All that you are ~ (Tags Tashe)

[Rei]

It was possibly the coldest night Erilena could remember in a long time. The stars blazing above like white hot torches were the only real light besides the full moon that cast the midnight world in an almost otherworldly glow. The clarity of the stars was nothing short of breathtaking as the slip of a woman made her way barefoot and in near silence through the jungle. Feyrianth said nothing. Not one word after the first failed attempt to talk her away from traveling the jungle on her lonesome. There was hardly any point. Instead the four winged dragon glided silent and almost ghostly above the trees as she followed. Her near metallic spots catching the moonlight she was flying under and reflecting it, giving her hide a silver wash. The pair would have been beautiful to behold if not for the sense of grief that hung like a shroud over them.

It was only a few candlemarks before the greenrider arrived at her destination. The clearing that Erilena had always called her own nestled somewhere deep in the forest. It had been months since her last visit. Months longer since she’d done what she was about to do. Dressed in a simple white frock that hung down to mid ankle and flowed loosely around her she stepped into the moonlit glade just as her dragon settled somewhere near the tree line and folded her wings. Feyrianth made no sound. Just watched with a near tangible sense of sadness as her bonded moved slowly to the middle of the clearing. The moonlight made the woman’s white frock blinding and sharply highlighted the dark blotches of just fading bruising that could be seen covering her legs and arms. A dark blur shot out of the jungle to loop loosely around the greenrider, Grim giving one sad and eerie keen before banking away to settle in a tree.

Feyrianth’s eyes whirled in vibrant shades of sorrow as her bonded finally took a stance. Erilena’s dance started out slow and pretty. Vibrant, happy, warm, full of hope. Grim sang out a happy tune. Feyrianth’s eyes reflecting each emotion in the swift shifting of vibrant color. The greenrider’s movements shifted then, becoming more passionate, intense, simply beautiful in movement and emotion. The dance climaxing as Grim and Feyrianth spread their wings, the firelizard’s voice ringing with fire and hope. Then the dance began to fall apart. Slowly and then more rapid the movements degenerated.

The dance becoming more ugly, desperate, and painful to watch as still Erilena’s feet effortlessly found purchase on the ground beneath her, her body moving in perfect synchronization with the whirlwind of emotion coursing through her. Dark and then darker still. Violent. Painful. The light and beauty extinguishing until a heartbreaking keen from Grim went up into the night, Feyrianth tossing her head back and giving a near approximation of a death keen as Erilena simply collapsed on herself and sprawled out onto the ground in a heap. The woman’s tear filled eyes closed and her chest moved in great heaving gasps as she tried to catch her breath. Then slowly, ever so slowly, she struggled onto her knees and from there to her feet as Grim trilled encouragement and Feyrianth crooned. For a few minutes the greenrider stood there, offering her mindmates a smile before she let her legs fold again and sank onto the grass.

That was it. Everything these past months had made her feel. Erilena’s entire soul, everything she had felt, and done, poured out for no one to see but the night and maybe some of the creatures that walked it. The final goodbye to her dancing and her past. They could rest together for awhile. Some people expressed themselves with music, others with paint, or wood and things of the like. Erilena used dance. The greenrider wasn’t sure she could put emotion and soul into tangible physical expression like that again anytime soon though. It was hard and her heart was tired. Though the release was helping. Dancing was something the woman used to adore more than anything. The action was now filled with too many memories, too much longing. Erilena had to let that go too in truth. Time to move forward. No easy fixes. Never any easy fixes. Twinges of physical pain eventually filtered through the numbed haze that had settled over her muscles after her dance, and the woman shifted to sit up again, wiping away tears.

Leaning back on her hands Erilena looked up at the stars above. They were stunning. Be happy for the little things. The small points of light in the dark. It was good advice. Especially now. Once again abandoned and near completely alone. Worst part was that it was again all her own fault. A vicious cycle. One only she could end.

A soft nudge at her back had her turning to look at Feyrianth. The green’s head pressing into her arms. Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over she became a butterfly. A soft laugh left Erilena’s throat as she stroked along her dragon’s ridges. Her beautiful Feyrianth. Time to move forward together. “You have been so very patient with me. Thank you my love.” A soft nuzzle was given the woman’s chest. No need for thanks but you are welcome anyway beautiful Lenamine.

A kiss pressed was pressed to Feyrianth’s forehead before the dragon lifted her head away to give a soft welcoming croon to the dark jungle. “So you can come out now. We know you’re there.” Didn’t matter whether her watcher had understood or not. Erilena was curious as to why they had stayed.

[Tashe]

Zemlove should hurry. Look at this! Oh look at that! Whats this? It smells good. Could he eat it? Would it hurt his mouth? Oh he can't eat it? Too bad. Fully grown, the Brown Wher might has well been a Bronze in all but color. If Zemask felt like it, he could take on most of the the Bronzes in the Wherhandler Apartments and win by brute force. He was a tank, perhaps a little bit of a chunky one, but still. Stepping over the night creature as it tried to scuttle away, the Wher turned to look at his Handler with a cocked head. His should get back on. He had said he was sorry. He meant it too! He really hadn't seen that low branch. Zemask would never hurt His on purpose. Zemaren on the other hand, wasn't quite so sure about getting back on the Brown. The Harper knew that his Partner hadn't meant to run him into a branch, but his head still stung from the close shave. If he hadn't ducked at the last second, Zemaren's head would have been taken clean off. Grumbling, he consented at last, adjusting the violin' case strapped to his back before heaving himself up into the harness. Zemask hadn't even needed to stop for the Wherhandler was proficient in the art of mounting while moving.

Clipping himself into the harness, Zemaren sighed. He didn't like all this duty skipping, but resigned himself to the idea that it was necessary to help him decide which branch to join. Zemask was much to big to work in the mines not to mention that he'd probably pull the tunnels down around their ears somehow, so it really left him to decide between the Watch, the Guard and the Domestic. He didn't have an emblem on his Armband yet, it was still the blue of the undecided Wherhandler. Soon though, he'd have to choose a branch or else be chosen by a Cadre. Tonight though, he was just ending his shift on the Northern Watch. Looking up through the canopy, the Harper judged the time by the position of the moons and asked his Brown to contact Pidesk, telling them that they'd stay out in the jungle until they were contacted by their replacement.

"Geeze. Its cold. Didn't think the South could get this cold." He got a questioning response from his Wher. "The North was a lot colder though... here." Pictures of snow and icicles passed between the two and Zemask, having never seen snow before, was totally entranced in the swirling white of Zemaren's memories. Suddenly though the Brown broke contact and crouched, his attention diverting to something far a head of them in the dark. "What is it? Show me." Closing his eyes, the Harper sunk into his Wher's mind, taking his sight and using it as his own. He had to admit, even though he'd done this many times now, the shift from the visible to the heat spectrum was still an unsettling one. As the jungle around them turned a rainbow of yellows, oranges and blues, a flicker of red glided between the spaces between the trees. Zemask crawled closer, getting a better reading of the creature. A person? Yes, a girlhuman. Ours? Smells like... follow? Yes.

They followed the woman at a distance, keeping to the shadows and as silent as possible. The Wherhandler pair stopped at the edge of a clearing and moved into a place where they could observe the woman. The arrival of the Dragon though, expelled any thoughts of worry. The Four winged Green was rather famous around the Weyr and Zemaren knew her rider, well... met is a better word. He'd been confined to the Infirmary only a week or so ago, after the Mines had knocked him silly and sprained Zemask's wing, so he'd spoken once or twice to Erilena. The Harper was about to guide Zemask away when the Greenrider started to dance. A few moments passed before Zemaren scrambled to pull out a sheaf of blank music paper and a charcoal, sketching down notes on the lines as the melody played in his head. The notes would be wobbly and out of place but he would straighten them out later. So involved in the music Zemaren nearly jumped when the Rider's voice disturbed the silence.

His concentration had been broken and the flow of notes fled his mind, and now that they had been made, Zemaren could do nothing but fold the paper and guide his Wher into the moon lit glade. Pulling Zemask up next to Erilena, the Handler unclipped himself and slid to the ground. "I'm a Night Sentinel Handler, on Northern Watch tonight. Zemask saw your heat signature and followed you, we had to investigate." He blinked, noticing now that the Greenhandler was not wearing shoes. " By the way, even with a Dragon, being out here on your own is dangerous." Frowning, he pulled the Violin case strap over his head and hooked it on Zemask's harness before unbuttoning his jacket and sliding it off. He offered it to her with a slightly bemused look. "For a healer, you're intent on catching your death." As for him, he would be fine for a while yet. The finely woven Telgarian shirt he wore was thick, made for the cold of the Northern continent and his black scarf provided some insulation. He couldn't say his parents had forgotten their second son, even after he'd been gone for so long.

Meanwhile Zemask was studying the large female with interest. The Wher hadn't met many Dragons yet, so this was a real treat for him. He wuffed quietly in greeting to Feyrianth. What a nice night to make friends. He might not be the smartest Wher around but he was kind and he liked making friends. Lowering his head he leveled it at Zemaren's shoulder, wuffing a hello at Erilena as well. It was only nice to greet them both, wasn't it? The Brown turned back to the Dragon. They hadn't meant to stay once His had told him that she and Hers where friendly. But Hislove started making markings on his paper and got distracted. So they stayed. Like any Wher he explained it through pictures and emotions, though the Dragon would know exactly what he meant. The paper he spoke of was shown in addition to the violin, which Zemask dubbed as the "wood thing that made noise". Rumbling, the male swished his tail in pleasure.

[Rei]

Hazel eyes regarded the handler as he and his wher slowly moved into the glade. Feyrianth behind her gave soft croon of greeting, her head dipping to the level of her rider as she watched Zemaren and Zemask. Hello cousin. It is a beautiful night yes? The four winged dragon spoke directly and pleasantly to the brown. The green had never had any thoughts to the effect of treating whers, firelizards, mandyrs or any creature any differently then she treated her own brethren. Each creature was treated with respect and kindness as if they were just as intelligent as she herself, and really in ways they all were, were they not? Feyrianth had positively adored Dmisk. Laid with the blue wher in the times when he was wounded, conversed with him pleasantly even if he didn’t always respond back, and generally treated him as a friend. Zemask got the same friendly attitude.

Erilena smiled gently at Zemaren as he spoke, letting him go on without interrupting for the moment. When he had finished his introduction she nodded. “Good evening Zemaren, Zemask.” Eyes focused on the brown handler again then. “Erilena is my name and my dragon is Feyrianth in case it has slipped your mind. I remember you and Zemask from the infirmary. I see you’re both doing much better. I’m glad” And the greenrider genuinely was. That cave in had been terrible and many had been injured, even killed in some instances. “Northern watch tonight? Then do you and Zemask trade watches or?” Then Erilena caught sight of his armband. “Ah undecided then. Trying things out?” Having dated, and almost joined to, one of the men who had brought the sentinel back to life the greenrider was well aware of how it worked. She also knew which handler was which from sight and description. Which ones she should try to avoid and which ones she could more then likely trust if she needed them. Dmitri was nothing if not thorough. Even if her best friend hadn’t been all too keen in wanting to be part of the Sentinel at all at first. That had been more Dmisk’s decision then his at the time. Although whether the man realized it or not he had grown into the role. Performed admirably for them all. A small pang of longing ran through Erilena at thoughts of the blue handler, a pang that she quickly and gently pushed aside. Not the time.

A glance was given back to Feyrianth who was still behind her and only just now settling herself comfortably on the grass, calm eyes whiling like bright colorful orbs in the eerie lighting. “Ah I am well aware of the dangers associated with night wandering I’m afraid.” With that Erilena gestured to her left arm, ignoring the bruising in favor of showing Zemaren the scars they bore. Ones made by a feline’s teeth. Her right shoulder, left hip and left leg were similarly marked with claw, through in the lighting and with her clothing you could hardly tell. “I used to get scolded all the time for wandering strictly by myself. Feyrianth comes with me now.” She explained before giving him a sheepish look. “I know it’s not perfect but I work nights. I love the stars, the quiet, the night in general and I trust you all.” Had she not impressed Feyrianth Erilena rather thought she might have eventually looked into becoming a handler. The night had it’s own charms. “Besides.” The greenrider continued. “The territory you have all carved out seems pretty safe. I doubt much of anything gets through the net and even then it’s probably only moments before it is dealt with.” Yes Dmisk was extremely thorough and besides she never went deep enough into the forest that she risked being that close to the outskirts of weyr territory. So in Erilena’s mind, baring freak accidents, she was being safe enough by bringing Feyrianth or even Grim. “All the same I thank you for your concern. I’ll keep it in mind.” A quick smile before she tilted her head at his frown.

Bare toes wiggled in the grass when Zemaren unbuttoned his jacket and handed it to her. Only then did Erilena become aware of the fact that she was actually a little numb. The heat burning in her from her dance had long since evaporated and the sweat upon her skin had chilled her thoroughly. Although she had a jacket with Feyrianth, the woman still gave the handler a look of appreciation and accepted his jacket. Wrapping it around her shoulders and trying to fight the shivers that ran down her frame every now and again she murmured a quiet. “Thank you.” Being December the night really was cold. A short laugh escaped the greenrider at the harper’s words. “Oh I can be terrible sometimes. I hardly ever listen to my own advice. You’ll find that typical of healers. We prattle at you to stay in bed and the like and then when we get sick we are just as bad. I often wander though the rain and silly things like that. Though you know the whole catch your death from just being cold isn’t true at all. The cold itself can’t make you sick. Just lower your immune system so if you already have a bug it makes it easier for it to emerge.”

Suddenly Erilena blushed brightly and covered her mouth with her hand. Just listen to her prattling on and on and probably boring Zemaren half to death. Clearing her throat she dropped her hand and her fingers played with her hair in a nervous gesture. “I’m so sorry. Listen to me blabber on.” It had been awhile since she had had anyone to really talk to. Whoops. Sneaking a look back at him she gave a hesitant smile. "How long did you follow me?"

[Tashe]

"Yes, we remember you." He ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs back and out of his face. "Indeed. We've not decided which branch we're going to join yet. Last week we were on Southern Guard Duty." Switching branches was growing tiresome, but once their stint on the northern Watch was complete, Zemaren felt like he'd be ready to put in a final request. The Harper went silent as the Greenrider spoke about knowing the dangers of the forest first hand, more out of politeness than curiosity. He really didn't care if she'd gotten attacked in the past, just so long as she didn't get attacked in the future while he was on watch. Zemaren supposed that a little pride was allotted to the Wherhandlers for creating such a safe zone around the Weyr, but still, even with their diligence it was possible for dangers to sneak through.

He didn't need to hold out the jacket for long before Erilena took it from him, dropping his now empty hand he placed it in a pocket. Aaand... there she went talking again. He didn't mind it much, wasn't often he got to talk with a pretty girl in the light of the double moons, but he was starting to get a feeling she could pounce on a topic and run with it. He smirked slightly as she realized the pace at which she was speaking. Women. They sure could talk sometimes. "Its fine, don't worry about it. 'tis but something my mother always said when I didn't wear enough in the snow." Zemaren paused at her question, turning his head to confer with his Brown. He returned his attention back to the young woman a few moments later. "We had been talking about the Northern continent when Zemask noticed your heat signature." The handler and his Wher looked at each other again. "Zemask says we picked up your trail when you were about a third of the way in, and followed you since then."

Zemask nudged his human before rumbling at Feyrianth. It was a nice night wasn't it? Such clear skies! And it was cold so it made his vision give a much sharper contrast to the trees and the living things. But weren't Dragons supposed to be asleep in the night time, like Whers were in the day? Not that he wasn't happy to talk to Ladygreen, but Zemask was just so curious! He didn't normally see Dragons flying around unless they were on night watch, but even those Dragons stayed closer to the Weyr than this. The Brown Wher tilted his head slightly. Oh she was out here because of her littleladyhuman wasn't she? Must protect Ours right? Never leave them alone case nasty felines get them. He fluttered his wings and wuffed.

[Rei]

The slight blush eventually started to fade from Erilena’s face, though her fingers still played with her hair and her bare toes the grass. Didn’t seem that Zemaren was really the talkative sort. Probably was just as well, she was lonely enough that he’d probably never get rid of her if he started her really talking. Finally the greenrider’s hand fell away from her hair and she wrapped her arms around her shivering form to keep in the heat. The handler’s jacket helped keep her at least a bit warmer, although Erilena’s mostly bare legs were a still quite a bit numb. Okay so maybe she really should have planned better, seeing as it was December, but she had figured that the dance would leave her warm enough that a quick dragon flight back afterwards wouldn’t chill her too badly. Meeting someone out here had not been really part of the plan.

When Zemaren and Zemask confirmed that they had been following her for quite awhile Erilena’s eyes traveled back up to the stars. “So you saw me dancing then.” It was more a statement of fact then a question. A slight frown crossed her features but just as quickly her expression turned to stoic. A small part of the greenrider wondered what the harper thought of the dance. The majority of her however didn’t really care what he thought. It wasn’t like Zemaren understood it anyway. Erilena had never really met anyone who understood. Well maybe Dmitri had. But again the bluehandler never had said one way or another. Nor had he ever seen her dance alone in the night or the rain to her knowledge. Though she had once professed a desire to let him watch.

Very few people actually had seen Erilena dance with as much passion and soul as she sometimes did. Only four people in fact that she could recall. Darya once in the rain and her teacher at the time had been almost captivated by the greenrider’s movements. The bluerider never offered whether or not she understood the message afterwards. R’ven that day in the rain and he hadn’t understood it, just saw the physical beauty. K’thay that night after the feast. He had called her a nymph. Mythical creature of the forest. But he hadn’t understood either. The last had been her brother Lenick before Erilena came to the weyr. Not even he had understood, but then did it really matter if anyone really understood her? Sometimes she really wished there was someone who could. Dmitri had been the closest she had ever gotten and now…

Hazel eyes closed briefly to fight back the sudden gathering of tears. Not crying anymore. Erilena’s breath was easily seen on the air as she drew in a shuddering breath and spoke softly, her voice surprisingly level. “Your accent marks you as Northern. Did Harper Hall send you here or?” Maybe it was a little nosy in a way. But the greenrider was very unwilling to go back to the weyr her and Dmitri had once shared and all the memories it contained. Not just yet.

Feyrianth wiggled slightly from her position in the grass as the wher spoke to her. Such a friendly creature! She much loved speaking to the denizens of the night if they would in turn speak to her. Their manner of speech was not hard to follow at all and she didn’t really understand why some of her brethren thought them stupid. Dmisk certainly wasn’t stupid. Nor was this lovely brown. Why he even called her a lady! The four winged green crooned sweetly to Zemask and batted her eyelids at him playfully. You flatter me by calling me a lady my handsome nightwalker. Most dragons indeed sleep during the day. I do not. My bonded is awake all though the night so I choose to stay awake when she is.

Feyrianth stretched out her neck to get a better look at the brown as he wuffed. Oh yes. I certainly must protect my bonded if I can. She is a silly creature at times and prone to acting on her emotions rather then logical thought. The nasty felines tried to eat her once. I do not plan on giving them another opportunity to take her from me. I am grateful for you and your brothers and sisters and their protection from such creatures. The green flicked the tip of her tail before looking up at the glimmering stars above. Your world of the night is quite beautiful. I enjoy sharing it with you. Do you like the stars?

[Tashe]

"Ah, no. Not exactly. The Harper Hall assigned me to Hyphen Proper. Their old Harper died, so myself and Nemari -my partner- were sent to replace him. I was there for six months before a particularly nasty Green found me and carted me off here to be a candidate." He sighed. "I had to go to Ja'kin and then again to H'nes to get special permission to travel back and forth between Hyphen and Selenitas. Harper Hall doesn't want to transfer me to Selenitas, since we already have three Harpers. Don't mind the travel though, and I only go when they throw festivities, since Nemari is shy." Zemaren actually missed that girl, she was cute and shy like a mouse. Without him she was the meekest little thing you ever saw, but together they made fabulous music. He remained concentrated on his partner for a moment before realizing he'd stopped talking, returning to the here and now from the where and when.

"A moment ago, you mentioned your dancing..." A pause. "Yes, I saw it." He paused again, but this time it was obvious he was trying to decide over something. "Would you... like me to show you what came of it?" Zemaren watched Erilena for a second before adding, "Oh but I've been insensitive. Even with the jacket it has to be cold. You're shivering... Do you think you can hold onto your Green, or do you want an escort back to the Weyr proper? Zemask is like a furnace." He smiled, fox like and witty. "We don't your immune system to drop, so if you already have a bug it won't emerge." The Haper paraphrased what the woman had said before, putting it to a semi-playful tone so as not to sound like he was being mocking.

Oh she called him handsome! That was very nice of her. Yes it was. He swished his tail. So Ladygreen was like a Wher! Littleladyhuman fixed leaking people, right? She fixed them at night? Through simple means of connection, Zemask was slowly answering his own questions... but not realizing it. He wuffed happily at the praise. He and his brothers and sisters were happy that the Weyr was safe! All the oldones made sure they new how to protect before they could go out. He left all the thinking to his smarter brothers and sisters, he wasn't a very smart Wher. But he didn't mind! Nope! He was good at loving, listening, eating and sleeping. It would be nice if they could all just sit and be peaceful. Turning his head up, the Brown licked his chops as he looked at the stars. Stars! Stars? Oh where those shiny things stars? He never asked His the name of them. Yes, yes they were pretty. They looked like shiny sugar candy!

[Rei]

Ah so he was going to answer her question after all. Tucking her hair back behind an ear Erilena listened to Zemaren explain. Hyphen hmm? And by the sound of it he hadn’t been too keen on leaving that hold at all. Sadly it seemed to be becoming a common theme. In fact from talking to a few of the new candidates the healer had gathered that ‘searching’ was becoming more like ‘kidnapping’ lately. Not that the greenrider could bring herself to be all that surprised that Wasteland was taking a few candidates against their will. Who would argue with someone like that old woman who was now Candidatemaster? She didn’t really seem the type that would take no for an answer. Still it was hardly right. Shifting her weight Erilena softly snorted. “Sounds like a real pain to have to go through so much just to get clearance for travel. I bet Harper Hall wasn’t exactly thrilled about your forced reassignment either. Really believe it or not Selenitas never used to force you to accept candidacy. Just another lovely change brought about by our new leadership.” If her words where a tad bitter hopefully he could forgive her. Erilena, like the majority of Selenitas natives, was admittedly not fond of the Wastelanders. Despite their now over a turn of occupation.

Hazel eyes blinked when the subject changed and Zemaren admitted to watching her dance. An almost awkward smile was offered the handler as he paused. Erilena still had never really gotten comfortable with people watching her dance when she was alone, mostly because it was one of the times she was the most open and vulnerable. It was admittedly awkward when she was caught most times. Still a curious look was given Zemaren as he continued. The greenrider was about to ask what he meant by ‘what came of it’ but before she could open her mouth the brownhandler had already continued. His playful remark gained him an amused smile. Turning her own words back on her hmm? Thankfully Erilena was rather used to playful remarks by this point or the reminder of her awkward babbling might have earned Zemaren a blush.

“Yes, lets not let my immune system take a nosedive.” With that she moved closer to Zemask and gently scratched at his eye ridge. “Oh I’m sure I would be perfectly fine holding onto Feyrianth. However if you and your ‘furnace’ don’t mind escorting me I’d like to walk back. It would probably be much colder up in the air on Feyrianth anyway.” A quick mental check in with her dragon brought no protest and so Erilena turned back to the handler. “Ready when you are. But before we go you mentioned something coming from my dancing?” Tilting her head she hugged the jacket to herself a little tighter. “What did you mean by that?”

A soft amused chirp left Feyrianth as Zemask ‘spoke’ to her. Oh yes. My little Lenamine is a nightfixer indeed. A very good one too. This nightbeast was simply just too cute the green had decided. She must ‘collect’ him too yes. It was always good to have more friends after all and he really was so sweet. Ah yes. The older ones often know what is best. They are very wise. A bob of her head punctuated that remark before the dragon continued. It sounds like you are good at all the best things and I agree. It would be much better if everyone got along and loved each other. Perhaps one day they will all realize this. Eyes whirled in happy shades of blue and green as the female turned her gaze back to the stars as well.

Yes Lenamine told me that they are called stars. A pause before Feyrianth considered. Shiny sugar candy? I like to think of them as like the little glow shinies that flicker in the warmer time. Dipping her head she lightly nuzzled Zemask. Lenamine has decided walk with you and yours. I trust you to take good care of her for me my handsome nightwalker. With that the green crooned softly to Zemaren and Zemask. She was too big to follow them on the ground obviously but she would certainly follow them from the air once they departed from the clearing.