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With a roar of greeting Alreth and N'mar burst out of between over Telgar's weyr bowl. The clear winter sun shone on the snow covered scene below them, reflecting blindingly off of the lake. A million diamonds seemed to litter the ground, casting rainbows up into the eyes of anyone outside. Seated with practiced ease upon Alreth's back, N'mar raised a hand to sheild his eyes and grinned broadly. Trumpeting a hello to the watchdragon, Alreth responded to his rider's unspoken promptings and began beating his wings at an increased pace. The pair soared across the bowl, both relishing the cold air that flew past them, glorying in the speed of their passage. N'mar's grin became slightly wild as he bent forward and down until he was almost touching his dragon's neck.

By the gardens?

By the gardens. Rumbled the brown, pulling his wings abruptly into his sides and pointing himself downward. The pair spiraled toward the ground, checking their speed only when it was absolutely necessary. The cold had dried the snow, making it powdery, and it flew up around them like a miniature blizzard as they landed. Alreth puffed his chest out, barely even out of breath, and sat down. N'mar unhitched himself from the straps, swung one leg over Alreth's neck and slid down his shoulder. He bent his knees when he reached the ground, absorbing the impact with practiced ease. He gave his dragon's leg an affectionate slap.

"Perfect landing!"

Rumbling happily, making the ground around him tremble, Alreth flopped down onto his side and rolled a little in the snow. Snorting happily, relishing the cold, he allowed N'mar to climb up onto his belly. Sensing an itchy spot, N'mar set to work on it. He pulled off his gloves to be able to use his fingernails. Chittering at both the brown dragon and the young man, a brown firelizard appeared above their heads and swooped down. As soon as landed on Alreth he also went to work on the itching spot. Alreth had worked his way so that he was flat on his back with his wings spread out and all four legs in the air. He thrashed his neck around happily, sending snow flying in all directions. Both dragon and rider were in an exceptionally playful mood, and Alreth loved snow.

What's small, white, and makes a lot of noise? Alreth asked suddenly, curling his neck up so that he was looking N'mar in the eyes.

"I dunno, do I?" N'mar said, sitting back and leaning on his hands.

You. Was the answer as the brown rolled onto his side and sent his rider sliding into one of the snow drifts that had piled up from all the rolling around. Yelling in protest, N'mar disappeared briefly and re-emerged covered from head to foot in snow yelling his head off. Zavir took off and zoomed around the pair, chattering and adding the final touch to the comical scene.

N'mar frantically brushed snow out of his hair, doing a strange dance-in-one-place hop when it fell down the back of his wher hide riding jacket. Zavir tried to help, landing on N'mar's head and clawing at the snow that had melted and frozen again to his hair, but really all the lizard did was tangle himself up in N'mar's messy shock of hair. Now the firelizard's tone had changed to squeeks of surprise and distress, and he naturally tried to take off to get himself free. It didn't work. Alreth was making the ground shake with his amused rumbling.

"Sharding -" N'mar's tirade of entirely inappropriate language was cut off abruptly when he heard tinkling laughter from somewhere behind him. He tried to whirl around, but that tugged on his firelizard and elicited a squawk of protest. Gritting his teeth and wincing, N'mar reached up a hand to steady his friend while turning more slowly.

There was a girl standing a ways away, laughing her head off - he noted. A childish pout momentarily crossed his face. Of course the girls showed up when he was in the most embaressing situation he could think of. She couldn't have come a few minutes earlier and been all impressed by Alreth's flying. ... ...The snow was beginning to soak through his clothes.

He noticed something then that made him blink in surprise: she wasn't alone, as he had thought, but the young dragon with her was so pale that N'mar hadn't noticed her at first. She blended in very well with the bright snow. His eyes only picked her up at first when she moved a little and her shadow changed.

You didn't notice her. Well, now N'mar knew why his dragon was so smug. He heard the oversized Cassanova sending a polite greeting to the young green.

"Uhh..." N'mar said, suddenly sheepish and not really sure what to say. He grinned a little, almost apologetically, while his fire lizard continued to scold him and tug on his hair, "Hi?"

"Nah, nah - it's all right," N'mar said, reaching up with both hands and trying to work Zavir's claws free. "I'd probably laugh at me, too if I saw this." He gave Aleerna a self-depricating grin, finally working one of the little rascal's legs free. "And good day to you, Sidheth." With a gusty sigh of relief he freed Zavir and watched him take off into the air, rubbing his scalp where it had been scratched by fire lizard claws. N'mar shook his head from side to side, a little like a dog, then straightened up and cleared his throat. Grinning, he bowed slightly to Aleerna.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, I am N'mar, this is Alreth, and..." he stopped and looked around, Zavir suddenly appeared just in front of Sidheth and began chittering excitedly at her, "That's Zavir. You're one of the new weyrlings, aren't you? From Svrieth's clutch?"

Alreth raised his head from his forlegs and looked carefully down at Aleerna and Sidheth before murmuring happily and settling back down.

My boy laughs all the time - you should tell yours not to worry about it so much. His tone was friendly and warm, and he accepted the other pair easily. To his rider, though, Alreth said, Too young. No games today, and mentally sighed in disappointment.

Well, not every dragon you talk with has to be a potential mate. N'mar's smile widened a little, but he kept himself from laughing - not wishing to make Aleerna think he was laughing at her.

Makes it fun, though...

"Ahhhhh..." N'mar sighed, glaring over his shoulder at Alreth, "Well, behind my dragon's handsome, charming exterior he has a dark side. Alreth dumped me in it as a joke." Alreth stretched his head out as far as his, slightly, shorter neck would allow, and N'mar leaned against his snout casually.

The young one is concerned about her rider.

Why?

She asks that we help make her laugh. Alreth continued, letting N'mar know that the green hadn't been able to say why.

Zavir hovered in midair, shifting up and down in time with his wingbeats. He chirruped a little, tilting his head back and forth, considering both Aleerna and her dragon. Almost as if he were asking permission, the little fellow looked back at N'mar and cheeped before flitting forward and landing on Aleerna's head. Blinking rapidly he curved his neck over her forehead and looked at Aleerna upside down, cheeping once.

"As a matter of fact, I need to feed Alreth while the weather holds. Care to join me, Aleerna?" N'mar asked, brushing the last of the snow off and straightening up, he gave her his most winning smile - the one that crinkled up his eyes.

I would not mind catching something for you, as well, if you'd like.

"Ahh," N'mar said, his smile turning to a cheeky grin, "I take it, based on your exclamation, that Sidheth has just announced she is," he altered his voice to a plaintive tone, "Starving, empty from the throat down, and in general about to collapse from hunger." Giving Alreth and affectionate rub, he stood up straight. "I remember this one's appatite as a baby. It's much easier when they only eat every few days."

My rider may go on as he wishes, Alreth said with a dignified voice, speaking to both Sidheth and Aleerna, But he should remember that last night he ate enough for three humans. Ignoring N'mar's sputtered protests, Alreth got smoothly to his feet and carefully shook off the snow clinging to his hide. If you are hungry, I will have food ready for you when you arrive, he said to Sidheth, crouching down so that he was on eye level with her. Do you have a preference?

Sighing, N'mar closed the distance between himself and Aleerna. "Well, Alreth seems to be ready for the off. Shall we?" He gestured vaguely in the direction of the feeding grounds. On Aleerna's head, Zavir crooned in response to her caress and transferred himself to her shoulder, rubbing his head under her chin. N'mar laughed. "I think you've made a friend."

"They're fairly common around the weyr. We've got a few queens, so clutches aren't in short supply," N'mar kicked playfully at a small pile of snow and watched it poof up. Alreth got to his feet and began walking along beside the group, moving with the usual slightly awkward gait of a dragon on the ground. "Zavir is pretty friendly, usually. I can always tell whether or not I'll like someone based on his reaction to them. It never fails." N'mar left it at that, also leaving the implication that based on the lizard's behavior Aleerna could assume that he liked her, too. Zavir placed a paw on Aleerna's ear and raised himself up. He seemed to converse with Alreth, cheeping and tilting his head.

"Hey, up there," N'mar said suddenly, looking up at his dragon's head. "I thought you wanted to eat?"

I do.

"Well, why aren't you, then?"

It's rude to eat before a lady, Alreth replied with great dignity, shaking his head slightly. As Sidheth is unable to fly yet I will walk with you there. His tone left no room for arguement, and Alreth emphasized the point by turning away from N'mar to Sidheth, while N'mar snickered quietly to himself. I usually find that red meat - the four legged ones - stays in my stomach longer. The ones that fly will usually have a somewhat sweeter taste to them, though. There are merits to both.

"Why should having a dragon mean you can't have a fire lizard? I have both and no one exiled me for it." N'mar said, bringing both his hands up and linking them behind his head. Looking honestly puzzled. He grinned cheekily at Sidheth's comment. "And why would I have a problem with you playing with my fire lizard? Hey, Alreth, don't we know someone with a queen lizard?"

Jekheth's rider.

"There you go," N'mar said matter-of-factly, "So the next time she's due to clutch we can talk to her human and ask him for an egg. After a hatchling dragon a fire lizard will seem like a cake walk."

Be reasonable. He may have other plans for the hatchlings.

"Oh hush," The boy called over his shoulder, lowering his arms and waving one hand dismissively. As they rounded the bend to the entrance to the feeding grounds Alreth paused briefly. Waiting for the rest of the group to be out of the way, he sat back and crouched down. He flapped his wings gustily a few times before launching himself explosively into the air. Growling a little in anticipation, he circled over the beasts below, chosing a target carefully. Alreth suddenly pulled his wings in to his body and dove down, pulling out of his downward arc just in time and holding a struggling wherry in his mouth. Puffing his chest out he made a short glide back to the group and deposited the struggling creature before Sidheth. M'lady, he said courteously.

Aren't you laying it on a bit thick? N'mar asked Alreth quietly, inwardly pleased by Aleerna's many "thank you's" and trying very hard not to preen the way the girl's dragon was.

Females enjoy being on the recipient end of manners. You might enjoy more success if you tried the tactic.

N'mar smiled at Sidheth, sending her a silent you're welcome, before turning back to Aleerna. He paused for a moment when he noticed she seemed vaguely uncomfortable.

"Ahhh, draconic table manners," N'mar shook his head, holding his chin and modifying his behavior to resemble the stereotypical old uncle. "Can't teach them anything!" Alreth politely excused himself from the group at that moment to find his own meal, knowing N'mar was only teasing, and began divebombing the grazers. N'mar had to work hard to keep his own stomach from grumbling. Oddly enough, Alreth's eating habits never bothered him: N'mar enjoyed meat and knew exactly where it came from, so instead of being grossed out he liked to revel in the taste sensations with his dragon. It never ruined his own appetite, at least. Zavir launched himself from Aleerna's shoulder to go join Alreth in his meal, creeling hunger. The brown obligingly allowed the lizard to feed from his kill as well.

"You'll just have to get used to it, I suppose," N'mar said, grimacing in an apologetic manner. "It's never bothered me, personally, but I hear everyone else complaining so I know it's generally considered gross. Still, a dragon has to eat, doesn't it?"