Purely Professional (Dorava)

[Requiem]

Phremath coiled around the healing Aonith as much as she could, batting playfully at her foot (which was, of course, not injured). I missed you, she commented happily. Of course she knew that injuries were bad and dragons didn't like being stuck in infirmaries, but Aonith was such good company. Phremath had already forgotten Fort's attack (it had been a month, after all!) and while she didn't remember specific events very well, she knew Aonith had spent extended stays in the infirmary before. How else could she have missed her? Help me stack my pretty rocks? It's not as easy as it looks; they like to roll, the small green stated, nuzzling the leg she'd been batting at a moment before.

The Weyrdragonhealer was on a mission - in an official capacity, of course - and had ventured into the rider weyrs looking for one specific weyr. This was, in no way, shape or form, a pleasure visit. Do please ignore the basket she had slung across the crook of her elbow. Business can be conducted over food, of course, especially Kalierre's type of business. Lust stirred between her breasts, muttering something that sounded suspiciously skeptical as he twitched in his sleep. Well, what did sleeping salamandyrs know about the subject, anyway?

Everyone at the infirmary could tell you that Kalierre and Dorava did not get along. There was hardly any possibility of civility between them, much less friendship. They would have known this was a business visit. Yes. Straightening herself before the greenrider's door, Kalierre rapped briskly on it. No, she did not miss the closesness she'd shared with Lauranna enough to go out of her way to befriend someone else, particularly someone like the annoying Dorava. Even if the woman did remind her of herself sometimes, and even if she had saved Kalierre's life once.

And even though every time her mindmates came into the infirmary, it was distressing enough that it almost inevitably put Kalierre into a rage, usually at Dorava. (Not this time, though. Fort was the culprit for all the injuries sustained a month ago, and Kalierre wasn't so unreasonable as to lay them at the greenrider's feet. Unreasonable at times, but not that unreasonable.)

[dragon]

Aonith lifted her head slowly, and blinked at Phremath. Being more or less stuck as she was, she had taken to spending vast amounts of her time sleeping. It not only helped to stave off the issue of the pain and itchiness of healing wounds, but it also helped pass the time. You missed me? She asked, bemused. An amused color swirled into her slowly turning eyes. You know, you could see me any time you wanted to, right? Aonith answered, stretching her neck out to nuzzle the other green. With a chuff of dragon-laughter, Aonith shifted her front legs, turning a bit. She didn't really want to move a lot because her back hurt so much, so that was as far as she managed. Show me your pretty rocks, Phremath. I will help you stack them. She answered, adoring the younger green. Sometimes, it was so nice to have such a light state of mind!

Dorava, in her weyr, was utterly convinced that Val had developed super hearing or something. Because from where he was sitting in his glow-basket on the wall, he would start bouncing and chirping. Only for her to shortly afterward hear someone walk down the hall outside. How he knew people were passing, she had no idea. But it was something she had gotten used to - weyrfolk walked those halls all the time. As such, she paid no mind when her tiny blue and white cripple started bouncing around in the glow basket again.

It was the sharp rap on her door that got her attention. She looked up suddenly from her harness, startled. Who in the world was coming to her weyr? Quickly, she decided it must be one of the weyrfolk again, always going around and tidying things up. She appreciated the thought, she really did - but Dorava preferred to keep after her own space. It wasn't like she had much to keep orderly anyway. Wriggling out from under the sprawled expanse of leather strapping, she got to her feet and dusted off. The harness had been ripped asunder at the same instant that Aonith had. Strictly speaking, she should have had it fixed a long time ago. Weeks ago. But ... with the thought that Aonith might never fly again ... and knowing how much Aonith hurt ... frequently she found herself sitting there and just staring at the harness forlornly.

It was just telling, when every mindmate she had was crippled. Well ... barring Mandyr. But Mandyr didn't hardly count. The green flitter just laid there and slept all the time. How could she possibly get hurt doing that? But yes, Dorava felt horribly responsible for all of it ... if she hadn't gotten into it with Benden, Val wouldn't have been stomped. If she hadn't gotten into it with F'ur, Val wouldn't be a paraplegic now. If she had instructed Aonith to stay in her weyr, like most of the Weyr's other dragons ... Aonith would be right as rain. She didn't regret volunteering to help S'rei, as weird as the whole experience had been... but she did regret her instructions to her dragon.

Such had been her thoughts, for a very long time now. Rather depressing, that. When she reached the door and pulled it open, the shock of finding Kalierre standing there showed prominently on her face. " ... Kali?" She finally stammered, completely blindsided. Why was the dragonhealer here? Of all places? Aonith wasn't here ... Aonith was in the infirmary. Val was fine, too ... other than being paralyzed, anyway. He was flopping around in his glow basket again, cheeping excitedly. But so far, blessedly, keeping his mental mouth shut. The basket didn't escape Dorava's notice, but at the same time it didn't mean much to her. She was still being shocked that Kali was there.

Of course, her mind leapt to the worst possible conclusion ... Kali had to have bad news and another rant to go along with it. Probably about Aonith. Her dragon would never fly again, that was probably it. Had to be.

[Requiem]

A brow rose at the rather blank look on the other woman's face as she stared at her like she'd grown a second, much uglier head. Kalierre glanced down, checking to see that all of her innards were in their proper places. Check. She was fully clothed? Seemed to be. Shrugging, the woman decided that if she waited until Dorava lost the slack-jawed look, she'd probably die of thirst. Kalierre brushed past her, a mild "Dorava" passing her lips as acknowledgment, before walking over to the nearest flat surface and clearing room for the basket she'd brought.

Now what? A very good question. Dorava certainly hadn't given her much to go on. Instead of addressing the other greenrider directly, then, Kalierre chose to turn her attention to the rather happy-sounding salamandyr bouncing around in a glowbasket. "Hi there Val. How's my favorite blue? We match, see?" Kalierre lifted her cane. They did, sort of, both being crippled.

Her gaze shifted back to Dorava, and she began unpacking the basket. Just a small little picnic, nothing fancy, nothing warm - it was warming up enough nowadays, though, that a cold meal was looking better and better. Bread, cheese, meat...a little butter though Kalierre didn't like butter. Some greens to munch on, still glistening from their fresh washing. And two flasks, one filled with water, the other with chilled cider made from crisp redfruit. Flopping down in a seat, she gestured for the other greenrider to join her. "Don't look so shy. This is your place, after all." (One would have thought she'd forgotten, considering how quickly she'd made herself at home.

Phremath, meanwhile, looked faintly downcast. She hadn't meant to not see Aonith, after all, but she came with Hers and apart from when Kalierre was there, she couldn't Between...and as such didn't often fly elsewhere because there was no guarantee she could get airborne again when she wanted to, forcing Hers to come fetch her. Not a terrible thing, really, except that KaliHers hurt to walk, and Phremath never wanted to hurt another living creature if she could help it. Certainly not her rider. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you. It's just...sometimes it is not so easy to fly, without Mine, she admitted meekly.

Aonith's desire to play with her, however, erased all of her upset, and she bounced up (still careful of her new playmate) and bounded over to start rolling the farthest of the stones toward Aonith. I can gather them if you'll help stack? she suggested eagerly.

[dragon]

Dorava started to say something, only to have the sound die before it ever formed ... several times. Not quite blubbering ... she was just so shocked. She automatically got out of Kalierre's way as she waltzed right into her weyr and made herself at home. Dorava stared after her for a moment, before remembering herself. Shutting the door again, she walked after Kalierre. For a moment she just watched in bemusement as the basket was unloaded of its load of goodies.

Val grabbed the edge of the basket with both front feet, sticking his head out as far as he could reach. A happy chirp, he answered to her Match! Good, bad! Weeee~! Pretty![/color] He cheered, before trying to wiggle out of the basket. He ultimately ended up slipping back down inside again, though, to flop around like a crazed creature. Finally grabbing the edge, he pulled himself up again to peek out and cheep again excitedly. Guests! They never got guests!

Favorite blue? Something ... was so odd. Was Kali pulling her leg? Seriously? Dorava stepped over to stroke Val's head with a finger before just looking at Kalierre again. Nothing was adding up or making sense. Favorite blue? "Indeed." Was her answer to the healer's comment. It was hard to catch up - really hard. This was so far out left field that she really couldn't figure out which way was up. Kalierre seemed to be quite happy making herself right at home, though, despite Dorava's utter fail at being a hospitable host. Oops. Um ... "have a seat." She uttered, softly, a little belatedly. Shards. Where did it end?

She moved to gather up her harness and move it aside, out of the way - and most definitely to where it wouldn't make things treacherous for Kali - what with her limp and cane and all the rest of it. "Might ... might I ask ... " Why you're here? But how to ask, without sounding utterly rude? Dorava just trailed off finally, blowing a small sigh and sitting down herself. This was just ... so un-Kali. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. "Lunch?" She asked, trying to fill the gap. Oh, but she was failing so badly at ...whatever it was she was attempting to do. She wasn't even sure, that was how badly she was failing!

Aonith rumbled, amused. I did not mean it that way, love. Please do not be upset. I did not mean it that way. You are fine. I understand, completely. You are lovely. She slowly reached out a foreleg to scoop the rolled rock closer to her. Dropping her snout, she inspected it a bit before taking it in her teeth. What are we building? Any specific shape in mind? She asked, before placing it on top of another stone that Phremath arrived with. One down! Weeeee! Aonith steadied it with her front foot for a moment, until it stopped wobbling. Curling her tail around her haunches, she watched Phremath with amusement. Such a sweet young green!

[Requiem]

Dorava looked like she'd swallowed something rather large and unsavory. Scratch that. She looked like something had been shoved up her while she wasn't paying attention, and she didn't know how to disengage from the uncomfortable sensation. The mouth gaped open and closed a few times, reminding Kalierre of nothing so much as a fish out of water, before she managed that little bleating half-question, swallowing it whole before she could finish.

Blowing lightly out her nose, she didn't bother to hide the blatant amusement that seeped into her words. "Unless you've already had lunch. I really don't care what you choose to call it, Dorava. Butter?" She pushed the small container toward the other woman, along with the bread, as she proceeded to layer a slab of meat and a wedge of cheese on her own slice. Savoring the salty taste of the meat for a long moment, she then set her makeshift sandwich down and reached for one of the fruit, licking the juice off her lips after taking a small bite.

"So then, are you going to just stammer at me, or actually ask whatever it was that was on your mind just a moment ago?" Cue her feet coming up onto the table beside the cup she'd brought and already filled with water for herself, crossing at the ankles. Was she deliberately being a royal pain in the arse? Well...yes. Dorava was acting like a deer, and in her own weyr, too. Kalierre would never understand what was so frightening about a cripple, that it turned so many people into babbling idiots. The little blue 'mandyr clearly had more sense; he knew how to greet a guest, at least. The dragonhealer waved at him, then, on a whim, pushed herself to her feet and hobbled over to his glowbasket, offering him a hand within the basket so that it would be easy for him to get on. "Why don't you come join us, Val? You're decidedly better company than your tongue-tied mindmate at the moment," she commented with genuine sweetness.

Glad that Aonith was not angry, the green really didn't need any reassurances. She was already quite happily concentrating fully on the task of stacking all her beautiful rocks in a stable mountain that wouldn't go splat at the first strong gust of wind. The little one was truly hard to phase, what with how short her memory was and how readily she concentrated on the simple, happier things. (Phremath was capable of serious thought, yes, but it was both tiring and often sobering - not to mention rarely necessary. Hers did enough serious thinking for the both of them.) A pyramid, Aonith! Really, really tall, cause I have lots of rocks now. Dohulth likes to bring me the prettiest ones. Phremath bounced around happily, herding her rocks toward the other dragon.

[dragon]

Dorava blinked, but then shook her head. "No, I haven't eaten anything since ..." she trailed off into silence. When was the last time she'd eaten? It'd been awhile, that was for sure. And ... that wasn't good. "... awhile. Anyway ... sure. Butter is good." Dorava was hurrying as fast as she could to catch up with the times, take it all in stride. So far, so good. She sat down to take a seat, watching as Kalierre went to retrieve Val from his perch. Picking up a slice of the bread, Dorava quietly smeared some of the butter on it. Butter was good, regardless of color - though she really liked the yellow spring butter better than the white winter butter. It just tasted more ... buttery.

Val peeped, and wound his front half around Kali's thumb, hugging it with both front legs and rubbing his head all over the end of the healer's thumb. His wings fluttered just a little bit in giddy spasms. Visitor! Yay! Visitor! That, and he liked Kali. She was a owwiefixer. She made people feel better after they got hurt! Good luffles owwie bad. Go'way. Yay good! Lust no come? He inquired, starting out entirely gleeful and then ending on a somewhat saddened note.

Dorava smiled slightly as she watched her pet, before glancing farther up at Kali and shrugging, turning her gaze back to the piece of bread in her hand. "I was just curious why you'd come. It was just ... caught me unawares. I wasn't expecting company." Not to mention it was so out of character for Kali to pay a picnic call to Dorava of all people, that a whole lot of folks would probably have spasms if they heard about it. Talk about topsy turvey. She offered a slight smile. "But lunch is nice, thank you. I appreciate the thought."

A pyramid it is, then. Aonith agreed, leaning most of her weight onto her breastbone as she used both front legs to manipulate the rocks that Phremath was bringing her. Occasionally she would pause and just look at one of them with interest. After a handful of rocks were arranged, Aonith had to stop and figure out what shape a pyramid was. A brief prod toward Dorava solved that conundrum, and the green went back to rolling rocks around in front of her. Finally, she got to where her chest and front legs hurt too much for that awkwardness, and she went to moving them around with her mouth instead, stacking them up diligently - no matter how many times the stack collapsed into a rolling slide of rocks. Dohulth brought you all these rocks? Where from, do you know? Aonith asked.

[Requiem]

Was Dorava depressed or something? Why? Didn't she communicate with her dragon? (At that very moment Phremath was 'whispering' to her about their wonderful pyramid that they were making, something she often did throughout the day because the green loved including Hers in whatever it was she was doing, even if it was only verbally.) That or just too busy to remember to eat, but this weyr didn't look like a busy person's weyr - Kalierre should know, after twenty turns of running around constantly, particularly in the last six when she had a Phremath to complicate (and lighten) her life. Oh well, she wasn't a mindhealer. That was what Raebeli was for.

Val, however, she had no trouble talking to. Her other hand came up to cup his hind legs and push him gently into her palm. Before she could answer, however, a rather grumpy - though mostly half-asleep - salamandyr voice responded. Lust down here, the male interjected abruptly. Was sleep. He picked his way up to poke his head above Kalierre's neckline, mentally nudging His, who brought her hand close enough for him to roll onto it. Little blue Val two legs, how is? The male yawned and fluttered his wings, stretching them and giving his body a small shake. Much hot. Bad. He couldn't really be bothered to be more eloquent, especially half-awake.

"The thought? I'd call it more of an action," Kalierre responded mildly. Dorava made it sound like she'd done something...wrong. Maybe she had. Who knew? But she was hardly going to admit as much when the other woman hadn't told her what it was that bugged her. "I came to sit down with you, and discuss Aonith's condition. She's doing well, by the way. Her wings will completely mend, and those were what we were concerned about most." The dragonhealer slid back into her seat, lowering her hand in case the mandyrs had a mind to relocate to the table.

Leaving off gathering them to help try to stabilize the pyramid long enough for it to grow, Phremath slid down onto her belly, tail flicking languidly. Dohulth finds some. So does Checkoth and Behruth. They're all very nice. Most of the ones I've found are near the river; the water makes them all smooth and shiny. Actually, she preferred chasing flutterbyes or venturing into the trees of the jungle, but Phremath didn't much enjoy either activity for long while alone, and would much rather be doing something arguably less interesting as long as she had company.

[dragon]

Dorava smiled slightly at Kalierre, but otherwise didn't say much of anything. She just watched with a great deal of interest as Kali interacted with her 'mandyr. Her very own Val, who she loved dearly – and wished she could take better care of. It seemed he was frequently getting hurt. One of these days she feared she was going to get him killed. Someday, she'd learn to keep her nose out of things. Hopefully, someday soon.

Val chirped, and wrapped his front legs around Kali's thumb, looking around for Lust. When the bronze head appeared at Kali's neckline, he looked up at Lust and peeped a greeting. Sorry bad. No good. Not mean make biglight come. He offered, by way of apology of waking Lust up … rather strangely said, but only because Val associated Rukbat with being awake. Mostly because Dorava was in the habit of getting up either just before or just at dawn… and then retiring at dark. Whenever that might be. The comment about only have two legs made Val flare his frill for a moment, however, slightly offended. Val no bad. Not got two legs. Got two legs and two more legs. See? Same as Lust! He protested, in his meek little way. Couldn't Lust count? Just cause he couldn't make them run anymore didn't mean they stopped existing! Though they were looking kinda skinny … anyway, Val was not one to even remember to stay offended, much less stay that way. Val happy-day. See people. See … manythings. Dark Lust doing? Val answered, rubbing his cheeks on Kali's thumb happily.

Dorava's smile completed itself at the news that Aonith's wings would heal completely. That had been her biggest worry, too. There was nothing like flying, and to lose that … it would be horrible! "I am glad to hear it. And thank you for telling me… thank you for coming all this way to tell me." Something just wasn't adding up, though … why did Kali come hunt her down, with a big lunch, and everything … just to tell her Aonith's wings were okay? It was still so strange. She was afraid to think on it, though, not wanting to conjecture and think up something horrible that had only just been discovered… only to find out it wasn't so after all. She didn't need the extra stress. "If… if her wings are healing alright, what is it that needs discussed? Is her back going to be okay?" Dorava asked, haltingly. It was hard to even think about trying to eat any of the goods that Kali had brought, but for politeness sake, she did try to eat some of it – if slowly. She just couldn't really swallow it.

Aonith huffed in amusement, and pushed at a rock with her snout, tucking it into the pile. They are quite talented, I think. Finding such shiny things. It is quite the assortment, you must be proud. Aonith praised, grasping another stone lightly in her teeth to put it atop the pile. Considering she could easily pop and chew firestone, it took some careful work to not mar and scratch Phremath's stones with her teeth. They were pretty, and Aonith didn't want to ruin that. Maybe when I can fly again, I will look for some for you, too. The ocean makes for some interesting rocks, too … not always smooth, though. She suggested. Tilting her head, she inspected the pile for a moment. Selecting another stone, she tucked it into the side to shore it up.

[Requiem]

Lust partially coiled around Val, not quite close enough to touch, though the action itself had something of a protective element to it. He hadn't been terribly fond of the other male for the longest time, but the poor blue kept on getting hurt, and Lust did have some sympathy for his subjects. (It usually amounted to his not liking others giving his salamandyrs trouble, as he was the only one allowed to do so, but whatever worked. For all that he wasn't the sweetest of creatures, he was pretty easy to get along with if you just humored his ego.) Val right. Four legs, he agreed, partially to placate the blue's distress. He'd meant two working legs, but had been too lazy to qualify it, and His had cast him a glance when he first considered explaining. So he subsided. Tired. No like heat. Okay, okay. Water want, blue Val?

The dragonhealer was finding the situation increasingly awkward. Why had she come instead of asking Dorava to the infirmary? Hard to say, though it had seemed appropriate at the time. Summoning the greenrider like a minion just didn't...sit well with her, really. "No, no, her back is just fine. Sore in places, and we'll definitely all need to sit down and work out a therapy schedule to get her in flying shape again once she's had a little more time to heal, but Aonith will be flying again just like she used to soon enough." Which left her with not much more to say, really. Eating in silence for a few moments, she finally shrugged. "I thought you'd be hungry? Didn't seem right to just call you to the infirmary and make an appointment."

The smaller dragon visibly preened at Aonith's words, although a flicker of yellow worked it's way into her eyes. She crooned thankfully to Aonith. Oh! You don't need to do that! Phremath insisted, though by the sheer joy in her voice there was no doubt she would very much appreciate such a gift. Diligently working at her pile of beautiful shinies, she questioned after a moment, Aonith...what's an assa-asso-assotment? She ducked her head slightly in embarrassment. Phremath tried but sometimes other dragons talked too cleverly and she got ever so lost. With big words especially.

[dragon]

Val switched over from rubbing his head on Kali's thumb to dropping it instead on Lust's side and looking up at the bronze's head appreciatively. He knew he was being honored by such gracious accommodations and attentions from the Infirmary-king. Sleep good. Nice. Okay-okay. Water blue, yes. He agreed, not entirely sure why Lust was asking him if water was blue. Was the bronze that tired? It never occurred to him that he might be misunderstanding what it was that Lust was trying to say. The blue mandyr was content to sit where he was, placing a forepaw beside his head as he heaved a little content sigh. All that flopping around was hard work, after all, and it tended to tire him out quickly without ever really getting him very far for the effort.

Dorava smiled, with considerable more confidence. "That is wonderful news ... and I do appreciate your coming all this way to tell me." She said, with a small bob of her head in a nod. She looked at the piece of bread she was holding for a moment, before looking at Kalierre again. "I'll be happy to help work out any regime you think is appropriate." She almost offered to lend a hand with anything else that Kalierre might need in the infirmary - especially since she couldn't very well do any search riding while Aonith was laid up. But she stopped herself short, remembering that Kalierre didn't really want her in the infirmary. Not really. The last thing Dorava wanted was to open that rift again. Mediocre skills or no. "Hungry? Um ... no, not really." She grimmaced a bit in apology. "It's hard to ... want to eat. With Aonith as tore up as she is. I just ... don't really have an appetite, it seems." She did smile a bit and make an attempt to eat that piece of bread though. To be polite ... and because she really did need to eat something. It wouldn't do Aonith any good if she slowly wasted away for a lack of healthy appetite. Dorava wasn't that bad off.

Aonith paused, and then lifted her head to look at Phremath in minor confusion. Assa-asso-assotment? She asked, mimicking what Phremath had said. The older green tried to think back on what she'd said, trying to figure out where that statement had come from. What had she said? It hurt her brain a bit, trying to remember all the details of what she said, and figure out the puzzle. Finally, she came upon a solution. You mean assortment? she asked, before trying to figure out how to explain the word. She'd used it, sure ... it'd felt right and natural at the time. But called on it, Aonith was somewhat at a loss. She started poking around in Dorava's memory for help, trying to figure out what to say next.

[Requiem]

Responding to Lust's mental tuggings, Kalierre poured water onto a flat teacup plate, pushing it over toward Val and her bronze. He licked the blue's head - when he'd chosen to adopt the other salamandyr as a sort of son was anyone's guess, but it was all to clear that he had, - the older of the salmandyr's pawed at the dish. Val thirsty? Want water? he repeated patiently, flicking some of the water onto the other salamandyr with a forelimb. Other salamandyrs might not be fully aware of the dangers of the heatwave, but he saw all the little ones brought in, some of them with breath gone. Lust was all too aware of it.

Watching her bronze for a moment, Kalierre flushed ever so slightly when she realized she hadn't been paying Dorava any attention to speak of while her curiosity got the better of her. She refocused upon the other greenrider. The dragonhealer tsked softly at Dorava's response. "Of course she needs to work on herself to regain her strength and mobility, but she doesn't need to be worrying about you in the meantime. Especially now. People need to be taking care of themselves...this heat is a danger." Her eyes narrowed on Dorava. "Force yourself to eat. At the very least, this one time; you won't be getting rid of me before then." Her arms settled over her chest, a small half-smile at the partial joke, as she leaned back in her chair. "I didn't just come because of Aonith, you know." Glancing away, she looked out toward the weyrledge. "It's not really the same without you around. Not that I miss the fights, mind you." A brief flash of a smile at Dorava. "You're still one of the only people who can rile me up like that."

Oh, she'd just known it was wrong! Ducking her head in embarrassment - why, it was so wrong Aonith couldn't even figure out what she'd been trying to say! - the green's head lifted when she heard the word again. Yes, yes! That's it: assortment. What does it mean? But as the silence drug out, she found herself getting embarrassed all over again. Now Aonith must think her stupid. That was what the long silence was. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Sorry to annoy you. Folding her wings, she curled and began to skulk away.

[dragon]

Valiant wiggled a bit, and blinked at Lust when the bronze licked him. He then looked over at the dish of water for a moment before responding. Val not. But play? Dorava had been keeping him well watered, often letting him lounge in a bowl of the stuff if he wanted. Even if she didn't really like that - she was always scared he'd slip down into it and drown. Writhing forward, flaring his wings for balance as he went, Val managed to plop his front half into the dish, spraying little drops of water outside the dish. Wee! He said, patting at the water with one forefoot while holding himself up with the other.

"Yes ma'am." Dorava answered, before looking at her bread again. Maybe the heat was part of why she was disinclined to eat? If that was the case, then it was an indication she herself was not drinking enough ... and eating dry bread wasn't going to help that one bit. Setting the bread down, she poured herself something to drink instead. After half of that was gone, she tried some of the other foods - something besides dry bread. It did go down a bit easier, and she did find her appetite was better when she had some liquid on her system. She smiled just a bit at Kalierre. She'd been so down lately, that she'd never even noticed she wasn't drinking enough. "Thanks."

She was at first shocked at what Kalierre admitted, not sure what to think about it. But then she smiled again, timidly. "I ... I didn't do it deliberately." She answered. But maybe things were better in moderation? "I ... I could drop by sometime ... if you like." Dorava offered, not at all sure that was the right answer. Visit, but not stick around long enough to get on Kali's bad side? "Or ... um. Maybe I can help if you need it."

Aonith huffed a bit through her nostrils, before reaching over to niddle her snout between Phremath's eyes. It is alright. You don't bother me, and I will tell you ... just as soon as I can figure it out myself. I used it, and then forgot what it meant, how embarrassing. Aonith explained, before falling silent again thoughtfully. I think ... I think 'assortment' means ... a gathering of things that are different from each other? She answered, not at all convinced that was what it indeed meant. But what with Dorava distracted as she was, it was kind of hard to get a solid answer to that question.

[Requiem]

Play? The bronze salamandyr was indulgent, but not quite that indulgent, even if Val's was oddly special to His. Instead, he watched the blue salamandyr squirm towards the dish. He...really didn't like that the little one couldn't move his hind legs at all. It seemed a most unfortunate thing to happen to one of his brethren, even had he happened to hate any of them. Which wasn't true in Val's case, regardless. Silently, the male followed his companion, climbing straight into the plate and curling up there in the shallow water. He didn't do so well in the heat as some of his cousins did. In fact, he was quite sluggish, even now, and it wasn't entirely due to having just woken, either.

Kalierre snorted openly at Dorava. Well, no, she hadn't thought the on again off again mousey greenrider with her random bursts of temper and spine was picking fights on purpose. Not that she cared to get into that; just likely to end in another argument, wasn't it? The dragonhealer, for all that she had a fine temper herself, wasn't too fond of fights, either. "If your help is needed, you will definitely be sent for," she responded quietly. "I know I appreciated what you did at the Main Hall, even if it didn't ultimately save him. To be honest, though, I don't think it would be good for you to spend much time at the infirmary. I'm testier there, for one, and R'wign has taken issue with you. Once he does that...well, let's just say he's isn't the type to simply let go. You're more than welcome to drop by the weyr at any time, though; I'm spending less time at the infirmary these days."

This was true, actually, much as it might have surprised a lot of people. Blame M'ta and R'wign, or Savitri and Ka'rys, but Kalierre was finally beginning to notice trends and had decided her work was taking too much time from that she spent with her weyrmate. She wasn't good at showing people she cared about them, but that didn't mean she didn't. "To be honest, Dorava, I'm no more fond of our fights than you are. A truce perhaps?"

Oh! Jumping slightly at the unexpected contact, Phremath immediately brightened at Aonith's reassurance. She never would have thought any dragon as intelligent as the older green might have trouble with the word, too! Crooning encouragingly to her, she settled her small wings along her back, tail curling idly. Oh! Many different things. A slight pause, then, What were we talking about again?

[dragon]

Val peeped, wriggling until the rest of his body flopped into the dish of water. Working his way over on front legs that were starting to get hideously thick with muscle for all the extra work they were doing, Val plopped down in the cool liquid, head dropped on Lust's shoulder. Heaving a small sigh, he fluttered his wings a bit, moving the air around over the water and adding a cooling factor to the dish. Not much, but enough that it was noticeable. No sleep, bad. No sleep till shiny go to bed. Sleep bright not good. Never wake. he muttered, mostly as a reminder to himself to not sleep until it was dark. No matter how much he wanted to ... but uttered aloud because Lust looked so sleepy. After all, he didn't want Lust to never wake up again!

Dorava nodded a small assent at Kali's acknowledgement, even though Dorava was quite aware she'd probably never get called on for anything. Though she did smile slightly at the small praise Kali gave her - it was pretty big stuff coming from the woman that usually only bitched her out for every little thing. It gave her a small amount of peace, knowing she was good for something after all. After turns and turns of being told otherwise ... sometimes it was hard to keep going. "I only did what I hope anyone else in my place would do." She shrugged, trying to dodge the awkward feeling that was coming with it. She looked at Kali for a moment, before asking: "Your weyr? Um ... I ... I guess I'll do that, then. What changed?" It was curious ... Kali not being at the infirmary so much. Kali practically lived there! At least, it seemed that way...

Dorava relaxed some, her whole frame changing shape with it, as she realized that she could. Things weren't so bad ... and she was realizing she had a friend. One she'd certainly not expected or ever looked for. Just the idea that she had a friend at all made Dorava feel all special and happy, and she smiled at Kalierre, for the first time a real, genuine, from-the-heart smile that lit up her oval face in a way rarely seen. "Thank you, Kali." She said. "It means a lot to me, you being here." A truce ... it sounded really good. And an olive branch she was not going to turn aside. She would be an utter idiot to do anything of the sort.

... I don't recall. Aonith answered, before contemplating the stones before her. As smart of a green as Aonith might be, she was still, after all was said and done, a green. And thinking too much sometimes confused her more often than not. Especially when thought-derailing questions were asked. Couldn't have been too important I guess. She decided, grasping a rock with her teeth and setting it on top of the stack. I will look for a new shiny, when I get moving again. She promised.

[Requiem]

It would be a lie to say that Lust didn't feel a touch strange, having Val resting his head on him in a manner he normally didn't permit from any but his Greenqueen. Vanity. But the bronze was tolerant today - or perhaps just too sluggish to bring himself to care overmuch - so didn't react in any tangible way to the other male. Neither did he encourage him, though, with a croon or a nuzzle. That would just be too weird.Quiet, quiet. Lust not let sleep, he grumbled back at the other salamandyr. Tch. Such a fuss. The bronze wasn't nearly so leary about sleeping during the day (he'd managed it just fine for several, after all) but if Val had issues with it he'd stay up to prod the blue, if only to keep it quiet. Fussy mood the bronze was in, most definitely.

Snorting softly, Kalierre rolled her eyes at the other greenrider. Only did what she hoped someone else would do...didn't change that she was one of the only people there with the training or presence of mind to do what she'd done. (So yeah, Kalierre was just a bit strange when it came to humility; she tended to either find it to be false, or indication of no self-esteem. Either way not something she was terribly fond of. Maybe that was why she got on so well with R'wign. Or K'von, for that matter.)

The woman smiled wryly. "The infirmary's important, yes, but we've started getting enough competents that I don't have to be there constantly." Which was hardly the reason and Dorava likely knew that. Kalierre wasn't exactly a micro-manager; in fact she often let the other healers do their own thing without looking over their shoulder. But she felt better being there most of the time, in case she was needed. "K'von and I are working on our relationship," she admitted, a touch awkwardly. "That, and we've adopted Lir's boy. K'von's currently teaching him to misbehave," she added, with another snort. Spitballs. You'd think the brownrider - now a wingleader - would have a touch more maturity than that. Not that she would have him any other way.

Phremath agreed with Aonith; if neither could remember it probably wasn't that important. Oh dear, the pile had decided to come collapsing down. She nudged at Aonith's neck lightly. I would love that, she commented cheerfully. Are you feeling well enough to come outside for a little bit, get some fresh air? The flutterbyes were all over the place this morning, and I love watching them. Maybe the flutterbye dragon will be there too. Or Checkoth and Behruth. There was a touch of eagerness in Phremath's mindvoice. She did so love male company, though it was innocent enough. Most females weren't as nice to her. Hrum.