when we fall (camille)

[Zephyr]

You need a bath. It was a startling obvious statement coming from Kaius as they were helping with the morning patrols…well, morning was a relative term. It was early in the evening. The sun hadn’t quite set all the way, and day people and riders were still active in the weyr, but it would be time for the handlers to shine soon. For now, since he’d been skipping breakfast – and lunch, and dinner – most mornings, the goldhandler had time to himself and his wher. King wasn’t around yet, likely scouring the weyr for ‘pretties’ to cuddle up to. Ever since Leviathan had left for the North, he’d been sucking up to any female of any species he could find. At least Kaiusk had escaped the brunt of the mandyr’s affections for now.

I’m fine. You need to eat. She rubbed up against the boy, resting her head on him for a moment before he chuckled and pushed her away. I’ll eat after your bath. They both knew that he wouldn’t, and that with his particular brand of stubbornness, he wouldn’t stop pushing her until she acquiesced to the bath. So, stretching out, the gold folded her wings in and led the way to the lake. She was too big to bathe in the communal bathing rooms with the humans, and though the lake was cold, it was still preferable. It was best to get her bathed before they actually had to do some work. You work too much. Kaiusk observed as she slipped into the calm pool. There were no others for her to socialize with, since it was too late for dragons and too early for whers, but she was used to it by now.

“I work as much as I need to.” Her handler grumped, stripping off his boots and shirt to wade into the lake to wipe the wher down. “Duck under.” She did so, coming back up with crystalline droplets of water balanced on her eyeridges and head knobs. You can’t keep this up much longer. Kaiusk was blunt, but Kai didn’t want to hear it. He knew she was right though. If he kept working like he was, especially without eating, he’d collapse in on himself…but it was easier, keeping busy, than it was thinking about how terribly alone he was now. You’re not alone, though. Without speaking, Kai rubbed some of the sweetsand onto her hide. He loved Kaiusk, more than he thought possible, and it was probably her and King keeping him going, but Kaius had always been shitty at being alone.

[Ivy]

It had taken a lot of whining convincing to get the Candidatemaster to agree to let Camille leave the Weyr at all. It had taken even more whining convincing to get the Candidatemaster to agree to let her go south to Selenitas for a short visit. Cami had feigned interest in the whers down south and had rattled off some line about how she wished to interact with a wher not confined to being a hold - those had been so droll when she'd encountered them - why on all of Pern would one wish to be bonded to one? So yes, it was for purely studious purposes she wished to go to Selenitas Weyr. Purely studious.

There wasn't a chance, not even the slightest, that the girl had wished to escape Inverness for a bit so she could avoid running into M'gnum. After seeing him so often in her youth then going without seeing him for the longest time - now it seemed since they had their 'falling out' (if one could really call heart wrenching rejection from an idol just a mere falling out) she bumped into him all the time. That had left the teenager with a distinctly bad taste in her mouth. Catching a ride from a dragonrider who was already headed down south to visit friends her mind was nearly blown by the vivid contrast between the northern weyr and the southern one. Colors where everywhere, lush plant life, and most of the riders seemed to be fairly well touched by the sun. Not that northern riders didn't tan ever, or that the north was really all that dreary, but Selenitas was a whole new cup of tea to be sure.

The brownrider left her in the Weyrbowl with vague directions to get to the Candidatemaster's office, but Cami did not seem to mind being left to her own devices in the strange Weyr. She was used to being on her own after all. Besides it couldn't be that hard to figure everything out, right? Her attention was pulled towards the lake by some motion she saw from the corner of her eye. At first just the color met her gaze and then she could see more of a form, and a person as well. As checking it out would be much better than standing alone in the Weyrbowl of a strange Weyr just before dark settled in, Cami made her way over to the lake's edge. Standing at the water's edge she had a slight tilt to her head as she watched what she assumed was a handler as he bathed his gold wher. She knew wher bondings were different than dragon bonds, but until that moment she had not realized just how different they were. You'd never see a man riding a gold dragon after all. Ever. Intrigued she made a cute sounding noise that she intended to sound like her clearing her throat to get his attention - but it was so quiet she wasn't sure he'd heard. Not willing to sound too impatient if he had heard her she just stood there a bit awkwardly staring out at him and his wher.

[Zephyr]

My love? Kaius was too busy scrubbing down the gold’s hide to pay attention to anything around him, not even Kaiusk’s words as she noticed the girl standing off to the side. Of course she’d notice Camille first. Kai wouldn’t notice something if it stabbed him in the face. He took his time even noticing Kaiusk’s prodding as he washed her, having other things on his mind. Namely an attractive brownhandler. Wheb he didn’t answer her immediately, Kaiusk tipped forward, and pressed Kai down under the water. He wasn’t expecting this and started flailing so gracefully, sputtering and coughing when the wher finally let him surface.

Once he had his bearings, he glared at the gold through a face full of wet hair. “What the hell, Kaiusk?” He was plenty pissed at her, and he moved to climb out of the lake, but Kaiusk wrapped her tail around his ankle and jerked him back into the water with a deft pull, amusement coloring his bond. Aren’t boys fun to tease? She privately asked Camille. Unlike some other whers, Kaiusk didn’t mind speaking to other humans. She thought that the girl would be as amused by her antics as she was. Finally, she let her handler resurface, watching him innocently as he grumped and growled, thoroughly soaked and climbed out onto the bank.

“What the fuck was that for? You know I’m not in the goddamned…” The wher cut him off with a sharp look and snorted. There’s a lovely lady who would like your attention, and you will not use that sort of language around her. Kaius glanced over, his expression bewildered as he noticed the girl. He was looking at her stupidly, still dripping water. It was a good thing he’d taken off his shirt…not like that was really a good thing at all. “Oh.” He said at last, still kinda stupidly. “Um…sorry…hi.” He said, and Kaiusk mentally rolled her eyes. Could he be more awkward? Snorting again, the gold touched Camille’s mind again. My dear, what my sillyKai is trying to say is what can he do for you this fine evening?

[Ivy]

Despite the small noise not catching the handler's attention, Cami stood there on the edge of the water still. Quietly watching as he worked on cleaning his wher. It didn't hurt matters at all that he was rather good looking. And shirtless. Oh those two factors didn't hurt things at all. She stiffled a giggle when suddenly the golden wher forced her handler beneath the water, and he flailed about. Splashing and sputtering as he finally came up.

Camille had never felt the presence of any other creature in her mind, surprising given she was Weyrborn. But the truth of her upbringing involved life in the creche being raised by drudges and when she had spent time with her father, his brown never felt her important enough to bespeak. After all, she had been but a child - and not an overly interesting one at that. So when she felt the presence of the golden wher in her mind she couldn't help but give a little jump and narrow her eyes. Head tossed this way and that quickly as she glanced around, as if wanting to verify that yes the golden wher was the one she was feeling. There was definite amusement playing from the golden wher and she had to work harder to hold back a giggle.

Looking out into the water she felt her cheeks take on a light tinge of pink as they heated up and she just gave a nod, sending those dirty blonde locks bouncing around her thin face. Pulling off the jacket she had worn for the flight - she'd been warned between was very cold and did not know what to expect as far as the temperature in Selenitas - she folded it over one arm. Beneath the jacket she was wearing a cute thin long-sleeved blue shirt. The hue of blue that brought out the color of her eyes more and the neckline swooped down just enough to hint at her modest bust beneath. Tight black pants clung to her girlish hips - perhaps the most girly thing about her, with brown boots finishing off the ensemble. As the handler began trudging out of the water she took a step back, unable to help herself from giving him a lingering once over. It wasn't as if he would noticed, he seemed oblivious to the world around him.

That is until he wasn't. He looked right at her, after stopping mid-yell at his wher. If she suddenly shifted and crossed her right foot in front of her left in a 'cute' way, it was totally done subconsciously. Totally. Smiling a bit shyly - since when was she shy? - she gave a little finger wave. "Hi." The presence of the golden wher was in her mind once more, and this time she didn't jump or even flinch. It was kind of nice actually, not quite as obtrusive as she had imagined it might be for another being to enter your mind. "I couldn't help but notice you out there... I didn't mean to interrupt? Are you helping out the handler of this wher?" Common sense told her that no, it was likely his wher but since she knew gold dragons only Impressed to women she didn't want to seem stupid if that was also the case with whers. Of course it didn't dawn on her just how ignorant she came across by assuming it wasn't his wher. First impressions, yay.

[Zephyr]

Well then. Kaiusk hadn’t missed the jump when she’d touched the girl’s mind the first time. She realized she’d have to be more careful with other humans, especially candidates. Less weyrbred and more holdbred tithed candidates meant that they probably wouldn’t be used to something else entering their minds like she just had…but they wanted to impress, no? They’d have to get used to it sooner or later. Still, it didn’t seem to have affected the girl too badly…was that even a giggle? Kaiusk beamed, offering encouraging waves towards her while Kai went to grab his shirt.

And blinked at it.

Fat lotta good that’ll so him as soaked as he was. He glared at his wher and slid the shirt on anyway. It quickly soaked through and Kai approached Camille with a clearly unimpressed look on his face. He clearly wasn’t upset with the girl though…clearly. Her words amused Kaiusk greatly, and the wher padded out of the lake, shaking herself and hopefully not getting the girl too wet. She settled down on the bank and turned her gaze to Kai, wondering how he was going to handle a question like this.

For his part, the handler was amused himself, but that only showed in a subtle, easy to miss quirking of the corner of his mouth before he snorted. “Yeah, sure I am. You want her? You can have her if you want. She’s more damn trouble than she’s worth. A real pain.” Kaiusk crooned, flicking her tail out, amusement filtering heavy through the bond. And what would you do with yourself without me, love? You’d be a mess…I mean, even more of one than you are now. She said that with all possible love, but Kaius just rolled his eyes and looked to the girl. “Nah, she’s mine, unfortunately. She doesn’t usually get me so totally wet though.” He tossed Kaiusk a glare, but the gold was utterly unrepentant, and the boy sighed before looking at Camille.

“I’m Kaius. That brat is Kaiusk. What’s up?” He wish he had a towel or something to dry his hair, but it hardly mattered now, did it? “Need something?” He was being friendly with the girl. She was actually quite pretty, gorgeous even…but Kai wasn’t known for his wandering eye. Especially not when his love life was so utterly screwed as it was.