"There were about twenty, as I recall," Corey said. He'd counted all the eggs before, and he'd actually paid attention when they were having their lessons and things. "So any one of them, I'd guess. Whoever's still here."

"Some of them are probably out in other weyrs," Faith pointed out. "We can't possibly have been the only ones to go on the exchange, so that six or seven are probably the ones who either stayed behind or got back before us."

"That's what I figured." Corey shrugged. "We can always find out later on. I doubt it'll be hard to figure out."

"This is true," Faith said. She stretched a bit. "I want to go into the city tomorrow. I kind of want to drop in on my parents, let them know I'm okay and all that, and I want to see if I can't find a jeweler to cut those stones for me."

"Go in civilian clothing," Corey advised.

"Actually, mind if I go with you? I want to check in on my sister and get a few things."

"I don't mind," Faith replied. She grinned. "We can stop at the tea shop while we're in the city." She would definitely leave her rider clothes behind, though. Jeans and a regular shirt would do.

"That sounds great." Corey grinned. "I can't wait. It's been ages since I've had a really good cup of tea."

He glanced over at Ryan. "You want to come too or do you not own any non-rider clothes anymore?"

"I think I left them all back home," Ryan replied. "I might be able to borrow some, though. There has to be someone around here about my size." He grinned and shrugged a bit. "I doubt any of my non-rider clothes are appropriate for the climate here, anyways."

"Probably not," Corey agreed. Then he grinned. "We can find you some clothes somewhere, and you can always get a pair of jeans when we're in town."

"Works for me," Ryan replied. "I think I'd like to see the city. Although Yue would probably stick out amongst any other dragons whose riders are going. I've noticed that most of your dragons species tends to be dark."

"Yeah, ours are," Corey agreed. "I don't know what colors other dragon types are, so who knows? But we usually leave the dragons a little ways away and walk in. People get kinda freaked out by dragons."

"That's strange," Ryan said. "Up north, towns are small, and are practically right next to the weyrs so that everyone can share supplies. Everyone's comfortable with dragons."

"Not around here," Faith said. "The city is a fair ways off, so hardly anyone sees dragons there."

"Seeing a dragon even flying over the city is enough to cause some alarm," Corey said with a shrug.

"I always thought it was kind of fascinating watching them, but most people just freak out."

"A lot of people just freak out," Faith said. "Though there are some people who go a little hysterical and claim that they're going to be the next uber-awesome dragon rider." She shrugged a little. "You know, the kind of people you just know won't ever be chosen."

Corey shivered, making a face.

"Ugh, I hate those people. I saw one when I visited my sister last time, and he kept trying to make me take him back to the weyr. Freaking impossible."

"I didn't see any on our last visit, thankfully, but I was also with my parents the whole time," Faith said. "Even a fanatic wouldn't bother a whole group of people."

"It must be something about the bigger cities, then," Ryan said. "We hardly get any people like that up north."

Corey shook his head. "Well, be glad you don't have them. They suck."

He sighed and finished his dinner, checking in with Vyren to find he'd hollowed out his eyrie to his satisfaction.

Faith finished as well and went to see what Lapis had done so far.

When she got to the eyrie, she saw that Lapis had enlarged it considerably, but hadn't started to decorate other than that.

Look how much bigger it is! Lapis gushed, fanning her wings. Isn't it wonderful?

"It is wonderful," Faith agreed, rubbing Lapis's head. Lapis nuzzled her.

Faith? Lapis asked after a moment. There's an itchy rough spot between my wings, could you get it?

"Of course," Faith said.

Ryan stayed behind for a few minutes to talk to some of the other riders, but did eventually go to Yue's eyrie.

You look much more comfortable, he commented when he found her.

I am, Yue replied. Regardless, Ryan managed to find a couple of fair-sized rough patches on her, right where her harness had been.

The humidity isn't doing your scales any favors, though, he said as he took care of the spots. Yue relaxed as he did so.

Corey went back to Vyren's eyrie, looking it over. "Looks good."

It is much better now. Vyren shook out his wings. It will need to be decorated.

"Of course. I still have all your things," Corey said. "We can decorate it later."

Alright. Vyren settled down, stretching out in his much enlargened eyrie, while Corey rubbed oil into a rough patch.

Faith ended up spending the night in Lapis's eyrie, snuggled in close to the dragon. Neither of them minded at all. They were both just glad to be home again.

Ryan ended up doing the same with Yue. It was comfortable out with the dragon, since she kept her eyrie as cold as she could, so it felt a little more like home than the forest weyr did.

The next day Corey was all ready to go back to town, dressed in jeans and a plain black t-shirt. He'd even trimmed his hair, since it had grown out while they were gone.

"You lot ready to go?" he called to the others. He was looking forward to the tea.

Faith had gone back to her room to change, and went out to meet Corey in jeans, a nice top, and her hair braided back. She had the stones she wanted cut in the bag that she'd initially packed in when she left for the weyr for the first time, so it didn't have anything linking it to the weyr.

"Ready when you are," she replied.

Ryan had managed to find someone to lend him a set of casual clothes appropriate to the region. He looked a little uncomfortable in such relatively light clothes, rather than his riding gear, but he tried to ignore it.

"I'm ready," he said.

Corey nodded and got up on Vyren's back again, settling in. Vyren took off, flying towards the city.

But he stopped about a mile away, spiraling down and landing easily. Corey patted his neck as he slid down to the ground again.

Don't worry, I'll be back soon, he assured Vyren.

Be careful. Vyren nudged Corey.

I will. Don't worry. Corey stepped away, waiting for the other two to head into town.

Yue landed a little ways away from Vyren.

I'll be back soon, Ryan assured her as he slid down to the ground.

I will be there if you need help, Yue promised. If anyone hurts you, I will eat them.

Yue... Ryan warned. Yue ignored the warning, but Ryan knew she'd heard it.

Be careful? Lapis asked as she nuzzled Faith.

I will, Faith replied, rubbing the dragon's head. I'll be back soon.

I'll miss you.

I'll miss you too. Finally, Faith managed to get Lapis to let her go, and she followed Corey towards the city.

Corey made it to the town limit first, and was surprised to see someone guarding the gate. The man held out a hand, making them stop.

"What business do you have here?" the guard asked. "And where do you come from?"

"We're from down along the coast," Corey made up after a minute. "We're here visiting family, actually."

The guard eyed them. "Alright," he agreed, letting them in. "Go on, get."

Corey walked in quickly, glancing back at the other two. This was not a good sign.