Step one, you say we need to talk. (Tags Req)

[Rei]

Feyrianth hovered in the canyon, the setting Rukbat highlighting her hide as worried yellow eyes watching her bonded. Erimine. Please don’t do this… I can’t. Yes you can. Just do your best. But if you go splat I’ll never forgive myself. You won’t have a chance not to forgive yourself. We’ll both be dead. But it doesn’t matter you won’t miss. I know you won’t. Silence followed that statement as the woman took another step back from the lip of the canyon and closed her eyes. A few months ago Erilena had begun to change her manner of behavior. It was a product of rebellion. Rebellion against her own issues. There see now outwardly she matched what she felt inside. Wasn’t that a way to cope? Perhaps coping really wasn’t the issue. Perhaps it was the silence. The continued bottling of everything. Put on a smile, act happy, and no one wonders. At least until it all starts falling apart. Ready or not. Please don’t. Time for arguments are up darling. With a sudden burst of speed the greenrider sprinted to the edge of the cliff and flung herself off it.

The green gave a cry of distress and folded her wings to plummet after her bonded. Matching her for a moment until she straightened herself further to fall past her. Quickly she angled herself into a position underneath the rider before slowly she opened her wings a little. Just enough to slow her fall and there she leveled off, falling alongside her. Erilena grabbed suddenly at the straps pulling herself closer to Feyrianth and clipping one safety tether just as they entered the point of danger for most dragons. Now. Suddenly the green spread her four wings fully, almost completely stopping their momentum. Unfortunately the suddenness of the stop caused Erilena to jerk forward, her forehead smacking into one of Feyrianth’s ridges. With a loud curse the greenrider shook her head to clear the spots from her vision and felt a tiny warmth trickle down her forehead. Frowning her hand swiped at it and pulled away, showing blood. “Need to work on the stopping part my love. The rest was fine. Slower next time.”

This the was final straw. Feyrianth had tried to be patient. She really had. But patience wasn’t working. She was done with being silent. Silence obviously wasn’t the answer. Next time! There will not be a next time. You could have been killed. What if there had been a wind! I was fine. There was no wind. Stop it! I won’t do that again. I won’t! You have to. No. I don’t. Fey. Don’t you Fey me! Winging up to the top of the canyon again the green settled down on the rocky ground her hide pale, her body trembling. “You promised Fey. You said I could have whatever I wanted for my turnday and I chose this. You can’t back out now.” I can so. You never said you would be throwing yourself off of things. You said we would practice flight. I fail to see what we are practicing. “We are practicing flight.” This is ridiculous. Erimine you need to stop.

Erilena blinked against the blood seeking to trickle into her eye and frowned. “Stop what?” This obsession, it is not healthy. “I am not obsessed.” The woman actually growled before dismounting from the dragon and wiping almost angrily at the blood. Her fingers gingerly prodding the small scrape to feel the extent of it. Not bad. No stitches. Minor abrasion. Head wounds always bled decent amounts no matter what. “I’m not. I’m just. Darn it Feyrianth you know what I am doing.”

The dragon swung her head around to regard hers with obvious upset and worry but offered nothing else. There was nothing else to be said. She refused to be a part of this and that was that. Pick something else for us to do. I don’t care anymore what they call me. What they say about us. “No.” Quit being a snot. “I’m not being a snot.” Erimine... “I’m done discussing this.” Suddenly Feyrianth flopped onto the ground and folded her legs underneath her pale colored body. Then you can find someone else to catch you. Erilena gazed at her dragon silently for a moment and then sighed heavily, tying her headscarf around her forehead to apply some pressure to the small wound. “Fey I’m only trying to fix things. Make them better. Don’t you want that?” The green snorted and stayed silent, simply staring back at her bonded. “And you call me stubborn.”

That comment got a reaction but one the woman was far from expecting. Feyrianth’s tail lashed the ground her voice soft and laced with hurt. I learned from the best. I am sorry but I refuse to be a part of this anymore. I will not sit here and watch as you destroy the last parts of the one I miss being bonded to. I am done. Those words where the equivalent of a mental slap and the greenrider blinked in slight shock at her dragon. “Feyrianth…I.” You have to stop. None of it, none of your work, or trying, will matter anyway if it changes who you are. I don’t want that. You don’t need that. Erilena blinked back a few tears and gave the green an anxious look before reaching up to place a hand on her dragon’s muzzle. “I know... You’re right. I just…I don’t know where to go from here….We have no place you and I.” A soft sad rumble was given as the green licked her bonded’s hand.

[Requiem]

"What are you doing?"

They were soft words, a soft question, but the puzzlement behind them was real enough, as was the touch of sadness. The greenweyrling stood by Feyrianth's flank, and as to when he'd appeared...it was hard to say. Certainly after Feyrianth landed. Drudges - former drudges - were not great hunters or trackers, but still and all they knew how to be invisible without even trying. And, in some cases, when they tried to be seen they were still invisible. X'rx walked forward, his steps making no sound, the unassuming grace that was so unusual in a man a part of him that could not be scoured away. A hand trailed along Feyrianth's neck, the pressure firm enough to be felt, as he moved forward. Only when he was in sight of Erilena, able to see her face, did the slender youth stop.

The ribbon was a dark green, and he knotted it at the base of his skull, the short tail curling along his neck. X'rx didn't speak or meet her gaze during that time. Even after the dark curls were secured, he didn't speak, instead turning his eyes to Feyrianth's hide, his hand returning to her, stroking her. "I've lived here all my life, and I don't remember ever seeing a hide turned so grey by a rider's stubborn indifference." The words were harsh, but the tone was not. It was almost soothing, in fact, and he pressed his face to Feyrianth's neck. "And such a beautiful hide you have. Eveyth calls you Fairy. It is good she is not awake, or she would be quite angry, I think." This close, it was clear he'd come from the baths, his curls still damp and glistening with moisture. The loose shirt was warm enough against the windless night, and the pants were meant for sleeping, light and cotton.

When his eyes returned to Erilena, they held the same sad confusion as before. "I heard you've your own weyr now," the greenweyrling ventured diplomatically. Only then did he let the pack that had been all but invisible before slide off his shoulder, the young man crouching beside it. "Ximera wanted to come with me; you don't know her, but she knows you through what I've told her, and watches the butterfly dragon fly of an evening. The wherlings have too much to do tonight, though." They were four bowls that he lifted, carefully unwrapping each, of a size and oh so delicate. Porcelain. Found abandoned in the dark, old tunnels that Ximera and Ximesk were helping some of the dragonriders to explore. The glazes were new, though, the night sky of the north, the east, south and west painted painstakingly upon each of the bowls. Displayed on one of the cloths used to wrap them, he traced a finger along the bowl of the north sky. "It was her idea. She mapped the stars every night, and when we met, she would hover over my shoulder to make sure each one was just right." X'rx had painted the constellations himself, his hand unwaveringly accurate.

"But now I wonder if I should give them to you. They are fragile, and you are reckless with your life. Why would you care any more for my sister's bowls?" He did not move to wrap them again, but neither did he offer them to her. X'rx's eyes were dark as pitch in Feyrianth's shadow. "She'd be in tears if she saw that just now, and she doesn't even know you. Doubly so at the sight of your dragon after. But I see no tears in your eyes, and it is your bonded you've hurt, not Ximera's." Shaking his head, even as he pictured the dark figure leaping from the cliffs, Feyrianth following with her distressed call, X'rx slowly began to rewrap the bowls. His hand moved up, sliding along Feyrianth's jaw.

The night was beginning to come alive with the sound of nocturnal animals, chirring insects and the howls of distant wild canines. An owl, in a nearby tree. And ever, always, the pounding of the falls not far off, water crashing into the ground that his classmate and her dragon had barely avoided. "What is it, Erilena, that makes you value life so little you are willing to throw it all away on a gamble like that? And with your Fairy crying out for you to stop?" He didn't need to know the words to know that she had, with such a piteous cry and her faded hide. "It is your turnday, is it not? You should be celebrating your life. Ah, Fairy, perhaps I should wake my Eve after all. She can comfort you so much better than me," he added to the dragon beneath his palm.

[Rei]

“What are you doing?”

The words soft and laced with sadness as they where caused Erilena to start her hand jerking back from Feyrianth as if she had been burned. There was really no reason for her reaction other than embarrassment. They had been seen hadn’t they? Her light hazel eyes found X’rx easily enough where he stood beside her dragon’s pale flank. Her classmates answer deserved a question but the lump in her throat had to be swallowed first. A faint blush coloring her cheeks the greenrider spoke her voice equally as soft and in a way hesitant. “We where practicing falling procedure.” Feyrianth crooned a soft welcome to the man as his hand trailed up her neck her worried whirling eyes examining X’rx quietly as she to spoke. She was leaping and I was to be the catcher. There was still a tiny bit of resentment deep in her tone but it was quickly fading. Erilena was hers and as such the green could no more stay mad at her then she could pluck the stars from the sky. Above all she trusted and loved the woman she called hers. Through everything. No matter what. For they where entwined, mind, body, and soul. For better or for worse.

As X’rx approached Erilena watched him stroke her dragon, his words causing her stomach to turn despite their soothing quality. The realization of her actions hit her like a brick wall. Although all along she had been dimly aware of it, how could she not have been. The blush on her face deepened and she dropped her eyes. This time more shame than embarrassment flooded through her. Because he was right. She was the cause of Feyrianth’s current state and….how could she? The immediate forgiveness that brushed heavily across her mind almost made the greenrider want to throw up out of anxiety and a feeling disgust for herself. Was she really that sharding selfish? Her blurry gaze retuning to Feyrianth, Erilena stayed silent. Did she really deserve such undying devotion when she was being such a uncaring… The thought was interrupted by a firm. Yes. You do.

Feyrianth in turn then dipped her head to nuzzle lightly at X’rx’s curls a soft croon emerging from her throat at his words and the stroking. Her hide was gaining color again the grey fading to be replaced by her normal bright and vibrant tone. Thank you for the compliments dear Evey’s. Loved her sisters and brothers did the green. She even cared for Mavenath in a way although he scared her through no fault of his own. Her four wings rustled as her muzzle left the greenweyrling’s hair and moved to press softly against the arm of her own bonded. Erilena’s hand stroking the soft muzzle gently even as she fought to keep herself from crying. It wouldn’t help anything if she did, and so she hardened herself against the tears.

Slowly the woman’s eyes again turned to X’rx as he spoke. “Yes. Feyrianth and I have had our own weyr for almost two months now.” In that time she had neither seen nor spoken to R’ven besides glimpses in the Main hall and one evening where he had impressed upon her to leave. Although Feyrianth often went to see Trilaranth, Erilena had yet to approach R’ven at all. It seemed her former boyfriend was perfectly happy with her absence and who was she to impose herself on him? He was better off without her and her interference. He was free now and all she could hope was that somewhere, somehow, he found himself happy again. In truth this fact upset the greenrider because she missed him terribly but it had little to nothing to do with her current state of affairs. Despite what everyone else seemed to believe. It was always easier to find someone to blame after all.

Erilena blinked in confusion as her classmate dropped a pack from his shoulder and started to unpack something all the while speaking softly to her. Softly enough that she had to work to listen and the weyrling even moved a bit closer to both hear him better and get a suitable look. Ximera? She liked to watch Feyrianth fly? That fact caused a little bit of surprise and a faint smile to come to her face briefly. Yes she herself saw Feyrianth as beautiful. Perfect. But in the eyes of others she often saw other things. Surprise, anxiousness, and even at times disgust. It had been so at the hatching and had remained. It was hard not to hear the whispers of deformed, useless, good for what? It was soothing to know there was yet another who found her soul mate beautiful. The greenrider would never believe her Feyrianth useless but how did she prove that to anyone else when she failed wherever she turned? The gift and the utter selflessness of it surprised her. This woman didn’t even really know her and yet she wanted to give her something?

Hazel eyes fell to X’rx as he continued his words inspiring a flinch. Dropping her gaze Erilena’s nails bit into her palms slightly. There was nothing she could say to fix it. Nothing she could do and yet…yet she wished to apologize to his girl she had never met. To express how sorry she was. Sorry that she had failed both Feyrianth and this girl she had never even spoken to. How did you fail one you where bonded so entirely to? Obviously she had found a way. The nest question that came from her soft spoken classmate had her hazel eyes closing against the shame and pain that washed over her. How had she become this weak. How had she let herself go to the a point where she was willing to take such risks just for the approval of people who didn’t really care? Where she was willing to lose both the respect and affection of her friends and any who cared for her. Where she was willing to let her life become so hollow and empty?

Feyrianth was torn at this moment. The overwhelming desire to comfort her bonded warred with the desire for her bonded to understand, to accept her failures and mistakes, and live with them, move beyond them. They where a part of her as much as Feyrianth herself was. Dipping her head the green gave X’rx’s face a soft lick. There is no need to wake my sisterlove. Your presence is enough little Evey’s. The man was a comfort to her at this time even if he himself thought it was not enough. His words to her bonded where also appreciated. Hers needed to hear the truth from someone with no bias. Perhaps it would help push her to a point of understanding.

Biting her lip hard enough to inspire pain Erilena’s eyes started to water again and she dropped her gaze. “You’re right and I’m sorry. I’m sorry Feyrianth. I’ve been so terrible to you and I don’t know what I can say to fix it. To make it better. I’ve lost so much and I don’t want to lose you to. I’ve been a fool.” With a soft rumble the green stretched her head forward to lick her bonded’s now tear streaked face. You are forgiven Erilena my love. There is no need for words. I understand as always, for we are one you and I. A very light smile came to the woman’s face as she pressed her forehead to the soft muzzle and kissed it. “Thank you Fey. For everything.” There is nothing to thank me for my sillymine. Backing up form the dragon’s head the greenrider turned then to X’rx. “My turn days have never really been something to celebrate. They have always been overshadowed with pain and I view them as I would a curse. But you are right in more ways then one.” Wiping a few tears from her eyes she approached closer to her classmate. “I really don’t deserve your sister’s gift. You’re right about that. I’ve been too reckless with what I’ve been given.”

Searching hazel eyes went to the other greenrider’s face. “Tell me something X’rx. What would you do if you found yourself without a purpose? All my life I’ve failed at whatever I’ve tried and I can’t seem to get it to stop. Maybe that’s what’s gotten me to this point. But now looking at what I’ve done I’m disgusted with myself. That I would hurt her so. That I can even be that selfish. I’m lost, but I have no excuse for what I’ve done. I owe you an apology as well. You shouldn’t have to be here. You shouldn’t have to ask me these questions. I’m sorry.” Eyes watering again Erilena turned them unwaveringly to her classmate. “I don’t expect you to forgive me. For anyone to.”

[Requiem]

He couldn't help it. Not Feyrianth's fault, and he surely didn't mean to offend her or anything, but the feel of saliva on his face was just too much. X'rx smiled at her, though, even as he rubbed his sleeve over the spot rather longer than was necessary. Then, because it bothered him to just have dragon saliva on his sleeve, he carefully cuffed it so that it was rolled under and touching fabric rather than skin or air. Of course, then the other sleeve had to be cuffed, because cuffing just one was odd. After all of that, though, he leaned against the green in unspoken reassurance that he wasn't upset with her, even though he had reacted so - well, oddly. "If you say so," he murmured to Feyrianth, not surprised that she'd addressed him directly so many times. Eveyth was pretty willing to talk to others, too. "She wouldn't begrudge you a few minutes of sleep, though."

X'rx watched the exchange between dragon and rider silently, not wanting to interrupt. Part of him thought that maybe he should leave them to each other now, and he'd almost decided to slip off (leaving the bowls) when Erilena spoke to him again. It wasn't about being right, or turndays, or bowls, even. He was the eldest of four children, and he'd spent the last couple of months or so with the junior weyrlings. Erilena wasn't junior or a sibling or even younger - or at least not much if she was - but he was coming to a point or realization that he couldn't walk away anymore. You can't fix everything, or save everyone, or even do any good sometimes, but if you didn't try when you saw something was wrong it was like you'd done whatever happened next yourself. X'rx was not a strong enough person to handle the guilt of a shattered Erilena on the canyon floor in the morning, had he not said anything.

"Gifts are not meant to be earned, or they wouldn't be called gifts," X'rx responded quietly, his tone soothing. She'd gotten his point and there was no further need to drive it home. "Besides, they weren't made for anyone else; it would be a shame to just let them sit somewhere and gather dust." He gathered them up carefully, handing the wrapped stack of bowls to Erilena. His sister's gift...X'rx didn't correct her. After all, the siblings' might have contrived and executed the project together, but he felt it was more Ximera's doing than his anyway. All he'd done was paint the bowls she found.

Her question, though, caught the greenweyrling off-guard, that truth clear in the way he stilled mid-motion, the bowls still suspended. Erilena's words continued before he could really think on that, much less answer it, and then she was apologizing to him again. As if there was anything she really needed to apologize to him for. Silence gathered for a few moments between them, the youth searching for what to say. "I was a drudge, Erilena." There was a certain finality to the words, as if that should explain everything. In a way, it did. Drudges had a purpose, yes, but it was to see to others' comfort. Make sure meals were cooked, laundry was done, glowbaskets were full. And during his first several turns of life - throughout his childhood, really - drudges were invisible at best and despised at worst.

"A drudge, and a disappointment to my father. He wanted a strong son...someone like R'ven, I suppose. Or Cr'oph, even. But I was never ambitious or a natural leader or anything like that. Even Ximera had her dreams. I would have been content just trapping, logging and baking until my dying day. It probably didn't help that he knew I shared furs with boys as often as girls when I got older. When Shmee became Weyrwoman, and drudges were finally allowed to Stand as candidates, he wanted me to so badly. But I thought a dragon would never want me, you know? I didn't have the blood like the dragonrider lines. I wasn't bold or brave or really intelligent or athletic." He paused, then, remembering, and he pressed against Feyrianth a little tighter.

"Then Benden came. The siege was terrible. Screams, the smell of smoke and excellerants and blood. Dragons roaring. Keens everywhere. A man busted down our door, and I tried to keep him out long enough for my mother and the girls to get into the next room, but he batted me aside like I was nothing. Father died protecting us." He didn't say anything about losing consciousness, or the desperate charge that had ended with the Benden rider falling on his own knife. "I'd never been discontent before, but after that, just being a drudge wasn't enough. I felt empty. Lost. Tried volunteering at the infirmary. Still do, but it wasn't enough. It took me awhile to realize what was making me so restless, but...I didn't want to be so helpless again. I didn't want anyone to die for me again. So I Stood."

Looking to her, his smile was rather sad. "Feyrianth can't fly against Thread or other dragons. This is true. But if she's different, that must mean there's something only she can do, right? And...you work at the infirmary. You're an apprentice and getting better. I can't tell you how to find purpose, any more than anyone could have told me what was missing. That's something you'll have to do yourself. But this...this isn't the way. Falling procedure is done in daylight, with long tethers and at least another pair to spot. Remember? So there won't be accidents. One thing I can tell you, though. Keeping to yourself...isolating yourself...will only make things seem worse and lonelier than they really are. You're the only one who can find your purpose, Erilena, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't talk to other people or let them support you on the way."

[Rei]

If the wiping of the saliva bothered Feyrianth she didn’t show such. Instead the green merely rumbled softly her tail curling around her haunches. Head canted softly to the side she regarded both greenrider’s placidly. No return comment was given to X’rx. There really was no need to wake her beyond lovely sister, despite that Feyrianth would love to see her. Eveyth should be getting the rest she deserved. Whirling eyes watched as the man beside her spoke and handed the wrapped objects to her bonded. Feyrianth listened to the two humans for awhile before her head up tilted towards the stars and she stilled, transfixed by the glimmering points of light. Still as captivated by them as she had been as a tiny hatchling. The green didn’t understand the draw of the glimmers, hers adored them as well though and perhaps that fed her love of them. Who really knew? All the green knew was that she adored them and the faded happy memories they brought.

Erilena’s eyes kept there focus on X’rx even after she started to wipe away the tears that had started to slow. A small soft smile was offered her classmate along with a nod. Yes he was right gifts where just that, gifts. Maybe she didn’t deserve them but the greenrider could hardly reject them. The bowls where beautiful and obviously a good deal of time had been put in to them. All that aside they where painted with her favorite subject matter. Stars. The night sky. That subject was one Erilena adored and one with many memories attached to it. Some wonderful and some tragic. It would be wrong to say all her memories of the night sky where bad. There where memories connected to it that no matter what happened she would never forget. No matter how sad and filled with yearning they where. Silently she reached towards the bowls as they where offered to her.

The silence that followed her question was almost comforting in a way. It allowed Erilena to work through some of her emotional issues. Place them somewhere else to think on later. Without being asked Feyrianth lowered herself to allow her bonded access to the bags fixed to her harness. Seeing to it that her gift was carefully stowed away and protected from rattling or moving she began to mentally debate how she could go about thanking this girl. Perhaps Ximera would think that she didn’t deserve a thanks of any type but the greenrider never got gifts. Hardly ever in her life had she received any. Normally she was the one giving. It almost felt odd to be on the receiving end. In fact she could count the number of gifts she had gotten her entire twenty turns on one hand. It was just not something common in her family.

X’rx’s voice brought her attention back to him and as Erilena turned to face him her eyes fixed upon him sadly. Everyone knew how drudges where treated. It wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair and Erilena personally did what she could to make their job easier when she could. Up to and including making her own meals, washing her own things, and repairing what she could on her own. If she did happen to need assistance she always made a point to make sure they knew their time and work was appreciated. Yet not everyone treated them this way and in places they where even treated worse than slaves at times. The greenrider listened in complete silence to her classmate. Part of her wanted to try an offer a bit of comfort but she resisted the impulse, not sure how it would be taken. Instead she stood silent moving just a tad closer as Feyrianth dipped her head to nuzzle the boy. The increase in pressure against her hide was noted and the green was always one to offer some attempt at comfort. No matter how small.

Talk of the siege had Erilena momentarily flashing back to the caravan when her father and her had traveled to the weyr to help with the cleanup and rebuild. It was then that she had felt the most useful in her life. Even amidst the destruction and pain she had been struck by how friendly the dragonrider’s where. How much they appreciated the help of even some simple holder girl. Going back to the hold after that and her life of failure there had been hard because there for a time she had had a purpose. Felt like she was worth something. Then the day Dorava and Aonith searched her had been one of the happiest. Again Erilena had felt useful, worth something. Beyond that, the hot sands at her feet and the first glimpse she ever got of the perfect little four winged beauty that had become hers. The only one who in this life had decided she was worthy enough to give herself completely to.

Through almost all of that the greenrider had been happy. It had shown to. Then when the time for learning flight came and the differences became glaringly apparent between her beauty and the rest, it turned into something neither of the pair wanted. A downward spiral. Feyrianth physically yearned to be useful. To be able to participate and matter like her siblings. To have a purpose. It was a deep feeling shared by the women she was bonded to. Yet here they where still struggling, while everyone else was moving on. Thriving.

Erilena couldn’t pretend to know the utter helplessness and sorrow X’rx had felt during the siege. All the same her heart when out to him and it made her wonder. If he could pull through something like that…was she that weak to let this beat her? Compared to what he had lived through, this was pathetic. The greenrider returned X’rx’s look, and turned her head to look Feyrianth. “Sometimes different doesn’t feel so different. But there is no denying she is different.” The desire for a place, for a purpose. That was something the pair shared with everyone. “A place for Fey.” The words where whispered. Something they both could do that gave them drive, will, desire. Where was it?, and what could it be? That was what they where looking for. It was true though. No one could find it but them. In the end it was up to the greenpair to find it. By themselves, and for themselves. Maybe they never would find purpose but X’rx was right. No one else could give them the answer.

Turning her gaze back to her classmate Erilena hazarded a soft smile. “I know how they are normally done. However I have very few willing to catch me.” Especially now. When the few friends she had had where scattered and pushed away by her own utter selfishness. Her own desire to pull away from everything. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to try and right those wrongs? It was worth a try. All that could happen was she would fail and the wrongs she had done where to deep and painful to fix. The greenrider certainly owed a lot of apologies. It was a place to start.

Stepping forward Erilena suddenly threw her arms around X’rx and pulled him close. Tightening her arms around the man she gave him a soft smile and her words where softer still even if they where sincere. “Thank you.” There wasn’t much else to say. In a way he had helped. Illuminated for her parts that she couldn’t find completely by herself. Maybe this was what he meant about support. In truth Erilena found it hard to let people support her. The greenrider normally felt like she was the one that needed to try to give support and happiness. It rarely ever worked the other way around. Yet there still was one she had used and seemed to continue to use as an emotional crutch, and that relationship Erilena was pretty sure had turned to bitter hate. At least if the last glance she got from the harper was any indication. It would all take careful thought and preparation but perhaps there was still a bit of hope for her broken friendships. Enough of a spark that with careful tending it might come back to life. It was always worth a try.

Slowly Erilena pulled away from her classmate, her hand lingered on his shoulder a minute longer before she withdrew that to with a light squeeze. Then because she couldn’t quite resist Erilena flicked at the end of the ribbon he was wearing. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your night too badly.”

[Requiem]

X'rx accepted her embrace as graciously as he had Feyrianth's nuzzles, his arms tightening around her in a soothing fashion. Brotherly. He was aware of her, of course, as he was most women...no circumstance could really change that. But Erilena was too vulnerable and too much still another man's girl in his mind to be more than acknowledged as a pretty young woman, even at such close proximity. At any rate, X'rx was not neglected; he had many friends from before who were only too happy to take a dragonrider into their furs, and Darya, too. "You're welcome. But ask next time, before you assume that no one would help. Eveyth and I don't have so much to do, you know, and I think most any idling dragonrider would have worked with you for at least one afternoon." Especially if the alternative was this farce with no straps, no spotters, and only the rocks to greet your fall if something should go awry.

X'rx's hands were immediately in his hair, straightening the ribbon without thought, and perhaps that was what suddenly caused his cheeks to flush when he caught himself doing it. The greenweyrling knew that he could be ridiculous about things, sometimes. Vain and impossibly picky about having everything just so. It was almost compulsive, though, this need, and he could hardly keep himself from it. Hands still raised to the back of his neck, he flashed a small smile. "I had a gift to deliver. What good is a turnday gift if it's not given on your turnday? You didn't inconvenience me any." Scared, perhaps. Saddened a bit. But certainly not inconvenienced; X'rx had meant to spend some time with her, anyway.

"I'm...not really sure. What you were doing, I mean. Drilling falling procedures is good and all, I suppose, but if they don't mean to put you on a wing, what would it accomplish? I'm not trying to be nosy. Just seems to me..." His hands fell from his hair, and he glanced back at Feyrianth. "Seems to me that if you want to find a place, you should maybe look at something you haven't tried yet. Maybe something to do with your healing? It's only yours right now, but if you could make it Feyrianth's, too, then you both could be happy with it. Right?" Not that he knew how to incorporate Feyrianth into Erilena's healing, but maybe she could come up with something. X'rx was no healer, after all. Just someone who helped out every once in a great while.

[Rei]

Nodding silently Erilena tightened her arms around X’rx for a moment, not willing to lose the comfort of another’s arm around her, before she slowly pulled away. He hadn’t gotten her unspoken message. Instead he had taken her words at face value it seemed. Yes she could find someone willing to help her with the fall procedures. It was her emotional and life issues in which she had no spotters. No one to look to for support. The greenrider had lost her support there. Almost completely, and who could blame any of them for pulling away?

She certainly couldn’t. It was all her own doing. Erilena’s current exile was self created. But perhaps some of it could be fixed? She hoped so anyway. If not. The greenrider would deal with that when the time came. Hazel eyes flicked up to X’rx as he moved to readjust his ribbon. His flush caused her to smile gently. Sweet man her classmate. Feyrianth echoed that sediment with a soft purr her muzzle softly brushing against the boy’s shoulder before her gaze again turned to the sky.

The greenrider’s attention in turn stayed on X’rx. Again she flashed him a small smile. Funny how just in the past few moments she had given him more actual smiles than she had given anyone all month. “I suppose you are right. Thank you and I’d like to thank Ximera in person sometime. But please tell her I think they are beautiful and I’m thankful. It’s really the best gift I think I have ever gotten.” It was to. The bowls would be have to be perfectly displayed and she would have to be beyond careful with them. Lovely as they where, and as meaningful as the gesture was to her, she would be completely heartbroken if one broke. A short nod was given. “either way. I’m glad you came along.” For whatever reason he had Erilena was beyond grateful to her fellow greenrider. He had given her something that she could never repay him for. Illumination. Yelling, anger, and frustration could only get one so far. Closing her eyes momentarily as X’rx spoke one hand raised to touch Feyrianth’s neck.

“To be completely honest. I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to show myself that we can do anything the other’s can. As untrue as that fact may be. I know Feyrianth is different but I refuse to believe she was born for no purpose.” Tossing her blonde hair back over her shoulder hazel eyes went to her dragon. There had to be something. Maybe it would take awhile to find but it had to be there yes? If she could hold onto that fact… Erilena’s attention went back to X’rx and she nibbled on her bottom lip lost in thought.

“Perhaps. I’ll have to think on that a bit.” Was there something healing wise she could use Feyrianth for? If so what? Perhaps she could approach Kali and ask. Maybe the Dragonhealer would have an idea and if not at least she had exhausted that option. Finger’s smoothed over Feyrianth’s hide lightly as the jungle noises became more pronounced in nature and the light around the pair faded further. “Yes. Not only mine but her’s as well. That would be the ideal. You’re right. Maybe I just have to look harder.” Or maybe she was just looking in all the wrong places.

Either way. Erilena had way to much to think about currently. Rubbing at her temple she flashed X’rx another light smile. "So where you on your way to bed?" Yes she had just noticed his attire. Unobservant she was apparently, or perhaps just previously a little preoccupied.

[Requiem]

"Ximera will be delighted to hear that, and she's never turned a visit down. Ask her about her tea parties. I think I'm still the only one who will sit down and play with her." Fifteen, but she was still so childlike, in many ways. Of course, he was one of the only ones who understood what those tea parties meant to his sister. "No pessimism with her," he added, with an edge of sharpness just behind the words. "You make Ximera cry and you'll realize that no one is nice all the time." Protective much? His baby sister was both the strongest of his siblings and the weakest, and he didn't like leaving her to more - world-wise - people. Too empathetic. Too trusting.

X'rx nodded silently. "After I dropped off the gift, yes." His eyes looked her over for a moment, but whatever his thoughts were, they were never voiced. The man turned away from Erilena. "Happy turnday. No one can be happy for you, either," he added, before slipping off into the darkness just as silently as he'd come.