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Kaedrelath was an entirely different creature when he fed. The blue was ravenous, after not eating for four days. With the Weyr having so many dragons to feed, they were on a rotating system~ each dragon was allotted a certain number of beasts, based on the dragon's color and size, every handful of days. Today, it was Kaedrelath's turn to feed. For the moment, the blue shared the feeding pens with no one. Not another dragon was anywhere close! He snarled furiously, his teeth bared as he singled out a particularly hearty looking doe. He screamed to frighten the poor herdbeast, and sent the entire herd scattering. Throwing his wings wide, the blue swooped low and fast. He reached out with his talons to snatch the doe from the ground, lifting her and snapping her neck with practiced ease. The doe likely didn't even know what hit her.

Settling on one of the ledges carved into the Weyr's stony sides, Kaedrelath brooded for a moment over his kill. He picked at it and nosed it around, nibbling here and licking there. Just eat the sharding thing, M'zaji said, leaning on the fence of the feeding ground while watching his blue. How many times do I have to tell you, don't play with your food? M'zaji reprimanded Kaedrelath, but his tone with light and hardly serious. Kaedrelath obliged his rider. Dipping his muzzle down, the blue tore open the doe and began to gorge himself.

When he and Kaedrelath had been weyrlings, and M'zaji had had to cut up meat for his blue to eat, it had been tough. M'zaji found out the hard way that he got queasy easily. But after being lifemates for near ten turns, the bluerider found himself comfortable with the sight of blood, guts, and gore. He no longer felt the need to retch every time his dragon made a kill, and fed. It wasn't his favorite thing to watch, but it was bearable.

Kaedrelath kept his wings extended while he fed, absorbing the warmth of the sunlight. The blue was decent at multi-tasking. Throw a pretty green his way, though, and he suddenly seemed to forget everything he was doing. The blue paused from his voracious eating, lifting his muzzle (which was so attractively dripping blood and pieces of meat) and letting his eyes follow Ialluth. She was so dainty, so graceful... the way she swooped, and made such a clean kill. Kaedrelath let her know how much he appreciated watching her with a friendly trumpet, throwing his head back so that the sound carried. As his eating-companion began to eat, the blue also resumed his feeding.

<< How many can I have today?? >> Kaedrelath asked his rider after finishing his first kill. The blue's voice sounded plaintive, like a young child's. M'zaji pursed his lips and twiddled his thumbs as he thought about it; his Wingleader had issued a quota for each dragon, but M'zaji found it difficult to remember just how many Kaedrelath could have. Was it three? Or four, maybe four... "Just three today," the bluerider decided on finally. Three was about how many his blue ate, anyway.

Glancing around, M'zaji realized that he wasn't alone anymore. He didn't mind; the bluerider was not nearly as shy as he had been at a younger age. With Kaedrelath to support him, he had become more comfortable with himself, and around other people. So, he offered a friendly wave to the other rider, but didn't say anything.

Kaedrelath was infinitely pleased that Ialluth responded to him; the blue relished in the company of greens. Intellectually, they were his closest companions other than M'zaji. << I'm Kaedrelath, and that's M'zaji, >> the blue introduced himself and his rider, with a bob of his head in M'zaji's direction. << I'm pleased to meet you! >> The blue was tempted to object to taking the next kill, but Ialluth was right. He had been here first, and logically, it was fair that he ate first. So, throwing his wings open, the blue leapt from his feeding ledge and glided over the herd of milling, frightened meals. He selected one, and picked it off, returning to the feeding ledge. Stretching out one wing and sweeping it out towards the feeding grounds, Kaedrelath indicated that Ialluth was free to hunt now.

M'zaji was happy for Kaedrelath to have some company. he knew how much socializing made his blue happy, so he wouldn't object. The bluerider, however, was alright standing alone while watching his dragon hunt. He didn't need the company and conversation from the other man; though, to be truthful, M'zaji doubted very much that the man would speak with him. The scowl on the other rider's face made M'zaji frown. Oh well, he thought to himself with a shrug.

Kaedrelath didn't pick his head up from his kill in order to respond to Ialluth. << No need to apologize, >> the blue insisted, his voice rich with the sound of a bubbling stream, its flowing waters relaxing, and soothing to listen to. << M'zaji is fine standing there by himself, >> the blue said, his voice shifting to slight confusion. << I don't understand how he can just stand there and not talk to anyone, but he likes being quiet. >>

Enjoying yourself? M'zaji asked, slightly jealous that his blue had such nice company while he was left to stand alone. With a sigh, the bluerider glanced over to his side, and the man that must be the green's rider. Pursing his lips, M'zaji contemplated going to greet him... but once again, decided against it.

Kaedrelath lifted his head from his kill, tongue flicking out to lick clean his blood-stained muzzle. << M'zaji would enjoy some conversation, >> the blue said to his green companion, turning his head so that he was nearly nose-to-nose with her. His eyes whirled a rapid green-blue, flecks of red appearing intermittently (adrenaline still coursed through him from the hunting). << But he's a wimp, and won't go talk to yours. >> Kaedrelath announced rather candidly, his voice laden with confusion.

It was baffling to the blue that his rider wanted company... but wouldn't do anything to get some. Sure, Kaedrelath was the one who pushed M'zaji to be more social and talkative. But, the bluerider had found some confidence, and was starting to be more approachable and social without Kaedrelath's encouragement. But still, there were times when the bluerider reverted to his old, awkward, self-doubting ways.

Kaedrelath watched Ialluth as she conversed with her rider, reading her body language eagerly. He was stirred when she snapped her wings open; a strong personality was exactly what Kaedrelath was attracted to. He crooned soothingly to his green companion. Strength and anger were two different things, and he didn't enjoy watching his companion angered. << I'll speak to M'zaji, >> the blue assured Ialluth and swiveled his head to look down at his rider.

<< Ialluth's is going to meet you halfway, >> was all Kaedrelath told his rider, sending him little waves of reassurance and support. Meet me halfway? What?

The bluerider realized what Kaedrelath meant, though, when he saw movement out of his peripheral vision. Turning his head, M'zaji realized that the green's rider was moving towards him. Putting Kaedrelath's words together with the other rider's movement, M'zaji's mental light bulb came on. "Oh!" He said, chuckling at himself. Taking his forearms off the top rung of the fence, the bluerider quickly closed the distance between himself and F'sey. He guessed that the man wasn't exactly happy about their dragons conspiracy to push the two of them together. "Afternoon," he greeted the other rider cordially enough. "I guess its inappropriate for us to just stand here, and not talk to each other," he joked, jerking his head towards Kaedrelath and Ialluth.

Kaedrelath warbled, positively delighted with Ialluth's observation. His voice was rich and throaty, rising and falling in pitch as though he were laughing. << Oh, indeed! Indeed. They are very strange, >> the blue agreed, chirping happily at his companion. What a bright, insightful girl she was! He crooned appreciatively, immensely enjoying her company. That was the reason why Kaedrelath pushed his rider to be more social. The blue loved nothing more than an intelligent companion to converse and pass the time with; it was the most precious thing in the world to find someone of such a like mind. He wanted M'zaji to feel that camaraderie, that bond, and that intimacy.

Looking over to where the two riders stood, Kaedrelath was not so sure that Ialluth's rider would be the one, though. A frown tugged at the edges of M'zaji's lips, but he forced it away. The greenrider didn't seem pleased, at all, at being so close to him. In fact, he seemed almost repulsed! But M'zaji, mostly for his blue's sake, tried to remain as open and friendly as possible. His body language was relaxed, one arm across the top of the fence while he leaned on the wooden rails. He forced a laugh as F'sey agreed with him, and took the greenrider's hand to shake it. "Well met, F'sey and Ialluth," the bluerider said in the most friendly possible manner, inclining his head to both rider and dragon. "I'm M'zaji, and my blue is Kaedrelath. We're well, thank you! How're you, and yours?"