One eve while they layed exhausted from their day of chores, Thera and Kindre started plotting. "You know what would be funny..." seemed to start each whispered sentance from each of the young women. Finally it was decided that they'd dress up kindly old Pranceth, even-older G'ber's brown dragon. Not only did they strip every sheet not currently being slept on within the barracks, they also took every cord hanging in waiting for arriving Candidates. They promised the brown daily washings in the Springs and assured him he'd look simply -lovely- dressed up in Gather attire. And he did! Decked from the highest neckridge to the tip of his tail, Pranceth was styling. Crimson ruffles circled his long neck, while ebony sheet-skirts flowed down across his back. The knot cords kept the garment together neatly, while adding more of Benden's trademark black and red to the ensemble. The young women, quite pleased with themselves and the accomplishment, slipped back to the barracks not long before dawn. Well, it wasn't long before the women were snitched upon. The Weyrleaders, P'tran and Jehrina, weren't exactly pleased with either Thera nor Kindre. They were assigned double-duties for the duration of their Candidacy. Kindre, after the scolding, then went out to finish her firestone breaking duty. It was then that she met Sionelle. Blue Brynarth's rider came striding into the bowl, took one look at the still-attired Pranceth, and remarked something of disrespectful Candidates. Kindre, thinking the woman had heard she and Thera had done the task, quickly began to apologize. Well, Sionelle hadn't heard. In fact, Kindre was the first to let her know. Reducing Kindre to not much more than a pile of nerves, Sionelle let her know just how well pranks fared with her. Visiting just then from High Reaches Weyr, Laurelin, gold Elisanth's rider, and another Reaches rider, the pair distracted Sionelle enough that Kindre was able to slip off. Though whenever the Candidate caught even a far-off glimpse of Sionelle, she was sure to head...quickly...in the opposite direction.

A bit too busy with double chores, Kindre and Thera had little time to think up other pranks to play. During the few brief breaks they could find, though, the two found an old deck of Dragon Poker cards and repainted over the original artwork, likening the pictures to more modern figures, both at the Weyr, Crafts, and Hold. Kin also was able to squeeze in some reading and writing lessons from Cavadan in the late evenings. The last few sevendays that the eggs lay hard on the Sands under Leilanth's watchful stare, the group was taught the dos and don'ts of being on the Sands, made their robes, and even put on a small talent show. Despite seeming well-prepared, none truly where when suddenly  on the first day of month three in the fifteeth turn of the tenth Pass, they were being gathered up and told to quickly don their robs! The humming of the dragons drowned out all the last minute instructions Kindre was supposed to hear. Suddenly she found herself in a nice, neat line and herded out to the most frightening, chaotic moment of her life...

The...gulp!...Hatching

Faced first with the unapproving stare of gold Leilanth, Kindre then saw the Weyrlingmasters...T'fian, Flannerly, W'liam, and Sionelle before turning her eyes upon the Weyrleaders, Jehrina and P'tran. She finally recalled to bow, and then slipped in beside Thera, Alyssa, and Breana. Kin was nervous, hot, anxious, hot, amazed...and, yes, hot. Fretting hands found themselves trying to keep the robe from sticking to her while also keeping it attached around her body. Soon enough, though, the eggs began to spill their occupants onto the Sands and she was a bit too awestruck to concentrate on much more than the dragonettes. She watched several of her friends Impress and called her congratulations to them each as their lifepartners found them. A sudden humming filled the entire hatching cavern as the gold egg suddenly split neatly apart and the misty sunrise gold began her trek across the grounds. The little queen was taking her time, and Kindre was distracted by an Impression just beside her. About to utter her well-wishes, her mind was suddenly gripped. And I do mean gripped! Feeling the eyes upon her rather than simply staring into them, Kindre bobbed her head quickly while dropping to her knees. "I will...I will Herath!" And then Sionelle led the two from Benden's Sands to begin their new life together.

Kindre and Herath found themselves grouped with, amoung others, C'vadan and Brown Dulath, Alyssa and Blue Adonith, Karise and Green Erinyth, Lal and Brown Areseth, K'tyn and Bronze Prometh, and Thera and Green Lilith. It was during their time of growing together and training that Kindre seemed almost to grow up even as Herath did. Alyssa and Kindre, somehow finding an ease of understanding between themselves, grew closer as friends and confidants. Kin also began to make closer friends of others at the Weyr. Maarie, Green Zuseth's rider, became a dear friend. Caitria, Benden's Weyrherder, Ofira, then Assistant Weyrbaker, Kethran, Assitant Steward, to name a few, let the student Kindre bend their ears on all sorts of things. Even the mostly reclusive, "mean" S'riv, Bronze Cioth's rider, found some time to be nice to K'tyn and Kindre late one evening. Though, of course, he denies it to the present.
Also during Weyrlinghood, Kindre made one of her dearest friends to this day. Kassima, Green Lysseth's rider, and Kin always seemed to end up on the same level. Kindre really began to "lighten up" during this period, the Weyrlife around her so friendly even during training. Most free eves were spent chatting it up at the Hot Springs with Kassi, Ryialla, Meli, Tinya, the other Weyrlings...too many to name.

Training was...well, training. Guided by a wonderful quartet of Weyrlingmasters: T'fian, Sionelle, Flannery, and W'liam, Kindre and the others bonded as they grew into their riderships. Under T'fian's ever-watchful eye, the Weyrlings took their first out of Weyr excursion *between* to Benden Hold. Then-Lord Besander greeted them well enough, though threw Kindre when, after being introduced to her, he noted, "Nice to meet Benden's next Watchdragon pair," with a bit of a chuckle. She did as she had been taught up to that point and remained silent. Not that she could think up a witty enough response anyhow. No worse for the wear, the Weyrlings were soon moving onto other tasks. It was decided that their Weyrling Wing would be called Eclipse, with Alyssa as Wingleader, and C'vadan and K'tyn as Wingseconds by T'fian's appointment. Eclipse Wing even helped during Threadfall. Though Kindre mainly watched her Wingmates from below, most all fared well during their first encounter with the hated menace. Soon enough, Kin was watching as her Wingmates moved out of Eclipse and into the Weyr's Wings, as she did as well...and finally into their own weyrs! They had made it through, and now proudly called themselves Riders for Benden Weyr.

Once allowed to come and go from Benden Weyr as she (well, mostly) pleased, Kindre was introduced by her friends to several of her now-favored spots to visit. The first Gather she attended as a Benden rider was that of the Runner Festival at Ruatha Hold. Kassima, Aphrael, Asrai, and Kindre all entered a three-legged race that could only be described as nearly disasterous. Dressed in Gather finery, Kassi paired with Aph, and Kin with Asrai, joined the other racers as they hobbled, tripped, and skidded across the finish line. Other events they attempted were equally as comical. The "Sailing of Slithereth" is just one of the aforementioned races, and most likely one of the funniest. It was at this Gather, during a seemingly innocent game of Pin The Tail, that Kindre lost her first mark to High Reaches Weyr's (and Kassi's old friend) M'rgan, brown Ularrith's rider. It was during this game when Kindre and Kassima began the "Luck verses Skill" controversy which continues in the present turns. The rider still continued to visit Ruatha even after the festival, mostly for the lemonbread, she also treasured the always fun encounters with her artist friend, Channa. The young Ruathan decored Kindre and Herath's weyr as well as taking several commissions for some rather interesting paintings Kassi and Kin thought up from time to time. Kindre also discovered she had a cousin in Macami.  The two shared a wonderful reunion of catching up. Shipfish Island, the Lave Lounge, and the famous passtime of Swing The Vine at Southern Boll are just a few other passtimes Kindre enjoyed as a new rider for Benden Weyr.

A great deal had happened around the Weyr in the turns that followed. Kindre enjoyed herself at Benden's Autumn Festival, participated in an Aerial Display and flew Threadfall, in which the former Weyrling Wing, Northern Lights, found themselves facing the menace for the first time. She was 'scored during that Threadfall, and amidst Kassi's distracting bronzerider jokes, watched as the greenrider received her promotion to Thunderbolt Wingsecond. The Weyrlings graduated into Wings, and Weyrwoman Jehrina's Leilanth rose, caught by bronze Prometh, naming K'tyn as Benden's new Weyrleader. A few new residents joined the ranks at the Weyr, several of whom Kin found friendship with, Makeda and Alexi to just name a couple. She became close with J'lyn, a greenrider at Benden and the two seemed slightly smitten for a time.

Time at Benden drifted along like the thick, white snowflakes so familiar to the area during the winter months. Merla's Kimbrith rose, flown by Ista Weyr's brown Parth. E'ryn, his rider, spent a few months at Benden learning of Slithereth, The Water, and Brownrider curses. Soon the Weyr was welcoming another wonderful class of Weyrlings from that Hatching, a few of whom where A'lex and bronze Nraith, D'thon and blue Wroxath, D'ton and bronze Kyoteth, Maylia and green Tierth, Melina and brown Rhonneth, N'kshar and green Azeth, and S'jeet and brown Tazath, to the ranks of Benden. Little did they all realize this would be the last clutch many of them would witness as Bendenites. The problems with G'mort and Benna...the Weyrleaders of Telgar...quickly changed Kindre's, as well as that of her friends, lives. She found herself spending much of her time at Telgar caring for the records Weyrwoman Benna no longer was able to do so for herself. Thregga, Telgar's only junior weyrwoman at that time, was but a mere twelve turns, and had more curiousity for her growing dragon and growing up than the tedious tasks of histories. Soon enough, a Weyr Council was conveined to contemplate the future of the faltering Telgar. It was decided that Benden's Leadership, several queens, and three Wings of dragons would move to Telgar in the hopes of bringing that Weyr back to the greatness it once held.