one too many [mi'raaaah~]

[Avu]

Love you, one of the two babies currently adorning the goldrider informed her. Love you, love fooood. Fooood~ His enthusiasm was obvious, the Salamandyr skittering from one shoulder to the other and then back again, practically bouncing with delight. That it was far too early to be up and about didn’t seem to occur to him. Jingth was still plowed out, fast asleep, back at the Weyrling Barracks, and Meira kind of wished she could be, too, but apparently the little brown, dubbed ‘Mimic’, was hungry. Riaren had been taken care of first, but the brown didn’t seem to mind; as far as Meira could tell, he adored Riaren as much as the baby was fascinated by him. Jingth liked him, too, claiming him as her miniature slave, and Mimic was perfectly okay with that, it seemed; Meira hadn’t thought any Salamandyr could be as sweet as PMS, but Mimic…was. He’d slept curled up against her neck, and as she made her way towards the kitchens, the brown chirped excitedly again before lowering his head to lick Riaren. Babylove want food?

“Riaren already ate,” Meira corrected, glancing down at the baby affectionately. He was approaching two months, and was currently content to be carried, head propped against his mother’s shoulder and gaze focused intently upon Mimic. One hand came up to poke clumsily at the brown, and Mimic immediately set about licking Riaren’s fingers, earning a giggle from the baby, who was trying to pet the Salamandyr like he’d seen his mother do. Shifting Riaren in her arms, Meira turned to kiss the baby’s head lightly, skirting around the edge of a table and pushing the kitchen door open with her free hand. It was the first time Mimic had entered the kitchens and immediately he darted forward – onto Riaren’s head. The baby gave a little surprised noise, but didn’t protest, freezing as the brown turned in a circle, clearly delighted with the kitchens. So warm, so smelly – a good smelly – and just…just good.

So /love/, the brown commented, fascinated, apparently not quite able to find a better adjective. Food here?

“Food here,” Meira confirmed, turning awkwardly to maneuver between two Drudges. It was early, early; she didn’t expect there to be Drudges waiting on her – she’d just come to get a handful of meat for Mimic, really. She wasn’t hungry yet, and Jingth had started trying to hunt on her own, though without flight it was quite difficult, even if she was big enough to. “Love – don’t bounce, you’ll slip off…” Or hurt Riaren, and the idea of the Salamandyr, even purely on accident, so much as scratching Riaren, made her stomach turn over nervously. The word ‘love’, though – had slipped out; it was a kind of generic term that she’d used for both Jingth and Riaren, and Mimic’s croon was so clearly adoring that Meira blinked down at him, almost surprised at the level of his love as the brown obediently skittered up to her shoulder and reared into the famous Salamandyr pose: Onto his hind legs, one foreleg clasped against his belly, the other pressing against her jaw for balance. So exciting, it was; he just wanted to see everything~

MyLove?
Goldthing ‘wake!
“Yes – I noticed, thanks…”
You’re with the little slave? Oh. A pause; the wave of sleepiness emanating from the gold made Meira pause expectantly before Jingth went on. Is it warm outside? I think I’ll go sun by the river…you’ll come find me when you’re ready.

It wasn’t really a question, so Meira didn’t respond, intercepting a wandering Drudge and making her request for raw pieces of meat – “Salamandyr-sized,” she added as the woman blinked uncomprehendingly at her. Those two words drew a look that was nearly panic to cross her face and she skittered away, leaving Meira to stare blankly after her before she turned to Mimic, who licked her nose pleasantly, oblivious to the insult in the woman’s behaviors. Riaren stared after the woman, too, before turning his head back to settle it snugly against his mother’s shoulder, one hand reaching to pat clumsily at Mimic again, earning a happy purr from the tiny creature and a pleased Love love babylove. Meira brushed against the Salamandyr’s mind gratefully before the Drudge returned, thrusting a small bowl of meat at her; she shifted Riaren to one arm again and took it, murmuring a thank-you before she slid out into the much-emptier Main Hall and dropped into one of the seats in the nearest corner, allowing Riaren to settle into her lap and Mimic to scurry onto the table, the Salamandyr turning around and squeaking in excitement.

So big, so big…and then the scent of meat reminded him of his hunger as Meira set the bowl onto the table and Mimic gave another excited squeak before diving straight into the bowl. Love food yum, he informed His and Riaren. So yum!

[Lotty]

Doppelganger had reminded Mi'rah, for the five hundredth time that day how much he adored His. Love Rahrah mine. Yes yes. Food time now? Pleassseeee. The salamandyr had taken his to perch on the bronzerider's shoulder; the perfect spot since it allowed him to snuggle so close to his dear owner, as he made his way into the Hall after fetching some scraps for the mandyr. "Wait for me to sit down..." he pleaded with the creature, but it would be all for not, Doppel did have something of a short attention span. Well he was just a baby still, so Mi'rah didn't expect anything more than constant inquisitiveness and curiosity, but that didn't mean he expected the little mandyr from abandoning his food.

The mandyr leaped off of his shoulder and bounded over towards Meira, Mimic and of course little Riaren with an effervescent bounce, all the while proclaiming Love. Love. Love. until he too was in Mimic's bowl. Eggbrother would share of course! It was hardly even a question. Though, the bronzerider was a little confused as to why his pet decided to take someone else's food after he went though all kinds of trouble to get what he did himself. Sighing, he knew he had to approach the figure in the corner and apologize.

Walking over, (and if his hands weren't already full he'd be wringing them) he recognized the girl as being the one he had waved to not so long ago at the hatching, in fact she had Impressed Doppelganger's twin. With this came the understanding...so that is why the mandyr was so quick to abandon his side. Good enough reason he supposed. Coming closer, until he was shyly standing before the girl he noticed not only her youth, but she even had a baby. Doppelganger popped his head up out of the bowl to examine with Mi'rah...because he did so love babies. Good fixer baby! He very much approved of his twin's choice in mindmate.

"I'm sorry about him..." he gestured to Doppelganger with a nod of his head, "I suppose it might happen a lot though...coming from the same egg and all..." he smiled, which wasn't hard to do, he caught eyes again with the infant and couldn't help but free one hand to waggle his fingers at him. He forgot for a moment how alarming it could be for a girl as young as she to be approached by a complete stranger, even one as harmless as he, but the quickest remedy to that would be to introduce himself he supposed, "I'm Mi'rah by the way."

[Avu]

Doppelganger’s voice interrupting her thoughts made Meira blink in confusion before she swiveled, one arm sliding automatically in a protective gesture around Riaren, the baby content to lean against her, though his green eyes scanned the room as well, one hand coming up to his mouth so he could chew absently on his thumb. Where was the mind-noisy coming from…? His mother was not so oblivious; the proclamation was decidedly a Salamandyr and it sounded like her own Mimic, but not; it wasn’t accompanied by waves of adoration. Her gaze snagged on Doppelganger when he slid into sight, and the look of confusion that crossed her face was likely comical. She hadn’t been watching the Hatching, really; she knew in the back of her mind, a knowledge that had come probably from Jingth or from Mimic himself, that her brown did have a twin, but – but – hmm. So odd. One hand rose automatically to pull Riaren’s hand gently away from his mouth, brushing against his cheek affectionately, as she watched Doppelganger’s progress across the floor –

Eggmine! Mimic’s squeal of delight would have been earsplitting had it not been mental; the brown’s head shot out of his meat and the brown actually waded towards the edge, flopping and squirming through the meat – and then fell over in his enthusiasm when Doppelganger bounced into his bowl. His eyes were such a bright green was to be neon; he flopped clumsily over to the other brown and rubbed his entire body against his eggbrother’s, before snatching a piece of meat up and offering it delightedly to his brother – Love love eggmine loooove. Food? As if they weren’t standing in a bowl of it. This one was the best piece, so his eggbrother got it, of course! Mimic’s enthusiasm was practically palpable as he purred contentedly. LoveHis, the babylove, and his eggmine were all there. Surely it couldn’t get any better!

Mimic made her want to twitch. Meira wound both arms more securely around Riaren, pulling her legs up so that the baby could see the pair of browns; the baby’s eyes widened and he watched in silence, curiosity evidently pricked by the pair. Not just the one who loved him, but two. How funny. Mi’rah’s approach was therefore missed by the baby, but certainly not by his mother, who turned – she’d been expecting the other brown’s owner shortly – and then blinked at the bronzerider owlishly before looking back down at Mimic, who was still purring happily at Doppelganger; Mi’rah wasn’t noticed by the Salamandyr either. She bit her lip uncertainly; whether or not Mi’rah planned to speak, she didn’t know, and she’d almost prepared herself to say something when the bronzerider spoke.

“Oh,” she replied, startled, before she glanced back at Doppelganger and Mimic. “I don’t mind. He’s not bothering me…” Not really; the only distracting thing was how exuberant Mimic was and she could hardly begrudge him that. The wave at Riaren made Meira look down at the baby, still thoroughly distracted by the pair of Salamandyrs, and she gently caught his wrist, leaning down to press her lips against his head and murmur, “Say hi, Riaren…” The baby’s response was to turn curiously, catching sight of Mi’rah, and he offered the bronzerider a cheerful smile before he returned his attention to the Salamandyrs. So much more interesting, weren’t they? Meira’s hugging the baby to her was ignored by him; Riaren was clearly fascinated by the creatures, especially as Mimic chose that moment to proclaim proudly, Babylove, is Mine’s. Love baby, good baby! So cute, see?

“Ah,” the goldrider added belatedly, crinkling her nose in apology. “Um – I’m Meira…this is Riaren. It’s nice to meet you…” The last phrase was added more out of politeness than actually for her feeling that way; she didn’t know Mi’rah previously, but Mimic’s adoration of his clutchbrother was contagious. So odd, liking him when she didn’t know him…“Um – you can sit down if you want to wait till he’s done…sorry, what’s his name…?”

Fail. Just – fail.

[Lotty]

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Doppel was practically jumping for joy as waves up jubilation rolled over his body and whirled his eyes to shade of green to match his brothers. Family reunions were so, so, gooood. His "Rahrah" was so sweet to bring him to the hall so that he could eat and play with Eggmine and company. His joy only jumped up higher was he was offered the best piece of meat of them all! Eggmine would be so lovely as to do that wouldn't he? Doppel almost didn't want to eat it, but instead add it to his collection with the egg shard he was given. Probably a bad idea, Mi'rah didn't want rotting food stuffs in his weyr, so the brown salamandyr gobbled it down excitedly, as he curled a tail around Mimic. Love. Love! Eggmine food! Not too many words had been added to Doppelganger's vocabulary as of yet, and Mi'rah seemed to be ok with that. It was good to hear something with only nice things to say for once.

Which Kierjaarth adamantly disagreed with, I dooo tell you nice things all the time... Mi'rah knew better than to get into it with him right now, he needed only one distraction at a time, thank you very much, and his newest little pet was already drawing his eyes away from the girl enough. It must have seemed so rude...anyway...he took the girl's offer and set his own bowl down and drew up a chair so that he coud sit across from here. At the rate the two salamandyrs were going - which consisted of them apparently picking out the best pieces for each other - this probably would take quite a while. Apparently for these two browns there wasn't much different between eating and playing.

"Meira? I like that name...your parents must have had good taste..." he smiled and crossed a leg so that his ankle rested on his knee. One of his hands rested there too, if only to keep him from bobbing his foot too much. He thought it was a little bit humoring that their names were so similar, of course his name didn't get the pretty inflections that hers did, but being a male that was probably for the best. Oh and before he forgot! "His name is Doppelganger..."

He realized that he was given the baby's name, but her salamandyr was a mystery yet too, "What about yours? Have you come up with a name for it?" Maybe she just didn't have a name yet..that would certainly explain why she hadn't mentioned it. He flickered a look back at the mandyrs again. By now Doppel had plopped over into his own bowl before emerging from it once again and displaying a particular piece in all of it's glory. This food best! Eggmine want? Sharing was caring after all.

[Avu]

Love you, give yums, Mimic replied with a slight bounce, before he butted his head affectionately against Doppelganger’s side, his tongue flicking out to actually lick his eggbrother in a blatant show of delight. So much happy, so much happy! He squirmed, wading through the meat, to grab another piece that had not been bounced upon, to examine it curiously before stuffing it into his own mouth and biting off a large piece to chew vigorously before stuffing the rest in with both forepaws, winding his tail around his eggbrother’s even as he did so, before spinning around to croon pleasantly at his brother. Doppel’s bounce into the other bowl made Mimic rise up into the classic meerkat pose, head tilting curiously, but the offering of food made his eyes flush with a delighted color and the wave of happy was so great that, out on the riverbank, Jingth twitched, snorted, and then threw a wing over her face. So yum, the brown Salamandyr informed his brother admiringly, scurrying over to join him in that bowl and taking it reverently from the other. So yum, love eggmine! The piece was nibbled on cautiously for a moment, and then his eyes whirled faster and it was stuffed into his mouth again. So yum, the brown repeated.

And then he threw himself onto Doppelganger playfully, his twig-thin body arching upwards before he came down towards the other brown – and misjudged. His forepaws caught onto the meat beneath him and Mimic gave a startled, excited squeal as he literally flipped over Doppelganger and smacked to land onto his back in the meat, which gave way beneath him with a squelch. For a moment, the brown Salamandyr flailed, and then he abruptly went still, and questioned happily, apparently not at all deterred by his err, Yum eated Mimic. Mimic yum, eggmine? He must be yummy, clearly. Or else the yum wouldn’t have eaten him, see, see? He gave another squirm and succeeded in sinking farther into the meat; a playful croon emerged from him. Don’t seeeee meeee, he teased, before flaring both wings out in order to stop his progress to the bottom of the bowl; his tail stuck straight out of the sliced pieces like a little flag. It’d be no fun if his eggbrother couldn’t find him, after all!

Meira averted her eyes as the bronzerider sat, glancing back at the pair of Salamandyrs; a look of amused confusion passed across her face at the sight of Mimic buried beneath the meat and she resigned herself to washing him off afterwards, but it wasn’t such a chore when Riaren and Mimic would both be so happy with it. Her fascination with Jingth didn’t include bathing her anymore – not to say she wasn’t more than happy to do it, but it wasn’t something new. Being openly adored by Mimic was. She knew Jingth loved her, but she wasn’t as demonstrative as Mimic was. Besides, Jingth was growing very, very quickly; she was bigger than Behruth by now and didn’t show any signs of stopping her growth. Hmm. The compliment made her gaze flicker back towards Mi’rah, and she smiled nervously, but didn’t reply; she didn’t really remember much of either of her parents. Good taste…? Maybe. But the Salamandyr’s name made her smile widen slightly. Doppelganger and Mimic. Amusing.

“Ooh – sorry. His name’s Mimic,” she added, blinking apologetically before she looked down at Riaren again. The baby was leaning against her, dark green eyes staring up at Mi’rah. There was no shyness in his gaze, nor was he trying to hide his face. Riaren wasn’t shy; he was just quiet – and he liked watching people. Mi’rah was no exception, and since the man had stopped waving at him, Riaren took that to mean he could watch him. Meira brushed one hand down his back gently, and, since that statement pretty much covered introductions, even though she didn’t know the bronzerider’s dragon’s name – It’s Kierjaarth, Jingth interjected helpfully. Kierjaarth, then. She’d assume that Mi’rah knew Jingth’s name; there were only three queens at Selenitas, after all; it was typical for Weyrfolk to know them. “Um,” she added, awkwardly – silence made her squirm when she wasn’t accustomed to her company, even if she felt ridiculously at ease with Mi’rah (courtesy of Mimic, hrm). “How’s – Kierjaarth, isn’t it?”

Because all Riders liked talking about their dragons, right?

[Lotty]

PLAYTIME! Oh Doppel was delighted even as he saw his twin try and tackle him, but the excitement ceased when the other missed and flopped onto his back. A brief moment of alarm shot onto his bug eyed face as he hovered over his flailing brother and squeaked with concern. Eggmine hurt? Not good! Help good fixer! It was when he stopped moving that the real worry set in and his whole body practically trembled, comically twitching and flicking his tail around. The emotion seemed to drip into Mi'rah's subconscious and on top of the normal...unease...he normally operated at, he now felt the urge to turn around at stare at Mimic along with Doppel, but he could resist!

And resist he did, so the rider got to miss the miraculous revival when Mimic piped up and declared that he was eaten by the yums. Doppelganger was so relieved! Eggmine yum? Hmmm. He wasn't sure about that, but the food was eating him still! Oh noes he's sinking! Oh wait....nevermind. Doppelganger gave him a good brotherly lick. He really needed to investigate this tastiness....and Mimic was yum! Of course he salamandyr would never make the connection that it was because they had been rolling around in meat. Eggmine is yum! Doppleyum? He decided to rear up onto his back legs and curl his tail up to his mouth and gave it an investigatory lick.

"Kierjaarth? Oh yes..." He really didn't think about his dragon that much. It wasn't like he didn't love him, but the new dragon smell did seem to wear off over ten turns ago. If anything, talking about the dragon was kind of like talking about himself, and that was a rarity. Mi'rah wasn't much for bragging and so he was left a little speechless for what to say. That's when he resorted to his usual little ticks and found himself looking up at the ceiling. The answers were surely there, "Um. He's good. Thank you for asking." Real enlightening. Yeah be was a little bland at conversation, he needed a few lessons from Doppelganger on spicing up his life, but he was trying and thats what was important.

"Um. How is J-Jingth?" He really should be more proficient at the names of all the golds in the weyr, especially considering that there was all of three and that he was a bronzerider. He was really obligated to know this. He brought his hands together and they began picking at each other in another one of his nervous habits. Self aware of his own utter inability to converse he began to apologize, because, well, that is what he always did best, "Sorry, I uhm...am a horrible conversationalist. I should probably leave you alone..."

[Avu]

Yum, Mimic replied, squirming happily at the brush of Doppelganger’s tongue over his hide. He was soaked in meat, so of course he’d taste good, but that didn’t seem to cross the Salamandyr’s mind – obviously he didn’t make the connection either. It was just the way he tasted, of course! At his brother’s question, however, Mimic thrashed to pop out of the meat again and promptly threw himself at Doppelganger again. This time his attack was successful, and he pressed both paws down on Doppelganger so he could lick his eggbrother full across the face. For a moment he tilted his head to the side, seriously considering, before he licked his brother again and bounced off of him, proclaiming, Is yum, love eggmine! He crouched, like a canine trying to entice another in a game: Hindquarters in the air, forelegs splayed, head low and eyes bright. Play, yumeggmine?

That reminded him of the food and the hunger gnawing in his belly, though, and Mimic paused to grab a small piece of meat between his forepaws and stuff it into his mouth, chewing rapidly and purring once he was finished, grabbing another bite and presenting it proudly to Doppelganger. Eggmine hungry? Eat, /then/ play. Am hungry, he explained, with a slight bounce, winding his tail around his haunches pleasantly. So yummy, they were. Not the meat – them, he and his eggbrother. So yummy. Clearly it had nothing to do with the meat that they’d been flailing in. Eat fast, play more, he added wisely, before thrusting another piece in his mouth and chewing vigorously. Fast as he could fill himself up, Mimic intended to; that’d give him more time to play with his eggbrother, yes yes? Oh, funnn.

Must you be so happy /all/ the time, little slave? Jingth inquired of him.

The response? Mimic flailed, and then squeaked happily. Goldthing ask happy time, he explained to his brother, before he bounced and replied to Jingth, Happy eggmine happy! Am yum. Was he broadcasting? Of course he was. There were noooo secrets to be kept from his eggbrother! The gold’s mental snort didn’t dismay the brown Salamandyr in the least, either. Another bite of meat was stuffed into his mouth and he chewed furiously at it.

The bronzerider’s reply made Meira blink twice, slightly surprised. He hadn’t forgotten about his dragon, had he…? She wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that thought; it prompted a mixture of amusement and confusion, and she squirmed slightly, glancing over at Mi’rah before looking down at the two Salamandyrs again. So cute, they were together; Mimic’s happy was radiating so strongly (countered by Jingth’s waning patience) that Meira fought down the desire to bounce. She looked down at Riaren instead, and the baby looked away from Mi’rah momentarily to meet her eyes squarely and smile at his mother before he snuggled against her again, his gaze returning to the bronzerider, solemn again as Meira squirmed, this time internally, before answering weakly, “That’s good…”

And the question as to Jingth’s well-being…it brought a momentary touch of satisfaction from the eavesdropping young gold, and Meira turned to glance at Mi’rah again. “She’s – growing,” she replied, which was only slightly less lame than ‘she’s good’. “Um – ” The bronzerider’s apologies interrupted her and the goldrider’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s not your fault,” she replied, chewing at the inside of her lip lightly. “I mean, I won’t stop you going if you want, but – you can’t leave your – Doppelganger…” Actually, he could and she’d have no problem with it; Doppelganger seemed just as sweet as Mimic, after all, but that wasn’t her point; surely he wanted his Salamandyr and as far as she could tell, the pair was having far too much fun to be interrupted. “I don’t – if it makes you feel better, I’m probably worse a conversationalist than you are…” Friends, she was okay with – happy with. People she didn’t know well…? She wasn’t.

Kierjaarth, would you like to join me by the river? Jingth inquired pleasantly of the bronze, bespeaking him for the first time. She was sprawled out idly, though one wing had been draped over her head in a vague attempt to block out the obscene bounciness radiating from a certain mindmate that belonged to Hers. I expect it’s only right since Ours are speaking, is it not? And I would very much like a distraction from the little slave. He is far too bouncy.

[Lotty]

Whheeeeeee! Getting pinned down by the other squiggly little mandyr wasn't a bad thing. It was fun! And Mimic's licks might have been sticky and wet (ew), but it confirmed his yummy-factor and that was what was important. Squirming out from under Mimic the salamandyr popped onto all fours and frilled in excitement before it was decided that really they should eat first. It seemed to make sense, if they eat more they will have more energy to frolic with, and Doppelganger would never not take the advice of his eggbrother. Eggbrother is best! Right? The smaller brown gratefully took the morsel and gulped it down without even tasting it. He didn't need to, he knew it was yum, Eggmine yums best. Love love eggmine!

Then he began to shovel more and more into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out. Eat fast! Big bites! Mi'rah caught the sight out of the corner of his eye, somewhat alerted by the mandyr's broadcast. Big bites weren't safe! But he resolved to let it go, Doppelganger was a little boy after all, and this is the kind of shenanigans that little boys got themselves into. The little worm was learning first hand the dangers of eating too fast. Ohh his tummy! Lots of yum yums in belly... He flopped on his back back into more meat...But soooooo yum.

Mi'rah felt thoroughly embarrassed, mostly because Meira was right. He couldn't just leave. Doppelganger was here, and he was eating and playing, and it was just plan selfish to leave the creature here. As safe and sound as he was with Mimic and company, he didn't think the brown would be very receptive of him taking off without him, and he didn't have the heart to listen to the cries. The bronzerider squirmed a bit in his seat, but didn't take off like he suggested to himself earlier, besides, he sensed Kierjaarth stirring in the back of his head. Jingth actually decided to talk to him? Oh no. Please, please, please be nice Kierjaarth. I mean it. Please. Rumble, rumble, I am nice. Just not enthusiastic, but I AM nice. Beside this little slave business is interesting...

Little slave? Mi'rah asked but never got an answer as the bronze slunk off of his ledge and drifted leisurely down to the river so that he could meet with this little queenling that had requested his company. It was so sweet to be asked as opposed to ordered, but he would feel obliged to go all the same. Well I hope that I make for a good distraction from your...little slave? I believe mine calls his a "pet"....he's funny. In his usual manner he stretched and laid down in one feline like maneuver before crossing his forelegs in a very prim and proper way. He was a northern dragon, he had to be the epitome of polite.

"Growing? Oh yes, she only just hatched didn't she?" Mi'rah had arrived only but a month ago, and therefore the news of a third gold at Selenitas had come to him at Benden though the grapevine. He was probably the last man there to get any good gossip on top of that, so he really had not a clue that Meira was picked out of the stands or that she had a wher before or that she was pregnant when she impressed (though if it occurred to him, he probably could have done the math and figured that one out). No, she was rather unknown to him, but at least they had the common thread of dragons to talk about, "I remember when I Impressed. It was so long ago," a wistful smile, "Makes me sound old doesn't that? I hope you don't think so, I'm at least younger than S'rei."

"Meira, I think we might be competing for the title of Worst Conversationalist. I just raised your 'umms' with my old crotchety man story," he tried to tease and be funny, he really did, but he wasn't always very confident in what came out of his mouth. He hung his head a bit, blue eyes drifting off to the side and hoping sincerely that he wasn't just making a big buffoon out of himself.

[Avu]

It was probably a very good thing that having a mouthful of food didn’t stop mind-speech, or else Mimic would likely have choked – after all, it was so terribly had to choose which was more important between eating and talking to his beloved eggbrother. As it was…Mimic positively purred in delight when his brother took the piece of meat he’d offered, before he snatched up another bite for himself and literally crammed it down his throat, chewing as fast as he could. Faranth forbid he bite his tongue. Another went down in the same way. And another, and another, and another. The Drudge had not been afraid of making the pieces small when Meira had requested ‘Salamandyr-sized’ bites (probably because she didn’t want the goldrider and thus the Salamandyr to come back with a complaint, but that didn’t register upon Mimic was being an insult – surely it was just because she was so nice and wanted it to be perfect for him and Doppelganger!). Chewing and swallowing took most of his concentration for the moment, though halfway threw swallowing, the brown took it upon himself to urge, Fast faster fastest~

As Doppelganger flopped over backwards, Mimic scurried over to his brother’s side and leaned down to nose him curiously, before he snatched up another piece of meat and took one more delicate bite off of it before he slipped through his paws and he literally flopped onto Doppelganger, curling his tail around his brother’s adoringly, though he had the foresight not to flop onto Doppelganger’s stomach and landed across his chest instead before lifting his head to nuzzle his brother’s neck pleasantly. So much yum, he mumbled delightedly. By now he could brush the bottom of the bowl with his feet, and the bowl seemed suddenly much taller. So much. Play now? Mimic made no move to get up and pounce his brother, though, content to snuggle into the other brown with a little chrrkk sound before he closed his eyes. So yummy, but now he was so sleepy…

Ah, Kierjaarth. Jingth opened one eye as the bronze wings announced his arrival, and deigned to life her head and roll onto her stomach before flipping her wings back pleasantly. How odd, to have a bronze for company and not dislike it straight away, she noted absently – normally she was in the company of browns. The only bronze she really had any interaction with was Weith and Jingth didn’t think she detested anyone more than he. His neat, prim posture earned a low flash of amusement to enter the young gold’s eyes before she crooned. Very, very polite, Jingth was – before she sprawled out again. Just because her speech was polite, pleasant, did not mean her posture had to be anything short of utterly inelegant, did it? Who is the funny one, Yours or the slavetwin? she inquired curiously, before she added, MyLove calls the slave a pet, too, but he does what I say, so he’s my slave. Because, yes – that was impeccable logic.

The only response to the bronzerider’s question was a hesitant smile and nod; Jingth was approaching six-and-a-half months, and Riaren was almost three. Speaking of the baby, she felt so much better with him curled in her lap. He was a major comfort factor; Meira couldn’t remember not being able to pick him up and see that smile and feel that everything was good. Still, the comment about Mi’rah’s Impression drew a quick, more heartfelt, smile from the goldrider and she turned to glance curiously at him, but he didn’t go on. Maybe he thought it would be rude to go off about his Impression? But she was interested; Impressions had always interested her, be it something simple or more…complicated, like her own. Her head tilted slightly before she replied, a slightly wry note entering her voice, “I’m afraid I’m not familiar with how old the Weyrleader is…so, no, I don’t.” She didn’t tend to think of any of the dragonriders as ‘old’, truth be told; they were generally fit enough to pass for Turns younger than they were.

She shifted slightly, and Riaren curled one hand around her sleeve, his eyes still fixed curiously upon Mi’rah, before the baby shifted, reaching his hand out for Mi’rah shamelessly and pursing his lips into an ‘O’ shape. The look of completely comfort and trust on the baby’s face drew a very real smile to his mother’s face and Meira brushed her fingertips over the hand that was still clasping her sleeve gently. “I don’t think that counts as an ‘old crotchety man’ story,” she replied in slight amusement. “I wouldn’t mind hearing it, you know…” She hesitated, and then added, “It’d probably be more interesting than mine; I was half-asleep at the time.” She hadn’t even seen Jingth heading up the stairs, truth be told; all she honestly remembered was the confusion (and the fact that the gold had taken it upon herself to claim both R’wign and M’ta by sprawling over the former’s lap and requesting the latter find her food). ‘One minute I was almost asleep and the next I had a gold dragon sitting on one of my friends’ did not make for one of those heart-warming, touching Impression stories. It just didn’t.

[Lotty]

Play sleepy time.... If there was a way to make slumber into a game Doppelganger would find it, yes he would. With his brother on top of him and egging him on to romp around, it was hard not to spring into action, but ohhh wow, he was full. He wasn't even sure he could move now, besides, this was very comfortable, Eggmine very snugly. Love snuggles! It was true. Usually he snuggled against Mi'rah, carefully burrowing in a little spot next to his neck - he was the snugliest of them all - but Eggmine was awfully close. Really close. Maybe even a tie! He wouldn't tell though, no way, he wouldn't hurt anyones feelings and then nobody could be sad. He was a considerate one indeed.

A little nap for the boys would be good, right there in the safety of the big bowl and under the watchful eye of all their favorite peoples. If he just shut his eyes....the mandyr opened his mouth wide in a great yawn before his thoughts drifted off to the typical fair: pretty shinies to collect, and fields of flowers to gather. Flowers were best. He'd find one for MimicHis for sure. Before he knew it, he was a sleeping little worm and his breathing was a shallow and rhythmic in and out.

Both. It was a simple answer...as if it should have been clear and apparent. All those that weren't dragons were a tad silly at least, and even then a lot of other dragons were a little off too. Kierjaarth only associated with the very best, exceptions were always made because they had to be, but for the most part he had little tolerance for the mindless squabblings of those silly little dragonish things. Whatever possessed Mi'rah to get one was beyond him. It must have been the influence of that silly mindhealer girl he was talking to. If you asked the bronze, the people here ran the risk of talking his rider to stupidity. He could have snorted in disdain, but it wasn't a very good idea around Jingth. He didn't want her thinking that he was being so abrasive to her, there was no reason to be - yet. He didn't have the best track record on social interactions...but his rider did plead for him to be nice. The slavetwin is always talking...and Mine actually listens to it. Both silly.

Mi'rah wasn't totally oblivious to the little baby Riaren...he was just mostly overlooked simply because the rider wasn't quite sure what to do with infants. A common trait amongst men, and especially men of his upbringing. Why would he ever deal with newborns? He was clumsy and stupid and very likely a child would spontaneously combust if he were to try and hold one. This distance was safe, he could smile and wave and slyly make faces back from the comfort of the chair and Riaren would be all the better for it. Back to business for a moment, he took his attentions off of the green eyed boy to carry on with the rather textbook typical tale of his own Impression, "I was fifteen? Or sixteen...sixteen I think, it was right after my name day..." as he thought about it he ran his hand down the side of his face to his neck, remembering how old narrow in the face he looked then and he was in the middle of another one of his growth spurts. He was such a mess at that age, "by then I had stood a couple of times there at Benden, but I was still hoping that I would get my bronze dragon and be the best dragonrider on Pern."

"I got half my wish I think. So thats fair enough," he said lightly. Nobody could be the best, and even if he didn't consider himself very good, he felt rather blessed to have Kierjaarth at all, "And so even though I was trembling and fell backwards I still Impressed to one of the two bronzes in that clutch. The first of the two that hatched actually..." he liked to add that part to throw off suspicions that he was picked as a last resort, "And then a few turns later the war started and all my fun got to end..." he looked at Meira suspiciously, he found it very hard to believe that she could have been sleepy at a hatching, "Now I'm sure that you have a story probably a bit more exciting than that."

[Avu]

Play or sleep, play or sleep…hmm, hmm. Must it be so difficult to decide?! Mimic squirmed slightly before offering his eggbrother a low humming croon. Love, he murmured quietly, very seriously; there was a level of adoration in his voice that almost rivaled his affection for His – there was no denying that he’d adored Doppelganger from the second they’d split shell together, and he was so, so happy as he was right now, draped over Doppelganger with LoveHis right there and the babylove there too. Would’ve been better, he ruminated absently, had the goldthing been there, but she couldn’t fit. Such a pity, that was…such a pity. His eyes flickered, before Mimic turned his head, moving it up Doppelganger’s shoulder…only to find his eggbrother fast asleep. Well! He blinked, not twice but thrice, before he licked his brother’s shoulder. Very, very gentle, that touch was, a sign of affection, before he carefully maneuvered himself to rest his head against Doppelganger’s neck with another low brrrt purring sound before he closed his eyes, too, and curled his tail around both himself and his smaller brother.

So yummy. So snuggly. So much love.

For a moment he fought the sleepiness, clinging to the thought of playing, but in the end, Mimic was tired. So sleepy…and so he allowed the contented warmth to wash over himself, frill drooping in unconsciousness before he moved even closer to Doppelganger. Even in his sleep, he liked to be right next to eggbrotherHis, he did. Yum sleep…love you. It was hard to tell if those four words were semi-conscious or completely unconscious, but it didn’t much matter, as it was a private message to His. It would have included Doppelganger, but his brother was so clearly asleep and Mimic hadn’t the heart to wake him up, even to tell him he was yummy and that he loved him.

Amusement washed over Jingth’s eyes before the gold flipped her wings back, away from her head, and stretched sinuously, watching Kierjaarth with a detached kind of curiosity. It always amused her that some dragons considered Theirs to be ‘silly’, but she knew they did. But Hers wasn’t; LoveHers was perfect. The best: There was no better than LoveHers. It was not surprising that The First had seen it. (The First was the way Jingth often thought of Meisk; she didn’t like to acknowledge he had ever existed, but she knew on a purely intellectual level that he had, more was the pity.) I see. The little slave is asleep now. I shan’t keep you any longer if you do not wish to stay, but you /are/ welcome to. Both eyes half-closed calmly before the young queen crooned politely; he was free to leave if he wished to. Jingth knew that not every male was willing to keep her company – those dragons she knew would keep her company were the ones that she had claimed. Kierjaarth had not been claimed…not yet. If he did choose to go, she could always find Shith; the blue seemed to like her, even if he was too small. Poor darling.

A slight frown tugged at Riaren’s mouth. No matter how long he reached, the bronzerider didn’t get any closer. How odd; normally things just…came to him. (That his usual company tended to indulge him by moving closer did not register upon the baby.) His hand returned to clasp Meira’s sleeve, and he blinked curiously at Mi’rah before turning to look up at his mother. She was looking at him too, so he supposed that must mean he had to. Dutifully glancing back at Mi’rah, the baby amused himself by trying to copy the way that the bronzerider’s mouth moved, though no sound emerged from his own.

Meira didn’t notice Riaren’s or Mimic’s antics for once; her gaze was focused on Mi’rah. Impression was…very personal. She knew people liked to talk about it, but the words that Jingth had spoken were never going to be told, as far as she was concerned; they were private. A half-smile curled her lip upwards at Mi’rah’s conclusion. War ending all the fun. Nice way to put it. But…a slightly wry look crossed her face, and she looked down at Riaren, but the baby had already stopped mimicking Mi’rah. “It was a lot more…um, dramatic?” she offered, crinkling her nose. “I wasn’t – I wasn’t actually supposed to be a Candidate; I was kind of – pregnant with Riaren then.” She flushed slightly before looking down at the baby again affectionately. “And I mean, I was almost asleep; the Hatching was in the middle of the night. Jingth came up the steps and…sat on R'wign. I didn’t really see much of the Hatching or anything…”

Meisk was left out of it. The memory of the blue was as strong as ever, but the hurt that accompanied it was fading over time: Jingth and Riaren had stifled it slightly, but Mimic had been that last little bit needed. It still made her feel incredibly guilty to think she loved the three of them so much, when she knew she hadn’t loved Meisk so much, though – it was a slight note of respect that she didn’t mention the wher. She knew how terribly shy he was; he wouldn’t have liked being mentioned…

[Lotty]

But why ever would I leave my dear Jingth? Little did the young gold realize that she was stuck with him now. He never just dropped by for appearances, he was here for the long haul because to get up and go back to his ledge? Ugh, so much work. Work was for his rider to do, and Kierjaarth prided himself on being the opposite of his rider in most ways. He swished his tail demurely around, curling and uncurling the forked end in slithering movements. It said a lot about him, that he was secure in his place and that he had no intentions of leaving - that is as long as the gold was being truthful. He would hate to think that her words were nothing more than diplomacy and niceness to cover for the fact that she actually wanted him out of her sights. No, he was assuming the best...mostly because the best didn't require him to have to get up, the idea of being claimed wasn't even in his mind's eye.

Mi'rah took some kind of solace in the fact that Doppelganger was asleep...and curled up to his brother no less. How cute, he wished he could say that he shared a similar relationship with his own brother, but the older sibling was mostly memories, good ones like pulling pranks and bad ones like receiving noogies, but still all memories. It was safe to say that he hadn't seen any of his kin in a long time...but that was another subject since he did have the sweet little salamandyr now, and he was definitely a part of his constructed family, much to Kierjaarth's chagrin.

With the brown quiet, he found himself a little more intent on listening to the girl, although still a bit distracted by Riaren. What? He couldn't help it, the little boy was cute and he had been reaching out to him for a little bit; the action now replaced by mimicry, but without sound Mi'rah couldn't connect with the motions as being an infant's copy of his own. No, instead it was another funny little baby quirk, and it was delightful, but that was it. He looked up to match eyes with Meira as he was taught that looking anywhere else was short of polite and it was eye contact that denoted listening. He might disagree with this little norm, but his adherence to it seemed to work out. As she mentioned her pregnancy and how it seemed to fall inconveniently at the same time as her Impression he couldn't help but notice a tinge of rose to her cheeks. Was she embarrassed about this? Or was it something else? Well it didn't matter, blushing was contagious for the bronze rider and surely his face received the same tinge of color accompanied by his suppressed smile; the corners of his lips curling up in almost a cat like manner.

Sat on R'wign huh? He didn't know the man, but the image was humorous enough, and it took everything in him not to outright laugh at it all, instead softly commenting, "That's a lovely story Meira, I think it says a lot about you..." what it said exactly he didn't bother to mention. It was obvious that she was humble despite the great honor it must be to be picked by a gold out of the stands and pregnant at that. For as exceedingly practical as he sometimes was, he did hold something of a secret admiration for sentimental moments - living again outside of Benden helped to unveil this part of him that he had so carefully hidden - and in their sharing of stories he felt...well he felt like he might of made a friend, and those were hard to come by. He mentally thanked Doppelganger.

[Avu]

Oh, so he wasn’t going to leave? Jingth opened one eye fully to regard Kierjaarth with slight amusement; her eyes acquired a slightly more rapid whirl of blue before fading back to the original slow, steady greens. I don’t see why you would either, but bronzes tend to be /so/ busy, she replied slyly, before she flicked her tail playfully. It could be construed by the meticulous to be insulting, but hey – as far as Jingth was concerned, she was well within her rights to test Kierjaarth. She didn’t want a bronze around if he was too arrogant and snappy to mesh well with her. Those bronzes could go be best friends with Weith and leave her alone. No; she was the most beautiful, better than even her mother or Millieth, and she did not deign to share her glory with a male who did not appreciate it. Her tail curled around her haunches before she unfolded one wing and actively flopped onto her side, rubbing her head absently against the rough, warm ground. Mm, so warm. So nice. Then – quite randomly, it likely would sound – the gold added, Checkoth’s does /not/ make a very good couch… The words made perfect sense with what Hers was thinking of, after all.

Riaren tilted his head up and smiled, a small, almost secretive expression that gave the baby a look that was decidedly curious. The expression was not one commonly found on one as young as he, and yet the pleased look in those dark green eyes set it off perfectly. The attention he was receiving was not a large amount, and it wasn’t the attention that counted with him, when all was said and done. He liked it, sure, especially when it came from his father or mother, but he liked very much to just watch, too. Both hands wadded up Meira’s sleeve, the baby curling up slightly and tucking his head against his mother’s stomach. A second later, the smile widened slightly and he loosed one hand from the goldrider’s sleeve to extend it towards Mi’rah again, this time angled towards the bronzerider’s face. He was turning funny colors, see? Like a dragon’s eyes did, only not swirly. How funny…he wanted to touch.

His hand was claimed by Meira’s this time, though, the goldrider looking down to hide the deepening flush since she’d caught the one on Mi’rah’s face. Her fingers curled around the baby’s hand, earning her a surprised, open-mouthed look from the baby before he obediently retracted his fingers again. Silently, Meira brushed her lips against the baby’s head, feeling the ridiculous need to apologize to Mi’rah for…saying whatever had embarrassed him. Was it about the pregnancy…? But she’d assumed that was taken for granted, given that Riaren was right there; he took after his father more than he did her, but the slight feminine twist to his features was undeniable even so young. The bronzerider’s words, though, drew a startled glance from the goldrider before she half-smiled, puzzled though she was. It was quite a cryptic statement, was it not…?

“Mind telling me if that’s a compliment or an insult?” she inquired softly, a slightly playful note in her voice – an attempt to hide the blush. It had faded, but the memory was still quite real. One hand rose, the other wrapping more securely around Riaren automatically, to gently pull the bowl of meat and the two sleeping Salamandyrs closer to peer into it curiously, before she added, “Think you can disentangle them without waking them up…?” Her shift at the Infirmary wasn’t too terribly long from starting; she was loathe to leave Mimic there alone – or at least, as alone as he could be with Doppelganger and Mi’rah and Kierjaarth – at least until he was full-grown. But neither had she the heart to actively try to wake him, either.

[Lotty]

I do believe that bronzes are supposed to be giving their time to their queens...I wonder what kind of bronzes you've been hanging around...He flicked his tail with more of a snap this time, as if he flippantly shooed off the thought of other bronzes before the limb returned to swishing about in it's former cadence. He began to close his eyes in the hopes of drifting off into a semi conscious, half sleep when the gold said something so out of the blue that he had to give her a good hard look again. He was talking to the same weyrling he was before was he not? Facial expressions, if he had them, would spell out befuddlement perfectly, but he was severely lacking. A shame too, because from all these turns with Mi'rah he knew exactly how to look as baffled as possible, I'm assuming that a human wouldn't be too good of a couch... This rang true for most people though, dragonriders all tended to be so boney, stringy, rough. He remembered using His as a pillow though, he was just right. Mine though, you should try using him, but don't squish....he'll whine. No, he wasn't concerned about His being broken in the experiment, just dealing with the rider when he inevitably would complain.

The baby is reaching for me again... he noted quietly and with no response from his preoccupied dragon. He wasn't sure what the little Riaren could want from him, but he assumed that like all kids he wanted what he couldn't have or even more likely that it was some infantile motion, a general flailing that they always did. He was shaken out of his baby musings by one little question though, and his jaw went slack as soundless words spilled out, a breath later and he tried again.

"It's a compliment for sure," Mi'rah offered. He wasn't sure why or how it would be taken any other way, he certainly wasn't one to insult someone to their face, but with that joking nature so subtly sneaking into her voice he suspected that the question wasn't as half as serious as he thought it was. His face twisted into another one of those worried cat grins, though he did have the great fortune of not blushing Oh humility. Look at the ceiling, look at the ceiling, look at the ceiling... His mantra for uneasy social interactions. After his little moment he was able to look back down again and attend to the question at hand. Oh the mandyrs, of course.

He un-crossed his legs to lean forward and take the bowl, "Oh..sure, I must be keeping you...I'll try my best.." he couldn't imagine being able to pull this off. With the bowl in his lap he examined it for a moment like it was a riddle before reaching in and trying to pull away Doppelganger first, but his failing dexterity and general clumsiness had him shaking - just enough to send a shudder through the little brown and waking him up. Turns out this task was nothing like the number games and puzzle piece sets he was good at. Rahrahmine wake me up? Morning? Morninggggggg love youuuuuu! Such a blessing that he wasn't even bothered by being awoken...

[Avu]

It was tempting to inform Kierjaarth just what her opinion was on the one bronze she did have frequent association with was, but in the end, Jingth didn’t; while it was tempting to try to turn all of Selenitas against Weith, he wasn’t worth it in the end, and she’d have to establish a firmer relationship with the other bronzes before she attempted to do so, yes? Kierjaarth was nice company enough, but he wasn’t claimed yet. She would wait until after she had claimed him. Her tail flipped slightly – almost a mimic of his own dismissive gesture when it came to the other bronzes, and she commented offhandedly, Oh, I expect they’re nice enough, but none have caught my attention enough for me to actually want their company. Flatter, flatter; she had actively requested his company, after all. Her head tilted, eyes half-closing in amusement at Kierjaarth’s reaction to her comment, and she stretched slightly, lazily, before she crooned. Such a nice offer. That /is/ tempting, she said pleasantly, And should I try it, I’ll make sure I won’t squash him. Squashed humans make even poorer couches than the un-squashed ones, do they not? So upsetting.

Not that she’d actually squashed a human. Yet.

The bronzerider’s reaction to the softly teasing question made Meira blink twice in confusion before she bit at her lip apologetically. She hadn’t meant for it to be taken seriously; her head bowed slightly before she murmured an automatic “thanks” to his response, looking down at Riaren, who met her gaze solemnly; only his being there made her resist the urge to actively squirm in upset. If Mi’rah had been looking at her, likely her embarrassment would have been quite obvious, but fortunately – or unfortunately – the bronzerider was occupied in examining the ceiling. It usually wouldn’t upset her quite so much that someone she barely knew was uncomfortable, but the level of affection that Mimic felt for Doppelganger leaked quite badly over into her – it was hard for her to stifle Jingth’s emotions, too; the Salamandyr was no exception. She’d been much jumpier when she’d Impressed Meisk, too; that she had made Mi’rah uncomfortable stung.

“You’re not – keeping me…” The words were soft to the point of almost inaudible, pale gray eyes flicking upwards distractedly to the bronzerider as she allowed Riaren to cling tightly to one of her fingers. “I don’t have anywhere to go or anything; I just thought – I mean, I figured you’d be busy…” Though that he wanted to leave. Still, she half-squirmed, hugging Riaren a little tighter. The baby seemed content with being squeezed, fortunately, and Meira did draw comfort from the baby’s proximity. “I didn’t mean I wanted you to go or anything,” she added, even more quietly, before she looked down at Mimic and Doppelganger. The first brown’s awakening meant, of course, that his twin would wake as well, and Mimic did, squeaking quietly. Not an agitated sound, nor one of protest; the mind that pressed against hers was decidedly content, sleepy, a very pleased kind of half-consciousness.

Love you? he inquired sleepily of Doppelganger, trying to snuggle closer to his brother. Love fixermine, love notfixerYours. Babylove goldthing bronzewing too. He loved them aaaaaallllll, he did. And such a good mood, he was in~ The Salamandyr squirmed, flipped one eye open, and studied Mi’rah solemnly before he uttered another low squeaking chirp, and then teetered off of Doppelganger and flopped right back down again, sending a few meat pieces flying as he curled up tightly against Doppelganger, tail winding around his brother’s. He didn’t waaaant him to go. Such a comfy pillow his brother made, and he love love loved the company, he did…Love stay brotherlove pleeaaase? The words were directed at Mi’rah, the hopeful note undeniable. Because nobody could deny them, surely?