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 Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:34 am
T'bell and K'rel - Late Talk Part 04
The brownrider nodded understandingly and glanced back towards the pool for Zephyr. "I've always wanted to visit the Harper Hall, at least. Dunno, I doubt I would have done very well there. I was just sucked into Beastholding... Whole family was there or nearby. But I like animals well enough, so it worked out. Much quieter here, though. I like your lot. Doesn't make the place feel as empty."
T'bell made a rueful face and didn't quite succeed in holding back his quiet laughter. "You 'like' my 'lot'?" He smiled and shook his head, "I should feel privileged, I suppose, hmm brownrider? Here-" He held out his hand for the other in retribution for the examination he'd given his scars earlier, "Harping isn't as soft as some people might think, especially if you're making things. A few nicks and cuts from carving, a string snaps and it'll get you pretty deep as well." A long thin scar marred half-way up his forearm, barely noticeable because of his pale skin. "Harps are the worst for that, and if you get a bad string it doesn't matter how much experience you have."
K'rel raised a brow, but straightened up and reached to take T'bell by the wrist, eyeing each scar curiously. "Huh, I wouldn't have thought... But I suppose each trade has it's dangers. And the Harpers' aren't all in their halls, I'm told." He lifted his eyes questioningly to the greenriders', then released his hand and slumped back against the wall.
"Of course not." He smiled and tilted his head, eyes traveling up to the stone ceiling, "There's talk of times when harpers were hurt or killed just because of their craft. It's not like that anymore, of course. I don't even remember that happening very clearly -I must have been young- but there're still some of the more remote holds that won't take harpers."
"At least things are getting better," he replied with a smile. However, he soon frowned faintly shaking his head slightly. "Still, I'm surprised some holds won't let Harpers in. What's there the gain in that?"
"Basically...no education." He gave a small shrug and edged away from the pool, as he was privy to some of Zephyr's plotting aimed towards his person. "With no education people won't have strong opinions, or if they do, they won't know what to do about them. Women especially, won't know there's more to do than have children. That's fine for some women, but a lot of girls that come to the Hall from more remote holds are really knocked off their routine for sevendays at a time."
"Ahh... I suppose that makes sense." The brownrider again straightened up, absently tapping his chin. "And it's sad, really, because those people have every right to an education…but don't know it because the information is denied them. Ahh, well, perhaps sometime in the near future we'll be able to work it out. Those holds are getting fewer and fewer, as you've said."
T'bell nodded his agreement, inching closer to the browrider and shifting so he was on the opposite side of him from the pool. "It's not as bad as it used to be. Some of the bigger holds now are taking on too many. We're having a bit of a problem keeping enough people at the Hall."
K'rel failed to notice any significance behind the greenrider's movements, merely chuckling softly and nodding. "Well, I doubt that'll get too serious. Pern can never have enough Harpers, I'm sure. Good that there're stations for so many."
"Indeed!" The last of his word rose to a higher pitch and he ducked behind the brownrder as Zephyr rose out of the water and beat his wings furiously, showering them with droplets.
The attack caught K'rel completely off guard, and by the time he reacted, he was already soaked. Shouting in surprise, he raised both arms to shield himself from the water, leaning away from the flit, towards T'bell. "Ahh, ya evil little runt! Alright, you win! Stop splashin'!"
T'bell couldn't help but laugh. He'd gotten Zephyr's hint from the flitts' schemeing mind. "Come on Zeph!" His scolding was full of laughter however, and Zephyr trilled in victory before diving under the water to escape any form of retaliation.
T'bell's laughter, along with the blue's triumphant trill, set the brownrider off as well. Once the torrent ended, he laughed and turned back towards the pool, leaning over and sticking an arm in the pool, snatching around for the flitt. He was already wet. A bit more wouldn't hurt. "Just you wait, Zeph!"
Snickering madly behind him, T'bell shoved the brownrider's shoulder. "Oh you big bully, quit pestering him!"
"Well he started it!" K'rel protested, sounding all the world as it he were five years old again. Laughing, he made a huge show of straightening up and splashed an armful of water towards T'bell while he did. "You see how you like it!"
"Hey!" He sputtered and coughed, wiping the water from his face. "Oh now you've done it!" And with that he leapt at him, likely tumbling them both into the pool in the process.
His laughter was cut off as T'bell's pounce knocked them both into the water, a series of bubbles the only sign that he was still laughing. Still underwater, K'rel squirmed out from under the greenrider and climbed to his feet, surfacing with a splash and resuming his laughter as soon as he caught his breath.
At the intrusion Zephyr gave a squawk of protest and clamored out the opposite side, strutting away to the wall indignantly.
T'bell surfaced with an impish smile, his braid had come unraveled in the process and he snatched the tie from the water. "Serves you right."
Rolling his eyes, K'rel waded towards the side of the pool, freeing his hair from it's tie and wringing it out as he walked. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. Still say he started it. Evil plotting little blue. You knew, too, didn't you?" He shot an accusingly glare over his shoulder at T'bell, but then grinned and released his hair, shaking his head to dry it at least somewhat.
"Harpers always know, silly brownrider." T'bell teased as he followed him, watching with envy as he wrung out his hair. The mass of black curls that sat atop his head held victory over every attempt he had made to control it. Now they were plastered to his forehead and cheeks, or hung wet and limp to his shoulders.
"Indeed." The brownrider rolled his eyes, chuckling softly and quickly binding his hair back in a hasty ponytail. He climbed out of the pool and, without a thought for the greenrider, stripped off his dripping shirt and wrung it out over the pool. "'Could've at least warned me."
It took a moment for T'bell to answer, and he turned his eyes away with a light blush as he sat himself on the edge of the pool. "Why would I do something like that?" He managed to mumble as he ran his hands through his mess of hair -or tried to- and attempted to get it back in order.
"Save us both the trouble of changing, for one thing." He chuckled softly and shook out the shirt, then stepped over to a small pile of towards near the doorway, dropping the shirt beside it for the time and picking up a towel for himself. "'M sure I could find something for you to borrow, if you don't want to wear wet clothes."
"Much appreciated if I could..." He hesitated a moment, then due to his hair having decided to plaster itself over his face and attempt to suffocate him, asked quietly, "Do you have a brush, maybe, I could borrow?"
"Oh, of course." K'rel nodded and quickly dried off, then stepped out of the room, returning shortly with the brush and passing it over to T'bell. "Help yourselves to the towels, too. I'll go find you some clothes," he added, then headed back out the door.
"Thanks." He ducked his head and pulled his feet out of the water, toeing off his sodden boots before setting to the Mess That Tried To Eat Him with the brush. "I'll return them as soon as I can, tomorrow morning if you like..."
"Whenever works," came the brownrider's voice from the next room, along with the sound of a drawer being pulled back. "There's no rush. Just get 'em back eventually, and I'm fine." When he finally returned, he had changed into dry clothes and was carrying a set for the greenrider. He grinned and set them atop the pile of towels, , then stepped back out the door to give T'bell some privacy. "Call me once you're dressed."
"Mhm..." He gave a short nod, abandoning his hair for a moment and quickly fumbling into the clothes. He gave an exasperated sigh when he had to hitch the pant up so they wouldn't fall. Not the fault of K'rel though, but it was annoyance with himself for refusing to put on any weight despite the copious amounts of time he spent in the kitchen. He pulled the shirt of his head and wrestled his hair out from under it. "I'm done."
K'rel pushed back the curtain at his call and stepped into the room, leaning against the doorframe and eyeing him over once, just to see how the clothes fit. He chuckled softly a shook his head, but grinned and shrugged. "Ah, well, it's only temporary. Tried to find something smaller, but I guess I've given away most of those. Good enough for now, though."
"Thank you." He dipped his head and frowned at his hair, pulling it over his shoulder to slide the brush through it. "You could have made me walk back sodding wet."
He smiled and shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. "It's no problem. Besides, I checked, and, as far as I can tell, Siv and Lili are still sleeping. You may be here for a while. Might as well be comfortable, aye?"
"The great oafs." He continued to wrestle with his hair, and darted a glance to Zephyr, who had snuck up on his bare foot, eyes a yellow and green whirl. "Oh, you silly flitt, I'm not angry at you." He lifted the blue up and Zephyr clung to his arm happily, as his shoulders were covered in wet hair. "You're learning evil things from the womenfolk, aren't you?”
"Evil little thing," K'rel murmured, narrowing his eyes at Zephyr. Then, chuckling softly, he turned and stepped back out of the room, leaving the bedroom after that and returning to the weyr in search of his own blue, who was sleeping on the arm of the couch. The brownrider slid onto the couch beside him, raising a hand to lightly pet along the blue's back. "At that, they all are…"
He carried Zephyr out and set him down on the table, where he curled himself up into a ball, and leaned against the wall, pulling the brush through his slowly-taming curls. "How do you get your hair to behave so easily?"
The brownrider glanced up when T'bell spoke. Smiling, her shrugged and reached back to pull the ponytail over his shoulder. "It's naturally straight. Really easy to keep up. Actually, I don't bother with brushing half the time. I just put it up and it falls naturally. Gets in the way if I leave it down."
"Lucky." He waved the brush at him. "You manage to keep it soft too, and that's hardly fair. If your hair behaves it should be like straw. Mine is as soft as I could ever want, but look at it!" He flicked a few stray curls from his face. "My sisters have it too, but they do their...girl things, and it all works out fine. Lovely long luxurious hair...and I get this thing, that takes on a life of it's own when it's wet or too humid out."
"Not everyone can have perfect hair," K'rel replied with a grin, then shrugged. "And I like yours better as is. Sure it's a bit...wayward..." Chuckling softly, he reached over and flicked at a stray curl that seemed to be sticking straight up, laughing a bit louder when it just popped up once more. "But it suits you. You wouldn't have anything to complain about if it was agreeable, don't you think?"
T'bell's eyes witched the curl bounce back up, almost crossing, and he gave a rueful grin. "Oh I'd find something, I am a Harper after all." His cheeky smile grew distant a moment as he felt a rustling on the edge of his conscious.
Your beastlings are waking up, love. Liliath confirmed, her voice groggy in his mind.
He gave a sigh and pulled his hair into a make-shift ponytail to last him. "I'm sorry to cut this short, not that you're probably not tired of me by now anyway, but I've been informed my charges are waking up, and that they're rather hungry." An apologetic smile was on his lips as he scooped up Zephyr and stood, offering a hand to the brownrider. "If I don't get back I might lose one of my chairs to their hungry mouths."
The greenrider's reply provoked another laugh from K'rel, but it soon died away with the announcement about the whers. His grin faded to a faint smile and, taking T'bell's hand, he climbed to his feet as well, eyes turning in the general direction of their dragons on the ledge. "Ahh, I understand. And not tired at all. Drop by whenever you'd like." Grin returning, he shrugged and turned back to the greenrider. "Siv would be happy for the company, as would I."
"Liliath would give me no choice." He said with a smile as he stepped out of the bathing room. A flash of gold told him Flute had disappeared to check on her belongings, keeping them safe from the whers. Liliath was where he had left her, but the green dragon heaved a reluctant sigh and began to carefully untangle herself from her brown companion, grumbling all the while.
You will want a ride. She said, just as he was about to ask K'rel if he minded an extra dragon, I do not want you walking back in the dark. You're clumsy, and you might fall down the stairs like that harper girl of yours.
This news seemed to cheer the brownrider. He followed T'bell out of the bedroom and towards the ledge, choking back a laugh and settling for a polite nod to the grumbling Liliath.
Beside her, Siventh cracked an eye as his nap was disturbed, moments later looking more than annoyed at the realization that his green was leaving. Yawning, he climbed to his feet to see her away, joining in on her mumbled complaints with a will.
With the help of his green, T'bell lifted himself gracefully onto her back. "I expect to see you in the dining hall every now and again." He called over his shoulder, giving K'rel a teasing smile, "It would do you good to socialize, and the food really isn't that bad."
We should hunt together, I could show you how to do it properly. Liliath sent smugly to Siventh, her tail tapping lightly against his haunches as she all but dropped from the gave, flicking out her wings and soaring back to her weyr.
K'rel remained just inside the weyr, leaning sideways against one wall while T'bell climbed onto his green. He rolled his eyes at the comment, laughing and waving away the greenrider. "Well see. Mayhaps I'll drop by once or twice. Showing up too often could hurt my reputation."
I'm sure you could, Siventh replied, along with a silent laugh. As Liliath took to the air, he bugled a good-bye, eyes whirling a calm blue as they followed the green back to her weyr. Once she was out of sight, he turned and left the ledge, making his way back into the weyr to his own 'bed'. They shall have to come back soon, minerider.
Turning from the ledge, K'rel wandered to sit beside the brown, leaning back against him with a smile. "Yes.. They certainly shall."
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:36 am
You have not spoken with T'bell in a while, mine. The brown tried again, a hint of urgency in his voice. Liliath assures me that he would like to speak with you.
"Another one of your schemes," came the lazy reply from the couch. K'rel was stretched out on his back, idly scritching the blue flitt curled up on his chest. Chuckling softly, and falling silent when the movement won him an irritated chirp from the blue, he craned his head in the general direction of the ledge and his brown. "I've fallen for it once and it won't happen again, Siv. If he wants to see me that badly, have Liliath trick him into a meeting."
There was an irritated rumble from his dragon. A short while later, he tried again, meanwhile rising to his feet and stretching his wings. She cannot come here, I will go to her.
"You'll do nothing of the sort," K'rel argued, frowning. Scooping Calt off his chest, he sat up and peered around towards the ledge. "If T'bell wanted company, Liliath would be coming here. I won't have you going bother him. And I'm not about to go after you just because you want him and I to speak."
What do you have against T'bell, mine? The question was fierce, accusing. On the ledge, Siventh refolded his wings and turned to enter the weyr, storming over to his own couch and glaring at his bond from across the room, eyes blazing a bold orange. He is good fo you, as Liliath is good for me. You spend too much time here, I want--
"Shards, Siv, we've been over this." The brownrider dropped Calt, who disappeared with a squawk, turning his back on the brown and disappearing behind the curtain into his bedroom. "I'm not ready, certainly not with a male, and if you had half a wit you'd realize you aren't either. You are a notorious flirt, Siventh, and as soon as another green rises, you'll be after her like a shot and Liliath will be long forgotten. I know you, even if you don't."
Silence from the brown and, in return, silence from his rider. The evening wore on without a word from either, and K'rel broke the silence only with the return of Calt--along with the three younger flitts. Siventh ignored them.
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Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:04 am
Three days and Siv still hadn't spoken. Seclusion from other riders was one thing, life devoid of any conversation whatsoever was quite another. K'rel sighed, staring gloomily over at his brown. Siventh, as far as he could tell, was ignoring him, and nothing he said seemed to change that.
He began to speak, paused, gathered his thoughts and attempted once more, only to fall silent before he had said so much as a word. After a beat, he sighed and climbed to his feet, slowly stepping towards the brown. "C'mon, Siv, you can't make me...fall in love. It doesn't work that way. I don't want this, T'bell doesn't want this..." He trailed off, staring hopelessly up at the brown.
Siventh ignored him.
After another brief pause, gave up with a sigh, shoulders sagging as he turned and started out of the weyr. "I'm going check on Arina, if you need me." In the doorway he paused, shooting a final glance back towards Siventh before heading out. "Just go back to being yourself."
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Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:13 am
T'bell and K'rel - Beach Meeting and Weyr Leaving?
"Siv...C'mon, Siventh.." No reply. It had been well over a week since the brown had spoken to his rider, and today was no acception. Out on his ledge with his back to his rider, Siventh simply blocked out the man's voice, entertaining himself instead with his view of the Weyr, which was altogether rather boring. Ignoring his rider was so tedious...but K'rel was starting to crack.
The brownrider in question, honestly, was seriously considering dropping his reclusive habits forever if the brown didn't speak soon. It was one thing to live and speak only with one's dragon; both halves knew each other completely, and the unconditional love between them was better than any other relationship K'rel had known. But with Siv silent, even that was gone, and the weyr became more of a lonely cave than the home it had always been.
(Of course, the flitts helped a little. At present, all four were splashing around in the bathroom, Calt eagerly exploiting his 'eldest' position for the short time he had until the others were bigger than him.)
K'rel frowned up at his brown, waiting for a moment longer just in case...then just sighed and returned to the weyr and his couch within, flopping lazily onto it. Minutes passed where the only sound was that of the flits' conversations in their 'pool', but the rider soon gave in, mumbling over to his dragon. "Where are they, then?"
A big green lump broke the water about ten feet from shore. For all the world it looked as if a giant rock had suddenly appeared, and the waves splashed against it just like the surrounding protrusions. The rest of the dragon was below the water, conducting an observation of the local aquatic wildlife.
"You'll never catch one like that, you know." T'bell mumbled out loud. He'd witnessed her attempts at 'fishing' moment before. With a snicker at the bubbles that rose from a snort (one he heard more in his head than with his ears) he turned back to the little blue flitt who was searching a tide pool near his feet. Flute passed over him, casting a shadow over his legs as she winged to land on a small pile of driftwood gathered by the greenrider.
I knew you would give in, Siventh smirked as his rider mounted, tail twitching smugly. The rider ignored him, and the brown gave a bugle of triumph, kicking off the ledge and starting into the sky. Instantly four flitts appeared around them, tiny ice shards evidence that they had come straight from their bath. As one, the group went between.
Only to reappear over the beach, the sight of which sent the flitts into fits. The four down for the water as Siventh let out another bugle, this one of greeting to the green 'rock' and her bond. With lazy wing beats he started towards the shore, but soon changed his mind and whipped out towards the green, smirking as well as a dragon could. Hang on.
"Siventh, bring me to the--" Both rider and dragon disappeared beneath the waves, K'rel popping up moments later amid the waves the followed. Loudly cursing his dragon, he waited until the waters settled and started his swim back to shore, 'helped' along by Calt, who fluttered near his head. The brown dragon, meanwhile, approached Liliath beneath the waves, smugly surfacing beside her.
At the brown's bugle Liliath head came up from the water, her extra eyelid opening as she shook the droplets off her face. Flue let out a screech of surprise and clamoured off the driftwood, while Zephyr practically bowled T'bell over. "What in-!" He spotted the brown only moments before both dragon and rider splashed into the sea. Liliath had the foresight to duck her head back under, and she resurfaced (just to the eyes) to peer haughtily at the brown when he came up beside her.
You scared off all the fish. She scolded as she watched the brownrider swim to shore, but bumped her head against Siventh's shoulder. What took you so long?
For his part, T'bell was on his feet by the shoreline and awaiting K'rels arrival. His shirt and riding gear were draped over a log further up on shore, and his wet breaches and damp hair was a sign he'd been in the water previously. The blue in his arms only cooed and chittered angrily at the brown for causing such a ruckus. "Graceful landing!"
They were too small anyway, the brown cheerfully assured her, sidling up alongside her with an affectionate nuzzle. He spared a glance back towards his rider, rumbling in annoyance. He would not come. I had to...talk him into it.
The water shallowed, and K'rel gladly gave up swimming in favor of wading, absently swatting the blue flitt away from his head. He struggled out of his shirt and wrung it out as he continued towards the beach, glancing up only when he heard T'bell's call. Cracking a smile, he slung the bunched-up shirt over one shoulder and allowed Calt to land atop that, pausing in the shallows with a helpless shrug. "Wasn't it, though? That's the skill that got him Wingsecond."
Talk? I was not aware he knew the practice. She rumbled laughter and stuck her head back under the water.
"And here I thought it was his charming personality." The greenrider snickered and shifted Zephyr obligingly so the flitt could peer at Calt, deem him recognizable, and trill a greeting. "How are you?" His query was interrupted by Flute darting past him to chitter angrily at Calt, puffing her small gold chest up regally and scolding him for letting his two-legger and giant scare her. "Flute!"
He is learning. He replied with a rumble of his own, then mimicked her motion, first lids closing as he ducked beneath the surface. You were fishing?
He chuckled softly, relaxing as Calt returned the other blue's greeting, eyes following the flitts' trilled conversation for a moment before rising back to T'bell. However, before he could reply, the gold was in his face and Calt was furiously burrowing into his hair, attempting to hide from the angry queen and successfully scratching up the back of K'rel's neck in the process. The brownrider hissed through is teeth, more in annoyance than pain, and reached back with one hand, attempting to pry the blue off him. meanwhile, he nodded politely to the gold, hoping to calm her somewhat. "I'm very sorry that Siv and I bother you. Calt tried to stop us, but we just wouldn't listen. It shall never happen again, promise?"
I was watching the fish. Bigger ones are further out. She blinked her lidded eyes at him and gestured to a tenacled crature with her snout. They are interesting.
Flute seemed appeased and chirped imperiously at him before she was snatched out of the air by her impressed. "Flute! Behave yourself!" The golds response was to screech and disappear, reappearing high above to glare at the others below. T'bell sighed and lifted Zephyr to his shoulder ot free his hands. "Sorry, did you get badly scratched?"
They are quick, Siv countered, eyes following a small school past his head. But most are boring. They are only fish.
Breathing a sigh of relief, K'rel dragged the blue from behind him and set about calming the small flitt, lightly stroking along Calt's back until the blue relaxed to enjoy the attention, the gold's anger already forgotten. With a smile, K'rel looked up once more, pausing in petting and reaching back to lightly trace over a few of the large scratches. "I don't think so. They'll heal quickly, I'm sure. No worries."
What do you find more interesting? The green asked curiously, eyeing the school.
T'bell gave a small frown, leaning around him to see. "I have some numbweed in my pack if you want. I'm sorry about her..." His eyes flicked upwards to the circling gold. "She gets as snooty as a queen dragon sometimes, despite her size."
Birds, for one. He shrugged absently, turning an eye towards the green. Anything can swim, few can fly as we do. And birds can talk. Fish cannot.
"Really, it's fine." K'rel chuckled softly, hand returning to stroking Calt's back at a chirp from the blue. "It's not bad. And it gives me something to complain to Siv about." He grinned. "Teach him a lesson for dropping in so suddenly.
Not everything can swim forever. She answered, I can already fly, but I could not live down here.
"If you're sure." He frowned a bit as he backed up. Zeph's head stretched out to where it had been before his impressed moved, and he continued peering at Calt, cooing softly. "Anyway, as I was saying before we were interrupted, how have you been?"
I could, Siventh countered with a smug rumble, eyes nearly crossing as they focused on a particularly colorful fish. As the shipfish do. They cannot breathe beneath the waves, yet they survive. I am sure I could do the same.
K'rel smiled reassuringly, any words interupted by a cheerful trill from Calt, who, now that the gold was gone, was soaking up all the attention he could get. Once the blue quieted to a soft croon, the brownrider chuckled softly, grinning. "In all honesty? Bored out of my mind, despite being busy with the new flitts. Today was the first Siv's spoken to me in over a week, so life's been...quieter than ever. But what about you? It's been..a while."
You're more the size of a ship than a fish. She nudged him with her nose and the little fish swam off, You are too big. Her tone was amused, teasing.
His mouth opened to answer but the words died on hid tongue, "New flitts?" green eyes widened in excitement, and he peered around. "Your brood hatched? What'd you get?"
I could do it, he repeated, eyes refocusing. He cocked his head towards her, flashing his own rendition of a dragonic grin. But I would not. Water is nice, but not all of the time.
"Oh, aye!" Turning, he gestured further down the beach to the trio splashing in the shallows. "They're not as..er...protective as Calt just yet, thankfully. A bronze, a brown and a green. Odd how that worked out."
Yes it is. She flicked her tail, splashing what part of him was above the water, and proceeded to terrify the marine life by paddling farther out.
T'bells eyes followed his gesturing. They then flicked up to Flute, who was circling above the trio, inspecting them. "I told you they'd hatch. Don't you feel silly for being so worried?" He grinned and plopped down in the sand. "What did you call them? And how does Calt feel about them...and Siv."
K’rel opened his mouth to answer but Liliath cut him off. Mine, we must return to the weyr. She sent it with a sense of urgency, and T’bell looked over to find his green’s head bobbing closer to the shore. He gave an apologetic look to the browndrider.
“I’m sorry, we have to get back. I’ll meet them another time.” He waved quickly and took off down the beach for his things. A moment later he was aboard a very wet dragon and the cold of between had nearly frozen him to her hide. “What is this about?” His teeth chattered as they circled over top of Rias Weyr. Liliath had come in lower than usual and he hoped no one had seen. She was winging to the Weyrwoman’s rooms.
We have been reassigned to Harper Hall. Liliath answered. Like you asked.
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Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:14 am
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Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:15 am
Bugles, calls from the weyrbowl; something was going on, yet there had been no response from Siventh. His flitt quartet, however, had alerted him immediately. Not that they made much sense, the silly things. Flashes of bronzes, browns, golds, blues, along with random scenes of beaches and fruit trees sent from the less coherent of his flitts threatened to overwhelm him. There was no consistancy that he could see.
Climbing awkward to his feet, the brown rider waved excited flitts away from his head, picturing the bathroom and sending them off to bathe in the tub. A relative peace settled, he hurried from his room towards his dozing brown then, deciding against it, changed direction to proceed out on the ledge, just in time to see the golden queen take to the sky. His breath caught in his throat, and he whirled on the brown--confused all the more when, again, Siventh seemed to be sleeping. "Ariath rises?"
She does. came the drowsy reply. Yawning widely, Siventh resettled himself upon his bed and lifted an eyelid or two to eye his rider.
Still wary, K'rel regarded him closely for a beat before gesturing out towards the bowl. "And you do not follow?"
You do not wish to be Weyrleader, mine. There was a bored drawl in the brown's tone as he turned his head away from his rider, eyelids reclosing as he returned to his nap. And I have my green.
Guilt struck the brownrider like a sack of firestone and, sighing, he retreated back behind the curtain to his bedroom. Apparently, they would wait for Liliath.
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Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:17 am
Not one for large crowds, K'rel had absolutely no intention of attending the festivities. True, he was not in his weyr--Siventh had seen to that--but the Weyr was full of quiet places where he could hide, even given the time of year. The stables, for example.
"Happy Turnover, 'Rina." The Brownrider sighed, leaning over the stall door to watch his little mare. Arina graced him with a nickered hello, but didn't move from her position in the corner of the stall. Walking was difficult, swollen as she was. Let the rider come to her.
And K'rel did, setting his procured glass of wine out of harm's way, then sliding open the bolt and slipping within the stall. Stepping over to the little mare, he rested a hand lightly on her neck, the other playing thoughtfully over her back as he took in her swollen stomach. Finally cracking a smile, he turned and draped an arm over her neck, giving her a lopsided hug. "Any day now, eh Rina?"
Though Kaon was still down at the Hold's stables, K'rel had moved Arina up to the Weyr as her pregnancy grew to a close. Now, with the foal due at any moment, it was only right that he came to check on her...constantly. Right?
You are not a Dragonrider.
K'rel's face darkened. Stepping away from the mare, he muttered a 'shut up, Siv' and headed from the stall to find a meal for the little runner.
T'bell is not attending the festivities either.
"Shut UP, Siventh." His shout provoked a nervous snort from the mare, and K'rel immediately turned back to the stall to calm her.
The brown dragon was quiet.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:56 pm
T'bell to K'rel
I've been assigned to Harper Hall for a long period of time. Best wishes.
~T'bell
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:57 pm
"Best wishes."
The brownrider sneered, quickly reading through the note a second time before crumpling it up and tossing the resulting wad at the dozing blue flitt. Calt blinked lazily as the paper ball bounced off his head, blue eyes touched with a tinge of orange as he lifted his head to send a questioning chirp towards his bond.
Throwing that paper will not change what it says, mine, Siventh offered knowingly from the rock shelf that served as his bed.
The sun had already set in Rias before the note from the Harper Hall, delivered by an all-too-familiar gold firelizard, had reached the brownrider. The occupants of the weyr were already settling down for bed: Siventh to his shelf, K'rel to his couch, three young flitts, far too stuffed to care about anything else, nestled in a fur near the hearth, and Calt to the arm of the couch until such time as he could curl up in his bond's hair. Said time was looking to be farther and farther away with the arrival of the note, which had sent K'rel into something of a worried panic, though he was succeeding rather well in disguising it with anger.
"Why would they just...up and leave without a word?!" he snapped, storming over to snatch the note off the floor. Clenching it in his fist, he shook it in the general direction of the ledge, then, sighing, sunk down to sit on the couch. His head fell back and he closed his eyes, suddenly devoid of energy. "I don't understand."
After a beat, he climbed to his feet and dragged the sleeping fur off of the couch, wrapping it around his shoulders and slouching over to the brown dragon. He settled himself between the brown's front legs, raising a brow at Siventh as he did so. "...Why aren't you upset about this? You understand that Liliath's gone too, right?"
They will be back, the brown replied simply, turning his head to fix one whirling blue eye on his rider. They are not gone for good. They are only at the Harper Hall. I can go between there any time. Sleep, do not worry on it. You are upsetting the little blue.
As if on cue, Calt abandoned his perch on the couch to dart over to the pair, hovering in place momentarily before alighting on K'rel's lap and snuggling down into the fur. The brownrider frowned, but protested no further, shifting to make himself more comfortable on the rock shelf and muttering a reluctant 'good night'.
Even then, both dragon and firelizard were asleep long hours before him.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:58 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Return from the Hall Part 01
T'bell let out a groan and flopped down on his bed. It was bare of anything but the cushy part but regardless it was somewhere softer than the floor. His things were piled against the wall in what was really a skeletal version of his room. It was with mixed feelings that he returned, and he did not envy unpacking. Imirin for his part was being his typical sour self due to the trip and his proximity to dragon-kind. He groaned and rolled over to find Liliath staring at him with whirling eyes.
She blinked slowly and huffed. We are back.
"We are." He pushed himself up and grumbled something. "I would rather in the morning."
I would rather now. She felt impatient with him and her eyes whirled blue and green.
He rubbed a hand over his face and nearly pouted at her. "Well fine then. Do what you want, go ahead. You can't help unpack anyway." He waved her off with a hand and looked at his flitts, a ball of blue and gold on one of his packs. The whers had run to their room.
Liliath grunted and stuck her head into the night air of the bowl without taking off before bespeaking Siventh. Hello... She'd wait for T'bell to figure out the draconic happenings in his absence on his own. Telling him more than ‘the hatching went well’ would ruin th surprise for him.
***
Turnover was soon, Threadfall was soon; K'rel was fairly drained. Days were long and filled with preparations for both events, which, for the most part, suited the Wingsecond just fine. It meant he could keep busy, which mean he didn't have to think. It also meant that he didn't have time to socialize even if he had wanted to, so Siventh couldn't pester him on the subject.
The brownrider had long since sunk back into his old routine of things, spending time around the other riders only when courtesy absolutely demanded it of him. What little free time he did have was usually spent on the beach with Siventh and the flitts, where even the occasional meeting was fleeting and left no lasting impression on him. He didn't trust people enough to get attatched anymore.
He was tired and worn, and he was taking a bath before bed, and that was that. If anyone dared interrupt him, it would be their head, and that was that.
Which was why Siventh kept from immediately dragging his rider up and off to Liliath's weyr when the green bespoke him. The brown had been dozing sulkily on his ledge, a quartet of flits curled up between his shoulderblades. However, when the green's words reached him, his head snapped up, whirling green eyes turning in the general direction of Liliath's weyr despite the distance. You have returned?
My rider requested I keep a 'low profile' and not bellow my entrance. She did not sound sarcastic, she loved T'bell even if he confused her at times, We are both back to stay.
T'bell moved with more grumbles to the floor and began untying the leather thongs that kept his belongings from spilling about. First the decorations, and then the small things like his writings. He'd only need to use those late tomorrow. Besides, the flitts were on those packs. He could hear the whers snuffing around in their room and hummed to them. In return he got a variety of grunts and chirps and he chuckled. Their training had progressed well, and soon they'd be more fully awake...but hopefully soon to sleep after the long trip.
T'bell's reasoning behind the instructions was lost to Siventh as well, but he did not say so. Where have you been? My rider told me yours had left a note, but he did not say what was in the note. /The green eyes dimmed, and Siv relaxed to rest his head on his forelegs. We were worried. Would your rider be upset if I came to your weyr?
Harper Hall. She looked around her weyr and snorted, I fear you would not fit comfortably, unless you have shrunk. She sounded disappointed. He is grumbling over his balls of things, but not over anything else. He is...better now.
We would have come to visit, if we had had word. He risked a glance back towards the bathroom, then scooted over a bit on his ledge, ignoring the squawked complaints from the firelizards. You could come here? he invited, sounding hopeful. If he is 'better', he could speak with Mine without being afraid.
He will be akward. He is always akward. Like an upside-down wherry. She was amused and a coy tone followed, I would visit you.
To T'bell she sent, I go.
T'bell nodded. "Have fun, love." He muttered absently, somewhat entangled in furs.
She cooed at him in a mothering way and took off easily from the ledge. Her wings protested slightly, she had been flying long days rather than her usual quick bursts, but it would not bother her for long. With whirling blue eyes she circled once and then spotted Siventh's weyr
After nearly a turn at the Harper Hall, I would hope he had learned to speak like one, Siventh teased, lifting his head to follow her progress as she flew across the Weyr to alight beside him on the ledge. With the green's arrival, the half-awake flitts were up in an instant, chittering a deafening chorus of enthusiastic greetings before vanishing between as Siventh sent them away.
A split second later, the same obnoxious chittering could be heard from the bathroom, though there was a slightly peeved tone to the sound, especially the higher pitched shrieks of the little green. K'rel cursed through his teeth as his bath was interrupted, waving the flitts away from his head and bidding them sit at the edge of the bath before reaching for a towel. ‘Thanks Siv, I needed that.’
Liliath is visiting us, the brown quipped in reply, ignoring the sarcasm in his rider's voice.
Immediately K'rel lost interest in the firelizards, falling still for a briefly moment before snatching up his towel and climbing out of the bath to dry off. "You lot, swim." he instructed the group, all of whom took up the offer without complaint and dove into the recently vacated bath to play until they wore themselves out again.
He is a fine speaker. Liliath defended her rider as she landed lightly. Ever the green, she paused with her wings outstretched to show off before she curled them neatly to her body. But he is shy. Her green head ducked and she blinked slowly at him, looking him over like a herdbeast. No, you have not shrunk.
Well at least the fur was hung on the wall. Its charcoal fur broke up the monotony of the stone. There was more of a bed to his bed with the other furs draped across it, and he was eyeing it appraisingly. No, he would not sleep yet, He'd only be busy tomorrow. With a sigh he used his foot to push his trunk to the end of the bed, at least it involved less work, since all of his clothing was already inside. He bit his lip as his fingers worked over one of the ties on the bundle that held his spare riding gear. How would he face people?
He had the same sinking feeling he remembered from after the flight with K’rel. The thought of the gossip had nearly imprisoned him by his own choice. This time it was the thought of the hurt he may have caused at leaving, and the wonder of the multitudes he’d missed. The second flight, the hatching, the new candidates. He sighed and resolved to go out despite his worries. He’d only miss out on much more if he stayed in his weyr all day tomorrow.
The opposite of my rider, Siventh drawled, turning his head to admire the green, and not only for the landing. K'rel is not shy once he is...forced to speak. I meant no offense, he added reassuringly, but huffed indignantly at her words. I most certainly have not.
Quickly drying off, K'rel escaped the splashes of the bathroom for the safety of the curtained bedroom of his weyr, where he discarded the towel on the bed and lazily redressed. If he focused he could hear Siventh chatting with the green despite the brown's efforts to conceal the conversation. So he hadn't been lying. They were really back. K'rel reached for his boots, changed his mind, and, after quickly binding his hair out of his face, flopped back on the furs. If T'bell had wanted him to know, he would have alerted him--through Liliath and Siventh, yes, but no message had come from either except that Liliath was in the weyr. So K'rel wouldn't worry about it.
You could have been smaller than I remembered. Dragons have terrible memories. She stretched her neck out to him and rumbled low in her throat, You may fit, you did before, but it would be a tight fit. She looked over as K'rel exited his bath and watched him briefly. Mine has much to unpack. If you wish to visit my weyr he will need to finish with it first. She arched her neck and nudged Siventh's cheek. I have not had much dragon company, I am tired of two-leggers. She a teasing tone coloured her ‘voice’ and she flicked her tale at K'rel by way of hint.
You are making excuses for having forgotten me. There was a pout in Siventh's voice, but it brightened somewhat as he stretched his neck over hers, extending a wing to draw her against his side. He cocked his head slightly to follow her gaze towards his rider, but quickly lost interest. We shall stay here. I would rather not be squished against the walls of your weyr. Mine, he added, directing his words towards his rider, You should help him unpack.
"I'm sure T'bell has enough on his mind without me barging in on top of things," K'rel replied from where he lay, not bothering to look up. "And probably wouldn't appreciate the flitts following me there."
My, he is grumpy. He is no match for the trader. T'bell has only had him and the little ones to talk to. A picture of a sour-looking redhead and the flitts and whers accompanied her words. Yours is not bad company. She happily settled against Siventh’s large brown side and stretched out in the space the dragon's weyr provided. You have seen my weyr. It is not big, but it is nice. She dragon-grinned at him and sent quietly, more like a mumble, If I knew you did not shrink I must have remembered you.
K'rel snorted, half amused by the green's words but reluctant to agree, and rolled onto his side, tugging down a pillow from the head of the bed.
He is grumpy, Siventh agreed good naturedly, eyes whirling blue-green. I will see your weyr again some day, but not today. Today mine is more comfortable, however nice yours may be. That settled the matter, as far as Siv was concerned. He was comfortable, there was plenty of space for both, and he was more interested in the green than the green's surroundings. They would stay in his weyr. He rumbled a laugh, gracing her with a nuzzle before bespeaking his rider once more. I shall send the little ones to aid him, if you will not.
"Siventh don't you--" But the sounds from the bathroom had vanished, and K'rel cursed, tossing the pillow away from himself and reluctantly sitting up. "Shards Siventh, they'll destroy his weyr." The brown rumbled brightly in agreement.
Meanwhile, four flits appeared in unison over the piles of bundles in T'bell's weyr, directed to the young man by an image from Siventh. All immediately made themselves at home, chittering and trilling amongst themselves as they dove to inspect the packages.
No, today you will not fit. Today I am comfortable. Her eyes whirled blue with amusement as she watched the scene unfold. Perhaps browns were not as dull as some thought. They had better not ruin the weyr too much however.
T'bell looked up in shock as flitts appeared from between. A too-close wing that skimmed the side of his head and he ducked to avoid it. Flute was awake in a moment and squawked in indignation at the entrance of the uninvited flock. With a pair of orange eyes she scrambled away from the shocked Zephyr and rose herself to her full height, stretched out her wings, and trilled loudly at the intruders. Her demands were practiced now, with the gaggle of firelizards she had joined in the Hall that had looked to her for guidance. That was her hall. This was her room. She was the queen and she would not be disobeyed.
T'bell rolled his eyes and scooped up Zephyr before the long-tailed flitt could scramble under the wrappings of the bundle he had napped on top of. The little blue was still rather timid with surprises and buried his nose in the crook of his rider’s arm. "And I wonder whose you would be." T’bell mused as he tried to get a solid look at the new flits. The idea his weyr had been taken over by flitts in his absence didn't surprise him but it would pose problems if they would not leave.
A grunt from the wher's direction made him chirp reassurances to them. The pair were somewhere between grumpy and curious. The intrusion came as an irritation to them and their eyes too whirled in the dim light of the glows as they exited their room. “It’s fine, they’re visiters.”
"Call them back, Siv," K'rel demanded, though he was already pulling on his boots. As he had expected, the brown was either pretending not to hear, or had simply chosen to disobey, and no flits returned to the weyr. Hair still dripping from his recent bath, K'rel stormed from the weyr, attempting to remember how exactly to get to T'bell's and rescue him from the flitt attack. He was quite sure Siventh wasn't about to move to bring him.
Of the flitts, only the little green took any heed whatsoever at the gold's call, and then only to retort with a furious squawk of her own. Abandoning the bundles, Grel swooped towards the larger gold to chitter angrily at Flute for daring to command her wing.
Calt was on her tail in a moment, but, rather than heading for the gold, he swooped towards T'bell, recognizing both the young man and the shy little blue--who was actually his target. Without so much as a by-your-leave, Calt alighted on T'bell's shoulder, greeting him with a chirp before peeking down to trill curiously at Zephyr.
Flute matched her squawk with a oud and high pitched series of notes -likely picked up from the Hall- and took off quickly to dart at the insubordinate little green with a warning hiss. It may be the green's wing, but not only was she a green not nearly as big as Liliath, this was the gold's territory.
Zephyr hunkered in T'bell's lap and looked up curiously at Calt when he landed. T'bell took a moment to recognize the blue but his memory was fuzzy and he seemed to have grown. "Are you K'rel's lttle one?" He asked quietly, then shuddered as a particularly shrill sound came from Flute. It making his ears ring. "Flute..." He groaned and carefully stood with the two flitts on him to see if he could calm her down.
Tabesk stomped out of her room with a brrrrrk sound and stretched her neck up toward the flitts, letting out a mighty hiss in counterpoint to Flute's displays of dominance. Another gold. Task simply watched from the doorway, too many golds for him to wander over. When the women argued he knew to stay away.
Grel made her best attempt at matching Flute's vocal assault, which ended in a rather off-pitch screech, but it was enough to have the grating effect she was undoubtedly hoping for. However, when the gold took off after her, the little green took up a retreat without hesitating, shrieking in terror as she darted about the weyr before vanishing between--to reappear inches above K'rel’s shoulder and twine her tail about his neck, fussing about the evil gold's attack.
The brown and bronze were unmoved by both golds, flitt and wher. Indeed, neither had taken any notice at the green's retreat, and were chirping curiously back and forth as they freely inspected T'bell's belongings. Calt considered himself safe only because he was on T'bell's shoulder, and made a point of looping his tail about the greenrider's neck to show as much, cocking his head to eye T'bell approvingly for a moment before lifting his gaze to follow the irate gold.
T'bell hunched his shoulders at Grel's answer to Flute and sighed in relief when the little flitt disappeared. He helped Zephyr to his other shoulder when the blue attempted to crawl up, and then reached out a hand to Tabesk with his chirp for 'calm'. She snorted and shoved her nose into his hand, tail thrashing behind her. The light, however dim, was making her even more edgy. With a light push from her Impressed she grumbled at the remaining flitts and stalked back to her room.
A moment later Task's pale form slunk out with whirling eyes and the wher went to the ledge of Liliath's weyr to escape his companions’ temper.
T'bell snickered and ducked his head as Zephyr tried to half climb onto it and half behind it to investigate Calt. He sat back down against the bed trying not to jostle the flitts and sent calming pictures to Flute as he tugged over one of the packs that was facing an inspection. It contained rather fragile items that he'd rather they not get broken. For her part, Flute alighted on a shelf and hunkered down to watch the remaining pair of boys. They didn't seem to be trouble and she would let them be. For now. Barring any annoyances.
The return of Grel's fussing signaled K'rel's arrival, and the moment the brownrider stepped into the weyr the little green redoubled her complaints, alternately shrilling harshly across the room at Flute and crooning pitifully to her bond, all the while anxiously racing back and forth across his shoulders. Over the green's noise, Calt rose on haunches to chirp a welcome, then lost interest in favor of trilling the same hello to Zephyr. The brown and bronze were none so quiet now that their bond had arrived, and immediately took flight to fly circles around K'rel, unable to land for the green stalking his shoulders but intent on leading the brownrider to the bundles they had found.
The noise was horrible, K'rel's temper was already frayed, and his patience did not last long. He pulled the green off of his shoulder, attempting to pin her against his chest with one hand while waving away the brown and bronze with enough, then gave up entirely and simply dropped her, bellowing, "QUIET."
Instantly the flits fell silent, and without skipping a beat K'rel jabbed a finger towards the ledge, at which the brown and bronze immediately darted out. The green uttered a soft whine, but at a glare from K'rel followed the pair, most likely back to their own weyr. The brownrider took a deep breath, then risked a glance around the weyr for his blue, frown deepening slightly when he picked out the flitt on T'bell's shoulder.
"Calt." The word was an order, and the blue knew better than to disobey. However, he merely cocked his head towards the ledge before deciding that he would risk K'rel's wrath a bit further and abandoned T'bell's shoulder in favor of his bond's. Grel's anxious pacing had done a wonder on K'rel's shoulders, shredding the shirt a good deal and likely doing the same to the skin below, but he only flinched briefly when the blue settled beside his head.
However, as the blue had undoubtably hoped, K'rel did not send him away, more concerned for the moment with the awkward situation he now found himself in. The noise finally past, K'rel let himself relax a touch, greeting T'bell with a nod but otherwise remaining silent for the present. He was half tempted to leave, but felt he owed T'bell an apology for the flitts' attack, at the very least. "Sorry," he finally offered, gesturing weakly towards the ledge--and, in doing so, his own weyr. "Siv sent them to...help unpack."
Flute did not take well to Grel's re-entering her weyr, and responded in kind with her high-pitched trills and screams, flapping her wings from where she perched on the shelf.
T'bell nodded quietly back to him -but no, behind him. At the brownrider's raised voice both whers had come from their den to crouch in a menacing attack pose. T’bell made an odd sound, somewhere between a whistle and a mumble and the whers looked from their prey to their owner, and back. The pale brown was the first to drop to his stomach, wary eyes still on the rider, but the gold remained in her position and gave a pointed 'Rrrul', the noise for 'stranger'. T'bell repeated his noise and the gold sat, her whirling eyes still focused on K'rel with a predatory glint. "Come over here, please. Slowly." T'bell said quietly to K'rel and nodded towards the bed as he simultaneously fished a blue flitt from his shirt (where the poor Zephyr had fled) and kept the mildly distracted look of someone talking to their impressed. Task, the brown, was quicker to quiet only on the surface. Underneath his temper still boiled, but Tabesk's overt temper had always kept him more reserved. Right now the queen was making enough of a scene for the both of them. Tabesk hissed and made the sound for 'stranger' again and T'bell shook his head, once more repeating the sound he'd made before. She looked at the brownrider again and heaved a large sigh.
The defensive behavior of the two whers was enough to unnerve K'rel, especially when the gold seemed determined not to listen to T'bell's insistance that he wasn't dangerous. The brownrider's unease in turn rattled Calt, who flared his wings, eyes whirling an anxious yellow-orange as he hissed a quiet warning towards the whers. K'rel quickly shushed him, taking a small step towards T'bell without removing his eyes from the whers, but paused almost immediately, whispering, "They won't get more defensive if I come towards you? Seems like the last thing I should do right now."
"No, standing in the middle of my weyr acting uncomfortable would go against me calling you a friend." T'bell said levelly, his eyes flicking between K'rel and Tabesk. He smiled a somewhat encouraging smile. "Come and sit down, try to relax. She won't attack unless I give her word or sign...not without good reason." He placed Zephyr firmly in his lap. The blue's eyes whirled and he scooted as far between T'bells' legs as he could go. Things were far too loud and exciting, and he was napping when it had all started!
He nodded slightly, but said nothing, instead forcing a smile for the whers' benefit and slowly walking over to the bed and sinking down to sit beside T'bell. Only once he was seated did he really consider himself safe in the least, but he did his best to pretend he wasn't concerned with the whers, turning his attention instead to calming Calt and convincing the pair that he was actually a friend. Plucking the blue from his shoulder, he set Calt on his lap, stroking the little flitt's back to reassure him and keeping careful watch on Tabesk and Task out of the corner of his eye.
Tabesk let a quiet mumble escape from her lips and stalked over to T'bell, her head low. She went straight for him, deeming the brownrider not worthy of her time unless he was to make himself lunch. When she stuck her head out T'bell rubbed her eyeridges and patted her neck. She relaxed marginally and looked over her Impressed's shoulder at K'rel, then sauntered back into her mini-weyr. If she had to come out again she’d be very annoyed. Task stayed where he was, but offered a 'mrrt' in reply to T'bells' silent questioning.
The greenrider sighed, then turned an apologetic and rueful smile to K'rel. "I'm sorry, they're in a mood from traveling. The run was good for them, but Imirin's temper can be hard on anybody. He's a match for Tabesk when she's in full rage."
K'rel breathed a sigh of relief once the gold departed, though he continued nervously petting the little blue until he was sure Task was staying out of curiosity and not malice. Calt recovered from the scare much more quickly than his bond did and fled K'rel's lap in favor of T'bell's, hunkering down on one of the greenrider's knees to peer curiously at the cowering Zephyr.
The fact that the greenrider was sure enough of the situation to resume conversation was enough to make K'rel relax completely, and he echoed T'bell's sigh, offering a weak smile in reply but avoiding the greenrider's eyes. "Understandable. I shouldn't be surprised that they've forgotten me, eh? They were still young when you left. They've grown a good deal."
"I'm not sure they ever formally met you." T'bell replied and cast a fond look at the still-visible Task. "You only escaped getting eaten the first time. They’ve grown alright. They're about full size now I think. They really are well trained, they're just on edge on don't remember this place very well, letalone the people." T'bell bounced the knee Calt was on slightly, smiling at the pair of flitts as Zephyr stuck his snout out curiously. He made a sound very much like that of a high-pitched burp at Calt by way of greeting, then crawled over T'bells shoulder up onto the bed and -giving K'rel a wide and suspicious berth- burrowed under the furs so that only his snout was available.
T'bell watched him with amusement. "He gets tired when we go between very much. As a matter of fact only Liliath seems to be any sort of social. I hope she didn't drive you out?" He looked up at K'rel with slight worry.
"Mn, I suppose they didn't," he agreed with a shrug, peering over at Task and offering the brown wher a slight wave in greeting. "Travel wears on everyone. I don't blame them for being cranky." Disregarding Zephyr's behavior, more interested in the much-larger-than-he-remembered wher, K'rel ignored the flitt and shook his head, chuckling weakly. "No, not at all. Siventh sent the flitts here, so I came to rescue you. I didn't think you wanted half of your belongings ruined before you had the chance to unpack. ...Of course," he added, glancing towards T'bell and raising a brow, "I wasn't sure if you were genuinely back, or just dropping by before heading back to the Hall."
Tired and cranky though Zephyr might've been, Calt wasn't about to let him escape without a proper greeting, and promptly followed the other blue. Tucking his head beneath the blanket, he crooned a confused query as to why exactly Zeph was being so standoffish.
"Ah..." He gave another self-conscious grin and dropped his head, apparently he hadn't lost the habit of hiding behind his bangs quite yet. "No, I'm certainly here for as long as the weyrwoman will keep me. I've brought all my things so I don't think I'll be heading back out." He fiddled with one of the packs, silent for a moment. "I've um...well. I'm sorry I rushed out like that." He huffed, more at himself than anything. "I reacted badly to a whole lot of things and I put in a request for some time out before I really had a chance to process anything. I needed time out of the Weyr but I should have been more open about it with people. It likely messed up your wing a bit, with me being gone. Not that I'm a centre point or anything. I should have given you more warning."
Zephyr responded with a tired coo and opened an eye half at Calt, who had surprisingly followed him. Or it would have been surprising if he weren't too tired for surprise. He lifted his wings an inch, opening the blanket-cave up for the other flitt in an offer to join him.
K'rel grunted his acknowledgement of the apology, but didn't immediately reply, instead turning his attention to the two flitts. Calt seemed utterly perplexed by the knowledge that Zephyr would rather sleep than play, but merely uttered a slightly miffed chirp before waddling under the blanket to join the other blue, sulkily curling up a his side. Once the lump in the blanket failed to provide any further entertainment, K'rel reluctantly refocused on the conversation. "I would have appreciated more than that one note. Siv was furious. With me and you both, mind. He sulked for weeks."
T'bell's shoulders hunched and he ducked his head. "I requested to be transferred almost immediately following the flight. I forgot about it afterwards. When it happened...I didn't know how you would react, if at all." He pulled one of the bundles towards him and distractedly began working the knots with his fingers. "I don't know if I was more afraid of you being angry or of you having no reaction. Liliath wasn't pleased with me but she welcomed the change of scenery. I should have let her talk to the Weyr more, but we had work to do, and again...I didn't know how you would take it. I sent that one note...at least you got it." Ok, it had been a brief note explaining his whereabouts, but nothing more. "I just needed some time away. I think I'm the better for it." He bit his lip and tried a more cheerful smile at the sullen brownrider. "Have I missed very much?"
"I got it," he replied shortly, not feeling at all social but unwilling to just up and leave without reason. His mood was fairly spoiled between the antics of the flitts and the defensive attitudes of the whers, he was fairly peeved with T'bell himself for having vanished so long without word, and he was irritated that Siv was already falling all over Liliath again. Not to mention he was already tired, and Threadfall was soon, and the sharding gather was soon, and--. He took a long, deep breath to resettle his thoughts and shook his head. "Life goes on. M'xan's as difficult as ever. Some weyrlings have moved up to riders here and there. Flights, falls, and weyrlife is the same as it has been for turns."
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:06 am
T'bell and K'rel - Return from the Hall Part 02
"M'xan?" T'bell asked carefully, wracking his mind to place the name to a face. He new the name, yes, but the face and reputation came empty to him. He was annoyed that he couldn’t remember…sounded important. With an eager expression he pushed himself off the ground to sit beside K'rel. He was mindful of the flitts under the covers. Zephyr could be heard snoring lightly somewhere near the edge of the furs. "How did the hatching go? Lil refuses to tell me who impressed."
"The Weyrleader?" He raised a brow, grinning faintly. "You have been out of contact. He was Weyrleader before Ephia became Weyrwoman, then lost to L'cian. But his Enelth caught Ariath during the last flight." His smile grew somewhat at the mention of the Hatching, but he simply shrugged. "Amazing as any hatching. Went off without a hitch. Promising bunch, I think."
"Oh, L'cian..." T'bell frowned, he liked the brownrider that had luckily flown Ariath. He made a note to pay more attention to this M’xan in the future. "I suppose I never got in his way much when Lil and I were younger." He smiled at the news of the hatching. Liliah had told him that it had gone well. He opened his mouth to ask a question, then shut it. That one he would save to discover on his own, perhaps in the morning. Instead he pulled his legs up onto the bed and crossed them under him. "So things ahven't changed much then? Aside from a new Weyrleader and a bunch of new weyrlings everything is...just the same as when I left?"
"You forget who you're talking to, T'bell." K'rel shook his head, grinning sheepishly. "I'm not the one to ask for up to date gossip on the Weyr. I mind my wing and my business, and leave everyone else to theres. So for me... things haven't changed. For the weyr, I couldn't say." He paused, then rose to his feet, stretching his arms out over his head, wincing midway, and lightly touching one clawed shoulder before letting both hands fall. "I should be getting back. I'm sure you're busy, and I've been enough of a disturbance."
"Well, no." T'bell started, then stood to get a look at the scratches K'rel had gotten himself. He whistled. "I can get you some numbweed for those, if you want." He didn't wait for an answer, but began digging through one of his packs. "It was more your flitts that you that were the cause for the disturbance, and I'm not that disturbed. Flute is, maybe." He glanced to the queen who was dozing atop the shelf. "Saved me the trouble of having to screw up my courage to go see you, or learn very well how to dodge you in the halls while I looked for that courage." He held up a small covered pot of the salve. "I suppose those would be your flitts then. I know I've seen them before, only just. What did you call them?"
"I'm fine," he assured T'bell, but dropped to sit on the bed once more when the greenrider went searching for the numbweed anyway. "Apologize to Flute for me once she wakes up. Grel's managed to convince herself that her green scales are a figment of her imagination. She's used to being able to bully the boys and it gets her in trouble with other flitts." He plucked the small pot from T'bell's hand, removing the lid and eyeing the salve within almost warily. "Aye, those're them. You know Calt, of course. An' then the bronze is Vin, the brown's Murry, and the green is Grel."
"She might have trouble with Flute then. She had her own little flock at the Hall.' He shook his hea and dipped his fingers in the salve, wrinkling his nose slightly at the smell. It was common in the weyr, and most halls, but it was still not entirely pleasant. Task got up and returned to his room. T'bell smiled at the wher's actions and picked gently at the shirt K'rel was wearing. "Do you want to take that off to make it easier? The shoulders are decently shredded, though it can probably be mended."
"Mn, I really should've just let Flute at her, I think. Someone needs to set her back a few notches." Unconsciously mirroring T'bell's expression as the smell of the numbweed reached him, he nonetheless nodded, passing the little jar back to T'bell before gingerly tugging off the shirt, careful both to avoid touching the scrapes and to keep from tearing the shirt any further. Once free of the garment, he set it on his lap and accepted the jar once more to make T'bell's work a bit easier, picking at the torn shoulders with his free hand. "Sharding little thing."
T'bell gave his hand a light tap as he slid behind him on the bed. He couldn't see what he was doing with hands in the way. "Flute would have if I weren't here. She tends to get hotblooded. Sweetest little thing when she wants to be." With gentle fingers he smoothed the smelly salve over the scratches, making sure not to miss any. He tried to think of who to send him to to get the shirt mended, but with a start he realized his contacts may not have even been there anymore. He bit his cheek and suppressed a sigh that betrayed his annoyance with himself. Tolara? Talera? There had been a weaver here, she would have done a good job. He didn't even know if she was still present in the Weyr or not. He could have sent her a letter too.
"I'll take your word for it and never hope for a queen of mine own." The very thought made him grimace, and he let his hand fall back to his lap. "Four are more than enough, thanks. An' Grel must count for at least three on her own." He shook his head slightly, but fell still with the first touch of the numbweed. Smelly as the stuff was, it was certainly worth having around. The sting left the scrapes the moment the salve touched them. K'rel bowed his head slightly to keep his hair out of the way while T'bell worked, shoulder slumping somewhat as he finally relaxed. The flitts had shut up, the whers weren't eyeing him as their next diner, most of the awkwardness had past... He could breathe again.
"I have two, and well...you're familiar with greens thinking they're queens." He smiled, "Mine's bigger." With a quiet laugh he gave the rider's ponytail a light tug and put the top back on the numbweed salve. He put it away with a mild groan at having to bed over, then flopped back onto the bed a safe distance from the encased flitts. "If Liliath isn't sore I envy her. She should be." He winced and rotated his shoulders as best he could without sitting up.
"Bigger maybe," he chuckled, tilting his head to the side to watch T'bell while giving the numbweed salve a chance to settle. "But yours isn't arrogant enough to flat out challenge a queen." He watched enviously as the greenrider stretched out on the bed, turning his head to watch the numbweed with a faint frown. It wouldn't do to smear it all over T'bell's furs. "...I feel obligated to ask," he began, then laughed, "though I'm sure I'm just making things awkward again, but...did Liliath rise while you were away? You were gone a full turn."
T'bell opened a green eye, then closed it again. A faint blush lit his cheeks, but he shook his head. "She's good at holding herself in for a while. She takes long flights when she feels pent up. Cold shock of between, you know. She was eyeing anyone that happened ot stop by," He snorted, there hadn't been many, "But the blues are off limits, the bronzes are boring and high-end, and the browns don't have large enough wings." He shrugged, "Can't argue with women."
He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath until he released it, and he would almost swear Siventh had been doing the same. And T'bell hadn't reacted badly to the question, which brightened him further. "Large enough wings, eh?" Grinning, he shook his head, leaning back to lay on the bed--and catching himself before he could when he remembered the numbweed, propping himself up on his elbows so he could lay back without disturbing the drying salve. "Don't let Siventh hear you. We'll never see the end of it."
T'bell coughed once, then sat up and scratched his head, looking out over his weyr and catalogueing things he had to unpack tomorrow in his head. "Yes well...with her back I expect her to rise eventually. She can hold off for want to make me happy, but she is a green. I feel I should probably just let you know...about...that." He was blushing again and he worried his lip, intent on thinking of what was actually in that pack behind his spare riding gear.
Lifting a hand, he carefully tested the numbweed with one finger, then either decided it was fine or grew tired of waiting, for he laid back and moved his hands to pillow his head. "I don't think I could expect a green not to rise eventually." He paused momentarily, then casually added, "Siv hasn't risen after anyone since you left, actually. He didn't even fly after Ariath."
"No worries then." T'bell said quickly, "He'll be so out of shape that even if Lil does get in in her head to rise he won't even be able to match her. Eating herdbeasts all day, mooning about." He managed to hide his smirk, but the teasing tone in his voice was full out.
"It wouldn't surprise me, honestly," he countered just a brightly, pleased the that more serious moment had passed. "Lazy beast. The only reason he's remotely in shape is because he's scared his wing will show him up, but otherwise I've never seen him so...content to do absolutely nothing. It's probably me fault," he joked, shaking his head in mock-despair. "I neglect him. I'll have to see about getting him back in shape. Both of us back in shape."
"You don't seem to have been hitting the meatrolls too hard." He poked the brownrider in the ribs and flopped back on the bed. "You're too busy being Mr. Moody Browndrider, all silent and lonesome like the fierce feline, to go down to the kitchens to eat." He gave a thoughtful look to the lumps under the furs. "Or your flock is stealing it from your hands."
"A bit of both, I shouldn't wonder," he countered, quirking a brow at the greenrider. "An' that doesn't mean I'm in shape. Skin and bones does not make for muscles, little green," he teased, nodding pointedly towards T'bell. "Spending half of my time in my weyr isn't helping matters. I'm sure my runners're furious with me. It's been over a week since I've checked on them."
"Oh I had my fair share of running around, both on and off my Liliath." He shook his head, "You forget, the Harper Hall holds my mother, a stream of old faces, and a bunch of Harpers who know me all too well from before I was all nice and respectful as a rider. I had quite a bit of dodging to do. The cook still hasn't forgiven me." He chuckled
"I almost came and visited you once or twice," he admitted, eyes turning to examine the rock ceiling of the weyr. "When Siventh grew exceptionally irritating about it. I still haven't really seen the Harper Hall. I know the view from the sky well enough to direct Siv between there, but otherwise..." He shrugged, then craned his head back towards the greenrider. "You enjoyed your stay, then?"
T'bell smiled at his words and blushed again, though he schooled his expression when he caught K'rel looking. "Very much." Charcoal bangs bounced as he nodded. "Mother is getting older, and she was happy to have me there to keep the young ones' attention in classes. I was something of a show-runner the first few days, just there for looks and whatnot. Eventually the apprentices realised i used to be a harper too, and that the big strict lady ordering me around is in fact my mother." He laughed quietly and shrugged, "It was nice to be home, away from things for a bit. There're some flitts there, not many. Three queens including Flute came and went during my stay. It's....just the same setting with different players."
"And fewer dragons," he added, words dissolving into a yawn. "Though if dragons could sing half as well as firelizards can, I'm sure the Harper Hall would be stealing even more of them from us." He sent T'bell a teasing grin, then sat up, nodding towards the pile of bundles in the center of the room. "Need any help unpacking that? I think that was Siventh's actual intention in tricking me here. Or so he claimed."
T'bell looked at the bundles, then let his head flop back to the bed. "It would be appreciated, but I really don't want to right now." He quirked a smile, "My gear's fine, my clothes are in their trunk. All of that is mostly dishware, personal effects, doubles, camping gear, things for the beasties." He shrugged. "Tell Siventh I whole-heartedly appreciate his leanings to the darker, or greener, side."
"Tomorrow, then," he insisted, meanwhile relaying the message to a sleepy Siventh, who replied with only a thought of amusement before losing interest in the two riders. K'rel chuckled softly and used the greenrider's refusal as an excuse to lay back down, legs from the knees down still hanging off the end of the bed. "I should go back to my weyr, but I'm scared to face my flitts."
"With the way they stormed in here you're quite lucky I didn't know they were yours at first. I would have hopped right back out, thinking you were going to come in here and chew my head off." He shook his head at the entrance the flock had made.
He laughed, but shook his head. "It wasn't my intention in coming here, but I will say I was sorely tempted to once I actually saw you. I think a combination of a realization that you aren't obligated to explain your actions to me and the threat of becoming dinner for your whers prevented it." Laughing once more, he grinned and closed his eyes. "Now, if it were about three months after you left and Siventh were still pestering me about Liliath every waking moment, then I might've chewed your head off."
"You're welcome to say your piece you know." T'bell put in gently. "Though I dare say I've repeated it to myself a few times, you may have come up with something new." He fidgeted a bit. "I could point out that you did not write me. But that would be silly, and I'm not holding it against you in the slightest. I should have explained my actions, I owe you that at least as a friend."
"I didn't," he admitted with a shrug, opening one dark eye to glance briefly towards T'bell before reclosing it. "But I thought I was the reason you had gone, and I didn't want to press the matter if you were trying to avoid me. Siventh said I was being foolish, but I think he blamed me to a degree as well, though he may have just been upset because I never attempted to contact you and he didn't get to see Liliath."
"You were, at first." T'bell said softly. "Not The Reason, but the final one. There was just too much for me to handle here. I needed some time off. After all the sickness and everyone dying and then, well." He swallowed and tugged the end of his braid nervously, "It added up and I requested to be repositioned for a while...when I left you weren't the reason."
"Well see, I was mostly correct." Reopening his eyes, he again sat up, shifting his shoulders to test the numbweed. "And I'll trust you to tell Siventh so he can apologize for badgering me." Gathering up his shirt, he pulled it back on, careful not to rip the shoulders further. "I take your return to mean that you're feeling better, aye?"
T'bell sat up quickly, worried he had offended the brownrider, and caught his wrist. "I don't know if that came out the right way. After the flight I was a complete wreck." He spilled his words out quickly before K'rel could walk away, "It wasn't your fault anymore than it was Siventh for flying Lilian, or Lil for choosing to fly. It was my reaction to a whole lot of things. That is why I requested a change before I came down to talk to you. Once I'd spoken to you I realized I was being a wherry-headed fool and calmed down some...but by that time it was too late to take back my request and plans had already been set. Then...then I was just too scared to tell you after I left. I figured I could work things out on my own, back in a place I was familiar with but not...not as familiar as here." He frowned and hurriedly pushed his bangs behind his ear with his free hand, "And I know I’ve heard many hold girls say this, and my own sisters, but it wasn't you. It was me. I don't know if I'm 'better' yet but I'm not...not like I was before. I don't know if I'll know what better is when I get there. I think I'm hoping someone will tell me I've normaled out again..." He trailed off with a slight frown.
K'rel wasn't offended, persey. He had known from the moment he had woken up beside T'bell that the flight was the last thing the greenrider had wanted. He honestly wasn't upset with T'bell; he was upset with Siventh for failing to believe him, and upset with Siventh for pushing a relationship neither rider, at the time, had wanted. Did either of them want it now? Dragons were supposed to follow their riders’ choices, not vice versa.
No, he wasn't offended. Indeed, the more T'bell spoke, the more irritation gave way to amusement, until, as the greenrider fell silent, K'rel smiled. The brownrider cocked his head to the side, eyeing T'bell curiously for a moment, and didn't bother to pull his wrist free. "You're not afraid of me anymore."
T'bell's eyebrows pulled down in confusion for a moment, "Well when you came stomping in here I was. I'm sure if you start yelling at me I will be. But for now, while you're being what I think is normal....no." He took his hand back and looked down at the ground, a light blush rising to his cheeks again. At least he wasn't a redfruit every five seconds anymore. "Not exactly super comfortable, prance around naked and sing old gather songs sort of comfortable, but no, you don't terrify me. As often." He looked up again, "Rightly I might just be too tired to cower in awe."
The reply provoked a laugh from the brownrider, and K'rel lifted both hands as a gesture of innocence. "Never fear, I don't think I'm quite at the 'super comfortable, prance around naked and sing old gather songs comfortable' phase with anyone just yet, and there's certainly no rush. But I do like not having to worry that every word I say is going to send you running in the opposite direction." Pausing, he let his arms fall and rose to his feet, nodding back towards the bed. "You haven't said anything to offend me, so don't think you have, but if you're considering cowering in awe of me, of all people, you're more tired than I thought. You rest, I'm going to get back to my weyr and hope my flitts haven't destroyed it."
T'bell nodded with a small smile. "Of course with our dragons coming and going, feel free to drop by. If I'm not around and the whers are, just speak to them like a human. They can usually gather more than flitts. If you make a luwrrrr sound they know it means 'friend'." He rolled the 'r' and changed his pitch half way through. "If you're not busy being antisocial and watching Siventh grow as large as a bronze purely by eating twice as much, I may ask you to join me for a meal sometime?" It was worded as a statement but asked as a question.
K'rel briefly considered attempting the sound, but quickly decided he would give it a few practice runs once T'bell was out of earshot and couldn't tease him over butchering it. Instead, he nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, though I doubt I have your talent for sounds." He took a moment to consider the question, primarily because of the careful wording, but soon nodded, chuckling. "You'll have to remind me. I've been extremely busy of late, and I'll probably forget. Siv and I are determined that he be larger than Enelth by the time Ariath rises again," K'rel teased, fighting a grin.
"Liliath would be jealous." T'bell smiled, "Green with envy is terrible when they're so green in the first place." He stood up and stretched his arms behind him, "Do you mind her being in your weyr so much? Feel free to send her home when you like."
"Ahh, we wouldn't want that. We may have to rethink our plan," he agreed with a slow nod, frowning faintly. However, almost immediately he dropped the act and his smile returned, along with a shrug. "It doesn't bother me at all. She keeps Siventh from pestering me. She's welcome in my weyr so long as Siventh still spares me a sentance or two a day."
"Siv will fit in mine with her, but only just barely. She will come and go with your permission though." He smiled and thought of offering a hand to shake but turned that away as a silly idea. "You can leave Calt here if he won't have a fit when I crawl in bed. Which I intend to do...quite soon."
As he talked both Task and Tabesk poked their heads from their room. They would be awake for a few hours yet, but luckily they were both tired from the trip, too tired to want to be taken to the heights or the weyrbowl. Both of them spared K'rel a glance and padded past him. Task bumped him with his head as he went. It was no lick, but it was mild acceptance. T'bell smiled, "Hopefully you two will keep quiet, huh?" He patted Tabesk as she slunk by with a 'murrr' under her breath, a happier noise. "I'll have Liliath ask Siv when you're free then." He looked down then watched the whers circle Liliath's section of the weyr. "Thank you for coming to see me, even if it was to yell and save me from the flitts. It was nice seeing you again."
"She's free to come and go as she pleases, provided she accepts that I'm going to have to steal Siventh from her from time to time for actual duties. Contrary to popular belief, we do get out of our weyr and work from time to time." He flashed a grin, then glanced towards the tell-tale lump beneath the blanket, grin softening to a fond smile. "I'll let him stay the night. He probably won't wake before morning, and if he does he should have enough sense to just come find me."
The brownrider tensed briefly as both whers returned to the room, but relaxed as Task passed with only a nudge, smiling after the two before returning his attention to T'bell. "I look forward to it. It's good to have you back, T'bell." He nodded slightly in goodbye, then turned and left the weyr.
T'bell watched him go, then looked around the weyr and sat promptly on the floor. The whers came over to inquire as to his state of mind and he happily put up with the licking and head butting that was now common. He felt tired, but he knew if he went to bed right away he'd be no good for night watches when he went back on them, and the whers had been with Imirin most of the time in their travels, so the quality time would be well for them while they were awake and unmasked.
He patted and scratched each of them where they liked it, making sure to keep both his hands equally busy. They'd gotten into some slight tiffs over his attention and he'd learned that normally they were solitary creatures. They seemed to be doing fine together for the most part. He was glad.
With a sigh he shuffled over to the remaining packs without getting up. He could do a little more unpacking, maybe for a little longer, and then sleep. He had a bit to think about anyway.
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:08 am
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:09 am
T'bell and K'rel - The Beach Part 01
The day was as close to perfect as any K'rel had seen in a good while. Even with Turnover only days away, the tropical sun above Rias was successfully fending off any hint of winter, and the beach was free to be enjoyed. The sky was a brilliant blue, mirrored by the gentle waves of the ocean, and though clouds on the horizon promised rain later in the afternoon, said storm was easily a few hours away. The beach was flawless, sands brushed clean of any previous footprints by a growing breeze that still blew from over the water. And they had it all to themselves.
Of course, that didn't mean it was quiet, or that themselves were the only ones enjoying the beach. The brown dragon swimming far out in the cove and the four flitts intent on bathing him had been joined by a good score or more of wild firelizards, the combined voices of whom successfully destroyed whatever silence K'rel might have been hoping for. The brownrider had finally grown tired of the incessant trills and chirps and retreated to the beach, sprawling out on the sand to enjoy the sun and watch the antics of the swimmers while remaining safely out of range of most of the noise. Siventh, on the other hand, soaked up the attention like a sponge.
Where are you? Liliath sent to Siventh with a mild air of curiosity. Her surprise visit had become more of a surprise to her than him when she found his weyr empty.
T'bell was just setting the last of his things on the shelves that had been bare just that morning. He was fully unpacked, as far as he could tell. The whers were sleeping soundly in their room, the occasional grunt or snore was the only thing that hinted to their presence. T'bell lifted a hand to rub Flute's eyeridges when she dipped her head down from her perch atop the shelves. She cooed at him appreciatively and he leaned against the shelf, rsigned to a longer bit of attention for her.
The beach! Siventh replied brightly, even as he dipped his head beneath the water to examine the brightly colored fish who had come to see what all the fuss was about. Snorting a stream of bubbles after the fish, Siventh dipped beneath the water completely, sending up a cloud of irritated firelizards now chittering about how their island had vanished. My rider has finally agreed to relax for a day. Here. He sent her an image of the cove from the air. Come.
Liliath rumbled in amusement and wheeled into her own weyr, backwinging to land carefully on the ledge. Mine, her head snaked into the weyr and she shuffled forward a bit to get a direct view of her rider. Her mouth was open in a draconic grin. The beach. May we go to the beach?
T'bell looked up with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't thin kit would take long, after the weather at the hall." He smiled and left Flute to amble across the floor. After a moment, and half way to her, he paused. "Would there be dragons on the beach? Brown ones?"
You are learning. She rumbled with approval and withdrew her head, looking out the bowl. It will rain soon. I wish to be wet before it does.
With a sigh T'bell called an order down to the kitchens and resigned himself to being led around by his dragon. "When my lunch gets here we can leave. I assume K'rel is there too? I did intend on waiting a bit longer, love."
Blame Siventh. She was amused as he checked her riding straps.
Hurrrrry, the brown whined, lifting his head from the water to eye the sky impatiently. I tire of only flitts for company, he added cheekily, smirking draconicly.
Though his words were directed towards Liliath, the dragon's attitude did not go unnoticed, and from the beach K'rel cracked an eye to peek out towards the brown. "Should I expect visitors soon?"
It will only be soon if they stop wasting time, Siventh replied brightly before ducking back beneath the waves.
I hurry only for thread. Liliath responded pertly, and were I flying you'd tell me to slow down.
T'bell patted her shoulder as the answering rumble from the shaft told him food was ready. With quick hands he packed it up and pulled Zephyr from his hiding spot, mounting the little blue on his shoulders. He didn't want to think of what the flitt would do if he were to disappear without him. "Flute," He called, she looked up and chirped, then disappeared when she had the image of the beach.
Liliath practically dropped from the ledge before snapping her wings open and taking to the cold of between. Moments later she appeared in the air, circling above the beach and descending in slow spirals. She would not drop her rider in the water. Not to mention he'd already cautioned her against is, and he had food that would be ruined. She landed neatly on the sand a fair distance from the other rider so as not to pelt him with the wind her wings rose.
T'bell slid off her back and rose a hand in greeting.
We shall see about that when next you rise, he teased, but left it at that, rising to paddle lazily along the waves while the flitts resettled on his back and resumed the bath. He spoke again once more only when the green appeared in the air over the cove, and did so in the form of a bugle of greeting, a sound which nearly all of the group on his back echoed in their higher pitches.
K'rel reopened his eyes once more at the bugle from the brown, cracking a smile at sight of the green, though he really wasn't at all surprised that it was Liliath who had arrived. Sitting up, he dusted sand from his back while the green came to rest on the beach, ducking his head slightly to shield his eyes from any wayward sand-filled gusts. Looking up to find T'bell heading his way, he lifted a hand in reply, calling out a greeting as the greenrider neared. "I hope dear Liliath warned you that me and Siv were here?"
"I've learned to question her supposedly impulsive decisions." He smiled and hefted a sack. "I thought I'd make good on my offer of food."
Flute swooped in and warbled a greeting to him, and then to K'rel, before taking off for the perch in the water disguised as a dragon. Liliath slipped into the ocean without delay. Would I tell you when I rise? You got lucky, slow brown. She flicked water at him with her wings and arched her neck teasingly. I will be harder to catch next time.
T'bell's cheeks flushed and he made a face, then turned to the pair in the water. "Liliath! Don't even think about it!" What she'd been speaking of he didn't quite catch, but he knew that attitude.
The green looked over her shoulder, eyes whirling merrily. I know nothing of which you speak. We are talking of glows. Glows and herdbeasts.
"And I'm the weyrwoman." He mumbled in response.
"Food would be most welcome," he admitted, offering a smile of his own. "I hadn't thought to bring any from the weyr. Was just going to hunt down some redfruit if I got hungry. And good day to you," he added after Flute as se darted for the island that was Siventh.
I will know before you know, Liliath. The brown crooned a greeting as she swam out to meet him, eyes whirling a bright blue behind the first set of eyelids, lidded against splashes from the flitts. And I will not permit any other to catch you.
The dragon's conversation had gone mostly unnoticed to K'rel, but with T'bell's words the brownrider 'tuned in', quirking a brow when Siventh stubbornly snubbed him form the conversation. However, T'bell's blush and Siventh's smug attitude made it easy to decipher what the dragons what talking about, and K'rel rolled his eyes, sending a frown the brown's way. "Ignore them. Silly flirts."
"Oh I know she is nothing but," He huffed good naturedly and handed over the sack of meatrolls, a half round of cheese, and some nice breads. Nothing fancy, but he had redfruit juice in a canteen. "I didn't think Siventh would be so encouraging." He stuck out his tongue at the dragons, then pointed a finger squarely at K'rel. "I blame you."
Flute happily alighted on Siventh's head after Liliath splashed him, and warbled her own greeting to the big brown. Liliath tilted her head at him and bumped their noses together. Very much talk. Do not let a blue fly me. I would not forgive you. She dropped her head to water level and stretched out, her wings flattening across the water like soaked sails. The weather at the Hall is much colder than this. There is no big water.
"And you think he is any better?" K'rel laughed, waving a hand out towards the brown. "I'd wager he's worse than Lili is a good amount of the time." Letting his hand fall, he reached for the sack, offering a grin of thanks and setting it on his lap to peek inside at the food. However, he soon looked back up, affecting a confused look. "Blame me? And why's that?"
My lovely gold, the brown crooned as means of greeting to the little flitt, eyes all but crossing as he watched her. Returning his eyes to the green, he briefly touched noses, then went so far as to affectionately nuzzle her neck. No blue will outfly me. You need not worry. Quickly dropping the more serious subject, he half submerged his head in the waves, keeping it above the surface only so as not to disturb Flute. It must have been dreadful.
"I'm sure you're insufferable, deep down. I know I was a chore to deal with...my mother hasn't let me forget. She thinks it's fitting Liliath reminds her so much of me before I was searched." He trailed off at the last bit and frowned briefly, but sat down to join him. Zephyr chirped a greeting to the brownrider, sleepy still, and slid (literally slid) into T'bells' lap with a 'plunk'. He quickly emerged, affecting an air of completely having meant to do that, and padded out onto the warm sand. T'bell spared him an amused glance. "Hand me a meatroll while you're pawing through that? I skipped breakfast."
It was. She was briefly jealous of the exchange with Flute, but reasoned that she was much to small to be of any real competition. If she turned out to be? She'd just eat the little flitt. Only for the lack of water and dragons. Very busy, they are. Always very nice music. Just...colder.
"Insufferable?" Grinning with mock innocence, he returned his attention to the sack, reaching a hand in to pull out a few meatrolls and pass one to T'bell. "You're completely off. I was the perfect child, T'bell. I could, and still can, do no wrong." Breaking his own meatroll in half, he offered one half out towards Zephyr while taking a bit of his own half, waiting until after he swallowed to speak again. "And coincidentally, I was exactly like Siventh is now. I suppose the dragon really does say a lot about the rider."
Music is no fair exchange for water and dragons, he countered, though it is nice on occasion. A pause, and he flashed a dragon's grin, amusement clear in his voice. You've no need to be jealous of the little gold.
T'bell snorted at his words and took the meatrolls. "Insufferable, just as I said." He rose an eyebrow at the brownrider and suppressed a grin. "You were a horrible flirt? I don't know whether to be shocked or offended."
Zephyr blinked sleepily at the meatroll. Yes...yes it was a meatroll. Hm...With a quick look around to make sure there would be little competition for his prize he carefully took it, held it off the sand, and proceeded to wobble back to T'bells' lap to eat it in safe quarters.
I am not. She stated with certainty. She is too small. She would explode. And with that she ducked her head under water to watch the fish with curiosity.
Shrugging, he took another bite of the meatroll, eyeing the remainder critically to avoid looking T'bell's way. "Once upon a time. And then Siv turned up, and he was more than enough of a flirt for the two of us. Offended why?" he asked, looking up and popping the rest of the meatroll into his mouth.
Siventh bellowed a laugh at the green's reply, tossing his head back with the movement and accidentally unseating the gold flitt. Indeed she would!
T'bell was about to open his mouth to say something cheeky, then thought better of it. He wasn't that brave yet. Instead he waved a hand dismissively and changed the subject. "Where's your little flock? Somewhere with the rest of them? I never learned how the hatching went." He lifted the blue from his lap once the meatroll was gone and bounced him in his hands a bit before tossing him in the air. Zephyr opened his wings and chirped happily, spiralling upwards.
Flute squeaked as she rolled down Siventh's neck and scrabbled, managing to cling just quick enough that only her tail got wet. Well, that was certainly enough. With a small snort she took off, making her disappointment in him quite clear. Liliath was simply amused. How did you pass the time while I was gone?
K'rel recognized the attempt to change the subject, but let it slide without complaint, reaching for a second meatroll as he glanced out towards the bunch playing around the dragons. "Probably. I think they actually attracted the wilds, not Siv, but don't tell him that. The hatching was terrifying." He grimaced, shaking his head. "The shells had gotten so thick they almost didn't make it. I had to help all three when I realized they were stuck."
Siventh crooned an apology after the little gold, but was still chortling inwardly as he returned his attention to the green. I did not! he groaned, dipping his nose back beneath the water. I was terribly bored. My rider sulked for weeks and would go no where.
T'bell frowned and tilted his head, "At least you didn't lose any, right? How did Calt fare with the whole thing?" He smiled a bit, "More of a help or a hindrance? And all at once?"
He sulked? That is cute. She blew a few bubbles from her nose. What of the new hatchlings? I have not seen them.
"True," he admitted, saving himself further explanation for a moment by taking a bite of his meatroll. "Calt was furious with me for trying to crack the eggs open, but once I got them cracked, he realized what I was trying to do and started helping. All three made it out without too much trouble once the eggs actually had holes in them."
It was not cute. The brown huffed in irritation, snorting and sending a spray of water from around his nose. It was irritating. The hatchlings are the same as any other hatchlings. They are the same as any others, but they are doing well.
"I wonder why they were so thick." He mumbled, reaching for more food. His stomach was convincing him that skipping breakfast, while he hadn't been hungry at the time, was an oversight on his part. "You said you found them on the beach? Wonder if they're related." He gestured to the group of wild flitts.
If he was being a wherry head, it seems cute. She escaped the spray, being underwater. You seem uninterested in hatchlings. I am curious. I want to know who I will be sharing my weyr with.
"They just hatched late," he replied with a weak shrug before finishing off his meatroll. "They should have hatched a good couple of sevendays before they did, going by the shells. But who knows." Smiling once more, he glanced out towards the cluster of firelizards. "They're fine now, and that's what matters."
And why would that be cute? Siventh argued sulkily, but soon dropped the topic. Nevermind. Hatchlings are hatchlings, and until they are fit for a wing, they are of no interest to me. Weyrlings are weyrlings.
The greenrider nodded with a smile. "Of course. What did you call them? I know Calt and Grel, but I don't think you mentioned the other two last night." He laughed and shook his head, "You have an entire flock. Between us we could start our own Weyr."
Because it means he missed T'bell, like you missed me. She replied haughtily. I would not see you if he did not miss T'bell. She lifted her head out of the water and looked at him curiously. I have interest in them. I am a green, you are a brown. I suppose your colours don't like eggs. You do not lay them.
He opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it and whistled out towards the group. A split second later his small fair appeared directly overhead, though almost immediately Grel and Calt vanished once more as K'rel gave them permission to return to their bath. He bid the brown and bronze land, then kept the pair from complaining by offering each half of a meatroll, which they eagerly snatched up. "The brown's Murry," he began, pointing to the flit in question. "And the bronze is Vin. They're a bit better behaved than Grel is, and not near so clingy as Calt."
Perhaps... the brown admitted, lifting his head towards the shore and the two riders. Though I am not sure he would admit it. Rolling his eyes back towards the green, he twitched a wing to send a spray of water her way. Precisely. I do not lay them, I do not have to like them.
T'bell smiled at them. Above Zephyr chirped, still spiralling dizzily high and then back down low. "Wonder if it's the blue that makes them clingy...they don't look half bad for something washed up on a beach." He took a drink from his canteen and offered it to the brownrider. "But they had the right idea going for a swim. I think I'm going to join them."
But you will help lay them by flying us. She snorted at the water and ducked her head back under. Silly brown.
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:09 am
T'bell and K'rel - The Beach Part 02
"I'm sure Grel would be terribly offended if she heard you calling her 'something washed up on a beach'." Accepting the canteen, he took a short drink before closing it and setting it aside. Glancing towards the water, he considered the suggestion for a moment before climbing to his feet and starting for the water. "Let's swim, then."
You will not lay eggs, my green, Siventh countered as he ducked his head to follow after her. Which is part of the reason I did not choose that stuffy gold.
T'bell snickered and stood, pulling off his shirt. "I'm sure she would." He looked out at his dragon and sent her his intentions.
You do not want your own hatchlings. She lifted her head back out of the water to look at her rider, choosing to not voice her thought that he simply couldn't catch Ariath. She didn't want to admit inferiority to the gold, though she admired her. There were things Ariath could not do; any gold could not do, that a green could. You swim? Do not step on spike-fish. Her head ducked back under the water and she resumed her fish-watch. I do not want hatchlings. I have many creatures, and T'bell. I think they are similar.
K'rel had already removed his shirt long before T'bell had arrived, and thus was the first into the water. He waded through the shallows until the waves reached just over his waist, then simply ducked under the water completely, resurfacing a short distance away and swimming out towards the dragons.
There are enough little ones around my weyr without hatchlings of my own. Lifting his head from the water, the brown snorted irritably. And my rider spends too much time with his runners to keep up with young of his own. Still rather irritated by the subject, Siventh glanced over towards the rider in question, sweeping a wing to send a wave his way.
T'bell followed him into the water at a slower pace, and was therefore thankfully back far enough that Siventh's wave-attack did little to him. He laughed though, and looked up to find Zephyr had followed him happily. The little blue was splashing about in the water between him and Liliath. He went under for a moment and resurfaced, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. "Liliath says to watch out for the 'spikey-fish'." He called to K'rel with a grin.
I know I am my rider's dragon. If your rider has no other dragon then why worry? She turned her head to watch her rider's feet under the water and was greeted also with a view of blue flitt-feet. They do not replace me. Does he replace you? I will keep you.
The wave caught K'rel off guard and sent him spinning in place before he managed to right himself a send a splash Siventh's way in retaliation. At T'bell's call he nodded, making a point of tucking his legs in slightly to avoid anything moving along the bottom, though it was a fair distance away judging by how deep the dragons were in the water. "Thanks for the warning," he called with a grin for Liliath, and promply disappeared beneath the water once more as he was attacked from the air by four young flitts.
My rider does not replace me. Siventh rumbled a huff, turning slowly in the water to swim further from the shore. He just does not spoil me as much as I would like, and spoils the runners far more than I like. There are too many of us.
T'bell treaded water for a time, reluctant to get involved in the attack. He swam out closer to his dragon and took a dip under the water, looking at the fish there for brief moments. Liliath occasionally sent him pictures of the more interesting ones that would come out to investigate her feet. He resurfaced and looked around for the brownrider, locating him by the flitts in the air.
Too many? You do have many flitts. She stuck her head up and followed him out at a leisurely pace, I will still keep you.
Finally wrestling away from the flitts, K'rel sent a splash to ward them away, then swam back towards the dragons. With Siventh's help, he climbed onto the brown's back, only to run the length of the Siventh's shoulders and jump down into the water below. He landed with a monstrous splash, four smaller splashes a split second later signaling the firelizards' attempts at following him.
My rider and I will always find time for you, Siventh promised, brightening up somewhat and letting out a draconic laugh as K'rel went flying from his shoulder.
T'bell whooped at the jump and the flitts mimicry and swam over to join them, waiting for K'rel to reappear.
I will throw you? Liliath offered with a turn of her head to nudge her rider. T'bell held her nose to keep from going under.
"Throw me? I'd rather not."
Suit yourself. She bobbed him under the water and left him sputtering, amusement clear in her 'voice'. She rubbed her neck along Siventh's and stuck her head back under water, Your rider too? I will have many men to oil me. I like this idea.
My rider will help. It will do him good, lazy thing. And perhaps we can persuade yours to help oil me in reply. He looped his neck over the green's, playing guard while she peered about beneath the waves.
K'rel popped up a short distance away and swam back towards the dragons with easy strokes, the flitts following lazily behind. "Turning down the lovely green's offer, T'bell? I think I trust you with throwing me a bit more than I do Siventh, Liliath." He grinned. The brown snorted.
That would be nice. Oiling is always good. Liliath snorted bubbles in response to K'rels' words. He does not know me well then, Mine. But I am lovely.
T'bell grinned at her words. "She says you don't know her very well, but thanks you for the compliment." He pushed his bangs out of his eyes again and made a face when he felt his tie unravel. He spun around and snatched it out of the water, wrapping it around his wrist with a huff. "I'd agree actually, she's probably planning something when she offers."
"Quite the contrary," K'rel argued, again pulling himself onto Siventh's back, though only to take a seat on the brown's nearest shoulder. "I know that if Siventh likes her, it isn't at all safe to judge by first impressions, and she is quite likely as wiley as he is. Which means that she probably did have something planned for you, but wouldn't do it to me so she could save it for you when you took the risk after I did. Because that is how Siventh would do it."
".....True."
He is smart. Too bad he is a grumpy man. She sent to T'bell with amusement.
T'bell snickered and patted her haunch before swimming backwards away from the dragons. His hair was coming out of its braid now that the tie had decided to give up its battle. "She says you're smart, but grumpy." He stuck out his tongue.
"Well see, Liliath knows me as well as I know her." Grinning, he scrambled further up the brown's back, then somewhat awkwardly stretched out to lay along Siventh's back. "I am smart and grumpy."
"Well if you weren't being so mysterious." He waved his hands for effect, making him duck under the water. When he resurfaced he flipped his hair out of his eyes and swam back over. Liliath was a measure easier to climb than Siventh, if only for her smaller size, and he slipped a few times as he scrambled up her slippery skin only to find Zephyr perched on her watching him. "Well I'm sorry I can't fly like you, odd little thing." He rubbed between his wings and sat up, straddling his dragon as he pushed the ringlets over his shoulders. "What are you planning for Turnover, K'rel?"
We are not trees...yet they climb us as if we were.I would go under but for the little one on me...
"I'm not mysterious," K'rel called back, waving his hands in a mockery of T'bell's motion. He watched out of the corner of one eye as the greenrider clambered onto his own dragon's back, but immediately turned his eyes back to the sky with the question. "Nothing just yet. I'll probably just watch the ghosts from my weyr. The idea of mingling with the crowd doesn't much appeal to me."
Silly things, Siventh agreed with a nod. The come out here to swim, and only end up using us as rafts.
"You should make a brief appearance." T'bell wheedled, then stretched and laid back on Liliath. "It's a new Turn, can't begin it hiding away."
Ask him. Liliath rumbled with amusement at both T'bell and Siventh's words and sent to 'her' dragon, a dragon's new purpose is to float. We provide transportation in many ways, this is a new one...or we are big shipfish.
"I'll drop by the dining hall before the festivities begin and sneak away as everyone's arriving. That way people will have seen me to say I was there, but I'll not have to endure the crowds all evening." He turned his head towards the greenrider, but soon closed his eyes against the sun. "Good enough?"
We are far greater than shipfish! Siventh scoffed, looking offended. Flighty things. No, they could never be as patient as we are. Imagine a shipfish sitting still while a rider naps on him. It could not happen.
"Would you want to stay longer at all? I mean, longer than that..." T'bell trailed off and ran his hand over the blue, who had spread his wings out to soak up then suns' rays. "If you had company or something."
They are not as big, true. She sent thoughtfully, But they are good talkers. They see many fish. They help two-leggers who do not have strong dragon-rafts.
For a long while the brownrider was silent, and, by his position, one might almost assume he had fallen asleep. However, he finally replied, cracking an eye. "I might consider it. Why? Do I have company?"
They do have their merits, the brown assured her. But they are not dragons, and in more cases than not, I would trust a dragon over a shipfish.
"You could, if you wanted company." T'bell answered with a forced light tone and a shrug K'rel may or may not see. "I feel kind of worried about going in after being gone so long."
Some two-leggers would say different. She turned her head to him, eyes covered by her extra lids against the water. They eat thread. We could not swim like them...unless we were brown. She teased with a dragon-grin.
K'rel waved a hand in dismissal of the greenrider's words, shaking his head. "It anything you'll be assaulted with 'welcome backs', nothing negative. And I'm sure you don't want me hanging around and interrupting your reunions with your old friends."
We flame thread, and we can swim just as well as them. They have to surface for air just as we do--and they cannot fly. We can. He rumbled smugly.
"Yes...two of them. You'd be a right bore K'rel. Nevermind I asked." He rolled his eyes and skritched Zephyr as the blue slid off of Liliath's back. He landed in the water with a tiny splash and eagerly paddled down to watch the fish.
They eat it. She replied. I think the shipfish would beat you...they beat me and I am not as slow. I would like a fish.
He raised a brow, but let his head fall back down, moving his hands behind it and closing his eyes. "If you say so."
I could eat it once it was dead. It probably would not taste good, but I could. They do not eat it while it lives. The brown gave a haughty sniff, peering down in the water at the multicolor fish circling them. All of these fish are very small.
They eat it all the same. She looked at the fish as well, clearly enjoying them, I do not want to eat them. They are bright, and much quieter than flitts.
T'bell heaved a sigh, "I'm more afraid for the questions I'm going to have to answer or artfully avoid. More afraid for not being able to scoot out when I need to."
"So you want me to spend the evening playing bodyguard, is that it?" He chuckled softly, but nodded, not moving from his position. "I may be able to manage that, provided your friends don't blame your impromptu trip on me."
Good, because I do not want to catch one. We will find bigger fish later. Less pretty ones.
"They won't...or I'll correct them." T'bell rolled over to look at the brownrider, "And not bodyguard, but you are big enough to hide behind. Some people like your company, though I privately think we're all crazy." He stuck out his tongue and slipped down Liliath's back, dunking in the water the same way Zephyr had done, and began a lazy swim back towards the shore.
It would be nice to go flying with you without Mine thinking we were flying in that way.
He wrinkled his nose in reply and opened his eyes at the splash, his own reply cut short as the brown dragon beneath him suddenly leaned sideways and tipped him down into the water. He resurfaced sputtering and, after a glare Siventh's way, struck out after T'bell for the shore.
We could terrify them? Siventh flashed a dragon-grin, lifting his head towards the sky. I am sure he would realize quickly enough that it was not that kind of flight.
Mine would not be happy. I do not wish to scare him. She remained thoughtful for a moment. Not yet .
T'bell heard the splash and looked back in time to see K'rel come up sputtering. He snorted and then caught a small blue shape streak past him under the water. Zephyr was booting it quite well. "Someone drop you?" He called to K'rel as the brownrider neared.
I could have my rider tell him we are only going to fly together, that you are not rising? Siventh looked positively sulky. Pleeease? If you will not fly, I will fly without you, though I would rather you came.
"Siventh always was a clumsy one," K'rel mumbled as he waded the rest of the way towards the shore. "I'll have to start typing myself to his back before long if I want to stay on."
Liliath lifted her head from the water, considering it carefully. She did not want to unbalance her rider after he seemed so nearly normal. Mine, do you mind if I fly? Not to mate.
T'bell stopped in the water where he'd been following K'rel to the shore and pushed his hair out of his eyes as he looked to his dragon. "You swear by your shell and Faranth's egg?"
I do...I do not remember my shell. But I do, you saw it. I will not go if you do not want me to. She stretched her wings experimentally. I do not wish to rise yet. It is too easy for him now. There are no herdbeasts.
T'bell stood in the water for a time before he sighed and waved a hand at his green before trudging back to the shore. She turned and nudged Siventh in turn, casting drops of water from her wings.
As he stepped clear of the waves, K'rel paused to glance back for T'bell, tensing himself as he saw Liliath take flight from the water. A split second later Siventh had spread his wings and was after her, and K'rel's order for him to return to the beach was stemmed off only by an explanation by the brown himself.
She does not rise, he said simply, eyes glowing the calm blue as he followed after the green. We merely fly.
The brownrider exhaled slowly, watching the pair for a moment longer before returning his attention to the beach, turning away from the water to walk back towards where he had left his shirt.
"I let her go." T'bell mumbled, then sighed and gave K'rel a slightly amused look. "What, do you think I'd seclude us and then have her go off as a trap?" Nevermind that was exactly what he'd thought Liliath was doing, and his tone said as much. "She'll be the death of me."
Liliath was happy to be in the open air. Most air was open, but over the ocean there was nothing, absolutely nothing to be in the way no matter how low to the 'ground' she dipped.
"A trap? You act as if there would be a different outcome if we were back at the weyr." K'rel kept his expression decidedly neutral as he took a seat on the sand, head turning to follow the progress of the two dragons. "Siventh would not permit anyone else to fly his Liliath."
Siventh shared her opinions entirely. The sky over the ocean was always a welcome change, with the knowledge that he could quite literally dive straight into the 'ground' and survive uninjured. The updrafts rising from the water also made for easier flying, which in turn meant they could think less and enjoy themselves all the more.
T'bell threw up his hands. He wasn't going to touch that one, the water had cooled him down enough that he'd rather not heat up from a blush again. Shaking his head he went to fetch his shirt from where he'd cast it on the beach, but thought better about putting it on right away. Instead he attempted to finger-comb his curls and, when that didn't work, just shook his head so they wouldn't all dry in a clump. "So you'll go with me?" He asked, both changing the subject and confirming.
She pulled ahead of him with a flick of her tail and then lost he speed in favour of a swoop lower to the water, watching her reflection and the shadows of the racing fish underneath.
"Sure," K'rel agreed with a sigh, pulling his own hair free of its tie to wring the water from it. "Between you and Siv, I doubt I'll have any say in the matter."
The brown likewise slowed his pace, but only to fly a couple of dozen yards directly above her, matching her pace to hide her in his shadow.
T'bell glanced over, thinking K'rel was still talking about the flight until he fully processed his words. After that he smiled, "Well, Harpers are persistant. It'd be nice having a friend there who won't question me. Not to say I'm expecting them to go at me like hungry tunnel snakes, or even find me...but better prepared than sorry."
She banked and turned sharply, looking up at the brown and keeping out from under him. You shadow the fish. She sent an amused note with her next words, But the view is not bad.
"Alright, alright." He lifted a hand as if to fend T'bell away, smiling. "I'll go. But I can't promise I'll stay very long. Agreed?"
Siventh let out a draconic laugh at the compliment, but nonetheless banked to the side to allow Liliath her light.
"Agreed!" He said happily, then went rooting through the bag he'd brought to see if there was more food. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as either of us think."
She swooped down again to follow a school, then tilted her wings to rise up in the air to watch them as a giant underwater shadow from above. They are like two-leggers, except they do not hide in rock.
A slight patter of rain from above alerted both the dragons to the storm. As they winged back to the beach their riders were hit by a smattering, and then a full on torrent. Within moments the meeting had degenerated into a race to get back to the weyr, even though both were already soaked.
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:00 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Turnover
Turns End Event - In which T'bell and K'rel brave the social throng of celebrants, and wine is consumed.
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