live to let you shine (kalaht)

[Avu]

Only in a Weyr, Vix thought, an idle mixture of amusement and disbelief, would you find a perfectly well-mannered, sane, kind of gorgeous runner who did not mind having a green wher bounce at its heels like an overgrown puppy. The gelding’s name, according to his owner, who had cheerfully agreed to Vix’s riding him “so he won’t get fat”, was, in a spurt of what Vix imagined to be fantastic inspiration, Spot. Must’ve been because of the fact that, oh, you know, it was a pinto gelding, who would’ve guessed. Well, whatever. Vix didn’t need to be totally approving of Spot’s name in order to ride him; he’d pasted on a big, fake smile in response to the owner’s enthusiastic words and nodded like a ventriloquist’s dummy.

Well, it had worked.

He clearly had too much time on his hands if he was thinking about picking up Beastcrafting again, Vix noted sourly. Kostya still was at the Infirmary most often than not. He still saw Darmori and Ximera, what with living in the same general area as them and what have you, but he was still bored half the time. And sick to death over the speculation on the stupid wher eggs. Stupid Eikask and her stupid stupid clutch—it wasn’t even that big of a deal, so why was everyone all giddy with it? Yes, riding Spot was a very good distraction, even if it left him sore and wishing he could dissolve into a puddle more often than not after three or four hours. It’d been too long. He’d deal.

Spot snorted as Tekivisk nearly rammed into his hindquarters, the green wher whistling in high-pitched enthusiasm before she tumbled gracelessly around the runner, her muzzle nudging at Vix’s foot until he shook off the stirrup and kicked her lightly on the neck. “What are you doing?” he hissed, pulling Spot out of the straight line he’d been cantering the runner down to veer away from Tekivisk, pushing his foot back into the stirrup before he could lose his balance entirely. “Stop crowding him—‘ki, stop!”

How come, sighed Tekivisk, keeping her distance this time as she loped after Spot. She just wanted to tell Spot that she was having fun, was all—Vix snorted audibly, rolling his eyes as he pressed one hand against Spot’s neck, judging the hard huff of the runner’s breath before he sat back, hummed a “whoa” until the pace slowed to a walk, Tekivisk immediately settling into a comfortable trot next to Spot, who eyed the wher in vaguely indignant weariness. The green didn’t notice, or opted to ignore it, lifting her head, tail wagging pleasantly. Why couldn’t she be friends with Spot? She could give him a new name. Something—something that was not Spot.

“Try it,” Vix answered absently, unable to resist rolling his eyes again. “How about ‘Stripes’?”

Tekivisk sighed at him, and then abruptly lost interest in renaming Spot in favor of pouncing at the runner’s tail, her teeth clicking at empty air. Spot flicked his tail at her, unmoved. Vix smothered a grin, indulgently pushing Spot into a canter again. Might as well let Tekivisk feel like she was ferocious—and very happy about it she was indeed, if her startled yip, followed by a delighted bark, was anything to go by.

[metaldawn71]

Kalaht had seen strange things before but this, -this- took the cake. Seeing a gelding AND a wher actually playing?! and the gelding was not prey to this green beast?! How was this possible?

He was curious but was cautious to approach Vix and her wher. His father had told him that to never approach a wher because its a most ferocious and savage beast that will take your head off. That was a lie of course but Kalaht didn't know that. With any strange beast, he had to be careful in approaching it. But Kalaht, he took it to an extreme and hid behind a tree while peering around it like he was ashamed of calling himself a wher candidate.

He almost approached, due to Tekivisk's playful nature. He figured not to interfere because of what his father said when Kalaht was very young. Still a child, in the eyes of the Weyr, he could not fathom why wher could be so sharding playful and not view its playmate as prey. He was confused. He would have approached if the wher had not been present. Kalaht was afraid that if he kept on peering out from behind the tree, he would get notice. He tried to sneak off but he accidentally stepped on a twig....'SNAP'

Instant fear washed over Kalaht, the wher HAD to have heard that! He slowly turned around with his wide eyed stare at the green wher. His eyes focused on the wher...

[Avu]

“Okay, okay—stop, ‘ki, seriously.” Vix mentally enforced the words with a shove, pushing Tekivisk out from right behind Spot so he could pull the runner to a stop again. It had been maybe two hours since he’d mounted and rode the runner out of the stables. Couldn’t keep pushing him too much. Just because Tekivisk had an energy supply to match Rook’s when the Salamandyr was high on sugar didn’t mean Spot did. The green wher whined up at Vix, shoving her muzzle at his calf as Spot huffed to a stop, the runner snorting in mild apprehension as Tekivisk sidled closer, trying to push herself against Vix. He shoved her away again, turning his face away to hide the smile. “Stop it. Look, if you can’t hold off, then—”

Her playfulness was gone in an instant, Tekivisk’s head rising and swinging around to pinpoint the sound of a footstep among the trees. Large eyes blinked, slowly picking out the heat signatures among the trees, Tekivisk’s tail swaying slowly from side to side. Anxiety. She was usually happy to see people, Tekivisk. Liked people, genuinely liked them. But since the Wastelanders had come—since them, she’d been more cautious. Because Vix told her to be. Because he didn’t trust any of them as far as he could throw them near her.

“’ki.”

Vix had gone still on Spot’s back, hands loose on the reins, his brow furrowing as he followed her gaze towards the treeline. They weren’t on duty until a little later, but still—he didn’t think that they were ever really off duty, not at night when dragons’ sight started to fail. And besides, Tekivisk’s singular focus, the tilt to her head and the wary, quizzical yellows tingeing her eyes, the low rasping bark, meant that the person—too big to be a child—was not moving. Was watching? A surge of indignation. This was—well, not private, since they were in public, since Spot was not his, but close to it; intimate, too perfect in those giddy moments when nobody else mattered, to be ruined by someone watching.

Where on Pern did they get off?

He wheeled Spot around, the runner throwing up his head, mane spilling over Vix’s hands, and Tekivisk slipped into motion, pacing in a steady hunter’s pace towards the trees, her eyes bright, focused on the telltale heat signature. She moved faster than Vix allowed Spot to go, keeping the runner up on his haunches, the motion tight and restless as the creature picked up on the sudden swing of mood. Vix closed his fingers tighter around the reins, tried not to hope it was some snotty Wastelander that Tekivisk could knock onto the ground. They didn’t need that kind of trouble, but…maybe it’d be worth it.

The green skirted around the edge of the bushes, a quizzical tilt to her head right before she judged her distance, looping around Kalaht to come up behind the boy. Her pounce was not intended to hurt or even do anything more than push Kalaht off balance, forward where Vix could see him, her weight catching the boy against his calves and the back of his knees, her shoulder dipping low in order to keep from knocking him clean off his feet.

She was still basically unwilling to just out and flatten somebody, after all—just, someone watching was suspicious and made VixHers upset (probably embarrassment—Vix still hated people seeing him smile at Tekivisk, hated the moments when he couldn’t hide the affection being public). If he’d just been walking along, she might’ve just peered at him a minute and passed. Watching was different. Watching was intrusive. Tekivisk rumbled softly, almost apologetically, butting her head against Kalaht’s legs again to push him further out. Go, please, move.

[metaldawn71]

Kalaht looked at the green wher, and saw it coming toward him. He didn't move. He was too scared.

"AHHH! Please, don't hurt me!!" Kalaht shouted. He, soon, realized the pounce was not to do anything but move the child out where the green's handler could see him. After the shout, he was ashamed once more and he felt like running and hiding but if he did that then the wher would chase and hurt him so he moved when he felt the green's head against his legs.

Feeling like his hand was caught in the sweet jar, his eyes lowered to the ground and his foot scraped the dirt, lightly...nervous. VERY nervous. The poor boy was shaking he was still scared of what would happen to him. He meant no harm, he was only curious about the wher and why it didn't see the gelding as prey....and playing with the animal.

Kalaht wanted to beat himself senseless...he was so stupid! He actually caught the attention of a wher that might and is fully capable of hurting him.

"I-I will m-move but, please...do-don't hur-hurt me." Kalaht stuttered.

[Avu]

Spot’s ears flicked backwards at the sound of Kalaht’s voice, the runner snorting and shifting underneath Vix as the greenhandler’s frown deepened, pushing the gelding forward faster in concern for Tekivisk at the flicker of dismayed surprise he received through the bond. He slowed Spot again the next instant as he identified the reason for the green wher’s distress though, the thoughts bleeding clear into his. He was frightened of her—hadn’t VixHers heard him yell? Why was he so frightened? What did he think she would do to him? Fortunately for the reputation of whers, Tekivisk did not immediately shrink back; she’d had training, after all. She merely pushed Kalaht forward again, slinking close to the ground, eyes bright with upset as they reappeared from the shadows of the trees, the green’s gaze going immediately to Vix for approval.

Vix stopped Spot a few yards away from Kalaht, his expression now puzzled. Couldn’t understand anyone being afraid of whers—he had never been afraid of them, the same way he’d never known to be afraid of runners. And Tekivisk—‘ki—would never hurt anybody who didn’t downright deserve it. But it was obvious the kid was actually frightened, or maybe just a spectacular actor, and Vix could feel his anger at the intrusion fading slightly. He wasn’t inherently cruel, didn’t like seeing people scared, part of the reason he’d as good as adopted Ximera as a younger sister and, to some extent, Darmori.

Please make it better, Tekivisk whispered quietly to him, still behind Kalaht to ensure the boy didn’t bolt. Please, VixLove, she couldn’t understand why he was so frightened and—

“You’re a Candidate,” Vix blurted, awkwardly, eyes accustomed to the dim light picking out the knots on the kid’s shoulder. His frown deepened as Tekivisk, taking that as her cue that he was harmless, sidled out from behind him, cautiously leaning forward to nudge Kalaht’s hand with her muzzle, tongue rasping over his palm hopefully. “Why’re you so scared of her? She’s not even…” He waved one hand, careful not to jerk the reins in the process. Spot flicked his ears underneath him as Tekivisk dejectedly slunk away from Kalaht back to the runner’s side, her eyes anxious. She couldn’t even remember the last time someone had been frightened of her.

Vix looked down at her, found himself irrationally irritated at Kalaht’s fear. It was his fault Tekivisk was upset now, wasn’t it? Why was he so scared—she wasn’t even a very big wher. He looked back up at Kalaht, brow creasing. “You shouldn’t be wandering around if you’re going to freak out at everything that moves,” he said, tone edging towards acidic. Easier to be angry than to be sympathetic—trying to relate to being frightened of whers was frustrating. And impossible. Not when he couldn’t sleep until Tekivisk was curled next to him, not when he’d seen her playing with Darmosk and looking like an overgrown Labrador puppy, not when he’d seen Konstask try to hide Tekivisk by draping a blanket over her head.

[metaldawn71]

Kalaht hung his head low in his shame.

"I-I d-didn't mean t-to intr-intrude. My father said that whers are-are uh..uhm. vicious and dangerous creat-creatures, sir. He- he kept on telling me that until i belie-believed it. that they wo-would take my head off if i would let them. I di-didn't mean any harm..honest! this is the first wher i have seen up close. When i was in the hold, i was told by everyone not to go near a wher. yes, i am a candidate. i-i...." He trailed off and wanted to runaway but the green wher prevented him from doing so. "i saw my friends mauled by a couple of whers....at home. ever since, my father has told me never to go near one, or even touch one. Imagine his surprise when i told him that i hoped to impress a wher. He tried to talk me out of it, even hired a bully to beat me enough so that i -couldn't- Stand. None worked. That memory of my friends being mauled by whers sort of made an imprint in my mind. Now, I want to be good to these creatures, to show and teach other people that they are not to be feared but respected. I am sorry a intruded on your playtime, i truly am." he looked the wher as he was saying this. He chuckled. "Besides when a wher, no matter what the size, charges you...it -is- quite intimidating, especially if you don't know the creature's intent. and your right..i shouldn't be wandering around...but i am fairly new."

Kalaht smiled. "I am Kalaht."

[Avu]

Wait. What?

Vix stopped short, his entire body going still on the runner, at Kalaht’s words. Sir? If he could’ve interrupted, he might have, just to get a minute to process exactly why the kid would be calling him sir—Vix couldn’t possibly be that much older and probably wasn’t much bigger. Although, to be fair, he was on top of a runner with a wher to back him up at the moment, but the point remained. He wasn’t a ‘sir’. He didn’t want to be, had never even really called anyone else that. ‘Master’, yeah, but that was upon threat of beating, so that could probably be excused, he thought. But still—still.

And as for the rest of it—well, maybe he just needed to get it off his chest. Vix’s expression twisted into a kind of embarrassed awkwardness, his gaze skittering away from Kalaht. Didn’t like emotional spews, didn’t know how to handle them. He really hoped he never got to that point. Sure, he supposed he could blab about distant father figures and crazy—not literally crazy, but close enough—Masters, but no. Private things were private, and it wasn’t like that even mattered anymore. Or maybe the kid just thought he owed an explanation or something, but Vix really, really wished he were somewhere else where he didn’t have to listen to this.

Although he supposed he should be sorry for the kid’s luck. Or indignant on the behalf of the whers. Just…sympathy wasn’t particularly possible; at least the kid’s father had cared enough to hang around a little bit, apparently, even if he was a total dick, and it wasn’t like Vix had never been on the wrong end of a fight before. And anger took too much energy, and hey, if people wanted to be terrified of whers, that was fine to him, really. It would be nice having a monster at his beck and call, albeit a very cuddly, lovable monster. “Ah,” he said blankly, at the kid’s introduction. “Vix.” And then, because he still couldn’t wrap his head around it, “Not ‘sir’. Just—just Vix.”

He raised a hand, gestured at Tekivisk, who made a soft whine in her throat, edged forward to lick Kalaht’s hand hopefully. “And she’s Tekivisk. I—okay, look,” he ignored the apology, since he didn’t really forgive Kalaht yet, not because of the playtime thing but more because of his reaction to ‘ki, “She’s one of the smallest and least threatening whers in Selenitas. How d’you figure you’re going to survive Eikask if you’re afraid of her?” Vix didn’t bother masking the derisive note in his voice when he mentioned Eikask’s name; he didn’t think much of the gold wher. Jealous, arrogant beastie, wasn’t she? “Sorry about your friend, but whers only bite if it’s deserved.”

Which, Tekivisk hurried to add quickly, butting her head against Kalaht’s hand again in an effort to gain a scratch or stroke, VixHers meant in the nicest possible way, of course, and she wouldn’t bite him as long as he was nice, promise. Couldn’t he pet her now?

[metaldawn71]

Kalaht smiled at Tekivisk. She wasn't going to hurt him. He saw whers in a new light. They weren't the monsters that his father made them out to be. He reached down and scratched her muzzle.

"I am sorry. I didn't know. My dad made you out to be monsters. Now i know that they're not. He was wrong and I'm glad." He looked at Tekivisk and studied her. He looked back up at Vix and smiled again. "Kalaht. She is so cool looking." he laughed. When he noticed the Runner, he was quiet surprised to see one. He had seen them, on very rare occasion in the Hold. It was a treat for him every time he saw one.

"Wow. You have a Runner as well? Cool." He commented. He didn't get over-excited. That would cause the Runner to get scared and possibly throw off his rider. "It was a treat every time I saw those at the Hold. May I pet him?" he asked.

[Avu]

Tekivisk purred, a happy mrrrrp sound in the back of her throat, butting her head comfortably against Kalaht’s touch. The green wher’s tongue flicked out to lap against his palm lightly, her wings fluttering contentedly against her back. So happy that he could like her now when he’d been so scared before. Her tail wagged lightly from side to side, Tekivisk bumping up against Kalaht’s side in a brief show of camaraderie before she pranced back to Vix and Spot, barking an approving note up at Vix. She liked this one. He’d definitely Impress. (Not that Tekivisk didn’t like anyone, be they Candidate or wher or handler, even the slightly scary ones like Dmisk—but it was important to impress that she liked this one particularly.)

Vix snorted, raising one eyebrow at Kalaht dryly—now that the other boy had dropped the topic of his past, it was easier not to be awkward with him. “Cool-looking. Right.” He’d always thought whers were kind of ugly. That had been up until Tekivisk and, to an extent, Konstask. It was hard to think Konstask was ugly when she was convinced that she was beautiful, and Tekivisk seemed to agree wholeheartedly with her sister. Never let it be said that Tekivisk’s emotions did not sway Vix’s. The mention of the runner made Vix blink and actually look down at Spot, as if to ensure that the runner was, indeed, still standing quietly beneath him, eyeing Tekivisk with a decidedly weary expression.

“Uh,” he said after a minute. “Spot isn’t mine. I just ride him around.” Vix shrugged, waved a hand. “Have at him. If ‘ki doesn’t scare the living daylights out of him, I’m sure he’ll be down with getting human attention.” Dismissive. Not that he didn’t like Kalaht—even though admittedly Vix was loathe to like anyone—just that he didn’t really have much interest. As long as the kid wasn’t going to flip out at Tekivisk and upset her again, Vix’s world was right, the end. Except—“What were you doing sneaking around in the jungle anyway? There’re scarier things than ‘ki there.”

Like felines.

And Disk and all the other whers who would happily chomp off faces if they felt like it. This kid wouldn’t stand a chance. At least he had a runner who could kick the hell out of things and a wher to keep him safe from rampaging whers.

[metaldawn71]

"I was exploring. i was walking away because i didn't want to disrupt anything." Kalaht simply, said. He wasn't a shy boy but he was honest and easily intimidated. He sensed that Dmitri was a 'to the point' kind of person.

Kalaht was a little bit more relaxed now that he knew everything would be okay. He smiled and approached Takivisk and started petting both the wher and the Runner. He grinned and chuckled. Despite his past, he was happy and enjoyable to be around......for most people.

[Avu]

Um, no, what?

Vix squinted at Kalaht, flicked his tongue over his lips idly, and then said, very bluntly, because he did not believe in sugar-coating things to anybody except Tekivisk (and okay, maybe Ximera and Darmori, but they were special), “Exploring the jungle at night is likely to get you killed. I don’t care how good at fighting you think you are,” not that he could really talk because he sucked, a scar courtesy of his own skill with knives still knotted in a thin white line across his palm, “You’d be done in five minutes if a feline tumbled into you. Or a wild wher. Those hang around sometimes too.” He was glad (enough) that Kalaht wasn’t scared stiff of whers, mostly for the sake of the wherhandlers in general—how on Pern were they supposed to cope with anything if they were terrified of their own mindmates?—but the kid might take care not to do anything too stupid, too.

And speaking of which, if he was scared of whers, why would he want to explore when all of them were hanging around? Honestly, there were smarter things to do. Not to mention exploring an unfamiliar region in the dark got you nothing except thoroughly lost. Vix would know—he’d gotten lost more than his fair share, he thought. He watched the kid through half-lidded eyes as he bestowed his attentions upon Spot and Tekivisk, the latter of whom gave a quiet happy purr, her head butting against Kalaht’s thigh companionably, while the runner merely rolled his eyes placidly, tail flicking absently.

Be nice, Tekivisk admonished him, even as she suddenly lost interest in being petted and ducked around Kalaht, pacing back into the jungle to skirt around the bushes, taking a large loop back towards the small group. Take him back, keep him safe. Don’t upset him. It was lovely to have Candidates for the babies. Eikask would be pleased, would she not?

Eikask was never pleased, Vix replied dryly, and managed not to roll his eyes to emphasize his lack of affection for the gold. He hadn’t ever particularly cared about her one way or another at first, but her butting in on Tekivisk’s Run had soured her to him for about forever. Vix insisted on holding grudges for Tekivisk, since she wasn’t mean enough to do it herself. Tch. He looked down at Kalaht, shrugged. “Buddy system, ever heard of it? Use it. In the daytime. Doesn’t matter what kind of Candidate you are, there are curfews.” Actually, there were kind of curfews for everything, but that was beside the point. “You need help back to the Candidate Barracks, or do you think you can manage?”

His voice was almost caustic. Mostly weary. Didn’t Candidatemasters take care of their charges anymore? It wouldn’t do the Weyr a single bit of good if they were all eaten before they’d even gotten to the Sands.

[metaldawn71]

Kalaht chose his words carefully.

"I'll - I'll need help to get back-back to the Weyr. I am sorry." he wasn't smiling anymore. He knew he would be in trouble. He didn't know about the dangers of the jungle on account of his father would let him -go- anywhere. Felines or wild whers...he just saw what he saw at the Hold at a distance. Two whers brutally mauled a couple of his friends, who most likely deserved it.

He kept his tongue and didn't say anything more. He watched as Takivask brush passed him and disappear among the trees. Kalaht didn't cry or throw a tantrum but looked at Vix, stern faced. He sighed heavily and approached the Runner and Vix.

[Avu]

Tch, really?

Vix wrinkled his nose distastefully. “Fine.” He didn’t say anything else, if only because saying anything else would probably equate to a chewing-out of fairly epic proportions (he was not a babysitter, damn it), and yeah, not going there. Tekivisk wanted him to be nice, didn’t she? He didn’t offer the Candidate a ride on Spot (as much as for practicality as his own ire; the saddle was for one), just tightened his hands on the reins and wheeled the runner around, the squeeze of his legs perhaps slightly harder than strictly necessary, especially considering Spot was as good as runners got. The gelding’s ears flicked back indignantly, but he obediently settled into a slow walk as Vix glanced at Kalaht to gesture for him to follow, mentally calling out for Tekivisk.

The green loped from the trees, her pace clipped, easy. Almost graceful, without Konstask by her side to provide the contrast. Nice night for ferrying Candidates, she hummed contentedly, her path curling her around Kalaht’s legs like an overgrown feline. At least it wasn’t miserable out. Like raining. If it had been raining, VixHers would’ve been soooo grumpy, she confided cheerfully to Kalaht, peeling away from the Candidate again in short order. He liked it best when the nights were clear out. Nice. Liked the dawn, too, even though it hurt her eyes so she could never see what was so fascinating.

Vix rolled his eyes, unable to help himself that small gesture. “’ki,” he snapped, and the green’s mental burble fell silent, her wings drooping slightly as she outstripped Spot, the runner flicking her a disinterested look and snorting quietly as he plodded on obediently. “You should actually look at the Candidate rules,” Vix commented to Kalaht, “I hear they’re real helpful,” and the sarcastic drawl in his voice was only to be expected. “I’m surprised you managed to miss them, given they’re posted pretty obviously in the Barracks, unless that’s changed drastically in the last however-long it’s been.”

Which was actually pretty long—how old was Tekivisk, anyway? They could’ve changed. They didn’t even have the same Candidatemaster—he’d had the old guy with the pet worm, now they had some bluerider he’d never heard of before. A sarcastic Vix was not likely to be a Vix who thoroughly considered such details, though.

It really was lucky he even bothered to add, “Don’t trip,” as Spot stumbled and then regained equilibrium as they passed a particularly rocky patch near the river. Could’ve just told Kalaht to follow the river back, he supposed, because he’d have to double back to get the Stables after the Candidate Barracks, but whatever. The kid would probably just get lost. Again.

[metaldawn71]

"I didn't miss them, Vix. You can understand. New kid, don't know much about anything....getting lost. You would leave me out here, wouldn't you? You would leave me like everyone does. Maybe i am the best in talking to people, maybe i made mistakes along the way, but i will impress." Kalaht sighed and thought for a moment.

"You know, i haven't been nothing be nice to you, i answered your questions. Now you answer mine...what is it about me you don't like? That i'm late getting in? that i don't pay attention to my lessons? I will show you that i -have- paid attention in class and in my lessons...i have a notebook with lecture notes, questions to ask the instructor and questions that he/she told me my answers to. I am very organized and observant. That's what i was doing in the trees, practicing tracking things and exploring as well." He paused to walk a bit faster to keep up. "Believe me, i am more than meets the eye."

[Avu]

It was on the tip of his tongue to say sure I’d ditch you, because, to be completely and totally fair, Vix would. It was just…it wasn’t just his decision, really. Tekivisk would throw a fit of epic proportions if he actually made to leave Kalaht after the kid had said he hadn’t the faintest idea how to get back, and a wher temper tantrum wasn’t anything he liked dealing with. Vix resisted. Barely. Because that would, while it was certainly honest, be rude, and heaven forbid he be rude to a kid who might very well join the wherhandlers later. Tch. Instead, he snorted, shaking his head, “And let me guess, you’re smart and strong and super modest, too, right?”

Everyone was more than met the eye. He knew that. Just…didn’t really care about it. “Look, kid, not every single person in the Weyr is going to like you, okay?” Vix glanced over at Kalaht, crinkled his nose, dispassionate. “I don’t care how much attention you’re paying in class or how many rules you break, but when you start wandering around after dark, whatever you’re doing, then you become my responsibility because of her,” one hand swept outwards towards Tekivisk, who fluttered her wings importantly, evidently choosing to ignore the negative connotation of the words, “and that is exactly my problem. One, you’re in my space. Two, I don’t like people. Take your pick.” His tone was as dry as dust.

He slouched in the saddle casually, guided Spot towards the main Weyr entrance automatically. The runner’s ears flicked at the low, subterranean thrum of dragons’ breath, as Tekivisk bounced comfortably alongside, chirruping encouragingly at Kalaht. “And seriously. Turn this into a popularity contest and you’re going to get nowhere.” Not that the kid really had implied his intentions to do that, but Vix was maybe a little horrified that anybody would expect him to like them.

Because he didn’t.

Ever.

Except for, you know, the exceptions, but they were just that, and never to be brought up. The end.

Vix’s gaze slipped towards Tekivisk again, then back to Kalaht. “Weyr’s just over the rise. Think you can get to the Candidate Barracks on your own, or should I call for a babysitter?” Like Tekivisk. He had no problems with telling the wher to lead Kalaht right to his bed if need be, as long as the glows weren’t out and bright enough to blind her. He did have a problem with having to tie Spot up outside the Weyr and show the kid himself—he doubted the runner’s rightful owner would be too happy if he went and lost the gelding for him.