[Statistics] [Candidate] [Hatchling]

A young boy poked his head around the corner of the weyr, dirty fingers leaving smudges on the jamb and bare feet scuffling a little as he entered uninvited and took a look around for no reason other than that he could.

The weyr was relatively large, but as far as his young mind could deduce, dragonless. The main room was sparsely furnished - a simple dining setting and an old sofa and klah-table taking up most of the space. To the back, left and right were three doorways - the bedroom, the bathing room and an exit to a stairwell that must run down to the Lower Caverns. The boy decided not to investigate too far into the weyr. He might get lost. Instead, he focused his attention on the young man. He'd seen him before, of course, but now was different. Now he was away from the controlling gaze of his mother.

Unaware of the young intruder, Jordanar ate silently. He wasn't mad about crowds on a good day and couldn't quite bring himself to face the clutter of the Dining Cavern that particular afternoon.

He had dark auburn hair, long enough to need pushing back, and deep-set, dark eyes. The boy couldn't judge whether he was handsome or not - after all, he was just a child, and grown-ups all look the same to your average little boy.

The boy felt something slick under his foot and with a little yelp, fell unexpectedly on his backside.

Jordanar spun with an exclamation and, on seeing the culprit, rolled his eyes dramatically. "Merrit," he said sternly, "Where is your Mam?"

The boy stared up with huge dark eyes and his lower lip began to tremble ominously.

"Hey, hey, you're not in trouble," Jordanar said quickly, kneeling down to help the boy to his feet. "I just want to know if your Mam knows where you are."

Merrit shrugged, avoiding eye contact.

With a vast sigh, the elder boy scooped the younger up in his arms and hoisted him over his shoulder. Merrit scrambled around until he sat in a dragon-back position.

"C'mon."

Merrit's home weyr was familiar to the candidate - the weyrbrat had a fondness for wandering and since Jordanar's weyr was situated centrally, the child usually ended up somewhere near it.

About halfway home, Merrit piped up with a little, "Mama says you got Searched."

Jordanar smiled. "That's right. I'm a candidate."

"You're gunna be a dragonrider." He said it almost accusingly.

"Exciting, huh?"

"Nuh-uh!" Merrit exclaimed, pouting. "S'not fair."

A deep laugh. "You're not jealous, are you Merrit?"

A pause. "So?"

The candidate chuckled. He was a good kid, really. A little too curious at time, but good at heart. "You're a little young to be a candidate just yet, kiddo. But I tell you, I've got a feeling about you." He said it mock seriously, turning to consider the boy with narrowed eyes. "If you're good to your Mam for a few turns more, you might just find yourself in my position."

Merrit's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really. I can't promise anything, but we'll see."

Jordanar continued on towards the Lower Caverns residence, stopping briefly to confer with the two firelizards following him closely. "I hope you're not coming with me just for a bubbly." The flits - brown and green - had somehow developed a fondness for bubbly pies, and Merrit's mother made the best around.

Tebell denied it immediately, sending an obviously falsified image of him watching over Merrit, but the less intelligent green, Iridia, hesitated and gave it away. Brown Tebell quickly silenced her with loud chirrups. They both disappeared between.

Jordanar stood for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "Hey Merrit?"

"Yeah?"

"Dragons are kinda cool, but for Faranth's sake, don't get yourself saddled with a firelizard, kay? They're nothing but trouble."

Merrit grinned, his expression clearly stating that he would do his utmost to achieve the opposite of what he was told. Boys will be boys.