Candidate by Maseiya on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Dragonrider candidate Keevan, from The Smallest Dragonboy short story by Anne McCaffrey. This is set on a world called Pern, where dragons fly the skies with their riders and sear Thread with flame....

He's supposed to be in the Hatching Ground at Benden Weyr... I'm not good enough at painting to make a believable background... ;_;

He's wearing a white candidate's robe--he has the opportunity to Impress a hatching dragon, and in doing so, he'd form a lifelong bond with it....

From the first page of this story:

Although Keevan lengthened his walking stride as far as his legs would stretch, he couldn't quite keep up with the other candidates. He knew he would be teased again.

Just as he knew many other things that his foster mother told him he ought not to know, Keevan knew that Beterli, the most senior of the boys, set that spanking pace just to embarrass him, the smallest dragonboy. Keevan would arrive, tail fork-end of the group, breathless, chest heaving, and maybe get a stern look from the instructing wingsecond.

Dragonriders, even if they were still only hopeful candidates for the glowing eggs which were hardening on the hot sands of the Hatching Ground cavern, were expected to be punctual and prepared. Sloth was not tolerated by the Weyrleader of Benden Weyr. A good record was especially important now. It was very near hatching time, when the baby dragons would crack their mottled shells, and stagger forth to choose their lifetime companions. The very thought of that glorious moment made Keevan's breath catch in his throat. To be chosen--to be a dragonrider!

You can find this short story in "A Gift of Dragons", by Anne McCaffrey.

I'm sorry I'm not able to reply to every comment--but there are some of you I need to get back to immediately, and I will! Soon....

>_>

<_<

>_>;