Search the stablehand? ... why??

[Ruby]

((if this is in the wrong place, PLEASE feel free to move it. Thanks!))

Asterlin had been alone at the Weyr for less than a day when it happened.

He saw his first dragon.

Well, not his first, to be totally fair. He had seen them as dark blots in the sky, or shadowy figures on the rim of the Weyrbowl or on the edges of their own weyrs. Even one or two at the far end of the Bowl, too far to see clearly. But this was his first close-up dragon.

It blotted out the late afternoon sun as it wheeled out of the sky, shimmers of heat glinting off its- her- green hide. Dust and dead vegetation was thrown violently in the air as he sheltered in the stable entrance, fighting to calm the grey runner he was cooling down after its owner’s ride. She settled in this majestic swirl of brown, emerging a glistening emerald as the dust settled once again. Her rider, perched high on her shoulders, had a passenger, but Asterlin was not interested. Looping the halter rope through a tie ring, he absently strode into the Bowl, eyes full of green, as she settled into a crouch so her rider could dismount.

It was love at first sight. Never having seen what a dragon really looked like before, Aster had to rely on his father’s descriptions of the beasts as dangerous and mutated. Of course, Asterlin had no idea how true this statement might have been from his father’s experience- Zoraster had heard rumors of the drugs used on the Northern dragons, and perhaps exaggerated in a truly Harperly manner, but Aster had not. But this… this was elegance embodied, grace perfected. She was nothing like the twisted, terrible beasts Zoraster’s stories and Asterlin’s imagination had cooked up. His hazel eyes searched out her faceted ones, whirling slowly with fatigue, and held them for a moment before the Rider handed the passenger down, and he dashed across Asterlin’s gaze. Only that managed to jerk him out of his reverie of re-writing all his father’s stories, imagining what it would be like to have such a fantastic creature bonded to him for life. But he did, in fact, realize that she was about to take off again, and dashed for the stable (and the terrified runnerbeast) just in time. He tried to track her through the sky, but the grey chose that moment to pull the rope almost out of its knot, and Asterlin was forced to pay attention or lose the runner, and his job.

In that moment when the skies snatched her away again, however, Aster made a decision. Runners were beautiful, enriching and useful creatures, but they simply could not compare to a dragon. He would be searched, no matter what he had to do. There was a clutch on the sands, and he was already 19- that left only three years before he was no longer of an impressible age. Filled with the fire of a Searchdragon looking for just the right Candidate, he finished cooling the grey down and returning it to its box with more delicacy and care than usual, finished the rest of his chores for the day, and headed out into the bowl, with intense purpose, to be searched. But after just a few strides, he stopped dead, a slightly silly look on his face.

Too bad he had no idea where to start.

[reqqy]

Running errands again, Reysalth commented grumpily. I thought we'd be done with this sort of thing once Salenth's got back. Don't tell me your clutchmate is still out of favor?

Laurie leaned forward to rub along the green's neck, ignoring how that threw the pesky man-child at her back off-balance. He'd been snuggling up far more than was necessary. Silly children. I'm afraid she didn't take my scolding very well, Reys. I'm actually the one out of favor.[/i][/b] The green let out a tempramental growl, but she said nothing more as they winged lower over the stables. The sister to the former weyrleader and the mother of the weyrwoman's fosterling took some pleasure out of her passenger's obvious discomfiture upon their landing. He then, of course, took that opportunity to cling all the tighter to her. Laurie sniffed. It didn't seem to matter that she was 30 turns of age; these pups still tried to get in cozy with her. Too bad she didn't really have anything at hand to hit him upside the head with.

Evincing a small, evil smirk, the blonde greenrider slid gracefully from her equally small lifemate, offering him a helping hand. The amusement was carefully erased from her face by the time he took it, the woman drawing her hand down too fast and causing him to suffer an ungainly tumble into a cloud of dirt - and what might have been a little present left over from the stables' occupants. Lauranna clucked her tongue, removing her helmet to let her blonde curls tumble out in waves. "Kids just can't seem to keep their feet these days. Off with you, lad." Glancing around, she found nothing particularly interesting. A few hands wandered about.

Normally, she would have settled in to flirt with a few of the young ones, just to throw them off-balance, but she was rather tired of such attention at the moment. Lauranna turned and urged Reysalth back into the air. They passed over the stables again in a tight circle, when Reysalth dipped a wing and changed course. Laurie touched her mind questioningly. There's someone there.

"Well of course there is. They work there, silly. I know greens don't have the best of memories, but honestly, Reysalth, this is pretty pathetic."

The green's head came back to nip at her rider, though she missed, understandably. No. I mean someone that one of the little ones might want. He tastes right. Lauranna settled back into the harness, riding her dragon down for a second landing. Puzzlement colored her face. Reysalth didn't usually Search anyone. Now, Laurie knew the green could be sensitive enough, but she often didn't show much interest. And what was this about tasting? He just does, okay? the green snapped testily.

Which one? Laurie questioned, craning her neck to see if she could spot whoever her lifemate was talking about.

There was a long pause. It was a faint taste. I won't know until I can get close. Lauranna sniffed, dismounting before Reysalth had even fully settled, her small, buxom form bounded toward the front of the stables, hair streaming out behind. The green let out a warbling roar, powerful enough to carry, but still strangely delicate, despite the sheer volume. Laurie wrinkled her nose as she shot an annoyed glance back over her shoulder. At least people were paying attention now, she supposed.

"We're on a Search!" the greenrider cried out, fully expecting the usual excited reaction and relishing the chance to place both her and Reysalth at the center of attention. "If you're of an age, come and line up before my beautiful Reysalth over there!" Instead of returning to the green, however, the woman began bustling about, catching lads and girls by the arm to drag them over to her dragon.[/size]

[Ruby]

Asterlin was still standing stupidly just outside the stable door when the Green that had just taken off wheeled back into sight, and would have squashed him (again) had he not dashed back into the stables (again). He really needed to pay more attention to where dragons were headed in his vicinity, or one of these days he'd be a smear on the Bowl floor. Shaking his head at his own inattention, his self-deprecating grin almost immediately gave way to a full-fledged smile- the Green was back! This belated realization was followed almost immediately by the loudest noise he had ever heard. It seemed to Asterlin that the Green was practically confirming her presence to him!

Of course that wasn't the case, but as before, he was practically hypnotized by the presence of the dragon. Returning to the doorway, he hung back inside this time, hoping to avoid looking stupid in front of the rider who had already dismounted. He could tell she was female by her figure and long blonde hair, and suddenly he became shy. His desire to become a rider still burned in the back of his mind, but for the moment the dragon's roar seemed to have sent it out of conscious thought with its tail between its legs. All of a sudden, his resolve was gone, and he couldn't think of any way to stride up to this rider as confidently as he would have had it been for any other reason. Of course, NOT being able to stride up to her confidently was unacceptable, so he uncharacteristically hid behind the door, feeling very awkward.

Even when he heard the words he had been in search of since... well, about five minutes ago- "We're on a Search!"- from the Rider, he remained inside. Responding to the rest of her words, stablehands, drudges and even stable visitors crowded the doorway, shoving Asterlin over to one side as the more courageous headed out to meet the dragon's gaze. He stood stunned (he seemed to be good at that lately...) as the little blonde Rider started fetching people who were hanging back. Finally, the dragon's name penetrated his paused brain- Reysalth. That, along with the realization that the Rider herself was quite pretty and of some indeterminately young age, seemed to give him confidence. He was about to stride confidently from the crowd, but someone shoved against the small of his back at the last second, sending him almost to his knees. He caught himself with at least a little dignity, but blushed and strode forward with an exaggerated smile, as if to try to convince people that it had been on purpose.

He had lost track of what was happening around him- where the cute little Rider had gotten to was far beyond his ability to keep track of at the moment. Women had never been as important to him as friends anyway, and neither could compare much to a dragon, or so it seemed at least. So, toning down his slightly ridiculous manner, he approached the Green with more respect than was usual for Asterlin. He joined the rapidly growing group in front of her with his eyes downcast, inclined his head, and whispered, "Hello, Reysalth." Almost certainly no one could hear him in all the chaos, but he felt the gesture was right either way. Finally raising his eyes, he searched out those of the dragon, looking for some clue to his fate.

[reqqy]

Lauranna bustled, and even that word didn't quite do the action justice. The greenrider had always taken some sort of unholy joy out of flustering the people around her. Some of the less generous women at the weyr often whispered about how Lauranna just sucked the life out of people, and that's how she maintained her youthfulness. It would have been completely out-of-character for the Selenitas-bred greenrider to care. And she didn't.

The green flared her wings, silently warning the people who were quickly becoming a crowd to keep their distance. Reysalth had never been particularly fond of being this close to anyone but Hers and her chosen weyrmate. Fluting quietly, she settled, just as a new little body popped up near her snout. Reysalth snapped at Gonen. The brown, who had come to adopt Laurie's son it would seem, hovered uncertainly for a moment. Another pop announced his clutchmate. Zephyr swooped down on Gonen, the brown letting out a startled cry that sounded half like a growl, and half like a squawk.

Whatever the green flit was mad about, she obviously felt the need to take it out on her brother. Lauranna snapped out orders to the two firelizards. They ignored her. Scowling almost playfully, the woman attempted to ignore her pets as they zipped about, the greenrider at the epicenter.

It was all Reysalth could do to conceal her amusement from Hers. Turning her gaze down to the human who spoke to her so pleasantly, the green cocked her head to one side, focusing one multi-faceted eye upon him. Respectful mite, wasn't he? Despite herself, the green was pleased, though she didn't allow herself to preen or return the greeting as impulse might dictate. Reysalth offered him a stately nod. It was far more refined a motion than anyone was likely to see out of her rider.

In fact, at this very moment the woman had determined that all were here, and she was summarily shooing over half away again. "Too old. Too young. Don't like the looks of you. Isn't there something else you could be doing?" And so on down the line. If anyone found her behavior out of line, they held their peace. In truth, Lauranna was passing over those people who, when she sent the image to Reysalth, sparked some form of interest from the green. It amused her to see the looks of consternation and annoyance, however. Silly people. Of course she knew that appearance alone was absolutely no indicator. When only those with half a chance remained, she straightened, wrinkling her nose.

"I suppose you'll have to do. Reysalth?"

Two. Both boys. The green inched forward, wanting to be certain to identify the right ones, particularly the one who had drawn her back. A young lad, barely of age, was the first to be identified. Lauranna drew him to her side. He returned her smile hesitantly, glancing back over his shoulder at something she couldn't see.

That was when Reysalth turned to the one who'd approached her. She hadn't been sure right away. Everyone had a different feel, but this one seemed to fluctuate. Yes...one of the little ones might find him suitable. Maybe not this clutch or the next, but she was fairly certain, or as certain as she ever was. And him, Mine.

Laurie grinned at the verdict, seeing another outlet for a bit of fun. "Oh, this tall, strapping one? Excellent taste as always." The older woman winked at the lad. She didn't hesitate to thread an arm around his waist and drag him closer to her lifemate. Waving dismissively at those left, Lauranna commented, "Off with you. Can't you see I'm busy?" Greens sparkling with mischief, she nevertheless turned to the young boy, crouching slightly - though admittedly not a whole lot - so as to be at eye level with him. "Would you like to come with me and Reysalth and my catch over here? There are baby dragons who will be looking for riders soon, and my Reys thinks they might just be looking for you." A gentle smile marked the words.

She did pause to glance back at the second, whom she was determined to tease until he could bear it no more. A moment of seriousness stole over her. "You have no objections to Standing, I trust?" The serious air was severely hampered when Gonen and Zephyr made another pass, the fiesty green getting caught up in Laurie's hair with a screech.

[Ruby]

A little more confident after not being removed from line as "I don't like the looks of you", Asterlin stood taller (as if he needed to) as the Rider turned the Search over to her dragon. The green had seemed pleased at his show of respect- he filed that away for later, as he enjoyed pleasing people, in general. A tiny boy a bit down the line was picked first- shards, the boy couldn't be more than a month past twelve. Looking closer, Asterlin smiled when he recognized the boy as a fosterling of someone who brought feed for the Runners- they would be so proud that he had been Searched. Aster didn't know the family at all, as he had only met them earlier today when they had made their first delivery, but the boy seemed well behaved and sweet. Although Aster was a bit miffed that he wasn't picked right away, it didn't look like Reysalth was done yet, so he stood still and kept hoping.

And his hope wasn't in vain. He could tell that something happened between the Green and her Rider, although he had no idea what, but Reysalth was standing in front of him when it happened. But then the rider was smiling, and speaking to him. It appeared that he had been Searched- and called tall and strapping in the process. Finally, something he could understand. Puffing his chest out a little, he gave the Rider a disarming smile a wink in response to her own. He was starting to doubt his father's stories more and more- this woman was not only pleasent on the eyes, she seemed like fun to be around too! He had never thought Weyr life would be bad, but it was still definately looking up.

As the rest were dismissed, the Rider put her arm around his waist and brought him to the Dragon. Unable to resist, he freed his arm from where it was trapped at her side, and with a yawn, settled it around her shoulders, adding "Ah, much more comfortable" to make it clear that he could play too. She was trying to throw him off and make him uncomfortable, Aster knew, but he too knew this game. It did make him sigh when she let him go- she was just the right height, even if he still had no idea how old she was, but it was nice to hold her for a second. This, of course, unnerved him more than the arm around the waist could.

She crouched a little to speak to the little boy, offering Asterlin quite a nice view of her back half (although he only looked once, then away, worried that this was perhaps innapropriate conduct for a Weyr. Clearly he had never seen a flight). In fact, he was still trying his hardest to look anywhere BUT at her when she glanced back over her shoulder, and he realized she was talking to him. "I- uh- of course! Well, I mean, of course I have no objections, not of course I have objections. Yeah." Her seriousness only threw him off for a second, though, before green and brown flashes interrupted his gaze, one getting tangled in the Rider's blonde, curly hair. He couldn't help but laugh, and headed forward to see if the little firelizard would let him get close enough to help out. He wasn't afraid of bites, he just didn't want to be rude. "And who is this?" he asked the Green directly, the laugh still in his tone as he reached tentatively into the Rider's curls, trying to free a wing. "Better question- who are you, Searchrider? I got your dragon's name, but not yours. Is it as pretty as you?" He was going to wax eloquent about her beauty and how unworthy he was, but decided to save at least until he got the little green beast out of her hair.

[reqqy]

Laurie might have cracked a rather mischievous smile had she not suddenly received a hairful of shrieking, struggling firelizard. "Shards, Zephyr, but you have to be the most uncoordinated green flit I've ever come across," the woman complained, her tone clearly affectionate despite the pain generated by sharp claws and tugged hair. "I'd get rid of you entirely if you weren't so good at annoying my brother." Of course she wouldn't. Parting with a flitter was hardly easy, but very little of what came out of Lauranna's mouth ever had much of anything backing it up.

It was Reysalth who managed to calm down her little 'sister' enough that the greenrider might attempt to extract her. Reysalth, too, who brought her head down, allowing the young boy to scratch behind her eyeridges while Laurie's attention was diverted elsewhere.

The woman was just about to start untangling her little one when she felt his presence at her back. All of these tall men. Laurie sniffed, though she had no problem with him trying to help her Zephyr, particularly since she couldn't see the green all that well. At his cheeky little question, Lauranna beamed, though he wouldn't get the full force of the grin with him behind her. Such a waste. "Is that possible?" she quipped, wrinkling her nose, though her tone made clear that, if she was conceited, she wasn't quite that conceited. "Laurie. No one calls me anything else, except my brother, and I'm afraid that one's off-limits. S'rei can get jealous of his pet names."

Not true at all. Lauranna simply enjoyed dropping his name to gauge the reaction. Her baby brother had made quite a name for himself, he had, as Weyrleader of Selenitas until Aslath's last flight. Of course, she knew that his reputation was mostly as something of a hothead...

Turning slightly as Zephyr finally came free, Laurie smiled up into his eyes. "You're about the height he was, when he was your age. Wouldn't it just be delightful to have another giant around? You'll have to duck." The greenrider pushed lightly against his stomach as punctuation. Stop flirting so much. Styth's might get jealous. Oh, poo. He knew what I was like long before he started showing interest. Everyone knows what I'm like. Besides, I like a lad who plays along. Helps alleviate the tedium.

Reysalth ignored the intended jab and bared her teeth in a wide yawn. How long are we going to play around here? I want my bath. You promised.

[Ruby]

((sorry this took so long... hatching and RL stole my time))

"Well, I'm not sure. Laurie is a beautiful name, and suits you well. But I think you outshine a mere word, even if it is the best one around to describe you" he responded coyly to her reply. He was a cheeky little one, that was for sure. Of course he totally missed the name drop- he hadn't even been around the Weyr long enough to know the Weyrwoman's name, much less her ex-Weyrleader. So he just shrugged at her mention of S'rei, and smiled. He kept gently untangling the flit- Zephyr- letting her go as soon as he did. He'd seen what she'd done to Laurie's hair (it was quite a rat's nest, but he didn't know how to bring that up)- and he didn't want the same to happen to his face, really. He watched her spiral away, and realized that Laurie had moved out from under the hand that was still in her hair.

He focused back on her, and unexpectedly found himself smiling down into her eyes. Before she started talking, he almost reached out to tuck an errant lock behind her ear- probably over the line, though, so he hesitated, his hand hanging awkwardly in the air for a second. Still, it took an effort of will to wrench his mind away from how captivating her eyes were and focus on what she was actually saying, once she started talking. It helped that she shoved him in the stomach a moment later. So, with a laugh, he responded, "What on Pern would I have to duck under? We live in trees, and Dragons live... well, in the trees too, I suppose. But it isn't that dangerous of a place for us tall ones. Good thing you've got Reysalth though- how'd you get into any tree without her?"

On second thought, Asterlin realized that was pretty stupid. In his experience, short people were not usually a fan of short jokes. Not only that, but there were clearly stairs for humans to use up almost all the trees. Stupid, stupid. It was pretty common for Aster to say stupid things around beautiful women- he thought he was a smooth operator, but he was really just good at getting away with things.

In an effort to prove he was kidding, he rearranged his face from teasing to baby canine with lighting speed. The look only really worked when he was looking up at someone (he had learned it as a child, when he was still shorter than his mother), but he figured he'd try anyway. If he was lucky, she wouldn't send him packing- maybe they could even find someplace cool and chat for a while. Having just arrived, it had been too long since Aster had a friend (much less one as pretty as she). Maybe the Weyr would be somewhere he could settle after all even though he still doubted it a little.

[reqqy]

As Zephyr continued to punish Gonen for what he clearly - by the squawking protests - believed wasn't his fault, Lauranna realized she was probably going a bit too far with this boy. He was cute and fun, and he certainly alleviated the tedium of an otherwise boring day, but Laurie had no intention of leaving F'rah - ever. In truth, she simply found it quite flattering when boys over a decade her junior came onto her. It made her feel good. And why shouldn't it? So many people showed their age clearly. Shards, Rei was already prematurely gray! Though, if she were honest, she thought it didn't detract from him...Nice to know that she still looked like the young woman she'd been.

At any rate, she could tell that this wasn't entirely joking around anymore, both by his hesitance and the piercing clarity of his gaze. Better to head it off before it got to the point where she'd actually hurt the poor kid.

Before she could, however, he said something that sent her into titters. Even Reysalth's aggravated, My bath, Mine. couldn't sober her up. Lauranna cuffed the lad on his arm. "Touche." Her eyes sparkled. "But you forgot one thing; you're going to be living in the barracks, and those are just like any other building. Earthbound." She grinned cheekily. "As I recall, doorways are the biggest nuisance. Hope you have a thick skull. So, while I'm struggling to get up in trees, you'll be constantly in and out of the infirmary with a perpetual headache."
The greenrider actually stuck out her tongue, then, squinting her eyes comically.

Mine, I want to get back. Please hurry it up. Foolish, to ignore Reysalth again, and yet the greenrider did, earning her a swipe from her lifemate's tail. It wasn't hard enough to injure the small woman - of course Reysalth would never do that! - but it knocked her flat on her rear with a little gasp. "Reys!" The green visibly huffed, hunkering lower to the ground as she clearly indicated it was time to get up and get out. You will give me the bath you promised. Now, why are you sitting in the dirt like that? You look positively ridiculous.

Wrinkling her nose, Laurie smiled up at the older of her two charges. "Looks like we've got an impatient one. Hurry and collect your things if you're coming, or Reysalth may very well eat you!"

[Ruby]

When Laurie laughed, Asterlin knew it was alright. He relaxed his face into a smile, rubbing his arm where she's hit him. This woman packed a punch, as small as she was! "Shards. Forgot about that... when do I move to the trees?" he asked, sticking his tongue out at her too just for good measure. He even crossed his arms. The poor little boy at Reysalth's side was looking relatively bored- he already had an armful of his things, and Aster realized that the Weyr had caught him off guard once again. He had assumed he would just be whisked off to the Candidate barracks and totally provided for- how silly of him.

He was about to ask if he should go pack when Reysalth's tail swung around suddenly. Ducking out of instinct, he straightened up in time to see Laurie sitting in the dirt, scolding a clearly impatient Reysalth. He couldn't keep his laugh in, but he tried as hard as he could, and finally managed to swallow it as Laurie addressed him again. "Oh, Reysalth wouldn't do that. Would you, Reysalth?" Aster asked the large green. On second thought, though, her mouth was at least big enough to swallow him whole...

He watched Laurie sit in the dirt for a second more before offering her a hand. "Want a hand up, shortie? If Reysalth will consent to wait, it'll only take me a moment to gather my things. I haven't even had time to unpack." It was true, too. His clothes, bedroll, and other necessities still sat packed in a corner of the room, only the clothes he had worn for the past few days strewn on the floor.

In hopes of regaining the Green's favor, he took off quickly for the barracks after Laurie was back on her feet, stuffing the clothes in the already over-full sack and heading back out to stand next to the little one. "Ready when you are, Laurie."

[reqqy]

Reysalth huffed at Asterlin's question, clearly offended that either of them could possibly think that she'd be interested in eating anything as unsavory as a person. Clearly you have been eating the wrong roots again. I wouldn't eat him. I'd merely snatch him up and drop him off the nearest cliff. The green's statement was so matter-of-fact that Lauranna couldn't resist another round of giggles, effectively preventing her from gaining her feet on her own. Now you think I'm funny? Reysalth questioned menacingly, her claws digging into earth with the clear intent of threat behind them.

By this time, the woman was clutching at her side for lack of breath, laughter racking her body. She held up a hand to her lifemate. "If...the fall...doesn't kill me..." she managed around great gasps of breath, "you'll certainly...inspire me to...laugh to death!" This last certainly did not please the dragon, who summarily turned her entire body such that her back was all that Laurie could possibly make out.

Still laughing, the greenrider allowed Asterlin to help her to her feet, nodding for him to do as he'd said. Only once he'd completely vanished did Laurie finally get her mirth under control. She turned to the small lad and grinned. "You'll enjoy it at Selenitas, I'm sure. Lots of fun and interesting things to poke around in. My brother and I got in all kinds of trouble." The young one was now beginning to smile tentatively, although he obviously didn't know what to make of the bubbly blonde woman who - according to what was said of dragonriders - must be...dangerous?

Laurie leaned in conspiratorially. "Why, once, we even strung up the Weyrwoman Sera's underthings over the threshold to the dining hall. Was she ever furious! It was delightful." She winked. "Of course, that's why Rei got packed off to Benden back before the wars, but still...I'd say it was definitely worth it. You'll have to ask someone to show you all the interesting places once we get there."

Turning when Asterlin's voice sounded at her back, she blasted him with a full-toothed grin, before helping her smallest charge gain Reysalth's back. Laurie scampered about harnessing him in, then descended again, using the straps to get up and down with astonishing alacrity. "Hope you're not too much of a clutz, hun," the greenrider stated teasingly, tugging the boy along, even as she took his luggage from him. Lauranna hurried him up, spotting him the entire way. It might seem unlikely that she could truly help if he were to fall, but obviously the greenrider believed she could, at least, and the extra items tucked under her arm didn't seem to slow things down at all.

"You'll have to get behind me. Line of visibility and all." With a wink, she slid between him and the younger child, making sure everyone was strapped in securely. "So, what do you think, Reysalth? Going to forgive me long enough to fly these brats to Selenitas?" Only if you intend to give me that bath you promised when we get there.

"What'll it be, boys? Willing to help me bathe Reys in exchange for a lift?"

[Ruby]

Luckily, Aster was not TOO much of a klutz- although he was a bit of one. He grimaced slightly, and started up Reysalth's side, only slipping once or twice before figuring out how to place his feet to avoid falling (and probably crushing the petite Greenrider, Aster thought with a little bit of a smile). Despite acquitting himself decently in his first ascent of a dragon, he was incredibly glad that Laurie had taken his stuff, instead of making him balance that in addition to maneuvering his long limbs.

Settling in behind Laurie and in front of one of Reysalth's (rather comforting) neck ridges, Aster let out a quiet sigh of relief. A little bit of him had been worried that the Green would savage him or bite him or something, or at least display some sort of aggression. Of course, she had knocked Laurie in the dirt- but that seemed much more like play than intent to hurt. Surely if Reysalth had swung with all her strength, Laurie wouldn't be getting up any time soon. A dragon wouldn't hurt their rider though, would they? Aster knew that the dragon and rider were bonded in more ways than just lifestyle, but he wasn't sure how deep that bond went (and whether it applied to humans other than the rider or not).

In fact, a little part of him actually wanted Reysalth to do something violent. That way, at least Asterlin would know. He wouldn't be in limbo anymore, not sure if he should stay or go. But the dragon only sat beneath him, perhaps responding to her rider's question, calm as anything.

When Laurie asked about bathing Reysalth, however, Aster broke out of his pessimistic reverie and cracked a smile. The young one, safely strapped in front of Laurie, giggled and nodded, turning his head back toward the Greenrider with a grin. "Sounds like that's a yes from both of us," he said, settling back.

Somehow, Aster realized as he prepared for Reysalth's takeoff, this encounter had turned from flirting to simply friendship (or at least general pleasantness). He didn't mind, really, and resolved to say hi to Laurie if he saw her again in a simply friendly context. Now that he was this close to her, he realized she was probably older than he was- and though it didn't bother him, he understood that it might bother her. No doubt she had her own intrigues in the Weyr as well. He'd let the flirtyness and touchyness be for now, he decided, and so wedged some of his luggage into his lap, and held her waist with one arm instead of two, the other holding the rest of his things.