch-wher pup was buried before dawn, in a corner of the Nabol gardens. No one noticed or cared but a kitchen drudgery girl. It's name was Triask, and it was the girl's birthday.

Just above Nabol, shrouded within the cirrus clouds that swayed within the morning sky, a lone dragonrider blinked from between. As an array of clouds were brushed and swept away by powerful dragonwings, the suns' immaculate light doused its rays upon a brown dragon and rider.

The browns' eyes whirled with thrill, churning with radiant hues of blue and flecks of green. She is here.

Well, lets not waste anytime Tarnith. Let's find her and return home.

Lunging into a diving manuver, the brown foiled his wings close to his body as his speed increased without limitation. Barely within a dragonlength away of the Hold, the enormous brown breeched upwards and backwinged securely upon the ground.

T'nar vaulted from mount and landed crouched low to the ground, rising up slowly as his eyes were set upon Nabol. He'd never liked Searching at Nabol as there was always trouble that roused fights and brawls yet there was a candidate to search and nothing was going to stop him.

Slowly, both rider and dragon began to approach the hold. With a few steps, T'nar opened the door and walked inside. His stomach growled fiercely, a constant reminder as he had not eatten a suitable meal since he had left from Shining. As the smell of freshly kindling fire lured his nose, he smiled and drew towards the kitchens.

Upon first glance, the dining halls seemed empty but as he took several steps inside he found a young girl tending to the fire. Certainly she could help him get something decent to eat.

"Excuse me," he said as he tipped up his rider helmet, "I'm sorry to bother you. My name is T'nar, rider of brown Tarnith, and I was wondering if perhaps you have some klah or something to eat?"

He smiled warmly, "I dont' mean to rush you, miss, or be a burden." His softened eyes gleamed with the rays of the sun drowning upon them, radiating with beauty and kindness. T'nar had always been taught that a man was to be chivalrous to all women, young or old, and he held the upmost respect for them.

Glancing over towards an empty bench, he took several steps and was about to sit down until a deep voice repremanded him.

T'nar, she is the one! She is the one whom we are to Search!

T'nar jumped at an instant as the browns' voice echoed through his mind. Quickly, he scanned the area and glimpsed towards an open widow. Sure enough, Tarnith's head was barely peeking through as his eyes whirled with excitement.

What are you waiting for, mine? Rumbling softly and coaxing his rider to proceed onward with the task that was assigned, he gave a bit of a draconic smile. Go.

I'm going, I'm going! Rolling his eyes and sighing, T'nar glanced back and smiled. It wasn't only the brown who was anxious to finally tell the girl that she was a likely candidate for the Hatching but ti was T'nar as well. He always enjoyed watching their faces light up and making their day with marvelous news.

"Um, excuse me, miss? I never got your name." He commented softly as he stood a bit away from her, hoping not to alarm her so suddnely.

Instantly T'nar gritted his teeth and glared at the ill woman. If she knew better, she had no right to treat a future dragonrider in such a manner. Talonth's eyes whirled with fury as he bellowed fiercely, hissing with despise.

Stop her! She knows not of the future the young girl holds.

"I'd never use such a word towards a young woman." He snarled as his eyes pierced through the lumbering womans gaze. Glancing towards Triana, he focused back upon the Head Cook with a stern look. "I've been dispatched by Shining Heights on Search and this girl had been chosen to be a candidate." Clenching his right hand as he looked down upon the woman, he looked back at the young girl. "I'm taking her with me."

Dahes picked himself up off the ground, glaring at Lors, his flit. He held out his hand to help Triana up.
"What are you doing out of the Hold? You remember what happened last time they caught you out here. You could be-"
Triana shushed him hurriedly, tugging on his arm.
"Dahes, there's a dragon! He came, and I was building the fire, and Dahes, he's here to take me away!"
The streetboy stopped in his tracks as the meaning of Triana's words sunk in.
"A real dragonrider, scouting at the hold? And he came for you?" Triana pulled him along farther. They were within sight of the kitchen doors. Now she could see the massive form of the brown dragon outside of the building. Only then did she slow.
"Dahes, come with me." she said earnestly, searching his face. He froze, torn in two by conflicting emotions. He had never really believed that this day would come.

Triana found herself facing the dragonrider outside of the hold kitchens.
"This is Dahes, and he's coming too. I won't go without him, I can't. I promised."
She looked up at T'nar stubbornly, pleadingly, desparately. Madame Kearse had wisely shut her mouth, but she was steaming.

Triana was a bit hesitant, but Dahes had reached a decision. After T'nar mounted easily, Dahes hefted the nervous Triana up to him, and then scrambled up himself. A mob of boys dressed similarly to Dahes had run up, shouting at him.
"Traitor! You owe us!"
"Get back here! You're one of us!"
"You can't leave!"
They hefted clods of dirt and rocks to throw, but thought better of it after a glance from the dragon. Triana's heart soared. There was nothing that could stop them now. She had kept her promise.