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 Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:10 pm
N'tren was bone tired. Since hitting sixteen turns, both Weyrling Master Farin and Wingleader L'cian had been putting his through serious training. His true last day off had been... He stopped and blushed at that thought. His arms were tired from tossing firestone, his butt was tired from sitting and running exercises. Every night, he collapsed into bed only to wake up and do it all over again. And in between, he was taking care of Datiath who seemed to finally stop growing. His bright green eyes had lost some luster as he thought about the chance to finally get some sleep. Both of his seniors had decided that the boy needed a break.
You should get food in your belly. Datiath told his rider worriedly. Too much work and you will make a mistake.
I have to work hard. I don't want Weyrleader M'xan to find fault and refuse to let me fly. N'tren replied in a tired voice.
Klah and stew did seem like a good idea. He wondered where Splotch had gone and then realized that the flit was probably with Gem and Caleten. He winced at that last part. N'tren knew that Datiath and Splotch had been keeping her company but he had only seen her in passing. Nothing more than to wave hi or goodbye.
She wondered what you are doing and why you do not speak to her. His bronze responded in a lazy tone.
Shards! Can't you tell her how busy we are? He was frustrated with the way things had been going these past weeks. There had not even been time for a dip in the cove. She knows where my weyr is and that you could relay messages.
Datiath huffed in the back of N'tren's mind and then went on to focus on something else. The bronze was up at the heights with the other dragons, now gossiping away.
"By the first egg, what has gotten into that bronze?" N'tren grumbled, not at all like his normal self. He was hoping that once his belly was full and warm things would look better. That and a good night of sleeping and not getting up with the watchweyr.
Plopping unceremoniously done at a table, he waved over a drudge for a cup of klah, a bowl of sweetner and a bowl of hearty stew. As if in a haze, he began the process of spoon to bowl to mouth and back again.
Splotch appeare overhead, chirping happily to see his owner. He sent lots of images of Caleten and Gem and being helpful. Settling on N'tren's hunched shoulders, he turned and chirped at those he had been keeping company with recently.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:28 pm
Caleten had been very busy, the dragonhealer putting on her hard to learn as much as she could about the craft. Mentally, it was draining and talking so much to the dragons was not painless either. However, she took it with stride. Finally, she was finding her own place.
With firm word by the dragonhealer about being too tired to tell a fire burn from a threadscore, she was sent to the kitchens for a short break. With a wooden tablet in hand, she walked to the destination. Entering, her eyes were glued to the words and she did not even notice N'tren was in the kitchen as well.
Two seconds later, Gem appeared on the table N'tren was sitting at complaining loudly in clipped chirps. Caleten had forgotten to take off the wingpatches that covered both her large golden wings like white spots. It was fun to get the attention, but it was hard to fly and that did not go over well with the Queen.
Caleten looked up and over to her gold, now spotting the man she hadn't seen in more then a passing glance in a while. Turning to her gold, she was all professional about taking off the patches, using great care and careful work with her nimble fingers. "I am hurrying, you silly little flit."
Gem drew her neck back and chirped accusingly to her, disagreeing on who was being silly here.
Shaking her head, and shivering lightly because her long, thick hair was bound together into one mass, which brushed against her neck as it slid to fall over her left side. Speaking as she worked, never taking her eyes off of Gem, she says, "Hello, N'tren." The greeting wasn't unfriendly, but professional as she worked.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:34 pm
N'tren had looked up when Gem fluttered in front of him. He stared for a moment at the strange patches on her wings, worried that she had hurt herself some how. Splotch merely chirped back and looked down at the bowl of food in front of his owner. Sending mental images of love and food, he waited as patiently as possible.
When he heard her speak, he looked up slowly, taking in the sight of her. She was definately more at ease than she had ever been, with her hair all done and her clothes much more flattering. His ears burned slightly as he thought for a second about how he had tugged at that hair to get her attention.
In a thick voice, tired and cautious at the same time, N'tren greeted her. "Hello Caleten! Been keeping busy?"
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:46 pm
Caleten didn't look up, she was finishing taking off the last few patches, "Very much so, I have heard a lot about how you have been wrung out as well." Finally done, she asked a drudge for a meat roll and a small bowl of scraps for the flits then she put tossed away the patches, grabbing a piece of clean washing cloth and wetting it. Going back to her flit she washed her wings to clean it of all the residue. Everything was done cleanly, but some extra attention was used to pamper her gold.
Gem, now clean and freed of the patches, she flew up into the air and did a few show acrobatics to show off before landing and nuzzling N'tren's hand, she had missed him, as had her friend.
Caleten sat down at the table, looking over the wood tablet as the food she called for arrived. Handing a scrap to Gem she reached in and held another to Splotch, finally really looking at N'tren. The first thing she noticed was his eyes. Acting like she was taking care of a patient, she asks, "How hard have they been working you? You'll fall over from exhaustion if they keep this up." There was obvious concern, professionally shown, of course.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:57 pm
Randomly handing a piece of meat to Splotch, N'tren was barely paying attention to anything Caleten was saying. It wasn't that he wasn't interested or didn't care; he simply was exhausted. It was completely different work from what he was used to...
He went back to spooning food into his mouth and nodding randomly. Datiath mentally prodded his rider into responding.
"I finally get a day off. It's just been the usual trainings, only moreso because I should be getting into a fighting wing soon." Ntren rambled as he rubbed Gem's head.
Before he realized it, N'tren was done with his meal. He wanted nothing more than to go and collapse into his furs. But manners and curtesy kept him in his seat. Trying to keep up with conversation, he snapped at Datiath mentally.
Leave me be. I can handle this.
Frowning, N'tren turned away paid a little more attention to the flits who did not talk back.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:10 pm
Caleten was not sure if he wasn't interested or just tired. Concidering what he had been through, the traing she had so far as a healer, she knew the best first step medicen.
Standing up suddenly she says, "Alright, N'tren, you are going to rest now. I'll talk to the Master and see about talking about a bit more rest time, but now you really look like you need some sleep." One hand was on her hip, trying the tricks she saw other healers use to get their paitent to listen to their good advice.
Gem happily ate until she was full, leaving a bit in the bowl left.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:28 pm
N'tren frowned.
Was she suggesting that she talk to his wingleader? He would never be able to live that down especially if the other riders found out! M'xan would pull him and he might have to wait a whole 'nother turn to fight.
Smacking his hand on the table, he looked up and glared at her. Splotch hissed at being unsettled. His eyes tinged red as he waited to be settled by N'tren. But N'tren was not in the mood for settling.
"You are not talking to Farin or L'cian! It is something every rider goes through. Once I get used to it, everything will be fine," N'tren ground out. He stood up and pushed his dishes away. "Thanks for the offer though."
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:38 pm
Caleten blinked, obviously taken aback by his snapping at her. The baffled expression didn't last long before she glared and snapped back, "Well excuse me to between! Must have been something I was going to be told about tomorrow next to every other aspect of a dragonrider's life." Her fist clenched but she tried to clam her self a bit, it wouldn't do to have to treat his injuries after she knocked some actual since in to him.
Gem was also hissing now, very unhappy by all of this.
Finally she went on, not giving ground one bit, "At least get some sleep. I will help you if you need it." The meaning behind that was not nearly as nice as it might be, she was full well prepared to try and drag him if he was going to be stubborn, being that tired was not healthy. Granted she wanted to sleep herself, but the healer training had her pushing to see to him first.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:48 pm
N'tren glared back. He was tired of everyone trying to help him or do for him what he could do for himself. She barely respected him and always had to boss him somehow... And now, both Splotch and Gem were getting upset.
Datiath tried to butt into N'tren's thoughts but his rider was far too upset to listen to his dragon.
He glared angrily at Caleten, not even sure why he was upset but knowing that he was and his eyes, once dull, were now a bright green. Rare was it for the teen to lose his temper but now that he had, he was not going to hold back.
"What did you think I was going to do? Dance up on the heights? Go swimming with the shipfish?" N'tren managed not to yell and gather attention. "This is how you always think of me, huh? Just some child who is there when you need him, otherwise someone to look after? I do not need anyone to look after me."
What about me? Datiath asked piteously.
Except you. We will always need each other. N'tren tried to comfort his beloved.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 10:09 pm
Caleten did not look as shocked, actually she looked hurt as he accused her of thinking of him as some sort of child. It only showed for a few moments before hot temper took over, "Scorch that and the crackdust your spewing!" She may carry herself as a Lady, but could speak like a drunken sailor if she needed to and did not so much as blink as she cursed at him.
"If you can see past your sun-crazed tantrum, you might keep in mind the only one here who has been looking after the other is you! Not that your showing it, but I know under that exaughstion powered child like action is a man, I have never thought less then that of you." Well, Dataith but she wasn't thinking about him as she covered the sting of what N'tren had said with her fighting instincts. This was all his fault, the son of a Bitan!
"Friends are supposed to look after each other, N'tren. Thats what I thought we were. If you don't want it that way, then fine." Tossing her hair over her right shoulder, she prepared to do something she never did, retreat. With one hard glare she grabbed her wood tablet and left, walking right past N'tren without giving him more then a hard look.
It took a lot to bite her temper and pride, but he had to cool down, so did she. Even so, she stopped a drudge and spoke orders to have cold water brought to his weyr with a little something to help him sleep. Her words were much more forceful then she had intended but she was ticked royally off.
For now, she was headed back to the healer's shop, to work off her aggregation before she got some rest herself. With a yawn, she opened the door and walked in prepared for anger of the dragonhealer. She needed a good shouting match. It can help to block out the dragons from her mind as well. She may like Dataith, but right now she didn't want to hear from him or at least make it easy.
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 3:44 pm
N'tren kicked at an invisible rock and cursed under his breath. He had no idea what had gotten into him besides being tired and moody and definately not needing a lecture from someone who barely knew what she wanted. Stomping out of the kitchens, he headed for his weyr. Splotch cried piteously as N'tren waved him away from his shoulder.
"Blast that girl! After all we been through, she still talks down to me! Trying to make me the bad guy. I am going to be in a fighting wing soon and if she says anything, I will lose my place." He was ranting to himself.
She was trying to be helpful. Datiath muttered in his mind.
"She was being meddlesome! The only one who needs to look after me is you." N'tren huffed as he climbed the stairs. Maybe they would go out hunting later. Some real game, not the beasts kept in the pens.
I would like that and I would like you to be nice. The bronze responded.
"I am not the one to apologize. There I am minding my own business when she has to go ordering me about and talking about telling my wingleader. Can't she wait until she Impresses before trying to boss me around?" N'tren walked into his room. A bowl of water was sitting on his table that had not been there before.
Datiath poked his head in. Someone brought that to you.
"Even now, she can't leave me alone!" N'tren grumbled. He took the bowl, put in on the moving tray and sent it back down to the kitchens. "Let's just get away."
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:11 am
Caleten got kicked out of the healer's weyr and sent to cool her temper else where. Even if he didn't mean it, she took it literally. Walking back to her room, bound hair bouncing against her back from the long, fast steps.
In her room, she grabbed a small pack and made her way to the kitchen. There she had enough for the rest of the day put together and stifled a yawn as she left there.
Gem chirped to her, trying to tell her to rest, not get herself madder.
Glaring at the gold she snapped at her, "If you want to rest so badly, then go!" She instantly felt bad when she saw her little gold drop in the air and whimper at her. When Gem went on to her shoulder to prove she wasn't going anywhere, she petted the Queen and kept on her way, alls forgiven.
Leaving the Weyr, someone asked where she was going and she replied, "Where my feet take me." Then again, that was honest, she didn't know where to go. One of the best places was the one she went to last with N'tren. Just remembering painted her cheeks a brilliant blush. There was no going there, so where?
The place they bathed Dataith was the only other one she knew of that had clean water and was at least a little secluded. Needing the excursive and time to cool, so thats where she would go.
It didn't escape her mind that she was out walking in a tunic with a low cut, not showing anything but it still lower then the completely covering outfits she used to wear. Also, it actually fit, which meant it showed her body off. With that in mind, she touched her belt knife and started walking into the heavy, hot Southern air with only her gold and a temper to come with.
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 3:57 pm
Meanwhile, N'tren was flopped on his bed punching his furs with anger. He had still not cooled down from his fight with Caleten. His green eyes were extrodinarily bright with emotion and would have fascinated a certain somebody if they had not been fighting. Splotch tried once more to land on his friend's shoulder and was shooed away.
Chirping angrily, he sent an image of sitting on Caleten's lap happily.
"If you want to be with her so much, then leave and become her other flit." N'tren cursed angrily.
Merping in a sad tone, Splotch went and sat on N'tren's wooden chest. He folded his wings close and ahivvered.
You hurt his feelings. Datiath commented.
"I particularly...," N'tren started and then sighed. "I am sorry, Splotch. I don't know what is wrong with me. I love you, you know that..."
Fluttering happily, the bronze came back to his owner and cooed. Rubbing his cheek against N'tren, the little flit was once more happy. Carefully, he chirped about fish and ocean.
I could use a swim. And you could relax. We could hunt. Datiath started adding helpfully.
"Alright," N'tren laughed. "I can tell when I have been outvoted. Let me get my riding vest on."
Grabbing his riding vest, N'tren ran outside to greet his bronze. Hugging him tightly, N'tren allowed a few tears to be shed before wiping his eyes and climbing up onto Datiath. Thumping his beast good, the teen took a deep breath of air. They leapt off the ledge and the dragon gave a few powerful strokes and steadied themselves.
"To the cove."
And with that command, rider and dragon went /between/.
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:27 pm
Caleten finally got to the cove, enjoying the solitude. Although she had not cooled her temper, she was not outwardly mad. Instead, it was bottled up inside, slowly leaking out of her temper tensed muscles. Sitting down on the edge of the hard, hot ground, she took off one of her shoes and sat on it to save her butt a hot sit. The freed right foot was placed in the very pleasantly cool water and the other leg was brought up to her body so her chin could be propped up by her knee.
Kicking at the water to watch it fly into the air, she let out a long breath and tried to turn her attention to anything but her current problem, N'tren. It was easier because Gem was up to her antics of aerobatics playing around with the local flits. She guessed, seeing as this was where they found Splotch, those flits were his family. The blur of blues, greens, bronzes, browns and the two golds made a fascinating display. Her stand out of a flit was never hard to spot and stole the show the whole way.
As the warm wind caressed her skin, she felt more at ease. Reaching down, her calloused hands cupped to hold some of the cool water. With a quick action, she flung the water on to her face, some of it straying and making her tunic a bit wet. Her hazel eyes looked at the water and she had to laugh. Her reflection looked like it had been crying, the way her dark eye lashes were darker still as if dampened by tears. Besides the fact he was missing the tear stains, it did look close. Shaking her head at the betrayal so far from the truth, Caleten turned her attention from herself to the flits once more, enjoying the privet show.
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 10:43 am
They came out over the hold from /between/. Splotch clung tightly to N'tren's neck and chirped excitedly as the descent bagan. Loosening his grip, the little bronze sent images of other flits out enjoying the breeze and sun.
"Go on. Go have fun. They are probably better company than I am." N'tren nodded his approval.
Splotch chirped that he would go and have a good time. The thought of fresh fish and warms sands definately lightened the little fellow's mood.
You should cool your head. Datiath told N'tren.
"My head is just fine. Perhaps you should keep your opinions to yourself." N'tren responded frostily. He was still not happy about anyone trying to tell him what to do or how to feel. At this point, if Ephia herself had told him to do something, N'tren might have snapped back.
It is not or you would not acting so silly. Swim in the waters. You like that. Datiath replied with hurt overtones. He stretched out his legs and wings for a good water landing. His eyes were tinged yellow with anxiety for his rider's behavior. And I could use a good swim.
N'tren ran a hand through his short spiked hair. He knew he was being difficult and honestly wanted to stop. But now that he was in the mood, a part of him didn't want to leave it either. Self-pity bred self-pity. "A swim for you and me. Fine. Then you can sleep away your troubles on the beach."
And so can you. The bronze retorted as he tipped and caused his rider to fall into the water.
As the warm waters hit N'tren, he started to feel better. Coming up sputtering, he took off his water-logged jacket and tossed it on the shore. He tossed his sandals onto the sands as well. Taking a deep breath, he dove underwater and swam out to Datiath. Bobbing back up, he splashed Datiath. Not that a little splash had a big effect on the beast. "You did that on purpose!"
I told you. You need to cool your head. Feel better? Datiath looked down at his rider with adoration and love.
A lump formed in N'tren's throat. "Yeah, I do. Thanks."
Good. She is here with hers. Be nice this time.
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