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 Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:33 am
Helios finally had time...finally was able to go see the New Dragons that had arrived in Ghenza. It took plenty of work to get father to be satisfied with his studies on dragon anatomy so he could actually get the free time. It always seemed that when he wanted to get something done really fast it seemed to take forever especially with the old man. Geesh! Perfectionist just like Jetta at times! Ok...so Jetta was probably more like their father but still!
When he made it to where his mother was, she stuffed a meat roll into his mouth, which he grasped with his hand and smiled up at her while he chewed. "Mom, I'm going out to see the dragons." he coughed out in between his bites. He was almost too eager to eat because free time was hard to find but he also knew he wouldn't get out without eating something.
"You have your studies done?" she said as she picked up her basket filled with fresh made yarn and fabrics.
"Yes, I'm done, thankfully." he blurted out as he swallowed.
"Oh if only I were a man, you might have been a tailor." his mother mused as she swatted his butt. "Go! Shoo Shoo! Before you father changes his mind about your progress."
Helios nodded and jumped at the thought then ran quickly out the door knowing that she might be right! Bounding outside he yelled for Jetta saying he was going to the fields! He knew that Jetta could be anywhere inside...or even outside but right now he wasn't too sure but he figured Jetta would find him one way or another.
So soon he was scampering along while his curly hair whipped in the wind. He tried to imagine what the dragons looked like. He had heard they were rather scrawny and dumb from some of the town folks. But Helios wasn't one to believe gossip. He'd rather experience things first hand. Besides, in a town that knew everyone, it was nice to see something NEW.
Thus, it wasn't too long before he was standing out by a big rock and looked across the field to see if he could find any of the new dragons. He blocked out the sun a bit with a hand as his eyes started to search.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:11 am
Slowly sticky fingers shot out as the lanky boy filched another meat roll off the plate. Shoving it into his mouth before anyone could come in and catch him, cheeks bulging like a satisfied rodent as eyes darted around. His Father knew his boys far too well and had set them to different tasks today effectively splitting them up for a few hours at least. It was borrrrring. Jetta was already quite familiar with dragon anatomy, at least the simple bits that helios was being made to run over. He always was the brighter when it came to book smarts so he had been stuck sorting through herbs and drying them. He pulled a few more from the rack stuffing them haphazardly into the right pottery jars.
Gah! He was so bored! His mind and hands were already looking for something else to occupy himself with even as he forced them to write out naming labels and stick them across the front of each, it was a rushed job but even then the hand writing was neat and each letter elegantly crafted down upon the strip. He wouldn't have it any other way. But just as he was gathering the last of the bunch from the rack he heard Helios shout from beyond the room. What! He was leaving without him! Gah! Suddenly his work was a little less neat as he rushed to Finnish. Slamming shut the herb book he hadn't even glanced at during the whole process he rushed out of the room to follow his way ward twin. Passing his mother like a whirlwind on his way out "Hi mother! Bye mother!" he offered talking over her as she desperately made a grab for his sleeve "Jetta have you finish..." too late, Jetta didn't hear the last part he was already out the door.
Why was Helios going to the fields anyway? He wondered, father didn't let them attend to the dragons yet without his close supervision on the matter and then mostly it was 'hold this' 'press that there' and 'carry this.' They were still exppected to just watch and learn for the most part at their age.
It hit him quite suddenly as he passed the last of the outer buildings and blew into more open spaced. Helios was going to see the new dragons! The sneak, he was sure his twin just wanted to see them first so he could boast about it later. Well that wasn't going to happen.
He changed direction and raced down the path the other had taken moments before.
BAM! Jetta slammed into his twin tackling him off his look out and wrestling him to the ground. So much for the stealthy approach! "How could you come here without me!" he told him with a huff, a small tantrum commencing with the scolding as he rolled across the ground with the other boy that held the same face, but that soon gave way to a more satisfied grin as he noted the wrestling victory, keeping his twin pinned. "See, I win anyway."
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:23 am
Ranaru was enjoying being out in the warm sun after spending a few good hours in her workshop, her hair and clothing covered in a thin layer of sawdust. She smelt a bit like the wood she had been carving, a faint clean smell that had almost soaked itself into her skin through her years of dedication to her craft, and even though she probably deserved a good bath to get herself free of sawdust, she kept out and about amongst those in Ghenza. Today was simply too nice to just pass over with a trip back to her home and a long bath that would result in her sleeping in the waters until a panicked Ruskie woke her with his words and actions. Such a thing had been happening to often lately, and she believed her beloved wher deserved almost as much of a break as she did.
Very nice of you, but watch your leg. It hurts you and you can't walk far.
Not at all, and if it really started to hurt I'll-
Ranaru's thoughts were interrupted as a boy streaked past her on the open road and tackled someone not far ahead either, a smile spreading over her lips as she recognized the pair. Ranask did too, for what it was worth, though a low growl escaped his throat over how violent they appeared to be and the thoughts of danger it could cause to his Ranaru. They had best watch themselves, but Ranaru assured him everything was fine. Kids were just kids, after all.
"Well well, if it isn't the Dragonhealing Twins. I haven't seen either of you in a while."
Her greeting was common place as she and Ruskie drew near, Ranaru probably no more of a stranger to them as they were to her. Ghenza was largely small like that.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:42 am
Helios felt the boom then the thump as he hit the ground then flipped over and wrestled playfully with his twin. But his lips were filled with laughter and the struggle to breathe made it so easy for Jetta to win...this time. "You may have won this time! But I'll win next time!" he giggled and teased, "What? I yelled for you! Isn't my problem you were slow."
Eventually he scooted out from under Jetta and his arm flung over his brother's shoulder to give him a pat on the back. "Oh I just couldn't sit around in the house. Father said I had free time. I didn't want him to change his mind." he admitted with an affectionate smile finally and then looked back out to the field. "I bet we can see all sorts of new...."
It was then he realized that they were not alone. His head turned to glance back over his shoulder to see the Ranaru and Ranask then smiled vividly, "Oh.. Hi Ranaru...and Ranask! No..." he sort of pouted for a sec. "Father has been really making us stick to our lessons this past month. You know how he is...." a slight grumble under his breath that lasted only for a second until he burst out, "But! Now we're free!!!" Freedom...Most folks that knew the twins realized right away that when these two were 'free' they were in trouble..or thinking about trouble. Not the hurtful sort of trouble but the boyish mischief that came from kids.
"How are you and Ranask doing?" he quickly said as if trying to divert the sudden conversation away from what they might be doing with their new found freedom.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:21 am
Jetta pulled a face at his twin sticking out his tongue in childish denial at the statement that his twin would win the next round "Not if i can help it." he told him but let Helios wriggle up after that standing and brushing off some of the dirt that had already gathered. Really you had to feel sorry for their poor mother, looked like there was small hole in his tunic as well, but weather that had been created during the mini wrestling match or a time before hand it was really not easy to tell.
"I wan't slow." he retorted "you just had to much of a headstart, which makes you a cheater." he told him with another grin, after all they often bantered like this but it rarely turned into a real argument, and if it did....you really didn't want to be anywhere near the twins. Jetta turned into a sulky spitful brat and Helios, well he put new meaning into temper tantrum.
Oh people! It only clicked after Helios greeted them. Spinning on his heels to look at the pair he had hurtled past and completly failed to notice earlier. He cast his own dazzling 'we're not up to anything, honest' smile at the pair and shuffled foward to stand by his twin, joining his complaint "I know, and he won't even let us do any of the fun stuff yet," he complained eyes shifting from the carpenter to the wher, after all the dragon healers delt with the whers health as well, at least there father seemed to since the community was small. There antomy was very similar on all the basics after all and Whers had a habbit of getting injured more often than dragons since they were often involved in the work place.
"You're both looking well, if a little dutsy." he chuckled leaning in against his sibling, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. "But even in our free time you know father asked us to come over here and look at the new dragons." he informed her quickly turfing any and all blame that might land on them for being here square on his father. And well he was a master Dragon healer so he wasn't likly to get scolded. Only Mother scolded him usualy.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:00 pm
At the mention of being dusty Ranaru reached down and pulled out the hem of her skirt, noticing that the bright color was indeed flaked with a golden hue that the original weaver probably hadn't intended to be there when the cloth was first made. It didn't look bad, just dirty like the boys said, and the woman decided she'd need to give her clothes a good shaking when she got home to rid them of anything that may clump and become troublesome when it came time for washing herself and Ranask.
"The new dragons, hmmm? Sounds like you're trying to pull a wher's tail if you're wanting to go and do that without the proper permission. I don't believe your father would send you out to look at them without going there first and speaking to the Weyrwoman, no matter what you say to me."
Ranaru smiled at the twins, drawing closer them to while she spoke. She had to move slowly as she went, her left leg almost dragging as she went. She'd been on her feet all day and it ached despite how little she wanted to admit it, and Ranask moved behind her as if to act as a balance should his handler decide to just fall back and be carried along. She wasn't planning on that happening any time soon, as she didn't want to look weak in front of the younger twins. It wasn't pride that made her move, but a sense of eagerness.
"But. . . . if you really want to go take a peek I suppose I won't try and stop you. If you have someone with you who actually has some rank I doubt others will question what you're doing either, since I'm sure I could find something to tell. I may not be as quick with my wit as the two of you but I've got some Turns in me yet. What do you say the four of us go together?"
Bad idea, your leg is. . .
I'll be fine. If it hurts, I will depend on you.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:11 pm
Helios bit his bottom lip as Ranaru spoke. Man! The woman saw right through them like they were some sort of sheer fabric! But his smile remained a broad grin that was caressed by the curls. He squeezed Jetta's fingers as she talked about proper permission working on a comeback to the comment and hoping Jetta got his signal so they wouldn't cross lines of communication.
However, before he could reply with a quickly fabricated reason that would have required arm waving and lots of chatter, she had already offered a solution that would get them what they wanted and didn't need any extra workaround or white lies to get it.
"Oh! Well mm... " His smile got even bigger overshadowing the halo held up by horns, "We'd be Delighted if you would come with us to see the new dragons. It will be fun! We'd love the company!"
He wasn't sure how Jetta felt about it of course but to Helios this was much easier than trying to weasel his way around the topic later. He knew that the town was just too small to hide some things for too long because everyone KNEW everyone else. Turning to his brother he tugged on the twin's sleeve at the sudden success of his mission...well their mission and tried to get buy in from his twin, "We get to see the dragons!"
Glancing out towards the field the boy looked mighty hopeful. While some where afraid of the humans that came to the town, he couldn't in his right mind be worried about dragons. He wondered what they were like and if they were as chatty as some of the ones that lived in the fields around here. "Oh I can't wait to talk to them! I've heard so many rumors but I really want to see for myself." he said to Ranaru and Jetta as he shuffled from side to side eager to be on their way there.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:27 pm
Since arriving at Ghenza, Nachith had gotten used to being bored. While His did farmwork - really, a dragonrider farming! - he was left mostly to his own devices. The High Reaches dragons were too young and too small to do anything here. Hmph. How much longer were they going to have to stay here, anyway? He wanted to be back in a proper Weyr, with people who treated them the way dragons and riders should be treated. What hierarchy he could discern here didn't make any sense at all! It was certainly not the way things were supposed to work.
Still, it wasn't completely awful, at least not for him. While the blue was irritated, his rider was downright miserable; while B'ram didn't mind having to work, he was very touchy when it came to the opinions of others, and the quiet hostility of the Ghenzans was difficult for him to deal with. The typically cheerful boy was now anything but, most of the time, and having a mopey rider was a frustration on a number of levels.
He mulled these things over idly as he lay in the dragon field - which was an absurd concept, by the way!
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:04 am
Sharath was sunning herself, her head resting against the ground as she splayed her wings about her and took up far more room then was needed to accommodate her bulk. Amelia was off in the fields, working (what else?) and she'd been left to sulk in the dragon fields like a great golden cow. It annoyed her and so, to pass the time and distract herself, she'd decided a nap in the sunlight would have to suffice. The grass and dirt was cool against her hide and so different from the usual heat of the rocks at home that she was having difficulty settling down for said nap.
The sun would dip back down to horizon soon enough and she would have Hers back. This place, truly, was ridiculous.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:43 am
Jetta took his twins signal, the gentle squeeze that translated to 'shut up fpr a minute and let me do the talking.' which he was only to happy to do at that moment, his big mouth had already gotten them into trouble it seemed so he stood at his twins side and readied his best 'kicked puppy dog' expression. But it wasn't needed and he managed to hide that initial shock behind a bright grin.
Although he wasn't as happy about it as Helios, after all he was hoping it would just have bee the two of them but he guessed that Ranaru was okay, she seemed okay and she had a wher, and so that meant she had someone beside her that was more important to her than either of them so she wasn't likely to try and cozy up to Helios that much, at least thats how he saw it. Beside he enjoyed the company of whers as much as dragons at times. Once one of the whers in the main cot had let him ride on her back! Now that had been a thrill.
So yes, he could tolerate them and he never let his expression falter from that beaming smile. "I know." he replied to his twin "I heard lots of rumors about them, you know I heard that they aren't meant to speak to anyone but their rider but you know they might just be shy after all they are in a new place, I bet we could get them to talk to us." he jabbered excitedly, his mind switched back to the task at hand relatively easily.
He soon left the other three as he turned to bound up to the rock that Helios had been using as a place to hide for his more stealthy approach and stood on the tip, holding up his hand against his eyes to protect against the sinking sun as he looked out towards the dragon field. Narrowing his eyes to focus on the shapes that remained resting there "I see them! I see them!" he shouted, at least he had spotted the unmistakable glint of gold that must be the queen but was too small for their own and the wrong shape to be a wher, although if he hadn't known better he might have judged her just to be an abnormally large wher when she was lying down like that.
He tried to skitter down the rocks back to his companions and of course tripped in the process going into a barrel roll but quickly jumping to his feet without injury, after all it was far to exciting! "Come on, come on." he urged his twin latching onto his sleeve and tugging him behind.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:29 am
"Jetta, be careful. I know you just want to get a peek at them, but these dragons are not of our own Queens. We do not know what they can do, so it is best if you stay cautious. If you insist on still running ahead I will have to have Ruskie be your watch then."
I don't wanna do it. I don't want to leave you.
I know, but they are important to me too. You'd do that, right?
No.
Ranaru chuckled inwardly as she limped to catch up with the twins who seemed to have boundless energy, and she had to admit that her own heart was pounding when one of the boy's called out that he could see the other dragons. He came running back to get his brother and the pair of them moved on ahead, Ranaru taking her time to to move along. The new dragons weren't going anywhere any time soon, as far as she knew anyway what with how people were gossiping over it, and she paused in her steps to place a hand on Ranask's side before starting up again.
I may have overdone it today, just a little. I will be needing that ride back.
Ranask gave a snort of a teasing 'told you so' type as they all drew closer, though the merry color of green in his eyes was slowly fading to yellowish red as they approached where the boys had said they hard started to see dragons. He felt uneasy, very uneasy, and he knew this wasn't safe for any of them to be doing. These were outsider dragons, not the smart and large breed that they all had here, and from what Ranaru had told him the people said they looked more like large whers than dragons sometimes. He would have been offended if Ranaru hadn't assured him that whers were still hundreds of times more useful to her than a dragon ever would be.
It's dangerous here, we should go back. Now.
"I can't leave them behind. Their father would tan my hide over this, if you'll pardon the expression."
The Blue wher snorted and simply moved his stance closer to Rana as he stopped walking, determined to show that if she went any closer it would be without his aide. She strolled ahead anyway, ignoring his little pout of warning.
"Now Jetta, Helios, if we somehow find ourselves to be unwelcome, even though dragons cannot hurt us, we need to go. Do you understand?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:05 am
Helios let his brother go and watch him climb up the rock for some preliminary surveillance. He was happy that Jetta bought into the idea rather than took things the wrong way. He knew that they probably could have been a bit more mischievous without the extra eyes watching them but...he could give a little to get closer to the dragons without any mishap!
"Have you heard the same thing Ranaru?" That these dragons don't talk to anyone but their rider?" he asked her then was distracted by her comment about Ruskie.
"Oh! He can be our bodyguard! Ranask is good at that sort of thing! He takes great care of you." Helios tried to put a good spin on things because he wanted to be sure that they got to the dragons one way or another. It was the only way to placate the Mommy Vibe that Ranaru was spinning their direction. He was pretty confident that he and Jetta could take care of themselves even if caution sometimes fell to the way side in their antics.
Soon he was looking back at Jetta, "Ooooh...a challenge, Jetta. I mean if they are shy and all. I've heard they live in big caves. I suppose a big cave would be good protection from the elements but...I kind of like the forest." He said as he watched Jetta climb the rock to get a good look to the field below.
"You see the gold!? " he called back and soon scooted around to the front side of the big rock then cupped his hands by his eyes to get a better view, "I think I see a blue! He's tiny but I can see him!" Then, suddenly he whipped back around as Jetta rolled down the rocks and sent dust flying!
"Jetta are you...." but he didn't have time to finish his sentence because the the boy was soon being dragged by his twin down to the field. "Ok OK! Let's go! Come on Ranaru!! Ranask!! We're going to see the little dragons!!!"
His free hand waved back at her encouragingly with a beaming sense of excitement all around equaling his eager brother. Of course they didn't wait for Ranask to take the lead he seemed happier sticking right next to Ranaru anyhow and well that probably was for the better because she did have a limp. Although Helios in his own exciement didn’t let that thought sink in too deep because Ranaru wasn't a complainer type. She could handle it.
Soon it was hard to tell who was dragging who as Helios scampered with Jetta and occasionally looking back to Ranaru making sure she was following. As they started to draw near, the Blue dragon seemed closer but the Gold wasn't that far away! "Jetta do you think they know we're here?" he said with considerable curiosity as tilted his head trying to get a better look at the young dragons.
Helios glimsped back at Ranaru letting her words drift in one ear and out the next nodding with a big smile in response like he might to his mom. Usually, this was enough to make anyone think he had taken something to heart when he had totally blown it off. Why would the dragons be unfriendly to them? They were dragons....people usually were the rowdy ones and had more complex problems than dragons ever did. But he didn't say that outloud instead he turned back to the dragons and waved, 'Hi Newcomers!" he called out to them with an exhuberant happy voice to make sure they heard him!
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:14 am
The sound of voices approaching didn't bother him; he didn't even bother to open his eyes and look...until they said hello. That got his attention. It was rare that anyone here spoke to him, and certainly not in a friendly way! But that voice sounded distinctly happy. Intrigued and perhaps a little hopeful, Nachith raised his head, faceted eyes whirling blue-green as he opened them. Two young humans and a slightly less-young human, and a wher too? They were everywhere here!
Mine... he sent to his, both because he felt B'ram should be informed and because he wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, One of the here-humans has said hello to me. A quick look around and he added, And Sharath, I think.
...that's good! B'ram's surprise was evident, and there was a pause on his end before he suggested, Try saying hello back.
Are you sure? He'd never spoken to anyone but His before! A hint of yellow worked its way into his eyes, but after a few more moments consulting with his rider...
'Hello,' the blue told the approaching Ghenzans tentatively.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:48 am
One of Sharath's eyes had opened to fix on the loud and rowdy group that was approaching but she didn't lift her head. For the time being her eyes whirled blue and green with streaks of orange but the sun had done much for her mood.
When they spoke, however, she reflexively lifted her head to regard them, her posture tense, perhaps even territorial. If they'd come to make trouble the gold was intent on running them off.
Mine... there are some children here, and one of their blue whers. They've greeted Nachith. She informed Amelia curiously.
What? Oh. That's good. Finally someone saying hello. Don't bother them unless they bother you, alright?
I will fend them off if they mean to insult us. Her head had turned to look in the direction Amelia was currently working as she spoke and when she got a murmur of aggreement, Sharath rose.
Tucking her wings against her sides, she approached Nachith from behind and to the side, her presence a visual cue to watch one's manners. Greetings. Sharath had spoken to humans besides Hers before but she did not like touching their minds, would avoid it if possible. Amelia's was familiar while others were not.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:14 am
"Bodyguard?" Jetta muttered under his breath to his twin "More like a babysitter." he told him. "It's okay Ranask you stay with Rana we promise to be careful." he called back suddenly finding that he was the one that was now slightly behind and was being pulled along by his twin.
Really they looked like two peas in a pod, and it was near impossible to tell one from the other, Jetta was provably slightly dustier and the style of there tunics varied slightly in cut and embroidery but that was about it and under the thin layer of grime which now covered both of them from their earlier wrestling match it was hard to even pick those few differences out.
But Rana had allowed them to come with surprisingly reasonable compromises so he wasn't going to complain that loudly, He was thankful that she hadn't run straight back to their parents really. So he at least did her the curtisey of pretending to take on board what she said "We promise we'll be careful." he told her while at the same time sparing no more than a glance back, his mind on anything but being careful as the twins barreled on to the dragons field.
And well they were small, the gold especially struck him as a extremely shrunken stature to what he was used to. But they threw the other rumor about them out the window in mere moments as they both responded to Helios' exuberant greeting. Just shows you can't put any stock in hearsay and gossip. "Hi!" he returned loudly not to be outdone so easily by his twin as he bounded up behind him and wrapped his arms around him in a reverse hug "aww, that was too easy." he whispered to him, he had been hoping for more of a challenge in getting them to talk.
O yes, introductions. "We're Jetta and Helios, we're dragon healers!" he announced proudly. "so we came to see all the new dragons, what are your names?" he asked rocking back on his heels as he stared up at them, Of course he didn't mention that they were still in the earliest stages of their training. Healers were meant to inspire confidence in their patients after all, or who could be their future patients oh yea, he almost forgot.
He spun round half way to motion Rana and her wher closer "see I told you there was nothing to worry about!" he shouted, to her before turning back to the dragons "and they are our friends Rana and Ranask." It was like their father always told them, its not the dragons you have to watch out for it was the riders, dragons would never hurt a human as part of their very nature, riders had no such restraints.
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