Skipping Rocks {Open}

[Sheari]

It was sunset at Selenitas Weyr, but Anusha and Minth were not at the weyr. They had walked along the trails to spent time on the beaches north of their home. The water was glistening with a fire only gifted by the sun. The surface was dappled with crests of gold and white as the waves rolled in; some crashed against the cliff to their left.

The weyrlingpair had come here shortly after lunch to kill time. Presently, Anusha was tossing rocks into the waves as she turned things over in her mind. Minth had taken to bouncing them on her nose while Akos had attempted to do the same. Things hadn't worked out for the white Salamandyr. Rocks, and even small pebbles had proved too big for him, so now he had chosen to bounce on Minth's head. When the rock on her nose dropped, the 'mandyr obliged to be come a rock and be bounced on her nose.

Anumine, what are you thinking about?[/i] She needn't have asked for she knew already what troubled Hers. My brother Impressed to Weith. I haven't seen him in turns.[/b] I know,[/i] was all that was offered in return. Akos clung to Minth's nose, scrambling back up to perch on her head. He flared his wings and looked like a cute little hate for the small dragon. clutchbrotherShith said that His is friends with Weith's, maybe you could talk to him if you don't know what to say to ClutchbrotherYours.[/i]

Leave it to Minth to think up a solution to everyone's problems. She really hated to see Her's like this, she felt like she needed to fix it.

I don't know, Minth, I just don't know.[/i] Anusha tossed another rock and it skipped until a wave grabbed it and tossed it beneath the surface, not to be seen for a long time if it was ever seen again. She found irony in the predicament of the stone.

[Rowana]

Peppeth whizzed through the air so fast that Farryl had to cling just to stay on. Now that she was finally big enough to carry her rider, Peppeth insisted on flying every where, no matter how close or far. Farryl sometimes worried that Peppeth would tire herself out with all this flying, but she never seemed to loose her energy or excitement. Today they were going down to the beach to do some more practice. Soon they would be full riders and Farryl wanted her green to be the best they could be.

Look, Farryl-mine! Peppeth sang out. A little green sister! Farryl glanced down to see Anusha and Minth. She recognized them from the recent hatching, but refrained from pointed out that Minth was easily twice Peppeth's size when she had hatched. Let her tiny green delight in being bigger for once. Let us meet them! "Yes, lets," Farryl agreed.

Peppeth did a somersault in the air before calling out to Minth. Hello, little greensister! How are you and yours today? She spiraled down to the sand and landed a little harder than she meant, spraying sand everywhere. Sorry, sorry! Peppeth bobbed her head apologetically. Farryl slid down to smile at Anusha. "Sorry about that, she still needs to work on landings. You're one of the new weyrlings right? Congratulations on impressing! I'm Farryl, this is Peppeth, and the little one is Hobbs." Her blue fire lizard poke his head out from where he had been hiding in her hair and chirp a greeting.

[Ember]

Oh thank you NepheleMine for taking me out to see this thing you call Ocean, the young green dragon told Hers. The newly Impressed girl sensed a something waiting to be asked in Nuoth's thoughts. "What's wrong, lovely Nuoth?" The green considered her question before asking Hers. There were not silly questions, right? Is Ocean beautiful? Will they like me?

Nephele grinned at her dragonet's queries. "The ocean is very beautiful but the ocean likes no one." She paused for a moment and Nuoth tried very, very hard to understand. Ocean did not like anyone? That was a very sad thought. Does Ocean not get lonely without anyone to talk to? The girl made a surprised expression. So that's what Nuoth meant. "Oh my dear, the ocean is not a person or a dragon. It is water. Lots and lots of water." It was, Nephele decided, like teaching a child. Upon reflection she decided Nuoth was still very much a child.

There was silence between them as Nephele led Nuoth the rest of the way to the coastline, the green attempting to envision the ocean not as a living thing but as Hers described it. Her imagination could not compare to the real thing she discovered. Oooh, was the satisfying reaction from the hatchling. Ocean is pretty. Not prettier than NepheleMine but still pretty.

Nephele felt a flutter in her chest, a true happiness as that loving little green complimented her. Oh to have a creature that always, always will love and understand you. Sure she had Charming and Misfit but they couldn't talk, no matter how much she may have wished it sometimes. Speaking of the pair they were perched carefully on Nuoth's back and head. The three took to each other immediately. While both Charming and Misfit could be trouble makers they were good at heart and didn't mind sharing Nephele with Nuoth.

With a bit of surprise Nuoth realized first that there was company. NepheleMine, there is clutchsister Minth and another older green. Can we go greet them? Nephele gave an uncertain nod but Nuoth did not bespeak the other two right away. They were obviously speaking so she would make her presence known and then wait. While Nuoth moved towards the company Nephele stayed where she was a moment longer. How different life was with the green! She reflected on that moment of Impression and it still fileld her with utter joy. What if she hadn't been chosen by Nuoth? But I chose you, NepheleMine. There was no other for me, Nuoth reassured her. Ha! Private thoughts were so much harder to keep private now. I keep no thoughts from my NepheleMine because I love NepheleMine. With that Nephele stopped looking back on Impression and instead walked towards the other greenriders somewhat cautiously.

[Sheari]

Hi bigPeppethsister![/i] That was the only warning that Anusha got before a large green...or, rather small green actually...landed hard on the beach. Sand was kicked up and Anusha quickly covered her eyes to protect them. Tine Akos frilled so small it couldn't be called a frill before he betweened to a place unknown. Anusha mused about where he had gone until she received an image of the inside of her room in the weyrling barracks. Well, that answered that question. "Hi Farryl, this is Minth and Akos just betweened," she said, "...to my room, I mean," she added, after realizing what the term betweened generally meant when not accompanied by a location. it would be truly horrible indeed if Peppeth or Farryl got the impression that they had killed her 'mandyr by landing.

Akos stirred in the back of her mind, and even after trying to coax him to come back mentally, he refused. He sent her an image of a mean looking Peppeth the size of Hepaticath. Stark in contrast to the dragon that stood before her right now.

Anumine, bigPeppethsister, there is someone else here![/i] Minth looked eagerly to the tree-line to see the darker Nuoth. Nuoth![/i] she called, eager she was to make friends.

[Rowana]

Oh dear, Peppeth looked crestfallen to see Akos disappeared. Did I scare him? I did not mean too. "I'm sure he's fine, Peppeth," Farryl assured her. "We just came in a little fast." I will land better next time! Farryl smiled warmly and turned back to Anusha. "How are you finding weyrlinghood?"

Before the other girl had time to answer, Peppeth spotted the newcomer Minth had found. Hello, little green sister Nuoth! she chimed happily. The older green moved to the side so that Nephele and her dragon could join them. Come and join us! Bring Yours too! Farryl glanced around her dragon and Hobbs chirped another greeting. "Hi," she waved Nephele over. "Don't be shy."

[Ember]

Nephele could feel the happiness leaking from Nuoth through their bond at being invited to join the conversation. She genuinely enjoyed the company of others, despite what some may think due to her generally quiet demeanor. She had a grace very odd for a dragonet so fresh from the egg as she moved over to her clutchsister and the stranger green. Greetings Minthsib and biggreenling. I don't believe we have met, biggreenling. My name is Nuoth, as you know, and I am curious what yours is?

Nephele moved towards the other girls while she listened to the part of the dragons' conversation she could hear. Polite was her dragonet. She introduced herself hopefully half as well as Nuoth had. "Hello. I'm Nephele, my green is Nuoth, and the two flitters are Charming and Misfit." At the sound of their names the two firelizards chirpped and took to the air. They flitted around the head of Peppeth, circled the smaller Minth, before greeting each girl. It looked like such a practised thing that Nephele grinned slightly. Misfit quickly flew to the girl's shoulder and landed. He was fine with a perch.

Charming, however, continued to flutter around the girls before attempting to land on Anusha's head. Pretty hair. Good place to perch and show off. Nephele offered a small grimace of apology. "He's impossible to control, that one. If he gets too troublesome though I could find something to distract him with."

[Sheari]

This was turning out to be quite the happy little group of girls. Anusha reached up to pat Charming before she looked to Farryl. "He's fine, certainly bigger than Akos, but he's fine," she said, flashing a smile. Yes, her tiny little Akos was a fraction of Charming's size but she didn't mind. The 'mandyr usually chose to ride on either her shoulder or in the pocket of her shirt if she had one. His favourite shirt of hers was a light blue one with gold threading. Why it was his favourite, she would never know, as the only reason to reach her was because it had the biggest pocket.

"This is Minth and Akos isn't with me but he might come back," she said. He still refused, insisting that Peppeth was going to eat him.

Hello, Nuothsister, this is bigPeppethsister,[/i] Minth provided cheerfully. She crooned at the greens before picking up a rock in her teeth. She may not be able to walk well but she had gotten rather good with her nose-eye coordination. I am bouncing rocks on my nose, it is quite fun.[/i] She tossed the rock up and tried to catch it with said nose. It took her a couple tries before she got it but once she did she looked at them as if to say 'see?' and proceeded to bounce it.

[Rowana]

Farryl was pleased to see everyone getting along so well. Except for Akos, poor little salamandyr. She did hope Peppeth hadn't scared him too badly. "Well met, Nephele," she greeting warmly. "I'm Farryl, this is Peppeth and Hobbs." Hobbs fluttered free of her hair to fly around with the browns for a minute before returning. He trilled melodically at the other girls, snuggling into Farryl's neck. He was still rather protective of her, even though it had been months since the attack and Tille's death. He was determined not to leave her side. "How are you two enjoying weyrlinghood so far?"

Oh yes, Peppeth bobbed her head and Nuoth and crooned proudly. I am Peppeth. In her excitement she had completely forgotten to introduce herself. She was so pleased to be called "big" too. She was big, wasn't she? She could not wait for her little sisters to be big too. Then they could fly together. Oh! She watched in fascination as Minth bounced the rock on her nose. That does look like fun! Peppeth poked around until she found a slightly bigger rock. She wasn't quite as practiced as Minth though, and spent a great deal of time trying to get the rock on her nose in the first place.

[Ember]

Charming crooned happily at the attention the girl whose hair he was messing up gave him. He didn't linger too long though, quite interested in the weyrling dragons' rock bouncing game. He fluttered over curiously and searched out a pebble his size. In truth, there wasn't one a decent size for him so instead he lifted up the biggest rock he could handle and started flying around with it happily. He could keep his up all day!

Nuoth hummed pleasantly upon learning Peppeth's name but didn't speak while her clutchsib showed them what she had been doing for a while. It was an odd activity and even the little brown brother wanted a rock of his own. The excitable Peppeth was drawn into the game. Nuoth nosed a rock at her feet but looked up to watch the other two greens for a moment. Should she? The query made its way to Hers and the girl heartily game encouragement. The little green turned out to be almost a natural. The rock was on her nose by the second try and she hesitantly started bouncing it. Her only word was said with surprise and wonderment. Ohhh.

While Charming joined the antics of the dragons Nephele continued to listen to the two other girls with her. "Minth looks like she's having fun" Nephele was amused by the rock bouncing game. Good for coordination! "Akos?" she asked. She assumed it was a pet but what kind? Perhaps another firelizard? The girl who introduced herself as Farryl had one too. "Nice to meet you all." Though Anusha hadn't said her name Nephele knew the name because they had both Impressed from the same clutch. Farryl's question sparked a bit of excitement in Nephele. "Weyrlinghood is wonderful! A lot of work but I wouldn't give it up for anything right now."

[Sheari]

Minth was pleased that the others had joined in her game. It was fun and the smooth rocks on the shore were perfect for the job. The ones found up near the weyr or anywhere else usually had sharp points and were no fun to bounce, since they poked. Besides, the once near the water had pretty patterns and designs in them. She made a note to take one back home when they were ready to leave. Maybe if Akos came back, he could find a rock small enough for him to bounce, or maybe fly around with. The little green crooned (which had a humorous effect on her voice) at the flying brown, encouraging him to continue, or maybe land on one of their noses to be bounced.

You're really good at this Nuothsister, try and bounce two![/i] She had tried once and had failed. Deeming her coordination not good enough for two yet, she worked to perfect bouncing one.

"It is hard work," Anusha agreed, "but Minth is worth it. I will admit, though, that some days I wonder if I'm really up to the challenge." Bathing a oiling wasn't fun, it was tedious. Almost everyday she woke up to a green dragonet scratching against her bed and flakes like huge dandruff on her furs and on the floor. She had gotten into the habit of keeping a broom in her room and sweeping up the dry, dead skin before even dressing herself. The girl was truly beginning to identify the difference between oiling a tiny Salamandyr and oiling a growing green dragon.

Akos returned from between as a response to His' thoughts. He had forgotten about Peppeth and now didn't see her with two others like His there.

[Rowana]

Farryl smiled, giving Peppeth a fond pat. "Oh, it's worth it," she agreed. "The work, the early mornings, the lessons and chores. When you actually start flying together, it'll all be worth it." She looked at the sky dreamily then shook herself. "I'm sorry," she chuckled. "I'm still amazed myself sometimes. We've only been flying a couple months." She grinned. "I'm sure it won't be nearly so long for you two. Nuoth and Minth are already getting big."

Peppeth finally managed to balanced the rock on her nose. She crooned with delight. This is harder than it looks! she declared. Nuoth and Minth are so good at it! She tried bouncing. This was much harder, but after a few more tries, she managed a few little bounces. Oh her little green sisters were so clever!

[Ember]

Nuoth had evidentally made an impression bouncing the one rock that the suggestion of a second was met with some amusement. Could she handle it? She tapped Charming's mind with a request to bring his rock to her and he had a fun time trying to get it on the dragon's shifting snout for her. Perhaps it was cheating slightly but if she couldn't bounce two at once she didn't want to drop her first stone. The brown chirped at Minth as he tried to settle the stone on his human's little green thing. She was cute, she was. He was fond of the green already.

Nuoth paused to let Charming deposit his rock and took the moment to watch how well the other greens fared. Peppeth seemed to be having a bit of trouble but Minth was clearly a practiced snout at the task. With two stones now balanced on her nose she went over to Peppeth to see if she could help. I find it helps to think of something other than bouncing the stone, she said. At the very least, if Nuoth concentrated too hard she ended up over or under correcting her bounces. With that little bit of advice given Nuoth attempted the two stones. They were considerably harder. The often bounced into each other and went a bit out of control. After the fifth or so time having them both fly off she shifted to only doing one again.

Nephele reminisced on her own morning experiences with Nuoth. The green often woke up positively ravenous. The girl was chopping up meat for her dragonet while still in her sleeping garments most mornings. Slowly she was starting to wake up just slightly before Nuoth though. Eventually maybe she'd wake up soon enough to have food ready for her darling before she even woke up. Nephele jumped on one word Farryl said. Flying! Oh, that sounded exciting! She'd been on a dragon before but never her own dragon. Surely the two types of experience would be so very different. With surprise Nephele noticed the appearance - reappearance rather - of a white 'mandyr. So that was Akos? But...weren't they forbidden to weyrlings?