Storming The Beaches...Kinda (Open)

[Lotty]

I don't understand this Mi'rah. Why be not be miserable somewhere comfortable and familiar instead of miserable in this strange, inhospitable place?

I wouldn't say they were inhospitable... things had been moving rather smoothly he thought. Especially considering his transfer was a little less than legal...but who would know? He got a good forgery, and there wasn't a suspicion - that he saw - in their eyes when he was dropped into a wing and given safe refuge at the southern weyr. It was almost too easy, he thought, considering he made no secret of where he was from...but perhaps they took comfort in his honesty? It was certainly possible he supposed, but flawed logic on their part. Since when did honesty ever prevent hostile take overs? Oh well, Mi'rah had no desire to deal with power or hold authority, so this time around their judgement call was good.

It's about opportunities Kier. It's something new...we don't have to be miserable here. Won't it be nice to be in a wing again fighting Thread? Doing normal things? Mi'rah was rather excited for the chance to do something other than sitting and plotting and cowering and counting the marks the weyr earned from it's slavery. Now, he wasn't apologizing, but this little fact was not something he was going to bring up, certainly not if he expected to get anything but resistance. He was a total pushover these days, if he could avoid any tension he would.

We? I was perfectly happy at Benden...and why are we here anyway? A swing of his tail and a flick at the sand indicated what he meant. He had already asked why they had come down south and now he needed to know what exactly they were doing out on the coast. It wasn't that exciting in Kierjaarth's opinion, so with a huff he lowered his head again on one of the rocky outcrops lining the seaside. His rider was certainly something else, and he couldn't wait to hear the weak excuses he had for this particular escapade.

I've never been out to sea...well I've seen it. I've never been on the beach. So of course this was some kind of childhood fulfillment, and would explain the long wistful gazes he gave the crashing waves; hands cradling his face, and looking every bit more like an enamored weyrbrat than a thirty four turn old rider. He was tempted even to take off his boots and feel the sand for once beneath his toes, but something about that seemed risky. That felt like something that would be taboo in Benden. Feelings? Emotions? Don't waste your time with petty little things like the ocean. It was actually amazing that he was able to coax himself out to the shoreline at all, justifying the trip by saying to himself time spent in reconnaissance is hardly ever wasted. Funny, it was the same excuse that his late wingleader N'na would say as an excuse to wander off and break rules.

[Rowana]

G'tor loved the sea. Flying was all well and good, but the sea still called to him. He liked to come here as often as he could. Sometimes he came to swim, sometimes to fish, sometimes just to sit and think. Today was a thinking day. The plague and the disappearances weighed heavily on his mind. At least the sickness seemed to be passing at last, but people were still vanishing and he was no closer to finding out why. He felt like he owed to them to try. At least he owed it to T'rid. He sighed.

You are doing it again, Ruskeath accused. He winged closer to the shore so that his tail dragged lazily in the water behind him. G'tor made a face. Was not, he countered. Blaming yourself will change nothing. I know. I just wish I had something to show after all this time. he ran a hand through his hair. Shards it. I still feel like we could just turn a corner and run into them. He knew they wouldn't. Even without a body, he knew they were all dead.

Someone else is here. Ruskeath observed. G'tor glanced down. A bronze and his rider, neither of which he knew. They must be the new pair, he observed. It wasn't like they had many bronzes anymore, he thought sadly. Ruskeath started to land a short distance away. Hey! What are you doing? We should greet them. It is only polite. G'tor grumbled. Normally he liked talking to people, but he hadn't been in the mood lately. Still, Ruskeath wasn't going to take no for an answer.Fair skies, Ruskeath called to the bronze. Does Yours also love the sea?

G'tor slid off his brown's back and trotted over to the other rider. "You must be the new bronze pair," he observed. He recalled they were from somewhere north, but that was all. He hadn't payed much attention. "I'm G'tor, and that's Ruskeath," he held out a hand. Star poke her head out of his shirt before ducking back to hide. Tervain, perched on his shoulder, glared darkly at the stranger and turned up her nose. Sometime G'tor wished his salamandyr and fire lizard were more friendly. At least it would be nice if they didn't bite.

[Lotty]

Ugh...company... and with that private note, Mi'rah's eyes went to the sky, automatically assuming it was another rider. Be nice please? Most didn't approach bronzes and their riders from the ground, this was Selenitas though...they did put buildings in the trees. Nothing really made sense here, it was like a place from childhood stories, but maybe that was a good thing? He doubted Benden would ever mount a force against the southerners again, that being said, it wouldn't stop either of the two other weyrs, but what would another few attacks be after living at war since his mid-teens? Eh, nevermind those thoughts, it wasn't good to dwell to much.

Meanwhile, Kierjaarth did his very best to be a good little bronze and replied, though a little blandly, with Well, apparently so since he is wasting his time here... It was clear enough that the dragon wasn't so taken with the atmosphere, he would really do better back on his ledge, but now that he was here he had to deal, so he went ahead and dove into conversation, He has never been to the sea before...he doesn't get out much... In a weird way the dragon just called his rider a loser, not that Mi'rah would take too much offense. He was very hard to offend anyway.

As the brownrider approached, he rose to his feet and wiped his hands off onto his pants and brought them together to wring them once to settle his nerves. As friendly as this man was being, and despite the fact that a bronzerider shouldn't cower to anyone, Mi'rah would always have a certain apprehension and so there was a slight quiver when he reached out a hand to meet in a shake, "Yes I am. Nice to meet you G'tor," he looked over at his dragon before meeting eyes again with the other rider, "I'm Mi'rah and thats Kierjaarth. It's a mouthful I know..."

It was then he noticed the firelizard. He knew what those were, but he hardly saw them as pets, and he never had one glare at him like that. Here though it seemed like everyone had one, they were quite the novelty, but what in the shards was that? His face sunk into confusion as he saw the white little head pop out of his shirt, but he was too afraid to outright ask and left the subject alone.

[Rowana]

Ruskeath was slightly taken aback by Kierjaarth's tone. Still, he didn't take it personally. He was rarely offended. Though of late he had been more moody. He had yet to avenge Corinth, and his claws still itched to maul those responsible. The sea is nice, he said wistfully. I am glad to share it with you. Have you ever been swimming? Just because he hadn't seen the sea, didn't mean he hadn't swum. Maybe in the North there were lakes big enough to swim in, he wasn't sure. He had never been there himself.

G'tor nodded. "And you," he agreed. He noticed Mi'rah's eyes wander to his girls and gave a small smile. "Don't mind them," he explained. "Star is shy around strangers and Tervain hardly likes anyone. Sometimes I get the feeling she doesn't like me either." Tervain whacked him with a wing then turned away as if she didn't care. G'tor rolled his eyes at her. "See what I mean? You have to be careful what you impress to around here," he advised solemnly. "Some of the salamandyrs can be especially bad."

[Lotty]

The sea for him was merely ok, would it burst any bubbles if he said it? Hmm..he was distracted suddenly by the brown's question. For a moment Kierjaarth was worried that Ruskeath was asking him to swim instead of just asking if he had before, because the bronze didn't want to swim. Not in the ocean anyway. It didn't look fun...he gave a cold look to the sea as a wave hit some craggy stones and threw up some flotsam and spray. Lakes were much better for swimming. He sincerely hoped that the southerners would at least agree to that. I have. I much prefer rivers and lakes... But of course a northern dragon like himself would.

"I see..." his voice trailed off as he watched the green firelizard thwap it's owner....and for as nice as this salamandyr thing seemed, he wouldn't be surprised to find out they were poisonous or something of the like. Must avoid. At least if they really were such surly creatures. Kierjaarth wasn't even typically that bad - he was being bratty for obvious reasons - and Mi'rah didn't have the heart to take on anything that could be worse. Curiously he asked, "How does one go about getting them? I mean...you can't Impress them on accident can you?" Though if you couldn't that meant that G'tor sought these out on purpose and he was just indirectly insulting. This was all so much more difficult than it should be, "I mean they look like nice pets, but I can't be trusted with things of that nature..."

[Rowana]

Ruskeath's gaze wandered over the cresting waves. Ah. It made sense after all, though he much preferred the shifting ocean waters. It was larger, making even a dragon like him feel small in its embrace. The waves danced and sometimes the shipfish came to play. But he knew it was not for everyone. Maybe Kierjaarth simply wasn't fond of swimming as he was. What do you enjoy? he asked curiously. Perhaps a different subject would be more appealing.

G'tor shrugged. "Getting them is easy, living with them is another matter. Fire lizards look to the first person that feeds them, but Salamandyrs choose their owners like dragons or whers." He smiled sheepishly. He had impressed his intentionally, but he had heard of some accidental ones in the past. "Just stay away from hatchings and you'll be fine." He assured Mi'rah.

[Lotty]

What did Kierjaarth enjoy? Well. It was hard to say. He ran his claws through the sand; turned up rocks, raked the ground, he was very feline in his movements sometimes, and much like a big cat he didn't want to swim very often. He did like lounging though. Call him lazy, but there was nothing better than laying out and taking in the moment. He wasn't above trading gossip with passing greens either, but he wasn't going to tell Ruskeath that. Hunting. That was a good answer, especially since the dragon made quite a stir with the way he had arrived at Selenitas. First thing he did was pick out a meal, and dove on a herdbeast. That was a good day. He hadn't gotten the change to hunt any felines yet though, but he was sure that would be even more fun.

"Oh..." he voice trailed off as he took in what that meant. If they choose like dragons or whers what else about them where like dragons or whers? "They choose?" He felt very humbled by this place. The man prided himself on being very knowledgeable about...well most things, but he didn't even know these salamandyr things existed before he came down here. "So do they talk or something? Or uh, don't mind me. I just..." he started fiddling with his hands again, "I guess what I am saying is that I couldn't handle anything other than Kierjaarth in my brain. I think I am getting too old for a big change like that." Oh yes, he was an old man at age thirty four.

[Rowana]

Ruskeath mused over the bronze's short reply. Maybe he didn't like talking much. Not everyone did after all. Still, he had nothing better to do than to talk. The brown stretched his body out, letting his tail tickle the incoming waves. It was a relaxing day at least. Hunting is good, he agreed. Mine prefers fishing. Have you tasted fish before? Ruskeath liked fish, but G'tor hardly ever caught enough to make more than a snack. It made a nice change from herdbeasts though.

G'tor chuckled. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into with these two." He waved at the girls in question. Not that he would consider himself old, but he didn't think Mi'rah was either. "Talk is an understatement for most salamandyrs," he explained. "And most don't seem to care who they talk to either. But Star," he poke at his shirt where the little creature hid. "Doesn't talk exactly. She has her own way of expressing herself." As if to prove this, Star sent everyone an annoyed picture of Mi'rah and Keirjaarth flying away, asking clearly, even without words, when they were going to be going away. G'tor frowned at her. "Um...like that," he said apologetically. Star finished her conversation with a demand for food, specifically fish.

((Horribly late, I know. If you want to keep going you can, but no pressure if you'd rather not. ^_^))