The large black-and-white feline purred as she sat, watching the trio of small birds perched in one of the nearby trees. She, in turn, was being watched by a tall, dark-haired man sitting a few feet away. He brushed dark brown hair out of his face, watching the feline with blue-green eyes.
Alayjar smiled as he watched his black-and-white feline eyeing the birds, far out of her reach. He looked down at the sketchpad in his lap. His left hand was idly tracing the outline of the feline's head. He was about to start shading in the picture, but never got the chance.
The feline stood up, purring as she jumped into the boy's lap, who hastily tossed aside the sketchpad. He smiled as he scratched the feline behind her furry ears. "Karasu, you're supposed to stay still when I'm sketching you." He chastised the feline gently.
"That's really good." Alayjar turned to see a sandy-haired girl looking at his sketchpad. She smiled at him. "So why are you at the Healercrafthall instead of the Paintercrafthall?"
"Wasn't my choice." He answered. "My parents are Healers, so they wanted me to be one, too."
"Oh." The girl said sympathetically. "My name's Kaaressa, by the way."
"Alayjar." He said as Karasu purred loudly from his lap. "And this is Karasu." He laughed.
Karasu purred again, and turned her eyes to something in the sky. Two somethings, actually.
Alayjar looked up, seeing a duo of dragons high in the sky, barely dots against the bright blue sky. But they were rapidly coming closer. Alayjar's eyes lit up. Perhaps they were on search. Dragons weren't exactly his forte, but he'd try anything to be able to get away from the Healercrafthall. Besides, even if he wasn't searched, maybe he could convince the riders to give him a lift to the nearest hold, or the Paintercrafthall, or anywhere else away from here.
He stood up as Karasu jumped off his lap, and ran to where he knew the dragons would land.
A tall man stood beside a large brown dragon, and a woman stood with her smaller green dragon behind them.
"Hey, Alayjar!" Alayjar turned to see Kaaressa waving to him. "They're on search. Do you think you could get lucky?" She giggled.
Alayjar smiled. "I'm counting on it. I intend to get away from this place, preferably by being searched."
Don't be so sure of yourself, young one.
Alayjar turned to see the rainbow eyes of the brown dragon watching him. He shrugged. "I'm leaving this place, with or without the help of dragons. I'm not gonna stay here a moment longer than I have to. If the dragons won't help me, I'll find another way."
The dragon rumbled amusedly. Determined, aren't you? I suppose we'd best take you with us, just to keep you out of trouble. I will talk it over with my rider. Who knows, you may yet Impress a dragon yourself.

The dragon kept his promise. The man he'd seen earlier, obviously the brown's rider, came to him later, and announced that he'd been searched. Grinning, Alayjar left to pack his things and Karasu. Scratching the feline's head, he met the brown and his rider outside.
A girl with long, sandy hair grinned at him from beside the rider. Alayjar blinked, startled to see the girl, Kaaressa, there. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
Kaaressa laughed. "I've been searched too!"
Of course. Even if you end up not Impressing, at least this trip would not have been for nothing.
Alayjar rolled his eyes as he climbed onto the dragon's back. "Gee, thanks." He muttered.