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 Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:32 pm
It felt as hot now as it had at midday. R'than had lived on the sweltering island that was Ista for forty nine years, but the height of summer still made him feel as though he was about to melt. Finishing up his duties for the day came as a great relief, and he rose from his desk with a groan; too long hunched up writing and reading made him stiff these days. Sighing to himself, he rolled his shoulders slowly to loosen them up and padded out to the ledge, where Garith was basking in the late afternoon sun.
"Fancy a bath old brown?" he asked of his lifemate. He wanted a dip in the cool waters of the lake himself, but if Garith didn't want to go he would survive.
"I would enjoy a swim, R'than," the large dragon ventured drowsily, turning to regard his rider with softly blue eyes. Yawing, he rose to his feet and stretched out his wide wings before giving them a couple of flaps to loosen them up. "Climb on," he said as he dipped a shoulder towards R'than, "cooling off will do us both good."
One sensing his dragon's agreement, R'than had moved back into the weyr to collect a jug of oil and a pot of soapsand. He placed these items into a bag, adding a skin of wine as an afterthought, before moving back onto the ledge and climbing astride Garith's neck. Once he was holding on firmly, the brown padded over to the edge and, opening his wings again, stepped off.
Their descent was gentle, but all the same it didn't take long to reach the lake. Garith touched down on the shore, and stretched out a foreleg again to allow R'than to dismount. The rider did so without delay, and set the bag down on the grass as Garith waded into the lake. Sensing his lifemate's enjoyment of the cool water he followed swiftly until he was at about hip depth, whereupon he ducked under the surface to cool his head. When he came back up he already felt better; nothing quite like a nice dip in the lake on a hot day.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:35 pm
Mine, came the familiar voice, intruding on A'dan's thoughts as it usually did, warm and affectionate if a bit arrogant, I want a bath -- I am beginning to flake. Sigranth turned his great head to peer at A'dan's still, slightly curled form, the green touched with yellow around the edges as the bronze conveyed his distress at this finding. Also, I am dirty, and you do not smell like yourself either.
If it had been anyone but Sigranth, A'dan mght have been a bit offended, and he rolled over, sweating into his bedding furs with his blond curls tangled as he peered into a large bright eye. I am sorry if I have neglected you, Sigranth, he thought apologetically in the direction of his dragon, and rose, reaching out to rub at the warm bronze muzzle before laying hands on the bag he kept prepared, with a container of soapsand. The oil, when he unstoppered it, smelled decidedly strange, but then, Sigranth usually didn't mind. If you'd like to carry us, we can head down now, A'dan offered, and after shedding most of his clothing and springing carefully up onto his lifemate's neck, he felt the pleased agreement as they launched out into the hot sun, toward the deep blue water.
Though A'dan was sniffling and wheezing a bit congestedly as they splashed down with surprising daintiness, he could tell that Sigranth was utterly pleased -- it sounded like a sigh inside his head -- as the large bright body sank into the cool waves.
He couldn't help a similar noise from escaping him aloud as he slid off the warm bronze hide. He could see, not too far away, the somewhat familiar shape of the older brownrider from his wing, and with a smile, he called out a bit hoarsely, "good afternoon!"
It took prompting, however, to coax Sigranth to offer the same greeting to Garith. Good afternoon, Garith, he offered, half-absorbed in himself as usual.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:56 pm
As the shadow of a dragon passed overhead, R'than shielded his eyes with one hand and looked upward. It was, unmistakably, Sigranth. He knew the bronze more by reputation than anything else, though soon he would know both him and his rider very well indeed. Egh, and that reminded him of Lyveana and Ruinnth. Wingleader. For crying out loud! Sighing internally, R'than pushed his disbelief and disapproval aside and smile as the large dragon alighted.
"A'dan, good afternoon," he responded, wading over to the other man with difficulty. "Are you feeling any better today?" So far he had managed to avoid the flu that was going around, but his body had an unpleasant habit of deciding to catch whatever was going around just as most people seemed to be getting better. Still, he supposed that was preferable to getting ill along with the majority.
"Good afternoon Sigranth," the brown replied with a soft rumble, "I hope you and... you and A'dan are well today." He was quite pleased with himself from recalling the rider's name; it had taken him a moment but he had managed it. Standing up to his shoulders in the water, Garith attempted to recall more of their new wing. Ruinnth and Lyveana, obviously, Tiarenth and Z'ven, Cavaruth and... and A'rus? Humm, no, not A'rus.
"A'ras"
Ah, and A'ras, of course. Garith gave another soft rumble and waded a little deeper into the lake before sinking below the surface and swimming deeper still. He did like a good swim on a hot day, most refreshing.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:50 pm
Offering a pleasant smile to R'than, A'dan nodded, pushing both wet hands back through his pale curls. "Aye, I'm feeling a bit better," he replied with a sheepish little smile, "though it seems to be holding on for dear life. I feel weaker than is entirely comforting." His nose scrunched a bit, and he snuffled, feeling a little foolish. "And yourself? I hope you've evaded it thus far." A'dan found himself glad, despite himself, that R'than was the wingsecond; the sturdy, staunch older man made even him, he thought, look flighty, and he often considered himself pretty well-grounded, though he supposed Sigranth was helping to jar him loose from his moorings sometimes.
I am well, replied Sigranth, comfortably, thrumming as he paddled deeper into the water as well, spreading out his wings a bit to cool the fine membranes. Mine has had better days. He is still ill. There was faint irritation in the bronze's thoughts, but not enough to change the softly whirling green in his gaze as, showing off, he kicked deep into the water with a trumpet that was mostly bubbles. We have not been out in... Sigranth took a moment, trying to think how long it had been, though he concluded that it didn't matter, ... forever!
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:07 pm
R'than chuckled and gave a sympathetic smile. "Nothing worse than that, eh? I can't stand being ill for long periods of time. I have been lucky with this bout as yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if I join the collapsing masses before it's all over." If he started to feel even slightly ill, he decided, he would take himself down to the infirmary. That way if he did keel over, the poor overworked healers wouldn't have far to drag him.
"I hope he feels better soon," Garith replied as he paddled along lazily under the surface, "being left with nothing to do is most frustrating." He didn't actually remember R'than being ill before, but he knew that his rider had, and that he hadn't enjoyed having nothing to do but offer thoughts of sympathy to His. It was no fun not being of use, not being able to do your duty.
"Sigranth looks as though he's enjoying himself," R'than smiled after a moment as he watched the striped dragon spread out his wings. "It's a good day for anyone to be relaxing in the water, I'm surprised it isn't more crowded." Was something special going on this afternoon?... Nothing that he recalled, so he supposed it was just coincidence. Maybe everyone else had got so hot that they couldn't even rouse the energy to come down to the lake or something.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:12 pm
"Well, I don't have it as badly as I could have," A'dan said, making a face. "Still, it's quite enough to make me miserable, and I suppose that's what counts." He turned his head, coughed into one hand, and looked rather displeased. If he didn't get well soon, he was going to do something drastic, he thought. Surely this misery could not last too long, right? "You seem rather sturdy, though, so with some luck you might be able to avoid it... don't let me share it with you." His smile was almost teasing, mild and amused.
I think that he will. Already he is moving more than before, replied Sigranth, preening a bit in the still-warm, mellowing, golden evening sunlight, before ducking under the water, swimming under the older brown. He couldn't help feeling a bit frisky, given how little he'd had to do in recent days, though he offered as much sympathy as he could to His, who responded as he always had with affection. Though I was a bit mad for lack of things to do, I did not wish to leave Mine's side.
"He does love the water," A'dan agreed once Sigranth had been pointed out, and his face softened, grey eyes warming. The ache in his chest loosened a bit. "And it's probably a good thing there aren't many... he can ruffle tempers."
I heard that.
I know you did. He couldn't help chuckling aloud, pleased.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:23 am
R'than chuckled and splashed more water up to cool his face. "I shall certainly try to avoid that, last thing I need to do is get ill while there's so much to organize with our new wing and everything." He foresaw some personality clashes in the not too distant future, given the extremely diverse riders and dragons on the wing it was impossible to avoid conflict... And how was their wingleader going to jerk squabblers back into line? Unless it was a pair of greens, she didn't have a hope. Egh.
"That's good," Garith said to his fellow dragon with a mental smile, "I do not like to see anyone on our wing suffering... It is frustrating, I agree, agree on both counts. I could not leave R'thanMine if he was ill." When humans became very ill though they went to the infirmary, and dragons could not follow. He wouldn't like that at all. "R'than, please try not to become ill," he sent to his rider, "I do not want to be separated from you."
R'than, who had been about to respond to the comment about Sigranth, smiled and gave a slight shake of his head. "I'll do my best Garith, believe me, I don't want to be ill, let along ill and stuck away from you." Still being able to speak with his dragon wouldn't be at all the same as being able to crawl out of bed and collapse against the strong brown to complain about feeling terrible in person. The warm solid body of a dragon beside you was a great comfort when you felt like death warmed up.
"Garith was just telling me not to get ill," he said with a smile as he returned his attention to A'dan. "He's very fond of water and swimming too, though I can't say the same if it's too deep for me to stand up, or if I can't see the bottom!" It was silly, he knew, but he couldn't help the chill of fear, couldn't help imagining monsters that might be living down in the depths, hidden from view and just waiting to eat him.
"I have heard that Sigranth gets on a few people's nerves," he added with a soft chuckle. "He's certainly a very proud one, but it can't be denied that he's lovely." Didn't mean he needed to show off about it, but for all his vanity R'than gathered that the proud creature was quite capable of thought when the need to think about anything other than his own prettiness arose.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:58 pm
"I only hope that we manage to avoid any fistfights. I've been lucky the past Turns, but with things beginning to arrange for Thread, I imagine that it will become... tense." A'dan pushed both hands through his hair -- the easy good natured calmness seemed to be a facade for the moment, his grey eyes narrowing slightly.
Be calm, mine, half-purred Sigranth in his head, utterly confident. We will prevail, as well we both know. The sleek bronze turned his attention then to the older brown, amused. Ours are lucky, offered the dragon to Garith. That both of us are so loyal. I have heard of greens that will leave theirs. Sigranth could not help the touch of smug arrogant pleasure in his voice as he surfaced, flicking lids over blue-whirling eyes as he arched his neck, pleased.
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:29 am
R'than nodded, a frown of concern creasing his brow. "Yes, things are getting tense. The crowding and the tension with the Holds of course isn't helping. I imagine once the Threads actually come things will improve. Strange thing to say." If the Thread did come back that was. He believed it would, and by all rights it ought to be soon too but... well, it might not, and then what was the point of dragonmen? The Holds would grow ever more resentful as the skies remained clear. He hoped the Thread never returned, that would be better for Pern, but he would morn the loss of a purpose in life. It was what he and Garith had spent so many turns preparing for, if it never came then... They'd have to find a different purpose, he supposed.
R'than rumbled his agreement, surfacing a short distance from Sigranth. "Yes. Ours are fortunate, and so are we. Not all riders are as attentive as they." Yes, he was glad he had R'than. Of course he did, he wouldn't have chosen anyone else... well if R'than hadn't been at his hatching he probably would have, but it would not have been as right as the match he had made. They understood one another, he and His, and they were much alike as well. Not only his rider and lifemate, but his dearest friend as well.
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:24 pm
"People will begin believing in us again," murmured A'dan, sighing and shaking his head. "And the dragons will be less tense as well, I imagine." He bent, curving large hands to splash cool water over his back, which had been baking in the sun now for a few moments. He shook his head. "Still, I cannot help but wonder if we can possibly be prepared for it. We will do all that can be done, that there is no doubting."
If Mine was less attentive, I would remind him more often, said Sigranth, a bit indignantly, of my needs. The proud bronze nearly harrumphed, but internally, he knew better than anything else that A'dan would never neglect him. There was no tension in the large body as he near-wallowed in the cool water, washing dust off his gleaming hide.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:12 am
R'than sighed and ducked briefly under the water as he realised that he too was getting rather too warm. "We will. We do all we can at the moment, too... I suppose that when the Thread does return, we will have to learn quickly how to fight for real." He did not doubt that they would lose many good dragons and riders on that learning curve. Drilling with ropes was all very well, but he couldn't believe that they behaved as Thread did. It was better than nothing, but no doubt they would all be in for a big surprise when the silver menace returned.
"At least we won't be short on riders," R'than went on after a moment with a smile. "Another clutch on the sands, and another queen egg. It almost defies belief; three queens out of four clutches. One queen in four clutches of these sizes is still quite good going, but this is just amazing." He'd never seen the like of it; no doubt these couple of turns would go down in history, and maybe when the next pass approached people would laugh and say that it must be inaccurate, or an outright lie.
"Of course," Garith responded, ducking underwater again, "I would remind R'than too if he grew negligent. He would not, but if he did I would." What did Sigranth make of their new wing, he wondered. As wingsecond he could not ask if the bronze approved of a green wingleader, it was his duty to stand by her. Besides, even if he were not in that position, gossip was unseemly and dishonorable. All the same, he had to wonder.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:46 pm
Quiet and still for a moment, A'dan's mind seemed to be faraway, as if nothing could quite penetrate his own thoughts far enough to elicit a response, but then he sighed, shaking his head. "There are those on our wing that I worry for. I know we will all have the same training, but this also means we will have many of the same weaknesses." He shook his golden head slowly, long fingers tugging absently at the curls over the scar that streaked up his jaw. "And so many are young -- "
After a moment, A'dan seemed to come back to himself, looking for all the world as if he'd been stung by a nettle, and he let a small laugh escape him, shaking his head. "But we have had outstanding luck, you're right. I suppose even Pern herself knows our need." He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "We will prevail."
Besides, replied Sigranth, arrogant as ever as he flipped a too-curious fish off one wing, we will need to be at our very best, very soon. Mine knows this well. Given the state of our wing, we will have much to contend with. There was a low, faint current of amusement running through his thoughts, and he blew an outrushing of air, briefly churning the water with a rumble of amusement. It will be interesting to see the outcome.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:15 pm
He smiled slightly as A'dan spoke of youth; the bronze rider looked well under thirty to him, and if that wasn't young then he was ancient. Still, everything was relative, and they did have several riders that were younger than A'dan was. "We shall prevail," he affirmed with a nod, "and we shall take care of one another. When the Thread comes, we shall learn how to fight properly fast, and people will speak well of our wing." Despite it's leader, he thought silently. They would have to be better than good to get any respect at all. If they were below average, average even, they would be a laughing stock. He and Garith would be a laughing stock, friendly A'dan, flirty Z'ven, P'ree, I'ver, all of them. He would not let them down. Everything he had to give, in drills, in battle, off duty, was theirs to have. He would see his wing respected, or he would die trying.
"I look forward to seeing which lass Impresses this gold," R'than went on after some moments of silence, "I confess I know few of the candidates at the moment. At least she, and all of them, will have plenty of choice." That was one advantage to having so many candidates; a better chance of every dragon finding the best match possible.
"Had there been one thousand candidates, you would still have been my choice," Gairth said to His privately before turning his attention back to talk with Sigranth. "Indeed we will," he replied with a rumble that carried well through the water. "Our wing is new, and we are organized differently to any other. Standard practice will not do with a green in the lead; just as she is different, we must be different to be effective. Whatever the outcome however, however our wing performs, I know every one of us will give our all when the time comes."
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:53 pm
"I should hope they will speak well of us," A'dan said, nodding and sighing a bit, with a small, still somewhat grim smile. "I only hope that those of us who are displeased with the current order still recognize their responsibility and do not purposefully do foolish things to try and change the order." He himself had made up his mind on sight to simply do as he always had -- to keep his head down, his nose to the stone and his sharding mouth to himself -- and thus distinguish himself by hard work and efficiency. "Rather than be downed and divided by a challenge, we should all work harder. After all," he said, the grimness fading from his features to be replaced by an amused confidence, "dragonmen -- and women -- must fly when Thread is in the sky, aye?"
Despite the age difference and the difference in viewpoint, A'dan was finding that he rather liked the company of the stolid, sturdy brownrider; R'than was pleasant, and even A'dan could not deny that R'than's confidence and strength would be a boon and an asset to their still-somewhat-fragmented team. "I have not met many of the female candidates," A'dan said thoughtfully, curling bare toes into the cool wet sandy seafloor, "nor honestly the males, but there is one that Sigranth and I brought. I rather hope he Impresses... but well we both know that our hopes mean little; the dragons choose where they will." He couldn't help remembering fondly the imperious little Sigranth tumbling wet and irritable from his shell, and the fact that there had been no hesitation at all as the stumbling creature crossed the hot sands to him, demanding... A faintly faraway look crossed his features, though he did not let himself linger in the past, happy as it was, and as much as the simple memory brought a familiar flood of the rushing warm arrogant contentedness that was his lifemate.
I have no doubt that ours will make it work. We will do what needs to be done, and obviously we will be the best, replied Sigranth with a pleased air, once he had finished contacting A'dan. Obviously, if we are in it, then there is no other choice, yes?
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:36 am
R'than nodded, his expression going serious. "Yes, I should hope that nobody in our wing is immature, selfish, and underhanded enough to try to sabotage the rest of us, just to make the wing look bad and get it disbanded." He did wish the wing would be disbanded, or at least be given a different leader. From what he had seen so far of Lyveana, it was not only the colour of her dragon he didn't approve of. Still, this was her first command, it would take her a while to grow into the role. "Yes," he went on with another nod, "that is our duty to all of Pern. I hope I don't need to remind too many people of it."
At least A'dan wasn't going to be an issue; he had at first thought that the bronzes would bet he most trouble, that they would be insulted that they had been overlooked for a green of all dragons. A'dan's calm, friendly confidence and willingness to give this unbelievable arrangement a try made his life a whole lot easier. Those who wouldn't follow Lyveana normally might follow a bronze in following her. Why had this situation been created in the first place? It was insane.
"I've not met many candidates either," R'than said, once again trying to push thoughts of Lyveana aside. "Most I've really seen of them is crowds of them in the dininghall. Still," he smiled, "I suppose knowing them wouldn't help with guessing who will Impress where, like you say, the dragons decide." Garith's young mind had been so sure, and so very calm amongst the chaos of a hatching. He had shaken free of his shell, stood up as tall as a dragonet could and then calmly and sedately walked into his life. Realizing that he had rather drifted off into distant happy memories, R'than shook himself and chuckled at his distraction. "I suppose we'll know soon enough who all the hatchlings want, and what colour they all are. Betting has started already, always interesting to see what people think the eggs will contain."
"Yes, of course," Garith agreed, "we shall all strive for greatness, and between us all we shall achieve it." Despite their leader. It was wrong, horribly wrong, it worried him every time he thought of it. It was not supposed to work that way. It was unnatural. He believed that every dragon was of equal worth, but he did not believe that they were intended to fit into any place they chose. Browns and bronzes did not have the breathtaking speed and agility of greens, and blues to a degree, and greens and blues did not lead. That was how it went. How it was supposed to go. Keeping his worry well hidden, Garith surfaced again and snorted water out of his nose. Wrong, unnatural, worrying, but he and His would deal with it for as long as necessary. As Sigranth said, there was no other choice.
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