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Post by hseru on Jan 9, 2009 13:31:04 GMT -5
Lanthos brightened visibly at E'yan's offer. "Really? You'd teach me to read notes?" He grinned brightly, excited with the idea. "I'd love to learn more about music. I'm no harper, but it's just as fascinating as all of this." He waved his hand glibly in the air to encompass the Weyr, probably meaning the whole dragon riding prospect in general. "I don't know yet how busy I'll be, but any spare time I have.." He nodded. "All to music."
Finally unable to take the strain on his outstretched legs, Lanthos shifted carefully upwards, holding onto Kindrith's back knobs for support as he brought both his legs together, and stood in a crouch. He then sat with a single motion, swinging both his legs to one side to imitate E'yan's method of sitting. He gave his legs a brief shake, loosening the muscles with a sigh.
"I'll keep coming up with questions, it's just a matter of time." He chuckled a bit, looking over at E'yan and catching the wink. "You might just regret offering to answer any of my questions." Grinning, Lanthos easily scratched the ridges to each side of him.
He laughed at Rascal's digging motions. "What's he doing? I know he's not going to hurt Kindrith, but.. does he smell something?" He patted the blue hide beneath him. "Are you hiding something tasty underneath your skin?"
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Post by dragon on Jan 9, 2009 23:00:16 GMT -5
E'yan laughed lightly, and nodded. "Sure, I'll teach you. I have a gitar I play." He said, with a grin. Indeed, he loved music dearly. "Drop by any time, and we can squeeze in some lessons." He assured the lad. Lessons didn't have to take long ... and depending on how bright Lanthos was, the lad might learn a lot quickly. Sometimes having a teacher could make all the difference in the world.
E'yan nodded as Lanthos took up a different sitting position, and grinned slightly. "A tad bigger than a runner, no?" he asked. A 'tad' was a tad of an understatement, and he knew it. But he liked poking light hearted fun at people, even when he really wasn't poking much fun.
"That's okay. Shows a bright mind under that hair." E'yan teased, patting Lanthos lightly on the head, grinning again. "Whatever you come up with... I'll try to help you out with it."
E'yan watched Rascal for a moment, and then shrugged. "My best guess would be that he's trying to get on Kindrith's good side." He remarked. "That's how flitters go about scratching dragons or whers ... it takes a lot of effort on thier part to do that, after all. Dragon hide is some tough stuff." He explained.
Kindrith rumbled, amused at the idea of him having something hidden under his hide other than himself. the boy was quite silly. And the blue almost bespoke him, just to tell him so. But he didn't ... he resisted and just looked at everyone piled on his back. They apparently though he was a couch or something ...
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Post by hseru on Jan 10, 2009 19:23:00 GMT -5
"A guitar? I liked the way those sounded, and I've never heard someone play it well. Would you mind if I just listened sometime?" It would indeed be a treat for him to hear the possibilities inherent in the instrument. It gave him something to strive for in his own music.
He nodded ruefully at E'yan, wincing largely for show, and grinning to ease any worry. "Much bigger. Even the big runners we bred to pull plows didn't have such broad backs. I'm glad they start off smaller, 'cause I'll have to grow slowly into riding a dragon of any good size."
After the pat, he self consciously ran a hand through his bangs to settle the dark mass again. A habit born from years of having longer hair, and being aware of how it could get in his eyes when mussed. "I'm sincerely glad that my questions don't mean I'm totally ignorant." He chuckled a bit. "I can only hope that I'll manage to keep appearing bright to others." He glanced around, as if searching for anyone within hearing distance. There was, of course, no one, but he leaned over in a confiding way. "You're the first person I've fooled into thinking that, so we'll see how many more I can sway to my side." He grinned over at E'yan.
Straightening, he glanced back at the brown flitt, amused. "It's nice to see that he has a sense of self preservation." At the rumble from Kindrith, Lanthos started back to scratching in the hopes that the blue wouldn't get annoyed that he wasn't doing so, and ask that he remove himself.
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Post by dragon on Jan 10, 2009 20:47:06 GMT -5
"Yeah, I have one of those. And any time you want to drop in while I'm not otherwise occupied ... I do have duties, after all. The best time to catch me unoccupied is after dark. Not much a dragon can do after dark." He explained. "By the time Rukbat fades, I should be back at my weyr again." E'yan said, with a shrug. "I only hope I can hold up to your expectations!" He laughed, with a wink of his own in return.
"Yes ... even Bronzes, when you start out riding them, they're considerably smaller. As for sitting on them... riders tend to sit up front on the base of the neck, rather than on thier backs. It's far narrower, and far more comfortable for the sitting. Go ahead ... move on up and try it out." E'yan gestured toward Kindrith's big head, which was actually resting on the blue's shoulders. "Kin! Get your big head up, will you?" He asked, affectionately prodding the dragon.
Kindrith rumbled for a moment, but relented and picked his head up. The dragon whuffled, and then straightened his neck out. Why in the world his was allowing another Human to sit in his honored position was beyond his comprehension. But Kindrith allowed it ... if for no other reason than the lad had been respectful, had given him quite a bit of positive attention, and had been scratching him a good bit. That all served to put the boy in the blue's good graces.
E'yan laughed at Lanthos' confession. "I am sure others have been convinced so, as well. Just because they didn't tell you so doesn't mean that they're not thinking so." He said, with a grin. " He wasn't entirely sure if Lanthos was being serious or not, but, ah well. It really didn't matter. It took an intelligent mine to be curious, to seek answers ... to dream up the questions in the first place. And it just didn't matter to E'yan what anyone else had thought. He was beyond certain that there was a very smart head on Lanthos' shoulders.
Rascal fluttered aroudn, peeped, and returned to E'yan's shoulder, sensing that something was going on. And not knowing what, he wasn't taking any chances ... he preferred being in the safe zone that was E'yan's proximity, where Kindrith wouldn't snap at him. Settled there, Rascal peeped again, and watched Lanthos with curiosity.
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Post by hseru on Jan 11, 2009 8:38:46 GMT -5
Lanthos smiled. "If you play any better than me, which is a sure thing, then I'd be glad to hear it. I chose the lute because of the instruments I could afford, it seemed the most likely to fit me. I'd like to know if I could play anything else though. Is it usual to pick and stick to a single instrument?"
He glanced up towards Kindrith's head, his mouth an 'o' of surprise. "I can sit there? I don't know... is it really ok?" Despite his misgivings, Kindrith moved his head to allow him room, and ultimately, the dragon had the last say. Lanthos slowly pushed himself to his feet, bent over a bit so he could keep his balance with the blue's spinal knobs. This was an opportunity which he would not squander with false modesty or a slip of the foot resulting in a hard landing on the far ground. If anything, his conversation and interaction with the Rider and his blue merely began to fan the flames for him.. He wanted to impress! It was also likely that he would not be sitting on a dragon alone in the rider's position again until he gained his own little bundle of joy. He couldn't wait.
Carefully, Lanthos maneuvered himself into place, surprised to find that E'yan was right. It was much more comfortable to sit there than further down the back. His legs rested just in front of the spot where the blue's shoulders widened. It was still wider than any runner, but he could get used to this. He turned back to wave at E'yan, grinning. "You're right, this is better!" His excitement was palpable. He reached far forward to give Kindrith a good, long scratch in areas he was starting to identify as 'itchy'. "Thank you for letting me sit here Kindrith." He said with sincerity. "This is a wonderful gift to me."
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Post by dragon on Jan 13, 2009 0:26:05 GMT -5
"Well ... I've been playing the gitar since I was twelve, so ... I do know a thing or two about it, sure." He admitted. "And, no, most Harpers can play any instrument you can hand them. Me, well ... I'm not quite that good. I can play most instruments, but not all, and I'm not very good at but a few of those. So ..." E'yan shrugged. "Later on, you might be able to afford something you like better ... but it won't happen as long as you're a Candidate." E'yan warned.
E'yan smiled broadly as he saw Lanthos light up like a kid who had just been given his dream runner. He nodded, and gestured for Lanthos to actually take the offer, as it was quite genuine. And then he just sat there and watched as the boy moved forward and slid into place. E'yan almost laughed as he witnessed the happy glow coming off of the candidate. That boy was definitely on cloud nine!
He nodded, slightly. "It is better." He agreed. "They narrow down a lot, right there, and the top part of the neck is more of a kind of narrower wedge, compared to the rest. If you cross cut a dragon neck ... not that I have done such a thing ... you'd find that it is tear drop shaped, with the broad part near the bottom. And thank goodness, too ... if it wasn't that way, the Bronzes and Golds would be impossible for anyone to ride." He mentioned.
Kindrith rumbled again, arching his neck. Ahhhh ... that was perfect. Maybe E'yan knew what he was doing, after all? You're quite welcome, Candidate Lanthos. Kindrith said, talking to the lad for the first time, seriously appreciating all the positive attention.
E'yan was forced into making a grab for the nearest spinal ridge as Kindrith suddenly rose to his feet - though slowly and gently. The blue dragon then started walking away from the stables, and toward the river, with Lanthos seated astride his neck. Kindrith!? Where are you going?![/b] E'yan demanded, startled.
Away fromt he stables. The smell coming out of there of manure is getting to me. The blue remarked, casually. And he was taking everyone with him, as he went, casually strolling along.
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Post by hseru on Jan 13, 2009 19:39:59 GMT -5
"So, you're actually a harper? I didn't know you could be a Rider and something else. How do you find the time?" Lanthos was beginning to grasp how much time being a rider took, and doing something else on top of that was amazing. He shrugged lightly at the warning about not being able to buy anything. "I can deal with that. I do have my lute already, and this place will feed, clothe and house me, so I'm just grateful for that much."
Lanthos imagined being on a bronze or a gold, which he'd heard were both much bigger, and couldn't quite picture it. He'd been searched by a blue rider, and it seemed that's what he was seeing the most of lately, so he had no basis for comparison. That would probably change eventually, with so many large dragons at the Weyr.
His mouth dropped open when Kindrith bespoke him, as it was such a peculiar feeling, and one he'd never experienced. The words ... swirled? Yes, they seemed to swirl within his head, popping in from nowhere to make their presence known with color and sound that he couldn't hear. He glanced back to see if E'yan had heard too, his mouth still open.
He wasn't given time to catch his mental balance as Kindrith rose slowly to his feet, snapping him out of his surprise to grab the ridge in front of him with both hands, nearly sliding to the side before he knew it. Righting himself, he was tremendously glad that he hadn't fallen. What would his family say to that? 'Lanthos, you've been riding the wildest runners bareback for years and you can't stay aseat of a -slowly- moving dragon?' He chuckled lightly to himself at the thought.
"Kindrith talked to me! Did you hear?" He asked while steadily remaining faced forwards, not yet daring his balance to turn backwards. The blue's stride was nothing like that of a runner, the longer steps and pauses between the returning motion much longer in duration due to the sheer size of Kindrith. It took him a few steps to get used to, but then he felt the odd pacing settle into him, and he regained his riding balance. "Where are we going?"
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Post by dragon on Jan 13, 2009 23:54:11 GMT -5
E'yan nodded. "I am, yes. But it took a lot of determination to do so. Most people get apprenticed out to a craft by the time they are ten or eleven turns old. And no one is allowed to stand for Impression until they are at a minimum of twelve turns. So, most people that become riders are already at least apprentices to something. If not Journeyman, depending on how late they were searched. In my case, I started out a Harper. And then I impressed, and that got put on hold. Once I was out of weyrling hood, I had some time freed up, and I went back to studying in my free time ... what there was of it. And I earned my ranks there too. Not that I've done much of anything with it, since." E'yan shrugged, still hanging onto Kindrith's ridges as the dragon walked down a slight incline toward the cooler, damper areas surrounding the river.
"He will actually talk to a lot of people, when he's not being persnickity and in a strange mood. I'm surprised it took him this long to talk to you." E'yan confessed. "Kindrith is a very strange dragon, in more ways than is sane. He doesn't do things just cause other dragons do them. Or don't do them. He does ... whatever. Unfortunately, sometimes. He's kind of unpredictable."
Kindrith rumbled a reply to that, and it didn't sound entirely kind, but it wasn't a mean comment, either. But the dragon didn't deign to explain his comment by thought, either, merely leaving the two guessing as to what it was he was rumbling about.
Finding a nice spot by the river's edge, Kindrith stretched out again, diddling his front toes in the water. This was much, much nicer, yes.
"Well ... I guess now we know where we were going." E'yan remarked, almost laughing. "Silly dragon."
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Post by hseru on Jan 14, 2009 22:16:40 GMT -5
"That makes sense. I didn't know that the minimum was twelve turns, but I guess I should have guessed that it was possible either way. I mean, lookit me. I just turned seventeen, and I was well along the path towards being a runner breeder and trainer." Feeling easier with the blue's unusual gait, Lanthos held on with one hand, letting the other lightly scratch the pale blue hide. He leaned back while Kindrith took the shallow slope.
Lanthos smiled, finally turning in his seat to meet E'yan's eyes. "Well, people can be just as unusual or unpredictable. It just makes him more interesting to be around, I think." He wobbled just a bit, and quickly turned back around to regain his balance.
He grinned at Kindrith's recalcitrant rumble, tapping his feet lightly against the blue's shoulders. "I wonder why he moved. Did he say?" He peered around, shrugging lightly. "Either way, he picked out a nice place. I haven't been out here before." Suddenly remembering an earlier warning, he glanced backwards. "Have there been any felines here?"
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Post by dragon on Jan 15, 2009 22:22:23 GMT -5
"And you still could be, though that trade would be a tad more difficult with you being a rider when you take it up again." E'yan said. "What with runners being terrified of dragons, and what not. Not to mention the land needed for raising them." He shrugged.
"It can make him a little too interesting to be around, sometimes." E'yan shrugged. "But I have to admit ... I love him anyway. No matter what." And at that comment, he earned a return loving look from his dragon, Kindrith's eyes swirling in gentle tones of blue. An almost inaduble sound came from the dragon, as the blue dropped his head to crossed forelegs. Scooting his back legs outward a little bit to allow his belly to rest on the ground, Kindrith dropped his wings to the ground, also, totally relaxed.
"He moved because he didn't like the stench of manure coming out of the stables." E'yan explained. "If I had a nose as sensitive as his? I can't say I'd like it much, either. Can't blame him. And I'm sure the runners are happy to have this overly large carnivorous beasty wander off. You know they could smell him just as easily as he could them." He remarked. Kindrith just grunted in reply, making his back heave upward ever so slightly with the noise. But again, he didn't deign to comment verbally.
Rascal wandered off, then, up Kindrith's blue spine, sticking out like a sore thumb. His own dark brown coloring was a stark contrast to Kindrith's pale blue. Reaching where Lanthos was seated, he poked the boy's hip experimentally, with a tiny peep, peering at the spot.
"It is a nice place. It would be nicer if the river was actually full, though, instead of being an anemic trickle..." E'yan mused. And then he shrugged. "I have no idea if the felines have been to this exact spot or not." He replied. "I really couldn't tell you much about where they've been, and where they haven't. I do know they're getting braver ... or more desperate. They recently attacked right outside the wher dens. But rest assured ... they won't attack with Kindrith right here. They're smarter than that. As big and as mean as they are, Kindrith is both bigger and meaner ... and can breathe fire."
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Post by hseru on Jan 16, 2009 17:59:36 GMT -5
"I don't know." Lanthos shrugged a bit. "I don't think I have the ability to focus on two trades, as it were, and give each the attention they deserve. I can either be a rider of runners, or a rider of dragons, and as long as the option stands open to me, I choose dragons." He gave Kindrith a pat in emphasis, smiling as the blue shifted positions to lounge on his stomach. "I can see many reasons to love him." Lanthos agreed.
He smiled ruefully, giving the air a visible sniff. "I guess this would smell better to a dragon, but I'm so used to it, I actually like the smell of runners. Well, the smell of clean runners anyway. Kinda musky, and sweet with the hay." He took a deep breath, wrinkling his nose a bit. "I can smell Kindrith now though. At least, I assume it's him. He has a sweetness to him too, but a different kind of musk. It's different, but not unpleasant I think." He nodded a bit to himself.
His legs were getting a little too stretched again, and he once more lifted himself to change positions, swinging both legs to face the sluggish river this time, and shaking them out a bit as he resettled. He glanced down at a slight prodding, finding Rascal at his hip and apparently fascinated with it. He reached out to try and give the flitt a pet, resuming such with his other hand on Kindrith, now a somewhat lazy scratching.
"You said the felines aren't scared of a lone dragon though. I certainly would be, Kindrith is fearsome, but I'm not full of razor claws and teeth." He glanced surreptitiously about, then smiled over at E'yan "But, if you say it's alright, then I believe you."
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Post by dragon on Jan 17, 2009 0:05:40 GMT -5
"Oh, prolly not. Riding two critters at the same time can be a challenge." E'yan agreed, with a hearty chuckle. Getting the two to co exist would be a whole other bucket of fun, too. The dragon would want to eat the runner, and the runner would want to run away to avoid getting eaten. It really was a strange situation, to try and be a runner breeder and a dragonrider, too.
"Oh, don't take it that way. Kindrith loves the smell of runners ... about the same as the smell of any other prey animal. But, he doesn't particularly care for the stench of the manure piles. Dragons don't eat manure, see..." He shrugged, well knowing that there was a significant difference between a dragon's enchantment with runners, and Lanthos'. He only hoped that Lanthos wouldn't have a fit when he did become a Rider ... and his dragon tried to eat a runner. That would be ... strange.
Rascal peeped, and looked up at Lanthos when he received the petting, and then stretched upward with all four legs, pushing into the petting, eyes squinted most of the way shut in happiness. "You really are spoiling my boys rotton, you know that?" E'yan laughed, though he was happy that they were both enjoying the lad's company. Seeing them all take so well to each other made E'yan rather confident in Lanthos' chances of impressing ... and more than likely, impressing well, too. A love of draconics like that wasn't learned or acquired ... it was born.
E'yan scratched the back of his neck, forehead furrowed slightly as he thought. Did he say that? Maybe he did. If that was the case, he was getting sorely confused. Clearing his throat, he shrugged. "I guess it depends on the situation." He remarked, finally. "Anyway ... this is how I have managed to figure it out thusfar. But remember ... I haven't been here overly long, myself, so my experiences on the matter are few. When felines are attacking, it takes more than one dragon to repel them from the attack. But, if they aren't attacking yet ... they aren't liable to attack a dragon. If there is a dragon already there, they're liable to leave. They prefer to make snacks of easy prey ... like, say, candidates, weyrlings, weyrfolk, pets, herd animals, etc. Rather than try to attack a predator so much larger than they are that also has teeth, claws, and can fly and flame them. They're not stupid... they don't want to die. But once thier sights are set on a prey, and they think they can get it ... it does take a few dragons to dissuade them of that notion. The more desperate, the more hungry they are, the more dragons or whers it takes to change thier mind. How many of them there are, is also a factor. But... there is no reason for any size band of felines to attack a dragon." E'yan said. "Does that explain it a little better?" He asked. "In that sense, both statements are true ... even if I did confuse you somewhat with it. My apologies."
Kindrith rumbled. Felines do not taste good for the eating ... they are slimy tasting. The blue remarked, to both of them. E'yan barked a laugh. "I would guess they would say the same about you, my friend." He replied.
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Post by hseru on Jan 17, 2009 23:30:17 GMT -5
Lanthos chuckled a bit. "I suppose I do see what you mean. Dragons would eat a runner just as easily as a milchbeast or a wherry. They might even taste good." He made show of frowning, and giving a slight huff for dramatic effect. "I guess I'll just have to not train any beasts here." He gave a short, impish grin after that, a bit subdued with the thought afterall and attempting to hide it. He was sure he could deal with it eventually, but he'd make sure to not watch his dragon while eating for a while, if it took to runners.
He grinned at Rascal, the brief moment of unhappiness gone as he bore down on the little creature with the intention of making him swoon with delight at the petting. "I do what I can. I ah.. have a tendency to spoil the creatures in my care, and it sometimes spills over to those owned by others."
He glanced up as E'yan explained the ways and habits of felines. He nodded slowly afterward. "I think I do understand what you're saying, and no need to apologize. I'd rather have the information correct, especially on so vital a topic. You say the candidates and such are most vulnerable... from what I've seen, the candidate barracks are safe on the river, but what about the others? I don't really know my way around well enough yet, but I haven't seen any other youngster living quarters. Where do the weyrlings stay?"
Lanthos laughed a bit as Kindrith bespoke them again. "I guess you've gotten your teeth into a few, Kindrith? I wouldn't be surprised if you'd killed lots of them."
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Post by dragon on Jan 18, 2009 0:45:52 GMT -5
"Actually? Runner does taste good. From what I've heard. I would guess so. I really can't tell one meat from the next, myself. If it's meat, and on my plate ... that's as far as I can tell you." E'yan shrugged. "Dragons, on the other hand ... they all have thier own preferences ... and how hungry they are can sometimes dictate how large an animal they take down. Runners are faster than herdbeasts, and as such can pose more of a challenge for the catching. Again, temperament can play a lot in that. Some dragons like to chase thier prey. Others don't." He shrugged. "With Kindrith, it depends on his mood."
Rascal dropped down suddenly, to Kindrith's back, and rolled over onto his back, sticking all four feet up in the air to grasp onto Lanthos' hand and wrist with. Wrapping his tail around the boy's fingers, He started biting - albeit gently - on the side of his wrist. E'yan saw that, and frowned. Snapping his fingers, he said sternly; "Rascal!" A properly cowed flitter let go of Lanthos, and crawled miserably back over to where E'yan was, head hanging low. "You know better." E'yan scolded the young flitter, before scooping him up and setting him on his lap. "Behave." He instructed. Somewhat more chipper - but not as much as before, Rascal sat there and peered at Kindrith's tail. "Sorrry about that. If he starts gnawing, he starts biting in a hurry ... and he can do some damage, for being so young." E'yan explained. "I'm trying to break him of the habit."
Turd. Kindrith muttered, more to himself than anyone else, though E'yan did hear him. But the rider didn't grace the dragon with any kind of response ... the whole Weyr knew all too well what Kindrith's sentiments on browns were. "Well ... the candidate barracks are safe, to a point, in the middle of the river. But only so long as we have a river. It's drying off in a hurry, and I hear it's been a very very long time since there's been any kind of rain here. So ... " He shrugged. "They Weyrlings are bunked in the cliff face, in the barracks there. They're not protected by the river like the candidates are. But there do tend to be quite a few adult dragons around. Weyrlings are important, after all, we can't have them being slaughtered in their sleep. But it's not in the barracks that they are in danger. Candidates, weyrlings, etcetera ... they're at the most danger when they're out wandering around, doing things. Yourself, for example ... though a stroll down the Weyr to the stalls seems like a benign enough pass time, it could have gotten you eaten. We never know when and where the beasts will attack again ... or even if they will. Now, I don't mean to scare you out of going anywhere or doing anything. But do be aware of your suroundings, always tell someone where you are going, and if at all possible ... travel with someone else." E'yan advised.
I have eaten one. And I won't do it again. Wherry are better tasting. Killed many I have ... but not as many as is needed. Kindrith replied, before snorting out a cloud of gnat type bugs that had taken to swarming near his snout.
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