The dawn is breaking (Tags Dorava)

[Rei]

Soft sunlight filtered down from the sky as Sel’n made his way along the bank. It was early just past dawn and the man hadn’t been able to sleep. Perhaps it was because he had been so cooped up lately. Since the attack the brownrider had mainly kept to himself. His office and weyr where is world. Drudges brought his food and besides the visits to the infirmary to see Kaaoloth he hardly saw anything but weyrlings. Had to be going stir crazy. Since he had quit taking the fellis things had been harder, but surprisingly not unmanageable. Perhaps all he needed was a morning walk.

His boots hardly made any noise as he strode through the soft morning light. Vanity was perched on his shoulder looking simply stunning. Oiled to a perfect gleam and as healthy as she had been in a long time the little mandyr was in high spirits as well. Hers had stopped taking the poison and they where closer than they had ever been. That combined with her mate’s good mood put her in high spirits and she amused herself by scampering from one shoulder to another and nipping at Sel’n’s ears. Can’t catch me. She sang before leaping off him to glide to a tree and scamper up the trunk. The Weyrlingmaster paused for a moment and tapped his foot. “Vanity I am not climbing up after you get down here.” No come down. Come up.

Sel’n sighed deeply before grabbing a low branch and swinging himself up into the tree. Climbing was lard work with only one completely useable arm. Finally he managed to perch himself in some low branches. Not to high but still high enough to get a good view of the morning jungle. It was surprisingly peaceful here. Listening to the sound of the jungle he was slightly startled when Vanity dropped down from a lower branch to land on his head. Caught you. She purred wiggling in the dark strands. Slightly chuckling the brownrider fell silent as he heard some rustling heading in his direction. Someone else out for a stroll?

Curious Sel’n leaned forward to try and catch a glimpse and promptly lost his balance. Arms flailing he pitched headfirst off the branch and did a summersault to land on his back on the hard jungle floor. The force of the landing took the breath from his chest. For a moment or two he lay gasping much like a fish would as he struggled to get air back into his lungs. Vanity had sent up a shriek as she was flung into the air but her tiny wings had enabled her to glide to a lower branch without injury. Concerned she scampered down the tree at a breakneck pace to sit on her bonded’s chest. Is okay? She questioned with worried yellow eyes. Need fixer? Go get Lustpet?

Sel’n shook his dazed head in a negative at his mandyr. Note to self no more climbing trees. He was lucky he hadn’t broken anything. It was probably a small miracle that he hadn’t. As a shadow fell over him he closed his eyes and vanity gave a small hiss of warning. Oh great. Just what he needed a spectator to his fall. The world really did hate him didn’t it?

[dragon]

Sometimes, morning was the best time to go for a walk. Especially when the days were getting so hot of late. In the early morning, it was just starting to warm from the very coolest point just before dawn. The vaguely moist breezes were marvelous, the colors of the rising sun completely awesome. It was the best time of day. To sleep through it was absolutely wretched. Usually, Dorava and Aonith shared these moments together, but ever since the attack ... well. It was just Dorava and Val now. Aonith could only watch through her rider, until she healed enough to be moving around. Which would happen, she was sure. It would just take awhile.

Leaves crunching underfoot, the occasional twig ... it was all good. Dorava breathed deep of the air and smiled a little bit. Sometimes, to get through the rough patches, one just had to slow down, and take it moment by moment. Right now, it was a good moment.

Val was riding in a pocket she'd sewn onto the front of her shirt, front half sort of poking out. He couldn't ride out like he used to without overbalancing, and even so, he was hanging on for all that he was worth. Unable to move around on his own anymore, he delighted in riding around on Dorava's chest. Seeing the word that way. He knew something was up before Dorava did - mostly because she was strolling along with her hands in her pockets and her eyes shut. A quick cheep, and she came to a halt, looking around.

Just in time to see someone pitch headlong out of the tree ahead of her on the path. What in Faranth's name?! They didn't move again afterward, and instantly Dorava couldn't help but wonder if the man had broken his neck or something. Stepping forward hastily to see if he was alright, she realized who it was; Sel'n. And no, he was alright. Alive, conscious ... but winded. She could tell by the breathing.

Val about pitched out of his pocket at the sight of Vanity. Prettylove! So pretty. Lovelove. Pretty happy pretty. Good! No bad, good prettylove! Clearly, the crippled blue was still entirely smitten by Vanity, despite her not having any interest at all. Dorava had to real quick snatch him up and tuck him back into his pocket before he went splat on Sel'n's face. Part of her didn't like Sel'n much - his attitude just got all over her. But part of her liked him anyway. Another part (she strongly suspected this was Val's fault entirely) actually cared for him. It was a confusing mix, to be sure.

"Sel'n?" She asked, uncertainly. "Are you alright?" Even if her first assessment was that he was - it was always polite to go ahead and ask anyway. Just in case. "What were you doing in a tree?" She couldn't help but ask. It was just so ... odd. She looked up at the tree in question, having to catch Val again as he managed to flop out of her pocket once more, chirping in excitement and glee. Vanity was here!!

[Rei]

Vanity frilled again in threat at Dorava before her attention was taken by Val’s words. Ah, the little blue slave. With a warning glare at the greenrider she began to bathe her face with small forepaws before skittering to the top of Sel’n’s head. Curling her little tail around her haunches, she peeped up at him wondering why he didn’t come scuttling over like he normally did. Tongue flicking out to touch her bonded’s scalp she spoke to Val. Mornin. Oh she normally didn’t give Valiant the time of day but he was complementing her and it would be stupid not to acknowledge and reward that. Besides she got a thrill at seeing him fall all over her. Silly thing didn’t he know she was Lust’s? Some slaves where just too dim. However if he wanted to worship her every glorious move she wasn’t going to stop him. Prettylove Greenqueen. Nice notice. Good Val.

Sel’n actually rolled his eyes at the thought’s and words coming off of his green mandyr before he struggled to sit up. Coughing once he drew another rasping breath before he spoke the words sounding a bit pained. He would have more than one bruise he was sure. “I’m okay just winded.” That and his head was spinning, probably from the lack of oxygen going to his brain. He almost missed her question but did catch the tail end of it. Something about a tree. “Vanity climbed it and like an idiot I fell for her baits.” Finally his head was clearing and he could get a good look at who he was talking to.

Immediately Sel’n wished he hadn’t figured it out. Dorava. He hadn’t seen her since... Well it’d been quite some time. He last time he saw her she was pregnant. Now she was obviously not. Kaaoloth had said she had lost the baby but it had been around the time of the plague when he had accidentally killed D’nar. Dorava had been the last thing on his mind then. Part of him was sad for the lost tentative friendship that had sprung up between them but there wasn’t much he could do about that. What was lost was lost and now he felt only awkward. It wasn’t helping that Vanity was being so egotistical either. Sel’n had the urge to flip his hair and pose. Very awkward.

Finally after sorting through a jumble of feelings he winced and stood, brushing plant matter off himself. “Out for a morning stroll? It’s gotten unbearably hot lately.” He remarked. It would just be rude to turn and walk away. Really it was stilly to feel so awkward but he did. The heat wave was a good topic. The brownrider was worried about Kaaoloth getting to hot actually. The dragon had just gotten out of the infirmary and was taking advantage of whatever coolness the stone of his weyr had to offer. He did his best with keeping the dragon cool and hydrated. Having just about totally recovered the brown was okay but still had not been given permission to between. Thoughts of Kaaoloth brought thoughts of Dorava’s own dragon. Was Aonith still at the infirmary? He remembered her presence when he visited the brown. “How is Aonith patching up?” It seemed a safe enough topic. If one ignored the proverbial elephant in the jungle anyway.

[dragon]

Val about swooned right then and there. Vanity said something to him! Something nice! She acknowledged he was there, and pleasantly! He was utterly in heaven right then and there. Coiling what he could around Dorava's thumb, refusing to go back in the pocket, he crooned to her, happy colors swirling in his little eyes. Oh, happy day! Prettylove, pretty pretty. Good! Val good. Not bad. Good. Prettylove. Muchpretty. Bootiful. Pretty. Greenqueen! A new word! A good word! A Vanity word. He would treasure it all his life. Granted, the way he was going, he might not live long at all. But who knew? He would have bounced, could he have. But being paralyzed from the ribs back was a bit detrimental to the bouncing idea. So all he could do was hug Dorava's thumb and admire Vanity lovingly. Especially since he couldn't get over there, and Dorava certainly wasn't of a mind to put him over there. No matter how much he begged. He sooooo wanted to go be with Vanity!

He sounded like he'd inhaled a leaf or something. But Dorava still left him to his own devices - he said he was fine, she'd trust that judgment. That, and no telling how twitchy he'd get over being touched or helped up. So she didn't. It was kinda odd that he was admitting to being an idiot - a sentiment she may or may not agree with, depending on her mood at the time. "Did you learn something?" She asked, wryly. Sometimes, it took a really heavy blow to get through some skulls. Chasing mandyrs up into a tree? Yeahhhh, that sounded stupid to her alright.

"Yeah ... morning is the best time to go for a walk, anymore. And after awhile, the stink of the infirmary just gets to a body. Fresh air is needed for a sound mind." Poor Aonith was still in there - but at least in the dragon area it wasn't quite so bad. Higher ceilings, the works. Not to mention dragon-sized entrances. She still spent as much time there as she thought she could get away with - given she knew most of the staff pretty well it was kind of hard to slip in and out unnoticed. The infirmary .... yeahhh, not a place she was really welcome anymore. She smiled slightly at the question on Aonith. "She's healing. Slowly, but ... healing. So long as she doesn't move. Her back was tore up pretty good. I suspect by the time her back heals, her wings will be healed, too. Getting her back in shape again is going to be a challenge in and of itself." She admitted.

"And Kaaoloth? I noticed they moved him out. Is he doing alright, or was he just simply moved?" Dorava asked, trying to stay polite. She didn't know how far things were in what direction - it seemed she was really talented at alienating people despite her efforts to the contrary. If he was too twitchy, she'd just go back the way she'd come. However, Valiant was not helping at all with his get closer loveydovey gotta hugandlick sentiments. How awkward. She shifted to her other foot, closing her hand a bit tighter around her mandyr, lest he get a hair brained idea to jump.

[Rei]

Vanity wiggled around in Sel’n’s mostly dark locks doing her level best to play herself up. Oh look, look, she was just so pretty. Especially highlighted against so much dark. Rolling to her feet she slid down her bonded’s hair to his shoulder. Once there she perched daintily and started preening her wings and frill. Yes beautiful is Greenqueen Vanity. A flirtatious tail flick punctuated those words. Oh it was so nice to be admired so. Good slave. As long as he continued to give her such positive attention she was good with him hanging there and blathering on about her. Of course if he moved to touch he would have to be punished. No touching. Only Lust was allowed to touch. Preening finished she frilled at Dorava. Better stay back. No stealing hers again. He was hers. She did not share. Well she did with Lustpet but that was different.

Sel’n shook his head and gave a wry smile. “Yes I learned that crippled riders shouldn’t climb trees no matter how good they feel at the time.” His voice was quite normal despite the awkwardness in the air. The words where intended as a joke. Whether the greenrider would take them as such or not he was unsure.

He continued to nod as Dorava kept speaking. The heat of the day was quickly becoming bothersome. Unless it was raining or you where in the water it was best to limit movement and of course drink as much as possible. Many people had already lost pets. Least of which was a green weyrling of Darya's who was still suffering the aftereffects. Another classic example of why they shouldn’t impress the things. Although according to Kaaoloth, Feyrianth was doing surprisingly well coping with it. Hopefully she would get out with no permanent scaring. Frowning at that thought he cleared his throat.

“Well Faranth’s speed in the healing process. It can be tough.” Very much so especially when the dragon wasn’t used to being so idle. “Send her my regards will you?” As Dorava asked about Kaaoloth Sel’n smiled softly. “He’s doing much better. The worst of the burns have pretty much healed. He is still bared form between but that to should pass in time.” It had been touch and go but his brown was well out of the woods. He would survive and with no permanent disability. They got lucky. “You know with this heat the fact we can’t between is annoying. A quick trip between would probably be a pretty good way to cool off.” He joked. Extreme heat or extreme cold? Hard choice there.

Shifting his feet the man considered before adding. “How are you doing Dorava?” It would be rude not to ask and the awkwardness wasn’t really intolerable.

[dragon]

Valiant ate up all the sights of watching Vanity play around and put on a show. He crooned softly to her, stroking her ego and trying to convince either Dorava to put him over there, or Vanity to come over to where he was. One or the other. Prettypretty, soooooo pretty. Greenqueen! Vanitylove. LoveVanity. So pretty. Bestest best. So pretty! He crooned again, extending his frill for a moment in excitement before laying it down again to flap his little wings. Not that it did any good at all. Between being a mandyr and stuck in Dorava's grasp, the cripple wasn't going very far at all. Come sit? Prettyqueen? He invited, hopefully. No attention was spared in the slightest - not for Sel'n, and certainly not for Dorava. Vanity was what he wanted!

Dorava smiled a bit at Sel'n's confession. "Is that all you learned?" She teased. "Besides, you're not a cripple. You can still move around on your own, even if not as good as old times." Dorava sucked in her bottom lip as she nodded once for emphasis. "Val ... now he's a cripple." She gestured with the hand that had the blue trapped. Poor thing. But he cheeped happily anyway, at hearing his name. They were talking about him! Yay!!! Made him feel all important, even if he didn't really know what the topic was.

"Will do, but I offer a word of caution, there." Dorava answered. "Bouncing between from a hot day to a hot day is a good way to catch ill. Rapid and sudden changes in temperature do that to a body." She pointed out. "It's why spring and fall are so rough on people." Dorava really didn't want Sel'n to get sick - not after everything else that had been going on. Even if he was on good terms ... er ... yeah. With Kalierre.

"Me?" She asked, sounding vaguely surprised. "I'm ... still alive. If that counts. Sometimes I think its a sheer random throw of luck by the skin of my teeth that I am ... but I'm alive." She shrugged just a bit. How else was there to put it? She was surviving. That was about it. Living each moment as it came, taking each as it came. There was no other way to handle it without utterly breaking down and maybe committing suicide. Nevermind Aonith would never allow that sort of activity, but the point was there. "You?"

[Rei]

Vanity seemed to consider Valiant’s words for a moment. Luckily for the blue she was in a good mood and granting him such a tiny request would be ok. Especially since he was quite willing to stroke her immense ego. What a smart blue he was. Yes very good slave. The queen was pleased. With a affectionate lick to her bonded she leapt off him to glide to Dorava. Frilling up at the woman she made her way up to the greenrider’s shoulder and continued to preen. Idly she examined the mostly limp blue and chirped. Val hurt. She stated with interest. That explained why he hadn’t come over to her like normal. Her eyes flashed in a momentary bout of anger. Who hurt Val? She asked him sweetly. Whoever was going around hurting her slaves would pay. Her tail lashed out and barely missed striking Dorava’s neck.

Sel’n rubbed the back of his neck in a embarrassed gesture. “No that’s not all I learned. I also learned that Vanity still has the ability to play me like a fiddle.” He flicked a annoyed glance at the mandyr and earned a happy chirp in return. He smiled wryly as Dorava declared he wasn’t a cripple. To be honest her words made sense but eh, he still considered himself a cripple. Especially with a near unusable arm. His dark eyes passed over her mandyr and he frowned. When had that happened? He remembered that the little guy had gotten stomped on during the siege but last he saw the little blue he could still get around decently. “What paralyzed him?” The brownrider asked at near the same time his little green chose to demand who had done such.

Dorava’s words of warning about between where taken with a smile and a gentle nod. Yes he was aware that changes in temperature of such nature where bad, but a tiny respite from the immense heat would be worth it in his opinion. Even after living here for as long as he had he found the heat bothersome. He was Northern born after all. He much preferred the cold to the warm. Oh sure he could swim to try and stay cool and he often did but even the river water wasn’t offering much respite these days. Soon he might have to go swimming in the deeper ocean with Kaaoloth to try and find some small break from the beyond warm temperatures.

The surprise in the woman’s voice at his just asking how she was doing surprised him. He did his best to keep his own surprise at her reaction off his face. Sel’n let her finish before he spoke. “About the same really. I’m taking each day as it comes and working through it. There was a bit of time there where I thought Kaaoloth might not make it, but he is strong. He pulled through.” He trailed off. “I suppose I am just keeping myself busy and trying not to over think things. My class is graduating soon though. I’m going to have to find other things to occupy my time until Hepaticath’s new clutch hatches.” The gold should be clutching soon Faranth willing.

[dragon]

Val peeped and chirped happily, flopping around between bouts of hugging Dorava's thumb, head snaking around to watch excitedly as Vanity made the oh so lovely, most graceful, most beautifulest arcing glide from her mine to his mine. Vanityprettylovesopretty! So prettylove, Vanity. Best bestest, prettylove, bootiful. he cooed softly, watching her with wide eyes until she came to a stop. Her comment however confused him. Val no hurt. Val fine. Val sing Vanitylove praise. Much good, yes. Pretty love. No hurt. Fine. He assured her, and it was mostly true - he didn't feel a thing, after all. Nevermind that was the whole problem! The not feeling a thing. He wriggled a bit, wanting to go to her. But Dorava still had a firm grasp on him.

She tried to not pay too much attention to Vanity, knowing that the green didn't like her one bit. That she'd jumped over was a bit of a shock, but one she stayed silent on, allowing the tiny creature to scamper around as she saw fit. So long as she wasn't biting. Yet. She smiled a bit in amusement at Sel'n's self conscious fidgeting, and listened to what he had to say quietly. However, when he asked about Val, all she could do was sigh and shrug, for a moment. "He was launched off of my ledge by a rather unwelcome visitor. He fell the whole height of the canyon - my weyr is at the top, you know. It's a miracle he's still alive, honestly." She remarked, turning her wrist to look at her tiny dark blue mandyr. His white back half was almost completely concealed within her hand - the part that would never function on its own again. It was all Val could do, anymore, to pry himself along with his front legs.

"Kaaoloth ... is a tough old dragon. As much as he's already survived, I would be really surprised if he were put down that easily." Dorava remarked, before tilting her head slightly and looking at Sel'n. "I heard they asked for you, specifically. Demanded, I guess is a better word. I was really wondering why that was? Who are you, to them?" She asked, genuinely curious. It might be a sensitive subject, but she couldn't help but wonder. Sel'n was a self proclaimed old cripple. Why would Fort want him so badly as that? Who was he, to Fort? Did he know something?

[Rei]

Vanity watched Valiant with confusion whirling in her eyes. But he was hurt. He couldn’t move. That meant he was broken. Didn’t the silly blue know that? Obviously she had to spell it out for him. Valiant broken. She said softly. No move means broke. To her it made sense and so that meant it was true. Yes she was glad for his obvious praise of her but it irked her that someone had broke him. Solely because it meant she was down one mobile slave. Stupid means where everywhere. They had tired to break hers to. Hissing and frilling at the invisible bads she sat and preened, deep in thought.

Sel’n was grateful that Dorava didn’t comment on Vanity. If he remembered correctly she knew just the right way to handle his self claimed queen. Ignoring her worked wonders…ok well usually. He was just thankful that Vanity didn’t seemed to care one bit about the greenrider at the moment. He listened politely as she explained what had happened to Val. The Weyrlingmaster actually cringed at the thought of the little blue taking such a fall. It was obviously a miracle that he was still alive. To bad the price for life was becoming paralyzed. It had to make things difficult for him and Dorava as well. The thought of such happening to Vanity was beyond terrifying. He was extremely paranoid about her staying safe. Even going so far as to lock her up to keep her safe. The siege was bad enough when she parted from him to go ‘defend’ the infirmary with her mate. She had suffered from smoke inhalation and then nearly drowned. Looking back on that still made him upset.

His thought broke from that track when Dorava started her questions about the Fort attack. Sel’n’s gaze immediately hardened. Vanity sensing his upset tore her eyes off the blue to hiss menacingly at Dorava. Suddenly she vaulted off the woman’s shoulder, making sure to dig her claws in painfully. Gliding to her bonded she rubbed herself against his neck and cooed before flashing Dorava her frill, scarlet gaze locked on the woman. Upset mine. Bad green pest. Shut up. No speak. I make leak. The brownrider raised a hand to cup his pet.

“Your guess is as good as mine Dorava. I left Fort years ago. Right after D’loro and Kamerai lost their lives. I know nothing that would be useful to them.” Oh he had his suspicions about why he was wanted, but he wasn’t going to let Dorava know such. He and Kaaoloth had already worked out that it likely had something to do with the ambush at the coast. What exactly he wasn’t sure but he planned on asking one of the Fort ‘prisoners?’ eventually.

[dragon]

No move means broke. Val considered that for a moment. To he perfectly honest, he really couldn't remember ever being different… but wait. He did remember! He remembered chasing Vanity … remembered having to choose… remembered choosing Vanity. Chasing her. All four legs worked then! What had happened, then? Val warbled a bit in confusion, pausing to look at his front feet. Turning first one over and then the other to look at them, he looked at his back feet. Limp, almost all the muscle gone off of them now. Limp tail … utter confusion swirled in his mind. Why was it different? Val not know. Not … bad. Val bad. Busted. he answered, quietly sad. Plainly, busted as he was apparently being, he was not at all suitable to accompany anyone as brilliant as Vanity…

Sensing the sudden sadness coming from her pet, Dorava spared a moment to stroke him lovingly, let him know it was alright – no matter what she'd take care of him, would always cherish him. Val meeped, but otherwise just sat still under the attention. Dorava smiled hesitantly when Sel'n cringed … it was all over with now, things were ok again. Barring the part where Valiant was completely paralyzed from the ribs back. But he wasn't in pain anymore. IT certainly couldn't be undone – feeling bad wouldn't change a thing. "He'll be okay, I think. He's a tough little guy… despite being as shy as he seems." Dorava praised gently, stroking him again.

Dorava twitched in reflex when Vanity went postal, leaving her with some scratches. She rubbed those for a moment, before looking to Sel'n again. The look he gave her made her wither a bit on the inside … clearly that had gone over entirely wrong. That wasn't how she'd meant it. "I'm sorry … I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I … I didn't meant to imply you had anything to do with the attack … I was just – curious." She shrugged. "It seemed odd to me, the way they'd ask for you specifically." It had seemed very off the wall at the time, too, when she'd heard that very demand with her own ears, out of the mouths of the Fort riders. Sel'n was part of Selenitas now … and she'd just wanted to know why Fort wanted him so very badly.