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Bronze Rider M'leck pulled his scarf further up over his face and squinted his eyelids together, raising a gloved hand to sheild his face from the worst of the wind. He could feel his eyebrows icing over, it was that cold. His bronze, Jekheth, was waiting for him and already crouching down to offer a boost up. He only became more than a vague, snowy blur when M'leck was almost next to him.

Anything with sense is under cover, M'leck, The bronze said reproachfully, watching M'leck as he settled down in his spot, So hurry up and strap yourself in so we can join them! I don't know why you felt the need to walk today... The last sentence was a low grumble as the bronze launched himself into the air and began fighting the wind. M'leck hung on grimly as Jekheth fought the changing winds across the weyr bowl. It was with relief that the pair touched down in their weyr, secure within the warmth its shelter provided. Jekheth shook mightily before M'leck could even get out of the straps, sending snow everywhere. Snorting in disdain he crouched down and angled his shoulder to help M'leck slide down. The bronze hissed as his rider did so. You feel like an ice block!! Get inside, numbwit! The bronze nudged his rider inside, grumbling the whole way. M'leck took it all in stride, smiling patiently. He had woken that day with the all-too-sharp images in his head of B'ramic and decided to head out for a walk to burn off steam. It hadn't been storming then he thought, somewhat ruefully, and he had ended up calling Jekheth to come rescue him - unwilling to face the long cold walk back. Even his fire lizards had abandoned him to come back to the weyr.

As he stripped off his outer layers of clothes and brushed back the curtain into his weyr a little golden figure swooped down to meet him. Diantha was apologetic, stroking her head along his chin and projecting images of the winds and the snow, almost creeling with apology. Soothingly, M'leck stroked her and sent understanding thoughts to the other two as well - he could see them perched around the room. Shivvy and Lumeth were curled up together and one of them was snoring. Diantha took off as M'leck pulled his heavy winter tunic off and allowed himself to fall on the bed. He ran a hand through his dark hair, thankful that it hadn't gotten wet, before rolling under the sleeping furs and allowing himself to drift into a half doze state.

An hour or so later he woke feeling refreshed and warm. Vague thoughts off nipping down to the kitchen for a cup of klah in front of a fire popped into his head and he slowly dressed himself in newer clothes from his press. Jekheth was sleeping soundly, more out of boredom than anything else, and M'leck could hear the wind howling outside of their weyr. Diantha cheeped at him from her nest among the bed covers, flapping over to take her customary perch on his shoulder. Lumeth and Shivvy hadn't moved and M'leck didn't wake them.

The rider made a leasurly trip through the back passages of the weyr, avoiding the more crowded routes and finally arriving in the kitchen. It took some doing but he found a warm pot of klah and managed to get away with it. It was a shorter walk to the ground level lounge, but when he arrived M'leck found the place to be too crowded for his tastes. Everyone with sense, he thought, remembering Jekheth's words, was inside. Sighing, realizing that he had few options at this tme of year, M'leck made his way into the room and found and open chair next to a table. He settled down and poured himself a cup of the hot drink in his hand, observing the room with a detatched and somewhat bored air. Diantha, meanwhile, curled up on the arm of the chair and chirruped until M'leck began to idily stroke her head.

M'leck paused, looking up from his cup of klah. He ceased stroking Diantha and raised his hand a little from her head. There was a girl, a nervous looking girl, standing before him. He did not recognize her immediately, and so began searching back through the recent images stored away in his memory. She had been at the hatching, that was it: the black haired girl who had impressed a green. Hmmm.

Remembering suddenly that she was waiting for a response he smiled and nodded. "Good day," his voice almost always shocked the people he met for the first time; with his boyish features most usually didn't expect the deep baritone M'leck spoke with. Looking around and realizing that there were now no available seats M'leck stood and courteously offered his seat to the young weyrling. And she was young! He thought to himself. The girl couldn't have more than 16 turns to her name - probably less than that. "Please, sit," he said, gesturing to the chair and reverting to the manners he had been taught. He leaned against the table as he spoke, watching Diantha hover before the girl's brown lizard and chatter at him. "I believe that I am speaking to the candidate who impressed the determined looking green," he gave her a congradulatory smile, "I am M'leck, bronze Jekheth's rider."

"Oh!" she said as M'leck offered up his chair. Minno had expected to go find a chair for herself.

Sitting on the chair offered, she said, "I'm Minno, and it is a pleasure to meet you M'leck. And yes you are. Her name is Tertiath. And she is quite determined when she sets her mind on doing anything." She couldn't help but smile. Minno had learnt a lot of things about her dragon over the past few days. Stubbornness and determination being two key traits.

The fact that she was talking to a bronze rider and that anyone noticed her Impress surprised her a little. She felt small in rank compared to him.

You are not to small for me Min. And don't you remember the cheering when I found you? Tertiath's voice was soothing.

"So what is your firelizard's name?" The two flits had been chattering for a bit.

Velimir nodded back slightly and took another sip of his klah. He debated for another moment before getting up and wandering over. It wouldn't hurt to socialize a bit. "Hey, M'leck." Velimir scratched his head absently and glanced over at Minno. "I'm Velimir. I don't believe I've met you just yet." Velimir felt a bit awkward coming into the middle of a conversation but kept an easy smile on his face. His eyes briefly took in the room as he realized he was probably one of the youngest in the room.

Ink, his little bronze firelizard, stirred slightly from where he was curled around Velimir's neck and peered out sleepily. He huffed slightly at a stray lock of Velimir's hair.

Where did you scurry off to? Jekheth mumbled sleepily, opening one eye and glancing around his weyr. You aren't outside again, I hope.

I'm in the lounge, M'leck answered, trying not to roll his eyes. He could tell Jekheth was playing around, but that didn't mean that he wasn't annoyed. Once the tall blonde boy drew closer M'leck recognized him as one of the infirmary aides. He smiled in a perfunctory way to welcome Velimir before taking a good-sized swig from his klah cup. "Hello."

Who're the little ones? Jekheth wanted to know. This time, M'leck did roll his eyes. He thought that it was a bit out of line for a dragon barely matured to be calling young humans "little ones." How do you know I wasn't referring to the fire lizards?

Either way, you should remember Velimir. The girl is Minno.

Tertiath's, eh?

"Velimir works in the infirmary," M'leck said to Minno, giving the boy in question a somewhat warmer smile than the first one, "Though I believe that you're also due to stand on the sands with the next clutch. Is that correct?"

Minno noticed M'leck roll his eyes, but upon seeing that they were unfocused, she realized that he was talking to his dragon. The unfocused eyes was one of the things she learned about quickest when she first came to the Weyr.

"Well I hope you Impress at the next clutch Velimir. I have heard rumors that one of the Queens is near rising," She said in response to the others. Then continued, pointing to Velimir, "And I hope I never have to see you in the Infirmary."

There had been several Thread Falls during her time here. No amount of barf and crap that she had seen with little kids could prepare Minno for some of the damage that she had to witness.

Don't worry Min. Our turn is a long way off, and I'll make sure you won't get hurt.

Taking another sip of her klah, the last of outside's cold left her. Feeling much warmer, Minno took off her coat. Much to the annoyance of Capna, who's perch had just been disturbed.

Velimir grinned at Minno's comment. "Yeah, it's best to stay away from the healers when they're on duty."

Upon M'leck's comment Velimir rubbed his shoulder, embarrassed at the confidence M'leck had shown in him with one short comment. "Well, if I impress I may still pursue dragonhealing. What do either of you like to do in your spare time?"

M'leck smiled in a wry sort of way at Velimir's query, raising a hand to absently stroke Diantha when she flitted to his shoulder and perched there.

"You've seen me around," He said to Velimir, shrugging the shoulder that wasn't supporting a firelizard. He could sense the other two stirring from their naps and began wondering if he should have them stay in the weyr or allow them to join him.

Let them get out. They drive me insane when they're cooped up in here with me. Jekheth said, sighing gustily.

"I either find work to do or something quiet to work on. In this weather though, there aren't many options." He closed his eyes halfway and turned to look over his shoulder - towards the weyrbowl. "A good hard frost is good, though," his voice darkened slightly, "It freezes the Threads before they can get through to trouble us. Gives us a day or two off."