Phremath's Whimsy

[Requiem]

A green flash whirled and wheeled high above the Weyr. A jump to a higher position. A skip to the side, a tad lower. Down to the base of the waterfall. Up again, whirling like a great, reptilian hawk on an uplifting thermal, a joyful cry following her progress. Phremath winked in and out of Between with ease. Her body dipped into a steep dive, plummeting toward the jagged rocks at the waterfall's base. Close. Closer, until it loomed right before her, then another skip at a level just above the trees, the green gliding down at a shallow slant until her belly touched the water. Then she was circling above the drumheights once more.

You're cutting it too close, love. Kalierre couldn't help but smile, though, at the elation pounding through her lifemate's veins. But Mine...! Phremath pleaded. You'll get tired with too many jumps. One step at a time. I'm not tired, the young green responded rebelliously, drifting in lazy circles toward the river and falls below. I'm getting a bit tired. She accepted the gentle reprimand with grace, allowing herself to descend toward the outcropping of rock overlooking the edge of Selenitas Falls. It afforded a wonderful view of Rukbat's retreat. Settling down gracefully, Phremath stretched her wings, inclining her head back in another joyful bugle that rang throughout the canyon. Ever since they'd started learning how to jump Between, she and Hers had worked on this new mode of flying. It was almost second-nature now. She could actually keep up with her clutchmates! Though the formations were still kind of hard...

The healer slipped from the green's back, coming to lean against Phremath's foreleg. Kalierre tugged off her helmet and goggles, shaking out her hair before returning to the casual position against her closest love. "We'll be flaming Thread with the rest of them, soon," the woman commented quietly. A beautiful sight, the river and canyon sprawling far below them, immersed in a sea of green foliage. A mist had taken up the early night air. It was ethereal. Obscured. Everything floating and shimmering as the sky's hue shifted toward nightfall. Lust's peaceful, sleeping mind touched hers, drawing Kali into a state just one step shy of dozing. Time had stopped. It was simply the healer and her dragon, frozen in a tableau of quiet mystery.

Kalierre's whimsical state of mind must have affected Phremath, for the green settled to her haunches and lifted her head, a soft cry escaping her snout. Soft. Low. Almost imperceptible, though the canyon walls caught it and carried it along the expanse of stone. The call grew in volume, Phremath's chest expanding, that single note carrying far. Then, of a sudden, it soared upwards into a high, haunting pitch. Kalierre glanced at the green. She knew this call as the call that greeted the night, just as the birds had calls to greet the morn. Only when Phremath found her breath beginning to tighten did she allow the howl to taper off.

The two listened to it echoing back to them, high atop the drumheights. It sounded as if many Phremaths had cried to the fading light, all bouncing off each other, a symphony of booming, soaring notes. Kali chuckled, burrowing closer against the green's foreleg. It was beautiful. Unearthly, like the mist that shrouded the land. Absently, the healer rubbed at her scarred wrist, thinking of those she called friends. Busy as ever, Kali hadn't seen much of them, aside from Rawign, during the last sevenday.

[neeuqtar]

The fading light would have been the cue for Uu'n to awaken--had any light managed to penetrate into the weyr he claimed with Adith. Furs, leather-stitched together to display the patterns of spots from felines and the patchy browns from herdbeast, presented a unified front to the morning sun, and the young man had cleverly stitched them into a sunburst pattern. Of course, the solidity was illusion, for in truth there were four layers of furs, each layer divided into four strips and relying on stone weights sewn into the bottom to keep them from moving in the wind, but it was a very pretty illusion, and one Uu'n was proud of. Dael, of course, had claimed it for her own home, and slept there often, nestled in the folds of fur.

It even blocked out the sounds of the day, so that he and Adith could sleep without being bothered by the traffic of the Weyr--or congress with other living things, human or dragon. It was a lonely life they led now, practicing by night, sleeping by day. Uu'n almost looked forward to the Hatching of the whers that nestled in one of the weyrling's rooms, for they would bring others into his night, and perhaps he would have humans to speak to again. The young man turned over in his sleep, a haunted expression on a face that looked much more innocent in sleep than wakefulness.

Shadows hovered under his eyes, markers of the long hours he kept and the hard work. Muscles under pale skin spoke to the hours of training--flying, running, climbing, swimming, and hauling firestone about. He slept shirtless in this heat, and the scars across his ribs, neck, and shoulders bore testament of the harrowing battle with M'rgon that had saved the few surviving weyrlings. He still dreamt of blood from that fateful morning--there were few in the Weyr who wouldn't, at least among the dragonriders at the time. Such a price...

He stood in a clearing, clad in blood, not all of it his. Pain wracked his body, from the fire across his shoulders and ribs to the pulse of blood from the strike that had barely missed paralyzing him. He was tired, exhausted, he couldn't move any more. But M'rgon was dead... it had to be worth the price. But then... M'rgon's body stood up, leering at him with blood in its teeth.

"Good work, Uu'n," the man said in that silky-smooth voice, turning and spitting blood. "I'm so glad." The corpse smiled, horribly alive, and Uu'n realized he was surrounded by his classmates, dead and almost dead. Kalierre, pinned to a tree by her wrists, crucified. Ciara, raped and murdered. Z'hin, broken and beaten. The others, all dead, some almost ripped apart. M'rgon started laughing, the wet rattle of a dying man, as Uu'n tried to flee, tried to get the condemning blood off of his body.

"You killed them all! Should've acted sooner, ha-ha!" M'rgon's laughter escalated as he grabbed Adith, as small as he had been at Hatching, and slit the dragon's throat while Adith begged for mercy. Helpless. He couldn't stop it--he'd let it happen by not acting fast enough--M'rgon howled with laughter--

Uu'n woke up with a yell, sweat pouring down his body. He shuddered in the darkness, pupils dialated almost to the edge of his irises from the surge of adrenaline, showing him in perfect detail the room, which after all wasn't perfectly dark. Adith. Still there, reassuringly large, his blue bulk gleaming dark gray in the near-total black of their weyr. Now he could hear Phremath's song for what it was, and he hooked himself to those two realities while his heart raced and he gasped shuddering, heaving breaths. Just a nightmare... just a nightmare...

Mine, are you okay? Adith asked sleepily, raising his great head from the ground. The two had become excellent hunters, and combined with taking some of the extra sleeping furs and tanning the skins of everything Adith ate, the dragon had a glory of a bed, a sprawl of furs across the stone couch. It was almost as comfortable as Uu'n's own bed--if not for the fact that you could feel the stone by the end of the night. "I had a nightmare."

Adith snorted. Well, it's early enough to still be light, but... The dragon heaved his lithe body up, stretching his wings as far as they could in the weyr, which wasn't exactly all that far, and padded over to the fur-doorway (which Uu'n had dubbed the furway), poking his head cautiously outside. Well, eventide enough for me to see, he added, pulling his head back inside. You will feel better for a fly. And that was Phremath, so we will go visit her and Hers, he added, quite definitively.

Not inclined to disagree, Uu'n finger-combed his blond hair back--it was getting long, falling into his eyes instead of staying in the bristle he was used to--and grabbed a sleeveless shirt, dark gray with black swirls across it, meant to mimic a flurry of wings. It ended up looking interesting, if not like wings, and Uu'n had managed to get his hands on it with the clothing he was allowed to requisition for training. He had slept in black trews, which (if a bit mussed up) had been clean when he'd gone to bed that morning and were still clean enough to wear.

The young man swung onto Adith's back, barefoot and bareheaded, without any sort of straps. The duo had practiced evasion and aerial combat since they could fly, not trusting Benden or Fort to leave Selenitas alone--and they hadn't. Obviously. He was comfortable enough on Adith's back to do without straps for straight-flying, though he wouldn't dare pull fancy tricks without at least some straps, if not necessarily full fighting-straps. Even though Adith could catch him. Of course I could, Adith said sensibly. I am a good flier.

Slinking through the furway, Adith blinked rapidly, getting used to the much-brighter light of evening, and letting Dael drop off of the furs to cling to Uu'n's shoulder, her tiny claws pricking him as she trilled sleepily at the duo. He paused, then launched himself in a thunder of wings, lifting his voice in answering song to Phremath, his howl ululating through the canyon, echoing and echoing.

Uu'n whooped and howled with Adith, his voice almost entirely lost in the dragon's basso. Adith's voice had deepened, to where he sounded like thunder rather than honey, his voice throatier... more powerful and definitely male. An alpha. The dragon howled again, voice soaring from the bass notes to the gilded heights of a dragon's range, slipping outside of human hearing before descending back into the ranges the true howlers sang, calling out his own pack-song with the unique warbles that marked him as 'Adith.'

Powerful wingbeats brought them high into the sky as the notes echoed away, swooping through the air. The sunset's light gleamed off of the blue dragon's silken hide, unscarred yet, and highlighted the paleness of his under-wings. You must be quite a sight, eh Silverwings? Uu'n teased, leaning close to the dragon and letting the wind whip away his nighttime fears. They were only dreams. Beauty beauty us, Dael crooned, wings half-spread, the wind almost lifting her off of Uu'n's shoulder. The young man laughed as Adith flirted through the wind, side-slipping in one of the easier evasive manuevers they had practiced and spilling a little altitude, getting closer to Kalierre and Phremath.

Are we showing off for Phremath? Adith snorted, catching the remnants of a dying thermal and soaring up again, before stooping into a dive, wings pinned back and legs tucked up. Hold on, was his only reply, as he whipped into a barrel roll over Phremath and Kalierre, doubling around the drumtower before landing not far from the greenpair, eyes whirling green with excitement from the rush of the fancy-flying. Uu'n was almost limpetted to the blue's neck, and Dael had attached herself to Uu'n's head with all of her tiny claws, and was busy scolding the dragon while frantically grooming Uu'n's sweaty hair.

The young man detatched himself with some sort of noise, landing in a crouch before standing up and shaking his shoulders out. Dael peeped a greeting at Lust before going back to the very important job of combing Uu'n's hair. Wet and sweat, uck, she scolded the bluerider, running strands of hair through her mouth to 'preen' him. "Evening, Kalierre," Uu'n said, lifting a hand in greeting before going over to stand near the healer. "Adith thought it would do me good to talk to you. I think he's jealous of the wher-handlers-to-be," he added with a slight smile, rolling his left shoulder. It still ached, sometimes, from the injury to the bone, especially right after he woke up.

I heard your song, Phremath, Adith told the green, before yawning and stretching. Apparently not content with that, he shook himself out like a satisfied (or very wet) canine, then folded his legs to lie near her, head and neck up and tail wrapped tidily around his body. You have gotten much better at singing than when I taught you--even better than me sometimes! he added with a rumble. It had been a while since the two of them could talk, especially since the attack. But they still lived...

((Sorry for the book x.x ))

[Requiem]

(Reqqy loves books...xDDD)

I haven't seen Adith in awhile, Phremath finally commented. She sounded almost...sad. Kali stepped away from her, though she still trailed a hand along the green's leg. "And we likely won't, love. Not with me on day shift." I wish... "Not enough. There are never enough healers," the journeywoman interrupted quietly. She no longer attempted to pretend that she wouldn't prefer the eventide shift, either. Not now. It had been a slow, shifting thing, after that first night, cemented in the blood and loss that the scar at her wrist commemorated, but Kalierre found that she felt somewhat naked without her shadow. Shadow? She wasn't sure why she thought of Uu'n that way, but he'd saved them all, truly, by killing M'rgon, and there was a compelling twilight about the younger man. Perhaps Kalierre was simply drawn to the darkness that she herself so often hid from everyone else. It found its place and expression in Uu'n. No, shadow wasn't necessarily evil. Here, it was comfort. Understanding. And altogether unquestioning.

Kali found herself unable to face most of the other weyrlings. They seemed to regard her differently now. Always, she had presented the face of a healer, calm and motherly, nurturing, always there with a kind word, even if she was somewhat withdrawn. Phremath's presence only seemed to amplify the impression of gentility. But, during the massacre, that outer shell had been shed without a second thought, leaving behind only the desperate girl at its core that had created the woman healer. Rawign avoided any conversation other than absolutely necessary. Kalierre wasn't particularly close to any of the surviving weyrlings other than Uu'n and Z'hin to begin with, but Z'hin's reaction was indication enough of what the others must be thinking. The brownweyrling clearly regarded her differently now. His look would turn pensive, his eyes hardening somewhat, as if uncertain what was her true face. Perhaps she overanalyzed. Perhaps it was simply painful to look upon any who had been in that clearing. The healer didn't understand that, but a lot of the weyrlings, particularly the youngest, seemed to have trouble with that. Kali would have thought that looking upon the survivors would inspire hope, that there would be a new sense of kinship amongst those who had weathered the storm. It showed how little she truly knew of human nature.

At least Uu'n hadn't seemed to look upon her differently, the few times she'd seen him. It was as if he knew that vicious, desperate creature had been there all along. Perhaps he did. Perhaps they could sense that, in each other, that kinship. It didn't stop the dreams. The memories. Kali's sleep was plagued by that scene, in the glade, just as she suspected all the others' were. Sometimes as it had played out. Sometimes with changes.

Phremath's head came up, excitement sloshing over their bond at the answering howls. Kalierre, too, straightened, moving toward the edge of the waterfall to peer over. She pushed back the hair that blew lightly before her face. Just as she reached the edge, Adith streamed upward before her nose, flinging her hair and clothing about wildly and startling the healer, who skipped backwards with a soft cry. Laughter touched the woman's lips. She could just pick out Uu'n's voice, mingling with Adith's. Phremath immediately let out a welcoming howl, the notes sliding coyly, playing in and out of the blue's bass tones. The green had practiced often while her clutchmates flew and she could not, using that for what comfort it might give, and the results were now quite obvious in her mastery. Her answering call tapered off with his, a touch on the deeper pitch, light as a feather.

Lust was not nearly so happy. He'd been sleeping quite contentedly. As was usual for the salamandyr, he made his displeasure well-known by digging his claws deep into the shoulder of His - something that had actually kept him from being completely blown away just a second ago. Nasty meanface. Big bellow, he complained, his tail wrapping quite possessively around Kali's neck. "They might have Dael with them," the healer told her little friend. Lust shifted uncertainly for a moment, torn between continuing his vendetta against Uu'n and Adith or giving in to the desire to see the gold again. Better, he informed His grumpily. Meanface would get a bite for his troubles if he didn't bring Dael! Lust would not forget being thrown.

Watching her clutchmate fly, the green found that the envy she'd always hidden - fleeting as it often was - no longer plagued her. Adith was beautiful. Shimmering. Whirling through the air. It didn't bother Phremath that most of that was still not hers to do. She could fly now, and she wanted to share that with Adith, even though he probably already knew. No matter how awkward, she was no longer unworthy to be numbered amongst his brothers and sisters. Phremath's purpose wasn't impossible anymore. Crooning quietly to her clutchmate as he settled himself, she replied, That's silly! I could never be better than you. A slight, shy pause. You are a good teacher. Perhaps...perhaps you will teach me to fly like that, too? Or close to like that. I can train with all of you now! Phremath added, clearly overjoyed at the prospect. You really are the best at flying, you know. I've watched.

Smiling at her friend, the dragonhealer ignored Lust's preening on her shoulder as the bronze salamandyr puffed his chest for Dael's sake. Silly thing. Her eyes sobered mildly at Uu'n's state, noting with a healer's attention to detail the circles beneath his eyes and that soreness that seemed to plague him, even now. Not sleeping well. Probably the dreams. Kalierre highly doubted she was the only one with nightmares. A brow rose in mild amusement at his words. "Adith insisted you come? That may be so, but you'd be more likely to curry my favor by claiming it was your idea," the healer commented teasingly. "And why should he be jealous of future wher handlers?" Kali's brow furrowed in true puzzlement. She didn't follow the logic there. Not at all.

The greenrider didn't much want to speak of the glade, of the time of death and terror and blood, though it seemed to taint everything now. Let it merely linger in the background, a bond between them, and nothing more.

[neeuqtar]

Adith hadn’t missed the sound of his clutchsister’s howl. She was truly the only other of the dragons that he ever cared to speak to—the only other organism, besides Uu’n, that he was friends of any sort with. Daeluunya and he had arguments, of course, and hated each other with mutually passionate hatred dulled only by their mutual adoration for Uu’n. Phremath and Uu’n were his pack, and Kalierre was Phremath’s pack as well. Though the blue dragon loathed sharing his beloved with any other, if he had learned anything from the nuisance that was Dael, Uu’n wasn’t going to abandon him for another creature, not even one that (while obnoxious and clearly inferior to his self) was quite demanding and reckoned to be a treasure by other humans. And so he swallowed his fear at losing Uu’n, of being abandoned and left alone, and graciously accepted Uu’n’s friendship with Phremath’s rider.

He would have submitted to more to be with Phremath. Though he’d caught snide comments about her lack of wings, Adith had always been surprised and defensive of the green. She wasn’t crippled, not any more than he was, anyway! And the blue had heard that Phremath had figured out some way to fly, as well, so why would anyone dare criticize her? The green was clearly far superior to the other dragons—it was in the way she talked, and laughed, and sang with him. And he her inner beauty was fully matched by her outer beauty. Who cared that her wings were small? He had wished, time and time again, that his own wings were not so large, that he wasn’t so unwieldy on the ground. He—You think about her all the time, don’t you? Uu’n asked, softly amused. I do not![/color] the blue retorted, trilling back at Phremath, his voice soft and mellow.

Quit showing off, Uu’n teased back, faintly annoyed that the dragon had managed to work in the descant to ‘Moreta’s Ride’ into his trill. The blue was truly a musical beast, and had no compunction to hide it, nor did he feel any sort of humility for, well, anything. Jealous? the dragon replied, quite smug. Uu’n had been hearing ‘Moreta’s Ride’ for the past two sevendays in almost every sound the blue made. Adith was quite pleased that he was managing to drive His crazy without actually doing that much except practice. I do wish you’d pick another song, he sighed, listening to Kalierre speak. She was always so… poised. And she was the stone against his back, a sure bulwark. His true friend.

Beauty air-and-sky, Daeluunya commented to Lust, unfurling her bronze-marked frills and delicately fanning them, much as a young Lady might a fan when greeting a handsome young Lordling. We dance? she asked, skittering down from Uu’n to hang from his belt by her hind talons, long tail snaking up his shirt, head lifted to gaze at the bronze. The fact that he was her son did not fae the little salamandyr in the slightest. He was bronze, and young, and she was the creature his entire desire should be focused on. After all, her Choice would be for life, or near-life, and he had better be worth it! A fire-lizard Chosen of necessity was certainly not worthy of her everlasting attention… but a bronze salamandyr, that was worth staying with. But she would not cut her options so soon. There were, after all, browns and blues! But the bronzes would receive the highest of her scrutiny. She deserved the best, after all.

If dragons could have blushed, Adith would have. A compliment from Phremath meant just as muc—more—to him as one from Uu’n. She didn’t have to spend time with him, but she wanted to. She… she watched him. He’d even caught her at it, once or twice, but not known what to say. What was a dragon to say, anyway, when the most beautiful dragoness he knew thought him worth her time? He was no bronze, with flowery words, nor a brown to hold sway with strength and purpose. He was only a blue, and a night-sighted one as well. Abandoned by mother, ignored by Weyr—but she did not ignore him, and it was like Rukbat had shone light into his life without searing him. I don’t know, Adith said shyly. You got better much faster than I did, and you’re already as good as I am… He fell silent for a moment, then perked up.

I will teach you if you want me to, he replied, scratching the rocks a little with his talons, rather unsure of himself. I can’t spend time flying with the rest of the weyrlings… most of what I do is self-taught, and I will do my best to help… if you’re sure you want me to, of course, he added, not wanting her to think that he was so assured of himself to think he could automatically be a better teacher than the other dragons. But, oh~! He wanted to teach her, to have an excuse to be with her and fly with her. To see her fly, and not just hear about it. Do you… really think I’m that good? he asked, a little hesitantly. It’s just things me and Mine have thought up, from watching nighthawks.

“Do I need to curry favor?” Uu’n asked, lifting one pale brow with the tiniest of wicked smiles. He wasn’t good at teasing—his skill lay more in torment of pretties, which was not exactly a skill he intended to bring against Kalierre. Ever. She’d probably manage to dump him into the Weyrlake or something equally humiliating, and besides. She wasn’t one of the pitiful pretties that were worth messing with. She was another breed of runner entirely. She was different from the rest, more like him that he truly cared to contemplate. “Well, the wher handlers live at night, right? Like Adith and I do,” he replied after a moment. “I… well, not only would I be able to talk to them, and spend time with them, if they’re going to have duties, I’ll be sharing some, probably.” He shrugged, running fingers through his longish hair absently, before glancing down at Dael. Little flirt… so that was what he was feeling. Why he was feeling all awkward and gawky. And Adith wasn’t helping in the least.

“I already fly sweeps with Adith, even though nobody assigned it to us. After all—“ he sighed, then continued bleakly. “Someone has to. Might as well be the monster and his sun-blind dragon.” There was bitterness in his voice, and more, born of Turns of harsh treatment and cruel words. The opinion that a dragon who couldn’t fly in the daytime would only be useless had hurt the most—more, even, than the way his Clutchmates cringed away from him, as if he would turn back into the killer from the bloody grounds in the jungle. As if he was somehow more dangerous than he had been before, somehow more likely to attack and rend. A creature who had been on a leash, but broken free to savage and kill, and never to be trusted again. Uu’n shook his head, as if to free himself from such thoughts. “I had hoped that maybe I could… well, Wing with them,” he added disparagingly, flushing slightly. It was a stupid plan. Silly and without merit, but he was so alone!

Stop saying that. You have me, and… Kalierre… and that monster on your belt, Adith snapped at Uu’n, though outwardly he didn’t move at all. Uu’n, however, jumped and turned to stare at the blue, who continued to appear entirely innocent and entirely attentive to Phremath, his wings folded loosely against his sides, forelegs crossed and neck up, arched so that he looked rather like a feline, his tail curled around his legs. The only indication of ire was the flick of the very tips of his tail. Uu’n snorted and muttered something under his breath, before turning back to Kalierre. “Sorry… he’s being a snot,” he explained, looking a bit sheepish. You call her by her name? he asked his dragon, incredulously. When necessary… yes, Adith replied. She is Phremath’s pack, and Phremath is pack with me, so she is my pack as well, he added, with a wistful bit of thought. You love her, don’t you? he asked softly, the question laden with more than just a question. I don’t know, Adith replied, tucking his tailtips away. But if she Rose… he would Chase.

[Requiem]

The green shifted lightly from foot to foot, the relentless energy and excitement clear in her stance. Kalierre cast her a knowing smile. You know you can’t. Not when the light is fading. Ah, but she wanted to show Adith! To prove to him that, strange and diminished though she was, Phremath could share a place with him in the sky. She wasn’t unworthy of his attention. Not anymore. The woman’s smile faded. Don’t think that way. Even if you never learned to fly, even if everything you tried wouldn’t work, you would never be unworthy. The dragon allowed her gaze to shift to Hers for a fraction of a moment. I – I’m sorry. Kalierre sighed. Don’t be. Just don’t ever forget it.

After capturing Dael’s attention, he turned away from her just a bit, posing so as to display his physique to its best advantage, his tail wrapped loosely about Kalierre’s bicep. Lust didn’t want to appear overeager! She was, after all, a queen, but she would never think him worthy of her if he acted possessive or fawned like those silly lesser colors. Golds may be better than bronzes, but she still needed him, didn’t she? Yes, him, or one like him. At her questioning, he turned his head lightly to regard her full on. His frill came to display for her, the youngling attempting to appear calmer than he felt. Sun dance moonray, he agreed gallantly. But Lust betrayed his anxiety as he leapt down from the height of Kalierre's shoulder, missing his footing and rolling in a cloud of dust. The bronze swiftly uncoiled, shaking out his body and striking up another pose, his gaze daring his mother to claim that he hadn't done that on purpose.

The woman giggled, directing a rather helpless glance at Uu'n, as if to say, See what you make me deal with?

Without being fully aware of it, Phremath's pixie wings fluttered breezily at Adith's quiet trill. She loved how his voice had deepened as he grew. To her, he was perfect. He accepted her completely and without reservations, allowing her into his secrets. When so many seemed to turn from her, he never had. Perhaps it was natural, too, that the clutchmate she thought best at flying should earn the most admiration from the green. Sometimes, in her head, she would name him Moonwing, as his wings often gleamed like that celestial body. Kalierre found the name amusing. Kalierre seemed to find quite a bit amusing.

Adith, a creature of starlight and moonbeams. Was he even real? Sometimes she thought he couldn't be. Adith, with the voice that surpassed that of the nightbeasts. Sun-blind? No, he wasn't sun-blind. He was just the only one who wasn't night-blind. What she wouldn't give to have his eyes! Then they could fly together, just the two of them, and he wouldn't have to wear those fake things that allowed him to see during the day. But they were not hers to have, even as his wings weren't, and if she wished to fly with him at night, she would have to find a way around her own handicaps. Talking, though, and singing. That was enough. More than enough - almost. She did want a little more, but she wasn't sure what, exactly...only that she couldn't have it, and so didn't explore those desires.

It's your voice that I like best, Phremath returned quietly, glancing at him through her peripheral vision. The songs were beautiful. But what good was it to sing when your voice was subpar? She would never be able to produce Adith's glorious sounds. The pitches, perhaps, but his chest was so much deeper than hers, which became clear in his howls.

The green's excitement, however, dissipated a little with her clutchmate's reminder. At night, she was practically blind. Not completely, no, but she couldn't fly with him after Rukbat bedded down, especially considering the method of flight she was reduced to. Clarity of sight was of utmost importance...or...no, no, you could jump to anything you could picture, yes? Phremath. Don't be so quick. He can fly during the day, and I will not have you try something so reckless. Maybe at a later time. Do you promise? Yes. I promise that we'll look into it when you have gotten really, really good at flying. It might not be possible, but we'll try. Okay? Happiness flooded the young green. Yes!

She stilled at his hesitance, at the sudden vulnerability in his question, then huffed in amusement, plunking to the ground rather unceremoniously. Stretching her neck out, her snout lingered just below his jaw and to the side, as she peered up at him. Good? No, not good. It's like a dream, watching you fly. A glorious dream. Are you only my phantom, Adith? Phremath directed her gaze back to the last bit of faint light on the far horizon. Sometimes I think you must only be a phantom, someone I created in my loneliness. But it's okay. If you are a phantom, then I prefer this imagined clutchmate of mine to the real. Do you think that it's possible, if I wish hard enough, to become a phantom too? There was a quiet teasing to her words, but also a touch of the serious. A phantom teacher must be the best of all. You will teach me, won't you, watcher of nighthawks?

A few paces away, Phremath's lifemate snorted at Uu'n's hubris. Did he need to curry favor? Oh, he might! Schooling her face, she uttered calmly, "As a general rule, it's best to be on the good side of a healer. Especially a female healer. So vindictive, women are." Then she cracked a small smile to add to the amusement behind her eyes. Listening to his explanation about wherhandlers, Kalierre found that it made sense. So...Adith was a jealous creature, was he? She cast a lingering glance the blue's way. Phremath had not indicated so much, but then, why should he be jealous of her? The green was clearly taken with him, but she was really his only clutchmate that ventured out in the darker hours. It was natural they'd spend time together. That certainly didn't mean that Adith had any softer feelings for her Phremath. If Kali were in his place, she thought she might be jealous of Uu'n's attention as well, though she hadn't considered it before.

The healer's eyes snapped back to the young man at his statement, a darkness coming to reside there, her jaw setting. What was this? And uttered with such bitterness? In a rare show of anger, she snapped back, "Wing with them? A monster and a blind dragon? Why would they want you any more than anyone else? Your Adith should be snotty to you after such a statement." Kalierre trembled, though she did not move to strike him as she wished. Mine? It is nothing, lovely. Don't fret.

True to her words, the anger fled as quickly as it came. Stepping forward, she captured his face between her palms, staring searchingly into his eyes. Had she thought, she might not have touched him, but Kalierre was one who often touched. It was a part of her nature to do so. "I do not believe you to be a monster, Uu'n. What does it matter, truly? Adith cannot endure the light of day, yet he can still function in it if needed. Phremath cannot so much as take off from the ground, but she can fly. They have become stronger, in that, and are no handicap. Don't do your dragon that disservice.

"I do not believe you to be a monster. But that hardly matters, when you believe such lies." A thumb ran along his jawline, her other hand falling back to her side. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Only Uu'n can make Uu'n into a monster. You become as you say you are." Turning from him, Kalierre wrapped her arms around herself, moving to stand at the edge of the heights. The light mood of before had vanished. Now, her mind shifted far away.