Turn Back Time (R'ahre/Open)

[Rowana]

Merridan threw a rock at once of the herdbeasts. It fell short and landed harmlessly a few feet from it. The slow beast ignored her and kept eating. She threw another one. This one found it's target on the animal's flank. It snorted in annoyance and trotted further away out of range. Mer sighed. She wasn't usually this mean, but she was in a foul mood.

She couldn't help feeling responsible for what had happened to K'lir. It didn't matter that S'rei had given the order, she was the one who's lit the barrels. She kept thinking that if she'd only waited a bit longer, to be sure everyone was out. But she hadn't. Now two people were dead and K'lir... Mer shook her head and tried not to think about it.

You should not take blame. Chaoth's voice was fuzzy and distance. And you should be sleeping, she countered, but she sounded more worried than anything. How's the pain? It will pass. We will fly again soon, he assured her. So the healer's said. Chaoth's back would be discolored from the burns, and his side would have a lovely scare, but otherwise he would be fine. She just couldn't fly on him for at least a month until his injuries were more healed.

It was not your fault, Merridan, Chaoth repeated. I know, I just... She shook her head and threw another angry rock at a tree. Vikky was starting a collection of the rocks in a small pyramid nearby. She missed Auran though, having left him to keep Chaoth company. He'd been her first companion after coming here. She leaned against the fence and watched Vikky glumly. It should have been me, she thought.

[Avu]

“Let go – you rotten little brat – ”
Gimme do want, came the upset reply. Mercelove is for – leggo!
I was not aware that you are so attached to the fabric as to wish to fight with a Salamandyr over it, Ahth commented idly from the weyrledge. Apparently, I was mistaken. Shall I go alone while you indulge in a petty argument? I wish to see Baoth afterwards and you are making that particularly difficult. An impatient swish of the blue’s tail, though there was an undercurrent of amusement as he watched R’ahre tug at Sylph’s tail lightly, irritated.

He wouldn’t ever actually pull, but Sylph’s frill flared nonetheless, the green uttering a loud upset hiss from where she was dangling, attached firmly to the end of the scarf that had appeared in a package on the ‘ledge. From Nautic, apparently, though Sylph favored the opinion that it had been Abby that had given it. Because she liked Absinthe better than she did Nautic, did Sylph.

“Sharding – hang on, Ahth, I’m – let go, scorching – ”

Bad language, Ahth commented, in tones of mock-boredom, Is hardly going to assist your attempts at shedding the spy from your little fake neck-hide. Sylph, please. We can find something more appropriate for your mate at a later time. I’m hungry. He fluttered his wings in faint irritation, but his words – or more likely, the bribe within them – seemed to do the trick; Sylph’s frill flattened and she dropped obediently to the tabletop, sulking as she dove for R’ahre’s pocket, where she curled up. She’d wanted the scarf. It wasn’t like R’ahre was in a habit of wearing scarves anyway.

R’ahre crinkled his nose, a look that was decidedly sheepish flashing across his face before he dropped the scarf loosely onto his bed again and moved towards the ‘ledge. Ahth’s eyes regained their approving green colors as he crouched, allowing R’ahre to mount before he flung himself off of the ‘ledge, gracefully snaking upwards. No scars touched his hide; he and R’ahre had performed no acts of stupid heroism and both were very content to keep it that way. They had just been the evacuation, lugging panicking Weyrfolk out of the danger zone, and that was all.

Down to the Feeding Grounds, Ahth twirled into a steep dive, snatching a herdbeast out of the herds before he swept into a neat resting position, lowering one shoulder to allow R’ahre down. The herdbeast still squirmed, bleating wildly in panic, beneath his claws, uninjured save for a few shallow cuts and bruises, and Ahth regarded it curiously as R’ahre squinted at the blue for a minute and then exhaled loudly. Pointedly. The dark head swiveled to face him, eyes narrowing.

Chaoth’s is nearby if you wish to amuse yourself, he stated. Please. You don’t like it if I stare avidly at you when you eat, do you?

A Merridan, where?

R’ahre swiveled on his heel, and then blinked curiously. Well, someone looked…very, very unhappy. And it would be a lie to say R’ahre was particularly peppy, of course. Anz had died and the knowledge had twisted his stomach painfully tight, as well as the news that people he knew had gotten hurt – L’ka had died too, but he didn’t really know L’ka – but other than that…he found it hard to feel miserable for the other losses …they were just faceless, nameless people, herdbeast in a (what else?) herd. But he didn’t show it as obviously, either, even to Ahth and to Sylph.

It /was/ deserted here before we showed up, Ahth pointed out idly as he leaned down and snapped his jaws shut against the herdbeast’s spine, snapping it in half and killing it before he settled down, coiling around his meal.

Point taken. R’ahre flicked a glance towards Ahth before he put his hand in his pocket, holding Sylph down, and then moved quietly over to Mer, pulling himself up onto the top of the fence and tilting his head at the brownweyrling. “How’re you and Chaoth doing?” he inquired softly, before he stretched out a foot to nudge at a small rock nearby. “If you’re looking for more ammunition…you can use Ahth as a target if you want.”

[Rowana]

Merridan stood up straight so she could look up at R'ahre. She shrugged. "I'm fine," she lied. Physically she was, beyond some bruises and the cut on her face. She was far more worried about other people at the moment. "Chaoth is," she paused, swallowing hard. Fine! he interjected firmly. Stop listening! You're supposed to be sleeping. I will, he yawned. When you stop being silly. Mer scowled at empty air. "He says he's fine," she finished. "The healers say he will be too." She trusted them, but for now she'd believe it when they could fly again.

She picked up the offered rock and glanced at Ahth. She tossed it up and down experimentally. "I don't know," she managed a small smile. "He might decide I'm dessert." She threw the rock at the tree again, missed, and toppled Vikky's pyramid instead. The fire lizard shrieked in dismay and started hurriedly putting it back together, including the offending rock. Mer snorted despite herself. The green was such a silly thing. "What about you?" She'd heard the Hatching Grounds had been fairly bad from some of the others, but at least R'ahre and Ahth looked like they were in one piece. She wasn't that great at reading people though, and she had her own worries at the moment.

[Avu]

She didn’t look fine, but R’ahre didn’t say so. He did have something of a brain-to-mouth filter, after all. His gaze flicked over the brownrider at her swallowing, though he couldn’t prevent the thought from flashing across his mind: Definitely not fine. And she was kind of evading his question, too. He hadn’t asked what Chaoth said, or what the Healers said; he’d asked if he was. Saying you were one thing was quite a different matter from actually being it, after all. Still, the smile that crossed his face was amiable, for the moment. Merridan had kept talking, after all, and he didn’t plan on interrupting her midway through. If she didn’t want to admit what was obvious, that was fine, he supposed.

Each to his own, but he usually didn’t throw rocks at things (except at Ahth, but that was different) if he was perfectly okay. Said dragon lifted his head to regard the pair of humans with a slightly peeved expression at the idea of being used for target practice before he leaned down to snap at his meal again. She is not nearly large enough or appealing enough to eat, Ahth stated. However – there are much better targets around than /me/.

“Ahth hasn’t developed a taste for human yet,” was R’ahre’s absentminded input, as he was much more interested in keeping Sylph in his pocket – a job made difficult by Vikky’s shriek; the green in his pocket positively trembled in irritation. How she detested firelizards – how she’d like to make this one scream and go between, away from R’ahreHers away away…the fingers that pressed firmly down her spine made her wiggle, almost thrashing, before her teeth clipped flesh, hard enough to draw a low hiss of surprise from R’ahre, but not hard enough to actually draw blood. The fingers flinched away reflexively, though, and Sylph slid out of his pocket.

The Salamandyr glanced around as she snaked onto his shoulder, and R’ahre inspected his finger as he responded, “I’m fine. Swinging by the Infirmary occasionally to visit people. Ahth’s okay, too, but he likes to visit Baoth a lot.” A faint crinkle of his nose. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Baoth, but he didn’t exactly think K’lir liked him, so he didn’t often go to the Infirmary with Ahth. And that kind of made him feel a little guilty, too. Not enough to actually go, but still, a little. “Ahh…tell your firelizard she can ignore Sylph if she wants. Or, you know, shriek at her, but that’ll just encourage her…”

Ugly, said one Salamandyr with a sneer almost hanging off of her tone. Condescending, taunting, challenging; all of them infused with arrogance and laced with disgust at the firelizard’s…existence. Too ugly, too stupid, play rocks. Only /stupids/ play rocks. Her tail uncurled from R’ahre’s neck, arching over her head tauntingly like a feline’s, before she launched herself off of Hers to land onto the fence, balancing by splaying out her wings momentarily and then skittering along the wood to peer down at Vikky. Ugly from MineR’ahre perch, ugly from here. /Poor/ stupid.

[Rowana]

Merridan chuckled grimly. "We should all be grateful," she said sincerely. If Ahth really did like to eat people, he was more than skilled enough to snatch them from their beds without anyone noticing. But she was pretty sure he wasn't prone to such things. Unless, maybe, it was Fort riders. She eyed R'ahre's pocket with a raised eyebrow, then Sylph emerged. "Salamandyr trouble?" she asked mildly. She'd never much liked them herself, but then most people who had them didn't seem to either.

Her face fell again at the mention of Baoth, but she tried to hide it. She'd been by to visit R'wign and some of the others a couple times, but she hadn't seen K'lir yet. She wasn't sure what to say, and she'd never known him all that well. With her way with words, she'd probably make everyone in the infirmary feel worse. She swung her head around at the sudden change of topic. "Vikky?" The fire lizard hadn't even looked up from her pyramid building yet. At least she was occupied for once. Mer shrugged. "She wouldn't notice Sylph if she fell on her head." Well, then she might for a few seconds, but she was sure to forget again just as quickly.

As if to disprove this, Vikky did look up as Sylph starting talking, but she wasn't angry. Oh look! She chattered joyfully, rocks forgotten. It was a new friend! Maybe she would like to help? Or they could find tea. Vikky dearly loved tea. She bounced over on her hind legs, flapping for balance, but not actually leaving the group. She looked, if possible, even more silly. Sylph shouldn't be grumpy, she went on reasonably. Not when there was so much to do!

Mer rolled her eyes at Vikky, wondering how fire lizards could be so different. Auran was a perfectly rational creature, nothing like this confused, silly thing. She shrugged and turned back to R'ahre. "So," she started slowly. "Does Ahth know how K'lir is doing?" She tried to sound casual, but she couldn't help a little anxiety. She really aught to just go find out herself later, but this was a start.

[Avu]

“I don’t think it can be classified as ‘trouble’ if it’s completely normal for her.” The reply was deliberately vague. Actually, a little nip was positively mild for Sylph. The Salamandyr openly adored him, often rubbing her entire body on his jaw or licking him or nibbling affectionately on his ear, but even she had her triggers. A room, left empty, with parchments strewn across the desks, ink wells, would turn her into a destructive whirlwind – she and her sister. Firelizards she absolutely detested, too; not a single one had found its way into her good graces yet. A slight tilt of his head to glance at Mer, slightly awkward; R’ahre didn’t like Sylph’s antagonism for every little winged mini-dragon that passed, but…eh.

A slight shrug. So the green – Vikky was her name? – was oblivious, then? “I won’t say that’s a good thing, but…” His gaze flicked down at Sylph, faint amusement curling his lips into an ironic smile. “…it probably is. Syyyyylph…stoooop wasting your time…” He drew one leg up to rest it on top of the fence, reaching out to poke his Salamandyr gently. “She likes you, leave her alone…”

The only response he received was a withering look from Sylph, who skittered down the fence away from R’ahre, balancing easily. Her frill fanned out, the green winding her tail around the nearest post and leaning over precariously to stare at Vikky. What was wrong with it? Couldn’t she tell an insult when she heard one? Hmph. Too stupid. So sad, bad do feel. Her little claws pricked at the wood of the fence as she leaned even farther out, dangerously angled. Poor /baby/, friends none rocks but?

She didn’t notice R’ahre sliding down the fence until he poked her again, neatly sweeping her off of the fence. The motion was playful, and Sylph was used to R’ahre teasing her, perhaps the only reason she didn’t shriek as she tumbled off of the wooden post and managed to turn her descent into an ungraceful glide. Stupid RusaMine, was her unhappy comment as she flopped into the grass, closer to Vikky, and eyed the firelizard with an expression that practically begged the green to keel over and die spontaneously.

R’ahre ignored her, glancing back at Merridan before he offered a low, noncommittal hum. “He can’t see.” A shrug, one hand swiping absentmindedly at his hair. “He’s not going to die, though.” Truth be told, he didn’t really know what had happened to K’lir – all he knew was that the green and her Rider had not been in the Hatching Sands, because Ahth would have undoubtedly sought out Baoth had they been there, and he was fairly certain that he didn’t want to know. He was also fairly certain that Ahth knew, but Ahth didn’t care to tell him because the blue liked knowing and he knew that R’ahre didn’t.

[Rowana]

Merridan sighed. She'd known that, of course, she wasn't sure why she'd asked. Did she think it'd be different? "Well, being alive is good," she admitted. Even being alive and blind had to beat being dead. Baoth was there too, it could be worse. Still, she couldn't help feeling somewhat bad about it. K'lir was living one of her worst nightmares and she wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Vikky bounced closer to Sylph, now flopped on the ground. Was she hurt? Vikky would fix her! Vikky was good at fixing things. She reached a fore claw forward to poke the salamandyr. "I wouldn't, Vikky," Mer warned. "She doesn't like you much." But why? Vikky chirped curiously. She was a perfectly likable creature. Wasn't she? Mer rolled her eyes and tossed a rock at the pile, knocking it over again. Immediately, Vikky forgot all about Sylph and ran back to the rocks. Her pyramid! She had to fix it at once!

[Avu]

A curious glance in Mer’s direction. “Alive is always good,” he agreed, though the tone of his voice was definitely edging on quizzical. “I guess. Kind of depends on your point of view…” An absentminded shrug. “Ahth says that Baoth’s practically glued to the Infirmary now.” His gaze was focused on the brown weyrlingrider, the golden brown eyes narrowed slightly in anxiety. Merridan had never been a particular friend of his like Nautic was, but she was in their weyrling class, and he wasn’t heartless enough to not care. Anyway, chances were their last few lessons would just be perfecting between and if you couldn’t concentrate in between, you ended up there permanently.

Like Lith? Ahth commented absently. The blue was gnawing on the ribcage of the herdbeast, muzzle smeared with red – he ignored the gore, though, in favor of the meal before him. His was not a friend of yours, was he? Or Chaoth’s? He didn’t know Lith very well at all, more was the pity. Ahth liked knowing people and dragons, regardless of what His felt about them. Anyone could be useful under the right circumstances.

Huh. I don’t know. Maybe…?

That’d explain the…upset. At…K’lir’s injuries, the world in general…? Well, no, not K’lir’s injuries, but – She was there. At the Main Hall, Ahth provided helpfully, shoving the carcass away from him languidly and rising to examine the herd for his next selection. Perhaps that is the reason. A half-roll of his shoulders that was Ahth’s version of a shrug, and the blue swept into flight towards the herd, singling out a fat buck and twisting into a smooth dive to snatch it out of the herd. Watching absently as Ahth pinned it down, sniffing at it and opening his mouth in an expression of decided amusement – silly herdbeast – R’ahre snuck a glance at Mer again.

She was busy with Vikky at the moment, so he stayed quiet, feeling Sylph’s flash of decided irritation. The human was interfering. The green’s frill had gone up, defiantly, and her posture had changed into a crouch, ready to launch forward and bite the firelizard for daring to draw near her, but that didn’t seem necessary anymore. And Sylph was actually very disgruntled for that; firelizards were just so much fun to torture and this one was stupid enough to make it a challenge. Silly humans. The green’s frill flattened, eyes narrowing in disappointment as she watched the fussy creature return to her pyramid of rocks, and then she slunk forward cautiously.

Her wings flared, and the green puffed up before she gave a low vibrating hiss and dove. Straight into the pyramid. Her weight was enough to send most of the pebbles and stones tumbling, and Sylph lashed out with her tail, with the intent of whacking away the stones. If the firelizard wouldn’t be taunted into action, she’d make her tumble around like the idiot all firelizards were.

R’ahre watched in silence, a resigned patience in his eyes. No use arguing with Sylph in this mood. No doubt his refusing her the scarf had irritated her. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” he finally inquired, softly enough that, if she wanted to, Mer could play it off as not having heard. R’ahre wasn’t really even sure if he wanted her to or not. He was no mindhealer; he wasn’t generally sympathetic and he wasn’t the best person to come to for confessions of guilt, sobbing, or anything of the kind. He just wasn’t, but knowing Mer, she wouldn’t actually go find anyone anyway.