I feel it’s going to rain like this for days (Open

[Rei]

Trilaranth’s response had Feyrianth breathing a bit easier and with a return brush of thanks the four winged dragon shook and then padded into the weyr. Dripping onto the stone floor she snorted and shook from head to tail tip. It would do her no good to be still damp when her bonded arrived. To Frosstyth she offered nothing. Not one comment, because in all honesty she didn’t much care to speak to him at the moment. With a huff she flicked her wings once and gently prodded her bonded’s mind before turning whirling eyes back to her couch and the mess of furs upon it.

Tril’s is coming for you. As she spoke the green nudged the piled blanket and furs into some semblance of order so that hers could sleep when she got back. Her silly rider tended to ignore her bed to curl up with her and Feyrianth hadn’t the heart to deny her bonded the option. Sleep was sleep no matter where one obtained it. With a nervous twitch the four winged green settled on her stone couch pulling the blankets towards her with her forepaws. With a sigh Feyrianth lidded her eyes and simply waited. Perhaps a touch impatiently.

Erilena’s trembling had subsided to something more manageable by this point and she had even taken her eyes from C’oar for the moment to gaze blankly at the fire in the forge. As Feyrianth began to calm so to did the greenrider, although it was still apparent she was on edge because any shift of movement on C’oar’s part had her head jerking in that direction. Her nickname was not something she could miss however and it caused Erilena to flinch in surprise until Feyrianth cleared the matter up for her. Tril’s? So R’ven? Yes that would be the one. In her haze it didn’t much matter to the greenrider who came for her as long as someone did. So in a sense she was a little relived that someone had finally come. However had she been thinking a bit more clearly the greenrider might have berated Feyrianth for her choice. The brownrider was not someone she would have chosen to bother currently. R’ven had had to deal with enough of her problems. No need to add more when he was for all intensive purposes free.

Tightening her grip on the bag Erilena backed up towards the wall as C’oar opened the door. More out of a desire to keep her distance than anything else. Leaning her back against the wall she took a deep breath and kept her hair in her face, not bothering to move for the moment until she felt Feyrianth’s prod. Relax Erimine. He is going to bring you home. Do not worry. Behave yourself. Slowly the greenrider nodded to her dragon, never mind the green couldn’t see her. Still however Erilena did not speak. There was nothing to say was there? Instead she paused for a few moments before taking one slow hesitant step toward the two brownriders and then pausing again. She could go home now right? Back to Feyrianth?

[rii]

Stepping in, Rven brushed off his wet hood, shaking aside the lazy curls that were beginning to grow out before he turned his attention to the broad man addressing him. "C'oar," it had taken a moment for the name to spring to mind. The fellow Hypenite smith couldn't be mistaken for anyone else, not with the heavy build. Even R'ven had slimmed down after coming to Selenitas. A nod was given to the other man, "Sorry about hitting you with the door there."

A quick survey of the room lit with little more than glows and the glowing embers provided little revelation. An wet, mousey Erilena shrinking against the far wall drew forth a pensive frown. R'ven turned his hazel eyes back to C'oar, blinking at the question. No, he hadn't thought of it actually. Asking R'ven to do something after just waking always ended with poor results.

Hell, he hadn't even been coherent until halfway to the forge.

"I'm afraid it didn't cross my mind at the time," He gave a sheepish laugh. "The rain can't last that long. Storm usually just blow through here.. I can stay with her if you want to go – er, but either of you care to tell me what's going on.." Now that he was actually awake to hear it.

[dragon]

C'oar shrugged slightly. "Not a problem. I was kind of standing behind it, so I asked for it I guess." He answered, before turning his attention back to Erilena as R'ven did. No coat ... wonderful. "Well ... if you can get her to use it, you can use mine. It won't kill me to get wet. Her, on the other hand ... I do suspect she's on the verge of ill." He shrugged, again. He was no Healer, but it didn't take a Healer to see when someone was sick.

"I'm not sure, actually. I came down because Frosstyth told me there was a fire here. I thought it bore looking into, since I know for sure I'd shut everything down before I left. I found her here ... sopping wet and shivering in front of the fire. She's been acting absolutely crazed, to boot. Don't ask me why. But ... I'd watch myself if I was you. She's kicked me once, and tried to hit me with a poker." C'oar warned, with no malice at all in his voice. He was pretty sure she wasn't in her right mind at the moment. And it hadn't hurt him, really, to take the few feeble blows he'd taken. But ... he did feel it was better to warn a fellow. On the other hand, he knew her enough to come to the door calling her name. So maybe she'd react to him differently. "She tried to bolt back out into the rain, so I rather blocked the way, waiting for something to give. Didn't figure it was a good idea, her going out there." Another slight shrug. It was hard to get C'oar ruffled in the least, and he was one of those people who had nearly infinite patience. But he was more than willing to let R'ven try to take over. Because he didn't like upsetting people for no good reason ... and all he'd done so far was upset her. Which, in his opinion, in her current state was just not healthy. All he knew was that she needed help. Help he definitely couldn't give. Not effectively.

Hooking his thumbs in the top of his trousers, C'oar just looked at R'ven for a moment, waiting to see what happened next. If they decided to wait it out here, he'd take his coat and leave. If they didn't, then he'd take care of that fire, and then hurry back home without his coat.

[Rei]

Erilena stopped and shifted awkwardly as the two men spoke. The glance given in her direction from R’ven caused her to shrink back instinctively her back again touching the wall. It was about then when her legs decided to protest all the standing by trembling and the greenrider sank down to the floor still clutching the bag to her chest. The soft conversation was not followed at all. It was really none of her business right? Besides even if she did choose to listen in, chances are her brain would see fit to forget to process most of it. With a final nervous glance in the direction of the smiths her eyes again went to the fire as she waited patiently for something to happen. If only they where not blocking the door she could get back to Fey. Sleep sounded good right now. So did being warm. She was cold. How did she forget she was cold?

You haven’t been thinking all that rationally Erimine. You are far too tired. This is why you forget. You should listen to me more often and not try to dance when it is so cold and raining. Not that her bonded was all that keen on dancing anyway. That she had tried the green took as a good sign though. Her rider’s mood had been steadily improving and her Erilena was no longer as upset as she had been. Subdued still yes, stressed out yes, but no longer sad to the point of constant tears. Mending she was. The four winged dragon sighed heavily from her place in the weyr and lowered her head onto her forepaws. Sometimes she wished her Erilena was not so stubborn. She tried to hard. Gave too much. At everything. But in the end this is what made her bonded herself, and Feyrianth so loved hers. Despite her quirks. Silly humans.

Erilena ended up focusing on her sandaled feet through the curtain of her hair. Half of her attention on R’ven and C’oar. Wait. Had to wait. Be good. Yes.

[rii]

R'ven knew he had spoken loud enough for Erilena to hear, but it appeared that she wasn't going to be very forthcoming with information. The frown remained, but for now C'oar had his complete attention. A strange tale the other man told, if only because R'ven had never known Erilena to be violent. He didn't rule it out, though, considering the way she slumped against the wall was equally out of character – at least it was in his opinion. C'oar wasn't faulted for anything. R'ven would have done near the same actions if it had been him.

"We'll stay," He nodded when C'oar's explanation came to an end. If the rain didn't stop, he'd just loan Erilena his own coat and endure the weather himself. "I'll put out the fire before we leave. Sorry about the trouble." With that said, R'ven clapped C'oar lightly on the shoulder in thanks then turned to approached the wayward Erilena.

A sleepiness pulled faintly at his features, the only expression he allowed to show. In truth he felt.. irritated – that he had to apologize for his ex-girlfriend as if she were a child that didn't know any better. He had heard enough over the weeks (the kitchen drudges were always happy to gossip with him since his time as a candidate) from various people to how Erilena had been.. behaving. Also got a good number of nasty looks from people he didn't even know. It made him wonder what was being passed around the rumor mill..

Grabbing a short stool, R'ven set it down next to the hearth. Purposely half-slamming the seat down so the sound alone would be enough to snap Erilena out of her inward trance. "Sit. Warm up. Fey asked me to bring you back to your weyr, but we're not moving until the storm lets up."

[dragon]

"Alright." C'oar answered, stepping over to retrieve his coat ... again. He trusted R'ven would do as he said, for any smith worth the trade name knew a good deal about fire, and forge care. While C'oar had not personally worked with R'ven, he'd seen some of the work that was turned out. "No trouble at all." He answered. Which, from him, was quite truthful. He really hadn't seen it as anything that couldn't be handled in due course.

He was completely nonplussed by the whole thing. Even being kicked. These things happened, after all, over the course of a life time. No one was hurt, nobody died, it was all good. He slipped the long, heavy leather coat back onto his thick arms, shrugging to settle the tent of a creation across his shoulders. "Fare well." He said, to both and either. Turning, he opened the door, stepped out, and shut it again behind him securely, to be sure none of the inclement weather would get inside the building. Though, if by some happenstance the weather did manage to get the door open again, R'ven could probably reclose and secure it, C'oar didn't want that to have to be a must of an action. Hunching his shoulders against the cold rain that was still hitting his neck, C'oar headed back for home again, back to the warm, dry place that was his weyr.

Situation resolved? Frosstyth asked, sleepily.

"Sure." C'oar answered, ducking into a tunnel entrance and starting up the stairs that would take him to his own door. "Situation resolved." At least - as far as he was concerned. For whatever reason, he was pretty sure R'ven would be able to handle the girl a lot better than he had.

[Rei]

Erilena had half closed her eyes as she stayed slumped against the wall. The two men where being almost completely ignored by this point. Inwardly her thoughts turned slowly, all along the same track. Had to get home. So tired… She had work in the morning…. The noise of the stool inspired movement though. With a half whimper the greenrider flinched violently and skittered sidewise, head coming up to regard R’ven with wide eyes.

His words where short, curt almost. Was he mad? For a moment she didn’t move, hardly dared to breathe. C’oar’s goodbye and the shutting of the door behind her cause a tremble to race from head to toe again. Trapped. Only then did Erilena slowly rise completely to her feet and edge further down the wall, shaking her head. “I’m sorry.” The words where soft and pleading even as she continued to back up. “You can go. I didn’t mean… be okay by myself…”

This inspired more twitching from Feyrianth and she whimpered in response. He won’t hurt you love. But, but, He…. The four winged green sighed again. You would be mad to if you where taken from sleep to fetch someone. Only someone I didn’t like... The dragon fell silent then not knowing what else to say, and having a feeling her bonded would argue regardless. Feyrianth didn’t pretend to understand what had gone wrong between hers and Trilaranth’s. All she knew was that it had upset her bonded terribly and that hers still liked Tril’s. Why would Tril’s not like her? Humans where confusing. The green had long since given up understanding. Instead she swung her head around to view the opening to her ledge. If the rain would let up she could hazard a trip to get hers and R’ven could leave. Tail twitching in worry she bespoke her bonded again, her tone soft but firm. Comply Erilenamine. Please? You can get home sooner and perhaps if you are good he will no longer be as angry. Worth a shot my little love. I know he will not hurt you, if only because I would be upset. The dragon trusted the brownrider. He had never given her a reason not to.

Blinking at that Erilena nodded and took one slow unsteady step towards R’ven. Her hazel eyes watched him warily, almost afraid as she approached, like some feral canine ready to spring away at the slightest wrong movement. Drawing up alongside the stool the greenrider ignored it, instead sinking down onto her knees in front of the hearth and wrapping her arms around her torso. In truth the warmth felt good and although she wanted to close her eyes she kept them open for fear that she’d fall asleep. Gazing blankly into the fire she clutched at the leather bag to be sure she still had it and hazarded a glance towards the door. Only then did she turn her gaze to R’ven for a moment, mumbling another apology before dipping her head to allow her damp hair to hide her face and turning her gaze back towards the small fire.

[rii]

R'ven felt his facial muscles tense. His lower jaw jutted, slowly sliding back into place while raking teeth along the underside of his top lip. Restraining himself, in truth, from snapping at Erilena's response. Feyrianth had asked him to fetch her, not berate her for acting the part of a child. He took the stool away, setting it by the table and sitting on it himself. She had ever right to sit on the dirty floor if she so felt inclined to do so, who was he to stop her. Who was he to tell her any different.

Certainly didn't have the right to tell her she's been working too many hours at the infirmary, that she was neglecting herself and her dragon, that she was – many things, in fact, had been weighing at R'ven's mind. He already had a couple of people poke at him saying he needed to deal with it. Deal with Erilena's problems, because obviously the girl wasn't doing it on her own. How people got it into their minds that he could do anything for the girl was beyond him. Seven hells if he was going to take her back just to pull her out of the little rut..

In the end there was a difference between a woman and a girl, and Erilena was the latter.

Where had all the strength gone that he had once seen inside Erilena?

Gone now, for a certainty, R'ven calmly surveyed the meek, whimpering creature kneeling beside the hearth. He caught her fleeting glance toward the door and frowned openly at her, a harshness to his gaze. Might as well just get her home, circumstance be damned, than to prolong this situation. C'oar had the right of mind to try to keep her inside to dry off and get warm, but it looked clear enough that Erilena was going to bolt the first chance she got. Yes, because he was going to do such terrible things to her.

Snorting, R'ven rose, crossing the room to kill the fire. He stirred the hot coals until the red embers faded to black. He shed his riding jacket, dropping it on Erilena's shoulders. "Have it your way. Let's go." Expecting her to comply, R'ven threw open the forge door – the heavy, cold rain riding in on the wind. He didn't have much protection against the elements, but since the damnable girl was unable to wait, why bother arguing and end up in the same position as C'oar.

[Requiem]

Heat hit them like a wall, a hiss of surprise escaping the throat of the smallest, who shrunk back, half-crouching. The thin, taller figure stood firm, a gloved hand going up before its face. Long cloaks whipped around both, and thunder crashed an echo to the slamming doors. Lightning briefly backlit the sky, followed by another peal of thunder. The storm was gathering now into a real gale, and the apparitions, both silent, were surrounded by huffs and growls, as if the night air itself protested the sudden light of the forge, fading though it was as the embers died. Another gust of wind blasted past the two figures, putting out the last of the fire and the light winked, then went out. A hulking beast bounded inside, brushing solidly past the smith before plopping down right on the coals. A second shadow, larger, skulked after him, pausing near the smith, eyes a ghostly blue as they focused on the huddled, whimpering creature.

It was the little goblin that bounded forward, and a hood was thrown back, the young girl shaking out her half-dampened curls. "Daylighters!" she exclaimed, the flash of white teeth easy enough to see, even in the near darkness. "Have you come to play in the rain? Or perhaps to get out of it...Ximesk, you're making a mess!" the bluewherling called. Her plump wher whined from his warm bed of coals, curling tighter. It was cold and wet out there, didn't she know? He didn't mean to get soot everywhere, but it was just so much warmer here. The older wher bared his teeth at the younger, and Ximesk offered no more defenses, huddling tighter. Scary scarred blue was scary.

The reedy teenager struggled with the doors to the forge, wrestling them closed against the wind before turning back toward the scene. He brushed his own cowl back, pale eyes flicking toward R'ven. "Nice night you two chose. Whers can't get a scent with the water washing them all away, and I would have sworn there'd be no Selenitas fools lingering out here." Not that he was complaining; Dmitri would rather not have to deal with the odd northern scout or marauder holing up for shelter. Disdain or pity, it was hard to tell, particularly in the gloom, what it was in the shifting of his eyes as they fell on the greenrider. "A rescue mission, is it?" His words were kept soft, for R'ven's ears. "Should keep your coat. We'll escort her, unless you feel the need to linger. Our cloaks are made for this weather." Made to turn aside most of the sheeting rain, and keep them passing warm.

Oblivious to the quiet words of the handler at her back, Ximera seemed to have realized that there was something wrong with the woman, and in an instant she'd bounded over and wrapped her arms around the rider. Her fingers found her hair, petting her like a lost pup. "S'okay, s'okay, fraid of the dark, aren't you? Won't hurt you. It's pretty, the dark, especially when the moons shine bright, or the lights wink from the clouds. Momma says it's dragons long dead playing up there, and the thunder is the rolling of their laughter. Quiet now."

[Rei]

Gazing into the fire as she was, mind turning in slow circles, Erilena was unaware of most of what was going on around her. Dimly she realized R’ven was sitting somewhere behind her but Feyrianth’s calm presence in her mind did much to relax any notion of fear that might crop up. When the smith rose and banked the fire the greenrider blinked uncertainly at him. The jacket falling heavily on her shoulders was unexpected and she didn’t move to rise until the brownrider spoke. Wordlessly and all the while keeping her head bowed she complied and moved to get back to her feet. Back to Feyrianth yes? Yes back to me. The dragon did well to keep any worry out of her voice despite the fact that the feeling crawled just under her skin. Brushing R’ven’s mind with another round of sincere apology the green settled to await her bonded.

Unfortunately for Feyrianth it would seem she would be waiting quite awhile. If the figures in the door didn’t inspire the rush of fear Erilena suddenly felt, the lightning and thunder sealed the deal. Erilena had a phobia of storms, and that combined with the anxious fear already dominating her emotions nearly sent her over the edge. She screamed and scampered backwards quickly towards a nearby corner, the echo of her cry dieing away to be picked up by one from her dragon.

Feyrianth raised her head and gave another loud long keen whirling eyes flushed with red as she hissed at nothing and anything. Her tail lashed against the stone couch in her anger the pain she inspired in herself enough to bring her back to her senses. At least enough that she got a dim idea of what was going on through the eyes of her panicked rider. Not enemies then. Merely dancer and his wher and someone else.

A low whine sounding in her throat Feyrianth again reached for the mind of her rider finding it to muddled to make sense of much of anything. Extending a feeling of forced tranquility to her bonded she tried to relax muscle by muscle. Ximera’s physical presence working to soothe her rider even as the dragon worked on Erilena’s mental state. She had to stay calm or there was no hope for her bonded now. Trembling from head to tail tip the green focused on keeping herself in a calm state although such was hard to do when your rider was beyond the realm of understanding.

At first Ximera’s attempt was met with a stiffening, the greenrider almost making to push the other female away but another crash of thunder had her submitting as she all but shut down. Crying silently she buried her face into the other girl’s neck and allowed herself to be comforted, Feyrianth’s sense of exuding calm helping as well. Slowly the trembles and tears began to quiet, although Erilena kept a death grip on the other girl unwilling to let her go. It didn’t much matter what the blue handler was saying. It was the soothing quality to her voice that helped the most. It was that comfort that the greenrider craved currently and was completely unwilling to lose.

[rii]

R'ven blinked. Truely dumbfounded by the dark shapes, silhouetted by the flashes of distant lightning, that stood just on the other side of the door. Erilena's shriek was heard – hard not to – but cataloged in second place of importance. Unknown strangers arriving at the forge took precedence. At least it did until the silent whers slipped in through the ajar door (Or rather, the first one knocked him aside to make way for the rest of them). Wherhanlders. The pale, burned, and torn blue could only be Dmisk. In turn that meant the tall cloaked figure was Dmitri.

The little wisp of a girl, more cloak than body, earned no such recognition. In fact, R'ven simply stared down at her until he exclamation drew his attention to the wher curled on the open heart. A grimace twisted on his expression, a calloused hand coming up to rub at his furrowing brow. At least this girl went to comfort Erilena, R'ven silently thanked her in his mind.

"I believe that marks you for a fool as well," R'ven quietly intoned with a faint nod to Dmitri's assumption about his and Erilena's presence in the forge. "I'll stay here and clean up the mess," He let out a sigh, weariness pulled at his shoulders. "If I go with I'm sure to make her more upset. Likely she'll respond better to you and.. your friend." He cast a side-glance at the two girls. "She's afraid of thunder storms, if you didn't guess already."

He stepped back, leaning against the nearby table to be out of the way of the group. He didn't mention the coat, knowing he could fetch it on the morrow before classes. Erilena was often too engrossed in her work to notice one way or another. A muttered followed, the grumbling words directed at Dmitri. "I believe that's the second girl I've dumped on your hands. I clearly owe you a favor or two."

[Exit R'ven, unless you need him for another post]

[Requiem]

"This foolishness seems to be my duty," Dmitri returned, with just the right mixture of ruefulness and humor to suggest that he didn't disagree with R'ven on the point. That said, at least he had ample reason, something that couldn't be said for Erilena. Though she looked half-crazed, so perhaps she'd finally gone mad. Women had surprising weak nerves, when all was said and done. Even his own woman. Dmitri would not profess to love Elysia - likely never would, in fact - but that didn't make him any less possessive of her. Though he never would have thought her prone to tears when they'd first met and in the many months after, before he took to her furs on a regular basis. She'd seen his though, once, so he found it difficult to fault her for it, and stranger still it didn't even surprise him anymore. Tears when he was angry enough for her to worry about him leaving, and tears at mention of her father if it was more than just a few bitter words. Erilena's frequent emotional upheavals, however, were another thing entirely. There was a fine line between pity and disdain, and few enough who would be merely sympathetic. Had he ever thought her a woman? Folly.

Erilena was his, too, of a sort, even if she only came to him with her grievances. A friend. He still owed her a blood debt, as it were, something hard to forget when the evidence stared back at you in every reflective surface.

The same debt he owed R'ven. It reflected in the snorting laugh, quiet but not soft. Harsh. "You owe me nothing, smith." The bite of the words left the air feeling colder, and he softened it with a slight smile. "Strong and hale as you are, my friend, this weather's like to seep into a chest and linger. If you won't have your jacket back, you'll have a cloak, but you will have something." He could shelter both the girls, if R'ven proved stubborn. Thin though he was, his height made up for it, in some ways. Dmitri wasn't keen on waiting for R'ven's response, however. Instead, he stalked forward, hand drawing Ximera back with just a touch as he crouched before Erilena. The slap was brisk, not so hard as to leave a mark or knock her over, but certainly enough to get her ears ringing - and her attention. Hands cradled both cheeks, keeping her head still with no real force. "Get ahold of yourself, Lena," he growled. If she wanted something to tremble at... "Do you have a death wish, then? The first time was foolish, and here no more than a couple months later, you go out and do it again. I blame Ysaloth and glaring stupidity for Dmisk, but if he takes just one more scar from chasing after you on one of your foolish midnight outings, I swear to you I have half a mind to visit it on you in kind." The cold, pale eyes sought out hers. "Enough."

When he stood, taking the girl into his arms as if she were nothing - the boy may have seemed to lose substance over the past turn, but his strength hadn't waned in kind - he let the jacket fall from her shoulders, shrugging the cloak into place around her and cupping her cheek against his chest with a gloved palm, as much to protect her from the elements as to keep her still. "Come, Ximera. You'll make sure she's changed and kept warm, once we get her back." His gaze dropped to her, even as he shifted slightly to replace his cowl. The girl stared up at him wide-eyed, then nodded quickly. Handlers and whers passed out into the raging storm again, and for once, Ximesk didn't need any coaxing.

(Feel free to post or not as you will...lolz and if you've a problem with it, Rei, you know to say so. xP)

[Rei]

When Ximera drew away Erilena blinked, disliking the loss of comfort and almost reaching to try and draw her back. That’s when she felt the slap across her face. It gained her attention surely, her hand coming up as if to cradle her face. Only Dmitri’s hand was in the way so she dropped her own. Wide tear filled eyes stared back at him but she offered not a word. Completely silent as he spoke. After all what was there to say?

The strike got Erilena's attention for sure but as incoherent as her mind was, most of the harper’s words went straight over her head. The only thing she dimly realized was fighting back was likely to get her hit again. Trembling faintly the greenrider booked no complaint or struggle as she was scooped up. Mostly because of a perceived threat and Feyrianth’s calm pressure on her mind. The green’s repeated reassurances. The same comforting words over and over where easier to fall into. Thus Erilena merely shut her eyes against the storm and stilled.

Feyrianth was not happy about the strike to her bonded, at all, but was willing to let slide due to the fact that dancer was bringing hers back. Rumbling the green settled herself to wait impatiently, her whirling eyes the only display of her current irritation with the entire ridiculous situation.

{You are fine Reqqers <3 End thread}