Nightflowers (Roi)

[Requiem]

It was an odd night in the trees along the coast of the Selenitas River, that was for sure. The trees were speaking. To be more precise, one tree was speaking, apparently to the pale blue wher baby dabbling his paw in a standing pool idly. There was a fish swimming around in there, but Ximesk wasn't actively hunting the creature, or toying with it. In fact, the fish had brushed against the forelimb multiple times out of curiosity. "But we need the flowers first. You can't have a party without a centerpiece. Don't you want all your brothers and sisters to like the party?" Well, yes, he understood that flowers were needed. Or, at least, that His seemed to think so, and he trusted her explicitly. But he didn't like that she was so high. Couldn't she just get the flowers?

"That's what I'm doing. You have to climb the trees to get the flowers." Why? "Well, because that's where they are, silly." The leaves rustled as Ximera went about collecting her nightflowers for the party none of the other wherlings knew they were attending just yet. (Ximera wanted to be sure they could get everything they needed before inviting anyone, because this party had to be perfect.) Well, he still didn't like her up there, Ximesk commented, shifting his plump frame so that he was sprawled on his stomach now. "I'll be just fine. You'll see."

A familiar presence brought Ximesk's head up, and he yipped quietly at Roisk, knowing that the bronze would hear him, even if he was still probably too far away for Roisk's handler to. Ximera's head popped out of the leaves, trying to get a glimpse of whoever her wher was greeting as she balanced precariously on her branch. "Oh, dear. We didn't miss another lesson, did we? Why don't you tell me?"

[Rowana]

Two years Roivao had been in the South, or at least two years as a free man, and he still couldn't get used to the sight of the sea. The closest thing to a large body of water at Fort had been a few lakes. He'd never taken the time to fly as far as the coast back then. But now, with it so close, it was impossible not to marvel at it's endless beauty. To think that the water went on as far as the Northern shores. Had he really crossed this? He could barely remember the years as a slave, but he must have.

Roisk trotted placidly by Roi's side. His was doing so well of late. Even with Puddleglum's whining and Tiida's demanding, he was better now then he'd been in a long time. The new students were a big help. They were keeping him busy and given him a good reason to keep going. Maybe with this new training the whers and handlers would be closer. Roi could use more friends then just him and the dragonrider.

Speaking of students, Roisk returned Ximesk's yip with a soft bark of his own. "Who is it?" Roi asked curiously. Tiida raised her head in annoyance. Whoever it was had better go away. Roi was her precious, not there's. Puddleglum was absent for the moment, having decided that beaches were unsafe and probably boring. Roisk rubbed his handler's shoulder as their minds met. Ah, his often absent student. Maybe it would be good to have a chat with her. In the interest of encouragement, after all.

Coming closer, Roi frowned. He could see the blue wher, but where was his handler. Roisk grunted in amusement. Ximera looked rather silly up there, in his opinion. What could possibly be worth that much effort? She'd better be careful, or she would hurt herself and then he would have to catch her. Roi looked up and stared briefly in astonishment. "Careful up there," he called worriedly.

[Requiem]

Ximesk greeted his teacher courteously, though he didn't rise to greet him. That was just too much effort to put forth for the plump little blue. No, he was quite content to continue to drag his foreleg lazily through the standing pool with one eye carefully devoted to His. He'd told her not to go up there, he informed Roisk with just a touch of anxiety, but she insisted. His wanted the flowers for something...what was it again? To make everyone like each other? They were special flowers so yes, that must be it. The mild confusion in his silent words to the bronze was not at all unusual for Ximesk. Not the brightest of whers to start with - and frequently confuddled by what sequence events should happen in - his bonding to the girl who was prone to fantasy didn't do much to allay his confusion.

Said girl still had her head out from beneath the canopy of leaves, and she smiled a sheepish little smile, blowing some of the curls hanging down over her eyes out of her direct line of vision. "Don't worry, teacher! I'll be extra careful." Without another word, her head disappeared back into the leaves, followed by a good deal of rustling and a couple of quiet grunts. Then, just as suddenly, a basket loaded to the brim with the nightflowers she so adored was dangled within easy reach of the Wherlingmaster. "Hold these for me while I get down, please?"

A few seconds later, the bluewherling had shimmied back down the trunk, then bounced over to stretch up as faaaar as she could possibly reach on her tippy toes, managing to just barely reach his jaw with her kiss. "Thanks." She stole back her basket, rifling through the shoots and casting almost shy glances up at Roivao every few seconds. "We didn't miss another lesson, did we? I'm sorry, Sir. Ximesk should tell me but he doesn't, and it's not really his fault because he's just a baby and wants milk more than lessons but...but" But she wasn't sure where she was going with that, so instead started rocking from the balls of her feet to her heels and back.

[Rowana]

Once he was sure Ximera wasn't actually going to fall, Roisk trotted over to sit with Ximesk. He rumbled assurances to the smaller wher. At least His was a happy soul. Sometimes it could be hard to understand what a Mine was thinking, but he would learn. Roisk was sure they were a good match for each other and the bond would grow stronger. But they would always find days when Mines did things that just didn't make sense. Poor things weren't born with a wher's good sense after all.

Roivao watched Ximera in befuddlement. He took the basket automatically, but he was still confused. What flowers could be worth all that trouble? It was true that they were lovely, he couldn't deny that. Still, it had looked rather dangerous up there and he hated to see any of his students get hurt. He'd seen more than enough of that already. He watched dumbly until she was safely down. At least that was over.

Then Ximera kissed him. Only on his chin mind, but Roi couldn't help blushing a little. No one had done something like that to him in a long time. Well, no one outside of a Flight anyway, and that didn't count. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, not sure how he was supposed to respond to that. "You're welcome," he managed at last. "And no, you didn't miss anything." Roi distracted himself by focusing on Ximera's problem with attendance. "You weren't the only one, no need to fret so much," he assured her. "Would it help if I sent Tiida again next time?" Roi wasn't sure if the salamandyr had been all that useful, but maybe if the message got to Ximera instead of Ximesk it would be a start.

Tiida snorted and turned up her nose at the girl. She didn't see what she needed to help a silly human and her ground beast. Silly pretties, she spat, directing her comment at the girl and the basket of flowers. He tone left no denying that she meant to be insulting. Silly baby groundbeast, she added to Ximesk as an afterthought. Roisk might be a stubborn shiny one, but at least he wasn't so slow.

[Requiem]

Good sense? Did Roisk say good sense? (Ximesk knew that he wasn't very good at figuring things out, and kept getting the order of things wrong, but he certainly wasn't one to turn down a compliment simply because it might not - read: definitely did not - apply to him.) Besides, it made an excellent excuse for doing what he wanted. i.e. Taking his time to have his daily milk. Silly His, she simply didn't have a wher's good sense to see why this was more important than lessons. He did not share these thoughts with the bronze, instead simply agreeing solemnly. Yes, Mines did incomprehensible things sometimes. Yes, yes. If he could at that moment, he would have donned glasses to make himself seem more studious and pensive.

Oh, wasn't her teacher ever so adorable, blushing like that at just a kiss to his jaw? (She would have kissed his cheek, but he was just a touch too tall, was Roivao.) "I don't know if I can get him to come, but at least I'll know," she stated after a moment, flashing Roivao a cheerful smile. "Have you been a wherhandler for a long time? Is it fun? I've always wanted a wher to go exploring with...Ximesk is kind of lazy but I'm sure he'll get better when he's not growing. They sleep a lot when they're still growing, don't they? Oh! You will help me set up this party, won't you? It has to be perfect, for all the wherlings so Ximesk can meet them properly. Anti-social." The girl tsked softly, regarding the Wherlingmaster through wide doe eyes.

[Rowana]

Roisk eyed the handlers passively. Yes, Mines were hard to read sometimes, he confided in the younger wher. Maybe Ximesk could teach his not to talk quite so much. Surely it wasn't necessarily to be quite so loud at night. Perhaps they would even consider attending a lesson or two. If only to keep her busy.

"Well, no, it's only been two turns," Roi started to answer Ximera's question. Had it really only been that long? So much had happened it was hard to believe. "It's...wait, party?" He stared at her blankly. Since when was there a party going on? Why was he always the last to hear these things. "Well, I suppose I could help," he went on with a nervous shrug. "I don't want to spoil things though." Roi knew he wasn't much good at parties now. He was too much of a downer. Besides, the wherlings wouldn't want their teacher around. Where was the fun in that?

[Requiem]

Oh. Lessons. Ximesk may not be the brightest of creatures - surely not bright enough to realize when someone was trying to play him - but he did know what he wanted, and lessons certainly wasn’t it. He made that clear by a very massive yawn (for a hatchling), before offering Roisk an excuse that would probably go over a good deal better than simply stating that he didn’t want to go to those boring old lessons when he could drink milk and sleep instead. His always talked loud, he responded, and bounced around like one of those jumpy insects. She’d just interrupt. Yes indeed, he was doing Roisk a favor by not going!

Hopping up and down, the little girl clapped her hands, then abruptly snugged Roivao on impulse. “Of course you won’t spoil things, silly! You’re much too nice to spoil anything. Now don’t go saying those dark and lying thoughts,” she concluded, stepping back to wag her finger at him. “Mom always says that thinking positive makes positive. Or maybe it was something else…oh, I don’t remember, but I’m sure you’ll be just perfect.” The girl grasped Roivao’s hand in the one not occupied by a basket of flowers and took off running down the beach. “Come on, teacher, before it gets too late to have any fun!”