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Sleeth had been far more chatty than usual, and that was saying something. Akaya was quite used by now to Sleeth's incessant cheery chatter, but there was something a little different to it of late, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. The green was very...hmm...appreciative? It seemed like every other sentence of hers was a compliment to another dragon. Still, Sleeth's somewhat odd behavior aside, they were still a working pair, and they were still expected to hunt for Mystweed. Akaya worried over the fate of E'lai and Eltimioth and the other dragons sent...wherever they'd been sent, but she trusted the Weyrwoman. They'd be back soon, certainly...at least, she hoped so.

It took a concerted effort to keep Sleeth on task, so concerned was she with speaking to other dragons they passed along the way, that they were running rather late by the time they reached the agreed-upon meeting place. Sleeth, darling, pay attention! If you stay distracted, you might manage to squish some of the Mystweed, and then where would we be? Akaya teased, trying to be a bit stern as well. It was always difficult to be stern at Sleeth, but she did try.

I won't squish it, I promise! The green, looking somehow greener than usual, bugled a little ditty of welcome to the other green across the way. Hello, Laith! Doesn't the sky look lovely today~?

And it's so blue and open and welcoming~ Doesn't it just say "let's fly~"? Sleeth said, eyes whirling a blue to match the sky's in contentment. Of course, she'd prefer more of a chance to cavort about--aerial acrobatics sounded really fun right now--but right! Work!

"And greetings to you and Yours as well, Rider S'koi," Akaya offered with a tentative smile of her own. "I'm sorry for our tardiness, but yes, we're ready now. You have the coordinates?" She didn't want to be too brisk, but she wasn't sure how long Sleeth's attention span would last, with the kind of mood she'd been in lately. It was driving Akaya a bit crazy, truth be told.

They made the jump and came out over an unfamiliar-to-Akaya stretch of the environs near Trine--unsurprising, that. Though she'd been doing plenty of flying in the past few months, looking for Mystweed and the like, there was a lot of ground to cover between many dragons. It wasn't until they'd landed in another clearing, disembarking and preparing to search on foot for the elusive plant, that Akaya took a closer look at the rider S'koi. She couldn't quite tell whether the other greenrider was a boy, or a girl. She felt the voice was slightly more male, but, really, there were women with similar voices, and the name didn't help her at all, as female riders could shorten their names in the same style as the males. It was certainly a puzzle, and far too rude to ask anyone, let alone a senior rider (even if they looked to be about her age) such a blatant sort of thing. If S'koi was male, he made a prettier girl than Akaya herself...if female, well, there were lots of girls prettier than the stocky once-Harpergirl.

It was with chagrin that Akaya realized it was she getting off-mission now, and she glanced around quickly, though she doubted they'd find Mystweed right off the bat.

"Indeed," Akaya murmured, her eyes wide at S'koi's ready success. "We shall see if there is more than a single plant around, then," she added, scanning the ground far more carefully this time. But she couldn't seem to find anything more--was she just not good at spotting it?

Sleeth grew impatient very quickly, especially once it became apparent they're acquired one sample of Mystweed. Couldn't they go back to the weyr now? She wanted to watch Lifth and the others scheduled to do drills this afternoon, and, by the sound of it to Akaya, the green was absolutely going to whine until they were on their way back, and it had better to be soon!

She was definitely starting to feel a headache coming on as she gritted her teeth together.

Oh, no, it's good that Yours found some so quickly! Sleeth was quick to assure the older green. But there is so much to see and do at home, and it gets so boring out here in the woods... She moved as she spoke, tail swishing impatiently from side to side as she fidgeted. Sleeth had just shifted to favor one side when Akaya shouted mentally for her to stop moving.

"Stopstopstop!" she added aloud, rushing in to investigate what she thought she'd seen--aha! It was Mystweed! It didn't look very alive, but at least she could identify it. And they might as well take it along, just in case...right?

Now that you both have some, can't we leave noooooow? Sleeth asked, eyes whirling in what the green was sure was a pleading, adorable look. She was really good at those!

Akaya was politely perplexed (and, to be honest, a bit irritated) at S'koi's kindly meant suggestion. Certainly Sleeth was...far more childish than usual, for some reason, but she was certainly capable of doing what was asked of her, including continuing to search for Mystweed. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean," she said, somewhat stiffly, as she placed the dead sample of Mystweed in the travel pouches.

I am sure he did not mean anything bad! Sleeth assured Hers. And S'koi was right, she really would rather stay at the weyr instead of going out again...

...Sleeth. Proddy. Rising soon--today? Tomorrow? Akaya's eyes widened once again, and she felt suddenly faint. She was sure she'd gone pale, too. Oh no...no no no no no... She wasn't ready! Between training and the council and everything--at least G'brel and Lifth would be waiting, at the weyr, but there was no guarantee they'd win the Flight, and any male could take to the air after Sleeth...

Akaya groaned. Of course! Sleeth had been complimenting males! Now that she stopped and thought about, the green's unusual behavior could be interpreted solely as...what, flirting? Dragons flirted? How had she gotten a flirty dragon? It wasn't like Sleeth got it from her--Akaya could count the number of times she'd attempted to flirt (quite badly) on one hand...

Akayamine! Sleeth said, turning her head to better survey Hers who still had not climbed back into the saddle. Do not worry, everything will be all right... the green crooned, trying to reassure Akaya, though seemingly in vain.

All right? How could it be all right? And she had no countdown to go off of, other than "soon"--soon Sleeth would take to the skies and Akaya would be forced to follow along with her. She loved her dragon, truly she did, but--it just seemed so unfair! Akaya's lips trembled as she tried to hold in her fear and apprehension, but it was just too much. The suddenness of everything bore down upon her in a rush, and the greenrider girl was quite embarrassed as she suddenly burst into tears. Sleeth continued to croon, sending no words but attempting a reassuring melody that Akaya had often sung to her.

Akaya tried to compose herself, but it was to little avail--now that she'd started, the tears she'd been holding in just wouldn't seem to stop. "I'm sorry--to make such a fuss--" she managed to gasp, in between sobs, trying very hard not to meet S'koi's eyes lest she...what? See pity? No, she didn't mind that. And he (or was it she?) didn't seem disapproving, but, rather, sympathetic. Well, the other was a greenrider too...and not that much older. "It's just--I'm Holdborn and--" She couldn't manage to explain the rest, not that it much mattered. It was obvious enough that she was upset by it, and knowing she'd come from a Hold handily filled in any blanks.

Please stop crying, Akayamine, Sleeth pleaded, doing what she could in between croons to nudge against her rider. She didn't like to see Akaya upset, Akaya should smile! And sing!

I'm trying, Sleeth-love, I really am, Akaya thought back, wanting very much to go home to Trine and crawl in her bed. And stay there, preferably locking herself in privacy until all this was sorted without her. But that wasn't going to happen...