With the sky over the desert Weyr painted in bright crimson, magenta, orange and gold, a young, emerald green cavorts through the air, her over sized wings carrying her higher further. Below, her rider jogs up the path towards the standing stones, her final destination clear as she arrives at the Star Stones. Dressing in the weyrling uniform consisting of black shorts and a yellow tunic. the girl's raven hair is pulled back in a neat runner tail that bobs along behind her.

With a schedule as full as Xanthee's is, with the addition of ground drills, more firestone bagging and tossing, the extra lessons in advanced formations that she was tapped for, she really needs to squeeze every precious moment out of her day for all the other necessities, like hers and Liowyth's physical health. Since their first solo flight, they've been told they need to work in daily exercise to strengthen Liowyth's wing muscles in anticipation of their first flight together.

A day which is rapidly approaching.

Thanks for her obsession with running on the regular even before candidacy and weyrlinghood amped that up threefold, Xan is only winded when she reaches the top, grabbing for the waterskin flung over her shoulder for a few small sips before she takes a longer drink. Liowyth is happily catching thermals and seemingly floating from one to the next with no more than a flip of her wings. To say that she's taken to the skies with natural grace wouldn't be exaggerating. Her ample frame is no impediment to flight either, translucent green quartz wingsails perfectly proportioned to her size.

After her heart beat begins to slow, Xanthee finds a nearby perch on a largish rock. pulling one knee then the other to her chest, moving onto other parts as she automatically runs through her cool down routine. Her emerald eyes though are locked on her lifemate's lustrous form, the way the colors of the sunrise play over her bright green hide just makes the greenling's heart sweel in her chest with a happy sigh.

There's a peace that's come over Xanthee since Liowyth's mind fused with hers in Impression on the Sands five months ago. A validation that what she knew in her heart, that she was meant for this life, to follow her mother's footsteps was all real. That the heartache of three failed candidacies, one caused by her own teenage recklessness, was all worth it because her dragon was out there. There was always doubt before, doubt that she was wrong even in the face of her loved ones' encouragements.

« What's got you all choked up? » Liowyth asks, a pink cloud poofing into a dozen questions mark along her rosy mindscape.

Xan has to try not to laugh. Nothing, just love seeing you fly. You look so good up there. Can't wait till we get to do it together.

« Me too! It's going to be great! I'll show you how fun it is to do this! » The green declares before lifting her head sharply with a sharp down stroke of her wings, pushing her into a full, upside-down loop. Which is followed by another in quick succession before she wobbles a bit from dizziness and has to right herself promptly.

That wobble does terrible things to Xanthee's nerves as she clenches fists and jaw alike, not doing a very good job of masking her momentary panic from her lifemate. See!?! That's why I tell you not to show off like that Lio, you need to work up to those kinds of tricks. You've only been flying for a couple sevens. Take your time.

« That wasn't even a stumble! I recovered just fine! » Liowyth replies stubbornly, her pink and white clouds darkening with a crackle of magenta lightning and a rumble of thunder.

While the moment of panic has passed, Xanthee frowns at the moody response she gets from her green, her sweet, exceedingly curious little hatchling has grown a bit of an attitude in the last few seven. I think it's time you come down from there and take a break. The Weyrlingmaster and her assistants warned us about over stressing muscles. She can feel the resistance to her suggestion as a tightening along the link they share, but hopes to quickly waylay it with her next, I needed to talk to you about something…or someone. Focusing her mind briefly on Mal's face as she remembers it from the last time they saw each other, more than half a turn ago now.

« The one you keep dreaming about? And thinking of when you think I'm asleep? » Liowyth replies, obviously intrigued but taking her rider by surprise with her perception. Xanthee just chuckles and shakes her head, she should have known better than to underestimate her clever green.

I suppose so. It's about time I told you about him.

Liowyth takes the bait and angles her wings so that she begins a slow spiral downwards, until she lands almost daintily on the ledge before moving over to where Xan is seated cross-legged on the rock she found. Curling up next to her, and reaching out to lay her muzzle in the girl's lap, the green gets comfortable for the tale.

Closing her eyes, Xanthee focuses on the special part of Liowyth's mind that is their own private sanctuary, the savannah with it's tall, pink grasses, spreading out as far as the eye can see, moving in the constant breeze that blows gently through them. There she finds the lone hill peeking out, marked by the pink leafed tree at it's summit. Settling down next to a rather largish chest, she opens it and retrieves what looks like two halves of a geode. Holding them in her lap, fingers play from rough to smooth surfaces, organizing her thoughts.

His name is Malosim, but I just call him Mal. Just as you and I are joined in one way, Mal and I are joined in another. I love him in a very different way than I love you. We've been together for close to three turns now. I very much want him to be a part of my life, like you are, but we couldn't do that while I was still trying to Impress, it would have meant giving up my dream to be a rider to marry him. He didn't want me to do that either.

« Good. Because anyone who would try to make you go against your dreams isn't worthy of my rider. Why haven't I met him yet then? If he's such an important person to you? »

How to explain? Xanthee ponders the question for a moment before responding, He's not like Amani and Evka, who are friends. Think of him like…my mate I guess. There are a lot of complicated emotions between humans who are mates, strong feelings that might be confusing for a growing dragonet. Which is why there are rules against candidates and weyrlings having physical relationships.

« Like how I wrestle with Loranduth? That kind of physical? » Rosy clouds form into the likenesses of Liowyth and her bronze brother, carousing and generally rough-housing.

No, not exactly. More like a mating flight… Xan is obviously struggling with making her green understand.

« Like the green who flew yesterday? What if someone else catches you? »

Ok, not really like a mating flight, but the emotions are the same. Humans don't have only a certain time for mating….we can do it pretty much whenever, and we chose who to do it with… Xanthee would be cringing with the awkwardness of the conversation if this wasn't such an important thing to make her green understand.

« Anytime? I have not seen any humans mating. »

A bright blush blooms on Xan's cheeks even as she giggles softly, shaking her head. Humans don't mate in public, it's something reserved for private. It's the most intimate and loving act a couple can share. So it's done in people's homes, their weyrs. Which means, when we get our weyr next month, and the restriction on physical relationships is lifted, Mal and I will reunite and….all that comes with that. I'm not sure yet how it will effect you when we do, but I promise you, it all comes back to love, and how we, humans, express that. To help her get her point across, she brings memories to the forefront of her mind. The day Mal first walked into the Tea Room. Their first date, first kiss, first time they spent the night together. She can feel Liowyth's inquisitiveness examining each flash of memory carefully.

« I can feel what you feel remembering those things. Your heart aches and you long for him. You are sad. This is good? »

I'm only sad because I've been away from him so long and I want to be with him always. The same with you. If we were parted, I would be so sad as well. Swallowing the lump that rises unbidden in her throat, Xan manages to inadvertently butt up against one of the biggest fears a rider will ever have.

« You're my bonded, nothing will keep me from you. » Liowyth replies with a comforting croon as she rubs her nose against Xan's chest. The greenling can't help but smile lovingly and reach out a hand to gently caress along Lio's jaw.

I feel the same way dear heart. You are part of me, and that will never change, no matter what.

The pair slip into silence then, staring out over the pale sky, colorful remnants of sunrise fading fast as the day arrives in earnest.

Come on dearest, time to be getting back.