As time had passed, the once very mischievous Yamoth seemed to settle down just a tad. He didn't make quite so much trouble for his rider (or make it worse when his rider made trouble for himself), and the pair gained a few more friends. N'lan became somewhat popular with a few of the younger girls, though mostly just because he was a bronzerider. There was one girl in particular, however, who actually seemed to like him. Her name was Tira.

Tira was a pretty little thing with curly blonde hair and big cornflower-blue eyes and the more time he spent with her, the fonder N'lan became.

On a particularly sunny Restday morning, the pair had made arrangements to meet at the Weyrlake for a picnic brunch, and the young bronzerider was a little nervous.

I don't see what you're so anxious about, Yamoth commented, amused at his rider's antics. N'lan had spent almost the entire morning combing, poking, changing and preening in front of his small mirror.

N'lan stuck his tongue out at the weyrling dragon. 

Oh, well that explains it, then.

He boy chuckled. "I don't know why I'm nervous, 'Moth. I just am."

Since Thread isn't due for another sevenday and I haven't seen many great monsters around the Weyr recently, I don't suppose it could have anything to do with the fact that you're going on a date, now could it? Yamoth enquired grinningly.

"T'could" came the reply, accompanied by a patented foot-shuffle.

Yamoth chortled draconically. Thought so. You like this girl, then?

"I dunno, yet. Maybe." N'lan had generally kept to himself since Impressing, if not at all beforehand. He'd had contact with girls, of course, he'd even been friends with a few - but he'd never really been with a girl. "Besides," he added after a pause. "What would you know about girls? You're not even grown up yet!"

One raised eye-ridge. And you are?

N'lan opened his mouth to retort then snapped it shut. "Well... Sort of. More than you!" he finished lamely.

How about you just play it by ear, then.

The young rider slowly smiled, conceding to the weyrling's 'wisdom'. "For now, that'll do. Next time, though, I'll be expecting you to come through with the goods, deal?"

Yamoth grinned. Deal.