Adventures asundry

[dragon]

For hours, they had been up here. For hours … all day, actually, since just before Rukbat had shown its shiny face above the horizon. Aonith had finally been freed from the hides on her wings last night, after dark, and both she and her rider had been looking forward to this morning ever since arriving at Selenitas. They could now fly!!! Once acquiring permissions from Kalierre, Dorava had seen to the removal of the stitched on hides, herself. Aonith's wing still bore a strange array of tiny pin prick holes where the heavy thread had been through her wing, but that was nothing. In a week's time, those holes would be closed and gone. What was stranger looking was the paler areas where Aonith's wing had not received any sunlight at all for nigh on half a turn. Why she had been stuck wearing the hides so long, Dorava had no idea what so ever. But she wasn't about to quibble about it.

And before dawn had arrived, the pair of them had arisen, strapped on flight gear, and taken off into the cool predawn air. And there, high high above the Weyr, they had been ever since. The feeling was so very good … it was one of freedom! One of such exhilaration that even as much as they had missed flying, they hadn't realized how much they had missed the experience. In fact, they had almost gotten used to being groundbound. It was a sad thing, that.

But as Rukbat began the inexorable, but inevitable journey back toward the horizon, they realized that they had to return to the Weyr. Aonith was tired, even though she hadn't been doing much more than gliding for the better part of six hours now. Having not flown for so long, her flight muscles were incredibly weak. Despite that … they hadn't wanted to return to the ground anyway.

Now, though … they had to. That and Dorava was famished, not having eaten anything. So Aonith started the slow and gentle descent back to the Weyr far below. After a time, they made it below cloud level – not that there were a horribly lot of clouds around. Within minutes, Aonith was backwinging into her own weyr. It was a very low weyr, since she had been unable to fly until today … The green dragon wondered if she was going to get a new weyr now. Part of her wished so, having such a low weyr was almost a shame. But also … she didn't wish it. This place had become home. And it was a much nicer home than her old weyr at Benden had ever been.

Dorava slid off and took the straps off of Aonith. They had been long in disuse, but the rider had made sure they were well tended anyway, in anticipation of this very day. Carrying the leathers over to her trunk, Dorava deposited them inside, and closed the lid even as Aonith made her way to her couch and settled down on it with a weary – but happy – sigh.

"I'll be back, love. I have to go eat something before I pass out." Dorava stroked her green's snout, and then stripped out of her riding gear. Putting all that away, as well, she then left the weyr. For the purpose of air flow, she deliberately left the door standing wide open. Aonith was inside … no one would disturb her things. If anyone was likely to do that, anyway.

Aonith rumbled a reply, and rested her head on the couch edge next to her side, and closed her eyes. She wasn't asleep … not yet … but she was contemplating being so.

[nightingale]

Sister Elle, I do not think we should be here. Cherilith crooned nervously, sweeping his faceted eyes back and forth across the empty corridor. I am sure that at any moment someone will come out and demand what we are doing here. Perhaps we should go back? The kitten who was leading their expedition into the uncharted territory of the first-floor weyrs was either ignoring him or completely fearless. The fact that they were trespassing didn't seem to bother her in the least as she padded along the stone hallway, ears perked forward and tail held high.

Elle was Saeo's kitten. That meant that she was Cherilith's kitten as well, and the little blue couldn't very well let his kitten wander about all on her own. She was just a hatchling after all, and he flinched at imagining the trouble she could get into, tiny thing she was wandering about a Weyr full of giants. No, it was best that he stayed with her. She would get tired eventually, and then he could pick her up and take her back home to bed before Saeo was any the wiser. He did not think His would be very pleased to know they had left their room without her knowing...

Suddenly, the little feline paused to let out a soft mew. Her attention had gone to an open door at the far end of the hallway. Oh, we cannot go in there Elle. Cherilith told her with a little shake of his head. What if somebody is home? We do not want to disturb them. Brushing off the little dragon's advice once again, Elle started toward the door, leaving her reluctant tag-along with no choice but to follow as she slipped inside.

Mewing softly, the kitten wasted no time in latching onto an overhanging fur and scrambling up onto Dorava's bed. That is not your bed Elle. Cherilith scolded, trying to fix her with a disapproving look while simultaneously searching the room for any sign of it's occupants. The kitten purred with audible contentment as she settled herself into a furry ball on the absent rider's pillow. She looked toward Cherilith and mewed questioningly. No, I am not coming up there with you. He snorted. And you had better come down from there now if you don't want to be in trouble. Mewing once again in what amounted to a shrugged 'suit yourself' the kitten turned away from him, snuggling down into the pillow for a nap.

Elle? Elle come, we must leave now before we are in trouble. Elle? The little dragon's mental voice fell in deaf ears, as the kitten was already asleep. Huffing loudly with concern and frustration, the little blue took another sweep of the weyr- only to notice the green dragon he had failed to spot the first time around laying nearby. He gave a small chirp of panic, the sound triggering a small twitch of his kitten's ear. Oh, I am very sorry! He told Aonith, whirling yellow eyes betraying his anxiety. We did not mean to intrude upon you! My kitten and I were just going for a walk...and I imagine that she thought this was our room instead of yours and...and I am very sorry...
He cowered visibly, looking about as shameful and miserable as a blue dragonet could possibly look.

[dragon]

Aonith heard some very small, very soft feet padding around, and after it came the heavier tread and claw clicks of what sounded like a very small dragon. She cracked one eye ever so slightly, and watched in silence as the cutest little kitten came in and made itself a bed on Dorava's pillow. And the young blue weyrling that followed, and started fussing at the kitten.

Now if that wasn't cute, she didn't know what was. Her eye opened a little more, as she watched them. And then Cherilith started talking to her. She hummed lightly in her throat, before blinking and lifting her head. It is alright, little one. The youngling isn't hurting anything. Neither are you. Where is yours, though? Does yours know that you are here?[/i] She asked.

Aonith stretched her neck out a little, and sniffed gently at the kitten... she didn't want to inhale the fluffball, after all. Eyes swirling calmly in peaceful colors, she turned her attention back to Cherilith, and nudged him gently, as well, with her snout. Your little friend appears to be tired.

[nightingale]

Cherilith blinked his large, faceted eyes twice in quick sucession as they slowly faded from yellow to green. Mine is at chores. He explained meekly, tilting he head slightly to one side. She does not know I am here...but I was following our kitten. Saeomine left the door open when she left...and I suppose that Elle wanted to go on an adventure...

The little blue wasn't normally a shy fellow, but he was quite awed to be standing next to an adult dragon. He had only glimpsed his older siblings at a distance thus far, and so having an adult green not only right next to him, but actually speaking to him was nothing short of absolutely thrilling. Oh, he could hardly wait to tell Ebolath about it!

He looked toward Elle curiously as Aonith sniffed at her. The kitten did not seem thrilled with the way her fur was getting blown into dissaray, but it seemed that she couldn't be bothered doing anything about it -short of slitting her eyes open and staring irritatedly at the far wall. She is very sleepy all the time. Cherilith agreed, making a small, cooing sound in his throat. Mine says it is because she is a hatchling. And a feline...I am Cherilith. He looked up a the green curiously, waiting for her to offer her own name.

[dragon]

Aontih rustled her wings, and looked around for a moment. A weyrling had wandered off to do her chores without her youngling? That was ... decidedly odd. Aonith looked down at Cherilith again. Okay ... yours should not leave you, though. Not while you are still young yet. And with that she made a decision: You'll do best to stay here, until yours comes to get you. It is not safe for you to be wandering around alone. Go close the door, so your kitten does not escape. Aonith instructed, twisting her snout in the direction of the door ... which was still standing open. I will keep you safe.

Hatchlings of all types are sleepy at first. But ... this one is not so much a hatchling. This one was old enough to leave the nest. Shouldn't be sleeping that much, now. Aonith observed, looking down at the kitten. It was a good thing that hers did not mind pets at all ...

Cherilith. It is nice to meet you, young Cherilith. I am Aonith. Of Dorava. Mine recently went down to the weyrling barracks ... maybe you've met her?

[nightingale]

The yellow was quick to return to Cherilith's eyes as Aonith explained to him that his wandering about alone might implicate His as inattentive. Oh, but she was only outside! He insisted, scurrying obediently over to the door and nudging it shut before returning to his place near the bed. She works the boats with Frosstyth's C'oar and Rioth's T'rea. I often sleep inside when the sun gets too hot...I just do not often wander about...

He nodded his recognition to Dorava's name -names were the kind of thing he remembered best after all, and it always pleased him when he could match up a face it's name. Oh yes, Dorava and Val the blue salamandyr came to visit us not long ago. I look to Saeo, and she and Ebolath who looks to Raylin had a slumber party recently. I was told that it was most fun. A low, purring rumble sounded in the little blue's throat. He hadn't been awake for much of the party, but the smell of baked things and the closeness of his favourite clutchsiblings had left him with a good impression of slumber parties.

I did not know that Dorava was bonded to a dragon. Do you fly together often? Oh, that must be most exciting! Mine and I are still weyrlings, so we cannot fly together yet...but we swim together, and sometimes Mine lets me tug the boat around. He puffed out his little chest, obviously hoping that the older green would think highly of him for being strong enough to pull a rowboat upriver. Elle mewed softly, curious as to why nobody was trying to interrupt her nap anymore. This drew a look of recognition from Cherilith, who crooned apologetically. Oh, but my kitten and I must return to our room before Mine returns, or she will be very angry. We will be careful of course.

[dragon]

The boats ... well that explained a few things. Weyrlings could not ride around in the boats with thiers. So, yes ... sleeping in thier room would be a logical place for a weyrling to stay. Aonith rumbled understanding, shifting where her front legs were underneath her. Flipping her feet over so that they were down on the ground again, she looked at the kitten. And she could completely understand the little one's fear for the furry one. That sort of thing would be horrible ... if one's heart was hurt over the loss of a fuzzy.

Mine says the slumber party was fun, as well. Maybe they will do it again. Few things are fun for mine, anymore. It was very good for her ... and it was good of Ebolath's to invite her. Aonith replied. And then she whuffled sofly in dragon laughter. Yes, mine is a Rider. We have been together for many, many long turns. She was a small girl when I hatched. Aonith said, before standing, noting the urgency of the weyrling.

Flying is very nice ... I just today was able to fly again after a very long time unable to do so. It was very nice. I beleive you will enjoy flight quite well, when you become old enough to do so. Practice strengthening your wings ... they will carry you well later on. Aonith advised, as she often did to young weyrlings. Pulling the boats is good excersize for you, too ... but do not do it so much that yours gets no exersize, either. She warned.

Come. I will take you back. So that you and your feline remain safe. Mine will not be back for some time yet. Aonith said, rising slowly ... wearily ... to her feet. Turning around, she was very careful of her tail as she walked right out of her weyr to the outside. She had no ledge, as she was quartered on the ground floor. So it was quite easy for her to walk out ... and expect the two younglings to follow. She paused outside, and looked back, waiting for them to catch up.

Aonith knew where the weyrling barracks were ... it wasn't even all that terribly far away. And she would make sure they returned safely... and did not drown or get eaten along the way. And maybe she would lay down there, and watch them there.

The weyrlings needed guarding anyway.

[nightingale]

Cherilith watched with placid interest as Aonith rose to her feet, head tilted slightly to one side. She had been unable to fly? Why had that been? Had she been injured? Perhaps that was why part of her wing was so oddly coloured -it almost looked as if someone had started painting her one colour, but had run out just before they had finished and so opted to create a strange pattern instead.

Were you injured Aonith? He queried, unsatisfied with his own theories. Your wing? That must have hurt a great deal. I once caught the tip of my wing in a drawer and it was most unpleasant. He started after her, then noticed that his kitten still seemed unwilling to move from her pilfered bed. He went back to collect her.

Using his forelegs to lever himself halfway onto Dorava's bed, the little blue craned his head over the snoozing kitten and grasped her by the scruff of the neck. Elle mewed plaintively as he lifted her, obviously none too thrilled about having her nap interrupted just when the considered herself home free, but obeyed her instincts, tucking her paws and tail against her furry body. Cherilith would look quite silly to a casual observer, waddling after a green twice his size with a kitten dangling from his mouth, but he seemed oblivious to the fact as he fell into step next to Aonith.

[dragon]

Aonith watched as the young weyrling collected his kitten and then joined her outside. She was amused, slightly, by the appearance of the two. But she said nothing of it. Yes, young Cherilith. I was wounded. By another dragon. They slit my wing twice with thier claws, and while it was healing, I was forbidden from flying. For six moons, I was stuck on the ground. She told him, as she started walking toward the weyrling barracks.

Walking was something she was used to, by now ... and it did not bother her at all to go for yet another stroll beneath the canopy, this time accompanied by a young blue, and his kitten.