"Nire! Wait up!" The Journeywoman Dragonhealer spun around at the voice behind her. She had been walking across the Weyr Bowl towards the Dining Caverns. The sun was just disappearing over the edge of the Asura Weyr Bowl, and was playing colors across the Weyr Lake. A figure was running from that direction, waving at her.

J'mini finally came up beside her, breathing heavily. He stood back up and grinned at her, making her smile shyly. "Thanks for waiting. I've been meaning to thank you for helping out Kelienth with that infection."

"It was nothing, J'mini. Truly, Sirry already knew what it was and how to treat it. I was just helping her out for a few moments." She continued walking after he caught his breath, feeling her stomach begin to turn in hunger.

"Well, at least you did that." He put his hands in his pockets as they walked. "So, how has Sirry and Rellyra been?"

Nire shrugged slightly, smiling. "As far as I know, they've been fine. Mother has been as nagging as usual, and Sirry has been working as hard as she ever has. I don't know when either of them get any sleep. They'll work themselves to the bone one day." She sighed slightly, knowing that she hadn't been any better as of late.

"That's good." She gave J'mini a look at his response. He was walking with her, but he wasn't listening. His gaze seemed to be somewhere else, and his attention was definitely kept elsewhere. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed the worried look on his face, and he all but tripped over her. "What?"

"What's wrong, J'mini? You haven't been listening to a single word I've said!" She crossed her arms in front of her. J'mini was one of her only true friends at the Weyr, and she didn't like that look on his face.

"Well... you see..." He paused, and then sighed, rolling his eyes. His words spilled out so quckly, it took Nire a few moments to let them register in her mind. "Kelienth has been bugging me ever since you helped him out for me to ask you about Applying for Candidacy. He's determined that you should Stand somewhere, and he won't leave me alone until you do. I think he's just saying it to be grateful, but he's getting downright annoying." The look on J'mini's face told how unhappy he was with Kelienth, but Nire couldn't help but laugh.

"That sounds wonderful, J'mini! You have no idea how I've been wishing for a change of pace. This is fantastic. I can't wait to..." It was Nire's turn to trail off and seem worried. J'mini had begun to smile and a hopeful look had come to his face. When he saw her's however, his look froze. She looked up at him, and laughed nervously. "Mother is going to kill me! She won't let me Impress a dragon, especially not after Father..." She bit her lower lip, watching for his reaction.

It was J'mini's turn to laugh, and he did so. Putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, he led her into the Dining Cavern. "Leave Rellyra to me. I'll talk to her."

"Nire! J'mini! How are you two on this fine night?" The Master Dragonhealer in question appeared before the pair, startling them into silence. "What is it? The two of you look like you've been attacked by a herd of wherries!"

J'mini gave her a wink and pushed her towards the food table. "Get us both a cup of klah and I'll bring up the idea to Relly. Go on." He turned back to Rellyra with a forced smile and laughed as he began to talk.

Nire got the drinks and turned back towards the table. Her eyes widened, and she almost dropped the cups. Rellyra, being the large woman she was, towered over J'mini and glared down at him. "No! It is out of the question! Do you think I'd let her be a Candidate after what happened to N'loren! Forget it, J'mini. Don't even bring it up with her!"

"Mother!" Nire set the cups on the table. Her voice was calm but forceful. "You're a bit too late. And I've already accepted his offer. Despite what happened to father, I think it will be good for me."

Rellyra's mouth dropped open. "You must be joking!" When she saw the stern look on her daughter's face, she slumped down in the chair. She stared at the pair for a moment. J'mini, color returning to his face, fidgeted under the intense glare. Nire, however, stared calmly back at her mother. The Journeywoman Dragonhealer's face didn't change, and she seemed calm as anything.

"Fine then. If you want to throw away all of your years of work, then fine. You can become a Dragonrider, Nire. But don't whine when they don't want you and you have to come back to the Infirmary. Your aunt Sirry would be insane to take you back!" She jumped up from the chair and stormed out of the Dining Cavern.

Nire sat down, picking up J'mini's chair that had been knocked over when Rellyra had lost her temper. "It's alright, J'mini. She'll get over it soon enough. Drink, you look paler than Belior." The moonlight was now streaming in through the gaping cavern entrance.

J'mini sat down hesitantly, gazing in the direction Rellyra had stormed away in. He looked back at Nire's calm and collected face and felt more at ease. He took his seat and a sip of his klah. "I told you so." Nire looked up, but J'mini's eyes were focused on something else. Looking in his direction, she saw a rather smug looking brown dragon lounging by the Weyr Lake...