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 Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:57 pm
Liniyie looked up at Cordel's voice, his gaze never having wavered from Tribble, and a soft smile crossed his face. His cheeks hinted slightly pink, though not from embarrassment or shame.
"I thought as much, but I felt it would be rude to her if I simply went to grab her. Nothing in this world likes to be manhandled, even if someone else has given permission for someone to do so. At the very least, from all of this . . . ."
He shook his head for a moment, and then shrugged his shoulders.
"At any rate, I still wouldn't have tried to grab for her even if she would step onto stranger's fingers. Dealing with a firelizard who is unconscious from their wounds, or is dazed and frightened because of their wounds, handling them is different from handling one who is wide awake and watching. When that happens . . .it's just, there's no time to think. You have to act, and if you hurt them more in the process, you learn. It's a lesson that should never have to be taught, but . . . "
Liniyie was rambling again, but he kept his tone slow and even as to not suddenly make changes that would pitch the flit away from his with nerves. His hand stayed motionless, as did his arm, but his expression stayed focused on Cordel.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:12 pm
At first, Cordel watched with interest. Unfortunately, his expression waned quickly from intrigue to ‘Faranth, what is this kid doing in my Infirmary again?’. It wasn’t a memory issue; he just thought Lini was spouting nonsense. “Are you saying you won’t pick her up because she’s perfectly fine and conscious? Or that you won’t learn how to handle a perfectly healthy firelizard just because it’s different from handling one that isn’t so healthy? If that’s what you’re saying, Liniyie, you can leave right now. I don’t have the time or the patience for someone who won’t learn the very basics.”
And, yes, handling a firelizard was basic in his opinion. How were you supposed to treat an animal if you had no idea how to hold one? Liniyie probably thought he was being quite clever, but from the look on Cordel’s face it wasn’t clever for the Healer. “Now, are you here to actually learn or just waste my sharding time?”
Oh, yes. He was annoyed. And that didn’t make Tribble happy. “Shrrp!” the firelizard said, with yellow whirling in her eyes yet again. With her wings held low and her head even lower, she made a pathetic sight. That was probably what cooled Cordel’s typically mercurial temper off. He never could stand upsetting poor Tribble. Maybe he had asked too much of Liniyie to start with… moving over so he was standing next to the boy, he continued, trying to sound a little nicer this time. “Here. What you have to do is put one hand under her chest, like this. Oh, Tribble. Don’t be like that,” he said, cooing at the little firelizard. He slipped one hand over the firelizard’s chest so her legs were dangling between his fingers. “And then you have to support her back by putting your other hand under her hindquarters. It’s like lifting up a puppy.”
Tribble behaved well enough, most likely because it was Cordel doing the handling. “Chirrp?” she said again.
“Here, take her. She’ll behave.” Cordel offered the firelizard to Liniyie.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:34 pm
That wasn't Liniyie hadn't meant, not being willing to hold when healthy, but it had come out that way after all. This is probably why he learned it was best to keep his mouth shut and just do as he was told, making him pretty good at the tasks no one else wanted to do, mostly the manual laboring and picking of herbs.
It would taste a lie too, to say he didn't feel like a complete deadglow that had been kicked a few times in the head, but he had it coming on his own accord. He hadn't been trying to be clever, he'd been telling the truth. But whatever, Liniyie'd already ruined his first and second impressions on the Master Healer, so from here on out it wouldn't matter. Just shutting up, doing as one was told, it would work best. Then, he could chide himself later.
When I get back to my room, I'll never speak of this again.
When Tribble was offered to him he didn't hesitate, he'd been watching, but the motions he used to try and take her from the Master Healer were the same that he'd been shown. His touch was gentle but firm, and though his heart pounded in his chest with delight at being able to touch another flit, his face was stone set. Still, he did his best to not look overly frightening, and as he positioned his hands to try to support her properly he wondered what else he could be doing wrong, or how long it would be before the firelizard would bolt away.
"Like so?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:50 pm
Honestly, Cordel didn’t mind some snappiness from his Apprentices. In fact, he preferred a bit of pushing and shoving, as evidenced by his relationship with La. But, he demanded that any explanations make sense or at least sound like they were thought out. No matter. Liniyie would learn, he figured. At least the boy had figured out how to keep his mouth shut if he couldn’t figure out what to say. And he didn’t hesitate this time, taking Tribble very carefully.
The firelizard squirmed a few times, but a mental prod from Cordel told her to stay still. After the initial weak struggle, she remained mostly quiet except for the occasional chirrup. Once she had gotten a hang of the idea that, hey, this guy wasn’t going to eat her like popcorn, she relaxed. She even went as far as to nose the fingers around her, more curious than afraid.
“Good. That’s right. Keep your finger on her chest just a little lower. An angry firelizard could easily take a n** at that although ideally you’ll be wearing gloves when treating a firelizard. That’s a good girl, Tribble. Yes, you’ll get a treat in a moment. It helps, Liniyie, to keep some firelizard treats around. It keeps them quiet during check-ups. Good job. She’s calm now, so you can set her down. Try scratching her on her eyeridges. They like that.”
The Healer went back to the other side of his desk and opened up a few drawers. Shuffling around some hides, he eventually found what he was looking for, a small manuscript on firelizard and dragon anatomy. “And read this for the week. I’ll give you a test sometime later. Tomorrow, you should meet La, my other Apprentice. And Isonth, of course. They’ll be in one of the lower weyrs.”
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:06 pm
Liniyie raised an eyebrow as he gently stroked Tribble as he'd been told, a bit taken aback that he'd still be allowed to do something in terms of maybe being an Apprentice. The firelizard was on the table, as told as well, though Liniyie secretly wished he could have held her for a bit longer. It was a feeling he hadn't had in a very, very long time, turns before he even went to the hold. It made him feel like a kid again, and it took lots of self control to prevent himself from blathering like an idiot. When the manuscript was presented, he nodded his head but managed to squeak out a few words.
"Of course, and I look forward to it."
So far, he'd figured out that Cordel hated people talking. Liniyie liked to listen, this might end up working out well for the pair, so long as he learned to keep his talking short and sweet and respond only when spoken to. Ideas could be shared way later on after he'd gotten some weight around and didn't look like a wherry ready for the feasting.
"Is there anything else?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:33 pm
“Prrrp?” Tribble’s noise could only be described as ‘surprised’ when Liniyie started to scratch her eyeridges. But her surprise could only last so long in the face of scritches. The ‘prrrp’ turned into a quiet content noise as she rubbed her head against Liniyie’s fingers. She really was a softy, once she got used to people. The only problem was that she had to get re-used to people, seeing as she promptly forgot who people were after they had been gone for about five minutes.
Hmm… Cordel briefly played with the idea of giving Liniyie extra work, just to teach him not to ask such questions unless he really wanted an answer. But, then again, that would simply dissuade him from asking questions in the future and questions were the foundation of learning. Or maybe more like the roots, in which the waters of knowledge traveled. Something foolish like that anyway. “No, that’ll be all. I know that Candidatemaster Z’nal has been harsher these days. And, as it turns out, sleep is a necessity for everyone. Just read what I’ve given you and meet with me and La tomorrow after Candidate lessons. We’ll be in the ground weyrs, most likely.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:44 pm
Liniyie smiled at the sounds the firelizard was making, glad he'd been able to do at least one thing correctly today without having to be shown how to do it. The feel of her hide beneath his finger as he scritched was refreshing and the youth hoped he'd get to feel different hides soon, both dragon and other firelizard. Of course he knew he'd probably be on the back burner for a while, caring things or just holding things, but anything to help him get closer to his goal would be just right.
"I won't argue and say he hasn't been running us around, but it's better then being idle."
When the book was offered in his direction Liniyie took it, cracking it open slightly and glancing down at the text. It'd be something to do between lessons and whatever else got heaped on him and the others, not to mention a way to pass time at night when the sounds of snoring kept him awake. At the next set of instructions on where to be to meet up with the Master and the second Apprentice, Liniyie nodded his head and slowly closed the book, careful not to make any loud sounds before Tribble.
"I will be there."
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:49 pm
“Glad to hear you say that, Liniyie. I’m a very hands-on teacher, you’ll find.” That was putting it mildly, and Cordel sharding well knew it. His smirk definitely spoke volumes, even if his words didn’t. Well, he was sure La would have stuff to share with Liniyie. Cordel could only hope she wouldn’t share the stories of how she used to try chasing him out of his own office with a broom. Not just ‘try’, in fact, but succeed.
With that, everything seemed to be settled and the Healer sat back down at his desk and continued updating the files. After a few seconds, he realized that Liniyie was still there. “…Yes? Is there something else you wanted?” he asked curiously, being used to people simply sidling out of his office as soon as possible. “Unless there’s anything else you want to bring up, I have a lot of work to do right now…”
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:39 pm
"No, sorry. I sort of spaced out there for a moment. If you're busy I don't want to bother you any further."
The usual smile Liniyie liked to wear graced his face and he bobbed his head, not really caring that Cordel had said he wasn't used to being bowed to. Manners were manners and he had them. He moved to the door after raising his head, taking care this time to walk out and not injure himself in the same way he had when he'd come in.
Hopefully the next time he met up with his quasi-Master, he'd keep his mouth shut and things would go well. It seemed like it would if he would just follow commands and pay close attention, so there was some hope in Liniyie's heart. It was a good thing for him to come here.
He gotten to touch a firelizard again, after all.
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