Avoidance {Open}

[Sheari]

Avoiding them, she was avoiding all of them. By "them", Anusha meant the wastelanders, y'know, the dragonriders that had swooped in and slaughtered anything flying that didn't belong to them. The young woman had gotten rather good at blocking images out of her mind. Her weyrledge hadn't been set ablaze but she'd seen others that had. Dragons in the air and death keens enough to kill with the pure sound of them. For now, she decided she would enjoy a sandwich while her green was off doing some slaughtering of her own.

A herdbeast ran with fear white in his eyes. He was one of the more fit bulls, not tough like the older ones, not soft like the younger ones. Minth was going about her feeding in a way that could only be described by uncharacteristic viciousness. Her eyes whirled red as she tripped up the bull with her tail and pounced on him, claws digging deep as she ripped his throat out. Her jaws rent his flesh with a wild abandon, blood staining the ground.

Having fun? The greenrider asked from her perch on the fence, a piece of sandwich in her mouth. Why yes, yes I am,[/i] came the rather calm response. Anusha marveled at how the beast could be so malicious and yet her voice was so calm as if she was sunning herself. She knew that the green was taking out her frustrations on the animal now almost fleshless beneath her. She worried about Weith but had not heard him keen and R'men's body had not been among those after the carnage. She knew that the dragon kept her mind away from reaching out for him, fearing she might give him away when she felt him. She knew he was there, just didn't know where he was.

In her mind she saw how his weyrledge had been flamed and how he had burst through them, defining the word "glory" with His on his back and then winking between before too many saw him. A piece of meat slid down her throat as she rose her muzzle, chomping.

[Requiem]

...You want me to rescue you. His oddly fastidious brown - at least when it came to eating - was effectively stuck in his little rock hollow that he used to shield the grisly affair of consuming herdbeasts from any man or beast that happened to wander by. The male didn't want to leave that small sanctuary with the vicious little debacle going on directly in his line of sight. Unfortunately, the green was far more visible than he was. That amount of nastiness wasn't truly necessary, was it? He hated violence. (An odd truth considering how prone His was to getting violent, though anyone who knew M'ta well knew he rarely followed through. A lot of bluff and bluster, that one. Which wasn't to say that he wasn't absolutely deadly when backed into a corner. At least where his throwing knives were concerned.)

Please. I just ate. She's making me vaguely...ill. I know. How could he not? The sympathetic nausea M'ta was feeling himself had him rather...uncomfortable. He planted a hand on the top rail to launch himself over the fence easily. The brownrider strolled over toward the girl, sparing just a glance for the green tearing into her kill. It looked like it might somehow still be alive. Eh.

Though he still bandaged his chest - mostly to keep the sensitive skin from chafing - it was long enough after the attack for his arm to be out of the sling. He'd also located some new throwing knives. Not as good as the ones they'd confiscated, of course, but they'd do. The blades were strapped to his chest. With fingers hooked through one of his two belts, he stopped near Anusha. The fiery-colored brown firelizard coiled around the man's bicep stirred enough to fix the girl with a mildly curious gaze. Did she have any...no. Well, how boring.

"Sorry to bug you. Behruth is being...well, a pussy, really." For lack of a better word. "He won't come out because Minth is making him nauseous." M'ta rolled his eyes and nodded toward the heap of stones concealing his dragon. "Really weird about eating. Don't ask. Anyway, um, do you think she'd be fine finishing up or moving elsewhere?" Yes, it was an odd request, particularly since M'ta didn't really know Anusha that well. (Behruth knew all the Selenitas dragons with just a few exceptions. It was the only reason the brownrider remembered Minth's name at all.)

[Sheari]

Anusha rolled her eyes to look at M'ta. He was rather known name, afterall which dragon, Selenitas born dragon, didn't know Behruth? She looked back to the gorey scene, though it made it harder to eat so she returned her gaze to M'ta. "I see," she said, taking another bite. She chuckled half-heartedly at the idea of a dragon being disgusted by the sight of another dragon eating. Wasn't that a bit of an oxymoron, or did it make the brown a hypocrit? "I'll give it to him, she is acting rather vicious. Minth... she said both mentally and aloud. It seemed rude to have telepathic conversations with someone around.

The green's head shot up almost comically, eyes and muzzle dyed red. The carcass beneath her was mostly eaten by now, the green only really needing one or two to sate her appetite. Her eyes had tendrils of a content blue whip through them. Indeed she was almost done. Yes? What is it?[/i] Her maw went down to grab another piece of beast. M'ta has informed me that you are upseting Behruth, a quizzical emotion was her response from the green. Anusha had gotten used to the reception of emotion, Akos being the prime reason Minth had gotten into the habit.

Behruth, I appologize if I upset you, I am almost done.[/i] Indeed, save for the small, unavoidable blood pool most of the body was gone. Bones stuck out here and there but Minth would take them back to her weyr to knaw on (she oddly enjoyed chewing on the skull, no matter her mood). I am however beginning to get full, would you like what I can not eat?[/i] She was unsure if the brown would accept her offer, but if he didn't want it she would find a way to dispose of the body.

[Requiem]

"Thanks," the brownrider responded, crouching down so he wasn't towering (ha, rarely got to use that word as a description) over the seated greenrider. "He won't eat where others can see him and is just plain fussy about the whole thing." The explanation was incomplete, but M'ta didn't feel the need to go into extensive detail on the subject. He didn't want...Anita?...to think they were just being difficult, though.

It's not really you, Behruth assured her quickly. The very tip of a snout poked out from within his little cache of rocks, as if testing the air. He didn't want to actually go out there right now, though, not with the half-mangled corpse still lying in the blood. Behruth finished cleaning the blood of his own kills from his hide. What little of it there was. He truly was a fastidious eater. I've just filled up myself, he responded with a note of apology.

The brown ventured a little further out. He moved rather gracefully for a creature not made to move on land, snaking out of his hollow. I hope you do not think me terribly rude. It's just uncomfortable to watch others eat, or to have others see me eating. Mine thinks it's silly. That did not really explain why he hadn't contacted her to begin with. He would have been content to wait until she left, uncomfortable the whole time, but His was not nearly so patient. How are you doing lately, Minth?

M'ta watched the two dragons for a short while before he returned his attention to the girl. "So this is a little embarrassing. I can't really remember your name." He offered her a sheepish little smile, flicking his long braid over his shoulder. (He kept on wanting to cut that waist-length hair of his. It was just a bit odd and with the Wastelanders around... R'wign liked it long, though. He wouldn't say anything if M'ta did cut it. Still, it was clear what the man preferred. So M'ta put up with it.)

[Sheari]

Anusha smiled a little. "Well I'll admit that sounds peculiar," she said. The small words were enough for her, she was particularly interested in Behruth's eating habits, though she did think them odd. Damn, her sandwich was almost done, a couple more bites and it's be gone. She moved her butt to a more comfortable position on the fence. The grass would probably be more comfortable than said new position, and she contemplated moving to it.

Well, that's good at least,[/i] Minth watched the older dragon move from his rocks. He reminded the green of some of the felines in the jungle that would drag their kill into trees. She began to clean herself, moving off of the carcass so that the blood wouldn't find her hide. Tongue working quickly over claws and muzzle. That's fine, someone else will come along and finish this eventually.[/i] Much like she did when she just wanted to snack on something.

Well, it was silly to be ashamed of having others watch you eat, though Minth kept that to herself. I'm doing fine. I do not like the outsiders but there isn't much any of us can do about it right now. You?[/i] she inquired. Truth be told she despised the wasteland dragons with a hate that was only tempered by her smaller size and less aggressive jaws. Passive aggressive green she was.

"Anusha," the woman provided. She wasn't surprised, afterall she kept to herself. She'd never really conversed with M'ta though his reputation spoke for him. The shorter man with the knives and skill to wield them. Wasn't he the one with the throwing knives? "And its fine," added quickly. At least he was one of their own and not one of the ones she was avoiding.

[Requiem]

M'ta lifted himself over the fence to slide down the other side and lean back against it. He stood loosely, toeing at the ground. I'm not upset. Why are you? the brown questioned His privately. But M'ta merely shook his head. It was a complicated thing. Too complicated to explain to Ruth if the male couldn't understand it through their bond. I guess I just have to be upset for you, then. If I hadn't... That's enough. Behruth didn't want that discussion again.

Their wing was a good enough spot for them. More than they could have hoped for, really, considering.

The brown's attention snared on Minth. There is a human saying...what was it again? Catch more flies with honey? These Benden dragons do not know peace or kindness. Perhaps if they are shown it they will want it for themselves. Fighting them will change nothing, he added quietly. Dragons do not like to hurt one another. I think this must be true for these outsiders, too. How can we say we are any better if we want to hurt them for hurting us? Isn't that the problem the entire north has?

He dipped his head, then. But let us not speak of such unsavory things. We are doing well. Mine is healed, we have two little human hatchlings living with us now instead of just one, and my stomach is full. Many good things to think on. I see so little of you, Minth. This is an oversight that must soon be remedied.

"Anusha." Well, now he was glad that he hadn't said Anita. Better to admit you couldn't quite remember than to call a girl by the wrong name. A friendly smile touched his face as he looked up at her from his position against the fence. "I'm M'ta." The brownrider didn't figure anyone was likely to remember him like they did his dragon or his weyrmate.

"I can leave you alone if I'm interrupting your lunch." He nodded toward the sandwich, but made no move to leave before her answer. M'ta was...rather more social than most would expect, especially if they'd known him seven turns ago when he first came to Selenitas. Behruth could probably be blamed for that. "Didn't you and your brother Impress in the same clutch as Meira? I seem to remember you did." Meira had been a friend. Still was. Probably. Things were different when she was the mother of your lover's son, though. Especially since R'wign continuously reminded M'ta how small a part he played in the boy's life, even if Riaren was living with them now.

[Sheari]

I understand that they more than likely know nothing of kindness and friendship because they've been fighting all their lives. Perhaps it is true what you say about them learning from our example. Would they be willing to follow us anyway? With how they treat us already?[/color] Minth stopped short when the elder brown dipped his head and spoke. She agreed that speaking of such depressing matters would do nothing but dampen their spirits.

I'm glad Your's is well and I equally do not not see much of you.[/color] The demeanor of Behruth was more the Brother Brown of every dragon in the weyr. Minth felt as comfortable around him as she did around Weith. How is it living with human hatchlings? I recall Jinth's having one but that's all I know about it, who's is the other?[/color] Minth was rather excited about hatchlings. It was babies really, that got her happy. She loved watching new dragons break shell and had inquired about the human kind to hers. Anusha knew that Minth would be simply tickled if she bore a child but she firmly refused. The green caught snippets of anxiety from the woman that she might get preganant at any time the green rose.

"Pleased to meet you, M'ta," she replied politely. It felt good to use manners, though it might actually be meeting someone new that was refreshing. "Yes, yes we did, Jingth bit Weith and then went into the stands for her." Who could forget it? Infact two hatchlings had gone into the stands though the other had been a green. Anyone who saw a queen dragon Impress might be hard-pressed to forget it, even if they only remembered the major details of it. Her sandwich was gone so she brushed her hands off on her pants and looked out at the dragons. "You're not bothering my lunch, I'm done with it anyway," she responded belatedly.