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 Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:17 am
"Eheh," Y'kar gave a nervous grin, "I don't think he's shy exactly... I don't think they've really taken to one another." Understatement, thy name is Y'kar. How was it not obvious to L'pin that his dragon was considering murder? Perhaps he'd just started to block it out over the turns, the blue probably showed his fangs to a lot of innocent parties... A glance at Kannaroth made him revise the 'innocent' part mentally; he was in no doubt that his lifemate had goaded the savage blue.
"He was just too easy to get worked up," the slight dragonet told him with a mental chuckle. "Not much fun though in the end; all he could come up with were threats, no witty repartee at all. Still, not many people manage to keep up with me." It was convenient to her plans, but it was also frustrating; what did a dragon have to do to find intelligent conversation? There was Roseth of course, and there was Y'kar, but a bit of variety would be nice.
"Still," Y'kar shifted his arm further around Kannaroth, "I'll try to get her to behave. She insists on sneering at pretty well everyone, no matter if it's the smart thing to do or not... I think she knows when she's being unwise, but on balance she feels that her fun is worth the risk." Shaking his head, Y'kar assumed the rather tired look of a rider whose dragon seemed bent on annoying the wrong person. "Maybe if the Weyr at large starts being less hostile to her, she'll calm down," he murmured hopefully. It was possible, but personally he'd be a bit disappointed; he loved her acid with, he just wished that she'd keep it between the two of them when a dangerous party was involved.
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:30 am
"Heh, if wishes were flitts I tell you now that I'd have more attached to me than anyone though humanly possible. You can make that wish as many times as you want, but a dragon's personality was set the moment it came from the Egg. A dragon with a nasty temperament may only show its loveing side to you and a few others, so there's never a point in hoping for something that won't come."
It seemed to be the first time L'pin was admitting something, perhaps that he knew all about Shamth and had indeed gotten used to it . . . but that didn't mean he had to like it. It hard to have lots of friends as a Candidate to suddenly having none at all the moment you Impress, even those considered most loyal dropping away quickly. This kid probably had something similar in terms of experiance with people leaving but it would beyond L'pin to drag that bit of history up.
The past was the past, Shamth and Kannaroth for the pair was their present and their future. Nothing else could come of it.
You act as though you're feeling regret.
Of course not. Don't be ridiculous, I like you the way you are. Trying to cheer the kid up is all, he's got issues coming he probably won't foresee.
Like how he'll be treated the day his failure decides to Rise?
"Something like that. They're in for a hard time."
He's forgotten again to keep the end of his sentence inside his head, so very clearly not used to company. Usually when it was just him and Shamth he would speak out loud, trying to keep the sounds of words in his ears. He wasn't much for conversations with others and often joked to his dragon that if he didn't speak he would eventually forget how to do so. Shamth didn't believe him, but what did he know?
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:47 am
"Humm?" He would have liked to know what the rest of that conversation had been, but he wasn't interested enough to do more than make a noise signaling curiosity. "Mmm, well yes, you're right," he put the matter aside and nodded to what L'pin had meant to address to him. "Kannaroth and her sisters are... They're amazingly loyal to one another, and to us as their riders, but everyone else..." He shrugged and shook his head. "I guess they're just too tight knit to let anyone else in. The bonds that would usually run from each dragon into forty or so clutchmates is directed to just two others... Or maybe they're just really bad tempered," he grinned sheepishly as Kannaroth glared at him, "I don't know." The former was certainly an interesting theory, but there was no way to test it so he didn't really matter.
"Just bad tempered," Kannaroth muttered crossly, "we wouldn't be half so bad tempered if the rest of the world was a bit less judgmental, and decidedly less stupid. You try not being frustrated when everyone but you seems to have a brain made of soft cheese."
"I do try," he responded with a mental roll of his eyes, "quite a lot of people drive me up the wall but I keep it to myself... Still, perhaps the difference is bigger for you." He might be very bright, well above average intelligence, but Kannaroth out-stripped almost all other dragons by a long way. Still, at least she had him and Roseth, right?
"Mmm, thank goodness for small mercies."
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:02 am
"Sorry, Shamth and I had been talking about our worries for you as both of you get older. A lot of dragons and riders are ignoring you now because she's still so little, but things will probably change the moment your Kannaroth decides to Rise. You can't fight nature, and you can't fight personalities, so I merely thought it'd be a little troublesome for you."
He didn't want to come right out and say there was a possibility that Y'kar would get abused by whatever rider belong to the dragon that caught Kannaroth, but that seemed more than likely. He'd seen many a girl running the hold with bruises fresh from mating flights, their partners trying to be gentle but still rough in so many ways.
L'pin could only imagine what the damage would be if someone wasn't even trying.
"I've never had to worry about Flights though, it seems like Shamth still thinks he's not ready to give a good Chase after someone. I'm not the kind to force him either, when he's ready he'll be ready."
I'll probably be ready in a Turn or so. I want to enjoy this.
That is cryptic and creepy, Shamth.
Shamth gave a dragon chuckle and settled himself closer to L'pin, his red eyes falling on the small beast before the pair. Oh, he'd be game to try then.
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:10 am
"Oh, right!" Y'kar gave a slightly embarrassed grin. "I guess we might have issues," he agreed, grin fading to a slight frown. "I mean... the rider isn't really in control or aware in flights, but if their dragon is feeling hostile as well as, err, lustful then..." Owch. He just hoped Kannaroth didn't get badly hurt. Come to that, he hoped he didn't get badly hurt, but if one of them had to he would rather it was him. Sadly, given the nature of flights, it was probably an all or none thing; they'd both be fine, or bother wake up battered.
"I shall have to choose the least vicious looking rather than the best flier I suppose," Kannaroth commented, "but of course in my first few flights I might not have the experience needed to make a choice. I suppose you'd better just have fellis and numbweed on hand." She too would rather avoid injury, but as the human had said, there was nothing you could do to change nature. What would come could come, she couldn't avoid it so there was no sense worrying about it.
"Maybe he's just not found the right girl yet," Y'kar suggested with a slight shrug, and a nervous glance at Shamth who was suddenly looking very intently at Kannaroth. "Some dragons are just... real picky I suppose."
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:26 am
"I'd like to say the dragon probably won't hurt Kannaroth, but riders are not their dragons even if they do follow. I've seen some of the girls in the kitchens with welts that would shame anyone to know they've made him, and those were ones made during passion. I can only imagine what would happen if they'd woken up next to someone they hated or despised, knowing good and well what happened."
He'd seen that too, several male Greenriders coming out of flights with black eyes or bloody noses. This place was not so open about everything and hardly could be considered accepting, and part of him was glad that he'd never gotten into a Flight. L'pin didn't like the idea of hurting anyone, even if it felt good at the time, and he wasn't so sure how he'd feel about sleeping with another man. There were female Greenriders, naturally, but a lot more men.
"I don't know if the best term is 'picky' rather than 'vindictive'. Some of them seem to be waiting for something or another."
L'pin was clearly referring to Shamth, as he was getting a notion of what his dragon meant inside his head. He'd be putting a stop to that idea shortly, or he hoped Shamth would all together forget by the time Kannaroth was ready to Rise.
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:22 am
"Yea... Well we'll see," Y'kar sighed faintly and shrugged. "I can deal with a few bruises I guess, I'd rather avoid getting hurt of course but there's not a lot I can do to get out of this." He'd probably be in for it even more if anyone worked out that he actually liked men... It was still uncomfortable admitting it to himself, he'd been quite happy thinking men who liked men were disgusting, why had he had to be perceptive and work out that he was like that too? Ah well, at least he liked women too...
"I hope he's not waiting for Kannaroth," Y'kar said as he followed L'pin's train of thought. "I can't see that going well... Still, at least he's quite big, it'll probably be the smaller blues that catch up with her." So he hoped in any case, Shamth would probably savage Kannaroth so badly she couldn't fly for half a turn afterwords. Vindictive, that was certainly right. The knowledge that his lifemate's sisters would avenge her was not at all comforting.
"Perhaps while I am inexperienced I should just devote my energy to avoiding him," Kannaroth mused, "pretty well any blue would be better than him; he will be savage, and his rider's mind will be with him, so L'pin will be savage too." They'd both end up battered quite badly in all probability; avoiding Shamth was definitely a good priority.
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:40 am
"I'm pretty sure he's not waiting for her, or if he is he'd probably forget by that time. It's not like he has an excellent memory to keep things together for a few more Months, and I'm certainly not going to try and remind him either."
How rude. You know I could most certainly take her down should I even try.
Hush. Cheering up the kid, remember?
I am displeased, but understand.
Good. We'll talk later.
"But you know, in a way that could be a blessing or a curse. Maybe you'll get lucky and end up with one of the rare female Blueriders, though all the one's I've met so far I wouldn't take a second glance at. They're about your age. Blue Feylith is a large beast, but he's young and Looks To a girl."
L'pin certainly would not show signs of interest towards Tethis, she was far too . . . .not his taste. Plus her relationship with her dragon was just plain weird, even by his own odd standards.
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:08 am
Y'kar relaxed, and patted Kannaroth's neck. "That's good to hear," he said with a grin, "I'm not sure a flight between this pair would work out well for any of us." Especially for himself an Kanna. "I guess I can hope for a girl," he went on with a wry smile, "but if I don't get lucky... well, I guess it's only a flight, right? Happens to all us green riders eventually, unless our dragons just never feel like rising." He didn't think Kannaroth would be one of those; she was far too young to show any interest yet of course, but she wasn't showing disgust at the prospect either.
"I suppose we'll have to see how my mind works on that score when we come to it," the green agreed with a mental shrug, cooing at the little flitt again. "Don't see myself being obsessed with it though, not really my style I think." She could see Roseth liking flights a lot; what a chance to show herself off and be worshiped! For herself... well if her body wanted it, fine, and if she could see it furthering her goals then fine too but there was nothing clever or wily about it, she didn't see it as something important to achieve.
"I look forward to her being old enough to rise though I guess," Y'kar said thoughtfully after some moments. "It'll mean she's big enough for me to ride, too, and old enough to join a wing... Unless of course everyone hates us so much by then they decide not to let us join one." He offered L'pin a sympathetic smile at this point; it was not a pitying smile smile so much as one that said he knew being excluded from that couldn't be any fun, and he could imagine them having that unpleasantness to share in the future. Not that he planned to, of course, but L'pin seemed sympathetic to him, and so he could show the same in return. Who knew, this man and his brute blue might be useful eventually.
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:00 am
"No, I can agree with you on that. The idea of the sex after flights has never really appealed to me either despite how old I've gotten and how long I've been in the Weyr - but I'm Holdborn. I may have spent a good part of twelve turns here but a lot of my morals and views stay loyal to my home. you'd think otherwise based on how I act but I prefer to keep many things close to the chest, if you understand my saying."
Sad to say that L'pin was a virgin, generally by his own choice in the early years and later on because of his involvement with Shamth. People stayed away from the Blue dragon and therefore its rider, leaving him to ponder how much longer he'd have to stay this way. Such a sad thought.
When Y'kar mentioned wings and somehow looked to L'pin like he was sad or sympathetic, the older man could only chuckle and shrug his shoulders. He was so long over that, the sting of being told he couldn't join gone like the Turn of Weyrling training. Can't really change the past, and he doubted he'd even want to.
He did, however, want to change the subject entirely. Talk of flight had Shamth's thoughts bordering on maniac and was making the usually unruffled man feel slightly ill.
"Have you flown on a dragon before? Other than to just come to the Weyr for the Impressions?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:09 am
"No," Y'kar shook his head, "only to come here, and to be dropped onto the sands for hatchings. First time time, I have to admit I was pretty frightened. Excited," he grinned, "but frightened too. The other times I was too busy being nervous about the hatching that was about to start to concentrate on the feeling of flying." Not nervous so much as... focused. There was no point trying to plot before the eggs cracked, but he'd always done it anyway. Still, it came out to the same thing, his mind had been on Impression, not flying on some other rider's dragon.
"I've only been between the once as well," he added as he cast his mind back to that first flight. "I'm not sure I'm looking forward to that too much... I mean I guess you must get used to it," he shot L'pin a hopeful look, "but I doubt it ever gets pleasant." Feeling nothing, hearing nothing, not even being able to breathe... Not nice, not nice at all. He didn't doubt that when they came to do it Kannaroth would bring them out safely the other side, but he didn't think he was going to like the experience, or feel any less nervous despite his trust in her.
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:25 am
"The only think I don't like about going between is the cold. All of my faith and trust is in Shamth, and never once when we've been flying has he let me down. I was never scared, even when we were just learning, which put me at odds with several others who would complain that their worlds were ending."
L'pin gave something of a reassuring smile, which looked a little odd on his face. As nice as he was L'pin grinned more often than smiled, and it made him feel funny.
"If you and Kannaroth are as close as you seem now, then you'll probably only get closer with each Turn. By the time it comes to lessons for flying between the pure trust you have together won't even allow you to think twice about what could happen. If you know what you're doing, if you know where you're going, there's nothing to it."
He said it all as if it were really nothing, but he could vaguely remember the jitters from that time. Getting onto Shamth's back, doing his best to picture nothing but sky, sky, sky. When they'd done it without any troubles it had felt like a wonderful victory, a taste he'd not forget.
"But as for flying, perhaps one day I'll get Shamth to show you how it feels. But probably by the time I convince him to let anyone else near his side your Kannaroth will be ready to fly on her own anyway."
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:39 am
It was a little reassuring to hear that somebody else found the experiences just fine with their own dragon. He might not think much of or give a flitt's tailfork about this man, but he believed his words were genuine. Everything was different with your own dragon, and with Kannaroth's brain he didn't see anything much presenting them with a challenge. So long as they had clear instructions, they'd be fine. Thinking of clear instructions, he'd have to buff up on what scrolls had to say about going between and so on; he wasn't just going to put their lives in the Weyrlingmaster's hands, the man might think it a good thing if all three of the 'useless' greens were lost in a tragic accident that was brought about by their idiocy, of course.
"Thanks for the offer," he went on with a grin and a glance at Shamth, "I'm not sure what Kannaroth would think of me riding another dragon in any case, but I appreciate the offer. It's nice to be thought of, you know?" He wouldn't sit on that beast if he was paid a million marks for every moment he remained... Well, actually he probably would for that much money, but it would have to be a sharding big incentive to get him up there. The beast would probably deliberately try to scare him and shake him up, and L'pin would smile obliviously, or chuckle about what a scamp his brute blue was. Was the man really blind to what his dragon was like, or did he repress the knowledge, or then again perhaps he secretly enjoyed it. You never could tell with some people.
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:01 am
L'pin shrugged, indeed chuckling like his normal self would do. He wasn't surprised to hear Y'kar flat out say no, considering he expected the boy too. The man wasn't blind to the nature of his dragon, just as he was sure this boy before him wasn't to his own. It would take a fool and long hours to continue believing a lie, but L'pin found himself more often than not content to just do that. Shamth couldn't be nearly as nasty as people said he was, or else there would be far more torn asunder dragons. His Blue was no threat that would remain unanswered.
Do not trouble your thoughts, Mine. I am perfect for you, just as you are for your Shamth.
I'm not troubled. Amused. Proud of you too, you're behaving so well.
I cannot rend her asunder while you are here, Mine. Nor while she hides with tail between legs next to Hers.
Don't plot too hard. I would like at least one friend, you know.
Shamth snorted, breaking the silence the two were sharing at least verbally. His noise startled the dozing Rinel from atop L'pin's head, sending the shrieking flit towards Kannaroth the same way a weyrbrat ran for its foster.
"Hey, Rinel. No need to act so silly, it's just Shamth breathing out."
His head smarted, that little runt had taken a good bit of hair and skin with her in the flight!
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:13 am
Kannaroth crooned reassuringly at the startled flitt, raising her head out of Y'kar's reach to pay attention to the chattering green instead. No need to worry about the big stupid blue, he was far too slow to catch her.
"Do you really intend to associate with this failure?" she asked of Y'kar even as she sent more reassuring thoughts to the firelizard. "What good is he to us?... Of course," the green gave a mental nod after a moment, "he can hardly sink lower. Maybe he will be so grateful to you for companionship that he will break rules to help you?"
"Something like that," Y'kar replied, "I think he has the potential to be more useful than an average rider... Besides, even if his dragon's a brute he's friendly. It's quite a nice change not to be talked down to."
"Well, don't get too attached," Kannaroth teased, "there's no room for him or that lump of wher-flesh in our little group."
Too right there wasn't. Y'kar pulled his attention away from the chattering Rinel to offer L'pin a lopsided grin. "Does he scare her like that a lot?" It wasn't much in the way of conversation, but frankly he was flagging, and he could feel Kannaroth growing weary as well. Time for food soon, and then some rest.
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