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 Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:04 pm
It is sunny today, Ixiara. The thought wove its way through Ixiara's own meditations with an almost serpentine quality, highly suggestive and crafty. The girl herself was lying stretched out on her cot, one arm tucked beneath her head and the other lying limply across her stomach. She had been staring at the ceiling in a quiet half-doze, still slightly achey from her chores and from oiling her beloved Ghinath. Lazily she rolled her head to one side to look at her dragon and smiled.
Is that right? Ixiara asked her dragon, who was lying indolently with her front legs crossed and her neck arched, regarding her rider with a look that promised mischief.
Yes indeed. Ghinath thought cheerfully, flipping her wings back and tilting her head. We should make the most of it, you know. The common opinion is that the weather won't hold, and I would like to lay in the sun. The last few words were spoken with a such a plaintive tone that Ixiara was rolling onto her feet before the last syllable had died away. She laced up her boots with a deftness born of long practice and grabbed heavier over-clothes to help guard against the chill. Smiling and holding out her hand Ixiara waited by the exit for Ghinath, who rubbed her head against the outstretched appendage. The two walked out together, niether speaking but both content in one another's company. They met no one on the way out and before too long they were stepping out together into the weyrbowl.
Ixiara had to grin at the sight of Ghinath picking her feet up daintily from the snow. The look of slight distaste on the young dragon's face was priceless. Their progress was slow because, although she didn't have the almost feline grace of some of her sisters, Ghinath was currently trying to find a pace that suited her and evened out the usual lollop of a dragon on the ground. Ixiara was in no hurry and was perfectly willing to wait while her friend experimented, she even gave her opinion and her advice as they walked around the edge of the lake looking for a spot to settle down. Ghinath, it turned out, simply adored the water - not least for it's reflective qualities.
I can see where we'll be spending most of our time, Ixiara thought as Ghinath began clearing snow away from the spot she had chosen.
Only if you have no objections, Ghinath replied facetiously as she curled up on the slightly flattened boulder she had chosen and spread her wings out to catch the clear winter sun. Mmmmmm... she hummed contentedly, almost purring, Very nice. Absently, the green angled her head so that she could watch her reflection and gauge the effects of the sun on her newly oiled hide. Ixiara climbed up onto the rock next to her and placed a hand on her dragon's neck, rubbing the soft hide absently and tilting her face up to feel the warmth of the sun herself.
It really was a lovely day.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:43 pm
B'ron and Hath
High up above a certain brown dragon suddenly appeared, the cold from between making the winter air seem relatively warm to he and his rider. The wide wingspan framed against the even wider blue sky make a noble picture for any watching below. Hath bugled his return and began to lazily spiral down, headed for the lake.
The sturdy dragon soon landed,near to Ixiara and Ghinath. Though he hadn't made his observations known to B'ron, he had noticed them on his descent and had carefully planned it so that his landing close by would seem like a fortuitous coincidence. His rider had yet to catch sight of the two and dismounted with ease, removing his wher-hide gloves and slapping Hath good-naturedly on his side.
"The lake again, my lord?" B'ron asked. "What is it that draws you here? Ah, well, I'll leave you to your dragonish ways. Let me loosen those straps."
B'ron worked to loosen the tight, well-oiled straps as Hath rumbled in thanks. A rumble was in fact the dragon's only response as he stretched out to soak up some of the warmth from the sun, such a rare thing in the winter. B'ron, meanwhile, was finally turning around and when he did he noticed Ixiara.
"Well, if it isn't my Lady Ixiara! Now I know why Hath headed here instead of back to our weyr," he said jovially, a bright smile lighting up his broad face. "If we're interrupting, we'll be on our way," he added.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:54 pm
Ixiara raised a hand to block the sun and get a better view of the dragon that winked out of between over her head. She couldn't quite make out much more than the black outline until the dragon's wingstroke took it out of the direct glare of the sunlight. Ghinath, of course, knew who it was instantly and spared a somewhat irritated glance up from the lake.
It is Hath and his B'ron, she said lazily, looking back into the lake and arranging herself so that her wings were drawn in to her body. Ixiara realized the same thing even as her dragon spoke, and her face split into a wide grin when Hath landed not far off from where they sat. Hath also wishes to lay in the sun, Ghinath said, unnecessarily since the large brown stretched out almost as soon as the riding straps were loosened. Ixiara waved a hand at B'ron when he noticed her.
"No, we were just getting out of the cot." She jumped off of the rock and walked over to the new arrivals with a bright welcome smile. Ghinath grumbled softly and turned away from the water to watch her. "Where were you, if you don't mind me asking?" Ixiara asked playfully, nodding to Hath.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:12 pm
B'ron and Hath
"Oh, here and there," B'ron said secretively, before caving. "Ah, I was visiting my mother and her new husband. Onie can't make it there herself to tell them the news so I went. I figured it would do mother some good to see me in person and hear with her own ears that we're both alright."
He smiled fondly at the memory of Malana's motherly concern. She had almost refused to let B'ron return to the Weyr until he had spent a night with them, but as they had little room for Hath and B'ron's side trip had not been approved by the Weyrleaders, he had been forced to decline.
He sat down on the ground in front of a large rock, which was slanted upward so he could lounge back.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:27 pm
"It sounds like you had a good time, and I'm sure that Onie appreciated it," Ixiara said, scuffing snow away to clear a patch of ground that wouldn't soak through and chill her. The frozen grass was prickly but better than the snow. Her dragon snorted in amusement, sending a quiet greeting of her own to Hath. "I only just heard back from my parents. Daria was a big help - loaning me Vith." Ixiara settled down and made herself comfortable. She picked up a handful of snow and crushed it between her fingers, watching the snow crumble and fall. She was unnerved, but not really surprised, at how quickly her mood swung downwards at the mention of family. The obvious warmth in B'ron's voice when he spoke of his mother made her want to curl up. It reminded her of why she had been avoiding company lately. "My mother's... going to have a baby," she said, unaware of why she was confiding in B'ron, but knowing that she had to talk to someone. And after all, B'ron had never given her a reason not to trust him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:38 pm
B'ron and Hath
((I keep forgetting about the snow. D<))
B'ron shifted slightly as she spoke, also brushing the snow away before it soaked through his pants. He was dressed in thick riding gear that made the chill much more bearable, along with a cloak of the darkest blue.
"Daria was a pleasant person to talk with," B'ron murmured. "I hope I run into her again soon."
He watched her unhappy face and cautiously worded his next question. "It's usually a cause for celebration, having a baby -- yet you seem sad. What's wrong?"
Hath raised his head ever so slightly, looking Ghinath's way with a multi-faceted gaze. He rumbled his hello before his head flopped back to the ground with exaggerated sleepiness.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:48 pm
((snow is fun ^^))
"Well, I am somewhat happy. I know that my parents have always wanted more children," Ixiara said, looking down at her feet and brushing leftover snow from her hand. "But there's a reason that they only ever had me; Mother can't handle children well. She almost died last time, and that was turns ago: when I was little and she was younger." She sighed heavily, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging her arms around them. A gentle sound of falling water drops brought with it comfort, and she was grateful for Ghinath's effort on her part. "I wondered why they weren't here. They missed the hatching and the feast. Father and Mother didn't think it was a wise idea to travel... And now that I know why, I agree." She rested her chin on her knees and looked up, meeting B'ron's eyes, "I'm worried," she said quietly, glad that her voice held steady and that she was able to smile, "It was one of the reasons I was so glad to have good weather today. I think that if I had had to stay inside for much longer I'd have gone insane."
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:23 pm
B'ron and Hath
((OMG I GET IT NOW. -has been trying to figure out how the wings were attached in the picture in your signature- I see the back now. lawl.))
"Ahh .. " B'ron exhaled slowly, his hazel eyes crinkling with worry for Ixiara. He could not honestly say that his sorrow was for her mother. He had never met the woman, or had any contact with her whatsoever. He was sorry for Ixiara, however. Such a bright, ready-to-laugh person did not deserve the stress and sadness now thrust upon her.
"Oh my dear," he breathed, trying to think of what he should say. There were no words of comfort suited to this situation. He couldn't even relate his own foster mother's story, as carrying Onie had been a risky thing for her to do. She had had a pleasant pregnancy and an easy labor. B'ron fumbled for words. "Well, you know I'm here, Ixiara, if ever you should need me."
The brownrider wanted to reach out and hug the green weyrling but he restrained himself, as uncertain as to how open she was to any advances as he was about her Ghinath's temprament.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:13 pm
Ixiara took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the knot of worry easing away. She nodded her head shakily, but still kept a smile on her face. Something about B'ron's expression told her that he understood. For a minute she had even felt her stomach give a small, happy, flip. It was a good thing to be able to confide in him, to know that he understood. When she trusted her voice to stay steady she said, "Thank you, B'ron." Ixiara remembered that his foster parents had supposedly been unable to have children, so B'ron might have experienced the same worries she was having now when his mother was pregnant with Onie. It made his comfort sound much more sincere, somehow, than it would have if it had come from someone else.
A light touch on her shoulder told her that Ghinath had forsaken her perch to come and lay behind her. An equally warm touch heralded the curling of her tail around Ixiara's legs. The young dragon crooned softly, laying her chin on Ixiara's shoulder and encouraging her to lean back. Gratefully, Ixiara relaxed backward into her dragon's side and closed her eyes. Ghinath made a soft music of the water sounds she knew that Ixiara especially liked, weaving them into something like a lullaby - comforting and hypnotic. Thus, Ixiara was unaware of the undercurrent to her dragon's thoughts: smugness and a hint of jealous possesiveness. As the green dragon kept her chin on her rider's shoulder she also kept her eyes fixed directly into B'ron's. They were whirling with mild greens and blues, but something about the slightly increased pace of the colors, the way her tail and neck were wrapped around Ixiara and the smug half-grin on the dragon's face implied to B'ron that Ghinath had known exactly what he had been thinking and had acted to forstall him.
Blissfully unaware of the not-so-subtle possesiveness of her dragon, Ixiara spoke again, "It means a lot, B'ron. Thank you. I'm glad..." she stopped and opened her eyes, leaning forward slightly and really smiling this time, "I'm glad to hear you say that." She ran a hand through her hair, which she had left down today to help keep her ears warm, then laughed softly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be all gloomy like this. It's too nice out to worry about these things, isn't it?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:35 am
B'ron and Hath
You will have difficulty with that one, Hath remarked to B'ron. The brown's head was now facing their direction, observing the happenings with dragonish detachment. As he was not directly involved with this he had little to say, though B'ron knew that the brown would offer advice from time to time.
B'ron was looking back at Ghinath, his hazel eyes meeting her whirling ones frankly. He knew her maneuver for what it was and conceded that the dragon had a point. Ixiara was now a weyrling, with responsibilities that she was not used to. She would begin to attend lessons soon and between those, caring for her dragons, and the few chores she would be assigned he knew she would have no time for him at the present. He was lucky now to find her out, and agreed heartily inside that it was a nice day -- though not perhaps because of the sun. He reached out mentally for Hath, taking comfort in the brown's presence.
I am Here, Hath said, adding with a chuckle, because I cannot fit over There.
B'ron smiled at his dragon's observation, as it was very true. No longer could Hath wrap around him as Ghinath was Ixiara, nor could he follow his rider about everywhere. B'ron, however, appreciated this more mature dragon and the stronger bond that they had. Yes, they could be apart, and it made both dragon and rider relish the time they spend together even more.
"You know, Ixiara," B'ron said slowly, closing his eyes as he began to frame his next words, "Ghinath will always be there for you. This seems to be obvious but you'll have no idea just how there for you that she is until some event occurs and she takes an active role in comforting and supporting you. I sincerely hope that this isn't the event that will show you." He paused.
"Sometimes, I think we that have Impressed were the weakest of all people on Pern before we did so. We needed another half, an improvement to ourselves. And the hatchlings are weak, and cannot survive with out us, and so we bond. Now that we have our other half, which the majority do not get to experience, we become people that are better, stronger, keener, more noble than others. We are completed in an unbreakable way. Dragons and their riders are like rope. You can unwrap the individual pieces later on, and all you have are two useless pieces of twine. They cannot function properly without the other, as we could not if something should happen to Ours. Dragonriders are different," he ended simply.
"And it's not gloomy to talk about these things. What's gloomy is sitting in your cot and moping. If ever you find that you need a human to talk to, I'll be the one," he added, with a glance at Ghinath.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:37 pm
B'ron was quite eloquent, Ixiara was pleased to discover. As he spoke she leaned her head sideways until it rested against Ghinath's jaw, paying attention to the actual words but also watching B'ron's face and listening to his tone. For some reason what B'ron was saying struck a chord inside her, and it took a moment for Ixiara to realize that she agreed with him. A small smile traced its way across her features before widening slightly as B'ron finished. A feeling Ixiara couldn't really identify struck her, and Ghinath looked at her curiously for a moment.
"You'll be the one I go to - no worries," Ixiara said with the calm assurance of someone reciting a fact, almost as if she were stating that humans needed air or that dragons could fly. "I think that you're right, B'ron," she reached a hand up to lightly touch Ghinath's eye ridges, "Life, for me, didn't start until I met this green beauty here." She laughed as Ghinath pressed her face into her palm, demanding more pressure and less teasing. Obligingly Ixiara began scratching. "I have to say, I'm glad it's been quet so far today. I heard that there was a fairly lively snow fight out here a day or so ago."
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:32 pm
((I'm lazy tonight and I don't feel like coding. Screw aesthetics!))
"Oh!" B'ron said, starting to chuckle. "I believe Onie was somewhat involved in that. I'm glad of it. It's time for her to be more social. Impressing Yokaith seems to have brought her out of a shell a little bit."
B'ron ran his fingers through his hair. It was winter now, and as a result his hair looked a tad darker than usual. His tight-fitting riding wear was beginning to bother him. He unlaced the top laces of his vest, which laced tightly in front to protect the chest against the hazards of flying objects (and Thread) while riding a dragon and tugged to get a little more breathing room.
"Can you imagine ever living without her now?" B'ron asked with a smile, already predicting her answer. He gestured to Ghinath. "She is beautiful. There's no doubt about that."
Now, one could speculate on whether or not this was sheer flattery. It was no secret to anyone on Pern that greens tended to be vain, and most dragons enjoyed flattery of any sort. One could wonder if B'ron was simply trying to get on her good side for the sake of Ixiara. However, this particular player won't reveal her rider's intentions. ;D He told her not to.
A fine form, Hath agreed, broadcasting his comment to all present.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:55 pm
Ghinath blinked, dropping her shoulders slightly and tilting her head for a moment. She looked startled. However, the moment passed quickly and she recovered, shaking her head lightly from side to side, flipping her wings and arching her neck. Her manner instantly warmed, even if it was now slightly haughty, and she very delicately passed a front talon down across her snout.
Ixiara burst out laughing suddenly, really laughing - her head was thrown back and her whole body shook with mirth. Her dragon, in contrast, suddenly looked exeedingly dignified and solomn. Ghinath picked daintily between her front claws with the air of someone ignoring very poor behavior.
"Ghinath..." Ixiara said, almost choking on her words but with tears of mirth running down her cheeks, "Ghinath says..." she burst into a fit of giggles and had to stop for a moment, "She says I need to spend more time with you: you have good taste." She doubled over, clutching her sides, "If you knew! It's such a turn around - she usually hates... and the way she said it!" The girl continued to laugh, unable to even finish a sentence, while her dragon made a motion that looked remarkably like rolling her eyes.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:13 pm
"Good taste?" B'ron questioned innocently. "Anyone with a smidge of taste would see how remarkable your Ghinath is. Why, she's as pretty as any gold I've ever seen!"
The brownrider kept himself from laughing, focusing hard on keeping his face as sincere as possible. What he said was true -- he did find Ghinath to be a marvelous looking green. He merely embellished his compliments to appease the green, and hopefully be on better footing with her.
Hath, meanwhile, was rumbling with amusement. He flicked his tail over to B'ron, the very tip of it twitching. Almost absently, B'ron placed his hand on the brown's tail, the warm hide soft against his rough hands.
"I'll be glad to keep company with you, Ixara, as well as your wonderful Ghinath," B'ron continued, hoping he wasn't laying it on too thick.
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:47 pm
"Don't let any of the queens hear you say that," Ixiara cautioned, rubbing the extra moisture from her eyes and grinning. Ghinath, being a very young dragon, was not suspiscious of B'ron's flattery in the least. She settled down, liking the coldness of the snow against her hide.
It feels nice with the sun warming my back, she said quietly. Somewhat playfully, Ghinath blew at a puff of snow in front of her nose, watching it sparkle in the sunlight.
"Will you have that much free time with Thread falling?" Ixiara asked, her tone fairly light but somewhat concerned. "And we'll be training with the other weyrlings..." she gestured vaguely back in the direction of the weyrling barracks.
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