Crash and Burn (Weith)

[Zephyr]

Slow steps brought the green hatching closer to the feeding grounds. She had hated leaving Vellani alone in such a state, but she hadn’t eaten since what had happened with Sammy. The thought of the little blue caused her stomach to clench in regret. She no longer felt any anger towards the firelizard. There was only a numb sadness, pain seeping in from the bond between rider and dragon. Vellani would get over his death, she knew. The bond between a human and a firelizard was nothing compared to the bond between a human and dragon, but there was still a bond there, and have it broken so abruptly and violated like that wasn’t something that was easy to get over. Of course, even though she was sad, Gweneveth had tried to expedite the process and get her girl to come outside with her. That hadn’t worked well, and the young dragon didn’t want to push her girl any more than she had to. Things were already strained, and she didn’t want to cause Vellani anymore mental anguish.

Truthfully, though she was hungry, she didn’t feel much like eating. The pain and sadness in her was mingling to make anything she thought about eating sound disgusting, but she was no idiot. She knew that if she didn’t eat, she would get weak, and what use would she be to the grieving girl so weak? Vellani was sad now, but if Gwen starved herself to try and comfort her rider, things would just get ten times worse. Sure, she was exaggerating somewhat. Why would she starve herself?

As she neared the pens, she fell to her haunches and watched the wherries running around with muted grey and yellow eyes. She realized that she still itched terribly and thought that she might try and find someone to oil her. There was no way she was going to ask Vellnai to. She thought about the candidates. Surely she could get one of them to. That would be nice. They should be learning about dragons anyway. Vellani was supposed to teach them about dragons, but would it even matter if the rider wasn’t there, as she wasn’t fit to teach anyone at the moment.

Thinking on the matter, she stood up, stretching out all her limbs and her tail, opening her maw in a wide jawed yawn before flapping her wings once and slipping into the feeding pen. Halfheartedly, she chased the wherries, snapping at them, but not really catching any. Stopping where she was, the green draognet flopped down in the grass, watching the wherries giving her a wide berth. Gwen was starving, but she didn’t feel like hunting.

This was such a mess.

[Sheari]

You will never catch anything lying down, little one,[/i] Weith commented kindly as he lazily landed within the feeding grounds. With care he sat down next to Gweneveth, looking at the weyrling with a slow cerulean gaze. He arched a translucent wing to shade the little green from the afternoon sun that reflected off of his hide. The bath he had taken had been delicious and, while as an adult dragon he no longer required oiling as often as one Gewneveth's age might, his hide still shone. Now why are you down there, little one? Are you not hungry?[/i] he asked.

Weith turned his gaze outward to watch the birds and beasts that the dragons of the weyr dined on. One could see a carcass here and there; the remnants of animals that hadn't quite made it. Other animals had young with them, and the yearling males occasionally sparred for dominance with an older male. Often, the bronze observed, the over zealous youths lost and ran off to either lick their wounds or fight those of lesser experience to regain their pride. Some fought for dominance over a harem that had lost their elder male for any variety of reasons. Weith thought the things he saw amusing, for in his mind, the younger animals always were more tender and delicious, and in some ways their spars were for naught, because they would most likely be eaten soon.

Indeed, the bronze locked on to a healthy herdbeast that had just won a match. The bull walked around proudly displaying himself, younger males of his breed turned from him in submission, while the wherries seemed no to care. A brave bird in fact pecked the bull's rump and then ran off, the bull wheeling but not pursuing the matter. With a snort he returned to what he had been doing and Weith decided that yes, that one would indeed be delicious.

Instead of going after him, Weith remained where he was, looking again at Gweneveth. How rude of me, forgetting my manners like that! he exclaimed. I am Weith,[/i] he introduced. As much as he would have liked to lift and hunt the feeding pens, he felt more inclined to make a friend with the green next to him. After all, it would be very rude to begin conversation and then just leave to eat, especially if your partner either lacked the skill to hunt successfully or was in a mood that prevented them from eating.

For a moment he remembered how incredibly clumsy his sister Minth had been in her youth; a memory pulled from R'men's mind, no doubt.

[Zephyr]

A strange voice alerted the young green to the bronze’s presence. Instantly, her head perked up, and though she did not rise from her sprawled out position on the ground, she followed the massive dragon’s path as he landed near her. She recognized that it must have taken a lot of skill to be able to land near one as small as her without hurting her, and her tail wagged a little, the tip pounding against the ground in a rhythmic motion. Hello! She said pleasantly, finally realizing that she was shirking on her manners and rose into a more appropriate, seated position while watching Weith curiously. Blinking, her eyes swirled greenish yellow as she gazed towards the wherries and herdbeasts. No. I am very hungry, but I don’t feel like hunting. She watched the strutting bull and cheeky wherry with a tilted head before continuing. My girl is very sad. Her little firelizard went mad and attacked her. Then he died. She said it with such matter of factness, no sadness in her voice. Her sad mood is making me sad, and I don’t like it.

Gwen wanted to be with Vellani right now, more than anything, but she feared that if she didn’t eat and get oiled soon, she would wither away to nothing or burst out of her skin, whatever came first. And both sounded equally unpleasant. Shifting her gaze from the animals, Gwen’s gaze moved to Weith and she watched the bronze carefully, her demeanor friendly. It’s okay. Manners aren’t everything. I am Gweneveth! It is a pleasure to meet you! The girl chirped up happily.

Suddenly realizing that she was probably in the big bronze’s way, she leaped to her feet, feeling a little embarrassed. Projecting an apology into the big dragon’s mind, her voice was a little sheepish. I am sorry if I am keeping you from hunting…sir…Weith. WHAT was she supposed to call him? He was a bronze, which instantly demanded her respect and formality, but he was so friendly, not something she would expect out of a bronze. It confused her, but she was glad he was friendly, she didn’t feel like getting chased out of the pen by some nasty bronze with a bad attitude. Swinging her tail behind her in a low arc, she blinked. I can leave if you would like to hunt in peace. Because, it wasn’t like she was going to get any hunting done today…at all.

[Sheari]

Ah.[/I] Weith replied. Indeed, when ours feel sad we can feel the same. As you get older it won’t be so strong, feeling that same things as yours,[/I] he explained. The bronze was very much enjoying his conversation with Gweneveth. It was not often that he was able to speak to weyrlings; it was refreshing to talk with someone like the tiny green next to him.

He looked from her back out to the pen. He was very confident that he’d be able to catch the proud beast he had put his eye on. It would take a few of the animals to fil him, though. You are fine, little one. Besides, I am not above sharing my catch with those in need.[/I] Since hatching 4 turns ago, the bronze had been completely convinced that he was destined for greatness. He was born to lead, he just simply wasn’t ready yet. However, a good leader helped those in need, and Gwenenveth was clearly in need.

If she had been older he would probably not have extended such an offer. As part of some inner nature, dragons were rarely known to share much of anything. Weith had decided that he liked Gweneveth and rising from his place, jumped into a glide and hunted the proud male. Tripping the beast with his tail, Weith pounced on the kill and carried it back to where he had been sitting. In a silly way he felt like a mother feline and he was sure that, somewhere, he was being laughed at, but he cared not.

Hunting can be a great way to take your mind off of things if you let it,[/I] he said, going back out to to retrieve a wherry. He would leave the bold one today and went after a plump, arrogant female that clearly got more than her share of food. He caught her with ease in his talons, proof that greed could end you. Returning again to Gweneveth, he began to dine on the wherry. Someone would probably be unhappy with him, and possibly the little green, for eating so close to the fence, but it didn’t matter much to him.