Well, What Have We Here? [Echlerov]

Things sure had been interesting lately.

D'ren wasn't sure where he stood on the whole fire lizard business. He hadn't minded them before the plague, but he hadn't had time for them either. They were cheerful and made him smile in passing, though, so he was disappointed to see them go.  He'd occasionally thought about them since then, wondering if they would ever reappear, and if they did, would they bring with them good news or bad.

He'd heard a case for both concerns. Many riders feared they would bring the plague back, while a few felt that their reappearance meant the plague was finally, and definitively, over. B'jin's adopted son Talian made a convincing case for the latter, but most of his medical terminology was far over D'ren's head. It didn't help that the young man was still reluctant to talk to D'ren in person.

The whole thing made D'ren rather curious. The fire lizards were back, whether anyone liked it or not, and after a couple weeks there had been no incidents. D'ren wasn't yet comfortable, but curious enough that he decided he wanted to have a look at one. He knew who had them, but he wanted to pay his visit to someone agreeable. Talian wouldn't actively avoid him any longer, but D'ren didn't want to make the poor kid uncomfortable. He also didn't know many of the candidates personally and didn't want to disrupt their lives with his sudden appearance and scrutiny.

The issues didn't stop there. D'ren couldn't actually catch I'shan long enough to have a look at his little brown...then again, that little brown may well have been a rumor. It was running wild all over the place, but I'shan had yet to claim it or be seen holding it in public. D'ren assumed he was just hiding it from N'gelt. Yikes.

Eventually, D'ren came to the conclusion that he'd need to talk to Echlerov. He'd met the young man once long ago, and he seemed nice and even-tempered. His blue was rumored to be just as excitable as his sire, and most importantly, there would be no outstanding bias. This young man wouldn't feel intimidated (like Talian) or feel pressured (like Jada). He would provide a biased and fair opinion, or at least D'ren hoped.

I want to see it! Ronarth reminded D'ren as they landed outside the weyrling bluerider's hut. D'ren dismounted and gave Ronarth a pat before heading to the door. You'll get to see it D'ren assured him. He straightened his knots before knocking on the door.

"Good day. Can I have a word with you?"

For the moment, things weren't being hectic in Echlerov's hut, with his dragon asleep napping behind his hut, and his tiny green asleep on his pillow. He was taking this short time of calm to tidy things up, and had just finished up sweeping when there was a knock on the door.

This unfortunately woke up his little green, and she began to screeched. She was a skittish little thing, something that Echlerov hoped that she would grow out of, and he snagged a piece of meat before heading over to her and picking her up. She dove at the piece, chomping it down, calming her down long enough that Echlerov could move to the door without having to worry about her.

"Sorry about the wait." The last person Echlerov had expected to see was D'ren, but he smiled at the weyrleader, masking his surprise. "Of course, sir. Would you like to come in? I can make klah if you'd like." He was presuming that he wasn't in trouble, since the Weyrleader had come to him rather than have him summoned, and was going to keep that thought until he was told otherwise.

D'ren smiled. Echlerov had always been an agreeable young man, and shards was it nice to see an agreeable face that was both pleasant and didn't sharding want anything from him. "Nice day to you. Thanks," D'ren said, stepping inside easily and pulling the door closed, in spite of  Ronarth's curious nose which seemed to try and follow him inside. That dragon was like an eternal hatchling!

"I'm fine, but thank you," D'ren said in response to the young bluerider's offer.  He crossed his arms and glanced around the hut, pleased to see it so orderly and well-cared for. D'ren knew that some riders were...less inclined to keep things in order, and shards did that irk him!

"I just wanted to ask you a few questions real quick," D'ren said. "I heard you were one of the ones to Impress a fire lizard the other day. I'm sure you've heard all the rumors and opinions flying around, and well...I wanted to have a look at one. Would you mind?"

I want to see, too! Ronarth protested loudly, for all to hear. D'ren smiled, though it was a bit forced. "...Of course, Ronarth." Be calm! You'll see one soon enough