[RUMOR] Safer Pastures

[Arcane]

Fort's candidate barracks is emptier than it used to be. Several candidates have withdrawn from candidacy or transferred to other weyrs, on their own initiative or the urging of their families, no longer convinced Fort Weyr is able to keep them safe.

[nineofswords]

Heiro wasn't certain how exactly she should react to the fact that her parents hadn't reached out to her with concern for her well-being, to beg her to return home. On the one hand, she had no desire to return home, and it was nice not to have to fight her parents on staying on as a candidate for the Weyr. But on the other, it wasn't a great to feel like her parents didn't care whether she lived or died. At least her sister had reached out to her, although it was just to ask if she'd impressed to a green yet or had given up on her 'silly idea' and gone home already. It was the closest Heiro could get to expecting concern for her wellfare from her family, although it wasn't clear if Themis had heard about the violence with the whers yet or not. Heiro's sister tended not to care about news that didn't directly involve herself.

Heiro's arm was still in a sling. Her arm had been dislocated and torn at, but luckily there wouldn't be any major lasting damage apart from the scars. That was common for people from the Weyr, and in an odd way almost made Heiro feel like she actually belonged.

"I think it's important that we don't hold it against anyone for wanting to leave," Heiro said in her quiet way. "People deserve to feel safe, and if they don't feel safe here, it's not fair to make them stay. Hopefully, the Weyr will take better measures to ensure it doesn't happen again, but until then, people need to do what's best for them." She said it evenly but slightly mechanically. Her own injuries just made her think of everyone else.

Why hadn't Heiro insisted everyone stay together at the camping trip? Why hadn't she been more forceful in dealing with Retsuko? So many people had been hurt, and she hadn't been able to protect any of them, not even the people who'd been with her. How could she think she was worthy to stand for a dragon if she couldn't protect her fellows? How could she possibly wait patiently for eggs and then a dragon's growing period to be able to protect people? She needed to be able to do so now. She was never going to let something like this happen ever again. She wasn't quite sure how yet, but she was determined to make sure it was true.