49.5.25 14:52 Spring afteroon in Ista Weyr Bowl

Wow... what a day. Spent the morning helping in the kitchen and then helped prepare lunch. Once it was on its way, they let me go and I headed out to the bowl.

I was heading down the path to the bowl, just humming and thinking about being at Ista when I saw the usual group of friends in the garden. Kylia, Shimshon, Oiralin. Not all there at once... I don't really remember who was there first, but anyway... they were there, coming and going and pulling weeds.

So I joined them and started pulling. Talk centered around the usual candidate concerns. Slights made by other candidates, who is going to impress, who is going to get what color, that kind of thing. Mostly good natured ribbing, although some serious talk.

Lela then came along. A young girl, but a candidate no less. She brought with her.. a couple of firelizards! Yeah, I've seen them before. Even had one follow me for a while... but its been some time. It was awesome. One flew off her shoulder and landed on Oiry. I tossed it a few bugs. Cool stuff.

And then... Myrdinth landed with rider D'san. They came between from High Reaches! Shim knew him, so he came over and talked to us... And then we all started 'scritching' Myrdinth. I'm fairly bold... but I tell you, touching a draong. Not something I thought I'd ever be doing. And its eye...

Myrdinth turns his head to regard you with one delicate sapphire blue eye. It whirls gently in contentment and seems to hold depth beyond knowing. In that brief glance, you catch the merest hint of the devotion, love and courage that lie just below the surface of this sturdy blue. At once, you may find yourself drawn into that deep blue, calming pool.

I tell you. I've never seen such a thing.

Yeah, it was a long road to Ista... but its all been worth it. A better bunch of people (and dragons), I don't know you'd ever find. Maybe its just that I've been out on my own so long... but I'm starting to feel like I've found "home".

And then Lela suggested,

"And to Jarill she smiles, as she keeps working on the shoulder, she whispers, "Maybe one day you might get lucky and have a friend talk to you. I call them friends, I dont know why I just did from the time I got to the weyr."

I tell ya... it has never once occured to me. For one, I think I'm too old. And for two, I don't know. Being tied down to any one place. But... looking into his eye. You can feel the draw. To be so close to something...

Anyway... what a day. One I won't soon forget!