Honey I'm home (Darmori)

[Kisha-Ra]

You cannot seriously be about to go out and look for one small salamandyr in the whole of this Weyr. In the dark.[/color] Azrath didn’t stir as he made this comment, although Darya was on her way down to the canyon floor to look for the missing bronze salamandyr. I cannot believe you think you’re going to find him.[/color] The blue added in a not so delicate hint for his rider to get back inside and just leave Imp to his own entertainments.

I wasn’t planning to scour the canyon Azrath. I was just planning to walk straight to the wherhandler apartments and collect him from where he is undoubtedly annoying Harmony’s bonded, whatever he’s called. Darya replied, striding in the appropriate direction. As if she’d even be able to find Imp out here in the dark. No, far easier to go and collect Imp from –the wherhandler’s name really did elude her- and just risk the wrath of the salamandyr queen who was enough like a firelizard to satisfy her strange bronzeling.

It was a double edged sword, the bluerider reflected as she walked towards the waterfall. On one hand she wasn’t constantly embarrassing herself because Imp had taken it into his head to chase some Rising firelizard, on the other she was constantly having to get him back from someone she barely knew, and to be honest suffered from rather confused feeling regarding, as Imp’s feelings towards Harmony did have some influence on her.

Meanwhile, stalking and slinking, the pinnacle of stealth in a night full of stealthily beasts Imp darted from shadow to shadow in the dimly lit corridors of the wher quarters. So intent was the bronze on avoiding capture that he didn’t bother to warn his mate he was on the way. Only ran, hid, and when he reached the right door slid beneath it.

Hihi Harmony! Home is I. Come see bestgoldlove. The bronze announced, looking around the room expectanly.

[Rei]

Darmori was lounging on his bed humming to himself as he dressed. One article of clothing at a time. Darmosk was impatient, the brown kept pacing the room making low grunts and pawing occasionally at the door. Night had fallen long ago and his had slept in longer than was strictly necessary. Could they please go now? “In a minute can’t you see I’m half naked?” The blonde replied slightly irritated where he lounged on his bed with only a pair of pants and one sock on. The brown where was not amused at the least. His sister had exited into the night long ago. With a loud whine he flopped right beside the door his gaze fixed on his handler. Hurry up!

Harmony was perched on the bed post as per her norm. Meticulously the gold was grooming herself. Had to look her best to greet the night after all. How could she rule properly if she didn’t look the part? Head tilting at Darmosk she hissed softly to shush him the sound dieing away to be replaced with the broadcast of another. The large gold reacted immediately her overlarge wings flaring outwards in excitement as her eyes colored with bright blues. Implove! The gold called sweetly with a coo. With little regard for hers the mandyr flung herself off the bedpost to land with a ungraceful flop onto hers. Rolling off Darmori she leapt off the bed to haphazardly glide to her bronze mate. Harmony careened into Imp with all the grace of a bull in a china shop.

The two mandyrs went rolling across the floor briefly Darmosk barking once at them in confusion and welcome to Imp. As they slowed to a stop Harmony nuzzled the bronze beneath her and licked his frill affectionately. Missed you. Darmori sat up in bed and watched the two mandyrs for a moment a grin flashing across his features. “Hey there Imp. Been a little bit.” Okay so maybe closer to like a few days but the way Harmony was acting you’d think they’d been apart for weeks. Running a hand through his close cropped hair the handler hazarded a glance at the door. “You come alone?”

[Kisha-Ra]

Imp trilled happily and flirted his frill up and down, delighted to see his mate, even if she was on a direct collision course with him. Wasn’t she just lovely? Strong too, the bronze noted as he rolled across the floor and ended up pinned under Harmony. Have missed Harmony. Love much. The bronze informed his mate seriously, gazing up at her adoringly. If Imp was at all given to introspection he might have wondered how he’d ever thought he wanted firelizards, but since he wasn’t the pinned bronze flicked out his tongue to swipe across his gold’s muzzle, then bent his head around to regard Darmori, or at least Darmori’s foot, with a solemn gaze. I come now, Dar follow. Not sneak enough. She find, she catch. Hide, maybe not find. You save I, stay here with Harmonylove, yes? Imp gave the foot he could see an appealing look. Darmori had to save him so he could stay with Harmony, Darya would only go to bed when she couldn’t find him.

Sadly for the salamandyr romance Darya knew exactly where to find her pet now, and today the dimly lit corridors of the wherhandler’s apartments posed no obstacle to her, since she’d just come in from a darker night rather than a bright day, and she could make as much noise as she liked without worrying about waking everyone up. Shame stamping was so babyish really because she really would have liked to indulge herself in some.

Refraining from hammering on the door, or just kicking it, to vent her frustration, Darya tapped twice on the offending door instead. ‘Can I have my salamandyr back please?’ She called, leaning on the doorframe idly while she waited for an answer.

Alarmed Imp wriggle out from under Harmony and scuttled under the bed as if that was an ultimate place of concealment. Is Dar! Hide Now! Quick! The bronze instructed, apparently quite unaware that his urgent broadcast had also reached Darya, who was now quietly chuckling to herself outside the door.

[Rei]

Harmony was beyond happy with the attention she was getting form Imp. Sprawled on top of him as she was she was to very content and it showed in the brilliant blue color of her eyes. With a return croon she nuzzled his frill. Implove stay yes. Dar no take. Is Harmony’s. That apparently cleared the whole thing up and she frilled out the spines ringing her head in place of a frill for emphasis. Her bronze. “Yeah Harmony it really doesn’t work like that.” Darmori said and made a face. The possessive feelings rolling off his mandyr had him feeling….strange.

Squatting so he was more on mandyr level the handler tilted his head and regarded the bronze pinned beneath his large gold. “Save you?” The teen chuckled. Really he would run from Darya to. Maybe. That was hard to say. “I don’t mind you staying.” The blonde said with a nod. What harm could come in indulging the little pets a little? Obviously he humored them a little too much at times. Just ask his roommate. “Sure I’ll save you.” The massive feeling of approval emanating from Harmony made him smile. Leaning down Darmori stage whispered to the mandyr pair. “Where should we hide you?”

Before either of the pair could answer however Darmosk lifted his head from the ground and gave a soft grumble brushing against Darmori’s mind. Imp’s comes. In the hallway and close. If his was really going to hide the mandyr he better do it quickly. Yawning the bronze snorted. He wanted out and this wasn’t out. However he would make due with playing with visitors if he had to. Darya’s voice in fact had the large male’s tail thumping happily against the ground like an overgrown puppy. Wincing Darmori wracked his brain for a response just as Harmony hissed her displeasure and Imp wiggled out from under the gold to jet under the bed. Okay that was hiding he supposed. Idly he looked at the door. “Just a minute!” The handler called before turning towards Harmony and sighing.

The large gold had her frill spines totally extended and was hissing her ire for the world to know. My Implove. She broadcasted angrily to the entire room. Really it was kind of comical, reminded Darmori of some large fisherman’s wife. All she needed was a mini rolling pin. The teen was careful to keep that thought away from his gold. No need to make it worse. With a final hiss at the door Harmony obediently waddled across the floor as fast as she could go and slipped under the bed as well. Once there she nuzzled her bronze mate and extended one wing to cover him. Shhhhh Dar no find here. She said privately to Imp before dipping her head under her wing to nuzzle him affectionately. Missed you muchly. No take. The words where fierce and final. She didn’t see her bronze often and he had just gotten here. No way he was leaving now.

Making his way to the door Darmori opened it and gave Darya a sheepish look. “Your mandyr? I’m not quite sure where he has bounded off to.” Rubbing the back of his neck he was saved from having to further embarrass himself by Darmosk. Apparently the bronze decided he would embarrass Darmori himself. The large male bulldozed his way between the pair to happily butt his head into Darya’s stomach. Pet him pleeeeeeeease?

[Kisha-Ra]

Imp made a quiet chirping sound as Harmony followed him at her more sedate pace. So kind of Harmony and hers to hide him. Yes. Hidden. The bronze agreed as Harmony’s broad, long wing extended over him. Fearsome Harmony is, Dar no steal away I from goldlove. Clearly his mate was the best protector ever, and no one, not even Darya would think to look for Imp behind her wing. The bronze pressed his body both low to the ground and close to his mate’s side as he lowered his head a little to observe the goings on at the door.

Darya gave Darmori a rather more frank look over than she normally would have bothered with upon finding a half naked, but rather young, man opening the door. It just happened that that was the exact moment her salamandyr was snuggling close to his mate and projecting feelings of utter adoration at the gold, and Imp’s feelings towards Harmony tended to bias Darya’s feeling towards the gold’s bonded unless she was specifically concentrating on blocking Imp out.

As she was about to comment that she knew her salamandyr was in here somewhere, Darya was distracted by a large head, nowhere near as big as Azrath’s but far bigger than that of a similarly friendly canine, being shoved at her by the bronze wher who occupied the room. Instantly the cold blue eyes softened with amusement, Darya liked to think her affection for the smaller cousins of dragons was well concealed, but it tended to show through more than she’d like, and apparently it extended to large friendly whers as well as firelizards and salamandyrs.

Without hesitation the bluerider lifted both hands and used them to scratch, fairly hard, at the wher’s tough hide. Okay he was no raving beauty compared to a dragon but Darmosk hardly seemed as ugly as most people seemed to think whers were. Maybe wild whers were uglier.

Safely beneath Harmony’s wing Imp tensed as he saw the dual toed paws approach Darya, and made sure to listen hard for her thoughts. At least he’d be able to warn Darmosk if anything bad was about to happen to him (the thought that Darya couldn’t really do much to the wher didn’t occur to Imp, she was huge, and she could make Azrath do things even though Azrath was giant.). However the larger bronze recived only tolerant affection from Darya. Maybe she wasn’t as angry as Imp thought she would be. Perhaps it was safe to come out after all. She was normally nicer when she met someone she liked… The salamandyr cautiously poked the very tip of his muzzle out from under Harmony’s wing.

‘Stop holding out on me. I know Imp’s in here somewhere. Firstly I heard him while I was outside the door, and secondly, every time he gats away from me now he runs straight for here. It would be cute if it wasn’t so annoying.’ Once she had her eyes on the wher’s head it was easier for Darya to speak to the handler, and she was convinced he knew where Imp was really, mostly because she’d just heard the bronze telling everyone to hide from her.

[Rei]

Harmony gave a soft chirp to Imp and flopped down beside her mate lifting her wing just a tad so the bronze could look over the scene. Frill spikes flicking in and out the large gold reserved judgment on Darya for now instead speaking softly and affectionately to Imp. No take. I say stay. This was final obviously. For she was the queen. Largest mandyr in the weyr and obviously the most intelligent although she would never say that to anyone’s face. She was far too polite. Ruled her midnight kingdom with a soft but firm hand did the chubby gold. The only mar to her kingdom came in the form of Dementia but Harmony preferred to pretend her dam didn’t exist half the time. Her mother was horribly mean. Besides. She had Imp to rule by her side and give her the news of the day lighters. Dementia had no such claim.

Darmori resisted the urge to shuffle awkwardly under Darya’s gaze. Whenever the woman came calling mixed emotions and urges had to be fought down. Like currently he had an almost overwhelming urge to protect the woman. Which was just silly. Protect her from what? Besides the older rider looked like she could very much take care of herself without his help. The handler was extremely grateful for Darmosk’s sudden intrusion. It helped him get his head back on straight. Shards he loved Mony to bits but it was times like these that he wished mandyrs didn’t bond as strongly as they did. At times the large gold even overran Darmosk for Faranth’s sake. It was annoying as well as confusing. Darmori needed to learn to separate and block better obviously. It was a skill he should be working on but at the same time he resisted because having his bonded family so close when he had been previously alone for so long was a comfort.

Darmosk gave a soft croon of obvious enjoyment as Darya began to scratch at his hide. His back leg thumped on the ground as she found a particularly itchy spot and he let his tongue loll out his eyes half lidding in obvious bliss. Oh yes. That was the spot. Right there. What a lovely woman. Right then and there the large bronze decided she was the best dragon rider ever. His long tail whipped through the air before it gently snaked up Darya’s leg, his head rubbing against the point of her hip affectionately. If the older woman thought she was going anywhere she was sadly mistaken. The wher gave a soft wuff to his bonded. This one obviously needed to stay. He should invite her in. Most definitely.

Darmori have an affectionate pat to the wher. “Sheesh. With him as a watch wher I’d never be robbed.” the words where teasing and he gave the board shoulder of the bronze a final pat before giving Darya a pleasant smile never mind the woman wasn’t even looking his way. A awkward chuckle was given. “Yeah Imp definitely needs work in the stealth department. Can’t really blame him though. Harmony starts to miss him when he’s been gone for like more than a day.” The young teen made a face. “I guess Imp’s much the same and yeah he’s here.” However Darmori diplomatically left off the information of just where the mandyr pair where. Instead he rubbed the back of his neck and nudged Darmosk with his foot. “Come on ya big lug. Leave her alone so she can stop hovering in the doorway.”

Grinning up at Darya he gestured towards the room. “Come on in.” Darmosk gave a soft snort and licked Darya’s palm before he to backed back into the room and flopped down in front of the bed. Wher block for the win. Walking over to his bed Darmori shrugged on a shirt before turning back to the bluerider. “If I tell you where they are will you promise to not just take Imp and run?” He ran a hand through his short cropped hair and gave her a crooked smile. “It’d break Mony’s heart.”

[Kisha-Ra]

Darya just concentrated on the crooning wher for the moment, while she tried to get her head back in order and suppress an urge to press herself against the handler’s side and snuggle there. If that didn’t prove Imp was nearby, and with his mate, nothing did Darya thought, somewhat grimly, her eyes still on the bronze wher. If she hadn’t been bonded to Imp for so long, and didn’t know how strongly the little beast was able to project his emotions onto her, she’d probably have bolted out the door screaming for a mindhealer. As it was the effects of Imp’s strong emotions on her directly were disturbing to think about, so in true human style Darya avoided thinking about them.

The wher was a rather charming distraction, and he reminded Darya even more forcefully of a large but friendly canine when his tongue lolled out and his leg started randomly kicking out against the ground. To her bemusement Darya found herself captured by the friendly beast as a long tail, far more prehensile than that of a dragon, snaked around her legs. At Darmori’s comment Darya was able to give an unforced smile. ‘I don’t know.’ The bluerider said, tipping her head to one side. ‘It seems to me he’d make a pretty fine watch wher if he captured all your thieves as well as he’s managed to capture me.’

Darya looked up and shook her head slightly, knowing that Harmony was somewhere nearby made her more cautious than usual about saying what was on her mind, she didn’t want to get Imp shunned by his gold by mentioning that he’d been a great deal more stealthy when he’d been sneaking off to chase firelizards. ‘He normally sneaks better than that.’ She said instead. ‘It’s probably harder for him when I know where he’s going.’ A slight nod. ‘Yes, he misses her. Sometimes it’s touching how much he cares, other times it’s just very irritating.’ The finer emotions in life were one of the many things Darya found she had very little patience for, if another human displayed the amount of devotion to a mate that Imp did she’d have called it sickening.

‘Is it even possible to grab him and run?’ Darya inquired as she moved from one side of the doorway to the other, glancing subtly about for a hint of brindled bronze or yellow gold hide. ‘I believe I’d have to wrestle that little gold of yours into submission first, and probably fight Imp every step of the way while I did that, before I even got the chance to break her heart by taking Imp away from her.’ For some bizarre reason Darya felt a little more comfortable with a flimsy layer of cloth between her vision and Darmori’s bare skin, comfortable enough to be facetious anyway.

Imp stretched himself out as comfortably as possible while remaining hidden under Harmony’s wing, he just knew he’d picked a gold with lovely big wings for a good reason. For a minute the bronze was treated to a view of human feet and wher feet shuffling around. Darmosk’s foot got a strange look as Imp tried to work out why Darya found it so amusing, it looked no different to the rest of the wher’s feet. Eventually he decided it was just because humans were strange.

The salamandyr’s frill rose slightly, brushing against the wing above him as it did so. How could Darya possibly think she could just snatch him away! Now she realised she’d have to deal with his fearsome Harmony first (and yes, he would be obliged to protect her).