Nodokai' woke Museitetsujinth with a nip on the end of her nose one morning, a few days after she'd finally graduated from weyrling classes. She opened her eyes and came face-to-face with a cream-colored blur. What do you need, Nodo'? she asked sleepily. The cream rukel just flipped his tail from side to side, looking at her expectantly. You know, when I said I wanted a friend who would listen without needing to be listened to, I didn't necessarily mean one that couldn't talk at all. He gave her a look that said "You get what you ask for" and bounded out onto the ledge.

What? What is it, am I forgetting something? The bronze dragoness lifted her head and peered at Nodokaikko as he leaned over the edge of the ledge, apparently watching something in the bowl. Musei' whuffed and rose, stretched cat-like and stepped out onto the ledge itself. A pair of those odd bear-shifters that had requested to join the weyr shortly after Musei's hatching were returning on their odd colored dragons. One was pale red and faintly lightning marked with a pair of dull silver ram's horns, the other a dark purple with three rainbow-glowing horns on the back of her head.

They were carrying some small bronze creature that leapt from the purple's back and stood unsteadily on its two hind legs. What is that, a dragon? A hatchling? Nodokai' nodded, his indigo eyes watching her expectantly. So? Another unbonded to join the brood. I don't see why the Weyrwoman insists upon taking in one after the other. Nodokaikko gave her a reproving look and hinted that maybe they should go down and meet the bronze, introduce themselves. Oh, you don't honestly expect me to...? C'mon, it's not like I'm the best... Ugh, let's just go. Sighing resignedly, Musei' picked up Nodo' and leapt from the ledge. She'd never been able to shrug off one of his puppy-eyed faces or his rebuking glaces.

Upon landing, Musei' was mildly surprised to find the bronze was also a female. She gazed up at the older dragoness with her own mild surprise and a bit of slack-jawed awe. Wow...you're big. the dragonet said, leaning so far back to look up at Musei' she toppled over. Careful, don't want your caretakers to think I'm hurting you. Indeed, the female purple was eying Musei' with narrowed eyes. The little bronze struggled upright and plopped onto her rear, still gazing with obscene admiration up at Museitetsujinth. I'm Kertakth! Who'er you? she asked brightly. Museitetsujinth. Kertakth stared up, with a "huh?" look on her face as she attempted to say the name. Moo...musay...moosey...mucus...

Easy kid, don't hurt yourself. Call me Musei'. the older dragoness said after a few moments of Kertakth's struggling. Okay! So, Musei'...where's you bond at? I know all you old-world types have to bond, yes? Museitetsujinth blinked in surprised and glanced around to see if the little mongrel's caretakers were near. Apparently, seeing she wasn't going to injure or maim their charge, they'd taken a break from watching her. Not that I blame them... the bronze dragoness sighed mentally.

Well, where is she? I didn't know old-world bronzes came in girl-form too. Kertak' was circling Musei' in what she thought was an attempt to entice her to play...or make her dizzy enough to impair her and thus easier to conquer. Either way, Musei' decided to stop her and so stuck the tip of her tail in the hatchling's running path. Kertakth was so busy happily skipping, she never noticed the new obstacle, tripped, and was quickly caught by the larger bronze's outstretched wing.

The light dragonet bounced a few times on the membrane before settling, lilac eyes wide with surprise. Nodo', screeching in a mixture of bestial rage and terror, leapt (as if he were large enough to catch even the small bronze hatching, who outweighed him considerably) only to stop dead once he saw that Kertakth was clearly enjoying herself. She leapt on the stretched wingsail as if it were a trampoline, Musei' with a distinct look of "what he hell have I done" on her face. Whee! This is fun! the bronze cried, then stopped abruptly and slid off, disinterested.

I'm bored... what else is there to do here? the hatchling asked, teetering on her hind feet and staring around with an almost manic gleam in her eyes. Musei' watched her, mildly frightened. Uh... let's... I'll show you to the Nursery, or the Dungeon as I call it... Musei' said, hoping the slew of dragonets that always seemed to be occupying the Nursery would be able to entertain this little monstrosity so she could slip away. That's okay, I want to stay with you! I like you, Musei', I think we could be friends forever!

Oh... yay...